"Heart Health" - May 22, 2011 Sermon

Scripture: John 14: 1-14

The Sermon:
If you are concerned about having heart trouble later in life…then you need to hear this. Mayo Clinic researchers have determined that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. This 20 year study tracked the breakfast habits of 2,100 people, beginning in adolescence. The goal was to determine the positive or negative effects of having or skipping breakfast.

What they discovered is somewhat frightening. Those who had a habit of skipping breakfast showed significantly higher levels of heart wrenching health statistics. Their waistlines were larger, their cholesterol was higher and their insulin levels were out of balance. Bottom line: their hearts were sick!

The Mayo Clinic is not the only one who is concerned about heart trouble…So is Jesus. In today’s Gospel text, Jesus gives us a clear command: "Let not your hearts be troubled." Of course, Jesus was not talking about cholesterol or insulin levels…He was talking about a different kind of heart trouble. He is talking about worry, fear, anxiety and stress. The kind of heart trouble that gives rise to a loss of hope, a lack of faith. Fear of uncertainty and panic attacks. I’m certain that most of us, if not all of us, has experienced a lack of peace at certain points in our lives. And it is clear that heart trouble, whether physical, emotional or spiritual is a major threat to our well-being as followers of Christ.

Thanks to the Mayo Clinic, we know that a bowl of cheerios will help our arteries. But what about our hearts of Faith, our worries and anxieties? Those gnawing fears that cause us to gnaw our fingernails. I ask you, honestly, is it even possible, as a follower of Christ, in this messed up world, to heed His command and have an untroubled heart?

According to Jesus, having an untroubled heart comes down to what we are FEEDING our heart. Just as what we feed our physical bodies affects our hearts, so too, what we feed on Spiritually affects our heart of Faith. Jesus gives us the key: Listen to vs. 1 again: "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me." He is telling us that the key to "heart health" is to believe in and feast on Him. What our hearts need to stay healthy is regular nourishment from Christ and an active life of following Christ.

At first glance, it seems too simple, but it’s true. Far too many people have spiritual heart problems because their lives do not involve regular consumption of Christ and no real exercise of their faith in Christ. As a result, they are unable to withstand the anxieties of life that arrive on a daily basis. People are starving for a sense of direction that comes only from Christ and His Word.

We too often skip the Spiritual meal in favor of an earthly meal for our solutions. So what do we need to do? We need to be connected to His Word and His promises that are found in Scripture. We need to believe in the power of His presence. In vs. 18, Christ makes a promise: "I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you." We need to believe that whole-heartedly!

Once your heart of Faith is fed regularly with Christ, you need to make sure that it is also exercised regularly, stretched and put to the test in a lifestyle of seeking Christ. In vs. 12, Christ says, "whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do, and greater works than these he will do."

According to the Center for Disease Control, 785,000 people suffer their first heart attack each year. Heart disease is the number one health issue…it’s the number one killer…better start your day with a nice breakfast. If the Mayo Clinic (and Mom) was right about breakfast… surely Christ is right about this. Start feeding your spiritual heart!

Amen.