Sermon – Beatitude #6 – Pure In Heart

  • We’ve made it to week 6 of our Beatitude study; and our verse is Matthew 5:8 (NLT), which reads, “God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.”

  • This fits in and flows with and through the others we’ve touched on already:
    • Those who have seen their sinful state – the poor in spirit
    • Those who have mourned over their sins
    • Those who have humbled themselves
    • Those who have hungered and thirsted for what only God can provide
    • Those who have given and received mercy

  • These are the people that will be “pure in heart,” and as we continue over the next two weeks:
    • These will be the same people that will work for peace
    • These will be the same people that are persecuted for righteousness’ sake

  • The Greek word that we get ‘heart’ from is “kardia,” and while it can mean our physical heart; it can also apply to our innermost being – the seat of feeling, impulse, affection, desire, and intellect.

  • It is the core of who we are – at the center, it’s what we really care about … it’s the nitty gritty … no holds-barred … unvarnished truth … this is what the Lord looks at … this is what’s important to Him … not our looks, cars, clothes, wealth … what matters is the condition of our hearts

  • 1st Samuel 16:7b (NLT) … The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them.  People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

  • When people judge by appearance, they may overlook quality individuals who lack the physical qualities society currently admires.  Appearance doesn’t reveal what people are really like or what their true value is.  God judges by faith and character, not appearances.  And because only God can see on the inside, only He can accurately judge people.  Many people spend hours each week maintaining their outward appearance; they should do even more to develop their inner character.  While everyone can see your face, only you and God how what your heart really looks like.

  • What are you doing to improve your heart, (spiritually)?

  • Matthew 6:21 (NLT) … Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

  • Jesus was clear that having the wrong treasures leads to our hearts being in the wrong place.  What we treasure controls us, whether we admit it or not.  If “stuff” becomes too important, we must re-establish control. 

  • Where are your treasures stored?  Is there anything in your life that takes God from His rightful place as #1 in your life – even for a short time?  Are you spending enough time with Him; both alone and with your church family?  Are you serving Him?  Are you giving Him?  When you must choose between God / Jesus / Spirit / Bible / Prayer / Church or something else, what do you choose? … I implore you to choose the eternal over the temporal.
  • Matthew 12:34-35 (NLT) … You brood of snakes!  How could evil men like you speak what is good and right?  For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.  A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.  And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgement day for every idle word you speak.

  • Jesus reminds us that what we say reveals what is in our heart.  What kinds of words come from your mouth?  This is an indication of what is in your heart.  You can’t solve your heart problem just by cleaning up your speech.  You must allow the Holy Spirit to fill you with new attitudes and motives; then your speech will be cleansed at its source.

  • The Greek word used here (“katharos”) can mean clean – pure – unsoiled – clean from guilt – guiltless – innocent – sincere – upright – virtuous – void of evil – clean ceremonially and morally.

  • When you think of someone that is “pure,” you might think of someone that has no deceit or malice in them … someone that is wholesome or has good morals … someone innocent … maybe someone that is a little naive or unaware of how certain things in the world work.

  • When talking about pure food and drink … we want our water to be bottled at the source of a pure mountain spring … we want nothing artificial … no dyes … no preservatives … everything organic … (side thought – cleaners are made with real lemons; and food/drink are made with artificial ones)

  • Even if someone looks pure on the outside – and we may know them – we may be them – we may have been them … we still need to be pure on the inside … far above just looking the part, we must be it.  We can’t be counterfeit.  We can’t be fake.  We must be the genuine article.

  • This has been a problem forever – in Jesus’ day – in ours.  Hearts are contaminated by sins that nobody else sees.  They can give us the impression of purity, but deep down, we are filthy.  We may look the part, but that’s as far as it goes. 

  • Matthew 23:27-28 (NLT) … What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees.  Hypocrites!  For you are like whitewashed tombs – beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity.  Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.

  • The standards of citizenship in the Kingdom of God are extremely high.  External, outward, human righteousness might lead people to think you are pure / holy / righteous / a “good Christian,” but that won’t cut it with God who sees the heart. 

  • The OT contains things that people had to do to be ceremonially clean. Sadly, too many, on the external things and not the internal.  (see Jesus’ teachings on lust=adultery and hate=murder)
  • God says there has to be an internal work, not only of what we do, but of who we are. 
  • John 3:3 says that unless we are born again, we cannot see the Kingdom of God.

  • Romans 10:9-10 (NLT) … If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

  • We are told that those who are pure in heart – those who are saved – will see God.  Jesus was talking to Jewish audience – and it might be safe to assume that some of them would be aware of Exodus 33:20, where God told Moses that he couldn’t see Him and live.

  • When we get saved, do we “see” God.  No, we don’t … (Heaven, that could be another thing.)

  • The Greek word (“horao”) that is translated as “see,” can also mean to look – to visit – to mark – to observe – to be admitted to witness – to be admitted into the more immediate presence of God – to attain a true knowledge of God – to take care – to appear – to reveal or present one’s self

  • Just like in “Amazing Grace,” … I once was BLIND, but now I SEE … When someone is made pure – when they get saved – they are brought into the presence of God, spiritually speaking, and know Him as their God … not some vague concept … but a personal God … our eyes are opened to see the truth of our sinfulness; and that we need a savior … Being made “Pure in Heart,” is the start, not the end; as Christians are to grow, learn, mature, and become more and more like Jesus.

  • Colossians 3:10 (NLT) … Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him.

  • Every Christian is a work in progress.  The more we know of Christ and His work, the more we are being changed to be like Him.  Because this process is lifelong, we must never stop learning and obeying.  There is no justification for drifting along, but there is an incentive to find the rich treasures of growing in Him.  It takes practice, ongoing review, patience, and concentration to keep in line with His will.

  • 2nd Corinthians 3:18 (NLT) … So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord.  And the Lord – who is the Spirit – makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image.

  • The glory the Spirit imparts to the believer is more excellent and last longer than the glory that Moses experienced.  By gazing at the nature of God with unveiled minds, we can be more like Him.  In the Gospel, we see the truth about Christ, and it transforms us morally as we understand and apply it.  Through learning about Christ’s life, we can understand how wonderful God is and what He is really like.  As our knowledge deepens, the Holy spirit helps us to change.  Becoming Christlike is a progressive experience.  The more closely we follow Christ, the more we will be like Him.

  • Just like the Beatitudes flow into and from each other; as we are given a new heart – as we are being purified and pruned, we need to mindful of Galatians 5:22-25 … But the Holy Spirit produces this king of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  There is no law against these things!  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there.  Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.