November 23, 2008 ~ Total Body Worship 4 ~ A Revived Heart

Sermon Notes for Small Group Leaders
Total Body Worship – A Revived Heart / Sermon Series 4 of 4
Teaching Pastor, Jim Zippay
November 23, 2008
Scripture Passage: Mark 7:6; Ezekiel 11:19; Psalm 139:23; Joel 2:13; Isaiah 57:15

Outline
I. Here’s my heart…Search it (Psalm 139:23)
II. Here’s my heart…Receive it (Joel 2:13)
III. Here’s my heart…Revive it (Isaiah 57:15)

Content
1. Jesus says that if our actions and words in worship are not an expression of what’s in our hearts, then we’re being hypocrites. (Mark 7:6)
2. The worship that God desires is for us to give him our heart – to delight in him.
3. The promise of the gospel is that God gives us a new heart that frees us to feel and love out of our whole heart. (Ezek. 11:19)
4. What do you do when you don’t feel that way? Step one is to admit it.
5. John Calvin: “True religion consists of two things: knowing God and knowing yourself.”
6. The God of the Bible is not a silent, emotionless, stoic type – he has emotions (grieves and laughs…knows joy and sorrow…anger and disappointment…compassion and wrath…jealousy and passion)
7. God has given us emotions as well, and we should not hide or suppress them.
8. We should give our heart to God for him to search it out and bring to the surface what we’re feeling. (Psa. 139:23)
9. Once he shows us our heart, whether there is sin, unbelief, indifference, clutter, division, etc - we should return it to him for healing. (Joel 2:13)
10. Once we empty our hearts to God, then he will fill the void with himself (Isaiah 57:15)

Aim
True worship comes from a revived heart, which we get by presenting to God our real thoughts, feelings, and emotions for him to search out, cleanse, and revive.

Application Questions
I. Have you ever found yourself suppressing your true emotions in a situation? Why might there be a temptation for Christians to put up a façade around other Christians?
II. How open are you about your emotions to those around you? To yourself? To God in prayer?
III. Has God used this message to reveal something in your heart that needs to be expressed?