BROKENNESS

 

“The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,
and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body,
which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
1 Corinthians 11:23&24

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite
heart, O God, you will not despise.”
Psalm 51:17

 

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5

 

Jesus encouraged us to identify with His sufferings. He told us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him. Referring to His brokenness on the cross, beaten, like a sheep led to the slaughter, not saying a word, reviled by men, acquainted with grief, a man of sorrow, He was bruised for our iniquities, broken and poured out for us.

The wide gate leads to destruction, but the narrow way, few will take. Following Jesus entails suffering for His sake. Jesus told his disciples that the world hates them and encouraged them to keep in mind that it hated him first. He goes on to say, “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” (John 15:18 & 19) Jesus was hated, not because He was a wicked and vile man, not because He committed a crime, only because He came to bring a message to the people that was unwelcomed by the nature of man, especially the religious, pious nature of the Pharisee. Jesus’ message of the Kingdom of God, a kingdom not of this world, was not a popular message, it was an affront to self-righteousness and self-promotion. It didn’t line up with self-protection at the expense of others. Jesus was broken and poured out for the sake of the Kingdom of God that He came to usher onto the earth.

Is it any wonder that the world is not open-armed to embrace the message of the cross and the lifestyle that comes with it. Jesus taught that when our enemy strikes out against us, to turn the other cheek and that a gentle word will turn away wrath. He instructed to do good to those who hate us. Jesus came to bring a message of love, loving our neighbor as ourselves, and loving God with all out heart, mind, soul, and strength. This message pierces the heart motives people. It goes beyond the exterior, the outer appearance, to enter the recesses of the heart and to expose the wickedness that lies within.

Is it any wonder the sufferings of Christ are not welcomed when we like to think ourselves self-sufficient, able to make our own way in a world filled with sin? We are looking for self-gratification, not self-denial. Yet the Word of God continually addresses the issue of self versus the rule of the Spirit of the Lord, stating that the Spirit and flesh are in opposition to each other and that those who take sides with the fleshly nature make an enemy of God. Jesus said He did not come to bring peace, but to bring a sword to separate joints from marrow, soul from spirit. He came to try the intents of the heart, not because He was vindictive, but because He represented the character of God, the spirit man, that which is at war with the flesh. He admonished that those who would hold on to their life, would lose it, but whoever would be willing to lose his life, would find life, and He stated that He came to bring life and more abundantly. This suggests that there is a life apart from the life we know in the natural. Life is in the Spirit and those who live in the Spirit are citizens of a kingdom other than that of this world - the Kingdom of God whose standards are in conflict with the standards of the kingdoms of this world. The prince of the air rules the natural man in a kingdom of darkness, but the Spirit of the risen Lord rules in the hearts and lives of those born into the Kingdom of God, a kingdom of love, light, peace, joy, and righteousness.

 

“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground
and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many
seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who
hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
John 12:24 & 25

 

Jesus set the example of brokenness, surrendering to the will of His Father to be broken and spilled out for the nations. In His death, the world looked on Him as defeated, but they did not understand that this brokenness came before the resurrection, and that the power of the carnal man, that Jesus carried to the cross, was broken, the old man was crucified, and the Spirit-man rose victorious out of the grave to conquer sin, death, and hell, to set the prisoners free, and to bring everlasting life to those who would receive what the Lord had done.

There is a lesson to be gleaned from the brokenness of Christ, the message of the cross. It is not a message of defeat, but a message of victory, for as the old nature is crucified with Christ, a broken vessel becomes prime candidate for resurrection life to flow through.

Maybe you are being broken by circumstances . Maybe you feel you are defeated and on the brink of disaster. Look up, for your redemption may be drawing nigh. Welcome the chastening of the Lord, for whom He loves, He disciplines. Scripture encourages us not to “despise the chastening of the Lord.” The Lord is polishing His broken vessel’s for the King's use. The words of 1Peter 4:12 & 13 invite us not to be surprised at the painful trials “as though something strange” were happening to us, but to rejoice that we “participate in the sufferings of Christ. ” We are instructed that the insults we take because of the name of Christ will bring blessing, and that the glory of God rests upon us.

May we of the Lord, who remain in this world till He comes, be encouraged that we have the victory in the One who conquered the world on the cross and may we draw hope from His words of life to us:

 

“In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer,
for I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

 

“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the
ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces
many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who
hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
John 12:24 & 25