Psalm 1. Blessed is the man.

Call to Worship.

Capstone.

Father God I wonder

(a) - Bays of Harris

10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord O my Soul)

Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me

Rosskeen.

(sing Pslams) 1-5 page 123

(sing Pslams) 1-5 page 123

Prayers

(Sing Psalms) 1-6 page 1

Scripture Reading .

Sermon

(Traditional) 1-6 page 200

Benediction

Introduction

Hashtsag: Blessed. It seems that everyone feels “blessed” these days. Just go on on social media and everone is hashtag blessed. (Explain hashtags for old people).

Of course by this hashtag most people tend to imply that they are experienceing happiness, they are experiencing so much happiness that they want their family, friends and the rest of the world to know that are in fact in this moment, very blessed, because they feel “happy” somewhat “contented” in the moment.

I don’t think I have ever met another human being who didnt want to be happy, If happiness comes my way I would glady accept it. But a number of years ago I decided I didnt want to live for happiness, I wanted more, the reason being is I discovered that mere happiness “as the world defines it” is a lousy friend. Sure Happynes seems like the best friend ever when things are going great, but it abandons you at the first sign of trouble, or strife or grief or relational strain.

One moment you can wake up feeling awsome, ready to take on the world, you go to work, you serve 150 customers 149 of whom where pleased and then just one rude customer was all it took to ruin your day, one ungrateful comment, boom happiness is gone, feelings of “blessedness” are gone. (I know I can’t be alone in this experienece, can any of you relate?), We only seem to write hastag blessed when we feel happy. No-one writes, “Cat died” “so blessed” I filed for bankrupsy today “blessed” lost Job today “blessed”

But there is good news this evening, There is a true and better blessedness that God desires to bestow upon you a blessedness that transcends mere circumstantial “happiness” its a kind of blessedness that leads to deeper fullfilment, a joy that sticks around through grief and sorrow and hardship and tears and struggle and strife, that doesnt run out on you or abandon you, a blessedness that knows even when times are troublesome, Gods favour and Grace are still upon you, and therfore you can overcome any trial and advercity! It all hinges on the path you choose in light of Gods teaching and reveltation, particularly how you respond to Gods revelation in the person of Jesus Christ.

. Psalm one has been

This evening we will be reflecting on . Psalm one has been

Gods word doesnt Just tell us how we get saved from our sins, it is also full of practical and Spiritual Wisdom for Godly living. We are to meditate on his Word day and night so that we might bear God glorifying fruit. We will never find true lasting heart satisfaction and happiness outside of living for Gods Glory. Its what we were made for:

And this is where psalm one comes in

is the introduction to the Psalms. It presents a series of contrasts between the godly and the wicked, the path of life and the path of destuction, this stark contrast is supposes to make us choose path of life. The blessings are so beautiful and compelling that any man or woman in their sober frame of mind should want them. Its absolutly right that you should seek after the blessing of God in your life, just be aware that his blessings often come disgused and not how we might expect them.

Warning: Do not treat this psalm syplistically or morraly, If I do this this will happen.

Big Idea

Jesus is the Blessed one.

Teaches us how it is that he is blessed.

Big Idea

By meditating and delighting in Gods word day and night, the blessings of this psalm are available to you through Christ Jesus. We are talking here about, Happinesss, Robustness, and prosperous Fruit bearing to the Glory of God.

Teaches us who the Bleesed ones are

Teaches us who

teaches us

I Should say up front that it is both possible and impossible at the same time.

Why you should Care?

You can share in his blessedness this evening.

Through the Word of God that points us to Jesus you can be blessed even when you dont feel happy.

Through the Word of God that points us to Jesus you can be blessed you can be planted like a tree routed in streams of living water so that you are stong against all that life will throw at you.

Through Jesus You can be prosperous (In obedience) Bringing Glory to God.

The blessed mand is prosperous in obedience.

You can

The blessed man

Its too good to be true (Millionair paid off your debts or you took you pack lunch on an all inclusive holiday)

Background and Context

Structure

Three Questions.

Structure

1) Who is this Blessed man?

2) In what ways is this man Blessed?

What Charracterises the Blessed man in

3) Why is he blessed?

Why

Jesus Good News

1) Who is this blessed man?

Whi

The New International Version Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the one

who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

or sit in the company of mockers,

a) This blessed man is someone who does not sin: The reason he does not sin is because he does not walk with the wicked, he does not stand with sinners and he does not sit with mockers..

You may have heard the saying, Bad company corrupts good morals, there may be an element of this truth at play in this text. However this doesnt mean that the blessed man never comes into contact with the wicked, otherwise Jesus the blessed one would never have sat down with sinners in the NT, Evangeliesm and getting alongside the lost would be impossble and Paul says if that were the case the saints would have to leave this world ().

What the Psalmist is saying is that the blessed man does not recieve learning and instruction from wicked men (he gets his instructions for living from another source), he does not give consideration of the ways of sinners so as to be desirous of their lifestyle (for his disires are driven by Gods will), he does not join in with them or callude with them in their mockery.

Becasue they do not walk or entertain the wickeds council they do not end up standing to consider the sinners path as if envious.

This doesnt mean that he never come into contact with the wicked, otherwise Jesus would never have sat down with sinners in the NT, and Paul says we would have to leave this world. But it means that the blessed man does not recieve learning and instruction from them( he gets his instructionsfor living from another source), he does not give consideration of their ways as to be envious of them (for his disires are driven by Gods council), he does not join them in their mockery.

To walk in a way the ANE was to recieve council or advice or instruction. This blessed person walks in a way, but it is not according to the way of the wicked (The esv translates it better,in thier council)

Because the blessed man does not stop to stand, because he never walked in the council of the wicked, therfore neither does he sit down with them to join in with them.

Notice the Digression, The blessed man does not stop to stand and be taken in by the ways of sinners because he was never walking in their council in the first place.

The blessed man does not sit to callude with mockers because he was never standing with sinners nor was he even walking with the wicked, the mocker is a fool in the language of wisdom (; ).

he mocker is a fool in the language of wisdom (; ). He does not respond to instruction (9:7; 15:12) but stirs up strife by his insults (22:10). He delights in mocking

They do not recieve advice or council from the wicked, they do not stand to pause and consider the lifestyle of the sinner,

He was never taken in by the downward spirial that is walking which leads to standing and eventually sitting and colluding.

The perfect mood of the verbs in each case emphasizes that the godly are never involved with anything tainted with evil.

That presents a problem for you and I if we want Gods blessing. If we want the truly happy life that this Psalm speaks of. Where does this leave us?

Verbs: - The perfect mood of the verbs in each case emphasizes that the blessed man is never tainted by evil he is perfectly rightous. That presents a problem for you and I if we want the truly blessed happy life that this Psalm speaks of!

Aplication - Tell me how many of you have never been taken in by, or listened to or acted upon bad council before? Or made fun of another person wether in public or private... All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. Where does this leave us?

He is someone who loves Gods Word.

Quesition - Does the Psalmist hold out promises of blessing and happineess that we as sinners from our very birth, can never have?

Question are we qualified to recieve the blessedness of God in the face of our sinfulness?

b) The Blessed man delights in the law of God and meditates on it Day and Night. (In other words… he loves Gods word to the extent that he lives by it.)

Psalm 1:2 NIV

2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.

We might think of meditation as that quiet devotianal time we have with God in the morning. Or some kind of mindfullness. But meditation in the Psalms is concerned with reflecting and applying Gods word throughtout the course of daily activities, of being obedient to the Covnant God has with his people Isreal. The blessed man is the one whos meditation leads to perfect obedience of Gods Law.

Joshua 1:1–8 NIV

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Joshua 1:7–8 NIV

7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), .

Aplication. As Christians we are to so meditate on the word of God that it stops us from conforming to the worlds patterns and transformes us by the renewing of our minds. (:) so that we can approve what God’s will is, his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12 NIV

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 1:22 NIV

22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools

Question Do we seek to apply Gods revelation through his word to all areas of our lives or are we selecetive? Do we meditate and apply Gods word day and night, are we qualified to recieve the blessedness of God on account of our perfect meditation?

Jesus is the Sinless one, Jesus is the one who applied and fullfilled Gods law perfectly. (Expand a little)

2) In What ways is this man Blessed?

This man is blessed in the Following ways:

a) He is planted in streams of water.

Psalm 1:3 NIV

3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.

Here we have a picture of resilliance, of Steadfastness. The blessed one is strong because he is watered by the Word of God. He grows in stature and wisdom on account of the word on which he meditates, his roots grow deep and are nourished by living water. He is like a tree of Life.

A Tree Planted

A tree like that can endure the hardest beetings that life throws their way because of their roots, they are not easily blown over by the fiery wind of lifes trials.

Aplication

If you and I are to be blessed in the same way then we need to ask, have we been planted by living streams? This is something that is done to us as a consequence of meditating and seeking applying Gods word, it is not something we can do for ourselves.

When we meditate on the psalms, we are

If true believers are in the word, they have been planted by God, they will grow.

b) They will Prosper

Psalm 1:3 NIV

3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.

This verse is a favourite of false prosperity gospel preachers, The blessing of prosperity according to the psalmist does not mean you are going to get the fastest camel and the best Job or in moder terms a farrafiegh and mansion, but is set within context of fruit bearing, God glorifying obedience. The prosperity of the blessed man is in his ability to Glorify God, that is what true prosperity is that is what leads to the most Joy.

“when God Gets his Glory Gods people get their Joy” (Jonnathan Edwards)

The Blessed man is blessed to be able to bear endless fruit for God in due season.

Not so with the wicked.

Psalm 1:4–5 NIV

4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

Chaff. (Explain this) (Threshing Floor)

people seem to have it all together, they are happy, but when trial or adversity come along.

Sometimes you will witness in life people who pay little attention to Gods word, they do not seem to delight in Gods truth, they are indeferent, they mock and they scoff at belief in God. Yet strangly they are seemingly quite happy and contented with life and appear prosperous, moral even, they have no need or want for God, The psalmist speaks of this in

Psalm 73:1–3 NIV

1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

But you see when the wind blows, and the wind will blow... when trial or adversity or something comes along that threatens their way of life and their “happiness”, they they grow fearful, they crumble, because the was no foundation to their happiness, no Joy beneath it, their happiness was purely circumstantial, no routs, no solid ground beeath their feet!

The psalmist assures us that unlike the blessed one, chaff will not stand when Judgment comes and they will not be able to stand with Gods people, No delight in Gods word, no roots, no roots, no fruit, No fruit, no Joy, no Joy, no Glory ascribed to God, no Glory Ascribed to God,........no use, Chaff is of no use in the end but to be blown away by the wind.

but when when trial or adversity or something comes along that threatens their way of life and their happiness, they they grow fearful, they cruble, not foundation to their happiness, their happiness was purely circumstantial, no routs, no solid ground beeath their feet! They are life Chaff.

Recap first two points.

Jesus is the Blessed one

He is Blessed with prosperity in fruit bearing.

3) Why is he bleesed?

Jesus offers the same conclution

Psalm 1:6 NIV

6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

The Lord knows the way of the Rightous because their way is Gods way.

Because he is intimately known by God. The Lord knows the way of the Rightous because their way is Gods way.

Aplication

The Question: is are you known by God? Has he Planted you by flowing Streams, do your roots growing deep into Gods word, Does Jesus know you?

Jesus Good News

You and I were dead in our transgressions and sins. We have walked in the council of the wicked, we have stood in the way of sinners we have sat with mockers. Even the Psalmist could not say he was the blessed one, for psalm 73 says he was envious of the wicked.

Not dying, dead, cut off from the commenwetlh of God people Isreal. But Christ has made us alive.

Chrsit is the Blessed one, apart from him we are not blessed no matter how many hastags we might have on our facebook. But through him we recieve Gods Blessedness and in the power of his spirit we can meditate on his revelation day and night. All the promises and blessings of God to Isreal find their yes in Christ. Through Jesus God plants us by flowing streams of living water, giving us the Holy Spirit who nourishis us with Gods living Word.

Ephesians 1:3 NIV

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

The Psalmis cannot attain it, he confesses he was envious of the wicked.

Have you been planted? When we come to Jesus, God plants us by flowing streams of living water, giving us the Holy Spirit who nourishis us with Gods living Word.

Through Jesus God plants us by flowing streams of living water, giving us the Holy Spirit who nourishis us with Gods living Word.

John 7:38 NIV

38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

Challenge and Encouragment

Landing

Our blessing in Christ should not be measured by our feelings alone, Feelings are wonderful friends but terrible masters, we should not be ruled by them, Gods blessings in Christ are fixed.

We pray for blessings We pray for peace Comfort for family, protection while we sleep We pray for healing, for prosperity We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering All the while, You hear each spoken need Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops What if Your healing comes through tears What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom Your voice to hear We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love As if every promise from Your Word is not enough All the while, You hear each desperate plea And long that we'd have faith to believe

When friends betray us When darkness seems to win We know that pain reminds this heart That this is not our home

What if my greatest disappointments Or the aching of this life Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy What if trials of this life The rain, the storms, the hardest nights Are your mercies in disguise

(Lara Story)

Preaching the Word: The Psalms, Volume 1—Rejoice, the Lord Is King (Psalms 1 to 41) Closing Thoughts

Jesus Christ is the true righteous man of Psalm 1. God blessed him and prospered him as our sinless Savior. If you belong to him, the blessings of Psalm 1 are yours through him. If you belong to him, Psalm 1 will be the pattern of your life.

This is the way to true happiness. This is the path of God’s blessing. I pray it is your path.

May God bless you Richly for

Psalm 32:1–2 NIV

1 Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.

1 Blessed is the one

The way of the rightous Hashtag Blessed, the way of the wicked Hashtag Chaff. Choose your hashtag.

whose transgressions are forgiven,

whose sins are covered.

2 Blessed is the one

whose sin the Lord does not count against them

and in whose spirit is no deceit.

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), .