Close Menu X
Navigate

God Delights in Using Broken People to Accomplish His Plan

November 12, 2017 Speaker: Gibson Largent Series: Esther

Passage: Esther 2:1–23

Esther 2:1-23

(Note: Ridgeline was gathering with Rockhill Mennonite Church in Telford at the recording of this sermon. See the blog post here for an explanation)

Main Pastoral Point:

God chooses weak and broken and imperfect people to accomplish His purposes

Outline - by the end of this sermon:

  • Be encouraged that God delights in you and loves you deeply. Your brokenness doesn’t disqualify you from meaningful service. God uses broken people for his glory and purposes. As long as there is breath in your lungs, sincere repentance and forgiveness

Definition of brokenness: any experience in this fallen world that causes your  to sincerely seek the Lord for help and salvation. 

  • It can be most easily summed up in this: arriving at the realization that I need God
    • You need God - you need Him - not religion, not pride, not morality

Application: 

  • Matthew 11:28 - Come to me
  • Humble yourselves
  • Walk in sincere faith
  • Boast in your weaknesses 
    • You’re greatest weakness might be connected to or lead to your kingdom contribution and ministry
  • Give God glory when He uses you in your weakness and brokenness

Related Passages:

2 Corinthians 4:7–18

[7] But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. [8] We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; [9] persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; [10] always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. [11] For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. [12] So death is at work in us, but life in you.

 

[13] Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, [14] knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. [15] For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

 

[16] So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. [17] For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, [18] as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (ESV)

2 Corinthians 11:30–33

[30] If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. [31] The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. [32] At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, [33] but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands. (ESV)

 

[1] I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. [2] I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. [3] And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—[4] and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. [5] On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses—[6] though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. [7] So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. [8] Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. [9] But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. [10] For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (ESV)

 

More in Esther

January 21, 2018

Victory: You can have relief from temptation

December 17, 2017

The Invisible Providence of God

December 10, 2017

The Destructive Power of Pride