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!
• Jesus said part of His mission was to release us from the things that bring us down.
• SLIDE #7
• Psalm 147:3 (ESV) He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
• Whatever the cause of the broken heart, GOD CAN HEAL IT!
• We just have to be willing to go to Him with it!
• to proclaim liberty to the captives,
• This in the direct context refers to those who were captive to the Babylonians, but the future reference was to what Jesus would do for those who are captive to sin, He will release them!
• Many times people think that a life in Christ is a life of NO and CANNOT and DO NOT, but in reality you can trust going to Him because He wants to give you liberty!
• The writer makes reference to the Year of Jubilee which occurred every 50 years.
• SLIDE #8
• Leviticus 25:10 (ESV) 10 And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan.
• Debts were forgiven and slaves were sent free. In Christ we can have a year of jubilee whenever we are ready to accept Him as Lord and Savior!
• We also see that Jesus will comfort those who mourn.
• SLIDE #9
• 2 Corinthians 7:6 (ESV) But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,
• SLIDE #10
• Psalm 34:18 (ESV) The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
• God can heal you if you will let Him, your broken heart does not have to be permanent, life can go on if you want it to.
• Let’s look at verse 3
• SLIDE #11
• Isaiah 61:3 (ESV) to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
• SLIDE #12
III. Jesus can lead us to victory after suffering from a broken heart.
• When your heart has been broken, how do you feel? Do you feel victorious? Do you feel like you can take on the world? DO you feel invincible?
• NO, NO, NO, AND NO!
• Many times after a broken heart we feel less than confident, we feel like we will never be happy or that we will never succeed again.
• Well, that is not how it has to be!
• WE can have victory in Jesus!
• Isaiah tells those who are brokenhearted and suffering that they are far from being defeated!
• Look at what is said.
• to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes
• When one was mourning in Isaiah’s day and during the time of Jesus, you would put ashes on your head to symbolize the fact you were mourning something. It was a sign of grief.
• When we are brokenhearted, we are most definitely experiencing grief.
• Jesus tells us that instead of the ashes of grief, He will give us a beautiful headdress.
• This means that God will replace that grief with joy.
• We can experience joy in the midst of difficult times when we realize that God is in control and that He can use every situation for good.
• SLIDE #13
• Romans 8:28 (ESV) And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
• When we know the world will not end with what breaks our heart no matter how bad it looks, we can better endure the difficulty
• the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
• God can remove the broken heart and replace it with the oil of gladness. This symbolizes the joy we have in the Lord because of our relationship with Him!
• the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
• When we are down our spirit is weak, God can give us a spirit of boldness!
• that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
• Instead of feeling weak, we can receive strength and durability and confidence!
CONCLUSION
• The circumstances behind the broken heart do not have to have dominion in our life.
• I know when we are in the midst of suffering the broken heart we really feel that life is over.
• In Christ it does not have to be that way.
• God can help you get though the time you do not think you can get through.
• Many times we do not have the strength to do it on our own, let Jesus help you.
• God loves you and does not want to see you hurt and defated!
