Pure Within, Peace Without
Nick Johnson
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. — Ezekiel 36:26
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. — Proverbs 4:23
• To be given a new heart is to be given over to the slow, sure work of sanctification.
• One Day We Will See The Object Of Our Affection.
• Go in love.
• Go in love, and bring Scripture.
Discussion Questions
1. The sermon describes the heart as the "workshop" of the whole person — the place where thought, will, and feeling converge. What does it look like practically for you to "keep your heart with all vigilance" (Proverbs 4:23) in your day-to-day life?
2. God promises in Ezekiel 36:26 to replace a heart of stone with a heart of flesh — and the sermon describes this as being "given over to the slow, sure work of sanctification." Where do you currently see evidence of that slow, sure work happening in your own life?
3. The message draws a sharp distinction between a peacekeeper (who manages the surface to avoid conflict) and a peacemaker (who steps into the source of conflict to bring real reconciliation). Which posture do you tend toward, and what makes the peacemaker's role feel risky?
4. The sermon challenges us to lovingly correct one another — going in love and bringing Scripture. Is there a relationship in your life where you've been keeping the peace rather than making it? What would it look like to take a step toward genuine restoration?
5. The closing thought asks: "Who do you look like now — the father of lies, or the Father of lights?" As you examine your daily obedience, what does your life reveal about who you are serving — and what would it look like to press further into Christ as your Master?