Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

THE BRUISED REED

1. It is mentioned a number of times in the Bible:
   1. Bible references in the Old Testament - 2 Ki. 18:21; Job 40:21
   2. Scriptures in the New Testament - Matt. 11:7; 12:20; 27:30; Rev. 11:4; 21:15
2. Its habitation and usefulness:
   1. It grew in the miry places, in those oozy marshes where fever lurked and the foul air rises.
   2. Wild beasts had their habitation in its environment.
   3. The stronger sorts were converted into measuring rods; others were used as a staff on which the traveler leaned; the finer ones were used as writing pens.

1. A bruised reed:
   1. Here we have a symbol of an impaired life; a life broken and bruised by sin - EXAMPLES -
      1. The prodigal son - Luke 15:11-32
      2. The thief on the cross - Luke 23:40-44
      3. Mary Magdalene - Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2
   2. The broken reed symbolizes feebleness, helplessness, and almost worthlessness - Rom. 7:24: Isa. 1:19
   3. There is no power in the broken reed to repair itself; neither is there power in sinners, morally, mentally, and physically broken, to repair themselves - Isa. 40:28-31; Ps. 62:9
2. What the estimate implies:
   1. God's attitude toward sinners -- many of them have wasted their talent and their physical and mental strength, but God does not cast them away, He is willing and ready to restore them - "he restoreth my soul" - Ps. 23:1-6
   2. "And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou was in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou was in thy blood, Live." - Ezek. 16:6

1. God does not use naked force to deal with us:
   1. He comes to us as the dew. The dew is very gentle upon the tender plant; works very quietly and penetrates deeply - Hos. 14:5 EXAMPLE - Note how gentle and kind the Master dealt with the woman of Samaria! He knew her life, that must have been anything but moral, but he never treated her harshly - John 4:1-29
   2. He speaks of wine and oil to heal the wounded man that had been waylaid by bandits - Luke 10:34
2. The force of truth:
   1. Manifests itself in love, long-suffering, kindness, and restraint - 2 Pet. 3:9; 2 Cor. 5:14-17
   2. It appeals to the power of reason - "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Isa. 1:18
3. God's method indicates further:
   1. That he has faith in man, otherwise he would not set all the forces in his universe in motion to save man.
   2. His dealing with Saul of Tarsus shows that God has faith in man - Acts 9:15
   3. He knows that sin is the root of all our difficulties in life, and He has made full provisions to redeem us from sin.
   4. The Psalmist puts it this way, "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust." - Ps. 103:14
   5. In verse 13, he says, "Like a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him."
4. What a wonderful lesson is to be found in our opening text:
   1. Most of us are but broken reeds, and yet, our heavenly Father sent his only Son to repair our life - "he restoreth my soul."
   2. He sees hope where, to all appearance, there is no hope!