Blessed are the Pure in heart

Matthew 5:1 -- 12

Introduction

1.      I have no desire to pick on any person, yet the things that I say today may appear to you in that way.  Let me assure you that there is probably something in this lesson today that will apply to every particular person that is here among us.

2.      If the pure in heart are blessed this is certainly one of the greatest challenges that faces each one of us

3.      Recitation of Matthew 5:3 -- 8  

Discussion - Who are the pure in heart?

1.      It is those whose hearts are not corrupted by sin -- Matthew 15:1 -- 20

a.       They have no evil thoughts -- Titus 1:15 -- what we think of others is a matter of choice, we can choose to think good or evil of others, their motives and their actions  

b.      They are not guilty of adultery or fornication -- they understand that all sexual relationships outside of marriage are impure  

c.       They are not thieves -- they are honest in all their dealings  

d.      They do not bear false witness -- presenting misleading information is as much false witness is outright lying  

e.       They do not slander -- they have nothing malicious to say about other people  

2.      It is those who are without hypocrisy

a.       Matthew 6:1  

b.      A characteristic of one chosen by Jesus -- John 1:47  

c.       A person characterized by the saying, "what you see is what you get"  

d.      there is tremendous pressure on Christians to appear to be something that they are not, to pretend to be a righteous person and hide one's imperfections -- there is a fear that one will be rejected if others knew what we are really like, a fear too often realized  

e.       Christians often need someone to whom they can be accountable, in order that they might avoid the sin of hypocrisy -- see James 5:16  

3.      It is those whose hearts have been purified by God's forgiveness

a.       God's plan is simple -- there must be faith, repentance and baptism -- many would modify that to remove the requirement for repentance and/or baptism -- see Mark 16:16; acts 2:38; Romans 6:1 -- 4, for example  

b.      for Christians, see John 1:9  

c.       for a summary, see 1 Peter 1: 22 -- 23  

Conclusion

1.       What happens to the pure in heart?  -- they will see God

2.      This might apply to eternity and seeing God in heaven, but perhaps more probably it refers to our ability to see God in the daily events of our lives, in our circumstances and the events that affect us

3.      To be pure in heart is a great blessing and a blessing that is available to every person