First Things First: Humble Brokenness

Opening Illustration:

My dad can fix just about anything. He retired a little over a year ago after working as a general maintenance mechanic at a steel plant and a Goodyear plant for almost 40 years. I can fix a few things, but I am certainly not a mechanic. My dad can fix more over the phone than I can fix in person . . .

I don’t want to call my dad because I don’t want to bother him. Besides, I can fix this . . .

Transition: that leads me to my message for today

Message: Prayer that moves heaven comes from a heart that is broken over sin.

READ PASSAGE

If my people

who are called

by my name

humble themselves,

and pray

and seek

my face

and turn

from their wicked ways,

then I will hear

from heaven

and will forgive

their sin

and heal

their land.

Message: Prayer that moves heaven comes from a heart that is broken over sin.

If my people . . . humble themselves

Why?

A heart that is broken over sin is desperate for God.

There are two kinds of humility in the Bible

General humility- recognition that anything good we have comes from God and not us

This kind of humility

Brokenness over sin

It’s the kind of humility that Jesus teaches about in the Sermon on the Mount

Blessed are the poor in spirit

Blessed are those who mourn

We should be humble people who recognize that anything and everything we have comes from God,

BUT

In this moment

In moments like these

When we so desperately need God to intervene

We need the kind of humility that comes from recognizing our deep state of sin

Jonah 2:7-8

English Standard Version Chapter 2

7  When my life was fainting away,

I remembered the LORD,

and my prayer came to you,

into your holy temple.

8  Those who pay regard to vain idols

forsake their hope of steadfast love.

A heart that is broken over sin is ready for grace and mercy.

Matthew 9:10-13

English Standard Version Chapter 9

many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

A heart that is broken over sin is forgiven and exalted by God.

Listen to James 4:4-10

English Standard Version Chapter 4

4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.