Building Blocks For Kingdom Living-Part 3 Series

NOTE: Study materials used for this message were taken from the following: "The Message of the Sermon on the Mount" Stott; "The Complete Biblical Study Library" Matthew. Since Michael King’s message "Assurance of Salvation" which I used for reference on part 1 only named the first 3 attitudes, the remainder I tried to create in order to build from one beatitude to the next. I also have power points for all the messages in this series, if you would like to use them, feel free to email me pastordeb@firstassemblyonline.net.

BEATITUDES - PART III

TEXT: Matthew 5:8

INTRODUCTION

Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

1. Difficult to understand that not everyone is as eager to “see God“ as I am.

a. They want to “see God“ when they get to heaven

b. They have done what they need to do by asking the Lord into their heart and now they are set for eternity

c. God remains on the top shelf of their bookcase

ILLUSTRATION:

On my bookshelves in my office are 3 types of books:

Shelves where I go to every week

Shelves where I go to once in a while

Shelves where books go to R.I.P.

2. We serve a God who is not a “top shelf“ God but one who wants and desires to play an active role in our lives.

In our decisions

In our discussions

In our joys

In our sorrows

In our bad times AND in our good ones as well

3. But how many of us hear these words “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God“ and you will be honest with me and admit that in your mind you say something like:

“(yawn) Yea…yea….I know I‘m going to see Him when

I get to heaven. I‘ve heard all that before but I just

can‘t get too excited about it, I’ve got REAL LIFE things to think about that are higher on my priority list that that right now.”

4. When Jesus came onto the scene, He rocked their world! No one in the past had been able to “see God”. For that matter, very few people had even ever had a “personal” relationship with Him:

Moses in the wilderness talked to God as a friend

High Priests had entered the PRESENCE once a year

Abraham had an encounter with an Angel of the Lord

Jacob wrestled

Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego danced in the furnace

5. But now Jesus was in effect telling His disciples and those who were listening that those who are pure in heart are blessed because they shall see God!

6. What hope! What promise! This was/is not only a future hope because Jesus, the Son of God was right in their midst when He spoke it!

7. We must look at the true meaning of what Jesus was telling His Disciples that day that transcends to us as Believers just as powerfully 2,000 years later.

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever”

8. Biblically speaking, the “heart” is the site of humanity’s innermost being, the center of personality.

9. The rabbis were developing a complex system of laws for maintain ceremonial purification, which later comprised one of the divisions of the Mishnah. But all of those laws could bypass the most important purity of all, purity of the heart.

10. How does this fit into our “Be” Attitudes that we have been looking at in recent weeks?

#1 Attitude of Poverty

#2 Attitude of Humility

#3 Attitude of Submission

#4 Attitude of Yearning

#5 Attitude of Forgiveness

#6 Attitude of Transparency

11. How do we walk with an attitude of transparency both among one another and before God?

TRANSITION: An ATTITUDE OF TRANSPARENCY is essential in allowing Jesus Christ to shine forth from our lives. This transparency is attained by seeking to develop a purity in 3 areas of our lives, first of which is a PURITY IN OUR MOTIVES.

I. PURITY IN OUR MOTIVES

ILLUSTRATION: Elizabeth Elliot “Passion & Purity”

“When the will of God crosses the will of man, somebody has to die.”

1. Merriam Webster dictionary - Motive/Intention something (as a need or desire) that causes a person to act

2. The age old question of “Why do we do the things we do?”

3. Examining our motives/intentions is an important spiritual discipline.

4. Intentions come into play when we:

Say things with the intent to hurt someone

Manipulate by our emotions

Saying something in “jest” when we really mean it as truth

Doing something in order to get something in return whether it be attention, applause, recognition, position, etc.

I Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.