Sermon on the Mount - Pure in Heart

Sermon on the Mount – Pure in Heart

Matthew 5:8

Matthew 5:8 ESV

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

1. Introduction – The Beatitude we come to today is really the sum of the Christian faith.

a. This Beatitude is a succinct summary of the Gospel.

i. The gospel is not primarily concerned with our heads or our hands or feet or our ears…

1. But with our core…with our hearts.

ii. David writes, “Create in me a clean heart, o God, and renew a steadfast spirit in me.

1. Ps.24 asks the question, “Who can ascend the hill of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place?

a. He who has clean hands and a pure heart…

i. Who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.

2. Paul writes that if we believe with our heart and confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, we will be saved.

a. The heart…it is more than just the organ that pumps your blood to the rest of your body.

iii. The heart – it is more than just feelings or emotions.

1. What does Jesus mean when he calls the pure in heart blessed?

a. What does he mean by ‘pure?’

i. What does he mean by ‘heart?’ What does this promised reward mean?

1. These are the questions we’ll answer today as we look at this incredible Beatitude.

iv. Hear God’s Word…Matthew 5:8.

2. The Reason – Before we get to answering those questions – we need to figure out why this Beatitude is included in the list.

a. Yes, it’s included because of the emphasis the Bible puts on the heart.

i. But in order to fully understand it’s impact, we have to look to the 1st century culture Jesus lived and taught in.

1. We have to look to the 1st century religious climate that Jesus lived and taught in.

b. Remember that the Pharisees were a constant thorn in Jesus’ side.

i. And the Pharisees main concern was with ritual cleanness. They were appalled that Jesus ate with people of ill-repute because they would cause him to be unclean.

1. They were astonished that he touched sick people, because that too would cause him to be ceremonially unclean.

a. On the other hand, the Pharisees did anything and everything they could be avoid getting dirty.

i. They thought and they taught and they stressed to people that physical cleanliness was the way to God.

1. By keeping their hands and their clothes clean – to them – external cleanliness lead to internal cleanliness.

c. In fact, in the rabbinical writings that the Pharisees followed…there were over 200 pages written on ritual cleanliness. In these writings there were all kinds of treatises and instructions about how to clean and how to keep things clean.

i. There was a treatise on how to properly wash dishes so they would ceremonially clean.

1. There were instructions on how to properly clean tents – so they would be livable and one wouldn’t be defiled for stepping in to in.

a. There were treatises on who to properly wash your hands…sing happy birthday or row, row, row you boat.

i. Scrub for 30 seconds and rinse thoroughly.

1. In their writings there were all kinds of instructions about ritual cleanliness…but do you know what wasn’t included in these 200 pages of instructions…

a. How to clean and purify one’s heart.

ii. You see, the Pharisees believed that outward cleanliness would lead to inward cleanliness.

1. But ultimately…they only focused on the outward, and the inward was left untouched.

d. But along comes Jesus…and notice that Jesus isn’t critical of external purity.

i. He doesn’t bash it or make fun of the Pharisees…he doesn’t condemn cleanliness as ungodly.

1. But Jesus puts the focus where the focus should be.

a. Jesus focuses on purity of heart.

ii. Jesus teaches that external purity isn’t enough – it has to be accompanied by internal purity.

1. Or as the Psalm said – there must be clean hands…AND a pure heart.

e. In the 1st century context that Jesus lived and taught in – his emphasis is striking.

i. While Israel’s religious leaders were focusing on externals – and teaching people that that is the way to God…

1. Jesus comes along and affirms something else.

a. Internal purity…it all starts with internal purity…purity of heart.

i. And out of an internal purity, out of a pure heart comes clean hands.

3. Pure in Heart – So in the religious climate that was focused on the externals, Jesus speaks about purity of heart.

a. Now, what does this mean? Pure in heart…and why are we blessed by God when we are?

i. If we want to fully understand this Beatitude, we really need to figure out what those 2 main words mean.

1. What is meant by ‘pure?’ What about ‘heart?’

b. We’ll start with the word pure. Soren Kierkegaard argued that the pure in heart are those people who will one thing.

i. They have one motivation for what they do – the pure in heart have no hidden agendas.

1. With them – what you see is what you get.

a. Another way to understand this word pure is this…the pure in heart are singularly focused.

i. Meaning all they say, do or think is focused solely on bringing God glory.

b. That, after all, is our main purpose in life – to glorify God and enjoy him forever.

i. The pure in heart – whether they eat or drink or whatever they do, they do it all for the glory of God.

ii. And it is true that so often we get distracted.

1. Instead of focusing solely on God – we end up giving our sole attention to this activity or that one.

a. We get distracted – not by bad things in particular…but when those things cause us to lose our God-ward focus…they become bad.

iii. And when we become distracted – when we lose sight of a singular God-ward focus…life goes off the rails.

1. When we lose sight of bringing honour and glory to God through our work…through our parenting, through our school work…

a. When we forget that we were put on this planet to bring honour and glory to God’s name…

i. Things fall apart – work becomes a drudgery; parenting becomes even more difficult than it already is.

2. But the pure in heart are those who are solely focused on God.

a. They see God moving in their work, in their parenting.

i. They see how doing their best in all they do brings glory to God.

iv. So, Jesus blesses those who have no hidden agendas.

1. He blesses those who are singularly focused on God…on bringing honour and glory to his name.

c. Next, I want to focus on this word heart.

i. For us, the heart is an organ that pumps blood.

1. Or maybe it is the seat of emotions for us.

a. But if we want to fully grasp the meaning of this Beatitude, we must have a 1st century understanding of this word “heart.”

ii. In 1st century Hebrew thinking, the heart included the entire interior life of a person.

1. The feelings, the mind and the will were all included as part of the ‘heart.”

a. And as I said at the opening – the Christian faith is primarily concerned with our hearts.

i. Notice, Jesus doesn’t say, “Blessed are the intellectuals…”

2. Now that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be using our intellect – it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t use our brains.

a. We absolutely need to know things. We need to know theology and study doctrine.

i. We need to know God’s Word, who God is, who Jesus is, what he did for us.

1. We need to know about salvation, sanctification, the church…

a. But if we are only using our brains in this endeavour…we are only doing half the job.

b. We can read God’s Word – but if e are only using our brains to study – then we won’t experience transformation in our hearts.

i. We are right back to the Pharisees, thinking that external actions will lead to internal purity.

iii. A few years ago when we studied the Apostles’ Creed – we spent 1 whole week looking at the first 2 words…

1. We made the discovery that they say, “I believe…” not “I know…”

a. Because at the end of the day Christian’s isn’t simply knowing things to be true…it’s about believing them…in your heart.

i. At your very core….

1. We believe these things in the centre of our personality…in the seat of our mind, feelings and will.

4. Problem – But there is one major problem.

a. Elsewhere, Jesus’ assessment of the natural human heart is not very encouraging.

i. The Bible in general doesn’t speak too favourably about the natural state of the human heart.

1. The prophet says it is deceitfully and desperately wicked.

a. Jesus said that out of the heart comes evil thoughts, murder, adultery, immorality, theft, false testimony and slander.

i. Those things aren’t pure at all…in fact they are the exact opposite of pure.

ii. So if that’s the natural condition of the human heart…how can our hearts be pure?

1. How is this Beatitude even possible?

a. There is a solution to the problem of the natural human heart.

i. Because while the Bible does speak openly and honestly about the natural state of it…

1. The Bible also teaches that God can work in an evil heart…

a. And God’s working brings purification and a new motivation for following him.

iii. And while purity of heart is a gift from God – it is also a struggle for Christians.

1. So we need to pray the words of Scripture. “Create in me a clean heart, o God, and renew a steadfast spirit in me.”

a. We need to heed the words of Roman 8:13 – through the Spirit, we need to put to death the deeds of the body so that we will live.

iv. Purity of heart means that we are singularly focused on bringing glory to God in all we say, do or think.

1. It means that, at our very core – in our minds, our will, our feelings, we are solely devoted to God.

b. What do you want more than anything else? What do you pay consistent allegiance?

i. Do you want to bring honour and glory to God in all that you do and say? Or does your allegiance and focus lie somewhere else?

1. These are probing questions…meant to determine where our allegiance really is.

a. Are you solely focused on God – or do you get easily distracted?

i. Is your heart – your mind, will and feelings, focused on God? Is your heart pure??? Singularly focused?

5. Promised Reward – There is an incredible reward attached to this blessing…

a. The pure in heart will see God.

i. Now – what does this promise mean? Is Jesus promising the pure in heart visions?

1. Is he promising that in a theophany God will show himself to them?

a. No, that’s not it.

ii. Think about this promised reward in this way…again there is a present fulfillment and a future fulfillment.

1. If we are solely focused and dedicated to God…if we give him our utmost attention…then we will see him.

a. Not physically, but if we are in tune with God and his ways…we will see God everywhere.

2. We’ll see him in nature – in the beauty of snowfall.

a. We’ll see God’s creativity in just a few weeks when spring comes.

i. We see God’s majesty when we look up into the night sky.

iii. If we are in tune with God, focused on him – we’ll see God’s providential hand moving in our lives.

1. We’ll see how God guides us through everyday life.

a. We’ll see how God used seemingly mundane daily decisions to lead you to where you are today.

i. When we are solely focused on God – we will see him working in our children.

1. We will see him moving and working in our work situations.

ii. When we are devoted to God – we’ll see him working even in the difficult trials of life.

iv. In other words – when we are pure in heart – when your mind, will and feelings are singularly focused on God – we will see God everywhere.

b. But there is also a future fulfillment to this reward.

i. We are told that it is the righteous, the holy, the pure, those who have been washed clean by the blood of the Lamb…

1. Those are the ones who will gain entrance into the holy city of God.

a. Anything or anyone who is impure, unrighteous, unholy – will never gain access.

ii. And we are told at the end of the book of Revelation – that all those who live in the holy city will see God’s face…

1. That is the ultimate fulfillment of this promise.

a. For all eternity those who are pure in heart will gaze upon the face of God.

i. And remember, these Beatitudes are characteristics that all Christians must exhibit.

1. They aren’t reserved for a select few. So, if you are a Christian – be solely focused on bringing God honour and glory.

iii. And when you do so, you’ll experience this promised reward…it will be fulfilled in part now and we see God’s handiwork all around us…

1. And the reward will ultimately be filled when we see God face to face in the age to come.