God Uses Broken Pots

Good morning everyone! This series is going to be a bit different. It is entitled Don’t Miss Sunday. Why it is you ask? Because I don’t want you to miss a Sunday. See none of the sunday’s this month will build upon the last one. They are all independent of each other and if you miss one, you just miss it. We will also have special speakers this month. So you better just make sure you are here. Because you don’t want to miss it. Things are happening here.

So why not get on with the message.

Brokenness. A powerful word.

We were praying one morning here at church. She was so broken. Hurting. I was walking around and laid my hands on her. Immediately I heard God to say, “The Light Shines the Most through” I wasn’t quite sure what that meant but I felt that I had to tell her that. So I did. When I told her she began to weep and then the explanation came pouring out of me.

God said to her and really to me, the pain you have felt, the heart break you have experienced, the trauma, I will use it all for my glory. I know it doesn’t make sense and I know it not what you want to hear but it is true. It isn’t wasted. He said through me that so many they never allow the light of Christ to shine through. They are too well put together that the light cannot come out.

God takes that brokenness and doesn’t throw you out becuase of it. That is what the world does. I have no more use of you now. No what God does is to take and put back together the pieces that were broken. Maybe they fit perfectly maybe they never will. Maybe what was supposed to fit there is gone forever. Like my wife, she will never get the piece back that her mother filled. I will never get the piece back that my mother or my father or my first wife filled. But God doesn’t look to really put the pieces back in perfect place. What he does is keep the pieces together and fills the holes with his light.

Listen to some of these scriptures that God has shown me since that time.

We tend to think that when the brokenness happens it is because God has left us. However, that isn’t what the bible says. Listen to what it says.

Psalm 34:18 NKJV

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

He is near to the broken. Not far. He is close. He is close because he knows that broken people need him. One of the things that we pray every sunday is that the broken be made whole. When He comes near, that happens.

You aren’t broken in vein. You know God actually uses the broken. He isn’t afraid of broken things. He actually breaks things that don’t belong. Sometimes in order for you to be free to serve him, you have to be broken.

Psalm 51:17 NKJV

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.

Psalm

Just because you feel like you can’t be used, doesn’t matter. Because you look over your life and you realize that there has been so much brokenness and so much pain and so much abuse and so much sin that there is no way that God can use you, doesn’t matter. God is looking for you. Your brokenness is a sacrifice to him. He breaks the pride.

The Bible is full of broken people.

Moses stammered. Speaking was not his strong point. Yet, God chose him to deliver the Ten Commandments and lead His people out of Egypt.

Joseph was a slave. His own brothers disowned him. Yet, God elevated him to a high position and used him to teach men to dream and influence earthly kings.

David wasn’t brave. He was scared and on the run. He was a murderer. Yet, God made him king and called him a man after His own heart.

Gideon was full of doubt. Yet, God transformed Him into a mighty warrior.

The widow from Nain look at her story.

Luke 7:11–17 NKJV

Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother. Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.” And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.

Luke

You may read over that and never give it a second glance but I want you to think about her situation for just a moment. She is a widow. Her husband is dead. She has experienced such great pain in just that. Trust me I know. Now that she has buried her husband, her son has died. When your son dies, that means your heritage dies. That means your lineage is done. There will be no grandchildren. Her dreams are done. Everything she thought was going to be will not be. Looking ahead, she only saw darkness. How many of you can relate? But Jesus showed up.

You aren’t done. You are not beyond repair. The story at this point may seem bleak and your heart may be broken. Listen to this.

Psalm 147:3 NKJV

He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.

He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds. He heals the broken hearted. Is your heart broken. Jesus heals it. Do you have wounds and pain from your past? Jesus binds them up so that the wounds don’t bleed any more.

If you don’t allow Jesus to heal the wounds of people who cut you,

Look at this story

Mark 10:46–52 NKJV

Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.” And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

What Bartimeus was really saying is that Lord, I am broken and I need you to fix me. I can’t go on like this. I don’t want to go on like this. Bartimeus was shunned. People told him to be quiet. They told him to stay away. Can you imagine the brokenness he was experiencing at that moment. The man is just wanting some help. But the people who he needs to help him are throwing him aside. You been there? Like the whole world is against you? But look what he does. It says throwing his garment aside, he came to jesus. What does that represent? He is throwing off the shame. Throwing off the taunts, the jeers, his peers. Those things he is leaving behind to get close to Jesus. As soon as he realizes who he is look what the people do? They cheer him on. Hey man get up, He is calling you. Listen to their cheer. Respond to it. Get up. Jesus is calling you near. Right now.

If you don’t allow Jesus to heal the wounds of people who cut you, you begin to bleed on people who never cut you.

There’s is another story. A woman by the name of Leah. Her story actually starts with a man by the name of Jacob. Jacob is running from his problems. A broken man. He runs into Leah’s family. He sees her sister. She is beautiful. Jacob falls in love with her sister. He works 7 years to get her. I mean that is a long pursuit. The whole time she is watching. She sees this. She is broken. No one loves her. Then her father tricks Jacob into marrying her. But she is despised the entire time. She knows that Jacob doesn’t love her still. She prays for one thing. That God would allow her to bare children for Jacob and then maybe he will love her. God answers. she has a son. It doesn’t change. There are so many women that can relate to this. Maybe if we have a kid, he will stay. Maybe things will be better. God knows that people have tried to do this on their own. She prays again. God answers. She has another kid. It doesn’t change. She prays again. God answers but nothing changes…with Jacob. Something begins to change in Leah and she moves from attempting to gain the love of her earthly husband to acknowledging the love of her heavenly Father.

Listen to this progression. Her first son was named Reuben which means behold a son. As if to say look what I did for you. Now love me. But you can’t work to gain people’s love. Her next son was named Simeon which means heard. As if to say, I heard this is what you wanted. But you can give people what they want to make them love you. Her third son was named Levi which means attached. As if to say I am attached to you and you can’t leave me no matter how much you try. but her fourth Son was named Judah which means praise. To say, I praise the Father for what He has done.

When your hands turn from work to praise, brokenness begins to be healed.

What about Jacob? This man was broken from the get go. He turned on his family. He tricked all of them. He was living a life in fear that his brother would come and kill him. He was a man without a family, without a home, without parents, and seemingly without a future. Then God steps in. He falls asleep on a rock pillow. You ever been that low? lol God shows him as he is dreaming a ladder that extends fromt he ground to heaven and that angels are going up and coming back down. It was to say that you are not alone. You are not abandoned. You are not alone. I have not forgotten you or my promises to you and your father. What i said will happen in fact heaven is already moving to get it done.

Some times we have to get to our lowest point before we will look up.

See before this moment, Jacob depended upon his skills and abilities to get what he wanted. He wasn’t dependent upon God who is our provider. The prodigal son is another example of that. He had everything but it wasn’t until the pigpen that he realized that he had nothing. The Bible says while he was laying there, he came to himself and realized who he was and what he had in the father. So he went back home. Hear the cry of Jesus. Come home.

There is then the story of the widows mite. Again another story of a widow. First thing is notice in

Mark 12:41 NKJV

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much.

Jesus was watching how they put in the money. Not a who put in money or even how much. Why does the how matter? Because the heart always matters. The motive matters. So he is watching this and then the widow comes up.

She had nothing. She was completely dependent upon the people to take care of her. Those that actually followed the Jewish law. Somehow she comes upon two mites. She doesn’t think how she can spend them. She doesn’t think how they could really be used at a later time. She ultimately makes the decision to bring them to the temple. So the question is how does she put the money into the treasury? She puts it in completely broken. The bible says

Matthew 6:25 NKJV

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

Matthew 6 NKJV

“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

, 33

Matthew 6:33 NKJV

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

We have to realize that our brokenness is a deposit for His fullness.

You have to be broken. It is a sacrifice to Him. To say that I hold nothing back from you lord. That is what this woman did. She said I am going to depend upon God. This is the last I got but I know I have to give it to Him. I don’t know why she was praying. I don’t know what she was giving for. All I know is that she was giving. All I know is that she was making it a priority to give to God. That is what her heart was. She gave out of her desire not because she could.

If you don’t make a decision now to allow God to break you or to use your brokenness you miss the opportunity to be apart of something you may not ever know.

Take the young lady who came in with alabaster box

Matthew 26:6–13 NKJV

And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

Matthew

This woman named Mary, came in because she was desperately broken and wanted to show how broken she was. She had been holding on to this thing for a long time. This act of worship was more extravagant than you can imagine. Essentially, she was saying, “I'm giving you my whole life. I'm giving you the most valuable possession I have. This represents my past and this represents my future. In other words, I'm leaving my past life behind. I'm giving my future source of income and my life savings away. Jesus, you have loved me so that I will break open the most valuable possession that I have, what represents my livelihood, I will break it and I will pour it, all of it, pour it out in one selfless extravagant moment of worship.” Broken and poured out. Broken and poured out.

If you remember I preached a few weeks ago about dangerous prayers. one of those was a prayer of Break Me. I would imagine that some of you have forgotten that or have quit praying it past the time I asked you to and that’s ok. It may just be time to revisit it.

Brokenness is something that God does not shy away from. If he must do it himself he will.

The Bible says that God breaks those who are proud and rebellious. The mighty Pharaoh set himself against God, but God broke him and freed His people from bondage and shame. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high” (). God punishes all those who proudly resist Him. “My servants will sing out of the joy of their hearts, but you will cry out from anguish of heart and wail in brokenness of spirit” ().

We don’t want that. We want to break before we come to him.

Let me wrap all of this up.

Today’s sermon has a unique start. As many of you know my wife lost her mother and it has really been hard on all of us. Especially my wife because she loved her so much. I did too. But there is so much that happens in our lives. So much we don’t understand, we can’t figure out, that doesn’t make sense, it doesn’t seem right. So much that breaks us.

We were praying one morning here at church. She was so broken. Hurting. I was walking around and laid my hands on her. Immediately I heard God to say, “The Light Shines the Most through the broken pot” I wasn’t quite sure what that meant but I felt that I had to tell her that. So I did. When I told her she began to weep and then the explanation came pouring out of me.

God said to her and really to me, the pain you have felt, the heart break you have experienced, the trauma, I will use it all for my glory. I know it doesn’t make sense and I know it not what you want to hear but it is true. It isn’t wasted. He said through me that so many they never allow the light of Christ to shine through. They are too well put together that the light cannot come out. This is why Jesus said of the rich man it is easier to go through the eye of the needle because a person who is rich sees they need nothing but a person who is broken realizes they cannot put themselves together. I told her don’t worry about being broken. Let the break happen. She was just weeping and I was crying. We were breaking right there with each other. And I tell you, between us has been so much better since that day.

Why are you going through this? Why did she go through this? Why did I lose my wife? Why did I lose my father? Why am I not getting out of this financial issue? Why can’t I just get ahead? Why can’t I find someone? I just want to be married?

Just be broken before Him.

One more thing and then I will be done.

Do you realize home much broken things are used?

God breaks the sky to bring rain.

God breaks the ground to plant the seed.

God breaks the seed to bring the harvest.

God breaks the harvest to give life.

God breaks the life to bring glory.