God Uses Broken People
We all break things from time to time. In this teaching Larry Neville talks about when Moses broke the Tablets of Testimony that God gave to him. Tablets of stone that God wrote on with, "the Finger of God." The essence of this message is that God uses people who break things. People who are broken. God heals our brokenness.
"When He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God" (Exodus 31:18).
While Moses was on the mountain the people get Aran to build them a golden calf to be their god. God tells Moses that the people you brought out of Egypt have defiled themselves. I ‘m going to destroy them and raise up a new people through you. But, Moses interceded for them, "So the Lord changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people" (Exodus 32:4).
"Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written. 16 The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets" (Exodus 32:15).
"When they came near the camp, Moses saw the calf and the dancing, and he burned with anger. He threw the stone tablets to the ground, smashing them at the foot of the mountain" (Exodus 32:19).
In his anger, Moses smashed the stone tablets given to him by God. Talk about breaking things. He did it this time.
1. God uses imperfect people.
God is always looking for someone he can work through.
“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one" (Ezekiel 22:30 NLT).
We form ideas of the kind of person God is looking for.
We form this from pop culture,
From popular social media sights, TV preachers,
From corporate America.
From churches that place high standards for people to be involved in leadership ministries.
Very few Heroes in the Bible would make it to the list of potential Church Planters, Pastors, or Worship leaders today.
Moses pleaded with God to use someone else as he pointed out to God his own imperfections. David's father did not even consider presenting David with his other six sons when the Prophet Samuel came to anoint the next king for Israel. That is when God said to Samuel: "The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7b).
Paul made it clear that our qualification for ministry comes directly from God.
"It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant" (2 Corinthian 3:5-6 NLT).
"Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified[a] you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”6 Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” 7 But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth."(Jeremiah 1: 4 NKJV).
"Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.10 See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms" (Verse 9).
It all depends upon God finding a person. The persons God is seeking are sitting in our churches today.
2. Imperfect people break things.
Ex: Moses SHATTERED the Tablets.
If you live long enough or you are in leadership, at some point you will break something. The Bible gives us many examples.
King Saul, broke a few things.
Then he tried to kill David before he could become the next king. One one occasion Saul went into a cave to relieve himself not know that David and his men were hiding in that cave. David's men told David, "The Lord has given the king into your hands." They wanted David to kill Saul while he had the opportunity. David said that he would not touch God's anointed so he cut the corner of Saul's robe.
Years later David was king and he also broke somethings.
He committed adultery with Bathsheba then had her husband killed. So, it was kinda like when Jesus told the men who wanted to kill the woman that they caught committing adultery, "The one who is without sin throw the first stone" (John 8:7).
3. God wants to Fix our Broken things.
Some time passed and God spoke to Moses, “Cut two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I will write on these tablets the words that were on the first tablets which you broke” (Exodus 43:1).
God reminded Moses, "You broke them." God is also letting Moses know that He was going to fix it. I can see Moses trying all this time to put the Tablets together again. To fix it. God is letting him know that, you can't fix it, but I can.
God gives Moses some instructions.
1. Cut two tablets like the first ones.
The first tablets God cut, now Moses has to cut them out of the rock. There are some things we have to do to fix our broken things.
Exodus 34:2 NKJV, “So be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself to Me there on the top of the mountain.”
2. Come up to Mountain and Present yourself to me.
3. I will write the words that were on the last tablets which you broke.
Moses, I have got this!
I knew you before you were ever born.
I chose you in your mother’s womb.
I was with you in the little basket.
I saw when you got angry and killed the Egyptian.
I know You.
Yet! I have put my calling upon you.
I use imperfect people.
“I’m looking for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I’m searching for someone to stand in this generation. . .I found YOU!
Will you respond.
Will you throw off shame.
Throw off your brokenness and say, "YES" To GOD?
Amen,
Larry Neville
larry@praisechapel.com