Are you blessed? Pt. 1
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Sermon title - Are you Blessed?
Verse -
Opening Hymn - Wonderful words of life #286
Closing hymn - Blessed Assurance #462
Anointing
Anointing
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
James
Address the tragedies that have been happening
Me
Me
Are You Blessed?
Main point - real blessings come from Jesus
People often feel blessed in different ways
When I was growing up it was always apparent to me that people believed their greatest blessings were the possessions that they had attained,
this reality became frustrating for me, especially in my relationship with my father, because it was always established that the business came before family.
I remember many occasions where we would be struggling from exhaustion, keeping up with the bills, and just quality of life, and yet, my dad would often respond as though we had everything we needed, that we had need of nothing, and he would give his reason for this surprising statement by looking at the piles of professional tools on the shelves that were collecting dust.
While the rest of us were wondering how to survive the next day, my dad felt perfectly at peace looking at his tools and toys that hadn't been used in years.
As life went on and I moved out getting away from the stresses that came with being at home, I began to be comfortable in my own way, I felt as though I was blessed, and gained my security from having electricity, not risking my life with tree work, and spending time with friends.
What I came to learn was that my father and myself were making the same mistake, we believed that our blessings and security came from our possessions, they just came in different forms;
my dad focused on his tools and toys, and I was focused on a comfortable home, and friendships, this of course seemed more logical to me however it was still the wrong focus.
The Bible shows us that our possessions will one day be burned up and, well, they really aren't that important. the truth is real blessings come from Jesus.
Laodicea
Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
Verse -
Opening Hymn - Wonderful words of life #286
Closing hymn - Blessed Assurance #462
my dad focused on his tools and toys, and I was focused on a comfortable home, and friendships, this of course seemed more logical to me however it was still the wrong focus.
The Bible shows us that our possessions will one day be burned up and, well, they really aren't that important. the truth is real blessings come from Jesus.
We
We
Have you seen this in your life?
Where we talk about how blessed we are or someone else is because of the job they have, or their health, or maybe their car etc...
and I am not saying these things aren't blessings that can come from Jesus however when we look at the sermon on the mount Jesus shares with us the most important blessings of them all.
God
God
And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
When Jesus was sharing His sermon on the mount He was giving a revolutionary message He was also giving promises
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The proud heart strives to earn salvation; but both our title to heaven and our fitness for it are found in the righteousness of Christ. The Lord can do nothing toward the recovery of man until, convinced of his own weakness, and stripped of all self-sufficiency, he yields himself to the control of God. Then he can receive the gift that God is waiting to bestow. From the soul that feels his need, nothing is withheld. He has unrestricted access to Him in whom all fullness dwells. “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” . {DA 300.1}
(Tell the story)\/
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Luke 18:9-
The SDA version
We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
Transition Jesus promise to us is when we are poor in Spirit He will cause us to be truly rich and to be children of heaven.
Jesus didn’t stop there, He continued to share with his audience the blessings of heaven
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
We often sorrow because our evil deeds bring unpleasant consequences to ourselves; but this is not repentance. Real sorrow for sin is the result of the working of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit reveals the ingratitude of the heart that has slighted and grieved the Saviour, and brings us in contrition to the foot of the cross. By every sin Jesus is wounded afresh; and as we look upon Him whom we have pierced, we mourn for the sins that have brought anguish upon Him. Such mourning will lead to the renunciation of sin. {DA 300.3}
The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.
When I read this verse I think of Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psalm 51:
Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
“Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness,
You who seek the Lord:
Look to the rock from which you were hewn,
And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug.
Look to Abraham your father,
And to Sarah who bore you;
For I called him alone,
And blessed him and increased him.”
Psalm 51:
Isaiah 51:
Transition Friends we have all played a part in the crucifixion of our Creator but He brings us this wonderful promise that those who realize what sin truly is they will find comfort from Jesus and not condemnation.
We have one more blessing that we are going to look at in the text.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are the meek.” The difficulties we have to encounter may be very much lessened by that meekness which hides itself in Christ. If we possess the humility of our Master, we shall rise above the slights, the rebuffs, the annoyances, to which we are daily exposed, and they will cease to cast a gloom over the spirit. The highest evidence of nobility in a Christian is self-control. He who under abuse or cruelty fails to maintain a calm and trustful spirit robs God of His right to reveal in him His own perfection of character. Lowliness of heart is the strength that gives victory to the followers of Christ; it is the token of their connection with the courts above. {DA 301.3}
Tell the story
And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ ” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Mark 10:
You
You
Are You Blessed?
I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
Laodicea was a place where they provided eye care for people, and yet they were unable to see
How is it with you friend? are we distracted with temporary blessings instead of seeking the best blessings from Jesus?
Appeal seek the blessings that Jesus desires to give you.
We
We
s
What if?...