1. Dinosaur Heart
It was 103°F in Hell Creek, South Dakota, one day in September 1993. Dinosaur hunter Michael Hammer was amazed at what he saw. Sticking out of the ground were the remains of a Thescelosaurus, a plant-eating dinosaur. The skeleton was almost complete. Hammer says he knew right away that it was "very special." Scientists reported that inside the dinosaur's chest was what seems to be a stone heart--the first dinosaur heart ever seen.
a. Having a stone heart usually is not a good thing. Cher had a line in a song that said: "don't you wish sometimes you had a heart made of stone?"
b. Having a heart made of stone is not exactly something we should long for.
2. We see that in the book of Ezekiel the prophet was calling the exiled people of Israel back to the living God. He spoke of their hearts that had been turned to stone. Ezekiel 36.22-32 (especially verse 26)
3. God changes hearts -- from stone to flesh
I. How to Know a Heart of Stone
A. Lack of Compassion -- Shepherds in Ezekiel 34
1. Refusal to Give to charity
A highly successful businessman was once asked to make a substantial donation toward an urgent charity appeal. The businessman listened to the case presented then said, "I can understand why you approached me. Yes I do have a lot of money, and yours is an important cause. But are you aware that I have a lot of calls upon my money? Did you know my mother needs 24 hour nursing care?"
"No we didn't" came the reply.
"Did you know my sister is struggling to raise a family of eight on her own?"
"No we didn't" came the reply.
"Did you know I have one son in a drug rehab clinic and another doing voluntary work overseas?"
"No we didn't"
"Well, if I don't give them a cent, what makes you think I'll give it to you?!"
2. Today -- Cecil the Lion vs. Baby Parts
B. Overwhelming Sense of Self -- Cain
1. Pride and the inability to admit wrong; repent
2. Self-gratification -- "My Way"
3. Selfish Ambition -- Obsessed with success
Possessions, Material
George Washington Truett was a preacher in Dallas for 47 years. He once visited a wealthy West Texas rancher and had dinner in his huge ranch home. After dinner, the rancher took Dr. Truett up to a veranda on top of his house, and lit up a big cigar. The sun was setting, and if you've ever been to West Texas, you know you can see a long way out there. The man pointed to the south toward some oil rigs and said, "I own everything in that direction as far as you can see." He pointed east toward some cotton fields and said, "And I own everything in that direction, too." He pointed north toward a huge herd of cattle and bragged, "And, preacher, I own everything as far as you can see in that direction." He turned to the west, and said, "And I own everything you can see in that direction, except the sun, of course."
Dr. Truett turned to the man and pointed straight up the sky and said, "And how much do you own in that direction?"
It's a sobering question for all of us. We are surrounded constantly by the "things" of this world, and it is so easy to think that these "things" are the things that matter most -- a nice car, a nice home, nice clothes (and don't forget all the necessary electronic gadgets!). And so, if we're not careful, we may seek to accumulate more and more, without regard to our relationship with God. As the rich fool discovered in Luke 12, we will all one day be forced to recognize that the material things we have accumulated have no eternal value.
Jesus said, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21).
How much do you own in that direction?
C. Deceived by Sin -- Hebrews 3.23-13
Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
1. It does matter what we think and do -- there are far-reaching consequences
2. Sin is addictive and leads to more
3. The heart of stone is impacted by the externals (heat and cold) -- worldly standards are not God's standards -- you shall know that I am the LORD. For you have not walked in my statutes, nor obeyed my rules, but have acted according to the rules of the nations that are around you." Ezekiel 11.12
4. Embracing Idols -- hearts of stone have love for idols made of stone
D. Unaffected by God
In the movie Godfather III, mafia chief Michael Corleone meets with Cardinal Lamberto, reporting to the Cardinal that executives from the Vatican bank and even an Archbishop, have been involved in a massive case of fraud. After hearing this news Cardinal Lamberto moves to a fountain, withdraws a stone and says: Look at this stone. It has been lying in the water for a very long time, but the water has not penetrated it." He breaks the stone in two, shows the inside to Don Michael and continues, "Look, perfectly dry. The same thing has happened to men in Europe. For centuries they have been surrounded by Christianity, but Christ has not penetrated. Christ doesn't breathe within them."
1. Hard, stubborn hearts
2. Stone hearts are dead hearts -- Ephesians 2.1ff
II. How to Find a Heart of Flesh
A. Have a Heart Responsive to God
1. Josiah -- because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the LORD. 2 Chronicles 34.27
2. Moved to:
a. Know God (humble before him)
b. Obey God -- Ezekiel 36.27
c. Reject Sin -- Ezekiel 36.31
B. Tender in Conscience
1. Dangerous conscience -- Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 1 Timothy 4.1-2
2. Good conscience -- This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 holding faith and a good conscience. 1 Timothy 1.18-19a
C. United in Spirit -- "One" -- Ezekiel 36.26
1. Hearts can hardened due to divided loyalties -- Matthew 6.24
2. Hearts of flesh -- written on by the hand of God and united with him -- 2 Corinthians 3.3
. . . you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
D. Brilliant Display of God's Touch
The Water Test
A jeweler gives, as one of the surest tests for diamonds, the water test. He says: "An imitation diamond is never so brilliant as a genuine stone. If your eye is not experienced enough to detect the difference, a simple test is to place the stone under water. The imitation diamond is practically extinguished, while a genuine diamond sparkles even under water, and is distinctly visible. If a genuine stone be placed beside an imitation one under water, the contrast will be apparent to the least experienced eye."
1. God Changes Hearts
a. He can make our hearts different -- patch them up
b. He can give us brand new hearts
17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!-- 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4.17-24
2. [London Business Man
London businessman Lindsay Clegg told the story of an old warehouse property he was selling. The building had been empty for months and needed repairs. Vandals had damaged the doors, smashed the windows, and strewn trash around the interior. As he showed a prospective buyer the property, Clegg took pains to say that he would replace the broken windows, bring in a crew to correct any structural damage, and clean out the garbage. "Forget about the repairs," the buyer said. "When I buy this place, I'm going to build something completely different. I don't want the building; I want the site. Compared with the renovation God has in mind, our efforts to improve our own lives are as trivial as sweeping a warehouse slated for the wrecking ball. When we become God's, the old life is over (2 Cor. 5:17). He makes all things new. All he wants is the site and the permission to build. -- Ian L. Wilson, Source unknown
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new."
3. Invite God to make changes or change our hearts as needed
