"Wounds From a Friend" Sermon

Saturday night, Tita asked a friend of mine to preach Sunday morning.  As I stood next to her, I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me, "Raymi, you preach.  You have a word to share."  So, at 7pm that night, I went into "planning mode" for the church service that started at 8am the next morning.

Scary?  Yes.  But the fear was the fear of the Lord.  For the last two weeks (and probably longer), God had been teaching me about the message He wanted me to share.  Even that day, I had been burdened in prayer with the following message.  (These are my notes made into cohesive sentences.  I may have not said these exact words, especially since I had an interpreter.  I also understand if you don't read it all.  This was a 30 minute sermon that I have transcribed to the best of my ability.)

The main scripture for today is Proverbs 27:6 "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses."

We will look at some other scriptures today, too.

So many reactions can come from this verse.

• We can agree with it, saying, "Yes, I know that's true."
• What?!  My friend wouldn't hurt me!
• When my spouse/mom/dad/son/daughter kisses me, does that mean they are my enemy?!  They kissed me this morning!  Oh no!
• If I get into a boxing match, does that mean I have a new friend?

Well, it's not saying that your new friend is the one you boxed last week.  Relax, there!

The word "wound" in Hebrew here means "bruised."  When you get a bruise, the blood vessels under your skin are broken.  It hurts.  You don't want anyone to touch it or even get near it.

"Trusted" here means to be carried by a nurse.

So, another way this verse can be translated is, "Bruises from a friend can be carried by a nurse, but kisses from those who hate you are abundant and deceitful."

It is natural to hide a wound.  A few weeks ago, I stubbed my toe.  It hurt so bad!  I didn't want to touch it and was even afraid to put shoes on.  I pulled my foot away from anything that would hurt it further.

When a dog gets a cut, he becomes vicious.  He retreats into his wounds and licks them in pain.

A good owner of the dog will put medicine on the wound and bandage it.

I don't know what your wounds are.  Maybe it's the fight you had with your spouse or your children.  Maybe it's the words that were spoken to you by your parents.  And that's not just for you young children, but also for you old children.

What do you do with your wound?  Do you retreat and pull away?

About a year ago, I was in the habit of slandering my friends.  Instead of valuing their gifts, I put them down to others.  I received a text from a friend of mine that said, "Don't interpret your friends to others." In other words, "You are out of line and you need to stop talking like that."  Did that hurt?  Yes.  But I had a choice in that moment.  I could get angry and react, "You don't know what you're talking about.  Who are you to tell me what to do?!"

Or, I could agree and take that wound to the Lord.

I chose to take it to the Lord.  A broken heart, God will not despise.  He will not turn away brokenness.  He is the great physician.

Maybe your wound is deeper than that text message I received.  Maybe it's words that cut so deep you can't get past them.

I tell you, the devil is a hurt whisperer.  He will surround you with people that tell you to nurse your own wounds.  Friends will tell you that you are justified in your hurt.  They may "kiss it and make it better" but really they are doing nothing for you.  They are deceiving you.

I'm not saying your wounds aren't real.  And they really do hurt.  I'm not downplaying your pain and just telling you to get over it.

A dog can lick itself to infection and death.  If the wound is not properly cared for, it will never heal correctly.

If you have a broken arm, the doctor has to set the break.  Once a broken arm is set correctly, the place of the break is doubly strong.

The Lord is that doctor, that great physician.  He can set things right.

Turn to Isaiah 53:2-5.

Verse 2: "He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.  He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him."

A plant can't grow unless the seed casing is broken.  Maybe that wound is being used by the Lord to break open the seed casing of your heart.  You are destined to bloom.  But are you letting yourself be broken?

Verse 3-5 "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.  Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."

Jesus KNOWS our pain.

The word wounded in Hebrew in verse 5 means, "profaned, defiled, polluted, wounded fatally, pierced, slain."

This deeper than the bruise from your friend!

"Bruised" here means, "crushed and shattered."

He knows your pain.  He can take it.  Will you withdraw from Him or will you give it to him?

What do you do when the wound comes from the Lord?

Hosea 6:1-3 "Come, let us return to the Lord.  He has torn us to pieces but He will heal us; He has injured us but He will bind up our wounds.  After two days he will revive us; on the third day He will restore us, that we may live in His presence.  Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge Him.  As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth."

Just like when you go to the doctor and they have to set the bone, it hurts.  The surgery hurts.  The needle in the arm hurts.

The Lord is the great Physician.  He will set your wound.  It hurts.  But the doctor sees your healing.  He sees the best way to go about the surgery.  He knows that the temporary pain that is brought to Him will result in long-term health.  Wounds from the great Physician are to be trusted.  He is your best friend whom you can trust.

The Lord says to you, "Don't hold back your emotions from Me.  I know them.  I can be trusted.  Bring that sharp word to Me.  Bring the pain to Me.  I'm the friend that can nurse you back to health.  I'm the one who can perform the surgery and remove the pain.  You may have never been to church before.  You may have never spoken to Me before.  That's ok.  I can still take the pain.  I can still take the wound.  It may hurt in the process, but life will be brought forth.  I am the Lord, the One who forgives all our sin and heals ALL of your diseases- even the diseases of grumbling and infection in your heart.  Bring your wound to Me."

Lord, here is my wound.  It hurt so bad when ________ happened.  It hurt when ______ was said to me.  I give this to you.  I don't hold it back anymore.  I choose not to withdraw but to let you heal me. Please speak to this and heal it.  I submit to Your healing process.  I will fulfill the prescription of worshipping and reading the Word to complete this healing.  Thank you.  Thank You for taking my wounds.

Lord, in every place that there was a wound, place your joy in its place.  Make it doubly strong.  Make it into a testimony.

In Jesus' Name.  Amen.