Read Ephesians 6:14-20
Read Matthew 21:44
How many of you ever go somewhere and purposefully try to buy broken things? If you are like most people if there are scratches, broken packages or missing parts or items we don’t want it. Most of us don’t set out to find the most broken down car, home, boat.
We don’t like conflict, loss, suffering or struggle. If you read closely in your new testament that is exactly what you are promised from Jesus.
John 16:33 (read) This doesn’t make sense does it? I have told you these things so that you might have peace? In this world you will have suffering. Wait a minute I signed up for salvation not suffering.
Jesus made it clear if we will live for Him there will be suffering.
John 15:18-25 (read) Here Jesus gives us a promise of hatred and persecution!!
2 Timothy 3:12 If you want to live Godly you will be persecuted!
Psalm 23:4 (read)
1 Peter 5:8-9
We have to say whoah!! This does not harmonize with what Jesus said about peace!
John 14:27, John 10:10
We have to ask the question if Jesus offers us peace why do things feel so broken. It is probably because you were sold a false bill of goods on peace. Let’s define it so that we can understand what God does for us, in us and through us in the Gospel of peace.
Peace comes from a Hebrew word that was a greeting. Shalom was the word used. The word means that all the parts and or parties are properly joined together.
This makes complete sense in light of sin. As sinners we are separated from God. When we confess our sin and receive Jesus as Lord we are properly joined together with God by the blood of Jesus!! Our relationship with God is no longer broken. When God really reveals this to us it will cause our hearts to break.
Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.”
The devil wants us broken but doesn’t want us to realize that we are broken. Broken marriages, families, friendships, work places, etc.
It is in our brokenness that the gospel rings clearly with the powerful voice of God. His voice thunders into our brokenness as he speaks life and healing over His Children. It is the cracks and scars that reveal to others the depth of our trust. If our lives are perfect and we never endure pain, hardship, persecution, loss then many will not believe in our trust in God. Anyone can make claims of trust when everything is easy. It is the claims of trust that come when everything falls apart that allows the light of God to shine through the darkness of this life. This passage is not mainly about evangelism but transformation!
One of the most important parts of the roman soldiers was their shoes. They did not walk on concrete sidewalks or grassy yards. They walked through very rough ground. It was often filled with stickers and sharp rocks. The soldiers had to protect their feet with sandals that were ¾ inch thick and had nails on the bottom to give them firm footing. The soldiers couldn’t make their 20 mile marches if their feet were sore or beat up and broken. The devil sets up traps in our daily walk with God. If we put the gospel of peace as our shoes we will walk the right way and to the right places.
The gospel of peace clearly tells us God accepts broken things.
I. God accepts broken things
Broken people, broken relationships, broken dreams, broken families. God makes clear that He is in the business of accepting broken things.
Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit.”
A) Peace brings security not ease
God doesn’t just accept broken things He keeps them. John 6:37, Matthew 28:20, Joshua 1:5, Hebrews 13:5. The amazing thing about the gospel of peace isn’t about us being whole but God giving us wholeness. Wholeness has never been an outside problem but and inside problem.
Being broken and humble does not lead to being wrecked, immobilized, crushed, hardened or embittered. When God gives us the security of His peace we don’t carry anger, fear of punishment or lowered self-esteem that characterize the bitter person.
B) Peace brings stability not ease
God’s peace is not about subtracting the problems and pressures from your life. God’s peace is about adding the power of the resurrection to your life so that your feet will be stable upon the rock of God Jesus Christ!!
The devil will use hidden sticks of doubt and discouragement. These are designed to distract us from the peace Jesus gives. In John 16:33 Jesus says don’t lose heart, I have overcome the world. Don’t be discouraged, my peace is enough to be stable no matter what you face.
It is God’s peace that gives us confidence to step into and through whatever he sends or allows our way. God’s peace comes from being close to God’s person. Immanuel God with us. Bondage comes from separation from God. Peace comes from connection to God through Jesus. The devil wants to keep us separated from God because that will rob our peace and render our armor ineffective.
God takes us as we are but He never leaves us as we were!!
II. God restores broken things
Psalm 147:3 He (God) heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds
Something that is important to remember in this life is that God heals and restores but does not necessarily remove the scars.
The wounds that we have are not limited to our physical bodies. The wounds that affect us the most are emotional and spiritual.
Remember we fight not against flesh and blood. The devil is a liar and distractor. He wants us to address symptoms and not realities. Jacob walked with a limp. Paul bore the scars of Jesus in His body.
Why wouldn’t God remove the scars?
A) Scars remind us of God’s faithfulness
Some times like Jacob it is our encounters with God that leaves marks on us. Others it is due to our own sin or attacks of the devil. We know that God is always faithful. Scars remind us that God accepts broken things. They also remind us that he never leaves us in a broken state. David said He restores my soul. Joel 2:25 I will restore the years the locust has eaten. The scars job had from scraping His sores were a reminder to abandon pride for humility. Jesus scars remind us that we are never so broken that God cannot rescue or restore us.
Where does God meet us most? Is it in the high points of victory or the low valley of pain, defeat and discouragement that God meets us? He meets us in the pits and prisons of life.
B) Scars remind us to keep focused
The purpose of this life is not to be pain free. According to Philippians 3:10 our focus is to be Jesus. Paul wanted to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.
God restores us to share His story and be his representatives.
A neurotic sickly girl, suffering from insomnia, consulted a physician. After examining her and finding no physical cause, he bluntly said, “You have ingrown feelings.” She looked puzzled, so he made it plainer. “You think too much about yourself. What you need to do is to get away from yourself, get out among others, think of their troubles, and work to relieve them.” “Do you mean that I am selfish?” she asked. “Not exactly selfish,” the doctor said, “but you are self-centered.” The girl went home, thought over carefully what the wise physician had said, took his advice, and soon was restored to health.
III. God uses broken things
So how do we put on the Gospel shoes? Colossians 3:16 “Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God.”
How do I know I am headed the right direction? How do I know I am following God’s will? Peace. Dr. Tony Evans, Biblical peace is taught to us by two painters asked to paint peace. One painted a shepherd leading sheep with an amazing sunset and beautiful calm day. The other painted torrential downpours storms and darkness from a storm. However, in one corner a bird was firmly standing on a rock with a sliver of light shining on him singing. This is assuming you are walking in truth and righteousness.
“The gospel does more than get you to heaven, the Gospel brings heaven to you” Dr. Tony Evans. The word shod really caries the idea of preparation. We are to be prepared to stand.
A) The Gospel of peace prepares us to worship
Peace comes from God’s presence. That presence comes when we submit to Jesus as Lord. True worship is humbling bowing our life before the true and living God and submitting to His direction and plans.
B) The Gospel of peace prepares us to serve
When Jesus is present in our lives we have His character. He was a servant. He came not to be served but to serve. His peace gives us the power to power to humbly serve even those that hates us, curse us, lie about us, etc.
C) The Gospel of peace prepares us to share
Why was the early church so quick to share what they had with each other? They realized that God was the real possession.
Conclusion: God restores us so that He can use us to restore others. What does God want to restore in your life today? Who or what does God want to use you to restore in others?
Show U-Tube Video of brokenness
