Matthew 5:7-8 (NKJV) 7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

SERMON ON THE MOUNT: MERCIFUL & PURE Matthew 5:7-8

SOM: Merciful & Pure  Tonight we continue our Sunday Night Series on the Sermon on the Mount  We began in Matthew 5 and are in the midst of studying together the Beatitudes  Beatitude is simply a word that reflects those who are blessed, happy or fortunate

SOM: Merciful & Pure  Jesus is giving us a formula for living a blessed or happy life  It may seem like the opposite of what the world touts as a happy person  We know that in any situation, God certainly knows best, so we follow His formula for true contentment

SOM: Merciful  Jesus says in verse 7, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy”  We all understand the meaning behind mercy, but let’s properly define it  Merciful (Greek word – eleemon) – actively compassionate (not just possessed of pity)

SOM: Merciful  Mercy is kindness or goodwill towards the miserable & afflicted, joined with a desire to help them  Mercy is often times depicted as being for those who perhaps do not deserve it  Certainly we think of Jesus, who was called a merciful High Priest (Heb. 2:17)

SOM: Merciful  What made Jesus merciful?  It was because He would “make propitiation for the sins of the people”  We obviously didn’t deserve His mercy because we were sinners (Rom. 3:23; 5:8)  The mercy of Christ was showing good will to the undeserving afflicted w/sin

SOM: Merciful  Jesus here calls upon you and I to be merciful  That mercy we show to others will lead us to a blessed and happy life  God has always required us to be a merciful people (Mic. 6:8); which derives from the 2 nd greatest command (Matt. 22:36)

SOM: Merciful  Look at the wisdom of the words of Solomon in Proverbs 11:17 & 14:21  God promised to bless His people if they would become a merciful people (Is. 58:6-12)  Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar to stop sinning by being righteous & showing mercy to the poor (Dan. 4:27)

SOM: Merciful  Paul said when we belong to Christ that we put off our old sins and put on tender mercies (Col. 3:12)  James said that the wisdom that comes from God is “full of mercy” (Js. 3:17)  Jesus goes on in the SOM to tells us 2 ways that we often don’t show mercy

SOM: Merciful  The first is when we do not forgive others (Matt. 6:14-15; Matt. 18:33-35)  The second is when we judge others harshly and unfairly (Matt. 7:1)  If we are willing to be kind and compassionate towards those who need it, the blessing we receive is mercy in return

SOM: Merciful  “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” (Js. 2:13)  It’s a simple illustration of the game mercy that can help us understand this  Onesiphorus received mercy because he showed mercy to others (II Tim. 1:16-18)

SOM: Pure In Heart  Jesus then said in verse 8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”  Pure (Greek word katharos) simply means “clean”  It means free from corrupt desire, sin and guilt  It is a heart blameless and innocent

SOM: Pure In Heart  Jesus here refers to the pure or clean of heart  The Pharisees were obsessed with how clean the outside was (Matt. 23:25, 28)  Jesus stressed that defilement came from the inside, not the outside (Matt. 15:17-20)

SOM: Pure In Heart  The heart is the root of all that we do in this life  There should be much emphasis placed upon protecting our hearts  “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23)

SOM: Pure In Heart  David understood the importance of the heart  He asked God to give him a clean heart following his sin with Bathsheba (Ps. 51:10)  David was concerned about the heart of his son Solomon (I Chron. 29:17-19)

SOM: Pure In Heart  Following their sin, God wanted to give the COI a new heart (Ezek. 36:25-27)  James urged the double-minded to purify their hearts (Js. 4:8)  Those who are the pure in heart will certainly receive a reward (Ps. 24:4-5)

SOM: Pure In Heart  Jesus says the reward is that they shall see God  The pure in heart will be able to see God in this life (through those around them)  The pure in heart will also be able to see God in the next life (living in His presence in heaven)