"Journey of Stones: Hearts of Stone” | Rev. Roberto Chaple

The Problem Jesus Exposed

During a meal with a Pharisee, Jesus confronted the religious leaders about their hearts.

They were careful about religious rules but ignored what mattered most: justice, love, and humility (Luke 11:37–52).

Jesus exposed a dangerous spiritual condition:

A person can look religious on the outside while being hardened on the inside.

Signs of a Heart of Stone

Pastor Roberto highlights several symptoms Jesus addressed:

• Image without integrity — looking spiritual while hiding corruption

• Passion without compassion — arguing doctrine but neglecting love

• Platform without humility — seeking recognition instead of service

• Rules without relationship — making faith heavy instead of life-giving

• Tradition without obedience — honoring the past but resisting God today

A heart of stone appears whenever religion replaces relationship.

God’s Promise for a New Heart

God does not leave us stuck with hardened hearts.

Ezekiel 11:19 promises:

“I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.”

Transformation begins when we allow God to examine our hearts.

Even a small opening is enough.

“All it takes is a tiny crack in a hardened heart for the Holy Spirit to go to work.”

A Prayer for the Heart

David prayed:

Psalm 51:10
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

The most important spiritual journey is the one from the head to the heart.

Today God invites us to let Him soften what has grown hard.

---

Listen to and subscribe to the audio-only podcast with your favorite podcasting app below.

---

Your giving is an act of worship. Your giving supports the mission and ministry of New Hope. We are changing lives, renewing the church, and transforming communities, here and abroad.

---

More Sermons in this Series

---

Other Sermons from Pastor Roberto