The tree’s weakness began the moment insects entered it.

2. The tree’s weakness began the moment insects entered it.

3. The tree’s weakness began the moment insects entered it. Impurity in our heart makes us weak.

4. Jesus spoke this Beatitude to that extent.

5. Jesus spoke this Beatitude to that extent. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

6. In many ways, this Beatitude forms the "heart" of the Sermon on the Mount.

7. In many ways, this Beatitude forms the "heart" of the Sermon on the Mount. • Jesus, in this Sermon, is greatly concerned with the heart.

8. In many ways, this Beatitude forms the "heart" of the Sermon on the Mount. • Jesus, in this Sermon, is greatly concerned with the heart. • "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Mt 5:27-28, ESV).

9. In many ways, this Beatitude forms the "heart" of the Sermon on the Mount. • Jesus, in this Sermon, is greatly concerned with the heart. • "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven" (Mt 5:43-45, ESV).

10. In many ways, this Beatitude forms the "heart" of the Sermon on the Mount. • Jesus, in this Sermon, is greatly concerned with the heart. • "When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (Mt 6:17-18, ESV).

11. We want to look at the "Heart" of the Sermon on the Mount.

12. Blessed are the Pure in Heart.

13. The biblical heart, rather than the organ in our chests, refers to the thinking of man.

14. The biblical heart, rather than the organ in our chests, refers to the thinking of man. • It is with the heart that one imagines.

15. The biblical heart, rather than the organ in our chests, refers to the thinking of man. • It is with the heart that one imagines: "The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heartwas only evil continually" (Gn 6:5, ESV).

16. The biblical heart, rather than the organ in our chests, refers to the thinking of man. • It is with the heart that one thinks.

17. The biblical heart, rather than the organ in our chests, refers to the thinking of man. • It is with the heart that one thinks: "Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person" (Mt 15:19-20, ESV).

18. The biblical heart, rather than the organ in our chests, refers to the thinking of man. • It is with the heart that one questions.

19. The biblical heart, rather than the organ in our chests, refers to the thinking of man. • It is with the heart that one questions: After Jesus healed a paralytic: "Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, 'Why do you question these things in your hearts?'" (Mk 2:8).

20. The biblical heart, rather than the organ in our chests, refers to the thinking of man. • It is with the heart that one believes.

21. The biblical heart, rather than the organ in our chests, refers to the thinking of man. • It is with the heart that one believes: "Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Rom 10:9, ESV).

22. The biblical heart, rather than the organ in our chests, refers to the thinking of man. • It is with the heart that one loves.

23. The biblical heart, rather than the organ in our chests, refers to the thinking of man. • It is with the heart that one loves: "Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart" (1 Pt 1:22, ESV).

24. Jesus is calling for a purity in our thinking.

25. Purity was an important concept, even in the Old Testament.

26. Purity was an important concept, even in the Old Testament. • "The LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live" (Deut 30:6, ESV).

27. Purity was an important concept, even in the Old Testament. • "The LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live" (Deut 30:6, ESV). • "Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully" (Ps 24:3-4, ESV).

28. Purity was an important concept, even in the Old Testament. • Thus, the pure heart for which Jesus calls here was not a new concept to his audience.

29. Purity was an important concept, even in the Old Testament. • Thus, the pure heart for which Jesus calls here was not a new concept to his audience. • Granted, he consistently raises the bar throughout the Sermon on the Mount.

30. Purity was an important concept, even in the Old Testament. • Thus, the pure heart for which Jesus calls here was not a new concept to his audience. • Granted, he consistently raises the bar throughout the Sermon on the Mount. • But, he isn’t adding something new.

31. Jesus here contrasts his Gospel with the "gospel" of the scribes & Pharisees.

32. Jesus here contrasts his Gospel with the "gospel" of the scribes & Pharisees. • They cared greatly about outer righteousness, but they generally cared little for true, inner purity.

33. Jesus here contrasts his Gospel with the "gospel" of the scribes & Pharisees. • They cared greatly about outer righteousness, but they generally cared little for true, inner purity. • "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean" (Mt 23:25-26, ESV).

34. Jesus here contrasts his Gospel with the "gospel" of the scribes & Pharisees. • They cared greatly about outer righteousness, but they generally cared little for true, inner purity. • "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness" (Mt 23:27-28, ESV).

35. Jesus here contrasts his Gospel with the "gospel" of the scribes & Pharisees. • They cared greatly about outer righteousness, but they generally cared little for true, inner purity. • The scribes & Pharisees certainly seem to have had a serious heart problem.

36. Jesus here contrasts his Gospel with the "gospel" of the scribes & Pharisees. • They cared greatly about outer righteousness, but they generally cared little for true, inner purity. • The scribes & Pharisees certainly seem to have had a serious heart problem. • They seem to have believed as long as they obeyed the Law & their traditions, they didn’t need to worry about purity of heart.

37. Jesus here contrasts his Gospel with the "gospel" of the scribes & Pharisees. • They cared greatly about outer righteousness, but they generally cared little for true, inner purity. • The scribes & Pharisees certainly seem to have had a serious heart problem. • They seem to have believed as long as they obeyed the Law & their traditions, they didn’t need to worry about purity of heart. • Surely, some of them were sincere. • Saul of Tarsus was.

38. Jesus here contrasts his Gospel with the "gospel" of the scribes & Pharisees. • They cared greatly about outer righteousness, but they generally cared little for true, inner purity. • The scribes & Pharisees certainly seem to have had a serious heart problem. • They seem to have believed as long as they obeyed the Law & their traditions, they didn’t need to worry about purity of heart. • Surely, some of them were sincere. • Saul of Tarsus was—he declared before the Sanhedrin that he had lived "before God in all good conscience" (Acts 23:1, ESV).

39. But, they had reality backwards.

40. But, they had reality backwards. Inner purity matters!!!

41. One serious criticism leveled against us in the churches of Christ has been that we only care about outer purity.

42. One serious criticism leveled against us in the churches of Christ has been that we only care about outer purity. • The argument goes that by careful adherence to Scripture, we lose the heart of the Gospel.

43. One serious criticism leveled against us in the churches of Christ has been that we only care about outer purity. • The argument goes that by careful adherence to Scripture, we lose the heart of the Gospel. • But, Jesus never condemned the scribes & Pharisees for following God’s Law.

44. He condemned them for a careful obedience to Scripture without a pure heart.

45. He condemned them for a careful obedience to Scripture without a pure heart. • "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others" (Mt 23:23 ESV).

46. He condemned them for a careful obedience to Scripture without a pure heart. • Mt 23:23. • Mint, dill, & cumin are small herbs.

47. He condemned them for a careful obedience to Scripture without a pure heart. • Mt 23:23. • Mint, dill, & cumin are small herbs. • Jesus does not say that tithing the small herbs was improper.

48. He condemned them for a careful obedience to Scripture without a pure heart. • Mt 23:23. • Mint, dill, & cumin are small herbs. • Jesus does not say that tithing the small herbs was improper. • In fact, he says quite the opposite.

49. He condemned them for a careful obedience to Scripture without a pure heart. • Mt 23:23. • Mint, dill, & cumin are small herbs. • Jesus does not say that tithing the small herbs was improper. • In fact, he says quite the opposite: "These [justice, mercy, & faithfulness] you ought to have done, without neglecting the others [tithing small herbs]."

50. He condemned them for a careful obedience to Scripture without a pure heart. • Mt 23:23. • Mint, dill, & cumin are small herbs. • Jesus does not say that tithing the small herbs was improper. • In fact, he says quite the opposite: "These [justice, mercy, & faithfulness] you ought to have done, without neglecting the others [tithing small herbs]." • The tithing was appropriate; their hearts weren’t.