January 28, 2001  Blessed are the Pure in Heart.   Mat. 5

By Ronald E. George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church

 Remember who you are.  Who am I as a Christian? If you can remember who you are then you will know what you are not.  You will remember what you have and what you have not.  You will remember who your Father is.  You will know where you came from and where you are going and what you are supposed to be doing these years and days of your life. These be-attitudes describe the characteristics of the person who has become born again into the kingdom of God.  (John 3:3)  These are the keys, principles, or laws of Christ’s new kingdom.  Where is the kingdom?  The kingdom is the domain of the king.  If He is King in your house then these principles apply.  The kingdom was inaugurated by Christ and will culminate at the end of the age. These principles of the life of the Christian are for each one who has allowed Him to rule in their life.  This is a description of the spiritual life of the follower of Jesus.

The Purpose of this message is to show why it is good to be pure in heart.

 Scripture Text:  Matt 5:1 (KJS) And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3 Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed [are] the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed [are] they, which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed [are] the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed [are] the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10 Blessed [are] they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

World’s Standards:  Blessed are the wheelers and dealers, for they will have huge bank accounts. 

  1.  This is required to see God:  Psalm 24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.    A pure heart is required to see God.  Not moral perfection, but to see God is to know who he really is.  To see god is to be truly happy and satisfied. 

 2.     What is a pure heart?  Heart is the center of will and affections.  To be pure is to say that it is free from pollution and sin.  Let’s examine our motives.  

            The legend is told of a desert wanderer who found a crystal spring of unsurpassed freshness.  The water was so pure he decided to bring some to his king.  Barely satisfying his own thirst, he filled a leather bottle with the clear liquid and carried it many days beneath the desert sun before he reached the palace.  When he finally laid his offering at the feet of his sovereign, the water had become stale and rank due to the old container in which it had been stored.  But the king would not let his faithful subject even imagine that it was unfit for use.  He tasted it with expressions of gratitude and delight, and sent away the loyal heart filled with gladness.  After he had gone, others sampled it and expressed their surprise that the king had even pretended to enjoy it. "Ah!" said he, "it was not the water he tasted, but the love that prompted the offering."  Many times our service is marked by multiplied imperfections, but the Master looks at our motives and says "It is good."

 3.     The Heart is sick and wicked:  Our hearts are evil Mark 7:21-23. 

 4.     How not to clean up your heart:     Don’t clean the outside first.

 Matt 23:26  [Thou] blind Pharisee, cleanse first that [which is] within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead [men's] bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

 5.      You need a brand new heart:  Let God give you a transplant. 

Ezek 36:24  For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. 25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them].

 6.     You Can keep it clean:  You need to wash your heart.  Abide in Jesus.  Confess your sin.  Look for God.  James 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded.  Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

 7.     Let God Search Your Heart:     Let God Search your heart Let Him clean it in His eyes.  Psalm 139:23  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if [there be any] wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

 8.     This “pure in heart” God requires:  

           A lady was going away to meet some friends and bring them home with her. She had left her children at home with the understanding that they were to be clean when she returned with the company. She said to the children upon leaving, "Now here is plenty of soap and water and here are your clothes and I will expect you to be clean and dressed up when I return." What she had made provisions for and had demanded she would require. So it is with the Lord. Provisions have been made, at awful cost, for the cleansing of the heart. Holiness! God demands it. "Be ye holy." And what he has provided for and demands He will require. "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God."