Grab your Bible and turn to Mark 3. This study will reference several verses in this passage, and it will be easier to follow along if you have it in front of you. (This was supposed to be our most recent Ladies Bible Study topic, but due to hurricane Idalia, and my being under the weather, Bible Study was cancelled.)
Becoming “hard of heart” is something we all must guard ourselves against. So how do you know when you are there? Are there warning signs that you are becoming calloused? Is there a cure? And how do we prevent this from happening in the first place? Let’s break down Mark 3, starting with verse 1, to see what we can learn.
Jesus is still in the Church building business. (vs. 1)
His spirit still moves in Churches across the world today. He has not changed. His plan of salvation is still through His saving grace and blood only. The Church is still the place where believers can gather, worship, fellowship, minister, and encourage one another. If we find the “temple”, or as we call it today, the “Church” not so exciting, or we don’t look forward to what Jesus will do at Church each time we go, then we need to do some heart work.
Sin-sick people still need him. (vs. 1)
When was the last time you invited someone to Church with you? When was the last time you witnessed to someone, and told them where YOUR peace and joy comes from? (Have you felt that peace and joy lately?) It doesn’t matter if someone is “your cup of tea” or not. Whether we enjoy their company or not. Even if they have hurt our feelings at some point. They need Christ. And it’s our job to share him with them.
Christians with hard hearts will begin to nit pick. (vs. 3)
You ever been irritated with somebody and EVERY LITTLE THING they do begins to get on your nerves? When your heart becomes calloused to the things of the Church, or godly things, you will look for things to get upset about. Every comment by everybody at Church will feel like a personal attack on you. You will find fault with every message that is preached/taught. Ask yourself – why do I come to Church? Is it to see who will say what this time? Or is it to hear from the Lord?
We will find we stop getting excited about others being healed/used of God. (vs. 3-4)
We will stop being an encouragement. The sweet gestures, cards, words of welcome we used to have for visitors and fellow Church members alike will dry up and stop. (Except maybe for just a few people who you deem worthy of your encouragement.) -ouch- We won’t stick around after Church to socialize and find out how God spoke to others during the service.
We will start being quiet with Jesus, but perhaps louder with others. (vs. 4-6)
These Pharisees had much to say about Jesus to one another, but when Jesus spoke to them they were silent. They had opportunities to ask Jesus about things they didn’t understand. Or in our case, we can pray and seek wisdom and guidance from scripture. But instead, they got together with others who were also becoming hardened to the things of Christ. And the complaining and conspiring began. Do we complain about spiritual things? Are you feeling burnt out in ministry, and complaining about it to others, but not bringing it to the feet of Jesus?
Now that we see some of the warning signs, how do we correct it?
Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
Mark 16:14
Nobody is immune to having a hard heart. The disciples’ hearts had hardened also because of discouragement/depression/fear. But we see in Mark 16:14 and later in verse 20 that the solution was twofold. 1) They heard the Lord when he spoke to them. (Continue to show up, be at Church, pray that the message/the Holy Spirit will speak to your heart) 2) They obeyed when he spoke. When we feel convicted to change our behavior, we should change it!
And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Mark 16:20
Beware of becoming “put on a shelf”.
Many times through the gospels Jesus strives with these Pharisees, trying to explain why their hatred and cold hearts were wrong. They wouldn’t listen, so eventually he stopped speaking to them. He will do the same with us. It is a dangerous point to get to, and a place where we are said to have a reprobate mind.
Genesis 6:3 “And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh…”
