Usefulness in Brokenness

In preparation for this message, I looked at the sermon title and found there are hundreds of sermons on brokenness and that, from a worldly perspective, it seems senseless to think that brokenness is useful at all. As we approach Palm Sunday and Resurrection Sunday, this week's message might also prepare us for these two celebrations. The world thinks brokenness and failure go hand in hand, as a negative. On the other hand, when God is leading in your life, with God it is a positive. The hope this week is to show how brokenness can walk side by side with usefulness. I think most of us here have trusted in this portion of scripture at key times in our lives. Usually when we are in wonder, or desperation, possibly at a time of being crushed in spirit. Brokenness brings us closer to God. Brokenness begins to make us useful to God. Brokenness also helps us to become sensitive to God. And the greatest benefit of being broken is that it makes us more like Jesus, understanding His example of being broken. The very Son of God on the cross and in the garden, betrayed, beaten, bloodied and brutally treated by the men He created... when we are broken, we are exhibiting a manifest token of His suffering.