Busted or Broken? – Part 2 (Romans 12:14-21)
Busted or Broken? – Part 2 (Romans 12:14-21)
We are in part two of our message titled Busted or Broken? If you weren’t here last week, you should definitely check out part one, as today’s message builds upon the foundation of part one. We will continue exploring this important topic: Are we a busted people or a broken people? We’ve been examining what that means, and today we’ll delve deeper into the definitions of these terms.
Let us now read God’s Word in honor of His presence. Paul writes: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Father, we ask that You speak to us through Your holy Word today. May we see Jesus in every verse, and may we embrace the truth it offers. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
You may be seated. These are powerful verses, and as we explored last week, there’s a big difference between being “busted” and “broken” in the Christian life. Let’s be honest, we don’t want to think about the terms “busted” or “broken” in the context of our lives. When something is busted, it either doesn’t work, or we’ve been caught. “Broken” usually refers to a broken bone, a broken device — none of these are positive experiences, right?
But in God’s Word, being “broken” is actually a good thing. Brokenness before the Lord is where the Christian life truly begins. It’s in that place of humility that God works in our lives. Many of us may not have heard this before, but it is absolutely true.
Last week, we saw that when we talk about being “busted or broken,” we’re really talking about coming to the end of ourselves. This is a very positive step in our spiritual growth. From Romans 12:14-16, we learned three important truths:
End self-defense: This isn’t about defending yourself when you’re physically attacked. Rather, it refers to the defense mechanisms we build when we’re trying to protect ourselves emotionally or spiritually, often to the point of ruining relationships, marriages, businesses, and even our own lives. The Bible tells us that we don’t need to defend ourselves in this way.
End self-focus: We are often consumed with our own needs and desires, but why? The Gospel teaches us to move beyond this self-centered thinking, to focus on others instead.
End self-awareness: When everything revolves around “me,” life becomes miserable. Jesus teaches that if we try to save our own lives, we’ll lose them. But if we give up our lives for His sake, we’ll truly find life — eternal life. This paradox is central to Christianity: by dying to ourselves, we actually experience the abundant life Christ offers.
As we continue to explore the concept of being “broken” before God, remember that it is through our surrender and humility that God transforms us. When we die to our own desires and self-centered ways, we discover the true life that only Jesus can give.
Now, I want to ask you: are you ready to embrace the brokenness that God desires for your life? It’s not about physical death, but about dying to your old ways, your selfishness, and your pride. And in doing so, you will experience the fullness of life that comes from following Jesus.
This is the foundation for the Christian life, and I pray that today’s message will help each of us move closer to that place of true humility and brokenness before the Lord.