Sermon Notes

Sunday, April 27th

In this sermon “A Pure Heart,” the speaker reflects on how God is not just concerned with what we do but why we do it. Through childhood stories of candy tests and generous surprises, he illustrates how motivation reveals our true heart. God desires hearts that trust Him enough to let go and obey without knowing what comes next. Drawing from Psalm 51:10 and Matthew 5:8, the sermon challenges believers to pursue purity in their intentions—not just actions—so they can truly see and experience God. When we come to Him with a pure heart, we position ourselves to receive His best, not just the things we want. But when our motives are impure, even our seeking can lead us away from Him. Just as the people of Israel who missed Jesus by expecting the wrong kind of Savior, we too can miss what God is doing when our hearts are clouded by selfish desires.
Discussion Questions

1. What does it mean to have a “pure heart”? How would you describe it in your own words?
2. The Speaker shared a story where he had to give up ten $1 bills to receive $100. Have you ever felt God ask you to surrender something—and it felt like a loss at first, but turned out to be a blessing?
3. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). How have you seen or experienced God more clearly when your heart was in the right place?
4. What are some common impure motives (even in “good” actions) that can affect our relationship with God?
5. The Speaker talked about how Israel missed Jesus because they were expecting someone different. How can our own expectations of God keep us from seeing what He’s really doing?
6. What would it look like this week to seek God with a pure heart—not just for answers, but to know Him more?
7. End by reading Psalm 139:23–24. How can we pray this sincerely as individuals or as a group? What might we be afraid to discover—and why is it worth it anyway?