Untitled Sermon (4)

Matthew 5:8 ESV

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

The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Matthew B. Good News to the Poor in Spirit (5:3–10)

Purity of heart connotes integrity and stands opposed to deviousness. There is purity of heart when the motives behind the (mostly apparently good, but on occasion apparently bad) actions can stand up under open scrutiny. The ‘heart’ locates the core of a person, that place from which we feel and think and determine our actions

The people God used mightily constantly pondered this notion of Seeing God.

Psalm 24:3–4 ESV

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.

Psalmist writes again

Psalm 11:7 ESV

For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.

ps 11

The list goes on and on- in the New Testament Paul emphatically states his purpose for living in

Philippians 3:10 ESV

that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Philippians 3:9 ESV

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

how can we know God, what makes us candidates to see Him. . . It is exactly what Dr. Brown exuded throughout his entire life-> Having a Pure heart.

None of His achievements, accolades kept him from having a Pure Heart. His walk, his swagger, his good looks, his great family, his practice, his travels. . nothing, nothing made him waver in his integrity and his Faith in God.

So what’s the comfort in this, we grieve now for a husband and father has left us. Our brother, mentor, physician is gone. What is the encouragement? What is our resolve, what will comfort me in my pain and my loss?

Because Dr. Brown had a pure heart because he had a genuine relationship with Jesus; as he took his last breath on this side of heaven, he breathed in his first Breathe in the Presence of God. And finally he got to experience what the Old Gospel group the Pattersonaires sang. . . “I shall see Him face to face and tell of the story, saved by His grace.”