Unsafe Prayers - Broken Series

Unsafe Prayers - Broken

Matthew 26:26-28

June 12, 2016

We all know how frustrating it is when something we cherish is broken. Whether it’s a child’s favorite toy, a cherished item in our home, an everyday object like a garage door, a plate, a broken window, all the way to broken bones - - - broken relationships and broken hearts.

We don’t like broken things. Super glue and duct tape can’t fix everything! Well, today, we’re going to talk about what it means to be broken - - - to do that we’re going to look at a passage from Matthew 26, talk about what it means to be broken, then spend some time considering what it means in our lives.

We’re in the final 2 weeks of our series on prayer. Last week we began looking at prayers which are unsafe. We looked at David’s prayer in Psalm 139, as he asked God to search his heart.

As difficult as last week’s might be, because it’s pretty vulnerable to ask God to search our hearts, today we’re going to look at a prayer we may not want to pray. It’s not safe and comfortable. It may not feel good praying it. But, I'm going to ask you to consider what it means to be broken . . . and even to make that our prayer.

I want you to consider praying a very unsafe prayer. Not all of you will. You don’t have to pray this, but this very well may change your life and relationship with God.

Let’s get into the meat of the message. Jesus was gathered with His closest friends, the disciples. They’re eating together - - Jesus knows this is His last meal. The disciples still don’t have a clue as to what’s going to unfold later that night. Jesus knows this is going to be very painful, shameful and humiliating. He’s also in the process of saying good-bye to men He has come to deeply love. He’s going to give His life on the cross. We now come to Matthew 26:26-28 ~

26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

27 And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you,

28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus said what about His body and blood?

This is my body - - - - BROKEN for you!

This is my blood - - - - POURED OUT for you.

His body is broken and His blood is poured out. It’s a sacrifice for many. My body broken for you. My blood poured out for you.

Understand the Greek for the word poured out means to gush out, liberally shed, greedily spilled. It’s not the image of a few drops. It’s an image of all of His blood, not a token donation, but everything poured out - - - given for many.

Now, hold onto that thought - - - Just prior to that a little earlier in Matthew 26, we read this story - -

6 Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,

7 a woman came up to Him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as He reclined at table.

8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?

Let’s set the stage in this story - - - - Think about it - - where was Jesus? He’s in the home of Simon the leper. How’s that for a nickname? Who would want to be seen at a leper’s house? Jesus would! He’s hanging out with sinners. Some believe this woman is a prostitute. In all honesty, we don’t really know who she is. All we know is that this woman took a years worth of wages and broke it open and poured it on Jesus.

Somewhere along the way, this woman found she was valued, respected and honored by Jesus. She experienced the power of God’s love, through Jesus. Maybe it was the first time she felt loved. It transformed her and she wanted to worship Jesus in the most sacrificial way she could imagine. Her extravagant act of worship totally confused everyone in this story, except Jesus.

Imagine one year’s worth of income - - - you put that amount in a bottle and you pour it out on someone. Gone! In a flash - - - gone!

She's got this incredibly expensive perfume and she breaks it open and pours it over Jesus head!