(Further reflections on “Being Grafted In”—Sunday 23-May-2021) We all have our brokenness, because we all were sinners, falling short of the glory of God (cf. Genesis 3; Romans 3:23). Our brokenness is usually a mix of our transgressions or trespasses of God’s law; failures to trust God and obey His commands; and rejections of God’s loving discipline or correction. We all were having and probably are still having a degree or measure of the lingering “sins.” The Good News is Jesus Christ has not given up His grace on His people; the Holy Spirit has not stopped interceding and doing the sanctifying work in the believers’ life; and God the Father has not withdrawn His love from those who are holding fast their faith in Him.
Although God’s chosen people, the Israelites/Jews, had sinned greatly, their transgression means riches for the world; their failure means riches for the Gentiles; and their rejection means reconciliation of the world (cf. Romans 11:12-15). This can be viewed as, “What? God is not fair. He is playing favoritism” or “What an encouragement and hope. Lord, thank you for your mercy. You meant, I, a non-Jew Christian, can be "riches" to non-Christians too?”
Now if the failure of the Jews were instrumental in God’s grand plan of making salvation (by God’s grace through faith in Jesus) available to the Gentiles and the world, then we too, the “grafted wild olive branches (Gentile Christians) together with the “natural olive branches” (a remnant of Jewish people will turn to Christ) can and should be God’s instruments in reaching the lost and broken world for the Kingdom and the glory of God in Christ Jesus.
Come to think of the brokenness of God’s people (both Jews and Gentiles believers), it will be wasted when “failed” Christians lose sight of hope. Perhaps, they have been badly beaten by their own sins and sins of others. Trusting God is an issue. Obedience is a struggle. Transgression is natural. Failures are the norm. And rejection of God’s redeeming grace through Christ Jesus is inevitable. Fear, anxiety, depression, other toxic emotions, and mental health complications are “fruits” of the “bad root”—Christ-less. If/when we pursue anything in life without Christ, meaning, Jesus is not the center and the end our life, then self will be our center and our end will be without Christ.
So how can our brokenness be riches to others (Christians and non-Christians)? The answer likely lies in how honest you are in identifying it; how open you are in exposing it to the Light—Jesus Christ; and how genuine you are in receiving God’s healing power through His grace, love, and mercy. Practically, you can ask yourselves these questions. Am I ready to admit my brokenness? Am I ready to share it with God-given help (not ‘a’ nor ‘the’ but ‘your’ pastor or trusted spiritually matured Christians) in the Body of Christ, of which you are members of? Am I ready to be genuine/authentic about who I am in Christ without pretending to be someone that people expect me to be? If the answers are ‘no’ or ‘not yet’, then your brokenness is on hold for disposal, if kept for too long. The choice is always yours, from the beginning until now.
Lord, have mercy on us! May we all learn to use our brokenness for your glory regardless of how painful or uncomfortable we may feel.
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Pastor Lap
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