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Passage: Matthew 5:8
As we prepare of Sunday, take time to consider what Jesus means when he says “pure in heart.”
Sometimes it helps to think of opposites, what is the opposite of being pure in heart?
What are the dangers of this?
Consider what outside influences can affect the condition of our hearts.
Why do you think Jesus pairs purity of heart with seeing God?
Extend
Jesus calls us to live a repentant life as part of the kingdom of heaven, being pure in heart is the embodiment of this.
This is a powerful blessing statement from Jesus as it searches our very core, our hearts, and it points to the ultimate joy and desire of the Christians heart, to see God.
The reality is that all the sin and the negative stuff in our lives and around us comes from impure hearts:
Selfishness, Anger, Hate, Lust, Lying, Pride, Envy, Jealous, Gossip, Greed, Gluttony, Family breakdown, Racism. The list could continue.
The first thing to do is to acknowledge this and then take steps to purify our hearts.
Can we do this, or do we make excuses?
What are the negative influences that are destroying the purity of our hearts?
Think of some of Bible characters who allowed an impure heart to effect them. What could they have done to stop this?
Look at Psalm 73, what are the warnings from it and lessons?
Like a Child – Matthew 18:1-4
Think of the journey of a child’s life as they mature and how the initial purity is lost, and the effect that has on parents. Now think of this as God looks on us as children. Hopefully this exercise shows us how important purity of heart is to God. Parents what there children to have pure heart because they know that will bring them the best in life, God wants us to have pure hearts because that will bring us the best in our discipleship.
Our Response
If we really want pure hearts we cannot be it by ourselves, we need God. Read Psalm 19:12-14, what can we learn from these verses?
Repentance is key.
Read Psalm 19:10-11, see the important of loving God’s word.
What other verse come to mind when we think about purity of heart?
Jesus gives us the way to see God, he is the way, the truth and the life, no one come to the father except through him. Jesus was and is the only one with a truly pure heart and we can try everything by ourselves to be pure in heart but without Jesus it is useless. We need Jesus to be truly blessed.
Trinity Deeper 