The Umbrella Blessing.

The Umbrella Blessing.

Deuteronomy 28:1-3NKJV

Jonas Henway made his fortune as a sea captain and merchant. Later in life, he turned his attention toward philanthropy.

So one, of two things, Mr Henway is famous for was his giving.

He called it the Umbrella Blessing.

Henway’s resting place is North of Westminster Abby. Some of history‘s most famous poets and politicians and scientists- The Who’s Who includes Queen Elizabeth the 1st, Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, and even Charles Darwin.

A statue honoring Jonas Henway depicts a man distributing clothing to children with an inscription that reads, “The helpless infant nurtured through his care, the friendless prostitute sheltered and reformed, the hopeless youth rescued from misery and ruined, and trained to serve and to defend his country, uniting in one common strain of gratitude, bear testimony to their benefactors virtues.” - “This was the friend and father of the poor.”

Deuteronomy 28:1-3NKJV Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, 2 that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, 3 because you obey the voice of the Lord your God: “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.”

This morning I have with me an umbrella. I like to think of the blessings of God as an umbrella.

In fact, As a NT believer, living under a new covenant, and follower of Jesus Christ, we live under a spiritual umbrella.

1 John 2:2NKJV...and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

Romans 3:24-25NKJV being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

Here, the blood of Jesus shed on the cross, is emphasized as what appeased God or served as our propitiation. -Our covering.

Most commentaries agree that our propitiation serves as our spiritual umbrella. Our covering. The point of it all, “The blood of Jesus is enough!”

Listen, An umbrella doesn’t change the forecast. Life will rain pain, on the just and unjust.

The second thing about Jonas Henway, he did what no Englishman had done before.

Henway, was the first Londoner to carry an umbrella.

Back in history, The portable roof, and then called, a parasail, was considered an accessory suitable only for women.

Therefore, 250 years ago, real men got wet.

(blessings of God)

The blessings of the umbrella, are kinda like a covering of sorts, an extra layer of protection against the elements.

Psalm 91:1NKJV He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Again, “You’re abiding under the umbrella of blessings!”

For one minute, “I want you to picture Jonas Hanway walking the streets of London, singing in the rain under his umbrella.

Remember this, the blessing of God doesn't mean you won’t get wet, but it can keep you singing in the rain.

On the summit of Mount Sinai, God met Moses and inscribed 10 commandments on stone tablets. Those commandments create the condition in which the blessing of God is predicated.

The blessing of God is not carte Blanche. All of God‘s blessings come with a condition that must be met.

In this instance, it’s plain and simple.

Deuteronomy 28:1-6MSG “If you listen obediently to the Voice of God, your God, and heartily obey all his commandments that I command you today, 2 God, your God, will place you on high, high above all the nations of the world. 3 All these blessings will come down on you and spread out beyond you 4 because you have responded to the Voice of God, your God: 5 God’s blessing inside the city, God’s blessing in the country; God’s blessing on your children, the crops of your land, the young of your livestock, the calves of your herds, the lambs of your flocks. 6 God’s blessing on your basket and bread bowl; God’s blessing in your coming in, God’s blessing in your going out.”

One of my favorite T-shirts is, “This Is Not Rocket Surgery!”

(rocket science and brain surgery together).

If we want to position ourselves for God’s blessings be obedient. Just obey.

On-occasions, Pastor Ed Young say’s, “We need to get under those things God has put over us, so we can get over those things God has put under us.”

Deuteronomy 28:7-12MSG God will defeat your enemies who attack you. They’ll come at you on one road and run away on seven roads. 8 God will order a blessing on your barns and workplaces; He’ll bless you in the land that God, your God, is giving you. 9 God will form you as a people holy to him, just as he promised you, if you keep the commandments of God, your God, and live the way he has shown you. 10 All the peoples on Earth will see you living under the Name of God and hold you in respectful awe. 11 God will lavish you with good things: children from your womb, offspring from your animals, and crops from your land, the land that God promised your ancestors that he would give you. 12 God will throw open the doors of his sky vaults and pour rain on your land on schedule and bless the work you take in hand.