This is the sixth sermon in our series "The Way To Happiness". Everyone wants to be happy, and the New Testament is our greatest authority on the subject. Jesus Christ gives us the key that will unlock the door to happiness in the eight Beatitudes.
Matthew 5:3-12 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
The word translated “blessed” is sometimes translated “happy.”
In this sermon, the sixth in our series, we are going to talk about the happiness that comes from purity; Matthew 5:8 ESV "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
About 700,000 Americans die each year of heart disease. That's about 1 in every 4 deaths. Heart disease costs the United States about $200 billion in healthcare services, medicines, and lost productivity. So we should be concerned about heart failure.
We should be equally concerned about heart impurity. This type of heart disease, if not “cured,” can result in spiritual death.
The audio recording of the sermon is at the YouTube link at the end of the manuscript.
Matthew 5:3-12 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
The word translated “blessed” is sometimes translated “happy.”
In this sermon, the sixth in our series, we are going to talk about the happiness that comes from purity; Matthew 5:8 ESV "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
About 700,000 Americans die each year of heart disease. That's about 1 in every 4 deaths. Heart disease costs the United States about $200 billion in healthcare services, medicines, and lost productivity. So we should be concerned about heart failure.
We should be equally concerned about heart impurity. This type of heart disease, if not “cured,” can result in spiritual death.
The audio recording of the sermon is at the YouTube link at the end of the manuscript.
Scripture Reading:
Matthew 5:1-12 ESV Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Text:
Matthew 5:8 ESV "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Introduction
This is the sixth in our series The Way To Happiness. In the series we’ve been looking at the Beatitudes as the way to happiness. In fact beatitude is defined as blessing or extreme happiness. We read them in our Scripture.
The first thing that Jesus says would bring happiness is humility.
Matthew 5:3 ESV "Blessed are the poor in spirit (or humble), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Then He said that Sorrow is the way to Happiness.
Matthew 5:4 ESV "Blessed are those who mourn (or who are sorrowful), for they shall be comforted.
He said the meekness leads to happiness too.
Matthew 5:5 ESV "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Jesus said that those who have an extreme desire for righteousness, which results in happiness will get it.
Matthew 5:6 ESV "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Last week we talked about the happiness that comes from extending mercy to others because they will get mercy in return.
Matthew 5:7 ESV "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Today we are going to talk about the happiness that comes from purity so our text for today is;
Matthew 5:8 ESV "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
About 700,000 Americans die each year of heart disease. That's about 1 in every 4 deaths. Heart disease costs the United States about $200 billion in healthcare services, medicines, and lost productivity. So we should be concerned about heart failure.
We should be equally concerned about heart impurity. This type of heart disease, if not “cured,” can result in spiritual death.
Many people who go through the motions of living are really dead. They may attend church, sing all the songs, teach a Sunday school class, attend Bible Study, or even help conduct a worship service, but they lack the spiritual spark that only God can create in their lives.
In the beatitude we will study today, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God,” Jesus explains that heart disease can be avoided by keeping a pure heart.
Three practical questions this beatitude raises are:
Matthew 5:1-12 ESV Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Text:
Matthew 5:8 ESV "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Introduction
This is the sixth in our series The Way To Happiness. In the series we’ve been looking at the Beatitudes as the way to happiness. In fact beatitude is defined as blessing or extreme happiness. We read them in our Scripture.
The first thing that Jesus says would bring happiness is humility.
Matthew 5:3 ESV "Blessed are the poor in spirit (or humble), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Then He said that Sorrow is the way to Happiness.
Matthew 5:4 ESV "Blessed are those who mourn (or who are sorrowful), for they shall be comforted.
He said the meekness leads to happiness too.
Matthew 5:5 ESV "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Jesus said that those who have an extreme desire for righteousness, which results in happiness will get it.
Matthew 5:6 ESV "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Last week we talked about the happiness that comes from extending mercy to others because they will get mercy in return.
Matthew 5:7 ESV "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Today we are going to talk about the happiness that comes from purity so our text for today is;
Matthew 5:8 ESV "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
About 700,000 Americans die each year of heart disease. That's about 1 in every 4 deaths. Heart disease costs the United States about $200 billion in healthcare services, medicines, and lost productivity. So we should be concerned about heart failure.
We should be equally concerned about heart impurity. This type of heart disease, if not “cured,” can result in spiritual death.
Many people who go through the motions of living are really dead. They may attend church, sing all the songs, teach a Sunday school class, attend Bible Study, or even help conduct a worship service, but they lack the spiritual spark that only God can create in their lives.
In the beatitude we will study today, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God,” Jesus explains that heart disease can be avoided by keeping a pure heart.
Three practical questions this beatitude raises are:
- Who are the pure in heart?
- How will they see God?
- And why are they happy?
1. Who are the pure in heart?
The word pure is used twenty-eight times in the New Testament. But what does it really mean?
Of course not. Jesus relates to and loves ordinary people who have ordinary problems, and He gives them an extraordinary way to experience happiness. His words, if followed, will always lead to a better life.
Jesus said:
Matthew 7:24-25 ESV "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
So if the pure in heart are not the people we asked the questions about then who are they?
A. The pure in heart are those who have been cleansed.
The initial cleansing happens when a person commits his or her life to Jesus Christ, at salvation. One thing for sure is that we can’t make ourselves pure. God is the one who makes our hearts pure.
Ezekiel 36:26 ESV And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
This purity is produced only by a new birth and becoming a new creature,.
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
One word of caution however. Although you receive salvation when you commit your life to Christ, the development of a pure heart is not the result of a once-in-a-lifetime experience. A pure heart is produced from daily confession of our sins. Daily or constant confession of the sins we commit results in continual cleansing from them. Failure to realize this explains the unhappiness in some Christian's lives. Here's something to remember when our lives become cluttered with sin.
1 John 1:9 ESV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
B. The pure in heart are those who have one goal in life.
Purity means to be guided by one purpose. To have a singleness of mind.
Matthew 6:33 ESV But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
The farther you expect to go in life, the more important your aim. For example, imagine that you want to launch a rocket to the moon. If, in the launching of your rocket, the calculations are off by just one degree, you would miss the moon by more than one million miles!
Our aim in life must be extremely accurate. If our heart is out of line, if impurities have pushed us off course, we will surely miss the highest goal God has in mind for us. The pure in heart are those who have one aim in life and that is to glorify God.
Matthew 5:13-16 ESV "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
C. The pure in heart are those who have clean thoughts.
The 2,350-mile-long Mississippi River is the largest river in the United States. As it nears the Gulf of Mexico, it stretches to more than one mile in width. But to understand the river, you have to see its beginning as a tiny, clear stream less than two feet deep, rushing out of the northern end of Lake Itasca in north-central Minnesota.
Just as we have to see the beginnings of a mighty river to understand its majesty, we have to look deeply into the source to unlock the secret of a pure heart. Purity begins with the hidden thoughts of the heart.
Proverbs 23:7 NKJV For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.
It's what we think, not what we say, that creates purity within.
Here’s what Paul wrote to the church in Philippi when he was in prison.
Philippians 4:8 ESV Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
The pure in heart are those who have clean thoughts and, consequently, a clean life that produces happiness.
1. Who are the pure in heart?
The word pure is used twenty-eight times in the New Testament. But what does it really mean?
- Are the pure in heart half-divine, half-human beings?
- Do they have no normal desires, no healthy drives, no emotional feelings?
- Are they people who have lost all contact with the real world?
- Are the pure in heart perfect people who have never sinned?
Of course not. Jesus relates to and loves ordinary people who have ordinary problems, and He gives them an extraordinary way to experience happiness. His words, if followed, will always lead to a better life.
Jesus said:
Matthew 7:24-25 ESV "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
So if the pure in heart are not the people we asked the questions about then who are they?
A. The pure in heart are those who have been cleansed.
The initial cleansing happens when a person commits his or her life to Jesus Christ, at salvation. One thing for sure is that we can’t make ourselves pure. God is the one who makes our hearts pure.
Ezekiel 36:26 ESV And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
This purity is produced only by a new birth and becoming a new creature,.
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
One word of caution however. Although you receive salvation when you commit your life to Christ, the development of a pure heart is not the result of a once-in-a-lifetime experience. A pure heart is produced from daily confession of our sins. Daily or constant confession of the sins we commit results in continual cleansing from them. Failure to realize this explains the unhappiness in some Christian's lives. Here's something to remember when our lives become cluttered with sin.
1 John 1:9 ESV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
B. The pure in heart are those who have one goal in life.
Purity means to be guided by one purpose. To have a singleness of mind.
Matthew 6:33 ESV But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
The farther you expect to go in life, the more important your aim. For example, imagine that you want to launch a rocket to the moon. If, in the launching of your rocket, the calculations are off by just one degree, you would miss the moon by more than one million miles!
Our aim in life must be extremely accurate. If our heart is out of line, if impurities have pushed us off course, we will surely miss the highest goal God has in mind for us. The pure in heart are those who have one aim in life and that is to glorify God.
Matthew 5:13-16 ESV "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
C. The pure in heart are those who have clean thoughts.
The 2,350-mile-long Mississippi River is the largest river in the United States. As it nears the Gulf of Mexico, it stretches to more than one mile in width. But to understand the river, you have to see its beginning as a tiny, clear stream less than two feet deep, rushing out of the northern end of Lake Itasca in north-central Minnesota.
Just as we have to see the beginnings of a mighty river to understand its majesty, we have to look deeply into the source to unlock the secret of a pure heart. Purity begins with the hidden thoughts of the heart.
Proverbs 23:7 NKJV For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.
It's what we think, not what we say, that creates purity within.
Here’s what Paul wrote to the church in Philippi when he was in prison.
Philippians 4:8 ESV Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
The pure in heart are those who have clean thoughts and, consequently, a clean life that produces happiness.
2. Now that we know who the pure in heart are how will they see God?
This beatitude clearly states that those who are pure in heart will see God.
But how?
The pure in heart will “see” God by experiencing Him. To see God is to experience God and become sure of who He is. Purity removes all the obstacles that blur and distort his true image.
2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
That is how the pure in heart will see God, by experiencing Him.
A. The pure in heart will see God by meeting the requirements.
To have the kind of experience that I'm talking about you must be pure in heart—that is, be cleansed from sin, have God’s glorification as your aim, and think clean thoughts. All of this is possible only as we daily commit ourselves to God’s will.
Romans 12:1 ESV I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
B. The pure in heart will see God by believing that this experience that I'm talking about is available to everybody who has surrendered to God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
This experience of God is a possibility within the grasp of all of his children. It is not simply for some great Christian who is nearing the end of life. It is not simply for a remarkably devoted person who has committed his or her life to some area of Christian service. It is for all Christians.
The pure in heart will see God by claiming this experience today. Too often we stress the future tense used in this beatitude. We say, “Yes, they shall see God.” Of course it is true that later we will see him face-to-face. But it is also true that God becomes a living reality and a friend closer than a brother in the present. To see God is to be certain of God, to experience him in your life today.
Psalms 16:11 ESV You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
This beatitude clearly states that those who are pure in heart will see God.
But how?
The pure in heart will “see” God by experiencing Him. To see God is to experience God and become sure of who He is. Purity removes all the obstacles that blur and distort his true image.
2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
That is how the pure in heart will see God, by experiencing Him.
A. The pure in heart will see God by meeting the requirements.
To have the kind of experience that I'm talking about you must be pure in heart—that is, be cleansed from sin, have God’s glorification as your aim, and think clean thoughts. All of this is possible only as we daily commit ourselves to God’s will.
Romans 12:1 ESV I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
B. The pure in heart will see God by believing that this experience that I'm talking about is available to everybody who has surrendered to God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
This experience of God is a possibility within the grasp of all of his children. It is not simply for some great Christian who is nearing the end of life. It is not simply for a remarkably devoted person who has committed his or her life to some area of Christian service. It is for all Christians.
The pure in heart will see God by claiming this experience today. Too often we stress the future tense used in this beatitude. We say, “Yes, they shall see God.” Of course it is true that later we will see him face-to-face. But it is also true that God becomes a living reality and a friend closer than a brother in the present. To see God is to be certain of God, to experience him in your life today.
Psalms 16:11 ESV You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
3. Why are the pure in heart happy?
The beatitude promises, “Blessed [happy] are the pure in heart.” And the answer to why they are happy is given in that same verse: “for they shall see God.” The pure in heart are happy because they see God, they experience God. And when they see God, the following things happen:
A. They see themselves.
When Job saw God, he was able to see himself.
Job 42:5-6 ESV I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes."
When we see God, we are made painfully aware of our sins.
Isaiah 64:6 ESV We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
And when we see our sins, we commit them to the Lord and purity becomes a reality.
1 John 1:9 ESV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
B. The pure in heart are happy because when they see and experience God they are transformed.
A view of God does more than reveal our own sinfulness; it transforms us into the kind of people God wants us to be.
Romans 12:2 ESV Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 8:28-29 ESV And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
C. The pure in heart are happy because when they see and experience God they gain courage.
There is something about having this vision of God that gives courage and determination.
Here is what the Apostle Paul said.
Philippians 3:12-14 ESV Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
The pure in heart have the same attitude.
D. The pure in heart are happy because they become useful in God's kingdom.
The person who has seen God is eager to serve him. The experience of God’s presence always creates a burning desire to serve him. Isaiah had an experience and when God asked for volunteers he raised his hand right away.
Isaiah 6:1-8 ESV In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for." And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am! Send me."
And Paul, having met Christ on the Damascus road asked the Lord what He wanted him to do.
Acts 9:6 NKJV So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
E. And finally the pure in heart are happy because they make known God’s presence to those around them.
After Jesus was resurrected and had ascended to the Father the people could see that the disciples had been with Him.
Acts 4:13 ESV Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
It is impossible to see God and to spend time with him without reflecting a sense of his presence.
Last week I said that we are transmitters of God’s mercy. We are also transmitters of God's grace. A person who is pure in heart, will let the light of God’s grace and mercy shine through, like sunlight shining through a stained glass window. There’s a story about a little boy who was asked, “What is a saint?” He answered that “A saint is a person who lets the light shine through.” Evidently he got this idea by watching the sun shine through the prophets and other great people of God in the stained-glass windows of his church. When a person’s heart remains pure, God's presence shines through.
Conclusion
The poet Alfred Lord Tennyson was asked, “What is your greatest desire?” He answered, “A clearer vision of God.” This desire may have been the thing that prompted his final instructions to his son, which were to place his poem “Crossing the Bar” at the end of his collection of poems when they were published.
Here’s that poem
Crossing the Bar
by Alfred Lord Tennyson
Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar.
In this poem Alfred Lord Tennyson captured the truth of Christ’s beatitude, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
Matthew 5:8 ESV "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
The beatitude promises, “Blessed [happy] are the pure in heart.” And the answer to why they are happy is given in that same verse: “for they shall see God.” The pure in heart are happy because they see God, they experience God. And when they see God, the following things happen:
A. They see themselves.
When Job saw God, he was able to see himself.
Job 42:5-6 ESV I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes."
When we see God, we are made painfully aware of our sins.
Isaiah 64:6 ESV We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
And when we see our sins, we commit them to the Lord and purity becomes a reality.
1 John 1:9 ESV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
B. The pure in heart are happy because when they see and experience God they are transformed.
A view of God does more than reveal our own sinfulness; it transforms us into the kind of people God wants us to be.
Romans 12:2 ESV Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 8:28-29 ESV And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
C. The pure in heart are happy because when they see and experience God they gain courage.
There is something about having this vision of God that gives courage and determination.
Here is what the Apostle Paul said.
Philippians 3:12-14 ESV Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
The pure in heart have the same attitude.
D. The pure in heart are happy because they become useful in God's kingdom.
The person who has seen God is eager to serve him. The experience of God’s presence always creates a burning desire to serve him. Isaiah had an experience and when God asked for volunteers he raised his hand right away.
Isaiah 6:1-8 ESV In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for." And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am! Send me."
And Paul, having met Christ on the Damascus road asked the Lord what He wanted him to do.
Acts 9:6 NKJV So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
E. And finally the pure in heart are happy because they make known God’s presence to those around them.
After Jesus was resurrected and had ascended to the Father the people could see that the disciples had been with Him.
Acts 4:13 ESV Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
It is impossible to see God and to spend time with him without reflecting a sense of his presence.
Last week I said that we are transmitters of God’s mercy. We are also transmitters of God's grace. A person who is pure in heart, will let the light of God’s grace and mercy shine through, like sunlight shining through a stained glass window. There’s a story about a little boy who was asked, “What is a saint?” He answered that “A saint is a person who lets the light shine through.” Evidently he got this idea by watching the sun shine through the prophets and other great people of God in the stained-glass windows of his church. When a person’s heart remains pure, God's presence shines through.
Conclusion
The poet Alfred Lord Tennyson was asked, “What is your greatest desire?” He answered, “A clearer vision of God.” This desire may have been the thing that prompted his final instructions to his son, which were to place his poem “Crossing the Bar” at the end of his collection of poems when they were published.
Here’s that poem
Crossing the Bar
by Alfred Lord Tennyson
Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar.
In this poem Alfred Lord Tennyson captured the truth of Christ’s beatitude, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
Matthew 5:8 ESV "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
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