Start with the Heart

Ezra 7:10

In Disney’s recent hit movie Frozen, the grandfather troll named Pabbie was sought out by the king and queen of Arrendale because he had the ability to cure their youngest daughter, Anna from her sister Elsa’s accidental magic strike to the head. The troll was relieved when he found out it was the head and not the heart, as he gives his line “the heart is not so easily changed, but the head can be persuaded.” Have you ever tried to accomplish something when your heart is not in it? It seems there is something to this idea, as we even know from Scripture that the heart plays a great deal in accomplishing great things for God. This morning our Scripture for the lesson comes from Ezra 7:10. It reads “For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.” Before we get into the meat of the lesson, let’s examine some background.

Ezra led the second wave of captives back to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity, which would have been in 458 B.C. The purpose of his return was to restore God’s law in the hearts of the people. It is documented that “he was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses” (Ezra 7:6). He was also a priest who was “learned in the words of the commandments of the Lord and His statutes to Israel” (Ezra 7:11). They had been in captivity all these years and someone needed to get them back on track with God’s law. Ezra was the man to do it, but this was not going to be an easy task. He knew what had to be done, as we have seen in Ezra 7:10. Before Ezra could study, practice and teach the law, he was going to have to set his heart. Essentially, this means that Ezra was securely determining in his heart that he was going to do this. Using what Ezra did in this verse, let’s also make some application for our lives as Christians.

Set Your Heart to Study God’s Word

Ezra set his heart to study God’s law. The Law of Moses is what is being referred to here. This is what Ezra did; it was his profession. He would have read, studied and meditated upon God’s law. He would have written it as a scribe. He knew the law. For us to study the Bible we must start with the heart. The Psalmist starts out saying “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water” (Ps. 1:1-3). Somebody can be firmly grounded in the Word if they delight in it and meditate on it. The Psalmist also said “O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day” (Ps. 119:97). If you have love for the Word of God, you’ll be more likely to meditate on it. Not only should you have love for the Word, but also understand that when we study we gain God’s approval (2 Tim. 2:15). How bad do you want God’s approval? If your heart is in the right place you’ll be motivated to study to show yourself approved to God. We should also want to study so that we can make a defense for what we believe (1 Pet. 3:15). If we don’t study the Bible, how are we going to be able to make a defense? You can’t defend what you don’t know.

Set Your Heart to Practice God’s Word

Ezra set his heart to practice God’s law. His emphasis was restoring God’s law in the hearts of the people. If he was going to be successful at this, he was going to have to show them his example. They would need to see him living what he taught. Practice what you preach is a phrase we hear a lot. This starts with the heart. Determination precedes implementation. One of the purposes of studying the Bible is to be able to live it. The Psalmist said “Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee” (Ps. 119:11). Somebody who wants to put into practice what they read in God’s Word is going to have to put it in their heart first. Peter says that the Lord has given us the knowledge of everything pertaining to life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3). There is the expectation from God that we are going to live what we learn in His Word. James goes on to say that we are to be doers of the Word and not just hearers (Jas. 2:22). Don’t delude yourself by refusing to do what you read in God’s Word. Jesus said “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Mt. 5:16). If you are not living like a Christian, you haven’t turned your light on; you’re walking around in the dark.

Set Your Heart to Teach God’s Word

Ezra set his heart to teach God’s statutes and ordinances in Israel. Notice even what the Persian King Artaxerxes told him regarding this: “...appoint magistrates and judges that they may judge all the people who are in the province beyond the River, even all those who know the laws of your God; and you may teach anyone who is ignorant of them. And whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment” (Ezra 7:25-26). The king viewed Ezra’s teaching of God’s law as serious business, especially of those who would be ignorant of it. Do we view teaching God’s Word with the same seriousness?

For us to teach others, we must start with the heart. Think about some ways we can teach. First, we can teach others the Gospel. Last week I preached on the Gerasene demoniac, which included what Jesus told him to do after he had been healed: “’Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you...’” (Mk. 5:19). That’s what evangelism is; going to others and telling them what great things God has done for you. The Gospel is good news, as Christ has delivered us from our sins, and we are supposed to be teaching others who need this news. Second, we can teach our children at home. When you look at Moses recounting the Law that was given to him, he gives some instructions about how important it was to teach their children. He said “’And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deut. 6:6-9). Moses knew that God wanted continual instruction to take place in the home. This responsibility was not to be taken lightly. Notice that Moses prefaced this with the heart, as the law on their hearts preceded the teaching. Third, we can teach the Bible in a class setting. Some of you are teachers here at North View. Rex Henson is about to complete a teacher certification class. In order for you to teach, you have to complete this class. This is one way the elders know who they’re putting in the classroom to teach God’s Word. James says this is not for everyone: “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment” (Jas. 3:1).

Jesus stated there are no greater commands than these: “’...love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength... love your neighbor as yourself’” (Mk. 12:30-31). Ezra gives us a great example of what the greatest commands are all about: “For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). Do you want to be a good Bible student? Do you want to live by the Bible? Do you want to teach the Bible to others? Start with the heart as evidenced in the life of Ezra. Set your heart to do these things.