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HEART OF THE MATTER IS A MATTER OF THE HEART Introduction: Most of us like to think of ourselves as moral individuals. None of us like to think of ourselves as corrupt, depraved, or evil. But I am not sure that we really understand what true morality is and where it comes from. To be moral, one must act in a moral manner. This is clear. But, morality is more than just behavior and this is something that may be missed by our culture if we are not careful. While we may be able to impact the behavior of individuals in our society by certain restrictions of law, we will never be able to change the essence of a person's morality in that way. Limiting what a person can do outwardly does not change who that person is inwardly. Behavior flows from the inward nature of an individual. You might say that is it a matter of the heart. So, when Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart. . ." He was emphasizing that what we all really need is to be right on the inside. I. THE CALL TO HEART-PURITY In the Beatitudes, Jesus is dealing with principles which impact every area of our lives. This simple sentence, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" becomes a powerful road map that will lead us to the promised fulfillment of a personal encounter with God (“see God.”) It is a call to heart-purity. Jesus is saying that the condition of our heart before God is of first importance. Our priority as believers is to maintain a right heart attitude toward God. We might be able to fool people by pretending to be something we are not. But God is not fooled (1 Sam 16:7) "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." It is clear that God looks past outward behavior and outward appearance to the real issue - the condition of our hearts. We read in (Prov 21:2) "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts." God has always been after hearts which are right toward Him. When David prayed for his son Solomon, he said in 1 Chronicles 29:19, "and give to my son Solomon a perfect heart to keep Thy commandments, Thy testimonies, and Thy statutes, and to do them all . . ." On the other hand, it was said of King Rehoboam when he began to reign, that "he did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord" (2 Chronicles 12:14). The heart determines our standing before God. So what did Jesus mean when He spoke of pure in heart? What does pure really mean? Does it mean perfect? Does it mean sinless? If it does, then we are all in deep trouble. (Illus: The Greek word which is translated pure is katharos. It sounds like the word catharsis.) It simply means to make pure by cleansing. A. Made Pure By Cleansing We might think of pure meaning unmixed. The heart in Scripture refers to the mind, will and emotions. It refers to the control center of the will. The writer of Proverbs counseled, "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life" (Proverbs 4:23). In Matthew 15:19, Jesus said, "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders." The heart encompasses both mind and will. The heart determines behavior. So when Jesus speaks of the pure in heart He is talking about a heart that is of pure, undiluted, and unmixed motive. B. Made Pure By Consecration Our hearts should be characterized by single-mindedness and undivided devotion. To be pure in heart means more than avoiding outward sins, it means avoiding double-mindedness. Double-mindedness is like a cancer of the spirit. It slowly eats away at your spiritual life until there is no real life left. Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters;…" (Matthew 6:24). James, in his book (James 4:4), reminds us that "friendship with the world is hostility towards God" and then gives us the solution: "cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded" (v.8). Mixed motives make our hearts impure. Single-minded devotion is what purity of heart is all about. William Barclay, the famous Scottish New Testament scholar, says that this verse can be translated in the following way: "Blessed is the man whose motive is always entirely unmixed, for that man shall see God." When we examine ourselves in this light, what do we find? Often, we find that we fall far short from the standard. Our motives are seldom unmixed. Many times our motives are selfish and self-centered. Instead of single-minded devotion to God and a passionate desire to please Him, often we are concerned only with what is in it for us. Some preachers contribute to this kind of thinking and attitudes. Too often we hold forth the gospel as something which people should decide to accept because of what they will get in return. Now God does bless us in many ways. And you cannot give without becoming one who receives from God. But the motivation of our service ought to be a single-minded devotion to God. The motivation for our giving ought to be a love for God and His work. To promote it in any other way is to create a double-minded person. The call of Christ is clear. We are to be unmixed in our devotion to Him. How about you? Is your heart single in its devotion to God? II. THE PROCESS OF HEART-PURITY How can we make our hearts pure? If we find that our motives are mixed, how can we return to a single-minded devotion to God? The answers to those questions are found in the Beatitudes themselves. The first four lay the foundation for the second four. In other words, the second four Beatitudes are the result of walking in the first four. Be found: A. Standing On The Right Principals In order to become pure in heart, we must see our need and respond to that need. We must walk through the progression we have seen in the first four Beatitudes. As those: ° Who are "poor in spirit" we see our sinfulness. ° Who "mourn" we repent in godly sorrow for our sin. Our hearts are broken before God. ° Thus, they become "gentle" and tender before God. Humility marks those who are thus dealt with by God. ° Then we come to the place where we "hunger and thirst for righteousness" because we have seen that only the righteousness of God satisfies. This is the foundation we must lay if we are ever to become pure in heart. B. Staying On The Right Path This is really the process of sanctification. It is what Jesus meant when He told us that we were to take up our crosses daily. It is seeking God with all our heart. It is coming to God like David and praying "create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10). It is desiring God more than all else. III. THE RESULT OF HEART-PURITY The reason we must become pure in heart is that only those who are, shall see God. God reserves intimate fellowship with himself to those whose hearts are unmixed in their devotion to Him. This intimate fellowship results in an: A. Enhanced Awareness Heart-purity is what tunes our spiritual receivers to the frequency of God's transmission. (Illus: Radio stations are assigned frequencies - you must be tuned in to the correct frequency of the station you want to receive.) Making your heart right before God tunes you into Him. And when we are tuned into Him, we will enjoy the privilege of catching a glimpse of His glory. B. Elevated Awe Seeing His glory is a vision of His majesty. This is the promise to all who are pure in heart. If we are, we will see God. (Illus: Relationship vs. fellowship.) I know that all who are truly saved will one day see God in His fullness as we stand before Him in His eternal kingdom. We shall then behold His glory and stand in His presence forever. But I also believe that there is a partial fulfillment of this here and now. God desires that we catch a glimpse of His glory to enable us to live today. He desires to reveal more of His power to us. He desires to reveal more of Himself to us, that we might understand His ways and walk in them. God desires fellowship with us. God desires that we are enabled to see Him in more of life’s ways. And this is the promise to us - it is the result of becoming pure in heart. Conclusion: The pure in heart are a rare breed today. They are even rare in our churches today. But I believe God is calling us back to that single-minded, unmixed devotion to Him which characterizes those upon whom He pours out His Spirit. In God’s Kingdom, the way up is always down. We must fall on our knees in repentance before we can look up to catch a glimpse of His glory. O God, purify our hearts that we may see Jesus! |