1. Practical Christianity
Blessed are the Pure hearted
August 2018

2. Readings
Matthew 5 : 1-16 Psalm 86:11-13 Matthew 15:1-20 Reference: Martyn Lloyd-Jones “Studies in the Sermon on the Mount”

3. Building Something Tangible
Practical Christianity
Meekness is real strength “Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth
Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the KOG
Humility before Christ
“Without sorrow there is no joy” Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted
Blessed are the Pure Hearted for they shall see God
Righteousness the road to blessedness and fulfilment
Mercy – the ultimate Christian test!
Building the Foundation

4. The progression thus far
Poor in Spirit (Helplessness and humility) Mourn for sin of self and others Blessed are the meek (in relation to others) Hunger & thirst for righteousness – the only way to real peace & fulfilment Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy

5. Matthew 5 vs 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God
Our focus
Matthew 5 vs 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God

6. Remember the problem of superficial faith?
It is easy for us to profess our Christianity
But do we live it? Do our lives mirror our espoused faith?
This is dependent on the state of our hearts
“A terrible sermon” – Martyn Lloyd Jones
The beatitudes strip us naked before God
We have nowhere to hide
Takes us back to zero!

7. Let’s examine our hearts

8. Who are the pure in heart?
Those who mourn about the impurity of their hearts
The only way to have a pure heart is to realise that you have an impure heart & to mourn about it to such an extent that you do that which alone can lead to cleansing and purifying – that conscious decision!
Denial is the deathnail of Christianity – a pure heart is what Christianity is all about!

9. Why the heart?
Jesus’ central teaching was about the state of the heart
The Pharisees were concerned about the outside and not the inside (Matthew 15)
The application here is that:
doctrine is not only aimed at intellectual understanding - ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.”
Neither is it just a state of conduct & external behaviour
Jesus taught that the heart is the centre of the personality, emotions, intellect and will – the whole being! The fount from which everything flows
The Chinese are wrong! We rot from the heart and not the head!

10. The heart is always the seat of all troubles
“Out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts, murders, adulterers, fornicators, theft, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15:19)
Jeremiah “the heart is deceitful above all things & desperately wicked”
The lesson: Intellect and education cannot solve this – it needs a change of heart!

11. What does it mean to be pure in heart?
Without hypocrisy
– “Single”
Cleansed – without defilement

12. What does it mean to be pure in heart?
Without hypocrisy – “single”
Matthew 6:22 (KJV) “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.”
Same word Jesus used when he said that we can’t serve 2 masters!
Open, nothing hidden, sincere
Psalm 86:11 “.. give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.”
Undivided heart
One part of me wants to know and worship God but another part wants something else
Paul: “..another law in my members ...

13. What does it mean to be pure in heart?
Cleansed – without defilement
“Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” Rev 21:27
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.” Rev 22:14
Are you washed?

14. So let’s examine our hearts Five diagnostic questions:
Where does your treasure lie?
Mat 6:21 “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”
What dominates your life?
What is the most important thing in your life?
What is your top priority?
Are you really prepared to let it all go?
Psalm 37: Commit your ways to the Lord and trust in Him and he will make your righteousness shine like the dawn

15. So let’s examine our hearts Five diagnostic questions:
Where, or on whom, do you place your trust?
Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”
Abraham’s trust!
Do you seek God’s guidance on every decision in your life?
Are you prepared to go against worldly wisdom and fact!
Are you obedient to God’s call?

16. So let’s examine our hearts Five diagnostic questions:
Do have inner peace?
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled & do not be afraid”
Are you saved? Have you accepted Jesus as your personal Saviour?
The missing link – “do you hunger and thirst after righteousness”

17. So let’s examine our hearts Five diagnostic questions:
Is your heart filled with praise?
I will give thanks to you Lord, with all my heart. I will tell of all your wonderful deeds”(Psalm 9:1)
Personal prayer of praise or intercession?
Private or public?
Bold or ashamed?
Stand up for Jesus or lay down for self?

18. So let’s examine our hearts Five diagnostic questions:
Are you receptive or sceptical to God’s teaching?
“For they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened” Mark 6:52
Selective belief of God’s word (Absolute truth)
Are you always wanting proof and a sign

19. Our Christian calling
To keep the first and great commandment “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind”
This means we must:
Live to the glory of God in every aspect of our lives
Nothing less than our whole being is involved in making God the supreme desire of our lives:
Desire Him
Desire to know Him
To love Him
To serve Him

20. Why? ? ? ? ? ?

21. Only those that are like that shall see God
What does it mean to see God?
In this life
Not a physical viewing
Christians see God in evidence:
In nature
In history
In knowing and sensing Him
In His working in our lives

22. Only those that are like that shall see God
In the glorious promise of eternity
“But then we shall see face to face” 1 Cor 13:12
“But we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” 1 John 3:2
We are being prepared for the audience Chamber of God
We are being prepared to enter into the very presence of the King of Kings
We should have no greater goal or desire

23. How do our hearts become pure?
Not of our own doing
Invite the Holy Spirit into your life “to create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right Spirit in me”
Our role is not to be passive – not to live in the gutters of life waiting for God to cleanse me
James “draw near to God, and He will draw near to you”

24. Do you and I get a clean bill of health?
At risk?
Perfect cardiac condition?

25. Let us pray!