October 13, 2024

The Greatest Blessing of All

Preacher:
Passage: Matthew 5:8, Psalm 24
Service Type:

Introduction

  • Jesus speaks about tremendous blessing on the people of God
    • He speaks of the kingdom of heaven
    • He speaks of the earth
    • His mind is upon the new heaven and earth – where everything will be perfect
  • We thank God for the beauty of creation
    • Yet we know the earth is spoiled – examples
    • There will be a new paradise and everything will one day be perfect again
  • Today we celebrate the harvest
    • "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." James 1:17
    • God does not change
    • We must acknowledge this and be a thankful people
    • 1 Tim 6:17 – He has "gives us richly all things to enjoy"
    • We should receive all with thanksgiving
  • Harvest hymns & children’s talk:
    • Psalm 24
    • We should give thanks to the Lord – for He is good
  • Continuing in the series of the Beatitudes
    • Yes we should be thankful for the harvest/blessings
    • We should be reminded of the greatest blessing of all
      • To know and see God
  • Overview:
    • What does it mean to seek God?
    • What does it mean to have a pure heart?

What does it mean to seek God?

  • We can see God
    • We can see God in this life
      • Those who have seen Jesus have seen the Father – John 14:9
        • We cannot see God and live
        • But we can seek God through the mediator Jesus Christ
    • We can see God in the next life
      • This is fuller and richer and deeper
      • A dim sight now but a clear view in glory
    • These words are for the Christian
      • The Beatitudes speak about the Christian – one who is born again by the Holy Spirit
      • People cannot become pure, meek, humble, thirst after righteousness in themselves
      • People need a new nature – to be born again
  1. To see God – your spiritual blindness has been removed
    • Journey:
      • Yet the Spirit of God started working in your life
      • You heard of a sinless Saviour
      • You heard of His amazing love
      • You turned to Christ and saw for the first time
  • Example of John Newtown and the song Amazing Grace
    • Can you say that now you see?
    • If so, you have a pure heart because your sins are forgiven
  • “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” John 9:39
    • Jesus brings sight to the spiritually blind
  1. To see God – in the next life
    • We see in part now … but one day we will see Him as He is
    • Rev 21:3-4 "And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”"
      • In the new heaven and earth – Christ will be all in all
      • The former things will pass away
      • Heaven will be a place of pure, blissful love
    • Rev 22:1-5 "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse … but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever."
      • The curse shall be done away
    • Read the book of Revelation to see wonderful descriptions of the hope to come
      • Meditate upon this
      • No "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Cor 2:9

What does it mean to have a pure heart?

  1. What does it mean to have a heart unsullied from sin?
    • Prov 20:9 "Who can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin”?"
      • No human being can say this
    • The Apostle Paul says ‘nothing good within me dwells’ – Romans 7:18
    • Matt 15:19 "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies."
      • Example of man in university
    • We need our heart to be cleansed
      • Do not be like the Pharisees only seeing the external/outside
      • Jesus reveals our inside state
    • "Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me."
    • Ezk 36:25-26 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."
    • Have you asked God to cleanse you of your sin?
  2. An undivided heart
    • What do you fix your mind on?
      • Example
    • Everything is done before God
      • Examples
    • Do you have a heart united with Gods?
      • Is your heart set on the things of the world?
      • Is there hypocrisy in your hearts?
        • Matt 23:23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone."
        • Matt 23:25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also."
    • What really matters is the heart
      • Not first what you do but what you are
    • Psalm 24

Implications

  • We thank God for His good gifts
  • The greatest gift is for a pure heart
    • We still sin and the greater our walk with God the more sin we recognise
    • Yet, God cleanses us from sin
  • Do you see God with the eye of faith?
    • Do you have difficulty seeing?
      • Quote
      • Example of Dr Martin Lloyd-Jones
    • God can give us glimpses of heaven in this life
      • Sometimes through hardship – Example of Job
    • Can you say with certainty that you will see God?
      • Example of the thief on the cross
  • Seek Christ whilst you can
    • Run to Jesus