THE TRAGEDY OF A HARDENED HEART

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Biscuits are not very good when they are hard.

Hard water makes washing clothes and bodies more difficult.

Petrified trees are not good for building a fire.

Plastic can become so hard and brittle that it easily breaks.

 

B.      There is another object that can harden and create trouble for man.  That object is the heart.

 

C.     In this lesson, we want to discuss this idea:  “The Tragedy of A Hardened Heart.”

 

I.             THE HEART

 

A.    Man has two hearts.

1.        The physical heart

2.       The spiritual heart

 

B.      The spiritual heart is man’s control center.

1.        The will, the reasoning, the understanding, the motives, the emotions, and the spiritual responses of man all begin in the mind.

2.       Verses:

a.       Genesis 6:5

 

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

 

b.      Luke 5:22

 

But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, Why reason ye in your hearts?

 

c.       John 14:1

 

Let not your heart be troubled:  ye believe in God, believe also in me.

 

C.     The heart plays a vital part in our spiritual lives.  It plays a crucial role in every individual’s salvation.

1.        We are to love God with our hearts (Matt. 22:37).

 

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

 

2.       In conversion, the Lord seeks to prick our hearts (Acts 2:37).

 

Now when they heard this, there were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

 

3.       We are to believe in our hearts (Acts 8:36-37; Rom. 10:9-10).

 

And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water:  and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me be to be baptized?  And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.  And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

 

 

4.       We are to obey with our hearts (Rom. 6:17).

 

But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

 

II.           THE HARDENED HEART

 

A.    God wants to prick our hearts with His powerful Word in order to elicit a faith-response that will bring man into a saving relationship with God.

 

B.      However, if the heart is hard, this will not take place.

 

1.        The Bible warns about the hardening of the heart.  In the book of Hebrews, the writer sets forth three warnings in one chapter.

a.       Hebrews 3:8

 

Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness.

 

b.      Hebrews 3:13

 

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

 

c.       Hebrews 3:15

 

While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

 

C.     The process of hardening the heart is not difficult to understand.

1.        First, a person hears God’s Word (a preacher, a teacher, a friend, a tract, a CD).

2.       Second, the person rejects God’s Word.

a.       He does not believe the facts.

b.      He does not embrace the promises.

c.       He does not obey the commands.

3.       Third, the heart starts to harden.  (NOTE:  Other factors can quicken the hardening process:  pride, false teaching, sin, disappointments, struggles in life, and evil influences).

4.       The more the person hears the Word, and the more times he refuses to comply with it, the harder the heart becomes. 

a.       The same sun that melts wax hardens the clay.

b.      The person’s hearing become dull.  His heart manifests less emotion.  The conviction needed to manifest faith becomes less and less.

c.       A person must be the guardian of his/her heart.

1)       Proverbs 4:23

 

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

 

2)      Proverbs 23:12

 

Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the word of knowledge.

 

3)      Proverbs 23:19

 

Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.

 

D.    Numerous individuals hardened their hearts in Bible times.                         

1.        Pharaoh (Exo. 8:15).

2.       The Jews during the wilderness wanderings (Neh. 9:16-17)

3.       King Saul (1 Sam. 15:9-11)

4.       The apostles (Mark 6:52)

5.       The Jews to whom Stephen spoke (Acts 7:51)

 

III.         THE TRAGEDY OF A HARD HEART

 

A.    A missed opportunity.

1.        There are some things that come along in life that we might refer to as a “remarkable opportunity,” yet we miss the opportunity.

a.       Business opportunity

b.      Investment opportunity

c.       An opportunity to network

d.      An opportunity to have a new friend

2.       Many of us could probably talk about the opportunities we have missed.

3.       Can you imagine standing before God in the last day remembering the opportunity you had to obey the gospel of Jesus Christ?  (The Jews in Antioch, Acts 13:46).

 

The Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you:  but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

 

B.      Impossible to obey the truth.  The hardened heart can reach a point wherein the individual will never submit to God’s will (Heb. 6:4-6).

 

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

 

C.     A soul that is lost (Matt. 7:23)

 

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:  depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

 

D.    Eternal regret (Luke 16:25)

 

But Abraham said, Son remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things…

 

1.        The lost will have the ability to recall their missed opportunities while suffering in hell.

2.       There will be regret.  It will be an eternal regret.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    The heart of man is a beneficial asset.

 

B.      A good and honest heart will receive the Word of God (Luke 8:15).

 

But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

 

C.     If we fail to guide and govern and guard our hearts, they can become hardened to God’s Word. 

1.        We will miss opportunities to be saved.

2.       We will reach a point wherein we will NEVER obey the gospel.

3.       Our souls will be lost.

4.       In eternity, we will live with those memories and have regret forever and ever.