BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART MATTHEW 5:8 I. INTRODUCTION-

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1 BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART MATTHEW 5:8 I. INTRODUCTION- a. When it comes to the food we eat purity is important none of us want food that is polluted, diluted or contaminated. b. When it comes to our relationship with God purity is not only important it is essential. c. Hebrews 12:14 (NIV) without holiness no one will see the Lord. d. Today I want us to see #1, The Desire for Purity #2, The Pursuit of Purity #3, The Witness of Purity #4, The Reward of Purity. II. THE DESIRE FOR PURITY- a. When a person is saved they are saved with a desire for purity. b. That is one of the changes that God makes in the life of the person who has been truly born again. c. The person who has been truly saved will not want to go on living the life they lived before they were saved. d. A person who has been truly saved will have a desire to be different. e. They will have a desire to leave their old life and their old sins and live a holy and pure life that is pleasing to God. f. If a person claims to be saved but they have little or no desire to leave their life that is dominated and characterized by sin then they have not been born again. g. When Jesus rescued the woman caught in adultery from those who determined to execute her He told her Go and sin no more. h. 1 Thessalonians 4:7 says that when God saved us He did not call us to unclean living but to holiness.

2 i. The Holy Spirit who comes to live within the Christian when they are saved will give a believer the desire to live a holy life. III. THE PURSUIT OF PURITY-(DESIRE) a. Even though the person who believes in Christ is born again with a desire for holiness. b. Leaving our old life of sin behind and living a life of purity and holiness is not something that is automatic for the Christian. c. When the Lord saves a person our salvation is certain, sure and secure when the Lord saves us we are saved finally, fully and forever. d. But while our salvation is certain and sure as long as we are living in our earthly physical body that is yet to be redeemed and as long as we are living in this fallen world we will still have to deal with temptation and the possibility of sin. e. When the Lord saved you He broke the power of sin to rule and reign over your life but you will not be free from the possibility of sin until you go to Heaven. f. In Romans 7:21 the great Apostle Paul the greatest Christian who has ever lived said that in his Christian life he had discovered this truth. g. That even though he loved the Lord with all of his heart even though he wanted to obey the Lord and serve Him and even though he wanted to live a holy life. h. There was something inside of him that constantly was fighting against everything that he wanted to do for the Lord. i. There was something inside of him that was constantly fighting his desire to be holy and his desire to serve, honor and obey the Lord.

3 j. Every Christian knows this truth that even though we love the Lord even though we want to serve Him and obey Him and honor Him and live a life that is pleasing to Him. k. There is something inside of us that is constantly fighting against every godly desire and godly advance in our life. l. There is something inside of us that is constantly fighting against our desire to live an obedient and holy life. m. There is something inside of us that is always trying to drag us back to our old sins and our old way of life. n. Galatians 5:17 (HCSB) For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other o. The flesh is the remnant and residue of our old lost life that will be with us until we go to Heaven and until we go to Heaven our flesh will war against everything that God wants to do in our life. p. It was the flesh that whispered in your ear this morning that today would be a good day to skip church. q. Today you are here so the flesh did not win that battle but how many times in your life have you allowed the flesh to win? r. Every day as a Christian we are to use the resources God makes available to us to war against the flesh and to pursue a life of holiness, purity, obedience and service to the Lord. s. Without the help of God we do not have the power or strength to live the holy life that He desires us to live every day we must rely on His power and His help as we pursue holiness. t. What are the resources that God makes available to us?...#1, The Holy Spirit not only does the Holy Spirit give the believer the

4 desire to live a holy life the Holy Spirit also gives the believer the power to live a holy life. u. Every day we are to yield control of our life to the indwelling Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit will help, enable and empower us to resist temptation and to live a life that is growing in holiness and purity. v. Galatians 5:16 (HCSB) I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. w. #2, The Word of God Psalm 119:11 (NKJV) Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You! x. #3, Prayer with David we must constantly pray Psalm 51:10 (NKJV) Create in me a clean heart, O God help me to live the holy life you desire to live. IV. THE WITNESS OF PURITY-(DESIRE; PURSUIT) a. In a world filled with impure and ungodly living and sinful behavior a life characterized by holy and pure living a faithful life free of hypocrisy will stand out. b. Before the flood Noah was the only one not involved in the wickedness of the world and it made him a powerful witness for God and it also made him a big target. c. While God will use the holy lives of faithful Christians as a witness to touch and draw lost people in this world to Himself. d. Many in this world will hate Christians who refuse to compromise and participate in the sinful behavior and wickedness of this world. e. 2 Timothy 3:12 (NKJV) Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

5 f. Many people in this world have a great hatred for Christians who refuse to have anything to do with the sin, evil and ungodliness of this world. g. Why?... because the godly lives of such Christians exposes their evil and sin. h. And Christians who live faithful and holy lives are a walking reminder that there is a God and one day every person will stand before God in judgment and give an account to Him for how they lived their life. i. In 1 Peter 4 Peter warned Christians that many of their former friends with whom they once ran around with and caroused with would turn against them now that they had come to Christ. j. 1 Peter 4:2-5 (NLT) You won t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols. Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander, attack and hate you. But remember that they will have to face God, who will judge everyone, both the living and the dead. k. Christians are not to allow the rejection and hatred of the world to cause us to compromise we are to pursue and live holy and godly lives that honor and please the Lord. V. THE REWARD OF PURITY-(DESIRE, PURSUIT, WITNESS) a. Matthew 5:8 (NKJV) Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. b. The great reward for those who pursue and live holy and pure lives is that they will see God.

6 c. In the original language the phrase they shall see God is in the future indicative tense and the middle voice. d. What that means is this those who pursue and live holy and pure lives shall continuously and constantly see God for themselves. e. The phrase indicates that those who pursue holiness and purity shall enjoy intimate and constant fellowship with God. f. The full reality and the full experience of God s presence and power in the life of a Christian is reserved for those who are committed to holy and godly living. g. The Christian who pursues holy and godly living will see and experience God in this world and in the world to come like no one else. h. Purity of heart and purity of life opens the eyes of the soul so that God His person His greatness His power His work in this world becomes visible. i. Those who are committed to holy and pure living will have eyes to see God presence and work in their life and in this world. j. In the mathematics of Heaven purity of heart, mind and life equals God s presence and God s power. k. Do you want to see, know and experience God in a greater way in your life?... do you want to experience revival and a closer walk with God in your life? then purify your heart purify your life and pursue holiness and godliness. l. James 4:8, 10 (NKJV) Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. VI. CONCLUSION-

7 a. #1, The Desire for Purity #2, The Pursuit of Purity #3, The Witness of Purity #4, The Reward of Purity. b. The most miserable person in the world is a Christian who allows sin and unholy living to take root in their life. c. When a Christian does that they dishonor the God who saved them they dishonor their Savior and Lord they go against God s saving work in their life and their new nature as a Christian and they grieve the Holy Spirit who lives within them. d. The only way for a Christian who is out of fellowship with God to get right with God is to repent of their sin to rededicate their life and pursue holiness and purity of living once again. e. (For the lost) God will not save a person who loves sin more than they love Him God will not save a person who refuses to leave their sin. f. John 3:19 (NLT) Judgment is based on this fact: God s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions and desires were evil. g. To be saved a person must repent turn away from and come out of their sin and come to Christ.