Why the Heart Matters Most

Good morning, everyone! Whether you're here with us in the room or joining online—listening live or later—we’re truly glad you're here. You're part of our extended spiritual family, and we're thankful for you.

Hey, if you’ve got kids with you this morning—now’s a great time for them to head to class. We’ve got an amazing team ready to welcome them and help them know Jesus in a way that makes sense to them

For the rest of us, grab your Bible, get comfortable, and get ready for what God has for you today. We are continuing today on our journey through our new series called—Treason & Triumph: Exposing Idols and Embracing Christ…So let’s dig in together…

John Calvin once said, ‘The human heart is an idol factory.’ I want you to think about that image for a moment. Factories are always running. They’re designed to produce something nonstop. And Calvin was saying that your heart and mine are always cranking something out — and it’s not good, or even neutral.

The thing is, when we hear the word idols, most of us think of stone statues in far-off temples, or golden calves from the Old Testament. But Calvin’s point is that we don’t need stone or wood to be idolaters. Our hearts can turn just about anything into a discount god-substitute — a career, a relationship, a dream for our kids, comfort, success, approval, even good things like ministry or marriage can fit into that catagory.

And here’s the scary part: our idol factory doesn’t clock out, there is no annual shut down for maintenance. It runs when we’re at work, it runs when we’re at home, it runs when we’re with friends and even when we’re all alone. And the truth is, most of the time we don’t even realize what’s coming off the assembly line.

That’s why the Bible spends so much time talking about the heart. Because whatever captures your heart controls your life. What rules your heart will eventually shape your choices, your emotions, your relationships, and even your worship.

So today we’re asking a simple but life-changing question: Why is the heart such a big deal to God? Why does He warn us about idolatry so often? And what makes it the greatest danger to your joy, your freedom, and your walk with Christ?

Listen, if Calvin is right, then what comes off the assembly line of our hearts matters more than anything else in life. And God doesn’t leave us guessing — He shows us in His Word exactly why idolatry is such a big deal.

Idolatry is False Worship — it takes what belongs to God

We all know the 10 commandments. Even if you don’t remember them immediatly, as soon as someone starts to call them off you will remember them. Even if you didn’t grow up in church these are things that are built into your moral code of life. Things like, don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t lie…We all know those things…However before God ever gets to those…He tells us how we should respond to him. Let’s turn over to

Exodus 20:3 ESV

“You shall have no other gods before me.

This seems pretty open and shut, right? Well…just in case you want to argue that the Old Testament doesn’t apply to us as “New Testament Christians”…Let’s see what Jesus said about this same concept.

Matthew 22:37–38 ESV

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.

OK, well Jesus is telling us that nothing should capture the love of our hearts, more than he does. So there’s no question here that idolatry is bad, right…But what is idolatry? Last week I gave you the definition that Brad Bigney gave in his book Gospel Treason. We’re going to keep using that definition because it’s really easy to understand. So…

“An idol is ANYTHING or anyone that begins to CAPTURE our HEARTS and MINDS and  AFFECTIONS more than God”

So to put this simply…Whatever captures you’re heart…controls your life. I believe you actually know that to be true…so what is it that, right now, is capturing your heart? If it is anything other than God…then that is called idolatry.

Now here’s the thing that I want everyone to understand. Idolatry is not simply one sin among many sins. Idolatry is the root of all sin. That’s because the essense of sin is misplaced worship. Every commandment you break, every time you decide to do something apart from the glory of God, or according to your own desires instead of what God has commanded you to do…It starts with a heart that loves something else more than God…that is idolatry.

Romans 1:21–22 ESV

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

What idolatry does is compete with what Jesus established as the greatest commandment. Remember, the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, and mind…However, idolatry is always waiting in the background waiting for the bet opportunity to steal your affections.

Now we can go back and look at the entire history of humanity. What we see is that there has been an effort from the first family to find something or someone to worship outside of God. Paul reminds us in Romans 1 that people are without excuse for their idolatry and practical atheism.

Now here’s what happens. Without communion with God, the human heart loses contact with reality. We miss the purpose of existence. We ignore God and become ungrateful for everything. You can see that when people exchange what God has given them with the lies that the world promises. Things like the modern transgender movement, which is simply a playing out of the LGBT movement over the last few decades. You see, people are supposed to glorify God as God, but instead find all sorts of created objects and ideas to worship instead. Part of the wrath of God is revealed in humanity’s loss of intelligent thinking.

In other words, because of our own willingness, people’s knowledge of God has become clouded and their thinking has become darkened. That’s why Charlie Kirk was a threat to so many people because he was bringing God back into their ears, and that is scary when you have rejected God for so long.

Now, you’re here this morning, or listening online which means that you have not lost communion with God. However, that doesn’t mean that your heart isn’t actively creating idols every moment of every day. Ask yourself this question—What do I look to first for comfort, meaning, or identity?

The answer to that question is what you are in danger of worshiping.

The thing is that idols don’t just steal worship; they do something even more dangerous. They take root in our own hearts, and when they do, they blind us and bind us.

That’s our second truth this morning.

Idolatry Springs from Our Own Hearts — it blinds and binds us

Idolatry is not something that happens ‘out there’ in the world — it happens in here, in the desires of our own hearts. That’s why Scripture says idols are snares that trap us and keep us from seeing clearly.

So how does idolatry spring from within our own hearts? How is it that our hearts can be so out of control that they actually create new ways of us worshiping something other than God. Well, we talked about this last week, but let’s quickly review what Scripture says about our hearts.

Jeremiah 17:9 ESV

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Remember that…Now listen to this,

James 1:14–15 ESV

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

So these desires secretly begin to settle into your heart, and then at the most opportune time, they will appear and blind you with desire, and bind you to sin. That’s what idolatry does, it enslaves us.

John 8:34 ESV

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.

Here’s the deal, I’m going to keep saying it because it’s important…Idolatry enslaves you. You already know this—you just may not have admitted it to yourself yet. The thing is, false gods always require some sort of sacrifice. Maybe it’s time, money, energy, conscience, it’s something—but there will never be a reward.

Idols never just sit quietly in the corner of your life. They are insatiable. They demand more and more of your attention, your energy, and your loyalty. And while they are demanding more and more…they give you less.

Last week I told you that idols place crushing demands on others. In other words—Your idols hurt others. When you make demands of people (spouse, kids, coworkers) that only God can meet…relationships fracture.

So here’s what I want you to begin to think about. Trace your idols by looking at your emotional highs/lows. What is it that devastates you? What do you fear losing the most? That is where to start looking for idols folks.

Of course, here’s the tragedy: after all that bondage and blindness, idols still can’t deliver. They promise you everything…but in the end, they leave you thirsty and empty.

Idolatry is an Empty Substitute — it leaves you wanting

God says in Jeremiah 2 that His people had forsaken Him, the fountain of living waters, and traded Him for broken cisterns that couldn’t hold water. That’s what idols do — they look like they’ll quench your thirst, but they’re just cracked pots that always run dry.

Folks…that’s exactly what idols do — they look like they’ll quench your thirst, but they’re cracked pots that always run dry. What’s even worse is that they will continue to demand more and more of you. There is a pattern of diminishing returns. What satisfied you one time…just doesn’t anymore—now you need more and more of it. There is no way out.

Idols are cruel masters. They take everything you give and leave you with nothing but guilt, shame, and emptiness.

Look at what Paul told the church in Colossae

Colossians 3:5 ESV

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

These idols cannot be appeased because people, promotions, and earthly passions can never fill what only God was designed to fill. 

Here’s what happens…whenever trouble hits, and it does hit. Your idols will abandon you—That’s because idols are powerless over everything…they only have the power we give them by our faulty worship.

Psalm 115:3–8 ESV

Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.

So why do idolaters become like their idols? Because they share the same spiritual emptiness—blind, deaf, powerless. That’s why the psalmist says, ‘Those who make them will become like them.’—Worshiping lifeless idols leaves us lifeless.

However, there is another way that will satisfy. That way is through the Gospel.

John 6:35 ESV

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

Christ is the only One who truly satisfies

John 4:13–14 ESV

Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

So are you trying to quench your thirst apart from Christ? You see Christ is not just better than the idols you are struggling with…Christ is the only one who fills the vacuum that idols leave.

Where idols enslave you—Christ sets you free. Where idols leave you wanting—Christ gives more than you realize. Where idols hurt—Christ heals those hurts.

Do you see how cruel idols are? They promise to quench your thirst, but they only leave you parched and restless. And that’s why you can’t just manage them. They don’t fix themselves. You’ll notice Paul didn’t say, manage your idols, negotiate with them, or try to keep them in the corner. He said: put them to death. Idols can’t be tamed. They must be crucified — and that happens only through repentance and turning to Christ. that leads us to our final truth today…

Idolatry Requires Repentance — it doesn’t go away on its own

Remember I said that idols don’t die naturally — they must be killed, and that’s not always easy is it? Here’s how you do that. Idols must be confronted, confessed, and replaced with something greater — and that’s where the good news comes in. Jesus says, ‘Come to Me…and I will give you rest.’ Let’s listen carefully to what Jesus says, because His words are exactly what our weary hearts need.

Matthew 11:28–30 ESV

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Now when Jesus said these words he was actually referring to weariness that comes along with attempting to do everything that the Rabbi’s of that time were telling Jewish people that they had to do. In other words, Jesus was telling them to rely on him, instead of something else who were unable to satisfy their needs…

So that means Jesus is inviting those who would listen to rely on him when everything else fails. Of course he would allow you to rely on him before you even tried other things, but the reality is that Jesus knows that because your hearts are desperately wicked you will always try other things before relying on him, won’t you?

So what does it mean to rely on Christ instead of other things? How would one rely on Christ in the midst of idolatry? Well…the first thing that has to happen is you have to turn away from idolatry.

Think of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who refused to bow to Nebuchadnezzar’s image. Think of Daniel, who refused to stop praying when it was outlawed. Both show us what it looks like to turn from idols to God — and both show us how God delivers His people.

That is what prayer can actually do. So, in the New Testament when Jesus says he will give you rest. Remember that Daniel slept in front of lions because God is bigger than any idol. That’s some pretty amazing rest.

Another way to say that you are turning away from idolatry, is repentance. What is repentance though? That’s an important question that I want to make sure everyone actually knows.

Repentance is, a change of attitude and action from sin toward obedience to God. Repentance is turning from idolatry, and turning towards God. Now we’ve talked about how God will not sit by and allow you to enjoy your idols for long. You will feel convicted and you will feel grief over your idolatry…Then it is your responsibility to repent of that idolatry, whether you realized you needed to or not.

Look at what Paul writes

2 Corinthians 7:10 ESV

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

So, let me ask you this morning…What would repentance look like this week? Would it include confession—maybe changing some habits—having honest accountability—beginning to actively worship Christ outside of this room.

Listen, repentance is not a one time event…it is a heart posture that you are called to have towards God. This is why your heart matters to God. Your heart is an idol factory…but a heart of repentance is always ready to turn back to God.

So flee the cracked cisterns, come to the fountain of living water, and find in Christ the rest and joy your heart was made for.

Folks today we’ve seen that idols are cruel masters. They promise satisfaction, but they only enslave us and leave us empty. And we’ve also seen that Christ alone satisfies, forgives, and gives us rest. But idols don’t die on their own — they must be confessed, repented of, and replaced with Christ.

So here’s how we’re going to respond this morning. We’ve set up a prayer wall. This isn’t a special powerful thing — the wall itself has no power. But it’s a way for us, together as a church family, to practice what we’ve just heard: to take our idols, our burdens, our fears, and our prayers, and lay them before the Lord. This is what Scripture calls us to do:

1 Peter 5:7 ESV

casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

and

1 John 1:9 ESV

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

So here’s what we’re going to do. In a moment, some music will play softly, and we’re going to give you time to pray. Maybe this morning you need to confess of an idol you’ve been clinging to. Maybe you have a burden you’ve been carrying and you need to cast that on Christ. Maybe there’s a request for God to touch a particular situation. Whatever it is — take time to pray. Then you are going to write a word that represents your prayer on the card that’s on your chair. Then, when you’re ready, bring it up and hang it on the prayer wall. This is a way of saying, ‘Lord, I’m done carrying this myself— I’m giving it to You.’

Remember, idolatry is treason — stealing what belongs to God…tragedy — binding you and leaving you empty. But here’s the triumph: through repentance and faith, Christ sets you free and satisfies you forever.

Now, this isn’t about impressing others or putting on a show. This is about you and the Lord. This wall is just a simple way for us to bring our hearts honestly to Him together as a family.

PRAYER