“Beneath The Surface” Matthew 5:8 Beatitudes - #6
Intro: If Jesus came to your home today to spend a day or two
If He came unexpectedly, I wonder what you’d do?
I know you’d give your nicest room to such an honored Guest,
And all the food you’d serve to him would be the very best.
And you’d keep assuring Him you’re glad to have him there,
That serving Him in your own home is joy beyond compare.
But when you saw Him standing there, could you go to the door,
with arms outstretched to welcome Him, would your heart begin to soar?
Or would you have to change some things before you let Him in,
or hide some sinful things and place the Bible where they’d been?
Would family conversation be continued at its current pace,
I wonder what would have to change if you saw Him face to face?
Would you be glad to introduce Him to your closest friends,
or would you wish they’d stay away until His visit ends?
Would it cause embarrassment, these crazy things you do,
If Jesus came to your own house, to spend some time with you?
As I prepared this sermon, I was faced with the reoccurring question, “Who Really Am I ?”
So, I ask the same to you, “Who Are You, Really ?” (In your inner depths, in your heart?)
In the Bible, the “heart” symbolizes the center of the human soul. It’s where we have our
Emotions, our Thoughts, our Schemes and our Motivations. It represents “Who We Are.”
When we “share or speak from the heart,” we expose who we really are as a person.
In Matthew 5:8, Jesus tells us that we will be blessed and that we will see God, if we are
“pure in heart.” What does this mean? It means to be “Unmixed and Clean.” It means we
are to live out our lives with Proper Motives. It is to be Real, Genuine and Authentic before
man and God. It means you are to act the same, regardless of who you’re with.
Illus. - A story is told of a traffic accident between a single man and single woman. At first they got out and argued, then decided to call the police. The woman was returning home from grocery shopping and invited the man to sit in her car to stay out of the cold. She started to flirt with him and he responded by telling her how pretty she was. She said they should celebrate this soon-to-be romantic occasion, so she popped open a bottle of wine and offered it to him. He guzzled down quite a bit of the wine and was confused when all of a sudden, she wasn’t thirsty and told him that she’d just wait until after the police arrive. (Beneath the surface, she had a hidden agenda) Us???
In order to become “pure in heart,” we must have followed the progression of the beatitudes
up to this point: 1. We must become Poor in Spirit, Mourn over our sin, find strength in being Meek, desire to be filled with His Righteousness and be truly Merciful. All of this previous behavior leads us into a condition in which we can be made “pure in heart.”
It’s at this point then that we must live on the outside, what He’s made us on the inside.
If we fail to “live out” these teachings of Christ, we face the same danger the Pharisees did.
In Mt. 23:27, He calls them, “...hypocrites and whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on
the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones.” What do you look like
Beneath the surface? Do you bring the same person to church that lives in your house?
How do we become “pure in heart?” (4 steps)
1. Salvation through Jesus Christ. You can go to church, tithe, be an honest citizen, be
faithful, respectable and STILL GO TO HELL. We all must strive to live the type
of “pure life” that is only available and attainable to us after we accept Jesus into
our hearts. Your heart can only be pure if Jesus lives there. I’ve known of long-
standing members of churches who realized after all those years, they had never
truly accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. Maybe that someone is you.
2. Reliance on His Power. How often have you prayed and “given something to God”
only to take it back through Worry, Doubt or Impatience? Remember that you are
powerless to do anything good or righteous apart from your Creator. God knows
every little intricate detail about every little aspect of your life. He created you,
He formed you and He designed your life just like He wants it. And yet we’re so
hesitant to rely on His Power and His Control over our lives.
3. The Strength of His Word. It’s impossible to shine the light of a flame without a source
of ignition. It’s impossible to live a “pure life” without the knowledge of the Bible.
Scripture says that His Word alone is “living and powerful.” Where do you get
your strength? From your job, spouse, maybe yourself? Why is it that Bible sales
go up every year and Bible reading go down? We must open it and “use it”
every day if we want the strength to remain pure.
4. Prayerful Communion with Him. We cannot be “pure” without prayer. We need to have
a regular and consistent time of interaction with our Creator. This is essential for a
Boss and Employee, for a Husband and Wife and for a Parent and Child. It is of
utmost importance to do so with God. How many hours have you spent
communicating with your spouse, co-workers, children and friends this past week?
How many hours did you spend communicating with God? No wonder life gets
so stressful.
Like anything else that is “filtered and pure,” we must realize that this is an ongoing process.
Our Scripture verse says that if we’re pure in heart that, “.....we will see God.” How?
A little girl once asked her Grandma, “Why do you close your eyes when you sing?” She
replied with a smile, “So I can see God.” When we have His Purity in our hearts, we will
see Him everywhere. I am amazed everywhere I see God in my life and in others. We
can see Him if we look through our “Spiritual Eyes.” The person who is “pure in heart”
doesn’t feel compelled to ask, “Where is God in trials, tragedy, heartache and grief?”
They will know that He is right in the middle of every situation, Teaching them, Molding them,
Strengthening them and Moving them along into His Likeness.
Conclusion: This morning, Jesus has come to your house. What did He see? Who are
you beneath the surface - in your heart? When you take off your mask, who do you see?
If you need to be washed clean, you’re not alone. Let Jesus and His Love Purify your heart
so that you may see Him more clearly. -Prayer
