A. In many ways, a man's heart is like a treasury in which he keeps his most precious things.
1. The attitude of a man's heart determines what he values and considers important.
a. If he loves God, then his heart will highly esteem the things of God, such as love, holiness, and truth.
b. If he loves the world, then his heart will be given to the things of the world, such as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life (1John 2:15).
2. In this way, his heart becomes a treasury of values. It does not contain the actual objects of value, but it does contain the sense of values that motivates the man's actions and words.
B. In the next two lessons, we will consider the things that come out of the treasury of the heart, whether they are good or evil. Presently, let us study the outpouring of a good heart.
II. FROM A GOOD HEART COMES ONLY GOOD THINGS
A. The keynote passage for these two lessons comes from the Lord's sermon on the mount in Luke 6:43-45:
43"For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. 44For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. 45The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart."
1. The Lord's illustration in verses 43 and 44 demonstrates a simple truth, which is that the heart of a man is made evident by what he does.
a. God has taught us through creation that plants and trees yield seed and fruit after their own kind (Gen. 1:11-12). Never does one kind of fruit tree naturally yield fruit of a different kind. Therefore, the tree can always be identified by its fruit.
b. In the same way, a man with a good heart cannot yield anything other than that which is good. If a man yields anything that is evil, then it is an indication that something evil is present in his heart.
c. This concept is elementary and easy to grasp, but it is often overlooked or disregarded.
i. A man who does evil is sometimes excused by another who says, "Despite what he did, he really has a good heart." This excuse expects us to set aside the evidence and assume that the unseen condition of his heart is actually good.
ii. In truth, this man does not have a good heart, and his deeds are the proof. His heart is not right with God, and it will remain so unless he repents of his evil deeds.
2. In verse 45, the Lord focused specifically on the connection between a man's heart and his words.
a. A man's "mouth speaks from that which fills his heart." No man can say something intentionally without first thinking of the words in his heart. Moreover, a man is also held accountable for careless words that flow from his thoughtless heart (Matt. 12:36).
b. Even for those who say what is good or true in hypocrisy or pretense, they are speaking from the evil that fills their hearts. (Consider those described by Paul in Philippians 1:15-18.) Their deceitful hypocrisy may never be known to man, but God is "able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Heb. 4:12).
B. The truth of Luke 6:43-45 indicates that we must be certain to permit only good things to be treasured in our hearts.
1. The very best things are heavenly in nature, and we should treasure these above all else. Jesus explained this in Matthew 6:19-21:
19"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
2. A good treasure in the heart is established by thinking on good things. Consider these passages:
a. Philippians 4:8 -- Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
b. Colossians 3:1-2 -- Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
3. Not only should we think on good things, but we should also refrain from thinking on evil in any way that is favorable in order to maintain a good treasure in the heart.
a. We must think of evil in terms of understanding it, guarding against it, and refuting it, "so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes" (2Cor. 2:11).
b. However, we must not allow any desire for evil to take root in our hearts. We must "make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts" (Rom. 13:14).
III. THE FRUIT OF A GOOD HEART
A. With a good treasure secured in the heart, a good heart will bear fruit that is good.
1. A good heart is ready to receive even more good treasure from the good word of God and to bear good fruit. Jesus indicated this as He explained the parable of the sower, saying, "But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance" (Luke 8:15).
2. Specifically, the fruit that is borne by a good is described by Galatians 5:22-23, which says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
B. Foremost among the fruit that comes from a good heart is an abundance of love.
1. Love is the excellent and great way (1Cor. 12:31-13:13) that envelops the good heart and characterizes all that comes from within it.
2. It is the express purpose of the word of God to produce love from a good heart. Consider these passages:
a. 1Timothy 1:5 -- But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
b. 1Peter 1:22 -- Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.
C. As the Lord taught, a good heart will speak forth words that are good.
1. In our keynote passage, we noticed that Jesus said, "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart" (Luke 6:45).
2. The Lord repeated this wisdom in Matthew 12:34 when He spoke to the Pharisees, saying, "You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart."
3. Therefore, if we wish to speak that which is good, then we must fill our hearts with goodness. Furthermore, if we do fill our hearts with goodness, then our words will necessarily be good.
4. Thus, our speech is truly a matter of our hearts' conditions. Consider this when applying passages such as Ephesians 4:29 and 5:4 -- "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear...and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks."
IV. CONCLUSION
A. This lesson has taught us that personal goodness must proceed from the inside to the outside.
1. If we approach our religion as if it is a checklist of things to do and say, then we are bound for failure. Instead, our good conduct and speech must proceed from hearts that are filled with the goodness of God.
2. Indeed, faith in Christ is a matter of loving God with all our hearts, souls, and minds (Matt. 22:37).
B. This lesson has also taught us that the heart is like many other things: we get out of it what we put into it.
1. The heart is a treasury of values. Therefore, let us fill our hearts with the desire for those things that are truly good in the sight of God.
2. Then, from the good treasure of our hearts, let us bring forth that which is good in word and deed.
