Embracing Brokenness: God's Pursuit and Redemption
Summary
In today's sermon, we explored the profound theme of brokenness and God's relentless pursuit of us amidst our fallen state. We began by acknowledging that our natural inclination is to view brokenness as something external, something that exists outside the walls of our church. Yet, Scripture reveals that brokenness is not only around us but within us. It is a universal condition that affects every human heart.
We delved into Genesis chapter three, where the narrative of humanity's fall is vividly portrayed. The serpent's crafty words led to the first act of disobedience, and with it, brokenness entered the world. This brokenness severed the perfect relationship between God and humanity, a relationship that was designed for intimacy and fellowship.
Despite this tragic turn of events, God did not abandon us. Instead, His response was to move towards us. In the garden, God asked Adam and Eve, "Where are you?" This question was not one of geographical inquiry but of relational pursuit. God was fully aware of their physical location, but He sought to restore the broken fellowship.
The sermon highlighted that our brokenness is not a barrier to God but a bridge. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, entered into our broken world to offer redemption and restoration. He lived a sinless life and died a sacrificial death to bridge the gap that our sin had created. This is the heart of the gospel: that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Furthermore, we were reminded that our story does not end with our reconciliation to God. Those who have experienced the transformative power of Christ are called to live a life on mission. We are to reflect Christ to a broken world, sharing the story of how He has made us new. Our mission is driven by the gospel and defined by God's mission to redeem and restore.
As we concluded, we were encouraged to embrace our brokenness, not as a mark of shame, but as a testament to God's grace. It is through our weaknesses that His strength is made perfect. We are jars of clay, bearing the treasure of the gospel, and it is through our cracks that the light of Christ shines forth.
Key Takeaways:
- God's response to our brokenness is not withdrawal but pursuit. He moves towards us with a heart of compassion, seeking to restore what sin has damaged. This divine initiative is the foundation of our faith and the assurance of our worth in His eyes. [49:33]
- Our brokenness serves as a canvas for God's redemptive work. Through our imperfections, His power is displayed, and His grace is magnified. As believers, we must recognize that our weaknesses are not to be hidden but offered to God as opportunities for His strength to be revealed. [57:09]
- The gospel is not merely about improving the existing; it is about making all things new. This transformative power is at work within us, renewing us day by day. Our lives are a testament to the ongoing creative work of God, who is actively making us whole. [01:02:15]
- Living a life on mission means that we carry the story of Jesus into every encounter. Our lives are not our own; they are narratives that point back to the Savior. We are ambassadors of Christ, called to reflect His love and truth in a world that desperately needs hope. [01:00:55]
- The church, despite its flaws and brokenness, is designed to reflect the glory of God. We are a community of redeemed individuals, called to demonstrate the reality of the gospel through our love, unity, and commitment to one another. In our collective brokenness, the beauty of Christ's body is revealed. [55:55]
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 3:1-9 (ESV)
"Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”"
2. Romans 5:6-8 (ESV)
"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
3. 2 Corinthians 4:7, 16 (ESV)
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day."
4. Revelation 21:5 (ESV)
"And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”"
Observation Questions:
1. In Genesis 3:1-9, what tactics does the serpent use to deceive Eve, and how does Eve respond to the serpent's questioning of God's command?
2. After Adam and Eve eat the fruit, what immediate changes occur in their behavior and awareness?
3. How does God respond to Adam and Eve's disobedience when He calls out, "Where are you?" What does this suggest about God's character?
4. Reflecting on 2 Corinthians 4:7, what is the significance of the metaphor "treasure in jars of clay" in relation to human brokenness?
Interpretation Questions:
1. Considering the serpent's deception, what can we learn about the nature of temptation and the importance of understanding God's word?
2. What does the reaction of Adam and Eve to their newfound awareness of nakedness reveal about the effects of sin on human relationships and self-perception?
3. In what ways does God's question, "Where are you?" in Genesis 3:9 demonstrate His desire for relationship despite human sinfulness?
4. How does the concept of being "jars of clay" with a "treasure" inside inform our understanding of God's power working through human weakness?
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you faced temptation. How did you respond, and what could you do differently in the future to align your actions with God's word?
2. Identify a moment when you felt exposed or vulnerable because of a mistake or sin. How did you handle that situation, and how might you invite God into those moments of brokenness?
3. Think about a time when you felt distant from God. What steps can you take to move towards God and seek restoration, just as He seeks you out?
4. Choose one area of weakness in your life. How can you offer it to God this week as an opportunity for His strength to be revealed?
5. As a "jar of clay," how can you demonstrate the gospel's treasure to someone in your community who is experiencing brokenness? What specific action will you take?
Devotional
Day 1: Pursued by Compassionate Love
God's relentless pursuit of humanity in the midst of brokenness is a profound demonstration of His compassionate love. This pursuit is not a mere search but a divine initiative to restore the relationship that sin has fractured. It is a reminder that one's worth is not diminished by their brokenness but is affirmed by God's unwavering desire to draw near. This divine pursuit is foundational to faith, offering assurance that God's love is not conditional but is an active, seeking force that moves toward the brokenhearted with the intent to heal and reconcile.
"Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:6-7)
Reflection: How can you open your heart today to sense God's pursuit and respond to His compassionate call?
Day 2: Grace Magnified in Imperfection
Our brokenness is not a mark of shame but a canvas on which God's grace is magnified. It is through our imperfections that His power is most clearly displayed. This perspective shifts the focus from hiding weaknesses to offering them to God as opportunities for His strength to be revealed. In doing so, believers can embrace their vulnerabilities, knowing that they serve a greater purpose in the narrative of God's redemptive work. This understanding encourages a life of transparency and reliance on God's sufficiency rather than one's own abilities.
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Reflection: What weakness can you present to God today as an opportunity for His strength to be showcased in your life? [57:09]
Day 3: Transformed to Newness
The gospel's transformative power is not about improving what already exists but about creating something entirely new. This power is at work within us, renewing us day by day, and making us whole. As individuals experience this transformation, their lives become a testament to God's ongoing creative work. This newness of life is a profound aspect of the Christian journey, reflecting the reality that God is not done with us but is actively shaping us into His likeness.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Reflection: In what ways is God calling you to embrace the newness of life in Christ today? [01:02:15]
Day 4: Ambassadors on Mission
Those transformed by the gospel are called to live a life on mission, carrying the story of Jesus into every encounter. This mission is not a passive existence but an active representation of Christ's love and truth. As ambassadors of Christ, believers are tasked with reflecting His character to a world in need of hope. This calling elevates the purpose of every interaction and challenges individuals to live as narratives that point back to the Savior.
"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:20)
Reflection: How can you embody the role of Christ's ambassador in your interactions today? [01:00:55]
Day 5: Reflecting Glory in Community
The church, despite its imperfections, is called to reflect the glory of God. As a community of redeemed individuals, the church demonstrates the reality of the gospel through love, unity, and commitment to one another. In the collective brokenness of its members, the beauty of Christ's body is revealed. This communal aspect of faith challenges believers to look beyond individualism and embrace the collective testimony of a redeemed community.
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Reflection: What steps can you take to contribute to the unity and love within your church community today? [55:55]
Quotes
- "God knew exactly where they hid themselves, and he knew exactly where they now stood in relationship to him." [44:01] (Download | )
- "The beauty of Cherno's story is that eventually conversation after conversation, lunch after lunch, Cherno arrived at a place of realizing the weightiness of his brokenness and his need for a savior." [49:08] (Download | )
- "Jesus enters into the story of humanity as the fulfillment of the covenant that God made with man all the way back in the early chapters of Genesis." [50:22] (Download | )
- "It's the fractured places of our lives, the fractured places of this church, where we get to see the evidence of the gospel on beautiful display as the work of reconciliation begins to redeem and restore." [57:09] (Download | )
- "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God, not us." [58:40] (Download | )
- "The lives of those who Jesus encountered didn't stop with their reconciliation and restoration. They are sent out on mission with a story, a story pointing back to Jesus." [01:00:55] (Download | )
- "God's mission is to take what is broken and redeem it. Not simply to make it better, but to make it new." [01:02:15] (Download | )
- "Despite the brokenness of humanity, God pursues us in relationship." [46:31] (Download | Download cropped video)
- "The result of the man and woman's decision to go against that which God commanded was that their eyes were opened and sin stained the human condition." [42:51] (Download | )
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