Today we are living in a very unusual age as far as the church is concerned. A day when the hearts and lives of Christian people are not moved at all by the things that are happenning around them. If the world could ask of us some questions tonight I believe they would be: Do you still care about us? & Do you pray for us?
Jesus was in the home of Simon the leper and as he was eating with them a woman came in - She didn’t ask if she could eat with them - She didn’t ask if it was alright for her to do this - And she didn’t ask anybody if her worshipping offended any of them.
When she came into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ she brought something with her - I believe when you and I come into the the presence of God we need to bring something with us.
What did she bring - she brought the very best she had - I believe that God is getting tired of the same old thing we bring unto him week after week - We need to give him the very best we have.
Luke 7:38 - She stood at his feet weeping so much that she used her tears to wipe her feet - She was now in the presence of the Lord and now she is broken - Broken because she recognized who he is and she realized who she was - Before she could touch him - she had to be broken.
We are trying to do things in the church today and not one tear is shed, not one prayer is prayed, not one meal fasted - We just do it and wonder why God hasn’t blessed it.
She brake the box and poured it on his head - Understand that before God can ever use your life the way he desires to there must be a brokenness to take place. I’ve heard people say I’d sure like to be in the ministry - I’d sure like to do the work of God. You’ll never do anything for God at all unless you are willing to be broken and it’s not a selective process.
There were those who rose up and said, Why the waste? The world wants to know why you are broken. They want you to just settle for the fact that they’re lost and there’s no need to worry about it.
Many in the church today are becomming content with the fact that my family, my neighbor, my son, my daughter, my husband are lost. WHERE IS THE BROKENNESS?
What the Lord laid on my heart is the fact that Brokenness is not in the church as it once was. When we don’t see people in the church anymore - well they just got mad at somebody - WE’RE UNBROKEN!
Psalms 51:17 - The sacrifices of God are a broken and a contrite heart - Broken means broken in pieces - Contrite - to crush or to humble - God said that kind of spirit he would not turn away from or despise. So if we’re not broken and contrite over those that are away from God - could God despise that kind of spirit.
I can tell you what he will turn away from - PRIDE
Today we have spiritual pride that says we’ve seen it all, heard it all, and we know it all and with that kind of spirit - you’ll miss God a million miles.
My brother-in-laws boss man Bill Wilson says that the world does not care how much you know until they know how much you care.
When I was growing up in Mobile Al, and Harold Fl, we used to go down to the store and get what they used to call a Coke Cola - and the coke was in a bottle. Today we’re more advanced - we’ve got plastic - its unbreakable. Like alot of Christians today - UNBREAKABLE.
We believe we can just co-exist with everybody else and nothing else is going to break us or move us whatsoever.
We believe that our experience with God has graduated to the level that we don’t cry and get emotional anymore - after we’ve been here awhile. Pentecostal people are STILL emotional today.
The bible tells me that Jesus was emotional - He was move with compassion - He wept - He knew what it was to be broken - He is touched by the feelings of our infirmities!
We as a church have let the failures of others dictate to us how we will treat the next crisis or situation we’re faced with.
When we coem into the this house of worship - its usually bless me if you can - not humility, no brokenness - just bless me if you can.
We’re becomming Gospel hardened while a world around us is going to hell in a hand basket and instead of reaching out to them - we’re too consumed in our own lives. We’re not BROKEN!
In Luke 4:18 - Jesus said he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted - in other words to help them and lift them up. You may say thats just for preachers bu the word says - his spirit is upon me. If his spirit is upon you and in you, the healing that is needed can come from you by his spirit.
Everytime you see somebody on the street or in the market place something in you should say "I wonder if they know Jesus, I wonder if they’re saved?
Everytime I see a family in crisis I should be there showing them the love of Jesus and be there for them no matter if ti interrupts my schedule or not.
We need to come into this house not in a tired, worn-out state, but in a state of humility and brokenness before God.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE BROKEN IN HIS PRESENCE?
Not when was the last service you attended.
We get this idea that God owes us something because we came or we’ve done this for so long - Let me tell you.....GOD DOES NOT OWE YOU ANYTHING! IT IS FINISHED!
Whe was the last time you came to him and you were BROKEN!
Brokenness does not mean weakness - but it does mean - Jesus, there is nothing in me that deserves 1 second of your time. If you preach, teach, sing, or play an instrument - you need to be BROKEN! God don’t have to have you to keep his kingdom moving.
You may wonder what may happen after I’m broken - Let me tell you that not one piece will be lost - and you’ll come up from there a vessel that is fir for the masters usage.
Too many of us have let situations and battles harden us up and I believe the Lord is telling us tonight - You must be broken.
What determines the brokenness - When you and I humble ourselves and step into the very presence of God.
You cannot as a child of God stay in the outercourt and expect God to still use your life - you must come into his presence and be BROKEN!
We need to pray Lord break us of anything that is not of you - We’re nothing if your presence does not come into this place.
Have you been broken lately?
Have you been in his presence lately?
Have you had him flood your soul with his awesome love lately.
