INVOCATION:

 

Matthew 6:9-13 - After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

 

This week's Sermon - Hearts Wide Open - 2 Corinthians 6:11-13 - O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.

 

INTRODUCTION:

 

1. The apostle Paul was a man who loved his brethren:

a. He loved his coworkers - 2 Timothy 1:2 - To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. - Philemon 1:1-2 - Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer, And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:

b. He loved the congregations he worked with - 2 Corinthians 11:28 - Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

 

-- Because of his love, he was willing to give of himself and become close to them - e.g.,

1 Thessalonians 2:7-12 - For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. - 2 Corinthians 12:14-15 - Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

 

2. The passage in (2 Corinthians 12:15 - And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.) indicates that sometimes Paul’s affection was one-sided; he elaborated on this in 2 Corinthians 6:11-13 - O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.

a. Paul’s heart was “wide open” towards the Corinthians - 2 Corinthians 6:11 - O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.

b. But their love for him was “restricted” - 2 Corinthians 6:12 - Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.

c. His exhortation, therefore, was “be open”! - 2 Corinthians 6:13 - Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.

 

3. In our study, I would like to:

a. Offer reasons why we all need to have “Hearts Wide Open”

b. Explain why some may have “restricted hearts”

c. Suggest how we can be sure to have our “Hearts Wide Open”

 

[Let’s first examine...]

 

I. WHY WE NEED “HEARTS WIDE OPEN”

 

A. BROTHERLY LOVE IS A MARK OF TRUE DISCIPLESHIP:

 

1. Note what Jesus said about brethren loving one another in John 13:34-35 - A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

 

2. Such love would be a visible sign by which the world would know Christ’s true disciples

 

3. People with “restricted hearts” would have a difficult time displaying a visible love!

 

B. BROTHERLY LOVE IS AN INDICATION OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH:

 

1. Peter lists brotherly kindness (and love) among those graces involved in growing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ - 2 Peter 1:5-8 - And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

2. Whereas having a “restricted heart” is an indication of:

a. Spiritual immaturity - cf. 2 Corinthians 6:13 - Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.

b. Spiritual ailments (shortsighted, even to blindness) - 2 Peter 1:9 - But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

 

C. BROTHERLY LOVE IS AN ASSURANCE OF OUR SALVATION:

 

1. It is one way that we know we have passed from death to live - 1 John 3:16-19 - Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

 

2. The one who truly loves is one who is born of God - 1 John 4:7-8 - Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

 

3. Having “restricted hearts” would not be very reassuring in light of such verses!

 

[Notice 2 Peter 1:10-11 - Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. - If we want assurance, if we want to convince the world, we need to have “Hearts Wide Open”! Now let’s consider some reasons...]

 

II. WHY SOME HAVE “RESTRICTED HEARTS”

 

A. IT MIGHT BE DUE TO “IGNORANCE”:

 

1. Some Christians may not have been give proper “follow-up”

 

2. Their follow-up may have been “unbalanced”

a. With an emphasis upon the externals

b. To the neglect of the internals

 

3. This cannot be our excuse any longer - 1 John 4:20-21 -  If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

 

B. IT MIGHT BE THE RESULT OF “SPIRITUAL AMNESIA”:

 

1. As Peter indicated in 2 Peter 1:9 - But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

 

2. Which occurs when we...

a. Forget God’s love for us in purging us from our sins - 2 Peter 1:9 - But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

b. Do not apply “all diligence” - 2 Peter 1:5 - And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; - 2 Peter 1:10 - Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

 

3. With the passing of time, we may simply forget how important love is in the mind of God - cf. 1 Corinthians 13:13 - And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

 

C. IT MIGHT BE WE HAVE “SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET”:

 

1. Some people refuse to get close to others for fear some hidden secret may became known

 

2. If we have such “skeletons in the closet”, we had better get rid of them!

a. For they will eventually become known - cf. Numbers 32:23 - But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

b. It may be now or later, but eventually it will come out - cf. 1 Timothy 5:24 - Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.

 

3. With skeletons removed, we won’t mind how well people know us

a. Besides, no one is perfect, and we can use the help brethren can give - Galatians 6:1-2 - Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

b. Of course, this requires that brethren be trustworthy and not gossip!

 

D. IT MIGHT BE WE HAVE A “FEAR OF GETTING HURT”:

 

1. Loving does involve the “risk of rejection”

 

2. Paul experienced rejection, not only at Corinth, but also at Rome - 2 Timothy 4:16 - At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

 

3. But the joy of true fellowship and love can more than make up for the few times some may reject us

a. The apostle John had experienced both love and rejection -cf. 3 John 1-4 - The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.  For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. - 3 John 9-11 - I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

b. But if he had never taken the risk of running into a “Diotrophes”, he would have never found a “Gaius”!

 

E. IT MIGHT BE THAT “TRUE CONVERSION HAS NOT TAKEN PLACE”:

 

1. As indicated before, brotherly love is an assurance of salvation; similarly, it is an indication of true conversion! - cf. 1 John 3:14-15 - We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

 

2. Unfortunately, some people simply go through the “form” of conversion

a. Conforming, not converted

b. Out of convenience, not conviction

 

-- When this happens, there is no “life” to begin with!

 

3. Those with “restricted hearts” might need to examine themselves

a. A process that all Christians should undergo periodically - 2 Corinthians 13:5 - Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

b. While there are reasons why true Christians may not love as they should (see above), we can’t discount the possibility that the problem may be more serious!

 

[Whatever the reason, there is really no excuse for having “restricted hearts”. What can be done to “open wide” our hearts? Here are some...]

 

III.SUGGESTIONS FOR HAVING “HEARTS WIDE OPEN”

 

A. LET GOD’S LOVE TEACH YOU:

 

1. This is what enabled the Thessalonians to excel in love - 1 Thessalonians 4:9 - But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

 

2. So take to contemplate upon God’s love for you!

a. As manifested through the blessings He has bestowed upon you

b. Especially the blessing of being His child! - 1 John 3:1 - Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

c. And the blessing of Jesus as our propitiation - 1 John 4:9-10 - In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

 

3. This will help motivate us to love as we ought - 1 John 4:11 - Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

 

B. NEVER BE CONTENT WITH THE PRESENT STATE OF YOUR LOVE:

 

1. Paul did not let the Thessalonians rest on their laurels - cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:10 - And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

 

2. The key idea is to “increase more and more”; or as Peter would say, “abound” - 2 Peter 1:8 - For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

3. So we need to look for more people and more ways to express our love

 

C. LOVE TAKES TIME, SO TAKE TIME TO LOVE:

 

1. Take advantage of opportunities to be with brethren

a. I.e., accept invitations

b. E.g., to people’s homes, potlucks, church services, gospel meetings, etc.

 

2. Make opportunities to be with brethren

a. I.e., offer invitations

b. E.g., practice hospitality - 1 Peter 4:8-9 - And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

 

CONCLUSION:

 

1. What is the condition of our hearts?

a. Are they “restricted”, suffering from “spiritual hardening of the arteries”?

1) Where the love of God is hindered from freely flowing?

2) By the “plaques” of ignorance, selfishness, hypocrisy?

b. Or are they “wide open”?

1) Where God’s love flows freely

2) Nourishing not only our own lives, but the lives of those around us!

-- May we all be “taught of God” to have “Hearts Wide Open”!

 

2. For those who may not yet be Christians:

a. Consider God’s love for you, which is wide open in Jesus Christ - John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

b. Why not open wide your love for God...by keeping His commandments? - cf. 1 John 5:3 - For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. - John 14:15 - If ye love me, keep my commandments.

 

Prayer: Mark 16:16 - And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned - Ephesians 6:23 - Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

 

This sermon is in the Public Domain - Free for all to use with the only requirement: That it never be used for profit.