Heart Disease

Call To Worship -- Mark 16:14-16

Scripture Reading -- Ephesians 4:14-24

Heart Disease - Mark 3:1-6

Mark 3:1 He entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered. 2 They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3 He said to the man with the withered hand, "Get up and come forward!" 4 And He said to them, "Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?" But they kept silent. 5 After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. Sermon built from notes taken of a sermon delivered by Rod Farthing at Madisonville. KY circa 1990

Introduction: (all scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise indicated)

1. Sclerosis -- The thickening or hardening of a tissue or part -- Great Encyclopedic Dictionary 1968

2. Arteriosclerosis - The thickening and hardening of the inner walls of an artery with an impairment of blood circulation, as in old age. -- Great Encyclopedic Dictionary 1968

3. Sklerokardian -- Cardiosklerosis -- Hardness of the heart -- The thickening and hardening of the inner walls of our spirit that causes an impairment of feelings and compassion for others, as in self righteous, selfish, and spiritually atrophied.

4. This event in the ministry of Jesus illustrates how religious people can forget to practice the two greatest commandments.

I. The Cause of Cardiosklerosis (A Hardened Heart)- 2 "They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him."

1. People have hardened hearts when they are more interested in personal position than the needs of other people.

2. People have hardened hearts when they are more interested in protecting personal power than the needs of people around us.

3. People have hardened hearts when they are more interested in maintaining the status quo than the challenges of social, spiritual and economic outreach to people in need.

4. Passive apathy of Christians is greater danger to our way of life than the aggressive violence of a minority or the loud voices of the secular media.

II. The Complications of Cardiosklerosis (A Hardened Heart) 3, 4, 6 He said to the man with the withered hand, "Get up and come forward!" 4 And He said to them, "Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?" But they kept silent..... 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

1. People add complications to hardened hearts when they remain ignorant even with need staring them in the face. - 3

Reporter once asked a politician: Senator, Do you think that our nation is in trouble because of ignorance and indifference? His answer: I don't know and I don't care.

"The greatest danger to the church is prejudice and indifference and ignorance is the mother of them both." Glenn Bourne circa 1966 in Building a Missionary Church Class at St. Louis Christian College.

2. People add complications to hardened hearts when they refuse to accept the truth even when it is revealed to them - 4

3. People add complications to hardened hearts when they let their own feeling dictate what they will do rather than His Truth. - 6

III. The Cure of Cardiosklerosis (A Hardened Heart) -5 After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

1. One of the things that angers Jesus is people who have no compassion for others and are more interested in what religion does for themselves than it affects even God or His kingdom.

2. Jesus cared enough about people to meet their needs in spite of what the consequences might be for Him personally.

Conclusion:

1. Cardiosklerosis (Hardening of the Heart) Starts With a Simple Step -- Not Honoring God Romans 1:18-21a

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks"