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Matthew 5:8 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Our text for today is Matthew chapter 5 and verse 8.
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! In our study of the Sermon on the Mount in the past weeks,
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we have seen the overarching question before us,
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! What characterizes those who follow the King of the Kingdom of Heaven?
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We have noted back many times in Matthew chapter 4,
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verse 17. Matthew records the beginning of Jesus' ministry and says,
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from that time Jesus began to preach, saying,
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repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
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This was the theme of Jesus' teaching.
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And then we saw at the beginning of Matthew chapter 5
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that crowds gather and they gather onto an unnamed mountain.
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And when Jesus sits down, His disciples come to Him.
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And He opens His mouth and He teaches them.
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So, the primary audience for this sermon are Jesus' disciples.
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Those who are already His followers.
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And Jesus is here declaring that the citizens of His Kingdom are blessed or flourishing.
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They're doing well as citizens of this Kingdom.
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We've looked at the first five of these declarations of blessedness.
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And this morning I invite you to join me in considering the sixth.
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Before I read it, I want to remind you, beloved,
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this is God's Word to us.
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It was written for His glory and for our good.
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We would all do well to listen to it
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in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
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Matthew chapter 5 and verse 8.
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Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
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Jesus declares that the pure in heart are blessed.
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And so we must endeavor to know what is meant by this.
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The great 18th century pastor Martin Lloyd-Jones
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referred to Matthew chapter 5 verse 8
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as one of the greatest utterances in all of Scripture.
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Whether or not you agree with his assertion,
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there is much to be said about such a verse.
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In fact, volumes upon volumes of work
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have been written on this small phrase.
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Now, our time this morning will not allow us
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to probe the very depths of such a declaration.
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Our time will only permit us to get at its central meaning.
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That's the intention of today.
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So, be encouraged to consider its meaning further.
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Not just a text like this,
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but any text that we open together as a church.
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Meditate upon it throughout the week
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and have conversations about it.
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You, with the rest of the church,
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probe the depths of the things that we study
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on Sunday morning.
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That said, I would like to first deal this morning
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from our text with the word heart.
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What is this heart that is meant to be pure?
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Recall that one of the two overarching themes
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that I have asserted
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carried throughout the Sermon on the Mount
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is this idea of whole person righteousness.
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This beatitude speaks directly to this theme.
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So, we should not be at all surprised
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that Jesus speaks of the heart
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in this most famous of His sermons.
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So, this idea of whole person righteousness
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and then Jesus uses this word
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that means whole person.
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There is great biblical emphasis placed
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upon the heart and the condition of it.
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When you see this word heart
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in your English translation
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of both the Old and New Testaments,
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it is most often, not in every case,
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but it is most often referring
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to our very being.
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The non-physical part of you.
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Your mind, your will,
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your personality, right?
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What makes you you
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apart from this flesh vessel
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that carries the you that you are.
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And the heart is the source
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of all that we are.
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Proverbs 4.23 says,
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keep your heart with all vigilance.
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Why?
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For from it flows the springs of life.
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Let's look briefly at some other places
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in the Bible that will help us
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to see this point concerning the heart
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and the condition of it.
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So first, in the Old Testament,
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when God is deciding
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that He will destroy the earth
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with a flood,
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in Genesis 6.5 we can read,
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the Lord saw that the wickedness of man
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was great in the earth
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and that every intention
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of the thoughts of his heart
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was only evil continually.
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So man in his very being
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was nothing but evil, right?
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And God looks at this
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and says it must be destroyed.
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Psalm 27.8
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David says,
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you have said,
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seek my face.
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And then the response of David is,
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my heart says to you,
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your face Lord,
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do I seek.
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And then in Ezekiel 36.
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And verse 26.
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And if you're doing
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the Bible reading with us,
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this was from yesterday's reading.
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God says,
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and I will give you a new heart
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and a new spirit I will put within you.
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And I will remove the heart of stone
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from your flesh
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and give you a heart of flesh.
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We know this as the doctrine
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of regeneration.
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I will change your very being.
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And in the New Testament,
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those are just a few
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of the Old Testament examples.
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In the New Testament,
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Matthew chapter 15,
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verse 17 and following.
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Jesus says,
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do you not see that
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whatever goes into the mouth
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passes into the stomach
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and is expelled?
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He's simply saying,
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the stuff that you eat
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is not what defiles you.
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Because it leaves you.
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But what comes out of the mouth
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proceeds from the heart.
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From who you are.
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In verse 18,
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the last half says,
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and this defiles a person.
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For out of the heart
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come evil thoughts,
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murder,
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adultery,
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sexual immorality,
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theft,
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false witness,
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slander.
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So,
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if you are evil,
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then you do evil.
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In Ephesians chapter 4,
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in verse 18,
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Paul makes a case
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that those who are in Christ,
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who have been made new,
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are to no longer walk
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as those who have not been made new.
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And he says this of those people.
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They are darkened in their understanding,
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alienated from the life of God
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because of the ignorance
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that is in them
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due to their hardness of heart.
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And then those who have been set free,
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those who have been set free
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from the bondage of sin,
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who have been made regenerate.
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Paul writes of them in Romans chapter 6,
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verse 17,
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Thanks be to God
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that you who were once slaves of sin
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have become obedient from the heart
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to the standard of teaching
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to which you were committed.
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So, Jesus says
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that it is a person
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who has purity of being
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that are declared blessed.
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Note carefully in Matthew 5, verse 8,
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that he says pure in heart,
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not pure in head.
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You can come up with all the right answers
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and still be desperately lost.
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In the day in which we live,
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there are many, many
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who could explain the gospel of Jesus Christ to you
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but have not placed believing faith in it.
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It is the pure in heart
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that are declared blessed by Jesus,
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not the pure in head.
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And I should say,
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not only pure in head,
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for surely our very being
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includes our thought life.
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Matthew chapter 15, verse 8,
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Jesus says,
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This people honors me with their lips,
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but their heart is far from me.
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Note also that Jesus says,
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pure in heart,
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not pure in conduct.
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You can appear to be pure by your action
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and still be desperately lost.
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It is the pure in heart
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that are declared blessed by Jesus,
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not the pure in conduct.
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Again, I should say,
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not only pure in conduct,
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for surely our very in being
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includes our actions.
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In fact, the way we think
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and feel and act
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is the proofing of who we are.
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It's the evidencing of who we are.
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But it is who we are,
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not what we do,
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that is Jesus' focus here.
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In Matthew chapter 23,
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it's the chapter known as the woes chapter.
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Jesus declares the woes,
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the seven woes over the Pharisees.
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And one of them,
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verse 25 and following,
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he says,
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Woe to you,
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scribes and Pharisees,
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hypocrites.
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For you clean the outside
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of the cup and the plate,
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but inside they are full of greed
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and self-indulgence.
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So you see what he's saying?
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You clean up the outside of it, right?
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You make it look nice on the outside,
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but the actual useful part is dirty.
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You catching that?
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I don't care if my cup is dirty on the outside,
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if the inside is clean.
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Your focus is all wrong here.
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You don't clean up the inside.
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Inside,
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you're full of greed and self-indulgence.
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And then verse 26,
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you blind Pharisees.
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First clean the inside of the cup
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and the plate,
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that the outside also may be clean.
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So if our hearts are pure,
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then what proceeds from us
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will be purity.
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So Jesus is concerned
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about the totality of who we are
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as he addresses our hearts this morning.
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But let us now consider
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the qualifier that Jesus puts
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on the heart that is declared blessed.
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Jesus says it is the pure in heart
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that are flourishing.
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What then does it mean
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to be pure in heart?
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For the totality of our inner selves
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to be pure.
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Now this is a word
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with some texture to it.
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First, it can mean
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without hypocrisy
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or singularly focused.
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Psalm 86.11.
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David, I believe,
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if I'm remembering correctly,
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says,
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Teach me your way,
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O Lord,
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that I may walk in your truth.
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Unite my heart
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to fear your name.
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Don't let me be a man
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who is divided.
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But put my heart
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into a singular focus
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that stands in the awe of God
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so that I will walk in your truth.
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Paul writes in Romans 7.
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The opposite of this.
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An ununited heart.
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Verse 21 and 22.
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He says,
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So I find it to be a law
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that when I want to do right,
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evil lies close at hand.
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For I delight in the law of God
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in my inner being.
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And he goes on to talk about
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this great struggle
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of these two things
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that wage war within him.
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An ununited heart.
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So,
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pure means without hypocrisy.
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It also means without blemish
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or without any uncleanliness.
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The Apostle John writes
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in Revelation 21 and verse 27,
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Nothing unclean will ever enter
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the new Jerusalem.
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Nor anyone who does
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what is detestable or false,
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but only those who are written
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in the Lamb's book of life.
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And then later in Revelation 22
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and verse 14,
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Blessed are those who wash their robes
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that they may have the right
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to the tree of life
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and that they may enter the city
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by the gates.
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So,
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to be pure also means
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to be washed clean,
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to be without blemish.
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So,
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to be without hypocrisy
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and to be without blemish,
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but I think for us
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to be pure in heart
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most emphatically means
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for us to be like
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Jesus Christ.
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A great example of
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purity
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of heart.
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The writer of Hebrews
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speaks at length about this
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in Hebrews chapter 4.
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I want to read to you
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just verse 15.
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Where the writer of Hebrews
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speaks of Jesus
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as a great high priest.
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And the high priest
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who went in to make sacrifice
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on the day of atonement
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had to be sacrificially
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washed clean.
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He had to go through
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a ton of process
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to be considered clean
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in order to enter
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into the presence of God.
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The writer of Hebrews
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says this about Jesus.
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For we do not have
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a high priest
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who was unable
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to sympathize
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with our weakness,
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but one who in every respect
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has been tempted
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as we are
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yet without sin.
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So,
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already pure.
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It doesn't have to go
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through ritualistic cleansing,
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but Jesus Christ
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himself
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is
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pure.
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Tempted in every way
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yet
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without
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sin.
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And it's important
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that we are
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like this.
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That we are
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holy
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as Christ
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is holy.
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Again,
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the writer of Hebrews
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says,
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chapter 12
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and verse 14,
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strive for peace
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with everyone
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and
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for the holiness
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without which
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no one
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will see
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the Lord.
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To be
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pure in heart
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means to
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fulfill
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the greatest
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commandment.
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Matthew chapter 22
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and verse 37
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and following
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Jesus says,
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having been tested
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is the greatest
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commandment.
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He responds,
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you shall love
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the Lord your God
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with all your heart
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and with all your soul
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and with all your mind.
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This is the greatest
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and first commandment
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and a second like it
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so he expands it beyond
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you shall love your neighbor
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as
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yourself.
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So,
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to be pure in heart
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is to be without
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hypocrisy,
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without
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blemish,
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to be like
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Christ
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in our
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devotion
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to God.
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You shall love
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the Lord your God
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with all your heart,
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with all your soul,
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with all
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your
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mind.
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Martin Lloyd-Jones
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again,
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this is the
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quotation on your
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bulletin this morning,
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said,
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to be pure in heart
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means we have
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an undivided
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love which regards
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God as our
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highest good
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and which is
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concerned only
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about loving
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God.
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God.
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So,
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to be pure
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in heart
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means to be
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like Christ.
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Beloved,
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this is not
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something that is
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accomplished by
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our well-wishing
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or by our
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effort,
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but by God
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imputing our
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sin to Christ
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and by imputing
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to us
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the righteousness
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of Christ.
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Martin Luther
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called this
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the great exchange.
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He took
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our sin
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and gave it
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to Jesus
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who knew
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no sin.
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He became
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sin on our
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behalf and
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the wrath of
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God was poured
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out on him
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and his
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righteousness,
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his perfect
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life was
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given to
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us.
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This is called
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double
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imputation.
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You don't have
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to know that.
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But you have
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to know that
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there was an
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exchange that
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happened when
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you placed
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faith in
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Jesus Christ.
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That not only
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was the debt
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of your sin
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canceled,
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but you were
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given righteousness.
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It's as if
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you fulfilled
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the law.
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It's as if
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you kept
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it perfectly
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because your
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sin was punished
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in him and
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he kept it
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perfectly on
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your behalf.
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We don't do
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this on our
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own.
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We are
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incapable of
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doing this
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on our
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own.
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God gifts
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us with
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faith to
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believe in
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the all
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sufficient purity
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of Jesus
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Christ and
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by that
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faith gives
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us a
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declaration
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of pure.
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Having been
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made pure
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in heart,
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having been
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made positionally
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changed from
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being unclean,
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hypocritical,
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we have been
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changed to be
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pure in heart
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and therefore
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we act
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accordingly.
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We act
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as we
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are.
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Look with me
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at the framework
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of the
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Beatitudes.
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So if you've
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left Matthew
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chapter 5,
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please go back
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to Matthew
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chapter 5.
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Jesus did
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not utter
19:11
these
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declarations
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in random
19:13
order.
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They each
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stand alone,
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to be sure,
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but they
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also work
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in harmony
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together.
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Let me
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show you
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what I
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mean by
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this.
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And let me
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issue a
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warning as
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I'm about
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to do
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this too.
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We do
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have to be
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very careful
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when we
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apply framework
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to text
19:32
of the
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Bible,
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lest we
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end up
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making the
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scripture say
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what we
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are trying
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to make
19:37
it say
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in the
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application.
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I've read
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many applied
19:41
frameworks
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that you
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just go,
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I don't
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even see
19:43
how they
19:43
got to
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this place,
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but often
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they're trying
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to draw
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a connection
19:46
to a singular
19:47
point,
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and that's
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why it
19:49
gets applied
19:50
in that
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way.
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I think
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this is a
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very fair
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framework.
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I think
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this is
19:54
correct.
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I think
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this is
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why Jesus
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spoke them
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in this
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order.
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But we
19:59
take my
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framework
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not as
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inspired.
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The text
20:03
is inspired.
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So,
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there's your
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warning.
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So,
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first,
20:07
let's look at
20:07
the first
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three Beatitudes.
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This is
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verses 3,
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4,
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and 5.
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You see
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in these
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three a
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recognition
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of our
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great
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awareness
20:18
of need.
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You see
20:20
the three
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that there
20:20
are there.
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We see
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that we
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have a
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spiritual
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poverty,
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nothing to
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offer God.
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We come
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to Him
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empty-handed,
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simply to
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the cross
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we cling
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to be
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found
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righteous
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in Christ.
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We have
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no works
20:31
that we
20:31
can bring
20:32
to God
20:32
and say,
20:32
look at
20:33
what I've
20:34
done.
20:35
Look at
20:35
how I've
20:36
accomplished.
20:37
None of
20:38
that will
20:38
be of any
20:39
credit
20:39
before God.
20:40
So,
20:41
we're
20:41
spiritually
20:41
impoverished.
20:42
We have
20:42
great need.
20:44
We mourn
20:45
over this.
20:45
We have a
20:46
deep
20:47
sin,
20:48
and the
20:49
sin of
20:49
the world
20:50
around us.
20:51
We flee
20:52
to the
20:52
cross
20:53
impoverished
20:55
and mourning
20:55
over our
20:57
sinfulness.
20:58
And,
20:59
in meekness,
21:00
we recognize
21:00
our state.
21:02
We have a
21:02
humility
21:03
that doesn't
21:04
seek retribution.
21:06
It doesn't
21:06
try to
21:06
defend our
21:07
rights at
21:08
all costs.
21:10
So,
21:11
these three
21:12
express this
21:13
great awareness
21:14
of need.
21:17
Now,
21:18
the fourth
21:18
beatitude,
21:19
in verse
21:20
six,
21:21
we see that
21:22
that need
21:23
is met.
21:24
Blessed are
21:25
those who
21:25
hunger and
21:27
thirst long
21:28
for this
21:29
thing they
21:29
don't have,
21:30
this expressed
21:31
need in the
21:32
first three
21:32
beatitudes,
21:34
because,
21:35
they're
21:35
blessed because,
21:36
they shall
21:38
be satisfied.
21:40
So,
21:41
they hunger
21:41
and thirst
21:42
for righteousness,
21:43
these blessed,
21:44
and they're
21:45
filled.
21:47
And,
21:47
they're filled.
21:49
And,
21:49
then,
21:50
beatitude
21:50
five through
21:51
seven,
21:52
five,
21:53
six,
21:53
and seven,
21:53
found in
21:53
verses seven,
21:54
eight,
21:55
and nine,
21:56
is the
21:57
overflow
21:58
of this
21:59
being filled.
22:00
The overflow
22:01
of this being
22:02
filled is that
22:02
these people,
22:03
myself,
22:05
and I hope
22:05
you this
22:05
morning,
22:06
find ourselves
22:07
having been
22:07
filled,
22:08
overflowing
22:09
as a
22:10
merciful,
22:12
pure,
22:13
peacemaking
22:14
people.
22:16
And,
22:17
in the final
22:17
beatitude,
22:18
found in
22:18
verses 10
22:20
through 12,
22:21
we see
22:21
the result
22:22
of this
22:24
lived
22:25
righteousness,
22:26
this filled
22:26
up,
22:27
overflowing,
22:27
lived righteousness,
22:28
this mercy
22:29
and purity
22:30
and peacemaking
22:31
is what?
22:34
Persecution.
22:35
That we will
22:36
be persecuted
22:37
for
22:38
righteousness.
22:39
For righteousness
22:39
sake.
22:42
So,
22:43
I hope you can
22:43
see the flow.
22:44
I think that
22:45
Jesus builds
22:46
us to the
22:46
fourth beatitude
22:47
and the
22:48
meeting of
22:48
this need
22:49
and that
22:49
becomes
22:50
the watershed,
22:51
so to speak,
22:52
of the
22:52
beatitudes,
22:53
right?
22:53
And then
22:54
the living
22:55
that follows
22:56
and the
22:56
result of
22:57
this kind
22:59
of living,
23:01
right?
23:01
So,
23:01
we act
23:02
as we
23:04
are.
23:05
so we
23:07
do not
23:07
say,
23:08
oh,
23:09
if I
23:09
can just
23:09
be pure
23:10
in heart
23:11
and then
23:11
labor under
23:13
our own
23:13
might to
23:14
do such
23:14
and such
23:15
or to
23:15
not do
23:16
such and
23:16
such,
23:17
but rather,
23:19
having been
23:19
made righteous
23:20
by the goodness
23:21
of God
23:21
toward us
23:22
in the
23:22
person and
23:23
work of
23:23
Jesus
23:24
Christ,
23:25
we evidence
23:26
our salvation
23:27
in the way
23:28
that we
23:29
live.
23:29
we must
23:31
be so
23:32
careful
23:33
in our
23:34
understanding
23:34
of the
23:35
gospel of
23:35
Jesus
23:36
Christ
23:36
for our
23:37
sake
23:38
and for
23:38
the sake
23:39
of others.
23:41
I have
23:42
resolved
23:42
as a
23:43
pastor
23:43
that I'm
23:44
going to
23:44
spend my
23:44
life
23:45
answering
23:46
three
23:46
questions
23:47
again
23:48
and again
23:49
and again
23:50
and it
23:51
is an
23:51
honor to
23:51
do so.
23:52
You would
23:53
think some
23:54
of these
23:54
questions we
23:55
could move
23:55
beyond,
23:56
but I don't
23:56
think we're
23:57
ever going
23:57
to do so
23:58
in our
23:58
age.
23:58
And those
23:59
three questions
23:59
are,
23:59
what is
24:00
the
24:00
Bible?
24:02
It's the
24:02
inerrant,
24:03
all-powerful,
24:04
sufficient,
24:06
authoritative
24:07
word of
24:07
God.
24:08
I keep
24:08
drawing people
24:09
back to
24:09
that great
24:10
truth in
24:10
this age
24:11
of skepticism
24:12
and opinion
24:14
nation.
24:16
Secondly,
24:17
what is
24:18
the gospel?
24:20
What is
24:20
the gospel?
24:21
I'm going
24:21
to talk
24:21
more about
24:21
that in
24:22
a second.
24:22
And third,
24:22
what is
24:23
the church?
24:24
Helping
24:24
people to
24:25
come to
24:25
understand
24:26
how it
24:26
is that
24:27
God's
24:27
people are
24:27
meant to
24:28
gather
24:28
and to
24:30
go.
24:31
But in
24:31
answering the
24:32
question,
24:32
what is the
24:33
gospel?
24:34
In an age
24:34
of decisionism,
24:37
where to be
24:38
known by
24:39
Christ,
24:39
it would be
24:40
taught to you
24:40
that all you
24:41
must do is
24:42
raise your
24:43
hand,
24:44
no one's
24:45
looking around,
24:46
every head
24:46
bowed,
24:47
every eye
24:47
closed.
24:48
I could fall
24:48
right into it.
24:49
We walk out
24:50
here,
24:50
we take a
24:51
little stroll,
24:52
I see you
24:52
brother,
24:53
I see that
24:53
hand going
24:54
up,
24:54
right?
24:55
We press,
24:57
we emotionally
24:57
manipulate,
24:58
we push at
24:59
people,
25:00
and then,
25:01
once they
25:01
filled out a
25:02
card,
25:02
we say,
25:03
there is
25:03
your
25:03
assurance,
25:05
right?
25:05
It's a
25:05
date,
25:06
and it's
25:06
a time.
25:08
Many of
25:08
you have
25:08
heard me
25:09
say before,
25:10
I grew up
25:10
in a
25:10
church under
25:11
a pastor
25:12
who said,
25:14
if you
25:14
ever doubt
25:14
your salvation,
25:16
turn to
25:16
the front of
25:17
your Bible
25:17
where you
25:17
wrote down
25:18
the date
25:19
you walked
25:19
the aisle,
25:21
and meditate
25:22
on that
25:23
date.
25:25
And this
25:25
type of
25:26
teaching
25:26
damns people
25:27
to hell.
25:29
To say,
25:30
merely the
25:30
act of
25:31
walking,
25:31
now praise
25:32
the Lord,
25:32
he has
25:33
saved people
25:33
in invitations.
25:34
Many of
25:35
you may
25:35
have responded
25:36
to an
25:36
invitation
25:36
like that,
25:37
and God
25:38
saved you.
25:40
It was not
25:40
the invitation
25:41
that saved
25:42
you.
25:42
It was a
25:42
good and
25:43
gracious God
25:44
who changed
25:45
your heart
25:45
and caused
25:46
you to
25:47
believe in
25:48
him.
25:50
So the
25:50
scripture tells
25:51
us,
25:52
if you
25:53
doubt your
25:53
salvation,
25:54
go and
25:54
look at
25:55
what Christians
25:56
look like.
25:57
What do
25:58
citizens of
25:58
the kingdom
25:58
of heaven
25:59
do?
26:00
Find
26:01
yourself in
26:02
the Beatitudes.
26:03
Could you
26:03
say of
26:03
yourself,
26:04
yes,
26:04
this is
26:05
me,
26:06
impoverished
26:07
of spirit,
26:07
mourning
26:08
over my
26:08
sin,
26:09
meek,
26:10
not seeking
26:10
out retribution,
26:11
hungering and
26:12
thirsting for
26:13
righteousness.
26:13
God is
26:14
working in
26:14
me,
26:15
mercy and
26:16
purity and
26:17
peacemaking.
26:19
I'm
26:19
experiencing the
26:20
persecution,
26:21
the push,
26:22
back from
26:22
the world
26:23
for living
26:23
in this
26:24
way.
26:25
If you
26:26
don't find
26:26
yourself in
26:27
this,
26:28
you've
26:29
either wandered
26:30
from the
26:30
truth or
26:31
you've never
26:31
believed it
26:32
to begin
26:33
with.
26:34
In an
26:35
age of
26:35
decision,
26:35
we have to
26:36
be so
26:36
accurate,
26:37
so precise,
26:39
an age of
26:40
easy
26:41
believism that
26:42
expects nothing
26:43
of you,
26:44
that would
26:44
teach you that
26:45
Jesus could be
26:45
your savior,
26:46
but he doesn't
26:47
have to be
26:48
your lord.
26:49
This is
26:50
false,
26:51
it is
26:51
heretical to
26:52
say such
26:53
a thing.
26:54
If Jesus is
26:54
your savior,
26:55
he is
26:56
your lord.
26:57
If you
26:57
have beheld
26:57
the glory
26:58
of God
26:58
in the
26:58
face of
26:59
Jesus
26:59
Christ,
26:59
you will
26:59
have no
27:00
option but
27:01
to say,
27:02
yes,
27:02
sir.
27:05
We must
27:06
be those
27:07
who are a
27:07
beacon of
27:08
the truth
27:09
for the
27:10
sake of
27:10
souls.
27:12
Everybody
27:13
you meet
27:14
will live
27:15
forever.
27:19
1 John
27:19
chapter 1
27:20
verse 5
27:21
to 10.
27:23
The apostle
27:23
John addresses
27:24
this.
27:24
This is one
27:25
of those
27:25
places,
27:26
right?
27:27
What do
27:27
we do
27:28
when someone
27:28
isn't confident
27:29
of their
27:30
faith?
27:30
If you find
27:31
yourself in
27:31
that place,
27:33
the whole
27:33
book of
27:34
1 John
27:34
is about
27:35
this.
27:36
And not
27:37
once does
27:37
he say,
27:38
turn to
27:38
the front
27:38
of your
27:39
Bible
27:39
and look
27:39
at a
27:40
date.
27:41
He says,
27:42
rather,
27:42
verse 5
27:45
and following,
27:45
this is the
27:45
message we
27:46
have heard
27:47
from him
27:47
and proclaim
27:48
to you,
27:51
that God
27:51
is light
27:52
and in
27:52
him is
27:53
no darkness
27:54
at all.
27:56
Okay,
27:57
so God
27:57
is perfectly
27:58
holy.
28:00
In him
28:00
is light
28:01
and in
28:02
him is
28:02
no darkness
28:03
at all.
28:04
If we
28:05
say we
28:05
have fellowship
28:06
with him
28:07
while we
28:08
walk in
28:09
darkness,
28:10
so while
28:10
our life
28:11
is characterized
28:12
by sinfulness,
28:14
right?
28:14
Not that we
28:15
sin at
28:15
times,
28:16
beloved,
28:16
we all
28:17
do this,
28:17
but while
28:18
we walk
28:18
in it,
28:19
it is
28:19
who we
28:20
are.
28:22
Verse 6
28:22
goes on
28:22
to say,
28:23
we lie
28:23
and do
28:24
not practice
28:25
the truth.
28:27
But if we
28:28
say we
28:28
walk in
28:29
the light,
28:30
our lives
28:30
are characterized
28:31
by walking
28:32
in the light,
28:33
as he is
28:34
in the light,
28:35
we have
28:36
fellowship
28:36
with one
28:37
another,
28:37
and the
28:37
blood of
28:38
Jesus,
28:38
his son,
28:39
cleanses
28:39
us from
28:41
all sin.
28:43
Now,
28:43
if you
28:43
are objecting
28:44
to anything
28:44
I'm saying
28:45
right now,
28:45
at this point
28:46
you might
28:46
go,
28:46
but wait,
28:47
none of us
28:48
are perfect,
28:49
how dare
28:49
anybody say
28:50
they're walking
28:51
in the light?
28:52
John does
28:53
the same
28:53
thing,
28:53
so here
28:54
we go.
28:54
He says,
28:55
if we
28:56
say we
28:56
have no
28:57
sin,
28:57
so don't
28:57
you dare,
28:58
right?
28:58
If we
28:58
say we
28:59
have no
28:59
sin,
29:00
we deceive
29:00
ourselves
29:01
and the
29:02
truth is
29:02
not in
29:03
us.
29:04
So he
29:05
punctuates,
29:06
walking in
29:06
the light
29:07
doesn't
29:07
mean we're
29:07
sinless,
29:09
right?
29:09
It means
29:09
we're
29:09
characterized
29:10
by pursuing
29:11
truth,
29:12
characterized
29:13
by mercy
29:14
and purity
29:15
of heart
29:16
and peacemaking,
29:18
right?
29:18
Because we're
29:18
liars if we
29:19
say we
29:19
have no
29:21
sin.
29:22
But then
29:22
verse 9
29:23
and 10,
29:23
if we
29:23
confess our
29:24
sins,
29:24
he's faithful
29:25
and just
29:25
to forgive
29:26
us our
29:26
sins and
29:27
to cleanse
29:27
us from
29:28
all unrighteousness.
29:30
We continue
29:30
to persist
29:31
in this
29:32
walking in
29:33
the light,
29:33
this pursuing
29:34
of holiness.
29:35
If we say
29:35
we have
29:36
not sinned,
29:37
we make
29:38
him a
29:38
liar and
29:39
his word
29:39
is not
29:41
in us.
29:42
So we
29:42
want to
29:43
look at
29:43
a text
29:44
like this.
29:45
We want
29:45
to say,
29:46
oh,
29:46
do I
29:46
walk in
29:47
darkness
29:47
or do I
29:48
walk in
29:49
light?
29:50
We want
29:50
to go to
29:50
other places
29:51
in the
29:51
scripture
29:52
that help
29:52
us to
29:52
understand
29:53
what
29:53
walking
29:54
in the
29:55
light
29:55
looks like.
29:56
What are
29:57
the deeds
29:57
of the
29:57
flesh?
29:58
And what
29:58
are the
29:58
deeds
29:59
of the
29:59
spirit?
30:01
Am I
30:01
characterized
30:01
by one
30:02
or the
30:03
other?
30:03
And if
30:04
we find
30:04
that we're
30:04
characterized
30:05
by those
30:06
like those
30:06
who walk
30:07
in darkness,
30:08
then repent.
30:10
Repent and
30:11
turn to
30:11
faith in
30:12
Jesus Christ.
30:14
Your
30:14
great effort,
30:16
your highest
30:18
effort at
30:19
righteousness
30:19
is going to
30:20
fall miserably
30:21
short of
30:22
God's standard
30:23
of righteousness.
30:24
It will only
30:25
be found by
30:26
having Jesus'
30:27
righteousness
30:27
given to
30:28
you,
30:29
imputed
30:29
to you.
30:31
Look to
30:32
Christ.
30:33
Jesus
30:34
says that
30:35
it is
30:35
the
30:35
pure
30:36
in
30:36
heart
30:37
that
30:37
are
30:38
blessed.
30:39
Why are
30:40
the
30:40
pure
30:40
in
30:40
heart
30:40
declared
30:41
blessed?
30:43
Because
30:43
they
30:45
shall
30:46
see
30:46
God.
30:48
This
30:48
is so
30:49
good.
30:49
This
30:50
is so
30:50
good.
30:51
They
30:51
shall
30:52
see
30:52
God.
30:54
This
30:55
statement
30:55
by
30:55
Jesus
30:56
would
30:57
have
30:57
sent
30:57
his
30:58
Jewish
30:58
audience's
30:59
minds
30:59
skipping
31:00
off
31:01
to
31:01
Exodus
31:02
chapter
31:02
33.
31:04
Your
31:05
mind
31:05
might
31:05
not
31:05
have
31:05
done
31:05
that
31:06
and
31:06
that's
31:06
okay.
31:07
But
31:07
you
31:07
can
31:07
flip
31:08
right
31:08
now
31:08
with
31:08
me
31:08
to
31:08
Exodus
31:09
chapter
31:09
33
31:09
and
31:10
verse
31:10
18.
31:12
This
31:12
is
31:12
right
31:12
where
31:12
their
31:12
minds
31:13
would
31:13
have
31:13
gone.
31:13
See
31:14
God
31:14
really?
31:16
That's
31:16
what they
31:17
would
31:17
have
31:17
said
31:17
in
31:20
my
31:20
imagination.
31:27
So
31:27
in
31:28
Exodus
31:28
chapter
31:28
33
31:28
Israel's
31:29
encamped
31:29
at
31:29
Mount
31:30
Sinai.
31:31
Previously
31:32
Moses
31:32
has
31:32
gone
31:33
up
31:33
on
31:33
the
31:33
mountain
31:33
and
31:33
received
31:33
the
31:34
Ten
31:34
Commandments.
31:34
He's
31:34
come
31:34
back
31:35
down
31:35
from
31:35
the
31:35
mountain.
31:36
He's
31:36
discovered
31:37
God's
31:37
people
31:37
already
31:38
have
31:39
forsaken
31:39
him,
31:40
have
31:40
created
31:40
a
31:41
golden
31:41
calf
31:41
that
31:42
according
31:42
to
31:42
Aaron
31:42
magically
31:43
jumped
31:43
out
31:44
of
31:44
the
31:44
fire.
31:45
Moses
31:47
gets
31:47
furious,
31:48
breaks
31:48
the
31:48
stones
31:49
of
31:49
tablet,
31:49
goes
31:49
back
31:50
up
31:50
onto
31:50
the
31:50
mountain.
31:51
God
31:51
says,
31:52
I'm
31:52
done
31:53
with
31:53
you
31:58
God
31:59
agrees
32:02
that
32:02
he'll
32:02
go
32:03
with
32:03
them.
32:05
First
32:05
he says
32:05
he'll
32:05
go
32:06
with
32:06
Moses
32:06
and
32:06
Moses
32:06
says,
32:07
oh,
32:07
but you
32:07
must
32:07
go
32:07
with
32:07
us.
32:08
He
32:08
agrees
32:08
that
32:09
he'll
32:09
do
32:09
this
32:09
thing.
32:09
So
32:10
it's
32:10
this
32:10
amazing
32:11
act
32:11
of
32:12
mercy
32:13
on
32:13
God's
32:13
part.
32:14
So
32:14
that's
32:15
my
32:15
super
32:16
quick
32:16
summary
32:16
of
32:17
a
32:17
couple
32:17
of
32:17
chapters
32:17
that
32:18
leads
32:18
Moses
32:19
to
32:19
ask
32:19
this
32:19
astounding
32:20
thing.
32:21
It's
32:22
huge.
32:24
Early
32:25
readers
32:25
of this
32:26
would have
32:26
gone,
32:27
what?
32:27
You
32:28
asked
32:29
God,
32:29
what?
32:31
Moses
32:31
said,
32:31
verse
32:32
18,
32:33
please,
32:34
he knows
32:34
it's a
32:34
big ask,
32:35
please show
32:37
me your
32:38
glory,
32:39
right?
32:40
He's
32:40
asking for
32:40
God to
32:41
show him
32:41
very
32:41
self,
32:42
his being,
32:43
who he
32:44
is.
32:45
And this
32:45
is God's
32:46
response to
32:46
him.
32:48
I will
32:48
make all
32:49
my goodness
32:50
pass before
32:51
you and
32:52
will proclaim
32:52
before you
32:53
my name,
32:55
the Lord,
32:56
and I
32:57
will be
32:57
gracious
32:58
to
32:58
whom I
32:58
will
32:58
be
32:58
gracious
32:58
and I
32:59
will
32:59
show
32:59
mercy
32:59
on whom
33:00
I
33:00
will
33:00
show
33:01
mercy.
33:02
But
33:03
he
33:03
said,
33:03
God
33:04
said,
33:04
you
33:05
cannot
33:05
see
33:05
my
33:06
face
33:06
for
33:06
man
33:06
shall
33:07
not
33:07
see
33:08
me
33:08
and
33:09
live.
33:11
And
33:11
behold,
33:12
there is
33:13
a place
33:13
by me
33:14
where you
33:14
shall
33:14
stand
33:15
on the
33:16
rock.
33:17
And
33:17
while
33:17
my
33:17
glory
33:18
passes
33:18
by,
33:19
I
33:19
will
33:19
put
33:19
you
33:19
in
33:19
a
33:20
cleft
33:20
of the
33:21
rock.
33:21
That's
33:21
a little
33:22
alcove
33:23
of the
33:23
rock.
33:24
And
33:24
I
33:25
will
33:25
cover
33:25
you
33:25
with
33:25
my
33:25
hand
33:26
until
33:26
I
33:26
have
33:26
passed
33:26
by.
33:27
Then
33:27
I
33:28
will
33:28
take
33:28
away
33:28
my
33:28
hand
33:28
and
33:29
you
33:29
shall
33:29
see
33:30
my
33:30
back.
33:31
But
33:31
my
33:31
face
33:32
shall
33:32
not
33:33
be
33:34
seen.
33:35
So
33:35
God
33:35
says,
33:36
I
33:36
will
33:36
grant
33:36
you
33:36
your
33:37
request,
33:37
but
33:37
in
33:37
a
33:37
way
33:38
that
33:38
won't
33:38
kill
33:39
you.
33:40
I'm
33:40
just
33:40
going
33:41
to
33:41
let
33:41
you
33:41
see
33:41
me
33:42
as
33:42
I
33:43
pass
33:44
by.
33:45
All
33:45
my
33:45
goodness
33:46
!
33:54
And
33:54
beloved,
33:55
we
33:55
come
33:55
to
33:55
the
33:55
New
33:56
Testament,
33:56
to
33:57
the
33:57
New
33:57
Covenant,
33:58
and we
33:58
read in
33:58
John 1
33:59
and
33:59
verse 14,
34:00
And the
34:00
word became
34:01
flesh and
34:03
dwelt among
34:03
us,
34:04
and we
34:05
have seen
34:06
his glory,
34:07
glory as
34:08
of the
34:09
only Son
34:10
from the
34:10
Father,
34:11
full of
34:12
grace and
34:14
truth.
34:14
And then
34:15
in verse
34:15
18,
34:16
no one
34:17
has ever
34:17
seen
34:17
God,
34:18
the only
34:19
God,
34:20
who is at
34:20
the Father's
34:21
side.
34:22
He,
34:24
being
34:24
Jesus,
34:25
has made
34:26
Him,
34:27
being
34:28
God,
34:29
known.
34:31
So we
34:32
behold
34:33
the glory
34:34
of God
34:34
as we
34:35
look
34:36
at
34:37
Christ
34:37
in a
34:39
sense.
34:41
Many of
34:41
you are
34:41
familiar with
34:42
the hymn
34:43
Rock of
34:43
Ages,
34:44
written by
34:44
the 18th
34:45
century
34:45
hymnist
34:46
Augustus
34:47
Toplady,
34:48
who's one
34:48
of my,
34:49
he's got
34:49
the greatest
34:50
name,
34:51
anyway,
34:51
of
34:51
hymn
34:52
writers,
34:53
where he
34:53
wrote this,
34:55
Rock of
34:55
Ages,
34:57
cleft
34:57
for me,
34:59
let me
35:00
hide
35:00
myself
35:01
in thee,
35:03
he's talking
35:03
about Jesus,
35:04
right,
35:04
let me be
35:05
in your,
35:06
clothed in
35:07
you,
35:08
your
35:08
righteousness,
35:09
right,
35:10
let the
35:11
water and
35:12
the blood
35:12
from thy
35:13
wounded
35:13
side,
35:14
which
35:15
flowed,
35:16
be of
35:17
sin,
35:18
the double
35:19
cure,
35:20
double
35:20
imputation,
35:20
that's what
35:21
he's talking
35:21
about,
35:22
be of
35:22
sin,
35:23
the double
35:23
cure,
35:25
save
35:26
from wrath
35:27
and make
35:28
me
35:28
pure,
35:31
incredible,
35:32
it's an
35:33
astounding
35:34
truth,
35:35
that we
35:36
get a
35:36
glimpse
35:37
of God
35:38
himself
35:39
and all
35:40
his glory
35:40
as we
35:41
behold
35:41
Christ,
35:44
as with
35:45
all of the
35:45
blessed
35:46
declarations,
35:46
there is
35:48
an element
35:48
of now
35:49
and not
35:50
yet,
35:51
now
35:52
and
35:53
not
35:54
yet,
35:55
Paul writes
35:55
in 1 Corinthians
35:56
chapter 13
35:57
verse 12,
35:57
for now we
35:58
see in a
35:59
mirror
35:59
dimly,
36:01
but then
36:02
face to
36:03
face,
36:04
now I
36:05
know in
36:05
part,
36:06
then I
36:06
shall know
36:07
fully,
36:07
even as
36:08
I have
36:09
been fully
36:10
known,
36:12
so I'm
36:13
believing,
36:13
right,
36:13
having been
36:14
given a
36:14
glimpse of
36:15
the glory
36:16
of God
36:16
in Jesus
36:17
Christ,
36:17
that we'll
36:18
get a
36:18
greater
36:19
glimpse of
36:20
that,
36:20
that we
36:20
have
36:21
seen
36:21
God
36:22
now,
36:23
but we'll
36:23
more fully
36:23
see him
36:24
then.
36:27
The
36:28
apostle
36:28
John,
36:29
again in
36:29
Revelation
36:30
chapter 22,
36:32
verses 3 and
36:33
4,
36:34
writes,
36:34
no longer
36:35
will there
36:35
be anything
36:36
accursed,
36:38
but the throne
36:38
of God
36:39
and of the
36:39
Lamb will be
36:40
in it,
36:40
and his
36:40
servants
36:41
will worship
36:41
him,
36:42
they will
36:43
see his
36:44
face,
36:45
and his
36:46
name will
36:47
be on
36:48
their foreheads.
36:50
It is an
36:51
incredible thing
36:51
to behold
36:52
God in
36:53
knowing and
36:54
being known
36:55
by Jesus
36:56
Christ,
36:57
and it
36:57
will be a
36:58
further
36:58
astounding
36:59
thing to
36:59
behold him
37:00
more fully
37:01
on the
37:02
magnificent
37:02
day when
37:03
we are
37:03
glorified
37:04
with him.
37:06
I hope
37:07
that you'll
37:07
be counted
37:08
in that
37:09
number.
37:10
If you
37:10
don't think
37:11
you will,
37:12
turn to
37:13
God by
37:13
faith in
37:14
Christ this
37:15
morning.
37:16
Beloved,
37:17
because those
37:18
who are
37:18
pure in
37:18
heart will
37:19
see God,
37:19
we have
37:20
great hope
37:21
for today,
37:23
and we
37:23
have great
37:24
hope for
37:25
forever.
37:27
We find
37:28
in this
37:29
utterance
37:29
of our
37:29
Lord great
37:30
reason to
37:31
rejoice in
37:32
his gracious
37:32
work on
37:33
our behalf.
37:35
There's our
37:36
application,
37:37
right?
37:37
At least part
37:38
of it for
37:39
it this
37:39
morning.
37:40
Have a
37:40
great hope.
37:42
Rejoice in
37:42
the goodness
37:43
of God to
37:43
you in
37:44
Christ.
37:46
And we
37:47
also find
37:48
great reason
37:49
to pursue
37:51
purity,
37:52
right?
37:52
To show
37:53
ourselves to
37:54
be in
37:56
the faith,
37:57
to press
37:57
on in
37:58
holiness,
38:00
to find a
38:01
confidence that
38:02
God is at work
38:03
within us for
38:04
the praise of
38:04
his name to
38:06
the ends
38:06
of the
38:07
earth.
38:08
I want
38:10
to close
38:10
with a
38:11
little bit
38:11
of a
38:12
hymn by
38:13
another
38:13
famous
38:13
18th
38:14
century
38:14
hymn writer
38:15
by the
38:15
name of
38:15
Fanny
38:16
Crosby.
38:17
The song
38:17
is called
38:18
My Savior
38:19
First of
38:20
All.
38:20
I don't
38:21
think this
38:21
one's familiar
38:22
to you.
38:22
Please tell
38:23
me later
38:23
if it is.
38:23
I had
38:24
never heard
38:24
of it
38:24
before.
38:25
She wrote
38:26
this,
38:27
When my
38:28
life work
38:28
is ended
38:29
and I
38:30
cross the
38:31
swelling
38:32
tide,
38:33
when the
38:33
bright and
38:34
glorious
38:34
morning I
38:36
shall see,
38:37
I shall
38:38
know my
38:38
Redeemer when
38:39
I reach the
38:40
other side,
38:40
and his
38:41
smile will
38:42
be the
38:42
first to
38:43
welcome me.
38:44
Through the
38:45
gates of the
38:46
city in a
38:46
robe of
38:47
spotless
38:48
white,
38:49
he will
38:49
lead me
38:49
where no
38:50
tears will
38:51
ever fall.
38:52
In the
38:52
glad songs
38:53
of ages I
38:54
shall mingle
38:55
with the
38:56
delight,
38:57
but I
38:57
long to
38:58
meet my
38:59
Savior first
39:01
of all.
39:03
Blessed are
39:03
those who
39:04
are pure in
39:05
heart, for
39:06
they shall
39:07
see God.
39:09
Let's pray
39:09
together.