Sermon Notes-Head, Heart and Hands

Introduction: On the banner behind me, we have an image of how we at Hesston MB “Make disciples who make disciples” It includes head, heart and hands.  


Matthew 4:19-DiscipleShift by Jim Putman & Bobby Harrington

·         “Follow Me”-Head-is following Christ (KNOW)

·         “And I Will Make You”-Heart-is being changed by Christ (BE)

·         “Fishers of Men”-Hands-is committed to the mission of Christ (DO)

This is not pick one of the three.  It is all three.  All are important. However, based on personalities and giftedness, we normally are stronger in one more than the other. I would like you take a minute this morning to pray and ask God, which of these am I strongest in?  Then on your notes page, write down in order your strongest, middle, weakest one.


Here is my theory: we are not strong in all three to remind us that we need each other as the body of Christ. We will see head, heart, and hands as we look at our verses for this morning.  


Before (vs. 17-19)

·         So…-We need to be reminded where we have been.

o   Ephesians 4-Unity-“live a life worthy of the calling you have received” & body held together by Christ.

o   Ephesians 1-3- Before Paul tells us what we should do as followers, he reminds us who we are.

§  You are blessed, chosen, holy, blameless, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, sealed, loved, made alive, saved, raised, seated in heavenly realms, riches of his grace, His kindness, brought near, peace, one, members of God’s household, heirs, power of Holy Spirit

o   Ephesians 1-3 focus on our position in Christ while Ephesians 4-6 focus on our practice as those in Christ. Paul wants the Ephesians and us to know who we are because it impacts how we live.

·         Vs. 17-(Head) Insist…No longer live as Gentiles do (Old Coat stained by oil and dirt)

§  As followers of Jesus, something should be different.

o   Why? “futility of their thinking”

§  Mind-a complex mental state invovling beliefs, feelings, values which cause us to act in certain ways

§  Paul portrays the Gentile mind as futile, vain, focused on concerns which in the end, before the throne of God, will come to nothing.^[1]

·         Vs. 18-(Heart) Darkened in their understanding and separated from life of God

o   Darkened-become unable or unwilling to perceive or understand. Why? The cause of these is Satan. It’s what he does.  He lies.  He tries to keep us from the truth.

§  Knowledge was highly valued in Ephesus.  It was the most important thing.  Paul does not say they don’t have any knowledge.  However, the knowledge they do have is not leading them to God.

§  “Ignorance”-It is not an acquired ignorance that is due to absence of information; it is an original ignorance^[2] Refers to our original sin

§  Hardening of their hearts-The word rendered hardness comes from a verb that means to ‘petrify’ or ‘cause a callus to form’^[3] and is used with reference to marble and to softer stone^[4]

·         Vs. 19- (Hands) Having lost all sensitivity, given themselves over to sensuality, indulge in impurity with lust for more

o   Sensitivity-Lose feeling of shame-a life without concern for the consequences of their actions.

o   Sensuality-licentiousness (I can do whatever I want)

§  Their desire for sensual pleasure overrode every other regard. They always wanted more.^[5]

o   Notice that since they do not have God in their minds, then they do not have God in their actions.^[6]

After (vs. 20-24)

·         Vs. 20- (Head)-You did not come to know Christ that way

·         Vs. 21-You heard and were taught

o   The truth that is in Jesus. Jesus said

§  John 14:6-“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

§  John 17:17- ¹⁷ Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

·         Vs. 22-(Heart) You were taught…put off old self--stop-the selfish, self-centered ego.^[7] (Old coat)

§  2 natures in Scripture-Old Self is who we are in Adam, New Self is who we are in Christ.

§  How then does it happen? We put off by the power of grace^[8] It is the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit who works this renewal from within as we struggle in this spiritual warfare.^[9] Because of what Christ has done, we are empowered to put off the old self.

·         Vs. 23-(Head) To be made new in minds which means they are renewed. See Romans 12:2 (be transformed by the renewing of your mind)

·         Vs. 24-(Heart) Put on new self. (New Coat) The idea is to become bestowed or endowed with a quality or condition.

§  the new humanity we assume is God’s creation, not ours.^[10]

§  As you may have heard me say, I remind my kids and those whom I talk with that because we are followers of Christ or “in Christ”, we live from our identity in Christ not trying to earn it or make it true.  Be who God has declared you to be.

o   (Heart) Righteousness and Holiness

§  Righteousness and holiness are God’s attributes^[11]

·         For the Greek philosophers, as well as in the New Testament, righteousness is in reference to other people, and holiness in reference to God.^[12]

§  our imputed (financial term-credited to) righteousness and holiness produce acquired righteousness and holiness, and this product increases until the last day^[13]

·         Next week’s verses will focus on the “After” in the area of hands

Closing: Think about the story of two sons in Luke 15.  Both needed to “put off” the old self (one covered in dirt on the outside and the other covered in dirt on the inside).  How do they put off?  The Father comes to them and to us and “Puts on” this new self. As we sing the closing song (Death Was Arrested-listen to lyrics), think about the area of head, heart and hands, are there things God wants you to "put off" so He can “put on” what is for your best and ultimately for His glory?

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^[1] Erickson, R. J. (1995). Ephesians. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 1028). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

^[2] Lenski, R. C. H. (1937). The interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Galatians, to the Ephesians and to the Philippians (p. 556). Columbus, O.: Lutheran Book Concern.

^[3] Foulkes, F. (1989). Ephesians: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 10, p. 134). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

^[4] Lenski, R. C. H. (1937). The interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Galatians, to the Ephesians and to the Philippians (p. 556). Columbus, O.: Lutheran Book Concern.

^[5] Anders, M. (1999). Galatians-Colossians (Vol. 8, p. 154). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[6] Sproul, R. C. (1994). The Purpose of God: Ephesians (p. 112). Scotland: Christian Focus Publications.

^[7] Erickson, R. J. (1995). Ephesians. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 1028). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

^[8] Lenski, R. C. H. (1937). The interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Galatians, to the Ephesians and to the Philippians (p. 564). Columbus, O.: Lutheran Book Concern.

^[9] Sproul, R. C. (1994). The Purpose of God: Ephesians (p. 114). Scotland: Christian Focus Publications.

^[10] Stott, J. R. W. (1979). God’s new society: the message of Ephesians (p. 182). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

^[11] Lenski, R. C. H. (1937). The interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Galatians, to the Ephesians and to the Philippians (p. 570). Columbus, O.: Lutheran Book Concern.

^[12] Foulkes, F. (1989). Ephesians: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 10, p. 138). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

^[13] Lenski, R. C. H. (1937). The interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Galatians, to the Ephesians and to the Philippians (p. 570). Columbus, O.: Lutheran Book Concern.