This week we are considering the sixth Beatitude,
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8)
We can define a pure heart as unmixed or sincere in its devotion to God. It’s authenticity. It’s doing things to be seen by God rather than doing things to be seen by people.
Today we are considering a bit more about what it means to have a pure heart. Often, we can read something like this and condemn ourselves; we know our own hidden sin and don’t know how we can possibly ever attain purity of heart and thus ‘see God’!
However, I think that many fail to understand what Jesus means here by purity of heart. Today, are looking at the most important attribute of the pure in heart.
The pure in heart trust Jesus alone
The pure in heart are those who are humbled by their sin. They not the self-righteous. The pure in heart are aware of their powerlessness to save themselves. They are unmixed in their faith in Christ for salvation and transformation. God loves to see unmixed trust in Christ.
Jesus put’s it so clearly in this incident,
'To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”’ (Luke 18:9-14)
Do you see that the pure in heart are not those who are ‘confident of their own righteousness’? Are you more like the first or second person in this parable? Do you spend more time being critical of others than confessing your sin and thanking God that He has ‘justified’ you?
RESPONSE
A pure heart mixes nothing with Christ! Are you fully trusting in Jesus as your righteousness and everything else that you need? These words from the Hymn ‘Rock of ages’ express the song of the pure in heart,
“Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling; naked, come to thee for dress; helpless, look to thee for grace; foul, I to the fountain fly; wash me, Saviour, or I die.”
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COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY - BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART
Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
In particular, if you are married, do sign up for our marriage evening on 13th February.
Suggested opener/Ice-breaker
Are there circumstances in which you feel that you have to put on a 'show' - you are tempted to be inauthentic?
Introduction - please share in your group
This week in our discipleship series, we are considering the sixth of the Beatitudes,
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8)
We can define a pure heart as unmixed or sincere in its devotion to God. It’s authenticity. It’s doing things to be seen by God rather than doing things to be seen by people.
Jesus regularly pointed to the religious leaders of his day as those who looked good on the outside, but who were doing their acts for a show; they were often not pure in heart! Jesus said of them,
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” (Matthew 23:27-28
We are often more concerned about the outward, but Jesus is most concerned for the hidden - the motives of the heart. Jesus urges us,
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. (Matthew 6:1)