Sermon Series: Leveling the Field of Faith

Matthew 5:8

In a nutshell: The way we affect a morally corrupt world is by having a pure or unpolluted heart. We get that by realizing you need God’s leadership and power, staying in God’s Word, walking in the Spirit, and praying. The benefit to us and our world is that we will see God at work.

Most of you are probably familiar with Paul Harvey. His wit, wisdom and staccato delivery in news and commentary broadcasts has held the attention of millions of radio listeners for decades. He’s a Christian. And in one of his recent radio broadcasts he said this. It’s entitled...

When I first heard this, I have to be honest with you. I was despondent and frustrated, and angry. Because this is such a good description of America today. And I fretted...

-Is it ever going to get better?

-Are we doomed to being spectators to the moral and cultural demise of this nation?

-Is the church really ineffective to do anything about the cultural and moral mess that North America is finding itself in?

-What’s the answer?

Then I realized something. I went back over Paul Harvey’s list, and it hit me. There is not one thing on that list that couldn’t be on a similar list for the Roman world in Jesus’ day. The devil had a hold of that culture, and the moral conditions of the day, just as strongly as he has on our’s right now. And in the midst of that, Jesus told people on a hillside in Palestine just how to make a difference in their culture.

The first four things Jesus told those people–the first four Beatitudes–were given as a road map on how to establish a relationship with God.

-Blessed are the poor in Spirit, who realize they need help out of their personal condition of sin;

-Blessed are those who mourn over their lost and hopeless condition of sin that drives them to seek comfort in God;

-Blessed are the meek, who are mighty defenders of God’s truth, teachable, kind and people who wait for God’s help;

-and Blessed are those who are constantly involved in desiring, thinking and valuing like God does, then act on that basis alone.

That is the foundation of a relationship with God. That is the spiritual electrical plug that succeeds in making contact with the power source that changed the Roman moral and cultural mess, and that can change the climate of north American culture as well.

Once the relationship is established, then the methods of change can kick in. And that’s what the last four Beatitudes are all about–changing our world, by changing ourselves. As we’ll find out later in this study on the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls that "being salt and light in the world."

Last week we saw that the first way we change our world is through being merciful. I won’t review that this morning. But if you missed last weeks’ message, get the tape. It’s that important!

But the second way we change our world is found in this sixth Beatitude. It’s in...

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Based on that verse, in the rest of our time this morning, I want to do four things with this verse:

Let’s first of all define our terms.

The word heart comes from the Greek word kardia. It’s where we get our word cardiac and other similar terms, that have to do with the heart in medical practice.

But Jesus isn’t talking about that thing inside your chest that goes thump, thump, thump. It is used metaphorically to talk about the inner person–that part of you that develops your motives and attitudes and personality, and thinking process, and your will. I usually call it the "core of your being."

In Proverbs, we read...

Jesus in a conversation with a group of religious teachers...

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?

The heart is the control center of mind and will and emotion.

But the word pure is even more interesting. It comes from the Greek word, katharos. It’s the word from which we get the medical word, catheter, from–that small plastic tube or shunt that is inserted into the brain or bladder or an infected area of the body, that allows harmful fluids to drain from the body.

The Greeks often used this word to refer to metals that had been refined until all the impurities were removed, so all you were left with was the pure metal. So to them it meant unmixed, unalloyed, or unadulterated.

And when you put the two terms together– heart and pure, you come up with the concept of a devotion that is drained free from pollutants or harmful things that can dilute or change the composition or focus of that devotion.

What Jesus is talking about is a pure and single-minded devotion to God.

Because, you see, double-mindedness has always been one of the greatest, if not the greatest hindrance to Christians being effective in influencing the world.

Jesus says later in this Sermon on the Mount...

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

James puts it this way in his letter...

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

And James echoes Jesus’ words when he writes about the solution...

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

So, here’s the truth of the situation, the problem, the reason, and the solution to what this Beatitude is talking about:

1. The truth is that the world and culture will to be positively affected for God (right morals, right living, right values, right attitudes), by God’s people, when they are single-mindedly devoted to following Him.

2. The problem is that it’s not happening. North America is not being positively affected for God. Just remember what I read from Paul Harvey. North America is exactly where the devil wants it to be–not where God wants it to be.

3. Here’s the reason. God’s people, who are supposed to be the solution, have allowed other stuff to pollute their lives–things like:

-accepting the godless morals and lifestyles of characters on TV and in the movies as normal,

-listening to office gossip,

-repeating off-color jokes or stories,

-viewing pornography on the Internet,

-choosing marriage partners who do not hold to the value system taught in the Bible,

-getting so wrapped up with the toys of our hobbies and recreation that we neglect meeting with

other Christians for strengthening and building up of our faith,

-making our preferences in music and style the litmus test for church,

-letting our schedules get so busy that there is no time to hear God when He speaks,

-micro-managing the decisions of church leaders

-and being so unsure of the power of God because it is so puny in us, that we’re afraid of what people might think of us if we say anything about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Have I stepped on enough toes yet? I think you get the message. That’s been the problem of every generation since the time of Jesus, who have failed to affect their world for God. It’s my problem, it’s your problem, and it’s the problem of our church. We are not single-mindedly devoted to God. We are trying to affect our world while being double-minded–and we’re losing the battle.

So what’s the solution?

Here it is...We have to find a way to drain the things that make us double-minded from our hearts.

Now, throughout the history of the church, people have been suggesting ways to do this...

-Some people have suggested becoming a monk and living in isolation so you can devote yourself to meditation and serious Bible study.

-Others have suggested that this is a second work of grace. They’ll teach that this release from the crud of the world, takes place when you’re "slain in the spirit"

-Still others say that you have to have some kind of miraculous phenomenon happen to you that eradicates your sins and your sin nature totally from your person. They call it complete or total sanctification.

But friends, monasticism , total sanctification , and slaying in the spirit aren’t taught anywhere in God’s Word. These are all man-made spiritual solutions. People have tried them, and are trying various forms of these solutions, and North America is still getting worse.

But there are four principles taught in Scripture that are specifically designed to get rid of the crud of the world that accumulates in our hearts. These four principles need to be inserted into the core of our being to help make us men and women who are single-mindedly devoted to God. I call these principles the four catheters to the heart.

The wisest man who ever lived asked this question...

Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin"?

The obvious answer is that NO ONE can say this.

Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.

Cleansing begins with the recognition that we are too weak to make a change in our hearts by our selves. Only when we are weak, will we reach for God’s strength and His leadership. Then in God’s strength and by following His leadership, the significant process of purifying of our hearts can take place. I like the statement by Oswald Chambers...(front of bulletin)

"God can achieve his purpose either through the absence of human power and resources, or the abandonment of reliance on them. All through history God has chosen and used nobodies, because their unusual dependence on him make possible the unique display of his power and grace. He chooses and uses somebodies only when they renounce dependence on their natural abilities and resources." (Oswald Chambers, Man's Weakness; God's Strength)

So, the first catheter is to drain self reliance from our hearts and rely solely on God and His leadership to make the necessary changes to make us single-mindedly devoted to Him.

You cannot stay in God’s will without staying in His Word. Jesus said,

You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

Practically speaking, find some time during the day, when you can get alone with God’s Word, and read some of it. It is living and active. It speaks to your struggles with double-mindedness just as well as it did to people who lived 1500 years ago. It tells you the things to think on, and to put into your life, that will help drain the crud of the world out of your heart. I heard this at a Promise Keeper rally several years ago...

The second catheter is you have to pick up this book and read it regularly.

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Practically speaking that means when your conscience tells you not to do something–don’t by-pass it or ignore it–obey it. You see, as that second catheter does its work, and you become more familiar with God’s Word, you will know deep down inside you what is right and what is wrong. You’ll know what will help you be single-mindedly devoted to God and what will make you double-minded.

And this drain simply filters out the voice of the world, and tunes you into the voice of God. This isn’t something eerie or mystical. This is just the result of feeding your conscience a balanced diet of the right things–then making the commitment to following that little voice inside you.

4. The final catheter is pray. You cannot stay in God’s will; You cannot understand God’s will; You cannot obey God’s will... unless you stay near to Him.

David prayed...

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

-This is a prayer you need to pray when your life gets busy and hectic.

-This is a prayer you pray when you drive down Perez Road and are tempted with lust by the adult bookstores and nude dancer signs.

-This is the prayer you pray when the office gossip wants to suck you in.

-This is the prayer you pray when you have personality conflicts with people in this church.

-This is a prayer you pray when you come into conflicts with your husband or wife or your children.

Corrie Ten Boom used to ask, "Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?"

It’s obvious, if this fourth catheter is going to be in place, prayer will be the steering wheel of your life.

Finally, as with all the Beatitudes, there is a promise... This one is no different. The promise, if you have a pure heart is that..."you will see God."

That phrase in the Greek is in the future indicative case, and in the middle voice. Now that’s not meant to impress you. But what that means is that you won’t have to wait until you die to experience this promise. Literally the phrase can be translated..."They shall be continuously seeing God for themselves."

This isn’t rocket science... this is just a wonderful truth:

-Do you want to see God at work in the lives of your children–get a pure heart

-Do you want to see God at work in your marriage relationship–get a pure heart

-Do you want to see God at work in your trailer park–get a pure heart

-Do you want to see God at work in your retirement community–get a pure heart

-Do you want to see God at work in your neighbor’s lives and the lives of your co-workers–you do what’s necessary to get a pure heart.

-Do you want to see God at work in your decisions, your plans, your business deals–get a pure heart.

-Do you want to see God at work in selling your home–get a pure heart

-Do you want to see God at work in our church–get a pure heart.

-Do you want to see God at work in our country to bring about more godly morals and values–you get a pure heart.

That’s God’s plan to effect a change in a culture, and a life. When the disciples finally got it and started living by it, it was said of them,

There is only one promise in all of scripture that promises that people will continuously see God at work in their lives–and it’s this one.

Will you...?

1. Commit to the leadership and power of God in your life?

2. Staying in God’s Word?

3. Let the Holy Spirit control you?

4. Pray asking God to create a clean heart in you?

???????????????????

If you do, then "Katie bar the door". You’re going to see God at work in your world and your life like you’ve never seen before.

Amen.