Ephesians 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
When we speak of the body of Christ we speak of a working organism in which there are several parts working as one to:
- Be God’s witness in this world of darkness and confusion.
- To edify or build up each part knowing that as each member grows the whole body grows.
Even though we are individual members we are connected into one body by spiritual ligaments and blood vessels that bring nourishment to the complete body. This nourishment manifests itself as love.
The word Love in this verse is agape or affection. A love feast.
When we speak of love we always think of the heart. When love is express in it’s purity we feel it in our hearts.
As members of the body of Christ we must have Great Hearts.
What is a Great Heart? Do I have a great heart? What do we gage the greatness of our heart by?
2 Corinthians 6:11-13
Paul was a man of great heart. Paul also had a great mind with a great heart.
The goal of all our instruction is love.
Ephesians 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
In 1 Corinthians 13: 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
Paul was the father of the Corinthian church. Yet they were doubting him and his ministry.
If this were me I might have packed up my marbles and moved on. Not so with a great heart.
A great heart earnestly desires the affection of the saints.
Paul loved to be loved as the Lord Himself loves to be loved.
John 21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
2 Corinthians 6:11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. 12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. 13 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged. He was saying “make room for us in your heart” .(straitened- to hem in close)
2 Corinthians 12: 14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
Paul did not desire their love for himself alone. He knew that the expression of love toward him was an indication of their spiritual health. Do we love our ties to God’s people?
A great heart faithfully deals with the saints.
He was always careful in his conduct.
2 Corinthians 7:2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
Always conscience of the eyes of God. Always conscience of the eyes of man.
Sensitive in the way he communicates the Word of God.
7: 3 I speak not this to condemn you:
Paul was not trying to clear himself or condemn the people, he wants to make sure they understand his heart.
A great heart graciously overlooks the faults of the saints.
Great hearts love to forgive.
The mark of a great heart is a forgiving heart.
1 Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
A small heart keeps records and brings them up from time to time.
A great heart expresses a deep commitment to the saints.
2 Corinthians 7:3 for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
“ to die together and to live together”This is not romanticism but Christian reality.My heart is with your heart live or dieIs our hearts large enough to live this?Great hearts say “I LOVE YOU”Paul spent himself for these people.
A great heart tenaciously maintains confidence in the saints.
2 Corinthians 7:4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you:
Great is my confidence, great is my boasting of you.16 I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.
Small hearts lose confidence fast, great hearts hold on.Paul’s ministry was not based on his ego.
A great heart is vitally attached to the welfare of the saints.
7:4 I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
The greater your heart, the greater your grief and the greater your joy.
The conditions of receiving a Great Heart
A great heart cannot be great unless it is renewed by grace.
1John 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
A great heart cannot be great unless it feeds on great truth.
Look at the heart of God.
A heart cannot be great unless it is full of the spirit.
A heart cannot be great without exercise.
2 responses to “Great Hearts”
First Bro congrats on your retirement, well deserved for all the years of service you have worked. We pray many yrs of blessings for You and Rhonda to enjoy everyday with each other family and friends. We loved the lesson on the “Great Heart” very inspirational and so so needed in the day we live. Keep them coming, it’s a great platform of ministry!!
Thank you brother.