Well, good morning. If you would open your Bibles with me to Jeremiah chapter 17, Jeremiah 17. We'll begin reading in verse five. Thus saith the Lord, cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land, and not inhabit it.

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, whose hope the Lord is. I love the way that he said that, not the one who's hoping in the Lord, but whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and it spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh. For her leaves shall be green, and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart. I try the reigns, even to give every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings. We'll end our reading there.

All right, let's all stand together as Shawn leads us in singing our call to worship.

Lamb of God, thou now art seated high upon thy father's throne. All thy gracious work completed, all thy mighty victory won. Every knee in heaven is bending to the Lamb for sinners slain. Every voice and harp is swelling, worthy is the Lamb to reign. Thou for us are interceding, everlasting is thy love. and a blessed rest preparing in our Father's house above. Soon thy saints shall rise to meet thee, with thee in thy kingdom reign, Thine the praise and Thine the glory, Lamb of God for sinners slain.

Okay, if you would now turn in your hymnals to song number 205, Once for All.

205. Free from the law, O happy condition, Jesus hath bled, and there is remission. Cursed by the law, and bruised by the fall, Grace hath redeemed us once for all. Once for all, O sinner, receive it. Once for all, O brother, believe it. Cling to the cross, the burden will fall. Christ hath redeemed us once for all. Now are we free, there's no condemnation. Jesus provides a perfect salvation. Come unto me, oh, hear His sweet call. Come and He saves us once for all. Once for all, O sinner, receive it. Once for all, O brother, believe it. Cling to the cross, the burden will fall. Christ hath redeemed us once for all. Children of God, O glorious calling. Surely His grace will keep us from falling. Passing from death to life at his call, blessed salvation once for all. Once for all, O sinner, receive it. Once for all, O brother, believe it. Cling to the cross, the burden will fall. Christ hath redeemed us once for all.

If you would turn your Bibles to the book of Acts, chapter 8. The pastors ask us to read verses 1 through 24.

And Saul was consenting unto death. And at that time, there was a great persecution against the church, which was at Jerusalem. and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house and hailing men and women committed them to prison. Therefore, they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits crying with loud voice came out of many that were possessed with them, and many taken with palsies, and that they were lame were healed. And there was a great joy in that city.

But there was a certain man called Simon, which before time in the same city used sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one, to whom they all gave heed from the least to the greatest, saying, this man is a great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of a long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

But when they believed Philip, preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, in the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also, and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

Now when the apostles, which were at Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost. For as yet he was fallen upon none of them, only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

And when Simon saw through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hath thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hath neither part nor lot in this matter, for thine heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.

Then answered Simon and said, pray ye to the Lord for me that none of these things which you have spoken come upon me.

Let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we're so thankful, Lord, for giving us this place in which we can come and worship. Give praise and glory to your wonderful, most beautiful name. Thank you, Lord, for such a blessing as this. We pray, Lord, that we might be among those in whom your mercies, the true mercies of your grace, has been bestowed upon. For we know, Lord, we know that only those mercies are given to those in whom you will have mercy. Lord, let us be among those in whom you have bestowed that mercy upon. And we pray also, Lord, that we might be among those in whom you have espoused as his bride, your church, those true members of his body. These are the things in which we pray, Lord. And we pray these things not only for ourselves, but we pray these things for if anybody here not know these things, or you have not yet called to this gospel, we pray that this day might be the day that we would grow in that number.

We pray also, Lord, for those in whom you have brought into these very, very difficult times. We have so many in the church. We have so many in our families that are suffering these afflictions of these fleshly bodies. We pray your blessings, Lord. We pray your grace, your healing powers of your grace be upon them. Help them, Lord, heal them from these things. All these things we ask and pray in that name, which is above every name, the name of our Lord and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. And amen.

Keep your Bibles open there to Acts chapter 8. That will be our text this morning. I've titled the message, Salvation is a Heartwork.

This story that Brother Gary just read to us has always kind of scared me, to be honest with you. And I don't want that for myself, and I don't want that for you. This story is only frightening to us If we find out that our faith is not genuine faith in Christ, if we find out that our religion is just for a show to men, but it's not heart worship of Christ, this is frightening if we're only interested in getting the blessings of God and we're not seeking the blessor himself. There's a big difference between seeking the blessings of God and seeking Christ. See what I'm saying? It's not frightening. The story will not be frightening to us if we're genuinely seeking Christ and seeking the forgiveness of our sins for Christ's sake. Not because of anything I've done, but all because of what Christ has done for his people. And this is a very, very serious subject. It is probably the greatest fear that I have. to someday find out that I've been a religious hypocrite. I don't want to be a religious hypocrite. I want to know Christ. I want to see Christ. I want that union with Christ our Savior.

But let's look here and see, beginning in verse 20, what is it that seems kind of frightening to us about this? In, well, verse 19, Simon said, give me also this power that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost, But Peter said unto him, thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

Now I'll tell you what's kind of frightening about this, is earlier we saw Peter knew the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira, didn't he? Now he knows the heart of Simon. Anybody that knows anything about your heart being desperately wicked, that's the last thing I want you to be able to see is my heart, my heart of flesh. It's kind of frightening to think about, isn't it?

But let's look back here and look at Simon's experience and see what led up to this point. You know, Saul and all his cohorts, you know, they stoned Stephen and now they persecuted the believers in Jerusalem. And their goal was to just stamp out this gospel. And all they did was cause it to spread all over the known world.

The believers left out of Jerusalem fleeing this persecution. And everywhere they went, they were preaching the word. And verse five says, then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and he preached Christ unto them. Here comes God's servant into town. The best day in the history of this town, God's servant came to town and he was preaching the word.

He was preaching Christ, the incarnate word. He was preaching Christ, the incarnate word from the written word. And we don't have his outline, but I know some of the things that he must have been preaching in that city if he's preaching He's preaching that salvation is all in Christ. It's all in Him. It's in who He is and what He's done for His people.

He's preaching that righteousness is the Lord Jesus Christ. Righteousness is not us keeping some laws. Righteousness is found in Christ. The forgiveness of our sin is found only in the blood of Christ. It's not in form and ceremony and whether or not you're related to Abraham. It's all in the Lord Jesus Christ.

It's not these ceremonies that you're so taken up with because we're not redeemed with corruptible things, silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ.

Philip must have preached to them that you're born separated from God, but sinners are reconciled to God by the blood of Christ. See, the blood of Christ took away the sin that made God angry. And God's reconciled. There's no reason for God to be angry with his people anymore because the blood of Christ took their sin away. And when that same blood is applied to the hearts of God's people in the new birth, we're reconciled to God, aren't we? We surrender, we submit to the righteousness of Christ, and we're reconciled to God. This reconciliation can only happen through the blood of Christ.

He preached how Christ, because of his substitutionary death for his people, like we looked at in the class this morning, saves his people in both mercy and justice. God does not give his people what they deserve, because he gave Christ our substitute, everything that we deserve because of our sin. And that justice and that salvation in Christ is sure and it's certain, because it's based upon the character of God. God must be just. He must punish sin. But he also must be merciful. He must be gracious. He must bestow his love upon someone because God is love. God is mercy. God is grace. And that's all accomplished through the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, through his obedience and his death for his people.

And that preaching was effectual to somebody. Now I know the flesh hates that message, but this preaching was effectual to somebody, verse six. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things, which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them, and many taken with palsies, they were paralyzed, they were lame, and they were all healed. And there was great joy in that city.

God's elect are pictured in these poor folks who are possessed with demons and these things. We're possessed with an evil spirit, the nature of Adam. We're possessed by it. We're controlled by it. We're spiritually paralyzed so that we cannot do anything pleasing to God. It's one of the things, and we're lame. We can't come to God. Not only will we not come to God, we cannot come to God. There is no point in ever telling any sinner, if you take the first step to God, he'll meet you the rest of the way, because we're paralyzed. We're lame. God's got to come all the way to us, or we'll never be saved. And all these people were set free from every spiritual disease. by hearing the word preached, by hearing Christ preached and believing on him.

Now, some were blessed. Some did have great joy in hearing the gospel, but some weren't, but some weren't. And it's a very solemn warning to everybody here this morning. I know everybody here. You hear the gospel. all of the time, over and over and over again. Here's a warning. Simply hearing the gospel is not salvation. Salvation is believing Christ from the heart. It's a heart work. The Holy Spirit must give us faith to believe, believe in Christ. You know, we must believe in order to be saved, but we can't believe. We can't, we cannot make ourselves believe the Holy Spirit has got to give us this gift of faith in Christ or we'll never believe, we'll never be saved.

Now, old Simon, he heard this preaching, this powerful, powerful preaching of Christ from the word. And it seemed like he believed. Look at verse nine. But there was a certain man called Simon. which before time in the same city used sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one, to whom they all gave heed from the least to the greatest, saying, this man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard because that of a long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, They were baptized, both men and women. They quit following Simon is what they're saying. And then verse 13, Simon himself believed also. And when he was baptized, he continued with Philip and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

Now here Simon, he heard the gospel and he seemed to be a believer. He seemed to be delivered from that false religion sorceries and the trickery and stuff that he'd been in before, he came to all the services. He was baptized. He hung around other believers and he seemed to be having fellowship with these other believers.

Now again, let me give you a warning. Water baptism has never saved anybody. Never saved anybody. Brother Henry said, if you're baptized, trying to be saved, all we're gonna have is a wet sinner. Baptism never saved anybody. Baptism is a confession of what's already taken place. Christ has saved me. And here, this is my confession. He saved me by his death. His death in my place. When he was buried, I was buried in him. He died and was buried for my sin. And he rose again because his sacrifice put my sin away. That's all of my hope of salvation. See, baptism is not salvation. It'll never save anybody, but sure is a good confession, isn't it? This is how Christ saved me.

And fellowshipping with other believers. Now that's just not necessarily a sign God saved somebody. I mean, fellowship with other believers is nice. We had a men's lunch Thursday. I just had such a good time. I came home so happy. It was such a good time. But that's not salvation. That's not salvation. Salvation is union with Christ. Salvation is being joined to Christ.

Simon, he even attended some Bible conferences, verse 14. And when the apostles were at Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them, Peter and John, who, when they were come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost. For as yet he was fallen upon none of them. Only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then laid they their hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles hands, the Holy Ghost was given, He offered them money saying, give me also this power that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

Now, Simon was at this Bible conference, but here's the problem. He was impressed with the miracles. He was impressed with the fleshly things going on. He wasn't impressed with Christ. He wasn't impressed with the preaching of Christ. He wasn't impressed with hearing the word preached. That's not why he was there. That's not the thing that got him so excited. It's what I said earlier. He was interested in the blessings, but not the blesser. He was interested all in the outward, not the inward. Simon was impressed. by what the fleshly thing that the apostles did by laying their hands on someone who received the Holy Ghost. He was impressed by that. And he wanted to impress other people. He wasn't impressed with Christ. He didn't want to try to do something to make other people impressed with Christ. He wanted to be able to do this trick, you know, so that he could impress other people.

And before we go on, you all know this, but just it ought to be said, I suppose, This thing of the laying on of hands. I'll quote Brother Henry again. He told somebody one time, us laying our empty hands on your empty head ain't going to do anybody any good. This laying on of hands and these miracles and signs, the apostles did these things, but those things died out with the apostles. The only one who could give this gift of laying on of hands and being able to do it were the apostles. And I guess they gave those gifts to certain people. But if the apostles gave me that gift, I couldn't lay my hands on you and give it to you. See what I'm saying? So those people, once all those people that knew the apostles died out, this gift died out too. Because we don't need it today. The Holy Spirit comes and gives the new birth today through the preaching of the word. We have the completed word of God that reveals Christ to us, so we don't need that miracle. We've got something so much simpler, let's just preach Christ. God's people will hear, they'll believe, the Holy Spirit will come to them.

But Simon wanted to be able to give this, you know, have this gift, you know, do these miracles. And Peter, now we come back to where we started, Peter's response in verse 20. He said unto him, thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee."

So here's what, here's where we're coming to. Salvation is a hard work. It's a hard work. This is what Peter is trying to remind Simon. Don't you remember? Don't you remember hearing the gospel preached? Don't you remember hearing Christ preach? Don't you remember hearing how we're not redeemed with corruptible things like silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, your money can't buy you salvation and your money can't buy you blessings from God either. It's a gift of God. He gives it to whom he will, when he will, And when he gives it, it's not for our glory, it's for his. If God gives us some of these gifts of preaching and praying and reading and these things, if God does make somebody rich so that they can give more in their offering and help spread the gospel, that's all done for the benefit of God's people. That's done for the benefit of the body of Christ, not for our glory. It's for his glory.

And Peter tells Simon, it's evident, your heart is not right with God. And I know that, I mean, I know the Lord gave Peter some special insight here, but it's obvious to anybody, isn't it? Because Simon, you're seeking fleshly things. You're not seeking Christ. You're not seeking spiritual things. And if the Lord does not give you a heart of faith, you're gonna perish in your sin. And look at Simon's response, verse 24. Then answered Simon and said, pray ye to the Lord for me that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. You notice how Simon said that? He said, pray that these things don't come upon me. Pray that I don't suffer like this. He didn't say, pray with me that the Lord forgive me.

It's like somebody saying, Well, I don't wanna go to hell. I mean, you know, and these soul winners say, well, you don't wanna go to hell, do you? You know, you better, you know, make this profession, say the sinner's prayer, you don't wanna go to hell, do you? If you ever find anybody that wants to go to hell, get them help. Something's mentally wrong with them. Of course I don't want to go to hell. But you know what I want even more than that? By God's grace, this is true. I wanna know Christ. I want to know Christ. I need to know Christ.

I don't come to Christ because I don't want to go to hell. I come to Christ because I'm seeking a savior for my sin. I come to Christ because I need righteousness. I come to Christ because I need forgiveness. I come to Christ because he is so glorious and he's so wonderful. See, somebody dared to preach the word to me. Somebody dared preach Christ to me and he is so wonderful. He is so glorious. This is what I've determined. I'm going to be at his feet, worshiping him and begging him for mercy, begging him to forgive my, my sin, begging him to have mercy and grace on my sorry soul. And if he doesn't, I get what I deserve. That's his choice. But if I'm going to perish, I'm going to perish at the feet of this glorious savior. This one who is all that I want. He's my heart's desire. I'm seeking him.

Simon didn't ask for forgiveness. He just said, don't let me go to hell. Well, was Simon ever forgiven? We don't know. We don't know. Scripture is completely silent. on the subject. He was forgiven if he ever sought mercy for Christ's sake. If he ever sought forgiveness for his sin because of the blood of Christ. But scripture is completely silent on the subject. And that gives us another good warning. Oh, we love God's grace, don't we? We preach God's grace. We depend upon the God of all grace. We depend upon his mercy. But brother, Don't take it for granted. Don't sit there and think, well, you know, God's so merciful, he's gonna be merciful to me. Maybe he will, maybe he won't. Don't say, oh, God's so gracious, why, he wouldn't ever send me to hell. Well, maybe he will, maybe he won't. God said, I'll be gracious to him, I will be gracious. I'll show mercy on him, I will show mercy. You cannot presume upon God's grace. But you sure can beg for it. You sure can beg for it.

All right, now I said all that to get to this point. Like I said earlier, one of my great, great fears is to ever find out that I would be a religious hypocrite. Simon's heart was not right with God. Well, what is a heart that's right with God? That's what I want to know. What is a heart that's right with God I want to know. I want you to know that, and I want me to know that. And we can know whether or not we have a heart that's right with God. And the way we find out is we go to the Word. First, look at Ezekiel chapter 36. A heart that's right with God is a heart that God gives. It's not a natural heart. It's not the heart that we were born with, a heart like Adam. It's a heart that God gives. to his people. Ezekiel 36 verse 24. For I will take you from among the heathen and gather you out of all countries and will bring you into your own land. Then while I sprinkle clean water upon you and you should be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols while I cleanse you, a new heart also will I give you. and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh, and I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statues, and you should keep my judgments and do them, and you should dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you should be my people, and I will be your God. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses."

Now, that's the new heart that we all need. We need a new heart. Because the heart that we're born with, it's the heart. It's the nature of Adam. That's the only nature our fathers had to pass on to us, was the sinful nature of Adam. And that heart, that nature, it's cold, it's hard, it's dead, it's just not moved by anything that's going on around us.

You know how it is to just have one heart and one nature, that nature of Adam. You hear the gospel preached and you're completely unaffected by it, completely unchanged. That heart is so hard, it's not even affected by our sin. We sin and it doesn't really bother us that much. We just go on.

But when God gives a new heart, that heart It's a heart of flesh. It's affected. It's affected by hearing the gospel of Christ. That heart believes Christ. That heart hears Christ preached and says, that's Him. That's Him. He's my hope. That's my righteousness. That's my Savior.

If you hear an idol preached, if you hear this other Jesus preached, that's not it. That's not giving me anything. But you hear Christ preached. Oh, your heart is moved, isn't it? Your affections, your emotions are moved. You hear the gospel of Christ preached. You hear about that substitute preached, and your heart says, oh, thank you. Oh, thank you, Lord, for your mercy and your grace. Lord, thank you for choosing me. Thank you for dying for me.

That heart, that nature is put into a body of flesh. That poor new man, I mean not poor, but he has to go around tied to this old man, tied to this old nature, fussing and fighting that civil war going on inside of every believer. God puts that new heart in you. And we don't have any choice but take him out into the world, do we?

We're out there in the world, and you know what you find out when you go out into the world? I'm just like him. I mean, that old nature is just like them. The only difference between me and them is God's distinguishing grace. That's the only difference. And you go out into the world, and your feet get dusty, you get the dust and the grime of this world on you, and you drag yourself in here to the worship service, and you hear Christ preached.

And that new heart rejoices, and you know what it does? It looks to Christ. it looks to Christ again. It comes to Christ again. You know, coming to Christ is not a one-time thing. We come again and again and again. I tell you how you know you've got the heart that God gives. When you hear the gospel preached, you look to Christ. And you're so refreshed and it just takes all the pressure off.

That heart is moved with love for Christ and need for Christ and belief in Christ. The only heart that's right with God is the heart that God gives. I can't produce it in myself. So what's left for us to do? Beg God. Lord, give me this heart. The Lord is only pleased with what he gives and what he provides. Then Lord, give me this heart. Give me a heart. I'll tell you the second thing. Look at Psalm 34. The second heart that's right with God, it's a broken heart. You've heard somebody say about a clock that's broken and doesn't tick, doesn't turn anymore. You say, well, at least a broken clock is right twice a day. A broken heart is right always. A broken heart is right always. The only thing that works right when it's broken is a heart.

Psalm 34, verse 18. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Now that word nigh, I looked that up, never have done that before, but I looked it up this week. It means more than being near. It does mean near, but it means more than that. It means to have a personal relationship with. to have a kinship with. The Lord has a personal relationship with everyone whose heart is broken over their sin. He has a personal relationship, because if your heart is broken, God's the one that broke it, isn't he? And this heart is broken over sin. You know, sometimes our heart can get broken because we got caught. Our heart can be broken because we've been punished. But this heart is broken because I've sinned against God. God who gave me life, God who is my creator, God who is my ruler, God who has never done anything but good toward me, and I've sinned against him. And it breaks my heart, it breaks my heart to think how I've sinned against God.

Do you know the Lord will forgive that person? Every time if your heart is broken over sin, the Lord will forgive you because he's near to you. He's near kin to you. He's going to forgive your sin because of the kinsman redeemer who's going to pay the debt for you. That's why he's going to forgive your sin. And if you look at second Samuel chapter 12, David wrote that because he learned it by experience. In 2 Samuel 12, we have the story of Nathan coming to David. He tells David a story about a rich man who had many sheep, and he took this one ewe lamb. This poor man had one ewe lamb, and he took it away from that poor man. And, of course, that's an allegory of David having Uriah killed, taking his wife Bathsheba. And after he tells him that story, look at David's reaction in verse 5. David's anger was greatly kindled against the man. And he said to Nathan, as the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die. And he shall restore the land fourfold, because he did this thing, because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, thou art the man.

You and I have never heard the gospel. until we hear this in our heart. You're the man. You're the sinner. Y'all know how I grew up. I cut my teeth on the gospel. I mean, I knew, I've known the gospel up here as long as I can remember. I didn't believe Christ, but I knew what the gospel says. And I always knew y'all are sinners. You all are totally depraved. I've known that as long as I've known anything. But when I heard the gospel, this is what I heard. Frank, you're the man. You are the sinner, and your sin is your fault. It's not Adam's fault. It's not the fault of your environment. You know, you wouldn't sin so much if you were put in a better environment. Frank, you're the man, and your sin is your fault. and it deserves God's eternal wrath.

Now look at David's response. David's response is different than Simon's response, verse 13. And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. I have sinned against David's brokenhearted. The Lord that chose David took him from keeping the sheep and set him on the throne of Israel, made him a great, King, gave him just all these riches and all this stuff, made him a great king, made him a great warrior.

And this is what has broken David's heart. After all of God's mercy and grace to me, I've sinned against the Lord. Yeah, I sinned against Uriah. Sure did. I sinned against Bathsheba. I sinned against Israel. Doing this to Israel as their king. But the real problem is this, I've sinned against the Lord. David's broken hearted, broken hearted.

And look what Nathan says to him immediately. And Nathan said unto David, the Lord also hath put away thy sin. Thou shalt not die. God's already put away your sin. You're not going to die because your kinsman redeemer has already died for you. Now, Christ hadn't come yet, he's the son of David, he hadn't come yet, but the Lord had already put away David's sin in the blood of the lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

God has put away your sin. He's forgiven your sin because the blood of Christ made it to not exist. Even the Father can't charge you with sin if the blood of Christ has covered it up. If the blood of Christ has washed it away and paid the debt, even the Father cannot charge you with sin. Of course he forgives you. There's nothing to charge you with.

And this is the same thing the Lord says through the gospel to everyone who's brokenhearted over their sin against God. You shall not die. You shall not die. The Lord has forgiven even this sin.

You know, beating somebody up with a rod of the law That won't break their heart. Probably just harden them, you know, harden them against you. Screaming and yelling at them and using psychology to try to make them feel bad about themselves. That won't break their heart.

You know how you can tell if you have a heart that's been broken over your sin? That when you hear the gospel of Christ, that you hear He loved you, even though you're unlovable, that He sent His Son to take the vileness of your sin away from you, and take it into his own body on the tree, and put it away by the horrible, horrible sacrifice. Not just the physical sufferings, but when he made his soul an offering to God. And he traded you your sin for his righteousness, so that you are accepted in the beloved.

Does that break your heart? It's the gospel of Christ, it's the love of Christ, it's the grace of God, it's the blood of Christ that continually breaks our heart. That's the heart that's been broken over sin. This beggar's gonna cry, Lord, then break my heart. Break my heart, break my heart with the sweet, precious gospel of Christ.

Then the third heart that's right with God, look at Psalm 51, is a clean heart. This is the psalm that David wrote after this experience with Bathsheba, after Nathan came to him and said, David, you're the man. And David said, I've sinned against God. Nathan said, Lord's forgiven even this sin, David. You won't die.

David says in Psalm 51, verse three, this is the heart that's broken over sin. I acknowledge my transgression. My sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight. that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and be clear when thou judgest. This sin deserves your wrath, and if you send me to hell for it, you're right. You're right. That's the heart that's broken over sin. So look at David's plea, verse 10. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. This is why I said earlier, God can only be pleased with what he does. with what he gives his people. Our natural heart can never please God. It's desperately wicked. Who can know it? It's an unclean thing. And God's holy. God cannot overlook sin. Even in his people, he set his love upon them. God cannot let us into his presence as we are in our sin. God can't sweep our sin under the rug and just pretend like it's not there because God's holy.

Well, how can this vile, guilty sinner ever be reconciled to God? How can God ever accept him? When God gives a clean heart. When he gives a new heart, a new nature in the new birth, that heart has been cleansed from all sin. That nature has been born, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the word of God. Every time anything is ever born, a child, an animal, a plant, a nature, it's always going to be just like the seed that begat it. Well, you and I were begat with, fleshly speaking, with corruptible seed. That's why we're all sinners. But that new heart has been conceived with incorruptible seed, the holy, sinless word of God, so that that new heart that God gives is clean, clean from all sin, and we can never make it unclean again. That's the kind of heart God promised to give Ezekiel. Remember what he said? He said, I'll cleanse you from all of your uncleanness. I can't clean up my act. I bet you've already learned that, too. I've learned this by experience. I cannot clean up my act. Only God can give me a clean heart. Then this beggar's prayer is, Lord, give me a clean heart. Just like David said, create in me a clean heart, oh God.

Then fourth, look at Deuteronomy chapter 30. The Lord is pleased with the heart that is right with God is a circumcised heart. Deuteronomy 30 verse six. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul that thou mayest live. Paul said in Romans two verse 29, that circumcision is that of the heart, the heart. This thing is salvation. It's a heart work. It's in the heart, in the spirit. It's not a fleshly thing. It's a supernatural thing and a circumcised heart. is when the Holy Spirit creates in us in the new birth a new heart where all flesh is cut away, where all hope in the flesh is cut away. So that all that's there in that new heart is trust for Christ, is love for Christ, is need for Christ, that we love Him with all of our heart and all of our soul. You and I cannot do that. That's part of the law of God that we cannot keep. We can't love the Lord our God with all of our heart, with all of our soul. We can't do it. But that new heart does. It's a heart that God circumcised so there's no flesh in it. It's only spirit. The Lord circumcised my heart. Cut away in me all hope in the flesh.

Now, care for what you ask for, because that's a painful thing, to cut away all hope in the flesh. You know, I think it's a very wise thing, and there's probably medical reasons for it and so forth. The boy baby's born, if they're going to circumcise it, they do it when it's just a few days old, so the poor kid don't remember it, you know, for the rest of his life. That's a painful thing. Mm. Mm-mm-mm. To have all hope in this flesh, in my doings, in something I think makes God happy with me, to have that cut away, that's a painful thing, isn't it? But there's no salvation without it. Lord, cut away all hope in the flesh in me. So all that's left is trust in Christ.

And then last, look at Hebrews chapter 10. The heart that's right with God is a true heart, a true heart. Hebrews 10 verse 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

A true heart is exactly what you think it is. It's the real McCoy. It's the real thing. And only God can give a true heart. A heart that truly believes on Christ. A heart that will not trust Christ. Truly trusting Christ and Christ alone.

A true heart will only dare come to God in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Pleading His obedience is my only righteousness. Pleading His blood is the only reason that you would accept me in your holy presence. I would never dare come to God in me or anything that I've done. It's only in Christ. That's a true heart.

And that heart will continue. If you have a true heart, if God's given you a true heart, that heart is going to continue trusting Christ until this flesh puts away. Now, will you stumble like Peter did? Like David did? Like Abraham did? Yeah, sure will. But even though I sin, even though I'm an embarrassment to myself and an embarrassment to my Savior so frequently, that new heart is going to keep trusting Christ no matter what.

That true heart can say with Peter, Lord, you know all things. You know I love you. It's a true heart, a heart that only God can give. And that new heart, that true heart, when it hears Christ preach from the Word, it'll be just like those people in Samaria. They're going to believe Him. They're going to cast all their hope on Christ alone. And that new heart is going to have joy in Christ. Joy. Everything else that brings us joy in this world is gonna fail us sooner or later, but not Christ. We'll have joy in Christ.

That new heart, just like the folks in Samaria there, is gonna receive the Holy Ghost. Now don't be confused by that word receive. It's not like, well, you got a choice whether I'm gonna receive the Holy Ghost or not. You know why you receive the Holy Ghost? He kicks in the door of your heart and comes in and takes up residence on the throne. Of course you receive him, of course you do. And he rules, and he reigns there. And you know what the Holy Ghost, when he comes in, takes up rule in your heart, you know what he does? He shows you Christ. And you see him, and you believe him. That's a true heart. And it's a heart that only God can give.

And I'll go back to what I said earlier. I really do think my greatest fear is to be found as a religious hypocrite, that my plea is, Lord, give me a true heart, a heart that truly believes Christ, that loves Christ, that hungers and thirsts after Christ. Give me that true heart. It's the only way my heart will ever be right with God.

All right, I hope that'll be a blessing to you. Let's bow together. Our Father, we thank you for this the time that You've given to us to look into Your Word. And Father, how we beg of You that You would give us a heart that's right with God. Deal with us, Father, in the heart. Give us a new heart. Cleanse us and wash us in the blood of Christ. Give us a heart that truly loves Christ and believes Him and clings to Him. Father, deal with us in the heart. Deal with us in mercy and grace in the heart. Break our stony heart, or we'll perish forever, and you'll be right to do it. But Father, instead of justice, we plead your mercy. We plead your grace. Would you be pleased to be gracious to us here? Father, it's in Christ's name. For his sake we pray, amen.

All right, Sean. Okay, if you would, turn in your hymnals to song number 275, and stand as we sing, I Belong to the King, 275.

I belong to the king.

I'm a child of his love. I shall dwell in his palace so fair. For he tells of its bliss in yon heaven above, And his children its splendor shall share.

I belong to the King, I'm a child of His love, and He never forsaketh His own. He will call me someday to his palace above. I shall dwell by his glorified throne. I belong to the King, and He loves me, I know, for His mercy and kindness so free. are unceasingly mine, wheresoever I go, and my refuge unfailing is He.

I belong to the King, I'm a child of His love, and He never forsaketh His own. He will call me someday to his palace above. I shall dwell by his glorified throne. I belong to the king and his promise is sure that we all shall be gathered at last. In His kingdom above, by life's waters so pure, when this life with its trials is passed, I belong to the King. I'm a child of His love and He never forsake His own. He will call me someday to His palace above. I shall dwell by his glorified throne.