Overview
To open our heart to God means to bring the innermost part of us — where believing, trust and our moral compass live — honestly before Him so His light can shine into every crevice of it. In this teaching, Rev. Rico Magnelli walks through Luke 24, Acts 16, Ephesians 1 and 2 Corinthians 4 to show what happens when that light gets in. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus were sad, dull and heavy of heart until Jesus opened the scriptures to them and their heart burned within them. Prayer, honesty and reflection are the practical means by which we keep opening that door.
Transcript
Why God Focuses on the Heart of Man
Please turn to Luke 24, Luke chapter 24. Open our heart. God focuses on the heart of man as he looks on the life of each individual.
He is the searcher of hearts. Now the heart is like a figurative womb for treasured thoughts that incubate and develop. The heart is that fallowed ground to plant ideas and concepts to be watered.
It’s the inner part of man’s mind where believing comes from, where the true life of God issues from, where trust in God resides. The heart is where our ethical and moral compass is calibrated. And the heart is the sanctified place of peace where we commune with our heavenly father and his light shines bright.
That’s why we want to open our heart to God always, because there will always be a benefit to us and always produce positive results. Prayer is a practical means for us to open our hearts. The key is being honest with him, very honest with him.
What Opening Our Heart to God Actually Does
One of the great benefits to opening our heart to God is it allows that spiritual light to enter every crevice, every nook and cranny of our heart. And that light reveals the truth of matters that surround us. As a result, our minds are sharper, our thinking is clearer.
Now, in contrast, if circumstances become the chief topic of our conversation, our hearts can become dull and heavy. But there’s a remedy. Introducing the light of Christ in our hearts releases us from this dullness and this heaviness of heart.
Circumstances may or may not change immediately, but what will change is our understanding of the circumstances in the light of God’s salvation power and deliverance in Christ. And we want to see this first here in Luke chapter 24, after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and pick it up in verse 13 of Luke 24. And behold, two of them, disciples, went the same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about three score furlongs.
The Road to Emmaus: Two Disciples Walking in Sadness
That’s somewhere around seven miles. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. The things regarding Jesus Christ, his trial, his crucifixion, all these different things.
And it came to pass that while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. What a unique, astounding situation. Jesus here is in his resurrected body, but their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
And he, Jesus, said unto them, what manner of communications are these that you have one to another as you walk and are exuberant, rejoicing, jumping up and down, having a great day? No, it says sad. It says sad. So the communication here is resulting in sadness.
And this sadness is to be sullen or downcast. When the most significant victory had just been won, this is what they’re concerning themselves with. And we’ll see why.
What the Disciples Told the Stranger on the Road
And one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering, said unto him, art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which have come to pass in these days? And he said unto them, what things? And they said unto him concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and have crucified him. But we trusted that he, that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel. And besides all this, today is the third day since these things were done.
Their anticipation was that Jesus would in some way restore the kingdom to Israel, that Jesus would be that military messiah, if you will. It’s so interesting how Jesus handles this. And they continue, yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre.
And when they found not his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre and found it even as the women had said, but him they saw not. So this is the point where Jesus starts redirecting things.
What Jesus Meant by O Fools and Slow of Heart
Then he, Jesus said unto them, O fools. And this word fools means unreflecting individual. It’s individual that’s not reflective, meaning this person is not stopping and considering the word.
And we’re going to see that it’s more than just a mental thinking about the word. It’s actually to sow it within one’s heart, that innermost part of man and his considerations and reasonings. O fools or unreflecting.
What’s this? And slow of what? Heart. Slow means dull or heavy of heart. That’s not what God wants for his people.
Jesus was very heavy when he knew of his impending suffering, but we are not supposed to mimic that. The word says that we are to rejoice. And again, I say rejoice.
Suffering and Glory: The Crucifixion and the Resurrection Together
How can this be when surrounded by so much confusion? It’s because we must reflect in our heart, open our heart to the accomplished work of Christ. Slow and dull and heavy of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory? The suffering was the crucifixion, the glory, the resurrection.
When we put those two realities together, we have the power of God in Christ Jesus. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning who? Himself. What does Jesus talk about? His accomplished work.
And he shows them the scripture in his resurrected body. They’re looking at the first individual that has crossed into eternity, a human individual. He now has his eternal body.
Their Eyes Were Opened at the Breaking of Bread
And what does Jesus bring their attention to? The scriptures concerning himself. So we’re going to see sadness, dullness, and heaviness of heart turn into exuberance. And they drew nigh unto the village whither they went, and he made as though he would have gone further.
But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread and blessed it, and break, and gave to them.
And their eyes were opened. Eyes are not physical here. Eyes at times in the word of God are referencing understanding, spiritual understanding.
It actually happens in the heart of man. We’re open. And they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight.
Did Not Our Heart Burn Within Us?
And this is their response, from being sad, and dull, and heavy of heart. And they said one to one another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures. The word burn means to light, to kindle.
There was a fire, a light within their heart, that seed of their personal life, the place where they really reflect on things that are important to them. That’s where the light went. The light didn’t go to their big toe, or their hand.
It went to their heart. I tell you, until you get to people’s heart, you haven’t got to people. Some people say, you got to get to people’s pocketbook.
I don’t believe that at all. That’s nothing to do with money. You don’t get to people until you get to their heart.
Then you get to them. Jesus got to their heart. And it lit it up, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures.
Why Jesus Pointed Them to the Word and Not the Circumstances
Amazing. See, they were focused on what was around them. They weren’t reflecting on the word that pertained to Christ.
Jesus, at this point, did not bring attention to the gift of Holy Spirit. The gift was not yet offered. But at this point, right after his resurrection, he’s emphasizing here the word, for them to reflect in their heart.
And the light came. Jesus was teaching. God opened their heart.
Keeping Our Hearts With All Diligence
Look at Acts 16, please. Many people are immersed in that which is around them. But we can’t allow the things that surround us to enter into our heart.
We must keep our hearts with all diligence, because that’s the place from whence we believe. That’s where the true life of God issues from. That’s where trust in God resides.
That’s where our ethical and moral compass is calibrated. That is the place that is sanctified, and where we have peace with God, where we commune with him, where his light shines. It’s in our heart, not in our head, meaning just our peripheral thoughts.
But what do we actually incubate? What do we water in the garden of our soul? That’s our heart. Acts 16. We mentioned that prayer can be very helpful in opening our hearts.
Lydia in Acts 16: Whose Heart the Lord Opened
Absolutely. Acts 16, verse 13. And on the Sabbath, we, talking about Paul and Luke and others here, went out of the city by a riverside where prayer was wont to be made.
So they went to where people were praying. And we sat down and spake unto the women which resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshiped God, heard us.
So she heard the word. She worshiped God. And now she’s going to enter into a relationship with the Lord, whose heart the Lord opened.
Fantastic. That she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized in her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there.
And she constrained us. What an amazing situation. But you see how prayer paved the way.
Opening Our Hearts to God in Daily Prayer
We want to open our hearts to God daily, whether it’s for a few minutes or a longer period of time. And when we pray, we want to open our hearts to Him, not just rehearse rote statements, but open our heart to Him honestly. Prayer set the stage here.
Look at Ephesians chapter 1. The heart is like the womb. There’s a treasure within that needs to be incubated and developed. Those are our thoughts.
It’s that fallow ground where we plant ideas and concepts that need to be watered. It’s where we commune with God, with the light of God. That’s where these great understandings happen in our life, in our heart.
Ephesians 1: The Eyes of Your Heart Being Enlightened
Our most treasured portion of our thought life should be our heart. Ephesians chapter 1, verse 16. Cease not to give thanks for you, verse 16, making mention of you in my prayers.
So this is a prayer here. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. The eyes of your understanding.
And the Greek text actually is the eyes of your heart. The eyes of your heart being enlightened. Light inside the deepest parts of your deepest thoughts.
No more darkness in there. Light. That’s opening up our heart.
That you may know what is the hope of His calling, what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us who believe according to the working of His mighty power. See, we have access to that power.
2 Corinthians 4: Light That Dispels Fear and Darkness
And that power is needed to overcome the overwhelming circumstances at times with which we are surrounded. We cannot do it alone. We need Him.
Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 4. And what He will provide to you and to me if we open our heart to Him. He will provide light. And it will dispel the darkness.
Any fear, any anxiety, any apprehension in the deep thoughts of your heart. It will burn it to a crisp. Actually, we never need to be afraid for the rest of our life.
Ever. Why? Because the crucifixion has taken place and the resurrection has taken place. And there isn’t any power in this world or that which is to come that can countermand that.
Nothing. People may say a lot of words. People may say a lot of things.
But they mean nothing compared to the crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ. 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 4. In whom the God of this world or this age hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light. What does He want to hold back? The light of the glorious gospel of Christ or that pertains to Christ whose the image of God should shine unto them.
Light in the Heart Is Not an Intellectual Exercise
Where is this light shown? It’s shown in the heart of man. It’s not an intellectual exercise. It’s not an academic exercise.
It doesn’t matter how many figures of speech you know. It doesn’t matter if you know Greek and Hebrew. It doesn’t make a difference.
It’s the light of God in Christ Jesus that shines in the heart of a man or a woman or a young person. Because they’ve opened their heart to God and God just opens the eyes of their understanding. Floods their heart with light.
We Preach Not Ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord
For we preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord, verse 5, and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. We take on the responsibility and the privilege of our Lord Jesus Christ as He ministered among people. We follow that pattern.
That’s right. That’s what Paul did and that’s what countless people down through the ages have done. Doesn’t matter their background.
Doesn’t matter what country they came from. It doesn’t matter what they look like. That’s nothing to do with it.
Treasure in Earthen Vessels and the Surpassing Power of God
It has to do with the heart of an individual to respond to Him. Look for God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness has shined where? That’s where He shines in our hearts. What can we do with this? Well, why don’t we consider and reflect so our heart becomes enlarged, our capacity to receive that light increases.
You can start with prayer. Every time you open your heart, your mouth to pray, pray with your heart, not with your head. Don’t worry about what other people think.
Don’t worry about it. Pray from your heart for God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. He is the face of the glory of God.
That’s right. And that’s who we’re going to see at the return of Christ. That’s the first thing we will see.
The glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels. Sure, we’re all body, soul, and spirit people.
If the Lord tarries, each one of us will fall asleep at some point. But we don’t rely on this earthen vessel. It says that the excellency, that means the surpassing power may be of God and not of us.
Troubled on Every Side, Yet Not Distressed
When the light shines in an individual, they no longer rely on their own ability. They no longer rely on their own power. They no longer rely on their own knowledge or who they know or who they don’t know.
They don’t even rely on what they look like, what they have in the bank. They don’t rely on any of that. They rely on the power of God.
That’s when the light’s in there. And you know what it does for you? That surpassing power, it allows us to overcome. Just like our two examples on the road to Emmaus.
They overcame their sadness and their heaviness when the light of Christ got into their hearts. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. Why are we not distressed? Because we rely on the power of God.
We are perplexed, but not in despair. Why are we not in despair? Because we rely on the power of God. And the light of God in our heart shows us this.
We are persecuted, but not forsaken. We’re cast down, but not destroyed. Why? Because we rely on the power of God.
Making Opening Your Heart a Consistent Practice
See, someone can teach the word, but it takes the individual to decide to open their heart. And I would make that a consistent practice, opening your heart to the Father, whatever that means to you. But what it will result in is light, light, where you will see in the depth of your being that the power of Christ actually is in you.
And you no longer need to be afraid of anything or anyone, no one, no person that walks this earth is more powerful than Jesus Christ, and Christ is in you. So I recommend we open our hearts to God. And a great way to do it is prayer, a great way to do it.
And reflecting, meditating on those things that God has revealed unto us, and not allow these surroundings, the circumstances to creep their way into our heart. When we start watering that in the garden of our soul, where we incubate and develop those treasured thoughts is our heart. It’s the inner part of man from whence we believe.
It’s where true life of God issues from. It’s where we trust in God. That’s where it resides, in the heart.
It’s not a mental exercise. It is where our ethical and moral compass is calibrated. It’s that sanctified place of peace.
The Heart Is Where We Commune With the Father
We can be surrounded by total confusion, but we have peace in our heart because that’s where we commune with our Heavenly Father. And he lights up our heart with his word. So opening our heart always benefits us and produces positive results.
And prayer is a practical means for us to open our hearts. It’s not a rote exercise. It’s to open our hearts to God.
And the key is being honest with him. And the benefits are a great and powerful walk in Christ Jesus.
Key Takeaways
- The heart is the inner part of man where believing comes from, where trust in God resides, and where our ethical and moral compass is calibrated.
- When circumstances become the chief topic of our conversation, our hearts become dull and heavy; the light of Christ is the remedy.
- On the road to Emmaus, Jesus did not change the circumstances — He opened the scriptures concerning Himself, and their hearts burned within them.
- Lydia’s heart was opened by the Lord in a place where prayer was made — prayer paves the way.
- The eyes of your heart being enlightened (Ephesians 1) means light inside the deepest parts of your deepest thoughts.
- Because we rely on the power of God and not on this earthen vessel, we can be troubled on every side yet not distressed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to open your heart to God?
It means bringing the innermost part of you honestly before God — not your peripheral thoughts, but the place where believing comes from, where trust in God resides, and where your ethical and moral compass is calibrated. Opening your heart lets God’s spiritual light enter every crevice, every nook and cranny, so the truth of the matters surrounding you is revealed, your mind is sharper and your thinking is clearer.
Why were the disciples on the road to Emmaus sad and slow of heart?
They were focused on what was around them rather than reflecting on the word that pertained to Christ. They had trusted that Jesus would redeem Israel as a military messiah, so His crucifixion left them sullen and downcast. Jesus called them unreflecting and slow of heart, then beginning at Moses and all the prophets He expounded the scriptures concerning Himself — and their sadness turned to exuberance.
How does prayer help us open our hearts to God?
Prayer is a practical means for us to open our hearts, and the key is being honest with Him. It is not a rote exercise or a rehearsal of rote statements — we pray with the heart, not with the head, and we do not worry about what other people think. In Acts 16, Paul and Luke went to a riverside where prayer was made, and there the Lord opened Lydia’s heart.
Scripture References
Luke 24:13-32; Acts 16:13-15; Ephesians 1:16-19; 2 Corinthians 4:4-9
