Sermon Central
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The Blessed Life Series
Contributed by Dewayne Bolton on Aug 27, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: Most Christians live below their privlidge in Christ. This sermon was written to endavor to help Christians to realize there is something far better and far richer that the life the everyday Christain lives. This is what David descripes in the opening Psa
THE BLESSED LIFE
INTRO;
A. The book of Psalms opens with the word blessed which means happiness too or blessing on.
a. The word blessed is used at least 302 times beginning in Genesis 1:22 and ending in Revelation 22:14.
b. In Psalms 1:1 David use it as he begins to describe the Christian life,
1. Notice he said BLESSED IS THE MAN
B. In Matthew 5:3-11 Jesus uses the word blessed in reference to His description of the Christian life.
a. However Jesus uses it a little different than David for Jesus uses it as stepping stones to the blessed life then goes on in verse 12 – chapter seven to describe in detail the Christian life.
b. Notice Jesus uses it in verse 3 to describe the person that recognizes their need of forgiveness of sin which is the first step in the Christian life.
c. Then in verse 8 Jesus uses it to describe the second step in the blessed life which is purity of heart.
d. These two verses set before the two steps that need to be taken to obtain the blessed life.
e. Notice that the life of the Christian is the blessed life.
f. In the rest of the Sermon on The Mount Jesus describes the blessedness of living out the blessed life. Mt. 5:12-7:27
g. He describes living out the Christian life by giving instructions on what to do and what not to do.
1. Thus we find the blessed life is something to be obtained and then maintained by a daily walk with Jesus.
2. So what does the blessed life consist of?
a. That is what I want to deal with in this message.
1. There is a Christian life that is far more intimate, richer, deeper and higher than that of the nominal Christian today.
2. Most [and I say most as kindly as I can] Christians live far below the life that has been purchased and provided for them.
3. The blessedness of the life I am talking about is available to every person on this earth.
4. It is made possible by the blood of the Lamb that takes away the sin of whosoever will.
5. So how does one possess this life available to them?
I. FIRST THROUGH THE NEW BIRTH.
A. The new birth makes us a child of God and as a child of God we are heirs to everything God has.
a. Thus that makes us heirs to this BLESSED LIFE JESUS DESCRIBES IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
b. It is ours for the asking for did He not say He that asks receives.
1. Did not the Holy Spirit inspire James to tell us YE HAVE NOT BECAUSE YE ASK NOT?
2. Jesus said ASK AND YE SHALL RECEIVE.
3. Thus it is whosoever’s just for the asking.
B. We do not need to understand anything about the Christian life all we have to do is ASK then leave the rest to Him.
1. For as we walk with Him He reveals to us the things we don’t understand.
2. It’s like the song writer said TRUST AND OBEY FOR THERES NO OTHER WAY TO BE HAPPY IN JESUS BUT TO TRUST AND OBEY.
a. When we ask He will forgive and in time open our understanding as we go along.
b. So don’t worry about the things you don’t understand just hold His hand and we’ll understand it better by and by.
II. SECOND THERE MUST BE FULL CONSECRATION
A. Consecration is simply giving God your all by giving Him your heart.
a. Remember where your heart is everything else goes.
b. Paul describes it in Romans 12:1-2
B. A little girl said to her mother I GIVE MY HEART TO JESUS BUT IT WON’T GO.
a. That’s cute but in reality a lot of truth in it.
b. People give the Lord their heart but it won’t go because they don’t turn loose.
c. You can’t give someone something and then hold on to it.
d. Until one lets go God not only won’t take your heart but He cannot.
e. The reason is He respects our free moral agency and that freedom is a line He set Himself and He won’t cross it.
1. That’s why He said in Revelation 3:20 BEHOLD I SAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK IF ANYONE HEARS MY VOICE AND OPENS I WILL COME IN AND SUP WITH HIM AND HE WITH ME.
2. By opening the door we are inviting Him in.
3. Also by opening the door we consecrate out life to Him.
f. By the act of consecration we recognize God’s ownership that is we really belong to God and we are only giving back to God what is really His.
