Examining Your Heart Before the Cross | Dr. E. Dewey Smith Jr | Bible Study Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

Examining Your Heart Before the Cross

Dr. E. Dewey Smith Jr

The House of Hope Atlanta • Apr 1, 2026 • 81 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

In preparation for Holy Week and Good Friday, this teaching calls believers to step out of religious routine and examine the state of their hearts before God. By evaluating five dangerous heart conditions—a divided heart, an overconfident heart, an unaware heart, a compromising heart, and an unresponsive heart—we are challenged to move beyond surface-level church activity. True spiritual growth requires intentional self-examination, total surrender, and a genuine, transformed response to Jesus taking our place on the cross.

Themes

Spiritual Self-ExaminationHeart TransformationRepentance and SurrenderFaithfulness Under PressureCourageous Christian WitnessGratitude for God's Grace

Pastor's Points

1.

1. A Divided Heart (Judas)

2.

2. An Overconfident Heart (Peter)

3.

3. An Unaware Heart (The Disciples in Gethsemane)

4.

4. A Compromising Heart (Pontius Pilate)

5.

5. An Unresponsive Heart (Barabbas / Ungrateful Recipient)

Key Points

1.
A divided heart occurs when split loyalties cause a person to follow Jesus while attempting to hold onto personal control, money, or comfort.
2.
It is spiritually dangerous when the very blessings God provides begin to compete with or take the place of God Himself.
3.
You cannot claim to love God deeply while treating the people around you poorly.
4.
An overconfident heart relies on personal strength and spiritual pride rather than depending on God to stay faithful.
5.
Believers need God's daily sustaining grace to endure when fear and external pressure arise.
6.
An unaware heart is physically present but spiritually disengaged and unprepared for critical spiritual moments.
7.
Staying spiritually alert through prayer and watchfulness is essential to avoid falling when pressure comes.
8.
A compromising heart chooses public approval, personal safety, or comfort over moral conviction, truth, and standing against injustice.

Sermon Moments

“It's dangerous when you let what God gave you take God's place.”

“You cannot love God deeply and treat people poorly.”

“You don't know how weak you are until you need to be strong and you realize you don't even have enough strength.”

“Don't be so present physically that you're absent spiritually.”

“You don't fall in the moment of pressure; you fall because you weren't prepared before the pressure came.”

“Pontius Pilate had the power to do what was right, but not the courage to stand on it.”

“Barabbas was supposed to be on that cross, but Jesus took his place—and nowhere in scripture do you see Barabbas respond in gratitude.”

“Shouting and going through church routines is meaningless if your heart has not been changed by the cross.”

This Week

Spend intentional time each day this week examining your heart before God rather than relying on religious routines.

Identify any blessings, relationships, or ambitions in your life that compete with God for priority and surrender them back to Him.

Ask God daily for His sustaining grace, acknowledging that you cannot remain faithful in your own strength.

Practice spiritual alertness by eliminating distractions like phone screens to spend uninterrupted time in prayer.

Speak up courageously against mistreatment or injustice in your workplace or community instead of staying silent to preserve comfort.

Offer specific prayers of thanks to Jesus for taking your place on the cross and bearing your guilt.

Read through the Gospel accounts of Jesus's passion and crucifixion slowly and meditatively during Holy Week.

Remember This

Before approaching the cross during Holy Week, believers must examine their hearts and move from religious routine to total surrender, divine dependence, and courageous obedience.

A Challenge for You

Don't wait until Friday. Check your heart today. Spend intentional time with God each day, read the crucifixion story slowly, reflect honestly on your heart, and surrender something specific.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.