HEART HEALTHY SUMMER SERIES: THE PURE IN HEART 

Matthew 5:8 (LESSON 6) July 8th, 2018

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8 NIV

OPENING (PICK ONE OR MORE): What does the phrase “pure in heart” mean to you? Why did Jesus want kingdom followers to live a life of purity? Is a life of purity possible in a world full of impurity?

TEXT: Read Matthew 5:3-16 in your favorite translations. IF TIME PERMITS: read Matthew 5-7.

1.         What is the main idea of the beatitudes of Jesus? Which of these beatitudes is the easiest for you to apply, which is the hardest? How does “blessed are the pure in heart” compare to the other seven beatitudes? How would your life be different if you lived a life with a pure heart 24/7? What are some of the hurdles that are keeping Christians from living a life of purity?

2.         PURE IN HEART: What type of inward purity does Jesus demand? How does a follower of Christ purify their heart?  In what ways does pornography or sexual immorality damage our hearts? What role do various addictions and bad habits play in the life of a follower of Christ? How does one know if they have a pure heart? What steps do you need to take today to protect your heart?

3.         HEART: How did Jesus view the heart (Matthew 15:19-20)? How do these two verses help us to understand what Jesus meant when he said, “blessed are the pure in heart”? In what ways is your heart pure and in what ways isn’t it pure? Jeremiah 17:9 states that the heart is deceitful. What are some of the false narratives we have come to believe about our own hearts?

4.         SEXUAL PURITY: What did Jesus want his followers to know about lust and sexual immorality (Matthew 5:27-30)? What did Paul want the saints to know about sexual purity (Ephesians 5:1-5) and purity in general (Colossians 3:1-11)? Why did Paul want believers to flee from sexual impurity and immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18-19)? Hebrews 13:4 states that the marriage bed should be kept pure. What type of judgment is the writer of Hebrews talking about?

5.         DIG DEEPER: Read Psalm 51:6, 10. What does a clean/pure heart look like for David after he committed adultery and murder? When it comes to purity, is God a God of second chances?    Read 1 Timothy 1:5.  What did Paul mean by “a pure heart” in this verse? How does a pure heart impact the way we think, feel and behave? Read 1 John 3:2-3. How did Jesus’ best friend view purity? In what ways does hope in Christ purify our thoughts and behaviors?

6.         FALSE NARRATIVES: Which narrative have you bought into the most: 1) All sexual desire is bad/evil, 2) All sexual desire is good/healthy. Society and even some churches tell us what matters most is love, if there is love we are free to pursue our sexual desires. How does this compare to Jesus words on a pure heart? How does marriage between a man and woman protect our purity?

NEXT STEP: Spend the week praying and journaling about your inner life. Where is your heart pure? Where has your heart allowed impurities to enter it? Meditate on what it means to see God!