I love our country as you do. I believe we live in the greatest country in the world despite recent events. We have the world's largest economy. We have the world's strongest military. We have the world's most advanced technology. And we are the world's richest country. Those are just a few of the things we lead the world in. Before we get the big head there is another first-place trophy that we hold. We are the most wasteful country in the world. Literally, we produce more garbage than anyone else in the world. Even though we have just four percent of the world's population we produce twelve percent of the world's waste and garbage. The average American is responsible for 1,700 pounds of garbage a year and that’s not just trash talk either.
And, the richest country in the world wastes the most money. The average American wastes $18,000 a year buying things they don’t even need. Yet, I believe there is even a greater waste going on, not just in America, but around the world that breaks the heart of God more than any other type of waste and that is a wasted life. Although you waste food, you can buy more food. Even though you waste money, you can make more money. But when you waste your life, you only have one life and it is too precious to waste. This morning, I want to share with you how to make sure that you not only don’t waste your life but you make the most of your life.
Please keep your Bibles open to the book of Ephesians with me (page 1159 in the pew Bible).
To make the most of my life: I need to bless God and the Bible tells me that He wants to bless me.
This morning, I simply want to unpack verse 3 only: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” (Ephesians 1:3).
You cannot tell it from your English version but verses 3-14 are really one long sentence in the original language of the New Testament. Now, no English translation attempts to make it just 1 sentence because the sentence is so complicated. The version we are looking at together makes it five sentences. This is not only the longest sentence in your New Testament but it’s also the longest sentence that’s been discovered in the Greek language. So the first people to read it would have been surprised by it as well. It’s really a burst of praise and an act of worship - Paul didn’t even pause for a breath. There is a richness to this sentence.
There’s so much here that we’ll work on this one sentence for the next several Sundays. To make the most of this life, I need to bless God and He blesses us.
1. Blessing God
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” (Ephesians 1:3).
When we speak of someone as blessed, many people think of it as kind of the church word for “lucky.” Sometimes when we say “bless their heart,” it’s more of a wish – we wish them well. Yet, the word “blessed” in verse 3 literally means to speak well of someone.
We get our word eulogy from this word “blessed” in verse 3. When you deliver the eulogy for someone at their funeral, you are speaking well of them.
The Bible is teaching us to praise God. We are to bless God for He has blessed us with every conceivable blessing.
1.1 Jewish Practice
Paul is really doing something that was done by Jewish people in his day. The Jewish people would bless God. In fact, there was even a prescribed set of prayers for all Jews to pray every morning, evening, and afternoon called The Eighteen Benedictions, each of which contains the expression, “Blessed are you, Lord.” What isn’t Jewish is when Paul blesses God as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” (Ephesians 1:3).
Again, when I bless someone I speak well of them. So the Bible is teaching us to speak well of God. Straighten up in your seat for a moment and give me your undivided attention so I can ask you a personal question for a moment: Have you ever blessed God even once in your life? Have you blessed God today? In an OMG world, why should you speak well of God?
1.2 God is the Source of Blessing
The first reason you should bless God is because the very fact that God alone is blessed. It’s not that we wish God to be blessed or that we are hoping He’s blessed. The fact is … God is blessed. The Bible is telling us a fact. God is blessed – this is a matter of fact.
Speaking of facts, God is the only source of blessing any of us have ever known. Like a power station that provides you power, God provides blessing. God is the source of each and every one of your blessings: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17). God has taken the lowliest of the low and raised them to the highest of the heights. God created something out of nothing. His magnificent grace claimed that which was lost, raised that which was dead, freed that which was enslaved, restored that which was broken and reconciled that which was separated! Search high and low in all the universe and you will never find anyone or anything that is blessed as God is. God is the source of all blessing – that’s just a fact!
1.3 God Doesn’t Need Anything
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” (Ephesians 1:3).
Please know that we cannot give God anything and God doesn’t need anything from us (Psalm 50:9-10). God says, “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine”(Psalm 50:12). God is self-sufficient in every way. He never orders out. His pantry isn’t bare and He doesn’t lack for anything. He never goes shopping because He doesn’t need anything. God is self-sufficient.
Again, verse 3 is teaching us how not to waste our lives. We make the most out of life when we bless God, praise God.
1.3.1 Zechariah
Have you ever heard the biblical story about a man named Zechariah who was mute for a long time because he didn’t believe God? An angel told him, your wife is pregnant and Zechariah wouldn’t believe it. So God said to him, “I need to teach you a lesson. You’re mute – you are unable to speak.” His wife was the happiest woman in Israel for some nine months! But when Zechariah’s mouth finally could speak again, the Bible tells us the very first thing he did was he blessed God: “And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God… Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people…” (Luke 1:64, 68).
1.3.2 Simeon and Others
And then we learn of an old man named Simeon who took the baby Jesus into his arms when he first witnessed Him at the Temple. The Bible tells us what Simeon did next: “he took him up in his arms and blessed God…” (Luke 2:28a). The people of God bless God – it’s just what they do. Years later, Jesus was entering into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and the crowds blessed Jesus: “And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’” (Matthew 21:9).
When Jesus feeds the multitudes, the Bible tells us: “And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing…” (Mark 6:41a).
When God blesses us, He gives us something we couldn’t get anywhere else from anyone else. But when we bless God, we don’t give anything to Him. The people of God bless God – it’s just what they do.
1.4 How Do I Bless God?
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” (Ephesians 1:3).
How do I bless God? And they do it first and foremost because it’s a simple fact that God is blessed. Yes, we make the most of our lives when bless God and praise God.
Here are 5 ways you can bless God all the days of your life.
#1 I Bless God When I Give Thanks to God
The patriarch Abraham blessed God when he said “and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand” (Genesis 14:20)! King David blessed God when he wrote: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name” (Psalm 103:1)!
We bless God when we thank Him and speak well of Him: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Psalm 103:3-5).
If you think little of what God has done for you, you will do very little for Him. But if you have a great vision of His great mercy for you, you will be extremely grateful to God: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name” (Psalm 103:1)!
#2 I Bless God When I Fight Against Evil
We bless God when we stand up against evil: “The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed” (Psalm 103:6). There is a clear red line between good and evil in the pages of Scripture. It grows right out of the very heart of God. We bless God when we stand for the right and stand against that which is evil. We bless God when we grow a spine and have convictions that align with His justice. When you fight evil you make God happy.
#3 I Bless God When I Spread His Kingdom
The Bible says, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen” (Psalm 44:13).
It’s when I use my God-given gifts to lead a Bible study group to spread His kingdom. God is NOT blessed with laziness; He is blessed when we use our breath to spread His kingdom. When people are won to faith in Christ, they are moved into the kingdom of God. When men, women, boys, and girls repent of their sin to know Christ, God is happy. Remember, you only have one life and it is too precious to waste.
#4 I Bless God When I Do Good to His Children
When people are sick, I visit them. When a believer is discouraged, I comfort them. When people are poor, I give to relieve them of their poverty: “Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me” (Matthew 25:45b). God is blessed with brothers and sisters in Christ honor one another and do good to one another.
#5 I Bless God When I Don't Feel Like It
2,600 years ago, the prophet Habakkuk had a question for God and he didn’t like God’s answer. His nation was a mess and about to be conquered by an enemy that had no mercy. Yet, he lifted his voice to say, “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,?18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:17-18). You may not feel like blessing God this year, this month, or this day. God is honored when you praise even when everything around you is failing.
5 Ways to Bless God all of your life…
I Bless God When I Give Thanks to God
I Bless God When I Fight Against Evil
I Bless God When I Spread His Kingdom
I Bless God When I Do Good to His Children
I Bless God When I Don't Feel Like It
1.5 Bless God
Let’s bless God from the first word of this sermon to the very last. Let’s join together as a people of faith and bless God from the beginning of this year right into 2021 and beyond! Let’s bless God from this hour to the very day you enter into heaven, right into eternity.
You’ll find your life’s purpose when you praise God. It should be your life’s aim to bless God all the time. It should make you happy to bless God all the time.
2. God Blesses Us
But get this: not only are we to bless God but the Bible tells us He blesses us. I have only one life and I cannot waste it. And if I want to make the most of this life, then I need to experience God’s blessings for me. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you will see what God has done for you. If you are NOT a follower of Jesus Christ, you will see what God wants to do for you.
Look carefully at the second half of the verse 3 with me: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” (Ephesians 1:3).
Not only are we to bless God but the Bible says He blesses us. As a child of God, you don’t understand how unbelievably blessed you are, how valuable you, and how unbelievably loved you are.
2.1 Dennis Quaid, Traci, and Me
The reason we don’t grasp this is because most of us compare ourselves to other people. We grow frustrated and depressed when we don’t measure up.
My wife, Traci, had always admired the actor, Dennis Quaid. In her mind, he is a “Mr. Dreamboat.” She has the look of a starry-eyed teenaged girl when he comes on TV. One night, I had enough of this and I stood right in front of the screen. In a demanding voice, I said, “I want to ask you a question. If you took away his money, his face, and that muscular body what would you have?” She looked at me and said, “Well, I’d have you.”
Again, most of us compare ourselves to other people and we are depressed. Again, as a child of God, you and I don’t understand how unbelievably blessed you are, how valuable you, and how unbelievably loved you are. And that’s a matter of fact – let me show you.
2.2 Us
Look carefully at the word in “us” verse 3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” (Ephesians 1:3).
So is the “us” here? More importantly, you need to be asking, “Am I a part of the ‘us’ getting blessed”? Circle back to the verse above, verse 2 with me: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:2). The “us” in verse is those who have “God” as “our Father.”
2.2.1 Alice Walton
Alice Walton is the richest person in the state of Texas and the 9th richest person in the world according to Forbes. Making her fortune with Wal-Mart, I’m told she is worth over $60 billion dollars. But none of this does me in any good because Alice isn’t my mother and she isn’t my grandmother. I am not in the Walton clan and I’m not an heir to the Wal-Mart fortune. Just like Ms. Walton, God is rich and I want to be in God’s family so I can inherit His riches.
If God is your Father and you’re His heir, then you are rich.
“Oh,” you say, “well, God is the Father of everybody.” No, my friend, God is not the Father of everybody: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…” (John 1:12). God has accepted those of us who have accepted His Son.
The word “us” in verse 3 is not everyone but only those who have trusted in Jesus Christ: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” (Ephesians 1:3). The word “us” in verse 3 is not everyone but only those who have trusted in Jesus Christ.
When you become a Christian, you believe in Christ, you rest in Christ, and you are united with Him. You are part of the family now. All of Christ’s riches come to you. You inherit the family fortune! When you have Jesus, you have all that He has and He has everything.
2.2.2 Legally
When you trust in Christ, you are united with Him legally: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” (Ephesians 1:3). His wealth is now yours. You didn’t work for His wealth, but it’s legally yours, even though you didn’t earn it at all. This is exactly how it is with Jesus. When you believe in him, you’re united to him: “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:5). What Jesus Christ did on the cross is now yours LEGALLY. That penalty He paid is now yours, so that freedom He secured is now yours.
Also, you are united with Jesus in His resurrection – His victory and His triumph. All the medals, all His rewards, and all of Jesus' honors are not yours. Everything Jesus earned is now pinned to your chest. You are united legally.
God has accepted those of us who have accepted His Son.
2.3 Have Already
Again, when you have Jesus, you have all that He has and He has everything. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” (Ephesians 1:3).
Now, there are two words to put a circle around in your Bible” circle the word “has” and the word “every.” We are not told that one day God will give us every spiritual blessing. We are not told that God MAY give spiritual blessings. We are told plainly that God HAS ALREADY GIVEN us spiritual blessing When you have Jesus, you have all that He has and He has everything. The moment you give your life to Jesus Christ, you are in Christ and in Him, you have everything that you will ever need to be all that you ever need to be.
2.3.1 I Am Who God Says I Am
I am who God says I am. Say that with me, “I am who God says I am.” I have what God says I have. Say that with me, “I have what God says I have.” I am who God says I am and I have what God says I have.
2.3.2 Joint Account
Did you hear about the woman who walked into a bank and she said, “I would like to open a joint account.” The banker said, “I would be happy to help you, mam. Who would you like to open that account with?” She said, “A millionaire.”
When you have Jesus, you have all that He has and He has everything. The moment you give your life to Jesus Christ, you are in Christ, and in Him, you have everything that you will ever need to be all that you ever need to be.
2.4 Spiritual Blessings
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” (Ephesians 1:3).
We are not told that God has given us SOME spiritual blessings. We are told plainly that God has already given us every spiritual blessing. Now, don’t hate the fact that these are spiritual blessings. Don’t hate the fact that these are spiritual blessings. Don’t hate this for even one minute. Because spiritual blessings are better than material blessings. So many people want to erase the words “spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” and make God say “material blessing in the earthly places.” If you were to trade just one of the spiritual blessings for a material blessing, you would trade the eternal for the temporary. Material things can be lost, left, or lifted.
At the end of your life, would you rather have money or mercy? Would you rather have gold or grace? Which is better: an acre full of diamonds or life full of love? I need money like the next guy but the greatest blessings in life are always spiritual. To be clear, there is no promise in the Bible for health, wealth, and success and all the things you can get in this world The Bible says, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). In fact, it’s just the opposite: the blessings of God are the things you CANNOT get in this world.
Spiritual blessings are better than material blessings.
2.5 Conclusion
I am who God says I am and I have what God says I have. When you are in Jesus Christ, His position is now your position. His privileges are now your privileges. Again, as a child of God, you and I don’t understand how unbelievably blessed you are, how valuable you, and how unbelievably loved you are.
