{"id":176,"date":"1994-03-13T08:13:43","date_gmt":"1994-03-13T16:13:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.teach4god.com\/Sermons\/?p=176"},"modified":"2012-07-06T08:15:33","modified_gmt":"2012-07-06T15:15:33","slug":"psalm-51-im-broken-now-what","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teach4god.com\/Sermons\/psalm-51-im-broken-now-what\/","title":{"rendered":"Psalm 51-I\u2019m Broken, Now What?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Dancing with Broken Bones-A Series on Psalm 51-I\u2019m Broke, Now What?<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
March 13, 1994<\/a><\/td>\nSermon by DRW<\/a><\/td>\nPassage Psalm 51.15-17<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Theme:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0An encounter with Jesus is the cause for His life to be lived in our lives.<\/p>\n

INTRODUCTION<\/p>\n

In the Winter of 1944, the Allied forces and German forces were face to face in the freezing weather. The Allied forces thought the Germans wouldn’t dare attack during such a cold time so they dug in. The Germans decided it would be a great time to attack, so they did. The Allied forces were being soundly defeated. This was Hitler’s plan to confound the Allied offensive. And it was bloody.<\/p>\n

These raw and seasoned recruits were being beaten and killed. We know this as the Battle of the Bulge. Things were not going well. The men didn’t need a lecture on courage or ten-steps to gain ground on the enemy; they needed an example to follow. Out from behind a desk, an eccentric General was called to the front to spur the people on. Instead of a speech, he was an example. Because of this one man’s presence the day was saved. This one General was George S Patton. He was their example to follow.<\/p>\n

I.\u00a0\u00a0Example<\/p>\n

A.\u00a0Who is your example, the one who spurs you on in difficult times<\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0whether in spiritual warfare<\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0or our everyday battle over the bulge<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0I have already told you mine (Joe Muslin\u2014pray for him as he prepares for the transplant)<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0Alcoholics Anonymous has this type of help system<\/p>\n

a.\u00a0\u00a0The John Loroquette show features this<\/p>\n

b.\u00a0John is an alcoholic and his example is Mitch<\/p>\n

(1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Mitch got drunk<\/p>\n

(2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0crushed John<\/p>\n

(3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0but because of Mitch’s unswerving (to that point) example John was able to help him recover.<\/p>\n

This is the goal of looking to an example: that we might be examples for another.<\/p>\n

B.\u00a0who do you spur on to love and good works (Heb 10. )?<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0Brokenness is never an end in itself, but merely the means to an even greater end<\/p>\n

a.\u00a0\u00a0being like Jesus<\/p>\n

b.\u00a0be heroic (Matthew 6.33)<\/p>\n

(1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0throwing your entire life into His kingdom work is an incredible risk in fighting the terrible foe<\/p>\n

(a)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0you will address your sin (as David did), your friendships, your hobbies, your career, your failures, your ambitions, your life in light of the Kingdom<\/p>\n

(b)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0you will address poverty, hunger, pollution<\/p>\n

As Elton Trueblood said in\u00a0The Company of the Committed:<\/p>\n

A Christian is a person who confesses that, amidst the manifold and confusing voices heard in the world, there is one Voice which supremely wins his full assent, uniting all his powers, intellectual and emotional, into a single pattern of self-giving. That voice is Jesus Christ. . . . He believes in Him with all his heart and strength and mind. Christ appears to the Christian as the one stable point or fulcrum in all the relativities of history. Once the Christian has made this primary commitment he still has perplexities, but he begins to know the joy of being used for a might purpose by which his little life is dignified [and, I add, made heroic] (23).<\/p>\n

(2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The heroic is allowing God’s life to be manifest through you.<\/p>\n

(a)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0An interesting aspect of all history is how people have sought and still seek after a hero.<\/p>\n

i)\u00a0\u00a0Israel’s literature seeks after the ultimate hero, is written of heroes by heroes<\/p>\n

ii)\u00a0Greek mythology is crowded with the heroic.<\/p>\n

(b)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0those who have studied sociology or anthropology understand the concept of the heroic is embodied in Germany’s \u00dcbermann, or as he is called here, “Superman”.<\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A god-like person with the possibility of failure (for superman it was kryptonite, some say it was also Lois Lane)<\/p>\n

(c)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0When we are mastered by the King of kings and Lord of lords we are heroic.<\/p>\n

i)\u00a0\u00a0God can never be a hero, He would never have the chance of failure.<\/p>\n

ii)\u00a0Man without God could never be heroic, he’d fail all the time.<\/p>\n

iii)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is only the one who is wrapped in God’s calling that can be truly called heroic<\/p>\n

a)\u00a0\u00a0his or her life will never grow stale, nor dull because their eyes are always on Jesus<\/p>\n

b)\u00a0the ultimate satisfaction and purpose in life is knowing that in Jesus I have been called and equipped for the heroic<\/p>\n

We were made for more exquisite things than trying to fill our empty days with our own thunder. But we must all choose. Will I go on tinkering on my own agenda and my own kingdom, which will pass away when I do? Or will I tie my life and destiny to His life, His cause, His Kingdom? Only Christ offers the calling whereby we can harness our lives to a source of purpose that lasts forever (96).<\/p>\n

Seeking first His Kingdom restores the fervor of the heroic in our lives, knowing we must do the work of God that only a child of His could do. God’s children who follow after Him are always a hero. And a hero always has purpose, life and vigor when he is pursuing the Voice of his Master.<\/p>\n

“I knew joy (peace, patience, et al) when I first became a Christian. However, the business of my daily routine caught up with me. I forgot about Christ. Eventually, I became thirsty and discouraged. I remember what other Christians promised would be mine if I became a Christian joy (peace, patience, et al). I don’t think they were telling me the truth. I kept going back to the church but it soon became a burden. Didn’t Jesus say He would ease that burden? After a while left the church because the people were phonies and I had more important things to do. If I were honest, it became disappointed with God, Christianity, and the church\u2014they all promised things like joy (peace, patience, et al) that they didn’t deliver.”<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0If we are broken, it is merely the beginning of our usefulness for God<\/p>\n

a.\u00a0\u00a0Unless a seed dies, it cannot sprout<\/p>\n

b.\u00a0we’ll explain “brokenness” in a moment<\/p>\n

TRANSITION:\u00a0Anyone who desires to be an example, a hero, must have a personal encounter with God.<\/p>\n

II.\u00a0Encounter<\/p>\n

A.\u00a0Anyone who has ever tried to explain an abstract idea would find it very difficult without an example to illustrate and illuminate it.<\/p>\n

B.\u00a0God is one of those abstracts<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0the only way to fully explain Him is by seeing Him (John 1.14) or having a personal encounter with Him (Acts 9)<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0You have to encounter Jesus (1 John 1.1-3)<\/p>\n

C.\u00a0Any man, woman, or child who has been broken has had an encounter with God, you can see the limp like Jacob or the tear stains like David.<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0I had one last night<\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0God has been dealing with me for sometime and last night we dealt with it<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0the breaking can be as basic as salvation where God breaks you of your pride (\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0) or as harsh as adultery (Psalm 51).<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0in either case, repentance is required<\/p>\n

a.\u00a0\u00a0my will becomes His<\/p>\n

b.\u00a0defined<\/p>\n

(1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0not remorse merely for the consequences<\/p>\n

(a)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Saul wept because<\/p>\n

i)\u00a0\u00a0he knew his kingdom was to be taken away from him<\/p>\n

ii)\u00a0not because<\/p>\n

a)\u00a0\u00a0he was sorrowful over attempted murder<\/p>\n

b)\u00a0and idolatry<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0Judas wept and committed suicide because<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0he felt pity for himself and was ashamed that Christ was to die;<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0not because he betrayed his Master and assisted in shedding innocent blood.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0remorse for the sin itself and the deep rooted passion that set it aflame<\/p>\n

To the one who has seen his sin, it is not a casual thing to encounter or write-off, but is intense. This intensity leads to repentance. Remember, its His kindness that leads to repentance and sometimes kindness is found at the end of a whipping post (Hebrews 12.4-11). David’s sorrow came not from a heaven to lose or a hell to gain\u2014for he knew his God would not forsake him\u2014but the sorrow came because in his heart he knew he had grieved God.<\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Peter wept because<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0he knew he betrayed his Master<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0his was remorse for the sin and the passion that led to sin<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0this is true repentance<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\u00a0Each person who knows Jesus as Saviour has had an encounter with Him, and has been broken<\/p>\n

TRANSITION:\u00a0To answer the question posed in the title: “I’m broke, now what?” Each of us is an example in word and deed that others will follow and imitate<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0Exercise<\/p>\n

One question: What type of an example are you?<\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0PCH house<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0eyesore<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0disgrace (even after it was finished)<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0too many non-believers have seen this picture of Christianity (stench of a burnt offering) and not enough of the broken and contrite<\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Dr Battenfield<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0He is a work of God<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0He is a joy to God<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0He volunteers his help, going beyond what is expected just like Jesus<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\u00a0our God demands that a man’s life and heart stand plumb with his worship, not contrasting it<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0\u00a0he walks with a limp from spiritual battles<\/p>\n

From our passage we see two things God requires of His broken ones:<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0Teachability (broken and contrite)<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0Teaching (Examples-open my mouth)<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0Teachability<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0What does He want to teach us (Luke 6.40)<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0to be like Him<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0Jesus sole desire is for us to see Him in such a way that we imitate Him.<\/p>\n

Sydney Sheldon wrote a classical piece of literature at the turn of the century called\u00a0In His Steps. He wrote it from a verse in 1 Peter 2.21. He asked us to consider asking this question each time a crisis event came: “What would Jesus do?” But does this mean imitation of Christ? Not necessarily. To truly imitate Christ is to have His character working within you. Paul calls it being conformed to His image (Romans 8.29). It means knowing the Teacher so well that the question, “What would Jesus do?” need not be asked. This is the goal: to be like Jesus in all my ways that in every situation I will know His will for me.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0How does He want to teach us?<\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Study (learn) the Word of God (2 Timothy 2.15)<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0to know Him (John 17.3)<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0do the Word (James 1.21-25)<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0pray the Word (Daniel 9)<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0Teaching\/Examples<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0How do we teach?<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0by words<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0by actions<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0You will bear fruit (much fruit) John 15.8;<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0Galatians 5.22,23<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0much fruit is a lifestyle of imitating Christ which causes (intensive learners, ie teachers) others to glorify God (Matthew 5.16)<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0Next quarter we will start a series on the disciplines of the Christian life that will help us in our endeavour to be more like Christ.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\u00a0What is the test of our teaching<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0forgiveness (the most un-natural thing a fallen humanity could do)\u2014the restoration of fellowship<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0accepting it from God and others<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0seeing our own sin as blacker than others<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0accepting that God in Christ has made even them whiter than snow<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0giving it to others<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0You will know you are imitating Him and being an example as you love your brothers on earth as you seek Jesus.<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0John 13.34-35 compare with 1 John 4<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0a love as Jesus loved<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0no greater love than to lay down your life<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0unselfish<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0a love that the world can see<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0glorify God<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0does the world see your love?<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0Accept them where they are (Phil 23.15-16; Romans 15.7)<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0make every effort to get to know your brothers and sisters through<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0Bible study<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0Prayer<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0fellowships<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0dealing with your character and letting God deal with your reputation<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0Neil Anderson<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0Me at EFCSB (?)<\/p>\n

CONCLUSION<\/p>\n

God has broken you in one manner or another throughout this series. We have one more message to complete our look at Dancing With Broken Bones: Revival. Today He is calling out for those rare lights that shine for Him. He is calling out for those whom He has touched, who have had an encounter with this living God, to be an example for others to follow. We have been designated as God’s ambassador’s on earth, His examples. Are you living up to that high calling?<\/p>\n

MINISTRY<\/p>\n

Jesus had called out twelve to imitate Him (and the millions of believers after them). He asked twelve to come and follow Him. They stood up and left all to follow Him. I want to ask you if you want to start now, today and do what they did: forget the past and press on as an example of Jesus to people who are dying to see Him.<\/p>\n

He calls you to come and follow Him. To seek Him and benefit from your learning from Him. Benefits that will allow you to teach others to come and follow as-well.<\/p>\n

I will ask you to come and follow Him today too. If you so desire to commit your every word and action and thought to Christ or to come to Him for the first time I ask you to come forward now for prayer and direction.<\/p>\n

BENEDICTION<\/p>\n

Jude 24, 25<\/p>\n

\n

\u00a92012 Teach for God Ministries. Used by Permission.<\/p>\n

Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For web posting, a link to this document on our website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be approved by Teach for God Ministries.<\/p>\n

Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By David R Williamson. \u00a92012 Teach for God Ministries. Website:\u00a0www.teach4god.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dancing with Broken Bones-A Series on Psalm 51-I\u2019m Broke, Now What? March 13, 1994 Sermon by DRW Passage Psalm 51.15-17 Theme:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0An encounter with Jesus is the cause for His life to be lived in our lives. INTRODUCTION In the Winter of 1944, the Allied forces and German forces were face to face in the freezing … Continue reading Psalm 51-I\u2019m Broken, Now What?<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":161,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,46,3],"tags":[61,105,106,11,20,107,9,33,104],"class_list":["post-176","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-old-testament","category-psalms","category-sermons","tag-christian","tag-encounter","tag-example","tag-follow","tag-god","tag-hero","tag-jesus","tag-life","tag-one","post_format-post-format-gallery"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teach4god.com\/Sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teach4god.com\/Sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teach4god.com\/Sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teach4god.com\/Sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teach4god.com\/Sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=176"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.teach4god.com\/Sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":177,"href":"https:\/\/www.teach4god.com\/Sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176\/revisions\/177"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teach4god.com\/Sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teach4god.com\/Sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=176"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teach4god.com\/Sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=176"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teach4god.com\/Sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=176"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}