Softening the Heart: Recognizing and Overcoming Hardness
Summary
The sermon begins with a discussion on the signs of a hardened heart towards God, which include openly mocking the Lord, showing rebellion against His word, and being spiritually blind to the things of God. The speaker shares stories of the Satanic Temple's attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of Satanists and a woman who created a Christian nightclub as examples of hardened hearts. The speaker emphasizes the importance of praying for those who don't know Christ and sharing the word of God with them. They caution that a hardened heart can affect the way one relates to God, lives for Him, and leads others in their pursuit of Jesus Christ.
The sermon then transitions to discussing the power of words and the condition of our hearts. The speaker references Matthew 12:34, which states that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks, and emphasizes the importance of aligning our words and actions with God's word. The speaker also highlights the power of wise and loving words, referencing Proverbs 12:18 and Proverbs 10:12. The sermon concludes by referencing Luke 23:39-43, which tells the story of two criminals on the cross and their different responses to Jesus Christ.
The speaker then discusses the response of the two criminals who were crucified alongside Jesus. One criminal mocks Jesus, demonstrating a hardened heart, while the other recognizes his own guilt and asks Jesus to remember him when he enters his kingdom. The speaker urges those who may have doubts or animosity towards Christ, the church, or the word of God to let their guard down and invite Jesus into their lives.
The sermon continues with a discussion on three signs of a hardened heart: lack of forgiveness, compassion, and patience towards others; presence of habitual, willful, or unrepentant sin; and open rebellion against Jesus and God's word. The speaker emphasizes the need for a soft and open heart, willing to extend forgiveness, repent from sin, and submit to God's word.
The sermon concludes with an emphasis on the importance of having the word of God in our hearts to direct our actions, thoughts, and motivations. The speaker warns against viewing ourselves in a way that produces pride and arrogance, leading to animosity towards God. The speaker also discusses the factors that can contribute to the hardening of our hearts, including emotional experiences, our environment and culture, and our own sinful decisions and actions.
Key Takeaways:
- A hardened heart towards God can manifest in various ways, including open mockery of the Lord, rebellion against His word, and spiritual blindness. This hardened heart can affect our relationship with God, our lifestyle, and how we lead others in their pursuit of Christ. ([19:46])
- The words we speak reflect the condition of our hearts. As believers, we should strive to align our words and actions with God's word, demonstrating wisdom and love in our speech. ([22:52])
- Recognizing our own guilt and asking for Jesus' mercy, as one of the criminals crucified alongside Him did, is a sign of a softened heart. Those harboring doubts or animosity towards Christ are encouraged to let their guard down and invite Jesus into their lives. ([26:20])
- Signs of a hardened heart include lack of forgiveness, compassion, and patience; habitual, willful, or unrepentant sin; and open rebellion against Jesus and God's word. Believers are called to have a soft and open heart, extending forgiveness, repenting from sin, and submitting to God's word. ([16:05])
- Our hearts can be hardened by various factors, including emotional experiences, our environment and culture, and our own sinful decisions and actions. As believers, we should be aware of these influences and strive to keep our hearts soft towards God. ([09:04])
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Matthew 12:34 - "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."
2. Proverbs 4:23 - "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life."
3. Luke 23:39-43 - The story of the two criminals crucified alongside Jesus.
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Matthew 12:34 suggest about the relationship between our hearts and our words?
2. According to Proverbs 4:23, why is it important to guard our hearts?
3. In Luke 23:39-43, how did the two criminals respond differently to Jesus, and what does this reveal about their hearts? [25:51]
4. What are some signs of a hardened heart mentioned in the sermon? [14:02]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How can the condition of our hearts influence the way we speak and act, according to Matthew 12:34 and the sermon? [23:35]
2. Why is it crucial to guard our hearts diligently, as stated in Proverbs 4:23, and what are some practical ways to do this? [01:16]
3. What does the story of the two criminals in Luke 23:39-43 teach us about recognizing our own guilt and seeking Jesus' mercy? [25:51]
4. How can emotional experiences, our environment, and our own sinful decisions contribute to the hardening of our hearts? [10:56]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there any signs of a hardened heart that you recognize in yourself, such as lack of forgiveness or open rebellion against God's word? How can you address these issues? [14:02]
2. Think about the words you speak daily. Do they reflect a heart aligned with God's word? What changes can you make to ensure your speech demonstrates wisdom and love? [23:35]
3. Have you ever experienced a situation where you felt spiritually blind or distant from God? What steps can you take to soften your heart and draw closer to Him? [21:43]
4. Consider the influence of your environment and culture on your heart. Are there specific aspects that you need to be cautious of to prevent your heart from hardening? [10:56]
5. How can you actively guard your heart against the influences that lead to spiritual blindness and rebellion? What practical steps can you take this week to keep your heart soft towards God? [01:16]
6. Reflect on a time when you held onto bitterness or anger due to being hurt by someone. How did it affect your relationship with God and others? What can you do to let go of that bitterness and extend forgiveness? [08:36]
7. Identify one area in your life where you have justified habitual or willful sin. What steps can you take to repent and seek God's forgiveness and help in overcoming this sin? [17:39]
This guide is designed to help your small group engage deeply with the sermon’s message and apply its teachings to their lives. Encourage open and honest discussion, and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading as you explore these questions together.
Devotional
Day 1: Recognizing the Signs of a Hardened Heart
A hardened heart towards God can manifest in various ways, including open mockery of the Lord, rebellion against His word, and spiritual blindness. This hardened heart can affect our relationship with God, our lifestyle, and how we lead others in their pursuit of Christ. [19:46]
Ezekiel 36:26 - "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."
Reflection: Reflect on your actions and attitudes towards God and others. Are there any signs of a hardened heart in your life that you need to address?
Day 2: Aligning Words and Actions with God's Word
The words we speak reflect the condition of our hearts. As believers, we should strive to align our words and actions with God's word, demonstrating wisdom and love in our speech. [22:52]
Psalm 19:14 - "May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."
Reflection: Consider your words and actions today. Were they aligned with God's word? How can you better demonstrate wisdom and love in your speech?
Day 3: Inviting Jesus into Our Lives
Recognizing our own guilt and asking for Jesus' mercy, as one of the criminals crucified alongside Him did, is a sign of a softened heart. Those harboring doubts or animosity towards Christ are encouraged to let their guard down and invite Jesus into their lives. [26:20]
Revelation 3:20 - "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me."
Reflection: Are there any areas of your life where you are harboring doubts or animosity towards Christ? How can you invite Jesus into these areas?
Day 4: Cultivating a Soft and Open Heart
Signs of a hardened heart include lack of forgiveness, compassion, and patience; habitual, willful, or unrepentant sin; and open rebellion against Jesus and God's word. Believers are called to have a soft and open heart, extending forgiveness, repenting from sin, and submitting to God's word. [16:05]
Ephesians 4:32 - "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
Reflection: Reflect on your interactions with others. Are there any areas where you need to extend forgiveness, show compassion, or demonstrate patience?
Day 5: Guarding Our Hearts from Hardening Influences
Our hearts can be hardened by various factors, including emotional experiences, our environment and culture, and our own sinful decisions and actions. As believers, we should be aware of these influences and strive to keep our hearts soft towards God. [09:04]
Proverbs 4:23 - "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."
Reflection: Consider the influences in your life. Are there any that may be contributing to the hardening of your heart? How can you guard your heart against these influences?
Quotes
1. "We have to be very careful to not make excuses when we say hurtful things. When we say destructive things towards others, we have to be careful, and we need to ask the question, where is that coming from? What is the condition of my heart that this is coming out of my heart, out of my emotions, out of my anger, out of what I sense is right and wrong." [22:52]
2. "A hardness of heart describes a negative condition in which the person ignores or they spurn or reject the gracious offer of God and his salvation through Jesus Christ. It says that they go on to say that the heart represents the total response of a person to life around him or her and to the religious and more demands of God." [25:22]
3. "When we openly show rebellion against Jesus Christ and his word, and we want to pray for people that don't know Christ. When they're doing this, we don't want to judge them, but we want to share the word of God. We want to share the gospel with them. We want to pray for them that God can touch their hearts, because we can't touch their Right?" [20:44]
4. "Something has happened that has affected the way she viewed God, the way that she viewed her relationship with God, and the way that she leads others in her pursuit of God. We have to be careful that if our hearts have been hardened towards God, if we're not careful, it will affect the way we relate to him. It will affect the way that we live for him, and it will affect the way that we lead others in our pursuit of Jesus Christ." [21:58]
5. "Our own sinful decisions and actions can also play a role in hardening our hearts towards God. We already mentioned that we are born into sin, and our hearts are naturally hardened towards God. But the things that we do, especially unrepented and habitual sin, can cause our hearts to be hardened even more towards God. Unrepented sin reveals the condition of our hearts. And it also shows that we don't fear God, that we don't respect God, that the soul of our hearts is not ripe towards God." [11:31]
6. "If we are in unforgiveness, if we're not showing compassion towards others, compassion and patience go hand in hand. So we would have to ask ourselves, Lord, is my heart hardened that I'm not able to extend this patience or this compassion towards this individual in my life?" [16:05]
7. "When we have habitual, willful, or unrepentant sin and when we justify that sin... it demonstrates that the work of the Holy Spirit is not involved in the person's life when it's unrepentant... We have to be mindful that God wants our hearts to be open, to be soft, so that when his word is spoken, when we're seeking his face, that is able to now penetrate our hearts so that now we can recognize the actions that we're doing is wrong." [17:33]
8. "What we believe about ourselves and what we believe about God can harden our hearts." ([12:30])
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