Divine Attraction Of Affliction

Divine Attraction of Affliction

Text: Isaiah 53:4-7

4. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.”

Introduction:

ORPHANED GIRL AND WOUNDED MOTHER

One day a little orphan girl who was about 5 years old had a visitor. The Nurse had pre warned the child that this wasn’t just any visitor. It was a lady who had severely crippled her back and her hands were withered. Her whole body was scared with deep wounds that made her look like something that belonged in a horror story. Her hair was blotched and didn’t grow in many areas and her lips were gone and she couldn’t seem to breathe normal. Now the nurse had told the little girl “no matter what you think about her remember that she is your mother”.

When the mother had entered the room the child turned her face from her in a shock from what she had seen saying…”no….no….you can’t be my mom…she doesn’t look like that….how come your so ugly to look at?” The mother replied to the little girl “I know it’s hard to look at me but I am your real mother and before I leave there’s something I want to tell you. If you then decide you never want to see me again then I will understand and will leave you alone and never come back…but let me first tell you…when you were first born one day I was outside doing laundry for us. The winds were blowing hard that afternoon and while I was yet away the house had caught on fire. I knew that you were helplessly in there and as the winds blew the fire started getting rapidly bigger. The smoke was so black and dark… I had to rush upstairs and find you not knowing what room you were in because my sight had gone dim. When I found you I covered you with my arms and wrapped you as tight as I could. The only way out was through the flames. I carefully guarded you so you wouldn’t be burnt by the fire. When we got outside I had to roll on the ground till the flames that were on my body went out but thank God you were OK. I was terribly burnt to a crisp and bloodied. We lost everything and I had to give you up for adoption and now I am seeking you again.” Then the little girl said with tears in her eyes, “Mommy….(while holding her mothers hands) these are the prettiest hands I have ever seen….your face is so beautiful….how could anyone every say anything bad about you and I love you so much for saving my life.”

Setting:

A. He borne our grief’s and carried our sorrows.

• Maybe you have forgotten the value of the cross but let me remind you here today that “while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” and “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Like the little orphans mother Jesus took our grieving and carried our sorrows and made it his.

• Our torment became his torture

• Our shackles became his shame

• Our grief’s he grieved

• Our cross of sorrows was his cross of sacrifice

• Our deaths he died

• Our failures is what he fought for

• Minds of sin were to become minds of a savior

• Multitudes of mockers were to become masses of martyrs

• Because of Him were not damned but were delivered!

• Because of Him I have hope

• You may have been abonded but your not alone

• You may feel forsaken but your not forgotten

• You may feel discarded but be not discouraged

• We were to be the victims but he was the victor!!!

• Why?? Because I love him…Because I love him

Romans 5:12-15

There are three areas of attraction

1. Sin demanded condemnation

CONDEMN is the act of pronouncing someone guilty after weighing the evidence.

• Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world

• There’s all the evidence God ever needed to let you live a curse.

• Your found guilty whether you think your mommas little angel or not you still was condemned as a sinner. You’re still ugly, you still have corns on your feet, you’re still guilty, and you still look like your mom and them.