The Way of True Blessing
True blessing comes through a holy fear and love for God, not through material wealth or personal gain.
K.P. Yohannan emphasizes that true blessing from God is rooted in a holy fear and love for Him, as illustrated by the life of Abraham. He critiques the self-centered nature of modern Christianity, where believers often seek blessings for personal gain rather than out of love for God. The sermon calls for a shift in focus from seeking comfort and joy to obeying God for His sake, highlighting that genuine blessings come from a life lived in reverence and love for the Lord. Ultimately, it is through this relationship that we find true fulfillment and become a blessing to others.
Text
"Friendship with the LORD is reserved for those who fear him. With them he shares the secrets of his covenant." Psalm 25:14, NLT
There are plenty of books that tell about "how" to receive God's blessings and how to obtain material blessings for a more comfortable life on earth. Yet we see through the life of Abraham that true blessing is much deeper than the material and comes only through a holy fear and love for God.
So often our Christianity starts with us and ends with us. It is all centered around ourselves. Even when obeying some Scriptures (like "giving") we are focused more on what we can get from it! May the Lord bring us to the place at which we obey Him because we love Him and do all for His sake because He is Lord.
May our comfort, joy and peace not be the issue, but what our Lord wants. And only out of a life lived in the fear of the Lord and in love with Him will we find that our lives are blessed and we are a blessing.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Nature of True Blessing
- A. Deeper than material wealth
- B. Comes through holy fear and love for God
- II. The Problem with Modern Christianity
- A. Self-centered
- B. Focused on personal gain
- III. The Key to True Blessing
- A. Living in the fear of the Lord
- B. Loving God for His sake
Key Quotes
“Friendship with the LORD is reserved for those who fear him. With them he shares the secrets of his covenant.” — K.P. Yohannan
“May the Lord bring us to the place at which we obey Him because we love Him and do all for His sake because He is Lord.” — K.P. Yohannan
Application Points
- We should obey God because we love Him, not just to gain something from it.
- Living in the fear of the Lord is essential for a life that is blessed and a blessing to others.
- Our comfort and joy should not be the focus of our Christianity, but rather God's will.