Seeing God
May 19, 2024

The true desire of those who love God is to see Him face-to-face. I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple. It is the longing of God’s people to see God. To be with him. And yet, in our human condition. it’s not possible. Those who have been in his presence were terrified. But there is an incredible promise from our Lord in Matthew 5: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. What must happen if we want to see God?

I. Defining a Pure Heart

A. Matthew 5:8 - Blessed are the

, for they will see God.

  1. “Clean,” “Unmixed, unadulterated, or unalloyed.”

  2. Pure “in heart.” (Motives and attitudes.)

B. Good and evil can come out of our hearts.

  1. Matthew 15:19 - For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slander.

C. Jesus is describing a radical inner purity and holiness. A single-minded, undivided devotion to spiritual integrity and true righteousness.

  1. Psalm 86:11 - Teach me your way, Lord, and I will live by your truth. Give me an

    to fear your name.

  2. One of our greatest challenges is Psalm 24:3–4 - Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has

    hands and a pure heart, who has not appealed to what is false, and who has not sworn deceitfully.

D. We must long for purity. We have to fight back against our flesh … and the world.

  1. Luke 16:13 - No servant can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

  2. James 4:4 - You adulterous people! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the friend of the world becomes the

    of God.

II. Purity is a High Standard

A. The disciple aims to be like Jesus, i.e., like God Himself. Matthew
5:48 - Be

, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

B. What characterizes your living?

  1. 2 Corinthians 7:1 - let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, bringing holiness to

    in the fear of God.

  2. 1 Peter 1:15 - But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be

    in all your conduct.

C. We must never be content with our sins.

  1. 1 Corinthians 10:13 - …with the temptation he will also provide the way out …

  2. 1 John 1:9 - we must confess our sins.…

III. Jesus’ Promise

A. Matthew 5:8 - Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

  1. Right now, we can’t. Now, we see Him through the eye of faith.

  2. One day: we’ll see him face to face: We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him

    (1 John 3:2).

B. Won’t it be great to see Him around the throne? See Revelation 5:10-12.

IV. As We Close:

A. Are you ready to meet Him?

B. Hebrews 12:14 - Pursue peace with everyone, and_holiness_—without it no one will see the Lord.

C. One day will see God face to face. Will you greet Him as your Father … or your Judge?