Sermon Central
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Blessed, Broken, Given
Contributed by Maurice Mccarthy on Apr 9, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: To multiply you must first subtract, what we call brokenness God calls fixed!
Blessed Broken & Given
Intro: Some produce fruit 30 fold, some 60, some 100. Which are you? Which do you want to be?
There is a principle in the word of God that I call the multiplication by subtraction principle.
Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
How many can say that they want spiritual multiplication? Then be prepared for subtraction.
Blessed, broken, given. this do in remembrance of me.
Communion is a way of remembering and honoring the Lord, it is also a visual reminder of the subtraction/multiplication principle. When Jesus said, "this do in remembrance of Me," wasn’t He also saying that even as He was broken and poured out, so we also should be willing to let God do the same in our lives? This is a spiritual principle and pattern.
It is more than a principle: Luke 14:27 If you are not willing to come under Divine subtraction (carrying your cross), than you cannot be His disciple!
Blessed
Jesus was blessed, before, while, and after he was broken.
He was born of a blessed woman. Luke 1:28
He was blessed with anointed growth. Luke 2:52
He was blessed with the Holy Ghost. John 1:33. The Holy Spirit remained on Him. John 3:34. The Holy Spirit was given to Him without measure
He was blessed with more joy than any man ever had.. Heb 1:8,9
Romans chapter 9:5 He is God blessed forever amen.
God does not send a man to brokenness that He doesn’t first bless. We have been blessed with forgiveness, salvation, the Holy Spirit, a mansion in glory, deliverance from sins domination, etc..
Blessing helps us overcome brokenness. Heb 12:3, "For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." And how did He endure such contradiction of sinners? Heb 12:2 - the joy set before Him. Knowing that we would be saved (joy after His brokenness) was what enabled Him to endure. So we see He had joy before He was broken, joy while He endured brokenness (Heb 1:8,9) and the prospect of joy later (Heb 12:2). We also have a joy set before us that helps us endure: The bible teaches 2Co 4:17 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;"
Broken
Broken doesn’t mean to be in a non-working condition or damaged.
In fact quite the opposite is true. What we call broken, God calls fixed!
Broken meat is more filling. Mt 15:33; 37
Broken people are more satisfied. Luke 1:53
1 Broken fish can feed 5,000, 1 broken man or woman will produce some 5000 fold.
What do we mean by broken?
1. Broken of self rule
Illus Chinese Christian who asked to play cards with others said he didn’t have his hands with him today. His hands had been given to God, and because he took that stand he had an opportunity to witness.
There is a day in every believers life when he/she recognize they are not their own but they have been bought with a price. Jesus called it taking up My cross.
Is that the day you get broken or fixed?
What is sad is that we have a generation of part time Christians.
Illustrate by explaining the difference between free lancers /slave.
A freelancer can quit his job, and find another if he is not satisfied, a slave cannot. A freelancer picks the jobs he wants, a slave doesn’t.
The hireling flees when the wolf comes. So do many part time believers.
Where are you in all this? To sit at His right hand many are ready, but to partake of His baptism few are willing.
2. Broken of Sin ownership
Some believe they could overcome sin, if God would only strengthen them. When I feel stronger then I will stop. When it is not so costly or painful then I will stop. Victory comes not when we are made strong, but when we are made weak.
Watchman Nee the great Christian put it this way, "...God’s means of delivering us from sin is not by making us stronger and stronger, but by making us weaker and weaker. That is surely rather a peculiar way of victory, you say; but it is the Divine way. God sets us free from the dominion of sin, not by strengthening our old man but by crucifying him; not by helping him to do anything but by removing him from the scene of action"
Paul put it this way, "I die daily"
Is that broken or fixed? Fixed!
3. Broken of Selfish Goals
