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The Broken Heart  The Broken Heart - Psalm 31:1-24 - Pastor Steve Wilson - May 22, 2011 am        Please click the button to the left to play the sermon Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall Humpty Dumpty had a great fall All the King’s horses And all the King’s men Couldn’t put Humpty together again. More often than we would like we all go through those Humpty Dumpty times in our lives, where we are just broken and see no short coming cure to our situation. And as much as we care for others going through tough times, we can’t rebuild broken people. But our God is very capable of rebuilding broken hearts and broken people. It is one of His specialties. In you, LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, LORD, my faithful God. I hate those who cling to worthless idols; as for me, I trust in the LORD. I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. You have not given me into the hands of the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place. Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors and an object of dread to my closest friends—those who see me on the street flee from me. I am forgotten as though I were dead;  I have become like broken pottery. For I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side!” They conspire  against me and plot to take my life. But I trust in you, LORD;    I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me.  Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. Let me not be put to shame, LORD,  for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and be silent in the realm of the dead. Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous. How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all on those who take refuge in you. In the shelter of your presence you hide them from all human intrigues; you keep them safe in your dwelling from accusing tongues.  Praise be to the LORD, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege. In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!” Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help. Love the LORD, all his faithful people!  The LORD preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full.  Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.                 -  Psalm 31:1-24 I want us to leave this morning with an understanding that brokenness does not have to be a blight, brokenness can become a blessing. 1.  The reality of brokenness      David cried out in verse 12, I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like a broken pottery.        When things are broken in your life, you are in trouble.      a.  There is an outward problem           Brokenness causes some to become bitter and angry and it hurts their relationship.           David's broken heart caused him to say           In verse 6 - I hate those who cling to worthless idols           In verse 17 - Let the wicked be put to shame and be silent in the realm of the dead           In verse 18 - Let their lying lips be silenced for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous.      b.  There is an inward problem           Brokenness causes some to become discouraged, disillusioned, and even depressed                      I happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit - Proverbs 15:13      c.  There is an upward problem           Brokenness causes some to blame God for what has happened 2.  The reason for brokenness      God is not a cruel God.  He allows things to happen for a reason      And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.  Romans 8:28      For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweights them all.  2 Corinthians 4:17      a.  To bless us      b.  To use us            Oswald Chambers was right when he said, “If we are ever going to be made into wine, we will have to be crushed—you cannot drink grapes. Grapes become wine only when they have been squeezed.” Watchman Nee said, “Our spirit is released according to the degree of our brokenness. The one who has accepted  the most discipline is the one who can best serve. The more one is broken, the more sensitive he is.”      c.  To Teach us       Oswald Chambers commented, "When God gets us alone through suffering, heartbreak, temptation, disappointment, sickness, or by thwarted desires, a broken friendship, or a new friendship—when He gets us absolutely alone, and we are totally speechless, unable to ask even one question, then He begins to teach us."      d.  To remake us      But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him   Jeremiah 18:4 3.  The remedy for brokenness            a.  There must be a relationship                 David says in verse 3, you are my rock and my fortress and in verse 14 he says You are my God      b.  There mys be a reliance                 Verse 1 - In You, LORD, I have taken refuge           Verse 4 - You are my refuge           Verse 5 - Into Your hands I commit my spirit           Verse 6 - I trust in the LORD           Verse 14 - I trust in You, LORD           Verse 19 - How abundant are the good things that You have stored up for those who fear You, that You bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in You.           Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.  1 Peter 5:6      c.  There must be a realization                 1.  God cares                      Verse 7 - I will be glad and rejoice in Your love, for You saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul                Verse 9 - Be merciful to me, LORD                Verse 16 - Save me in Your unfailing love                Verse 19 - How abundant are the good things that You have stored up for those who fear You, that You bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in You.           2.  God is in control                Verse 15 - My times are in Your hands                Verse 5 - Into Your hands I commit my spirit           3.  God can                                Verse 4 - Keep my free from the trap that is set for me, for You are my refuge       d.  There must be a rest                 Verse 24 - Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD           He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.  Psalm 147:3           Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. - Matthew 11:28             My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart You, God, will not despise. - Psalm 51:17           And when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, Take, eat:  this is My body, which is broken for you:  this do in remembrance of Me.  1 Corinthians 11:24 Our Lord was broken, but through His brokenness, the greatest blessing of all - salvation - was made available for each of us.

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