Who Can See God?

Matthew 5:8 ESV

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

There are times in our lives when stuff gets in the way. Ever been there? Have you ever been trying to do something or see something and you’re met with an obstacle?

There are times in our lives when stuff gets in the way. Ever been there? Have you ever been trying to do something or see something and you’re met with an obstacle?

Concert crowd

Sporting event

School

It happened to be last May & I thought my world was over!

The Players Championship

Tiger Woods & Rory McIlory

The camera man got in my way

The camera man was the reason I did not get the view I wanted to when Rory was teeing off.

I believe for a lot of us, stuff gets in the way of us seeing God. Simply put.

Who gets to see God?

Matthew 5:8 ESV

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Jesus said the “pure in heart.”

The begs the question:

How does a person become “pure in heart?”

The blood of Jesus. This is the gospel students.

TRUTH: The person that’s pure before God isn’t the person that performs for God, but the person that knows God in Christ.

No one is pure before God within themselves. That’s why Jesus came, lived, died, and rose! So that in Him, we could be pure before God.

SUBTRUTH: Those that are pure before God are the ones that are known by God.

Subtruth: Jesus takes us to God by His blood

Being known by God is faith-based not performance-based.

Do’s

This is why so many of ya’ll do not feel close to God anymore — Your behavior has gotten in the way of you seeing God. It’s gotten in the way because you know that sometimes your behavior/performance doesn’t measure up. Therefore you feel two things:

Don’t’s

Shame

Guilt

Therefore, you think and believe that you are disqualified by God. You think you’re done.

And you’re right in feeling that way. Every time we put our best in comparison to God, it’s never enough; we never measure up.

That’s why those who are “in Christ” are pure the in heart.

We cannot know ourselves without a right view of God. When we see God for who He is, that’s when we see ourselves for who we really are - wicked, unpure, sinful.

Our purity does not come through performance or works, but through faith in Jesus’ completed work on the cross for our redemption. That’s our identity as Christians students.

How does a person see God?

Through humility and faith in Jesus’ completed work on the cross NOT by earning His favor. We accept the favor of His Son on our behalf.

INVITATION

It’s time for some of you to respond by letting your guard down to be finally known by God in Christ.

Christian:

Invite Jesus into your mess

Repent