RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ MANUAL 24 OCTOBER 2021

LESSON EIGHT (08)

TOPIC: BEATITUDES: THE MERCIFUL AND THE PURE IN HEART

SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN

1. O Sunday School, on P ppl Lord’s day
O How I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.

2. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.

3. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.

4. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee.

5. Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds be black with rain,
I’ll be in Sunday School.

6. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
I rejoice to see thee,
Will thou pass over me today
Without my being blest.

OPENING PRAYER: Father, help me to be
pure in heart and show mercy unto others.

BIBLE PASSAGE: Matthew 5:7-8
[7]Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

[8]Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

MEMORY VERSE: “With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright. Psalms 18:25.

LESSON 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.

TEXT REVIEW: Matthew 5:7-8
The Lord Jesus Christ further made mentioned of the sixth and seventh beatitudes and the benefits therein as follows:
A. Blessed are…………… V7a.
B. Blessed are…………… V8a.
for…………………………..V8b.

LESSON OUTLINES:
LESSON OUTLINE 1: BLESSED ARE THE
MERCIFUL
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall ob
tain mercy” (Matt.5:72)
• Question 1: Who and what are the attributes
of the merciful?
• Answer: i. The merciful’ are those who are
so affected by the sufferings of others, as to
be disposed to relieve them (Lk.10:30-35)

ii. To be merciful is to show forgiveness and
compassion to an offender, one subject to
one’s power (Matt.18:23-27) or generally
those in need.

iii. Jesus frequently spoke of this trait (Matt.
6:12: 9:13).

• Question 2: Why are the merciful blessed?
• Answer: i. Each day of our lives, each hour and each moment, we partake in God’s undeserved mercy (Psalms 86:15; 100:5).

ii. All the blessings we enjoy are proof of His
mercy (Ps.68:19).

iii. 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 (Luke 6:36; Matt.5:44-45).

iv. We are blessed if we are merciful because
mercy is something God Himself displays
Deut.30:3; Ps.28:6).

v. The merciful is blessed because he shall
obtain mercy, when he most wants it, and
most desires it (Ps.46:1,5).

CLASS ACTIVITY 1: Class should discuss
why Believers should be merciful.

LESSON OUTLINE 2: BLESSED ARE THE
PURE IN HEART
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall
see God” (Matt.5:8).
• Question 1: What does it mean to be ‘pure in
heart’?

• Answer: i. The Greek word for “pure” in
Matthew 5:8 is ‘katharos’. It means to be
“clean, blameless, and unstained from guilt

ii. The Greek word for “heart” in Matthew 5:8
is ‘kardeeah’. This can be applied to the physical heart. But it also refers to the spiritual center of life. It is where thoughts, desires, sense of purpose, will, understanding and character reside.

iii. To be pure in heart means to be blameless in who we actually are (Prov.4:23).

iv. 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.16:7).

V. A pure heart has no hypocrisy, no guile and
no hidden motives (1 Pet.2:1).

• Question 2: How can one have a pure heart?
• Answer: i. 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).

ii. God is the one who makes our hearts pure
– by the sacrifice of His Son and through His
sanctifying work in our lives (John 17:17).

• Question 3: Why are the pure in heart blessed?
• Answer: i. The ‘pure in heart’ shall see God.
To ‘see God’ means to have right views of
Him, and enjoy His presence here and here
after (Heb.12:14; Ps.16:11).

ii. In the pure heart the Lord will dwell and
his presence will be recognised (John 14:23; 1 John 3:2-3)

CLASS ACTIVITY 2: Class should discuss why believers must be pure in heart.

SUMMARY: If you are merciful, you will obtain mercy, if you are pure in heart you will enjoy God’s presence.

CONCLUSION: God will always show up for
the Merciful and the pure in heart.

EVALUATION: Students should mention some attributes of those with pure hearts.

CLOSING PRAYER: Father, I receive the grace to be compassionate and pure in
heart.

ASSIGNMENT: Mention five (5) things that can make the heart of a believer impure.