RCCG Sunday School Student Manual 24th October 2021 – Lesson 8.
TOPIC: Beatitudes: The Merciful And The Pure In Heart
MEMORY VERSE: Psalms 18:25
“With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;”
BIBLE PASSAGE: Matthew 5:7-8 (KJV)
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
INTRODUCTION:
In continuation of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, the fifth Beatitude states, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt.5:2).
While the sixth beatitude states “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8).
In this lesson, we shall attempt to answer the questions who the merciful is, who the pure in heart is and why Jesus pronounced the corresponding blessings on them respectively.
LESSON OUTLINES:
- BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL
- BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART
1. BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL
‘Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy’ (Matt. 5:7). ‘The merciful’ are those who are so affected by the suffering of others, as to be disposed to relieve them (Lk.10:30-35). Also, to be merciful is to show forgiveness and compassion to an offender, one subject to one’s power (Matt.18:23-22) or generally those in need. Jesus frequently spoke of this trait (Matt. 6:12; 9:13).
Each day of our lives, each hour, and each moment, we partake of God’s undeserved mercy (Ps. 86:15; Ps.100:5). All the blessings we enjoy are proofs of His mercy (Ps.68:19). If we also show mercy to the poor, the wretched, the guilty, it shows that we are like God. We have His spirit, and shall not lose our reward (Lk.6:36; Matt.5:44-45). We are blessed if we are merciful because mercy is something God Himself displays (Deut. 30:3; Ps.28:6). The merciful man is a blessed man because he shall obtain mercy, when he most wants it, and most desires it (Ps.46:1, 5).
2. BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matt.5:8). The Greek word for “pure” in Matthew 5:8 is ‘katharos’. It means to be clean, blameless and unstained from guilt. The Greek word for ‘heart’ in Matthew 5:8 is ‘kardeeah’. This can be applied to the physical heart. It also refer to the spiritual centre of life. It is where thoughts, desires, sense of purpose, will understanding and character reside. So, to be pure in heart means to be blameless in who we actually are (Prov.4:23).
The pure in heart are those freed from the dominion and pollution of sin: whose minds, motives, and principles are pure. They seek not only to have the external actions correct, but desire to be holy in heart, and are so (1 Sam.162). A pure heart has no hypocrisy, no guile and no hidden motives (1Peter 2:1). The only way we can be truly pure in heart is to give our lives to Jesus and ask Him to do the cleansing work (Ps. 51:10). God is the one who makes our hearts pure – by the sacrifice of His Son and through His sanctifying work in our lives (Jn.17:17).
To ‘see God’ means to have right views of Him, and enjoy His presence here and hereafter (Heb.12:14; Ps.16:11). In the pure heart the Lord will dwell and his presence will be recognized (Jn. 14:23; 1 Jn.3:2-3).
CONCLUSION:
God will always show up for the merciful and pure in heart.
QUESTIONS
Who are the merciful?
Who are the pure in heart?
FURTHER READINGS:
Monday: Proverbs 3:3-4 (KJV)
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Tuesday: Proverbs 11:17 (KJV)
17 The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
Wednesday: Proverbs 12:10 (KJV)
10 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
Thursday: Matthew 5:7 (KJV)
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Friday: Luke 6:36 (KJV)
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
Saturday: Luke 10:30-37 (KJV)
30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Sunday: James 2:13 (KJV)
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
ASSIGNMENT:
Mention five (5) things that can make the heart of a believer impure.
