“Benefits of the Blessed”
March 4, 2012
Matthew 5:1-12
Last week I shared a message with you entitled, “Defining the Undefinable”. I talked about six things all true Christians have in common. I know that because Jesus himself said so. Do you remember what those things are? Let me refresh your memory.
1. We Believe God. “…to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (1 John 1:12)
2. We Trust God. “Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.” John 12:36
3. We Obey God. “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me…” John 14:21
4. We Hear God. “My sheep listen to my voice…” John 10:26
5. We Follow God. “Whoever serves me must follow me…” John 12:26
6. We Receive God. ““Yet to all who did receive him, …he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12
I’m sure there were many more things we could have added to that list, but these, in my opinion are the top 6 things that all true Christians have in common. It doesn’t matter what denomination you belong to; what Church you go to; or even what theology you believe. True Christians will always have these six things in common. Jesus said so. The Bible tells me so. Each item on the list was verified by Jesus.
But I want you to know that as all Christians make similar choices – they also share similar benefits. Let’s take a look at some of them this morning.
Do you understand that ‘Hope’ is the thing that motivates us? Faith is the result of our hope. The Writer of Hebrews put it this ways,
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
I like how the New King James puts it, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1
Many people use that verse to define faith. It isn’t a definition of faith; it is simply a process of faith. Faith is built of hope. Before you have faith you must have hope. Faith is the substance or the expression of hope.
Let me explain once again what biblical hope is. The great Christian Lawyer, David Gibbs, defined it as “the trusting expectation that God will keep His Word.” The key words there are ‘trust’ and ‘expectation’. If we hope in God we have an expectation that He will do what He says He will do. If we have that trust; that expectation - we can act in faith. Faith is an action verb. To have faith is to act. To have faith is to express what you hope for - in action. Faith always has these three elements in it, Believe, trust and obedience (or action). If you take one of those elements out – you do not have faith. With faith, God reveals His will to you, you believe, trust and then act. The Bible and our daily lives are filled with examples of that. It is important we understand faith. Without it – we can’t please God. (Hebrews 11:6) Without faith it is impossible to please God. “The righteous LIVE by faith” (Romans 3:22).
I say all of that to point out the process of growing in faith. Faith is the substance of hope. So how to we get hope? The Bible tells us.
“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”
Romans 15:4
Let me simplify that verse for you. The Bible was written that, as we read it; as we see and hear God’s promises to us, it inspires a trust - an expectation -that God will do as He says He will do. That comforts us. That enables us to endure trials and patiently wait on the Lord. And with that hope, our faith grows. And that faith results in our righteousness and our pleasing God. That results in great blessings in this life and eternal blessings in the next. Jesus said our acts of faith will result in much blessings in this life and in the age to come, eternal life. (Luke 18:30)
If that is true, and you know it is, then it would be a wise thing to study what was written in the Scriptures. If you want comfort; if you want strength to endure trials; if you want life to be filled with hope and expectation of better things to come – you must study the Scripture. Here are some benefits the blessed can look forward to.
First, freedom from sin. The greatest blessing we can know is freedom from sin. Why is it the greatest blessing? Because all other blessings are contingent on it. Jesus must first free us from our former master before He can bless us as He desires to. So He not only forgives us – but He frees us as well.
“Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the Law of Moses.” Acts 13:38-39
The unfortunate truth is that so many Christians come to Christ for forgiveness – but remain enslaved to the world and to the flesh. They think it is enough to be forgiven and are thrilled to have their dark past obliterated by the blood of Christ. But there is so much more. It is like a slave that was emancipated by Lincoln who chooses to remain chained and in slavery because he would not ask to have his shackles cut off him. Actually that happened to many slaves. Not that they were kept in chains but that they were so familiar with the place where they were - that they willing remained in slavery - when they could have just gotten up and walked away in freedom.
Christians do that, too. They have been freed by the blood of Christ – but they remain in bondage to sin; they remain in bondage to the flesh; they remain in bondage to the world. Harmful habits and addictions are normal in Christendom today. Many Christians don’t think twice about being enslaved to drugs like nicotine and alcohol. Jesus asked the woman caught in adultery where her condemners were and if there was anyone left to condemn her.
“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:11
Do you see the process of freedom? Forgiveness and then freedom. Jesus did not just forgive her – He freed her. He instructed her to leave her life of sin. In other words, don’t remain in the sinful state you once were. Later Jesus said,
“Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:34-36
Do you see that one of the benefits of the Blessed is freedom? But there is a dark side to freedom. Paul cautions,
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh…” Galatians 5:13
Do you understand that when you are free – you are always free to go back. If you are free from sin – you are also free TO sin – if you so desire. That’s why Paul gives this caution. We CAN be burdened again by slavery to sin. We CAN use our freedom to indulge the flesh – and many Christians do. But – we can also use our freedom to live a holy and godly life. We now have that choice where once we didn’t when we were slaves to sin. When Jesus frees you – you are free indeed. What a blessing!
There are so many other blessings. Let me mention a few.
JOY! “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11
PEACE! “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
John 14:27
GLORY AND HONOR AND PRAISE! “There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” Romans 2:9-10
“These (trials) have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:7
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:17
“And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” 1 Peter 5:4
There are so many wonderful blessing for the Christians; so many benefits of the blessed! Ahead there is glory and honor and praise for the faithful. Who gets glory? It’s the hero. One day the angels in heaven will look on you as hero’s of the faith (Romans 8:19). You have been immersed in trials and temptation. You have fought the flesh, the world, and the devil day after day after day. You have resisted your very nature – and choose obedience to God. You are a hero! You didn’t do it alone. It is by God’s grace. But God didn’t do it alone either. He choose you. He chose a willing heart. And now we have this promise;
“To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.” Romans 2:7
We need to ‘persist’ in doing good. We need to SEEK glory and honor and immortality. If we do – the benefit is eternal life. The benefit for the blessed is eternal life with the Creator of all that is good. Paul reiterated Isaiah when he wrote:
““What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him.”
(1 Corinthians 2:9, Isaiah 64:4)
I want you to know that there is a blessing to resisting your fallen nature. There is a blessing to walking with Jesus. There are benefits to being blessed by God.
One of the first Scriptures I committed to memory is Galatians 6:9. I would encourage you to do the same. It will inspire you. It will encourage you. It will generate hope in your heart. It goes,
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
Don’t get tired of seeking to do good. Don’t give up. In God’s timing; at just the RIGHT time – you will reap a rich harvest of righteousness. Whatever temptations you are going through; whatever trials you find yourself in; whatever tribulation you may be experiencing – DON’T QUIT! Never quit. Never give up. It will all be worth it one day. With God’s help – you CAN do it!
HYMN: “It Will Be Worth it All”
