The Heart Gone Wrong, Part 2 (A Father's Wisdom)

Colin Smith: The message of the gospel is not get your heart right so that you can come to God. The message of the gospel is come to God in order that you may get your heart right. You do not come to Jesus Christ because you have a right heart. You come to Jesus Christ because you need a right heart, and you know today that you don't have it.
Steve Hiller: Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. And Colin, we may have some listeners today who say, "I know I don't have a right heart." What would you say to them?
Colin Smith: I'd say, well, that's precisely why Jesus Christ came into the world. And thank God that he has not said to us, "Hey, get yourself right and then come to me." He's said, "Come to me and I will put you right. I will give you a new heart." That's the promise of the gospel. Well, today we're going to look at all the ways in which the heart goes wrong. How does a person veer onto the wrong track? Where does it actually begin? What's at the root of actually moving away from God and his purpose and his will for our lives? And once we've discovered what makes the heart wrong, the bigger thing is how Jesus Christ puts it right. There's a message of great hope today about how Jesus changes the heart.
Steve Hiller: Well, let's get started with today's message. We are in Proverbs chapter 23 as we continue "The Heart Gone Wrong." Here is Pastor Colin.
Colin Smith: I want to suggest to you three places where the heart most often goes wrong. I suspect these were the things because Solomon says them here that he was seeing emerging in the heart of his own son. The first is that the heart goes wrong with regards to who you admire. Verse 17: "Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day." Now, we've every reason to believe that Rehoboam in his early years conformed to the faith of his grandfather David and of his father Solomon—the faith that had been passed on, the faith with which he was raised. But it seems from this that when Rehoboam looked at godless people, people who live without God in their lives, it seems he found their life, their model, their example to be attractive. That's the significance, surely, of "let not your heart envy the wicked." And so here's Solomon's fear. He has a son who professes faith. He professes to believe the faith that was handed down from his grandfather David and now his father Solomon. But there seems to be in this son a secret longing, an attraction of his heart, a drawing of his heart to move in a different direction. Solomon says in verse 24, "He who fathers a wise son will be glad in him." But at this point, you see, Solomon's not sure if he's got a wise son or not. He fears that his son's heart may be somewhere else. He admires the wrong people. He envies sinners. He looks up to the example of people who live without God. They're the role models for him, and they're the ones he wants to be like. Now, I want to speak from the heart to every son and daughter of whatever age who has been raised in a Christian home. You have Christian parents or Christian grandparents, and here's the burden of my heart today. I can think of no greater tragedy than that while people who had no knowledge of the truth in their early years and were exposed to all kinds of evils—while so many of them are pressing their way into finding peace and joy in Jesus Christ—you who have had more blessings than you may ever realize, some of you seem ready to throw it all up. That's a tragedy. That others who had none of the blessings you have enjoyed should end up pressing into the knowledge of Christ and all the good that comes from that forever and forever, and that you who had all the opportunity should sit with your heart envying the wicked and end up throwing it all away. And you know what the first sign of being ready to throw it all away is? You start envying sinners. You start looking at people who live without God, and you say, "That's what I want to be like. I want to be like her. I want to be like him. I see how they live, and that's how I want to live. And when I get the chance, that's what I'm going to do." And here you are in church, and that's where some of you are right now. Second place the heart goes wrong is not simply in who you admire, but it's in how you decide. Look at verse 18. Here's something else that surely Solomon discerned in his son. He says to him, "Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off." Now, I think that this shows to us that Solomon saw in his son a growing tendency to live only in the present and to lose sight of the future. In other words, Solomon is seeing that his son is going more and more with what he thinks and feels at any given point in time. And so what Solomon says to him in this verse is, "Look, son, surely there is a future." In other words, don't make your decisions in life on the basis of short-term comfort. Son, there's a future. You make your decisions in life on the basis of long-term outcomes. Surely there is a future. Now, friends, this is obviously of huge importance for us today because our culture is bombarding us with a philosophy that says, "Live in the moment." It seems to me to be a new phrase, but it's around us everywhere. If it means that we are to be fully present and fully engaged in whatever we are doing at any given time, rather than have our mind distracted off at a dozen other places trying to do multiple things at the same time, then that would be a very good thing. But I have noticed often enough to want to comment on this today. I have noticed the phrase "live in the moment" being used too often by people who are very clearly moving away from Christian faith. "I'm trying to live in the moment, Pastor." And if I understand that correctly, I think what is being said here is this: "I'm going with what I feel, and sometimes I feel I want to know God and sometimes I don't. And I live in the moment." Now, in a world that is constantly saying to you "live in the moment," I want you to hear the word of our Father in heaven who says to you, "Surely there is a future." I want you to hear that. Always remember this, friend: your life, the life that God gives to you, comes in two very unequal parts. You have a very, very short life in time, and you have a very, very long life in eternity. That's the life that God has given to you. How short is your life in this world? Listen to how God describes it. He uses pictures so that we'll get it. "All flesh is grass. The grass withers when the breath of the Lord blows on it." How long does grass live? About a week. Then you cut it, and it's blown and it is gone. If you've not cut your grass for three weeks, hey, there you are, time to do it, right? About a week. That's the image that God our Father gives to us. If you want to think rightly about your life, you have to think of the proportion of what you have in this world in relation to what you have in eternity. And let me put it in a picture for you: it's like grass. That's your whole life. If you lived to a hundred years and more, that's what your life in this world is like in relation to eternity. You haven't got much time. You see, here's one of the pressures, especially on younger people today. We hear all the time this phrase, don't we? "We want to be on the right side of history." Here's our answer to that, friend: we need to be on the right side of eternity.
Steve Hiller: You're listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and the message called "The Heart Gone Wrong." I hope you'll stay with us because in just a moment, we're going to begin to look at how the heart gets right. Well, if you joined us late, if you ever have to leave early, or you want to go back and listen to a message that you may have missed, you can do that when you come to our website, openthebible.org. You can stream the program, you can also download an MP3 for free. Again, that's at openthebible.org. Another way to listen is to get the Open the Bible app, which you'll find for free at your App Store. As you give a gift of any amount this month, you're going to receive a copy of Pastor Brad Wetherell's book called "Saved to Sin No More." And Colin, who is this book for?
Colin Smith: Well, it's really for every Christian who wants to make progress in his or her battle against sin, and that's surely got to be everyone who knows and loves the Lord Jesus. You know, I think one of the greatest struggles that we have is just discouragement. And the doctrine of union with Christ is the most encouraging truth that I know in all of the Bible. Faith unites us to the Lord Jesus Christ so that his presence is in us through the Holy Spirit. And when Christ is in us, there's something of the power and the peace and the joy of the Lord Jesus that's actually in us too. And when that's the case, it makes what would have been impossible for us on our own possible because his power and his presence is with us. So getting hold of what it means to actually have Christ in us and for us to be in him—that's union with Christ—is going to be the most encouraging thing for moving forward in the battle against stubborn sins that often defeat us.
Steve Hiller: Well, we'd love to send you a copy of this book. Again, it's called "Saved to Sin No More," and it's our thank you for your financial support this month. You can give a gift online at openthebible.org or when you call 1-877-673-6365. That might be easier to remember as 1-877-OPEN-365. Or again, our website is openthebible.org. Let's get back to the message. Here is Pastor Colin.
Colin Smith: Where the heart goes wrong: who you admire, how you choose, and thirdly, where you invest. Look at verse 23 where Solomon says to his son this: "Buy truth and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding." Buy truth. Invest in truth. I wonder, since Solomon says that as he speaks with this candor to his son, I wonder if that indicates that Solomon's son was losing interest in the truth. They would have had the five books of Moses, the Pentateuch, and they would have read from that part of the Scripture that they had. I wonder if, when the Old Testament books of Moses were brought out and when they were read, I wonder if Solomon saw his son's eyes rolling in the corner of the room. I wonder if when they went to worship in Solomon's great temple, whether Solomon noticed that his son looked as if he had absolutely not the faintest bit of interest in what was going on in all of the world. And he thinks to himself, "My son's heart's in another place." And he's anxious. His son once was learning the truth and showed some interest in truth, but now there seems to be no interest in it at all. And he says this: "Buy the truth." Notice that there is such a thing as the truth and that it is worth whatever it costs you to get it. Solomon doesn't tell his son what it will cost him to stand for the truth. He doesn't know. There isn't one of us here who knows what it will cost our children to stand for the truth or our grandchildren to stand for the truth. Not a single one of us. None of us knows. It might cost friends for you to embrace, buy the truth. It might cost opportunities in your life. It might cost your life. But you see what Solomon is saying to his son here. He's saying, "Buy the truth at any price." Now, those of you who are investors know you wouldn't do that with anything else. With any other investment, you'd look at the price and then you'd look at the options. But what Solomon says to his son is, "Look, son, when it comes to the truth, it's in a whole different category." Because the price is never too high for the truth, because the truth has a value that is supreme because it has a value that is eternal. And your life in this world is very short, but your life in eternity is very, very long indeed. So buy the truth, whatever it costs you. You bind the truth like a belt around your waist and do not sell it. Oh, Judas sold the truth, but he's not an example for you. No, says this wise father, the truth is worth more than anything you could ever, ever gain by giving it up. Whatever you think you will gain in life by giving up the truth, the truth is worth more than anything you will ever gain by giving up the truth. So buy the truth and do not sell it. Very obviously, this raises the question for all of us: men, women, fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, where is your heart today? When Jesus was asked "What is the very first commandment? What is the very first thing that God requires of every one of us?" he said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart." Where do you stand in relation to that first calling of God upon your life today—to love the Lord with all your heart? And you'd better guard your heart, because from it flow the springs of your life. I pondered: do we go to the outcome of this story today or do we hold it for next week? Big, big preacher's decision. So I did the only wise thing to do: I asked my wife. And she said, "You'd better tell them the end of the story today." And here's why I hesitated—because the outcome of the story isn't good. But I've taken her advice, and I think it's right to follow the story to its conclusion because today we're looking at the heart gone wrong; next week we're going to look at the heart getting right. If you want the conclusion of the story, you'll find it in 2 Chronicles chapter 12 and verses 13 and 14. And the words that are used there are very, very striking indeed. "So King Rehoboam grew strong in Jerusalem and he reigned." So this is the son. Solomon has now died. Rehoboam is 41 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for 17 years in Jerusalem. And then notice what the Scripture says: "And he did evil." Why did he do evil? Notice what it says: "For he did not set his heart to seek the Lord." He did not listen to his father's wisdom. Think about this, and I say this for the father and for the mother who wrestles with a rebel son or a daughter, and so often you go over and over what might we have done different and all of that. The wisest father who ever lived had a rebel son. In fact, if you have a rebel son or a rebel daughter, or if you are anxious about a grandchild, you will want to have made a very clear note of Isaiah chapter 1 and verse 2, where God says this: "I raised children and they rebelled against me." Can you take that in? God says, "I raised children"—he's referring to Israel, of course—"and they rebelled against me." Well, you cannot have a better or a wiser father than God. Rehoboam, I think, is one of the saddest characters in all of the Bible because he was so privileged and gave it all away. Think of this: the Scripture is very precise in its language, and it tells us about David, who was Rehoboam's grandfather, that his heart was wholly true to the Lord. We then read later in the story that Rehoboam had a grandson, and the same words, precisely the same words are used of him. His name was Asa, and it is said of Asa that his heart was wholly true to the Lord. So here's Rehoboam standing in the middle. He's got a grandfather wholly true to the Lord. He's got a grandson wholly true to the Lord, and he's in the middle, and he's given it all away because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord. Well, we're going to look throughout the message next week at what it means to get the heart right, but let me just leave you with this in just two minutes. I think there are two prayers that Rehoboam's grandad prayed that would have greatly helped him and would be of great help to any who find ourselves with a heart that is astray today. One of the reasons that David had a heart that was wholly true to the Lord was that he learned to pray like this. He asked God to search his heart: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts, and see if there is any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Oh, make that your prayer today. It's a great prayer. "Lord, show me where my heart is. I don't even understand my own heart, but you do. You're able to look into it as no one else ever can and no one else ever will." "Now, will you reveal to me what you see in my heart today? Show me where I'm grieving you right now. Show me where I'm admiring the wrong people. Show me where I'm making the wrong decisions, and show me where I'm investing myself in the wrong ways." And then as you ask God to search your heart, ask God to change your heart. Oh, Rehoboam's grandfather knew what it was to pray like this: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Friends, the message today, the message of the gospel is not get your heart right so that you can come to God. The message of the gospel is come to God in order that you may get your heart right. You do not come to Jesus Christ because you have a right heart. You come to Jesus Christ because you need a right heart, and you know today that you don't have it. So you come to the Lord Jesus Christ in whom this great promise is ours: "I will give you a new heart and I will put a new spirit within you." And you say, "Oh God, give me a clean heart through Jesus Christ. Change me." And then God will indeed do that and he will say, "Son, daughter, give me your heart."
Steve Hiller: You're listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called "The Heart Gone Wrong." Looking at Solomon and his relationship with his son Rehoboam, and we've been focusing mostly in this message on where the heart goes wrong. We've just begun to look a little bit at how the heart goes right. This message has been one of the most listened-to messages of this past year. We took a look at what had been the most streamed, downloaded, and requested messages, and we've bundled them together in a series called "Listener Favorites." It's been airing all month long on the radio, but another way to listen to this series is to get a copy of Listener Favorites 2026 on CD. Ask about how you can get your copy when you call 1-877-673-6365. That's 1-877-OPEN-365. Or you'll find ordering information online at openthebible.org. Well, Colin, it's Friday and the weekend's coming.
Colin Smith: Yeah, and I want to encourage you to get to church on Sunday. Find a church where the Bible is opened and where Jesus is the center of attention. And if you live in the Chicago area and you don't have a church home, I'd love for you to join us at The Orchard. There are six locations in the northwest suburbs. For more information, go to theorchard.church. That's theorchard.church.
Steve Hiller: Well, thank you, Colin, and thanks for listening. I'm Steve Hiller, and I hope you'll join us next time. This program is a listener-supported production of Open the Bible.
Colin Smith: Hi, this is Pastor Colin again, and I want you to know about "Watch Your Doctrine." "Watch Your Doctrine" is a six-session course that is geared for leaders but accessible for every believer. The six sessions will introduce you to six central truths of the Christian faith: how we know God, how God speaks to us, how sin affects us, how God's Spirit brings new life, how we're made right with God, and what Jesus accomplished on the cross. There are questions at the end of each session, and you can use them on your own or you can discuss them with a friend. For more information or to begin this free online course, visit openthebible.org/courses. That's openthebible.org/courses.