Chico Alliance Church
Pastor David Welch
“Celebrating Divine Blessings”
Introduction
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty… Psalm 104:1
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle. Psalm 103:2-5
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. Psalm 103:8-14
The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.
Bless the LORD, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word!
Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, you who serve Him, doing His will.
Bless the LORD, all you works of His, in all places of His dominion;
Bless the LORD, O my soul! Psalm 103:19-22
There are two reasons in these Psalms to bless or speak well of the Lord.
First, because His is very great and clothed with splendor and majesty
Second, because He has so bountifully blessed us.
The verbs are unmistakable in this Psalm.
• Pardons iniquities
• Heals diseases
• Redeems from certain destruction
• Crowns with lovingkindness and compassion
• Satisfies with good things
• Renews youth
• Is compassionate and gracious
• Removed our transgressions completely
• Shows compassion
• Mindful we are fragile creatures
You would think that the recipients of such blessing would never forget how blessed they were and would not need to be reminded to “forget none of His benefits.” Yet the fact is, we do forget and need reminding just how blessed we are.
The communion service is, among other things, about remembrance. The communion table is engraved with “In remembrance of me”. Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.”
Most of us have observed little memorials along the road, usually a cross of some sort. Unless we have direct connection with the event memorialized by the cross, it means little to us. To those familiar with the event the symbol carries deep meaning and significance. For the Christian, the cross symbolizes a most significant, historical event as real as any event in history symbolized by a cross on the side of the road. We embrace a cross on a hill where the sinless, innocent Son of God freely gave Himself that sinful men might be saved.
WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. 1 Peter 2:22-25
Run the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2-3
Why did he do it? Because it was the only way that sinful man could be reconciled to a holy God. The only way God could shower us with such blessings is because Jesus took our place.
We are here to celebrate some of those wonderful benefits and blessings. Rather than travel all over the Bible, let’s focus on just one passage we have seen before but are due to revisit some of its treasures again. Ephesians 1. This passage overflows with the blessing of God in Christ.
Paul started with a general summary.
“Bless God who blessed us.”
At a point in time, God “blessed us”. God spoke well of us and showered blessing on us.
To bless is to wish well, to declare benefit and good will. The New Testament blessing mirrors the Old Testament blessing which meant…
1) to esteem highly
2) to endue with power for success, prosperity and longevity.
Paul calls us to bless God for so wonderfully blessing us. Paul empathically declares that God blessed us “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ.” He makes at least five observations about God’s blessing.
First
These are spiritual blessings. These are benefits related to the issues of eternity. These are benefits which profit the immaterial aspects of our being.
Second
God blessed EVERY believer with EVERY, all, any, the whole thing. When we came to Christ, God did not divvy up blessing according to merit or greatness or worth. He opened up the whole enchilada to all who come to Him by faith.
Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures. JAM 1:17
seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 2 Peter 1:3
God placed no limitation on spiritual blessing. Every blessing is available to every believer.
Third
This inexhaustible source of blessing flows out of the “heavenlies.” The term indicates things which exist in a spiritual dimension generally unseen. The heavenly realm.
John Stott agrees,
"It is neither sky, nor grace, nor glory, nor any literal spatial abode, but rather the unseen world of spiritual reality.”
Paul uses the term five times in Ephesians (1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12). One reference indicates that it is a place where spiritual warfare is waged.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies. Eph 6:12
These blessings flow out of a spiritual dimension that greatly affects all other dimensions.
Fourth
These blessings come by reason of our union with Christ, “in Christ”. This phrase is a rich phrase found throughout the New Testament. It speaks of a supernatural act where God places us in Christ, unites us with Him, places us in His body.
Fifth
These blessings come on the basis of God’s grace not our merit God blessed us in the same way He chose us before the foundation for the world. God chose us even before we were born. God chose us apart from any work we did or would do.
Many of you have longed for a blessing from your parents or your partner hoping that it would fill the affirmation vacuum in your soul. Such affirmation and blessing can only come from our Heavenly Father who determined to bless us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ. What are some of those blessings? Paul touches just a few.
1. Lovingly Chosen before the foundation of the world
vs 4 “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world”
The facts here are clear.
• God chose us.
• God chose us at a point in time before time (aorist tense)
• God chose us for a specific purpose
That we should be holy and blameless before Him.
Set aside for a special use.
1 Peter 2:9 “You are a chose race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you were once not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
• God chose us “in Him.”
We have a God who lovingly chose us and loved us and intentionally pursued relationship with us. As a result of His choosing there will be a glorious praise gathering of people from every tribe and language and people and nation singing “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.”
Bless God who blessed us by choosing us for his own!
2. Adopted into God’s family
vs 5-6 “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself according to the kind intention of His will to the praise of the glory of His grace which He freely bestowed on us in the beloved.
Some of you grew up in wonderful families. Others not so enjoyable, in fact perhaps horrible. Truth is, we all came from dysfunctional families. It is only a matter of degree.
Well the good news is that God adopted us into the greatest family in the universe. God lovingly adopted us into His family. He transferred us out of the kingdom (family) of darkness into the kingdom (family) of His Son. All that have been chosen by God are placed into the family of God. We are adopted as sons and daughters of the King. God is our loving heavenly Father. Our destiny is set. Those God chose God determined to include in His family. We have been predestined to adoption. We can enjoy that fact, that truth or we can live like orphans. Whatever we do, our destiny is set.
It is like a complementary cruise to the Bahamas. Someone booked the cruise, you board the ship by faith. Once on the ship you are “destined” to the Bahamas. Nothing you do on the ship will alter the destination but it may affect how much you enjoy the trip.
Benefits of adoption
• Absolute unconditional acceptance Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6
• Guaranteed likeness
1 John 3:1 “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, which we should be called children of God and WE ARE... We shall be like Him.”
• Inheritance Gal 4:7; Rom 8:16 “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.
• Effective Fatherly discipline Heb 12:9
• Future Glory Col 3:3; Rom 8:21 Hidden now, revealed latter.
Bless God who blessed us by adopting us into his perfect family.
3. Redeemed through Christ’s Blood
vs 7 “In Him we have redemption through His blood”
The Greek words generally translated redemption in scripture communicate two ideas.
1. Purchase for possession.
Once the price has been paid it is yours.
2. Set free by the payment of a price.
In Christ we have redemption right now (point in time action)! He purchased us. We are not our own but we have been bought with a price. Price? “You were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ” He paid the ultimate price that we might become his own possession. He paid the ultimate price in order to set us free from the slave market of sin. Stop trying to redeem yourself. You have no means to pay the required price for your redemption. Because Jesus paid the ransom price, you are no longer slaves to sin but alive to God in Christ.
Bless the Lord who blessed us with redemption
past, present and future.
4. Forgiven
vs 7b “the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace”
There are two basic struggles that defeat millions of people at one level or another and to one degree or another. Both are directly related to this blessing of forgiveness.
GUILT = The inability to perceive or realize forgiveness produces GUILT.
BITTERNESS = The inability to practice or reciprocate forgiveness which fosters more BITTERNESS
Guilt and bitterness work together like Bonnie and Clyde robbing us of every joy in life. Where there is one, there will almost always be the other. If we do not realize our forgiveness by God, we feel like we cannot, to any significant degree, afford to offer forgiveness to others.
ILLUSTRATION
Whenever w come under the pressure of financial debt. That pressure to repay a debt is guilt. No matter how hard I attempt to ignore it or escape, it is always there. It continually "haunts" me. It affects my thinking. It affects my attitudes. It affects my behaviors. It is a major cause of depression. I don't feel the freedom to give to others or forgive anything owned to me by others, because I can't afford it. I am under bondage to others.
Forgiveness is not free to the one forgiving. Forgiveness is only free to the one forgiven. Someone always pays. As long as I struggle with guilt, I will be self-protective and unable to truly love and forgive others resulting in bitterness which eventually projects to God.
For many, these feelings are all you have known. Properly perceiving forgiveness eradicates guilt. Properly practicing forgiveness eliminates bitterness. Are you living under an oppressive standard of performance you have been unable to live up to? You are in a prison of guilt. Jesus Christ has provided the only real release from this devastating prison. It is one grand blessing. We have forgiveness. The debt has been paid. We have already been released from every sin past, present and future. We have been released from all obligations to pay. There is NO debt. Realizing he has paid it all is the beginning of forgiving others. When we realize we are completely forgiven, we can practice continual forgiveness.
Bless God who blessed us with eternal forgiveness in Christ.
5. Lavished with God’s grace
vs 8 “which He lavished upon us.
Our forgiveness comes out of the riches of His grace which He lavished upon us. Grace is a whole week topic in itself. Yes it is unmerited favor. Yes it is God’s riches at Christ’s expense. But it is so much more than can be framed by some brief saying. It took the whole NT to describe its depths. We must not limit truth by reducing it to little sayings.
• Common grace
• Saving Grace
• Living grace
• Eternal grace “grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Christ.”demonstrated in the ages to come.
We are not usually comfortable with grace. We feel like we have to earn our way. It goes against our pride. Exactly! In fact, God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. The passage affirms the fact that God lavished His grace on us. Abundance, surplus, super abound, excel, have enough to spare, be in excess.
Bless God who lavished us with His favor apart from our merit.
6. Enlightened
vs 9 “he made know to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind which He purpose in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth.
Most people hate unsolved mysteries. We even have programs that capitalize on trying to solve those mysteries. We generally don’t like surprises. We like it all neat and predictable. God has filled us in one the mystery of the universe. We of all people know what is in store. We know the ultimate mysteries dealing with the eternal questions of where did we come from, why we are here and where are we going? We know the future.
God let us read the last chapter. The mystery of the universe is solved in Christ.
In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
In Him all things hold together and will come together.
He is the source and sustainer of Creation
He is the Source and dispenser of wisdom
He is the final prophet.
He is the focus of redemption
He is the sum and head of all things
He is the foundation and very life of the church
He is heir of all things
He is Lord of Lords and king of all kings.
In Him we have been abundantly blessed beyond imagination.
When we have Jesus, we have it all.
Eye has not seen nor ear heard all that God has prepared for those who love Him but to us God revealed them!
Bless God who blessed us
by opening our eyes to the wonder of His riches in Christ
7. Furnished an eternal inheritance
vs 11-12 “also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
An inheritance is usually are not earned. Inheritance generally comes by reason of our birth or adoption in to a particular family. We have an eternal inheritance. It is our by reason of our identification with Christ. We are heirs because we have been named in the will. 1 Peter 1:3-5 describes this inheritance in greater detail.
• It is imperishable. (Stable) Cannot be destroyed
• It is undefiled (Superior) Cannot be defiled
• It is unfading (Sufficient) Cannot be diminished
• It is reserved(perfect tense) in heaven (Secure) Cannot be denied
Not only does Peter assure the inheritance but the inheritor. We are protected till we get it! We are encouraged to fix our hope completely on the grace to be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ. The reading of the will! This inheritance is eternal and will never fade.
Bless God who has blessed us with an eternal inheritance
beyond our imagination.
8. Sealed with the Holy Spirit
vs 13-14 “In Him you also after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation -- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”
People have a deep longing for security. We buy special locks for our doors.
Spiritual security has been made available through Christ. The seal was a sign of authentication, ownership, protection Here, our passage tells us some basic facts about our sealing.
• God does the sealing.
• The Holy Spirit is the seal and down payment pledge of more to come.
• It is a seal until the day of redemption (Eph 4:30)
• We are sealed that it may bring praise to His glory.
• All Christians are sealed
• We are sealed after listening to the truth and having believed.
Security has to do with God’s work and promise.
Assurance has to do with our realization of God’s work.
Bless God who blessed us with His glorious seal -- the Holy Spirit.
Bless the Lord O my soul and forget NONE of His benefits.
Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yes, our God is compassionate.
The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me.
Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
For You have rescued my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
I shall walk before the LORD in the land of the living.
I believed when I said, "I am greatly afflicted." I said in my alarm, "All men are liars."
What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me?
I shall lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the LORD.
I shall pay my vows to the LORD, oh may it be in the presence of all His people.
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His godly ones.
O LORD, surely I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid, You have loosed my bonds.
To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and call upon the name of the LORD.
I shall pay my vows to the LORD, oh may it be in the presence of all His people,
In the courts of the LORD'S house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD! Psalm 116:5-19
What shall we render to the Lord for all His benefits toward us?
I am asking you to do three things as we celebrate the communion service today.
1. Remember His Benefits
2. Embrace Him.
3. Bless Him.
