Blessed Are The Pure In Heart

BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART

Study Text: Matthew 5: 8

Introduction:

- The heart is used metaphorically to signify the inner person – the heart is the control centre of a man’s mind, emotions and will. It is our invisible innermost being which shapes our lives, attitudes, convictions, and ultimately, our actions.

- The heart is what you are, in the secrecy of your thought and feeling, when nobody knows but God.

- And what you are at the invisible root matters as much to God as what you are at the visible branch.

- "Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).

- What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart . . . For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a man. (Matthew 15:18–19).

- Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit . . . For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:33–34).

- So the heart is utterly crucial to Jesus. What we are in the deep, private recesses of our lives is what he cares about most.

- Jesus did not come into the world simply because we have some bad habits that need to be broken. He came into the world because we have such dirty hearts that need to be purified.

- We shall discuss the topic under three sub-headings:

1. The Composition of the Blessing

2. The Condition for the Blessing

3. The Constraint to the Blessing

1. The Composition of the Blessing

- Jesus said anyone with a pure heart is blessed because he shall see God. This means God cannot be seen without a pure heart, and God’s blessing cannot be received without seeing Him.

- To be blessed is to be graciously approved by God and to receive the applause of heaven.

- To be blessed isn’t a superficial feeling of well-being based on circumstances, but a deep supernatural experience of contentedness based on the fact that one’s life is right with God.

- Those who possess purity within their hearts will receive a wonderful blessing – they will see God.

- The Word: they shall see God is future indicative tense – meaning that people with a pure heart shall be continuously seeing God at work in their lives.

- That is, the pure shall experience intimate fellowship with God on a moment-by-moment basis. When we walk in purity, God will give us spiritual sight to see Him at work in you.

- That’s the goal of the Christian life! That’s what we are living for – that we may live our life in such a way that we see God.

- If we see God, that will open up the treasure store of all the blessings, not only for eternity, but also for life here and now. And the key to open that treasure store is a pure heart!

2. The Condition for the Blessing

- The clear condition for the blessing without mincing word is to possess a pure heart, meaning to cleanse one’s mind and emotions from sins and all forms of unrighteousness.

- To be pure has two meanings:

(1) To make pure by cleansing from dirt, filth, or contamination like metals being refined by fire until they were free from impurities.

(2) It refers to being unmixed, having no double allegiance.

- The basic idea is of integrity, singleness of heart, as opposed to duplicity, or a divided heart.

- Purity isn’t just being clean; it is to be single-minded and intentionally focused. In this instance, God wants us to be focused on His kingdom and righteousness.

- A person with a passion for purity is one who has been cleansed in his character so that the way he looks in public is the way he is in private. You’re just like Jesus even when no one is watching.

- Having a pure heart is to be so close to God that we don’t have to look up to see if he’s watching. It means we have a personal relationship with God and we only have to look within our heart to see Him.

- Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. Ps. 24:3-4

- A Pharisee is nothing more than a religious pretender – someone who outwardly portrays faith but inwardly is far from God. And let me assure you – there are more Pharisees today than there were in Jesus’ day. Matthew 15: 8