Introduction

Good morning, everyone! It's so good to see all your faces here today. We're here to talk, to listen, and to learn. We're here to share in the love and fellowship that is the body of Christ. And today, we're going to talk about something that touches each of our lives in a very personal way: blessings.

You know, F.F. Bruce once said, "God bestows His blessings without discrimination. The followers of Jesus are children of God, and they should manifest the family likeness by doing good to all, even to those who deserve the opposite." Isn't that a powerful thought? When we start to see our blessings not just as gifts, but as opportunities to glorify God, it changes our whole perspective.

And that's what we're going to talk about today. We're going to talk about how to count our blessings, how to use those blessings to bless others, and how to avoid taking those blessings for granted. It's going to be a good chat, folks.

But before we get into all that, let's take a look at our scripture for today. It's from the book of Matthew, chapter 5, verses 1-10:

"Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.

He said: 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'"

Let's take a moment to pray before we start our talk.

Lord, we thank You for this day, for the blessing of life, for the blessing of fellowship. We thank You for Your Word and for the opportunity to learn from it. As we discuss Your Word today, we ask that You open our hearts and minds to understand it, to learn from it, and to apply it in our lives. Help us to see our blessings as You see them, Lord, and to use them to glorify You. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Alright, folks, let's get started. Let's talk about blessings!

Count Your Blessings

In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, we often overlook the multitude of blessings that surround us. It's easy to get caught up in our problems, our worries, our fears. But if we pause for a moment, take a step back, and look around us, we'll see that we're surrounded by blessings. These blessings come in many forms. They can be as grand as the love of our family and friends, or as simple as a beautiful sunrise or a warm cup of coffee in the morning.

Verse 3: The first part of the scripture we read today talks about the "poor in spirit". This might seem like a strange phrase, but it's actually a very powerful one. When we think of being poor, we often think of lacking something, of not having enough. But in this context, being poor in spirit means recognizing our need for God. It means understanding that without Him, we are nothing. And when we recognize this, when we humble ourselves before God, we are blessed with the kingdom of heaven.

Not about material wealth or worldly success: It's about spiritual wealth, about recognizing our dependence on God and our need for His grace. And when we do this, when we humble ourselves and admit our need for God, we are blessed beyond measure.

Verse 4: The second part of the scripture talks about those who mourn. Mourning is a part of life. We all experience loss, we all experience grief. But the scripture tells us that those who mourn are blessed, for they will be comforted. This is a powerful reminder that even in our darkest moments, even when we're overwhelmed by grief and sorrow, God is with us. He comforts us, He strengthens us, He gives us hope. This is not to say that mourning is easy, or that it's something to be sought after. But it is a reminder that even in our suffering, we can find blessings. We can find comfort in the arms of God, we can find strength in His love, we can find hope in His promises.

Verse 5: The third part of the scripture talks about the meek. In our society, meekness is often seen as a weakness. But in God's eyes, it's a strength. The meek are those who are humble, who are gentle, who are patient. They are those who don't seek to dominate or control others, but instead seek to serve and to love. And the scripture tells us that the meek are blessed, for they will inherit the earth.

God's ways are not our ways: The world may value power and dominance, but God values humility and gentleness. And those who embody these qualities, those who are meek in spirit, are blessed with a rich inheritance.

Verse 6: The fourth part of the scripture talks about those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. This is a powerful image. Just as we hunger and thirst for food and water, so too should we hunger and thirst for righteousness. We should strive to live in a way that is pleasing to God, to seek justice and fairness, to love mercy and kindness. And the scripture tells us that those who do this, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, are blessed, for they will be filled. This is a promise from God. If we seek righteousness, if we strive to live in a way that is pleasing to Him, we will be filled. We will be satisfied. We will be blessed.

Using Blessings to Bless Others

As we immerse ourselves in the Beatitudes, we find ourselves drawn to the idea of using our blessings to bless others ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO