Has Your Heart Been Broken Lately?

Introduction

Good evening and welcome back!

Tonight we are going to be sort of all over the place in our Bibles, but we will be starting out with Psalm 51, verses 16-17 if you want to start turning there.

But just as a refresher, this morning we discussed Worship and what it meant to be a true worshipper of God.

And part of our discussion centered on the fact that without Christ and without the Holy Spirit, there was no worship. 

Also, without being in a right relationship with Christ, you are unable to truly worship God. 

Tonight, I want to build on that and talk about being in a right relationship with Christ in order to be able to be a true worshipper of God. 

I want to ask the question, has your heart been broken lately?

And our focus that comes from the 51st Psalm, a Psalm of David, and it explains why I ask that question. 

So, let’s look at these two short verses and then get right into things and see what ground we can cover tonight!

Psalm 51, starting in verse 16 . . .

Scripture Focus

Psalm 51:16–17 NIV84

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Samuel’s Message to Saul

And I wanted to read that up front because we have so many out there that think that God desires a great sacrifice from us. 

They think that they cannot commune with God, or worship God, unless they are offering some great sacrifice of bulls and goats. 

But that's not what God requires. 

That's not the sacrifice that God is wanting. 

Look at some Scripture on that very subject, from 1 Samuel 15 . . .

1 Samuel 15:22–23 NIV84

But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”

And of course we know that this is when Saul disobey’s God’s command and does not destroy the enemy but rather, he selfishly keeps the best for himself.

And when confronted by Samuel, Saul tries to play it off that he was going to offer these things as great sacrifices to God.

To which Samuel poses the question to him, which is better?

And we know the answer to that, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams!

And I really think at times we desperately need to hear that as well.

We need to be reminded that all God requires from us is our obedience.

And if we are so bent on sacrificing to God, then we had also better take heed in what we are asked to sacrifice.

Because God does not want rams, goats, and bulls.

God wants us.

In Romans 12, Paul writes . . .

Romans 12:1 NIV84

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

We are the sacrifice to God.

We sacrifice our will and our ways for God’s will and God’s way.

We lay down our wants and desires for God’s commands.

Which, again requires one thing—obedience.

Message from Hebrews

Which is really God has ever asked for anyway.

And since we are talking about things like sacrifice, praise, and worship, Hebrews 13 also has something to say about this as well.

In verse 15, the writer says . . .

Hebrews 13:15 NIV84

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.

Do, we see that?

A sacrifice of praise!

Just reiterating the point that, God doesn't want material things.

God doesn't want the physical things, the things He created for our use sacrifice to Him. 

He desires our soul as a sacrifice. 

He desires our all in all.

God desires our obedience.

He requires us to be dedicated to Him, sold out to Him. 

Look at Psalm 51:17 again . . .

Psalm 51:17 NIV84

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Why Though? 

Why is this what God requires?

Wouldn’t it be much easier to kill a goat?

Of course it would, but our worship and sacrifice for God goes much deeper than just an outward showing and sign.

It is because when your heart is broken, when your will is broken, you realize your condition.

You realize just where you are and you are humbled.

This is when the Lord can change you, mold you, and use you. 

This is when we start to get it.

This is why in 2 Chronicles 7, the Bible reminds us that . . .

2 Chronicles 7:14–16 NIV84

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

Three very specific things are mentioned here in order to get God’s attention.

(1) Humbling ourselves before God

(2) Praying to God

(3) Seeking God’s face

Translation is this, when we humble ourselves before God, we are realizing our sinful condition.

This leads us to praying to God and asking His forgiveness and His restoration.

Which ultimately causes us to seek God’s face, which causes us to seek out his will and his way.

We become obedient to God.

Kicking against the Pricks

But, this is not an easy thing.

We don’t just wake up one day and decide we are going to listen to God.

We have to be prodded and pushed a little bit from time to time.

A perfect example of this is the Apostle Paul, when God set him apart and saved his soul.

Acts 9:3–6 NIV84

As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

A very familiar passage of Scripture.

We find, Paul, known as Saul here traveling about on his way to Damascus, not preach the Word or to witness for Christ.

Rather he was on his way to deliver death warrants to Christians. 

He was a high ruling Jew and it was his life's mission to destroy Christianity. 

He is traveling down the road and he gets a visit from heaven.

Jesus visits Saul right there on the road and asks him a question, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?

Saul, shocked, asks Jesus a question, "Who are you Lord?  Notice, he said "Lord," with a capital “L,” so Saul already knew who he was talking to, he just wanted confirmation of this from the Lord.

Jesus gives him this confirmation and then asks Saul another question, which is left out of the NIV, "why is it hard from thee to kick against the pricks?" 

Acts 9:5 KJV 1900

And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

Why are you resisting me? 

Why will you not humble yourself and obey me? 

What about it church? 

Why won't we be humble and obedient to the calling of the Lord? 

Why won't we do what the Lord has called us to do? 

Why won't we take up our cross and follow God? 

I'll answer that, BECAUSE OUR HEART HAS NOT BEEN BROKEN. 

We haven't reached that point in our life when we realize we don't have the answers.

We don't have the solutions. 

We can't figure it out.

We are still trying to appease God. 

We are trying to offer material sacrifices.

We are offering the blood of goats and rams, when HE REQUIRES US! 

Blindness for Three Days

This is where Paul was and God had to teach Paul a hard lesson.

The scripture in Acts 9 goes on to say . . .

Acts 9:7–9 NIV84

The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

God struck him blind! 

He couldn't see, those with him were speechless. 

They had to lead him to Damascus and for three days he was blind. 

He also went three days and didn't eat or drink. 

However, when he arrived in Damascus, God had went ahead of Saul and prepared his way.

God had also paid a visit to the house of Ananias.

Acts 9:10–12 NIV84

In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

So God tells Ananias to go and find Saul and restore his sight. 

God also tells Ananias that He had already told Saul that he was coming. 

Now, Ananias knew who Saul was and really didn't think it was such a great idea...

Acts 9:13–14 NIV84

“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

But the Lord reassures Ananias that it was all okay . . .

Acts 9:15–16 NIV84

But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Saul Preaches Christ

And this time, instead of being resistant to God.

And instead of being bitter toward God for his condition.

Saul had spent three days praying and fasting, seeking God’s face.

And he was obedient and went to Ananias and this is what happened.

Acts 9:17–20 NIV84

Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

So, Ananias went and found Saul and proclaims that God had sent him so that Saul could be healed.

Not only healed but that Saul could be FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST!

Saul had reached the place where God could do something with him.

Saul's heart was broken.

His spirit was prepared.

And God performed two miracles.

(1)  He healed Paul's blindness (Both physical and spiritual)

(2)  He filled Paul with the Holy Spirit.

Scripture goes on to say that Paul stayed there with disciples for many days and didn't waste time.

But rather . . .

Acts 9:20 NIV84

At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

And the end result . . .

Acts 9:21–22 NIV84

All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

And the rest is history.

Altar/Challenge

All because he was obedient to God.

What about it church?

What is the condition of our heart?

Is it swelled up with pride?

Are we so self absorbed in our own world that we cannot even hear God speaking to us? 

Are we in a place where God can even work on us?

Do we truly realize our heart's condition? 

HAS OUR HEART BEEN BROKEN LATELY?

Let’s Pray . . .