"Building a Church Through Outreach"
Battle-Scars
ELCOG 2/11/07
Text: Galatians 6:17
This morning I want to ask you about your battle-scars. Where have you been, what battle have you won? Your scars tell me a story about your life. In our text we find Paul closing out his letter to the people of Galatia and he makes a bold statement, "I can prove that I belong to Christ because of my scars". His scars were a testimony of his life and his faith. His scars proved that he trusted and preached Christ and that he was faithful even to the point of death.
2 Cor. 11:24
24Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
2 Cor. 11:25
25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
2 Cor. 11:26
26In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
2 Cor. 11:27
27In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
2 Cor. 11:28
28Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
2 Cor. 11:29
29Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
2 Cor. 11:30
30If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
Paul had tasted the hard life. We like to think of Paul as T.D. Jakes – living in a mansion, pasturing a church of more than 28,000 members and writing best selling books. But that is not the case with Paul. He never had the luxury of tailored suites and big churches, but he was despised by religious leaders and had a hand full of trouble churches, but the important thing is that he was a pioneer of the faith and he had faith that could over come obstacles. A better still, he never allowed his faith to be weakened by trials of life, but he used his beatings, his pain, his misfortunes to make his faith grow stronger. Now as he grows old he tells the people, look at my scars and let them speak. Look at my life and allow it to be a living testimony of God’s mercy.
Paul didn’t enjoy the pain. Paul didn’t enjoy the misfortunes, but he now has something to prove himself as faithful.
** What do your scars speak? What can I read from the stories of your past wounds? Are like Paul and the battles of your life tell of your faithfulness?
Prov. 27:6
6Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Paul must have remember the words of Christ…
John 15:13
13Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Jesus knew what it meant to suffer to prove his faithfulness. What does the scars of Jesus say?
Isa. 53:5
5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isa. 53:6
6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isa. 53:7
7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Isa. 53:8
8He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
Isa. 53:9
9And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Jesus was wounded for us. He was bruised for our iniquities. He was led to slaughter, but didn’t try to defend himself. He was crucified and buried, but death couldn’t hold him.
His scars speak to our souls, "Peace."
His scars speak to our sins, "Forgiven."
His scars speak to our sickness, "You are healed."
His scars speak to our heart, "I love you!"
No greater love has any man than to lay down his life for his friends.
So, we know that the scars of Paul show his faithfulness.
Let me remind you…
Matt. 25:21
21His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
I am sure that his what Paul heard, but what about you? Tell me about your scars. Are your wounds healed and a sign of victory or are your wounds still open and sign of pain?
Is this your testimony?
Psa. 38:5
5 My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.
Psa. 38:6
6 I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.
Psa. 38:7
7 For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.
Psa. 38:8
8 I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.
Are you living in bitterness because of past hurts? Have words cut deep into your spirit?
Prov. 18:8
8The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Isa. 1:4
4Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
Isa. 1:5
5Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
Isa. 1:6
6From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.
Are your wounds open? Are your scars yelling out of anger and telling a story of rage? Has your life been an outcast and you feel no one loves you because your wounds still stink? Are your scars a victory story or a horror story? The outcome is final word. Don’t allow your scars to tell the story of bitterness, but praise. Let your scars be a song of devotion to a God that was able to bring your through the worst possible situations.
Some people this morning have scars that remind them of a past experience that some of us don’t have, but they look at that scar and raise hand of praise because God was faithful!
Psa. 147:3
3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
Jer. 30:17
17For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
Whatever your wound is God can heal! Whatever you have been through can give you a scar that will sing his praise.