1. Intro

2. The important role of Blessing

   1. temporal blessings

      1. grace/unmerited

         • Gen 1:27 God created humankind in his own image,in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them. 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply!

         • Gen 12:1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household to the land that I will show you. 12:2 Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, so that you will exemplify divine blessing. 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse, and all the families of the earth will bless one another by your name.”

      2. for God's Glory

   2. future redemptive blessing – Jesus

      • Gen 22:15 The Lord’s angel called to Abraham a second time from heaven 22:16and said, “‘I solemnly swear by my own name,’ decrees the Lord, ‘that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,22:17 I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the strongholds of their enemies. 22:18 Because you have obeyed me, all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants.’”

3. Dangers of self-blessing

   1. Nature of true blessing – Internal state

      1. billionaire on a desert island

      2. rule the world by texting one way

   2. Electric utility about to disconnect

   3. Drug addiction

   4. Getting the blessing by shortcut and self

4. Jesus' penultimate and ultimate blessing

   1. the giver of the blessing – what if Billy Graham, Ellen White, Jacob/Israel, God, were to bless you?

      • Matt 19:13 Then little children were brought to him for him to lay his hands on them and pray. But the disciples scolded those who brought them. 19:14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 19:15And he placed his hands on them and went on his way.

   2. The CYCLE of the beatitudes

      1. poor in spirit, get the kingdom of heaven.

      2. those who mourn will get comforted.

      3. the meek will get the earth.

      4. those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will get satisfaction.

      5. the merciful, they will get mercy.

      6. the pure in heart will get to see God.

      7. the peacemakers will get to be called the children of God.

      8. those who are persecuted for righteousness already have the kingdom of heaven.

         • you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me – Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven.

      9. Recognition of poverty causes mourning making one meek and hungry and thirsty for righteousness and after receiving the grace of being filled with righteousness and mercy one will show mercy and will be graced with heart purity. The pure in heart will be persecuted for righteousness and people will insult them and persecute them and say all kinds of evil things about them falsely on account of Jesus

   3. the Ultimate blessing – Eternal life with Jesus in Heaven

5. Conclusion

   1. Accepting blessings

      1. recognizing them

         • I am beginning to feel that we need a preliminary act of submission not only towards possible future afflictions but also towards possible future blessings. I know it sounds fantastic; but think it over. It seems to me that we often, almost sulkily, reject the good that God offers us because, at the moment, we expected some other good. – C. S. Lewis

      2. gratefulness

   2. giving blessings

      1. Full, prayerful, loving attention

      2. physical touch

      3. faith

6. May the God who loves you as his own dear children Bless you with heart wholeness and heart holiness. May the creator of the universe create in you complete peace and complete joy. May our Savior rule in your life and in your family and fill you with His urgency for the those who need more of His love and grace.