Introduction: Scripture Reading- Jeremiah 4:1-4
Discussion:
I. Understanding Circumcision of the Heart
A. Meaning of Circumcision of the Heart
1. Jeremiah 4:3- “For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground (freshly ploughed), and sow not among thorns.”
2. Mark 4:18-19 [Read] -It is easy for freshly ploughed or tilled ground to get bad seed mixed in with the good seed and the bad seed chock out or hog up all the sunlight, nutrients, and water for the good seed.
3. Matt. 12:43-45 vs. 45 “Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.”
B. Jeremiah 4:4 “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart,…”
1. Circumcision implies a cutting away or a cutting out. Not cutting out our hearts and being cold or indifferent.
i. What did he tell Israel to put away? Their “abominations.”
ii. Why was his fury going to come on Judah if they didn’t circumcise their hearts, because of their “evil doings.”
iii. He wanted them to cut out all the sin in their lives and return to serving Jehovah as their master.
II. The Need for Circumcision of the Heart
A. The spiritual condition of humanity
1. Jeremiah 17:9- “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked...”
2. This verse shows how sin has corrupted the hearts of people, making a need for spiritual circumcision and for restoration
3. The spirit was created by God in the beginning (Gen. 1-2), and it will return to God on Judgment Day, Eccl. 12:7 “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” This is true for every soul, obedient and disobedient to the gospel alike. Christ deals with this in Matt. 25.
4. Matt. 6:19-21
i. Matt. 7:13-14 Narrow vs. Wide
ii. Focused light (Narrow) vs. Getting distracted (Wide)
iii. Cat with light analogy
B. We all have sinned and are in need of circumcision of the heart; a continual renewal if you will.
1. Rom. 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
2. I Jn 1:8-10 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (humanity vs. humility)
III. The Process of Circumcision of the Heart
A. Humble ourselves before God and all men, realizing that we need a change.
1. James 4:7-11 [Read] (4:1-12); Who is God?
2. Rom. 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearth the word of God.”
B. Faith in Jesus Christ
1. Romans 10:9- “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart...”
2. Acts 8:37- “And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
2. Emphasizing faith in Jesus as the central component of heart circumcision, leading to salvation and transformation
C. Repentance and Surrender
1. Acts 17:30-31 “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”
ii. Repentance: Acts 2- the Jews for crucifying Jesus (pricked or cut to the heart and told to repent), Paul had repented Acts 9 (Jesus told Ananias he would find Paul praying.), Acts 16 (the Philippian jailor repented by washing the strips or wounds that he had earlier put on Paul and Silas after he was baptized), Acts 8- Simon, after obeying the gospel, was told to repent when he tried to buy the gift of laying on of hands from the apostles; these are just a few examples.
2. Genuine or sincere repentance and surrender to God's will for the circumcision of the heart to occur is important -2 Cor. 7 (godly sorrow vs. worldly sorrow)
IV. The Fruits of Circumcision of the Heart
A. Inner Renewal and Transformation
1. Matt. 7:15-23 Jesus says we will know false prophets and by extension people who have circumcised their hearts by their fruits. We don’t know the inward parts of other people, only God does. We only know people by the fruits which they produce, either good fruit or bad fruit.
B. Manifestation in Behavior and Attitude
1. Galatians 5:22-23- "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith..."
2. 2 Pet. 1:3-11 Christian virtues, how to make our calling and election sure
Conclusion:
B. Encouragement for personal reflection and response to God's invitation for heart transformation
C. Invitation