"A Matter of the Heart

22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came.

23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.

24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.

25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.

26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

29 And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you.

30 I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations.

31 Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations.

32 It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord God; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.

-Pray

Three Points:

The Purging of the Heart (vv. 22-25)

The Planting of a New Heart (vv. 26-27)

The Producing of a Holy Heart (vv. 28-32)

Introduction:

In December 1967, the world watched as Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful human heart transplant.

Even though this took place in South Africa, it sparked a wave of medical advancements that eventually led to significant breakthroughs in the U.S.

In 1981, Dr. Bruce Reitz at Stanford University performed the first successful heart-lung transplant in the United States.

This revolutionary procedure gave people new hope, but it also revealed a deeper reality—our physical hearts may be replaced, but only God can truly change the spiritual heart.

**In Ezekiel 36, God speaks of an even greater heart transplant, one not performed by human hands but by divine intervention.

Israel’s rebellion had led to judgment, yet God, in His grace, promises to cleanse them and give them a new heart.

The heart of the matter is always a matter of the heart.

God is not merely interested in external reform but internal renewal.

In this passage, we see three divine operations in God’s heart-transforming work:

I. The Purging of the Heart (vv. 22-25) – Cleansing from Corruption

A. The Reason for Cleansing – God’s Glory (v. 22-23)

God declares, "It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of My holy name."

Israel had profaned God's name among the nations, yet God would act to sanctify His name.

Hebrew Word Study: ḥallal (חָלַל) – "to pollute, defile" (v. 22).

Their sin had polluted God’s reputation, but He would cleanse His people to restore His name.

B. The Reality of Cleansing – God’s Grace (v. 24-25)

God promises to gather them (v. 24) and cleanse them (v. 25).

"I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean."

This points to the priestly act of sprinkling water or blood for purification (Lev. 14:7).

Application:

Before God gives us a new heart, He first cleanses the old one.

True spiritual renewal begins when God removes the filth of sin.

II. The Planting of a New Heart (vv. 26-27)

A. A Supernatural Exchange (v. 26)

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you."

The old heart is described as a "heart of stone" (leb ha’even - לֵב הָאֶבֶן) – lifeless, cold, unresponsive.

God replaces it with a "heart of flesh" (leb basar - לֵב בָּשָׂר) – soft, sensitive, and obedient.

B. A Spiritual Empowering (v. 27)

"I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes."

This is divine enablement—God not only commands obedience but provides the power to obey.

Illustration:

Just as a dead battery cannot power a car, a spiritually dead heart cannot respond to God.

The Holy Spirit is the supernatural charge that enables us to walk in obedience.

Application:

**You don’t need a self-improvement plan; you need a Spirit-empowered transformation.

III. The Producing of a Holy Heart (vv. 28-32)

A. A New Devotion (v. 28)

"You shall be My people, and I will be your God."

This is the fulfillment of the covenant promise—a restored relationship.

B. A New Direction (v. 29-30)

God promises to deliver them from uncleanness and bless them abundantly.

Obedience and blessing go hand in hand.

C. A New Disposition (v. 31-32)

"Then you will remember your evil ways... and loathe yourselves."

**True heart change leads to true repentance.

Illustration:

When John Newton, former slave trader and author of Amazing Grace, encountered Christ, he despised his past and lived in gratitude for grace.

**A changed heart always results in a changed life.

Application:

A new heart produces a new lifestyle.

If your heart has been transformed, your actions should testify to that change.

Closing: Life Applications

Examine Your Heart – Have you been cleansed by Christ? A clean life starts with a clean heart.

2. Empower Your Walk – You cannot obey God in your own strength. Depend daily on the Holy Spirit.

3. Express True Repentance – A transformed heart leads to a transformed life. Hate your sin, love your Savior.

Closing Thought:

The greatest heart transplant is not found in a hospital but in the hands of God.

Have you experienced this life-changing transformation?

PRAY

Invitation

“Are you born again?”

Is your name written in the Lambs Book of Life?

“Have you surrendered/repented to Jesus?

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