The Glory Of Broken Things

From the Desk of Toby Powers

Truth Baptist Church

Bremen, GA

The Glory of Broken Things

Psalms 51 (Note 17)

Intro: This is a Psalm of David written with a broken heart after the sinful act he had performed with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband. In brokenness David writes this Psalm of repentance and restoration. He acknowledges his guilt (v. 2-4). He begs for the cleansing of God (v. 7). He requests restoration of his broken life (v. 8). He understands that the Lord will not be satisfied with a ceremoniously offered sacrifice, but he is looking for more (v. 16-17). His brokenness will season his sacrifice with a sweet smelling savor that is pleasing to the Lord (v. 19). I am interested, however, in verses 8 & 17. I want to preach on the Glory of Broken Things. David speaks of his bones being broken in judgment and his heart being broken in repentance. He understands that God is interested in hearts, and unlike others, he does not want one that is perfect, but he wants one that is broken. The songwriter said right:

People keep so many things, collections of all kinds,

Some store treasures in their hearts, others in their minds.

But there is one collection that has the greatest price,

Jesus paid the highest cost, when he laid down his life.

Unlike most collectors, perfection they seek to find,

He is very different, Broken ones are his favorite kind.

You may think you are too far gone, way beyond repair,

But wherever there’s a broken heart, you will find him there.

He’s a heart collector, and I’m a chosen one.

He’s a heart collector who refuses no one.

All you have to do is come to him, and he will make you a part.

The one who is faithful and true, this collector of hearts.

We see this theme throughout the Bible of God receiving glory not from things that are whole but from things that are broken. Some things can not give him glory until they are broken. Notice:

I. The Glory of a Broken Leg: Jacob and God wrestling in Genesis 33. Jacob ended up with a broken leg, but he also ended up with a blessing. Sometimes God has to afflict our flesh in order to break our will. It is a blessing to us in the end, for his will is better for us.

II. The Glory of Broken Bread: Matthew 14:19, Jesus took the loaves, blessed them, and broke them, and gave them to the disciples for distribution. The Bread was broken for multiplication. It was broken and distributed, but the supply was not thereby diminished. The bread is a type of the Word of God. Its value multiplies as it is blessed by the God of heaven, and broken in his hand, that it might be distributed amongst the congregation. God blesses the written word to make it alive in the minister’s heart. He breaks into pieces our doctrinal theses turning them into spiritual pieces of bread with which to feed his people. Then he gives them to his men to distribute in broken pieces multiplied by his blessings in brokenness. Until you get bread from heaven broken and blessed by the master, your sermons will be theological spatterings of religious slop that does not nourish the congregation.

III. The Glory of Broken Box: Mark 14:3, As Jesus sat in Simon the Leper’s house a woman came with an alabaster box of spikenard ointment, and she broke the box pouring the ointment on Jesus’ head. She proceeded to wash his feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. We know from the account in Luke 7 that this woman was an ungodly sinner. She had come to worship her Savior. This box was made of stone slate and sealed with wax. When it says that she broke it, it means that she broke the seal releasing the contents. The box is her will, and the spikenard ointment is an oil-based, sweet-smelling, strong-odored ointment that was usually only used to cover the smell of a decaying body. She poured it on the head of Christ, and then she fell at his feet. The only way to ever be able to get at his feet in worship or prayer is to break your will, goals, or ambitions at the very seal of your selfish determination, and allow his Holy Ghost to spill from you in worship. She felt as though she had to do whatever it took to have the chance to get at the master’s feet to worship. This was her only box, but it was worth spilling out for one trip to the Master’s feet. She had to thank him for what he had done. (Luke 7:40-48)