Handling A Broken Heart Series

INTRODUCTION

• PC VIDEO CLIP

• SLIDE #1

• One of the dark emotions we deal with that can make our world come to a standstill is the dealing with a broken heart.

• There are so many things that happen in life that can contribute to having a broken heart.

• The loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, the stresses of life. The breakup of a friendship. There are some many things that can hurt us we do not have the time to mention them all.

• In our video clip Benjamin Martin has now lost 2 sons in the battle for freedom. When he lost the first one, it lead him to action in serving his country, when the second one dies in a battle, he is ready to throw in the towel.

• When we face the times in life where our heart is broken we have to decide IF and how we are going to carry on. Suffering from a broken heart can cause our world to come to a standstill.

• A broken heart can keep us from living and enjoying life, it can keep us in the throes of depression if we are not careful.

• Today we are going to turn to the book of Isaiah to gain encouragement on what to do when we are suffering a broken heart.

• Before we delve into our text, let us first see that…

• SLIDE #2

SERMON

I. A broken heart does not have to be permanent.

• When things get tough it seems like it will never end.

• Have you ever thought, “WHAT IS NEXT?”

• Isaiah was a prophet from Judah which was the Southern kingdom after the kingdom was divided after the death of Solomon in 931 BC, he was a prophet for about 60 years.

• This was a VERY tough time for the nation they had been invaded first the Assyrians, then later they were invaded and taken away into captivity by the Babylonians.

• This would be heart breaking. Imagine during your whole life living in a country that had been invaded by two massive armies.

• The spirits of the people were at a low point.

• When we are at a low point, suffering with a broken heart, we have a tendency to think all is lost, that all is over.

• The people Isaiah was writing to felt this way, they thought the nightmare would never end.

• What do we do when we feel hopeless? We give up, we quit staying the course. We feel life has neither meaning nor purpose.

• A broken heart is such a dark emotion because many times we isolate ourselves and suffer alone.

• SLIDE #3

• 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 (ESV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

• WE do not have to suffer alone; we can go to God for comfort. The heart does not have to be broken forever!

• Isaiah 61 is the last of what has been called the SUFFERING SERVANT poems. This chapter is part of Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the life and work of the future Messiah, Jesus.

• Isaiah is writing this to be an encouragement to the people who were dealing with a broken heart over their captivity, to let them know that God has a plan and that things would get better.

• SLIDE #4

• Isaiah 61:1–2 (ESV) The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;

• SLIDE #5

II. Jesus can comfort us when we are suffering a broken heart.

• In Luke 4:17-21 Jesus goes into the synagogue and takes the scroll and reads the exact passage and then tells the crowd…

• SLIDE #6

• Luke 4:21 (ESV) And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

• When we are facing difficult times, when our heart is broken, we can turn to Jesus for comfort.

• Isaiah tells us that he came to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives.

• God does not want us to suffer in the prison of a broken heart!