CHECK YOUR HEART
(INTRO) WARNING LIGHT: CHECK YOUR HEART! (Me/We)
[1]WELCOME: Good morning church family! So glad to be back with you this week. I’m grateful for a team that does such a great job that I don’t have to worry about being gone. Thanks Joe, for preaching. Thanks worship team for leading well. If you’re new with us today on campus or joining us online, my name is Nic Cook and I’m one of the pastors here at Cornerstone. We’re moving along in our teaching…
SERIES: called ANCHORED. We’re unpacking the book of our bible called Hebrews which was originally a letter probably written to Jewish Christians in and around Rome in the 60’s AD. They were struggling with their faith, so the author wrote this letter to ENCOURAGE them to look at Jesus. That the strength they needed came from focusing on him. They also wrote to WARN them about what happens when we turn our focus away from Jesus. [2]Today, we’re looking at the part of the letter in [Hebrews 3:7-19] So if you would go ahead and open your bibles or digital devices and turn there. You can also follow along with sermon notes by opening our app. Today’s passage is…[3]
· THE SECOND WARNING OF FIVE WARNINGS IN HEBREWS: While the first warning talked about drifting from our destination, the second warning we’re given today compares our life to a journey where we don’t make it to our destination and instead get stuck. The warning of this passage is like a warning light on the dashboard of our lives. It reminds me of…[4]
o When I was 22, I lived in Dallas and my parents were in Oklahoma City. I drove this awesome grandpa car, a 79 tornado. I got the oil changed while I was visiting. [5]On my way home the check oil light came on, which it shouldn’t have. So, I pulled over. Yep, low on oil. Weird. I bought some oil and filled it up. I figured I’d look at it closer when I got to Dallas. Well, an hour later the check oil and check engine lights both came on. The next exit was 20 min away. But I didn’t make it that far. Apparently, the mechanics at the oil change place stipped the plug in my oil pan. The combination of the loose plug, the loss of oil and the heat of the trip caused it to leak even more, and the engine blew up. I was stranded, stuck. The writer of Hebrews is saying, there is a light on the dashboard going off. It’s a warning that says check the state of your heart! If you’re not careful, you will not complete this journey with Jesus! You’ll miss out. My intention this morning is to get you to look at the state of your heart with the help of the Holy Spirit and see if there’s a warning light going off! Let’s Pray. [6]
(TEACH/APP) EXAMPLES OF WHAT HARD HEARTS LOOK LIKE
BACKGROUND: The writer of this letter is retelling a part of a story found in the first half of our bibles. We call this the Old Testament and it is the story of God’s working in human history to prepare them for the coming of Jesus. This story would have been well known by the Jewish Christians that were being written to. As kids they would have grown up hearing about how God used Moses to deliver the Hebrew people from 400 years of slavery, perform powerful miracles, lead them to the mountain to meet with God, and then provide for food and water miraculously, protect them from harm and enemies, and guide them. However, it seems like every step of the way, they’re complaining, worrying, and wanting to go back to Egypt. Well, the writer is saying, remember that story, remember how God was still faithful and brought them to the border of…
CANAAN (THE PROMISED LAND): This is the land that God had promised to give them. But before they go into Canaan, Moses sends 12 spies into the land to tell them what it’s like. 10 of them come back and say, the land is amazing, but the people are huge and powerful, their cities are strong fortresses, we can’t possibly defeat them. But two spies named Joshua and Caleb come back and say, the land is amazing, our God is huge and powerful, and no fortress can stand against him. Let’s Go! But the people listened to the 10 spies and grumbled against Moses, Caleb, and Joshua. [7]They said, “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they complained. 3 “Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!” [Num. 14:1-4] Even after God showing how immensely powerful, he was by bringing Egypt to its knees, after showing up in terrifying Glory on the mountain, after miraculously feeding them, giving them water, and guiding them, they said we don’t trust that our God is capable of leading us and caring for us. Let’s go back to slavery! Yea, we were slaves, but we weren’t worried about eating or dying in battle. After an exchange with Moses where Moses pleads for their lives, God responds by saying fine, you won’t go into my promised land, then go back into the wilderness. You’ll die there and the next generation will get to experience the rest that you rejected. [8]The author says the reason they were so rebellious was because they had “hard hearts” that weren’t willing to listen to the voice of God. This morning, I want to give you a quick list of…
· WARNING SIGNS OF DEVELPING A HARD HEART: First, people who have developed a hard heart have a…[9]
o LACK OF GRATITUDE: Like the Israelites, who had been rescued from the worst possible situation, and had seen God provide for them over and over, they were constantly focused on what they didn’t have. A hard heart is looking around and saying, God why haven’t you given me this? Why do others have what I don’t? I deserve to get what I want. Another warning sign is…[10]
o LACK OF TRUST: The Israelites looked around at the dangers of the land of Canaan. They were so focused on the power of their enemies, on the weapons and walls they were going to come against, that they didn’t look up at the power and faithfulness of God. A hard heart says, God, I don’t think you can handle my job, my finances, my marriage, my kids, my future, my health. It’s a heart that is full of worry, anxiety, stress, and driven ness. It’s a heart that is always playing out worst case scenarios. The next symptom that leads to a hard heart is a…[11]
o LACK OF COMPASSION: The people of Israel not only didn’t trust God, but it says that the “whole community began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb.” [Num. 14:10] They looked at people who were grateful, and trusted God and hated them. You know what a mild form of hatred is? Criticism. Some people think this is a spiritual gift, the gift of criticism. When it’s the inability to see the best in people. This is what’s wrong with you. This is what’s wrong with this place. Additionally, a lack of compassion is a form of pride. It says, if only you were like me, then this place would be great! If you’d do things my way, then we’d really make some progress. Having fun yet? But wait! There’s more! Another symptom that indicates the danger of a hard heart is…[12]
o LACK OF LISTENING: What’s interesting is that after God tells the Israelites that they’ll die in the wilderness and their children will enter the land, they decide they’re going to try and enter the promised land any way. Moses says “Why are you now disobeying the Lord’s orders to return to the wilderness? It won’t work. 42 Do not go up into the land now. You will only be crushed by your enemies because the Lord is not with you.” [Num. 14:41] They ignored both God’s direction and the direction of Moses. Nope! We know better. Even if God’s not with us, we can still fix this! A tell-tale sign of someone with a hard heart is that they hear something in the bible they don’t like and find a way to justify it. That’s cultural. That’s old-fashioned. Don’t judge me. Well, you do this thing so don’t talk to me about my thing. And all these heart issues lead us to…[13]
o LACK OF OBEDIENCE: Give thanks in all circumstances. Nope. Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding. Nope. Bear with one another. Forgive one another. Nope. He who has ears, let him hear. Nope. But Jesus says, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” [Jn. 14:23] A hard heart is an unloving and un-listening heart. It does not love Jesus and does not love others well. It is unwilling to follow commands that go against its own selfish desires and Jesus will not dwell in a heart that isn’t surrendered to him.
So, here’s what typically happens when you preach a passage like this. This first one is there will be some who say, “wait a minute, are you telling me I could lose my salvation?” Then they quote scriptures about why God won’t let that happen. Then there will be others who hear this and are scared about their salvation. Oh no, I have a hard heart like what was described. I’m going to hell. I’m not going to debate once saved always saved, or whether God allows us to choose to forsake him. The writer of Hebrews is actually not answering those questions either. Let me put it this way: [14]if you’re not worried about your heart, you probably should be. If you are worried about your heart, it’s a strong indicator that God is working in it. If you hear the description of a hard heart and you’re thinking about how it applies to others, then you’re not really listening. If you hear the description of a hard heart and you are convicted, then the Holy Spirit is working inside you. The proper response to a passage like this is…[15] [Z:UNDERSCORE]
(APP) REPENTENCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY (JC)
KEEP OUR HEARTS SOFT THROUGH REPENTANCE: [v. 3:12] talks about “falling away” or turning away from God. The truth is, every day you wake up, part of your heart wants to go back to slavery. It’s hard to swim upstream. It’s hard to trust. Every day we fail. But [v. 14] says “today, if you hear his voice.” “Today” is each day you wake up. “Today” is the day that God’s voice is saying follow me. Come back to me. You fell today, but don’t fall away! And repentance is saying, God I messed up. You know it. I know it. But I still love you and want to follow you. Please help me. Martin Luther famously said, “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, “repent,” he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.” We will never mature past or move beyond repentance. It is something that we will have to practice every day. The person who has nothing to ask for forgiveness from God and others is one whose heart is in danger. The one who embraces it can take comfort in the Savior whose grace is greater than all our sin. Lastly, we’re called to…[16]
HELP EACH OTHER KEEP SOFT HEARTS (ACCOUNTABILITY): [4:13] says “exhort one another every day…that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” It is Jesus’ intention that you be surrounded by people who will help you keep a soft listening heart. That word exhort means both encourage and call out. We need faithful people of grace who stick with us when we’re at our worst. We need loving people of truth who hold a mirror up to us and show us the things about us we can’t or won’t deal with on our own. People who kick us in the butts hard then hug us even harder. It is impossible to separate Christian community from transformation. It’s far easier to find another church than it is to change. But when we don’t stick it out, one of two things happens. Either we never change, or we fall out of community and are in dangerous spiritual territory. This is why being part of a community of believers is different than just watching a community online. If you miss because of travel, if you’re exploring Christianity, if you’re sick or vulnerable and with us online, we’re glad this is a resource for you. But there is no substitute to being face to face, shoulder to shoulder. Don’t trade online connection for true community that leads to transformation. As I was thinking through what a soft heart should look like, I was reminded of…
(INSPIRATION/JC) A SPIRIT LED-HEART IS…
THE LOVE CHAPTER IN 1 CORINTHIANS CH. 13: When you read that chapter, it’s in the middle of a place where Paul, an early church leader, is talking to a church that is claiming to be led by the spirit, but are selfish and divided. He says, if you’re really being led by the Spirit, it will result in a heart like this. I love the way that Eugene Peterson paraphrases it in the message version of the bible. [READ 1 COR. 13:4-7] “Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.” This is what the love of God is like for us. This is the love that flowed out of the heart of Jesus. This is the kind of heart that Jesus wants to give us through his holy Spirit living in us. But it starts with being able to repent, say we’re sorry to both God and to people. It includes being committed to people who are in process, just like us. Those are signs that our hearts are led by the Spirit and that we can take comfort knowing our hearts are in good hands.
This morning, instead of breaking off into groups, I’d like to guide you into a time of quiet with God to look at your hearts. [17]
(PRACTICE) TAKING MY HEART TO GOD
HEB 4:16 Says because of the heart of God for us, Jesus died for us instead of leaving us in the wilderness. And because of his sacrifice we can come “with confidence…to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” We can come directly into the presence of God, here and now. Jesus promised us in [Jn. 14:26] that the Holy Spirit living in us would teach us, speak to us directly, and change us. This morning I want to invite you to close your eyes and realize you are in the presence of God the Father. The Spirit inside you wants to speak.
As you realize you are in the presence of our heavenly father, what does his face look like as he sees you? (pause) What does he say to you as you look at him? (pause) How are you feeling about what he says? What do you want to say or do in response? (pause)
The father cares about the condition of your heart. As he shows you your heart, what does it look like? Is it soft, hard, some of both? Is it bright, dark, what is it filled with? What does God want to show you about your heart? (Pause)
Now listen to the words of David as he speaks about his heart in [Psalm 51]. Maybe this is your prayer to God as well.
Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. 3 For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. 4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.[a] 5 For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. 6 But you desire honesty from the womb,[b] teaching me wisdom even there. 7 Purify me from my sins,[c] and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice. 9 Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. 11 Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit[d]from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.
As we end our time of prayer, no matter how much we have sinned, if we confess our sins, repent, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins. We can claim the promise of Rom. 8 that says, “There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”
AMEN.
