Turn with me, if you would, back
to Acts chapter 20. Acts chapter 20. A brother very kindly bought
me lunch this week. And I wasn't expecting that. And as I was very much thanking
him for it, he said, oh, it's better to be the giver. That's what he said. Oh, it's
better to be the giver. When he said that, it made me
think of how our Lord said that very thing. It's exactly what
our Lord said. Acts chapter 20, verse 35. This is the Apostle Paul speaking
right here. And he said, I have showed you
all things, how that so laboring you ought to support the weak
and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than
to receive. How he said, it is more blessed
to give than to receive. He said, he himself said, it
is a greater blessing to be the giver than to be the receiver. The giver, he said, is truly more so the blessed
one. I got to thinking about that.
I got back to my study and I started thinking about that. And I believe
the Lord has allowed me to enter into something I've never entered
into before. Maybe I should say never entered
into this degree. I've entered into this to a small
degree, but I don't believe I've ever entered in to this degree. I'm going to get straight to
the point. I'm going to tell you what it is. Considering all that
he gave, considering all that He gave
in order to save me, in order to save us, just getting a hold
for just a moment of everything He gave in order to save us, considering
the fact that He was the giver. Just a moment ago, we sang, "'Tis
done, the great transaction's done." And in that transaction,
just considering the fact that he alone was the giver. I'd like for us to look tonight
at the blessed man. The, capital T, capital H, capital
E, the blessed man. And I want us to see this in
light of. I want us to see this in comparison
to the blessing of receiving. He didn't say that receiving
was not a blessing. He didn't say that. When I was
told the other day at lunch, you owe nothing. You owe absolutely nothing. It's
paid, it's all paid in full. Someone else paid your debt. Someone else has redeemed everything
that was given to you. The debt is settled. All parties
are satisfied. You're free to go. You can walk
right out that door. You're free to go. When that notification came to
me, I felt blessed. I really did. I felt thankful.
Really? It's taken care of. I felt happy. I felt that that
was a joyful announcement. Well, that's exactly what we
feel every time we hear the announcement of the blessed gospel. That's
exactly what we feel. This glorious news of the great
debt that Christ has already paid for us. That's the message. It's paid. It's taken care of. It's an indescribable debt, it's
an impossible debt. One that we could never pay and
the reason is because nothing could wash away our sins but
the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. You ever been in a situation
where you had to pay, been to a restaurant? I was at a gas
station one time and I pumped my gas and then realized I forgot
my wallet at home, couldn't pay. I felt so bad having to walk
in there. I thought, I hope you can trust me. I don't know what
you want me to, I hope you're okay with letting me leave. I
hope you're okay with letting me be free to go right now so
I can come back and pay you. But this is an impossible debt
that when God reveals it, God's people say, nothing could wash
away my sin and pay this debt, but the blood of the Lord Jesus
Christ. And every time that we hear that He willingly gave that
blood, His own precious blood to just completely pay our debt
in full. If you want to get to the heart
of the gospel, here's what it is. He paid it all in full. That's it. He shed His blood. He paid the full debt. and it's
done, tis done, the great transaction's done. Every time we hear of our
complete, total, you are free to go payment in the blood of
the Lord Jesus, this is what we think. Every time we get a
hold of it, this is what we think. I'm a blessed person. Oh, I'm a blessed person. We are blessed people, aren't
we? We are blessed people. Look with me at Romans chapter
four. Romans chapter four, verse six,
even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto
whom God imputeth righteousness without works. saying, blessed
are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not impute sin. That's a blessed man and that's
a blessed woman. Don't turn, but Psalm 65 verse
four says, blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest
to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts." That
is a blessed man and a blessed woman, chosen of the Father,
redeemed by the Son, called by the Spirit. That's a blessed
man or woman. That is a blessed man or woman.
Matthew 5 says, blessed are the poor in spirit. If God ever makes
a man poor over his sin, Blessed are the poor in spirit.
He said, theirs is the kingdom of heaven. He said, blessed are
they that mourn over their sin. People mourn over all kinds of
things. We have a very mourning world, crying sorrowful world,
but I mean truly over my sin against you. Blessed are they that mourn,
they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, those who
have been humbled before God. This is one thing that we can
absolutely say about the world we live in. It's proud. It's a proud world. And all of
us in our flesh are right there with it. But God in mercy, when
he humbles a man before him and makes him meek, he said, blessed
are the meek, they shall inherit the new earth. He said, blessed
are they which do hunger and thirst after the righteousness
of Christ. They are the ones who are gonna
be filled. Blessed, we're a blessed people. We are a blessed people. I love this right here, don't
turn, but Revelation 1 verse 3 says, blessed is he that readeth,
And they that hear the words of this prophecy, just having
the word of God revealed to us, just able to read it in a way
that God has opened our eyes to see Christ in it. Just to
hear a man preach it to me. Every time I hear a man preach
it to me, I think, oh, I'm so blessed to hear this. We are blessed for everything
that we have received at the hand of our God. We're blessed,
but I said all that to say this, but the holy and true God who
cannot lie has said, as great as the blessing of receiving
is, It is such a great blessing. But as great as the blessing
of receiving is, He said, it is more blessed to be the giver
than to be the receiver. Yes, it's true. In everything
He's done for us, we've been blessed. Everything, we have
been blessed. But He's saying, as great as
your blessing has been, to be the receiver of salvation. Infinitely greater has it been
my blessing to be the giver of your salvation. Infinitely greater. He said, the blessing's all mine.
The blessing has been all mine. Now let's see if the Lord will
allow us to enter into this. Understanding something of the
blessing that we have received because of our salvation. We
can enter in to the fact that we feel so blessed to have received
salvation. the blessing that we've received
in knowing and hearing of our salvation. We can enter into
that to some degree. Let's see if the Lord will allow
us to enter into something of the blessing that Christ received
in our salvation. His blessing in saving us. Let's
see if the Lord will reveal to us that at the end of this whole
transaction, Out of all the parties involved, He ended up being the
most blessed man. Maybe the Lord will open up His
heart to us here. Our hearts cry, we're so blessed.
Maybe the Lord will open up His heart to us. Turn with me, if
you would, to Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12 verse 1 says, "...Wherefore, seeing we also
are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us
lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset
us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set
before Him, who for the joy that was set
before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set
down at the right hand of the throne of God. That blesses my
heart so much. I feel so blessed because of
that. Why did he do it? You wanna know, we're saying,
why me? Why would he do that? Why would he save us? Why would
he condescend? Why would he leave glory? Why
would he make himself to be that? Why would he do that? Why did
he do that? He did it for the joy of doing
it. That's why he did it. He did
it because nothing could have brought Him greater joy than
doing that right there. You know, when it says, He delights
to show mercy, what that means is He enjoys it. It's what He likes to do. And He did this right here because
nothing could have brought Him greater joy than to do that right
there. Look with me at Jude, the book
of Jude. There's only one chapter just
before Revelation. Jude verse 24. now unto him that is able to
keep you from falling and to present you faultless before
the presence of his glory with exceeding joy now unto him that
is able to with exceeding joy We're always thinking about our
joy in this. I am, we are, we are always,
when we think about this, think about the cross and we think
about because of the cross and our entering into glory and we're
always thinking about our joy because of this. But have we
ever really entered into His joy because of this? Have we ever really entered into
His joy because of our redemption? His joy because of how we now
stand in Him. His joy because He is able to
keep us from falling. He loves us. The Father loves us, has pity
on us, and compassion on us as a father to a child, and He's
able. If I was able, I would keep my
children from falling, and I would present them faultless, but I'm
not able. But have we ever really entered in to how much joy He
has over the fact that He is able? to keep us from falling,
and to present us faultless before the presence of the glory of
His Father. He says, Father, look what I've
done. Look how clean they are. Just
look at them. Look how clean they are. Just
look at how spotless and washed they are. Look at the image they've
been conformed into. Oh, Heavenly Father, it gives
me great pleasure to present them to you. It blesses my heart. It's the
blessing of my heart. Look with me at Luke 15. Luke 15 verse 1 says, Then drew near unto him all the
publicans and sinners, for to hear him. And the Pharisees and
scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth
with them. And he spake this parable unto
them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, If he
lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness
and go after that which is lost until he find it. And when he
hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth
together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with
me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you
that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth
more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance."
I've always thought of heaven right there as meaning the angels. Everything in heaven. But do
you know it doesn't say the angels? It doesn't say everything in
heaven. It says heaven. You know what heaven is? Christ. Christ is heaven. And he said,
joy is in heaven. Joy is in Christ over every one
of his lost sheep that he saves. In John 17, he
said, father, I want them to be with me where I am. That's why I finished the work
you gave me to do. That's the reason why, that's
why I bore the sin, that's why I endured the cross, that's why
I gave myself as their substitute. Turn over to Luke 22. May the Lord let us enter into
this. May He truly let us enter into this. Luke 22, verse 14. And when the hour was come, He
sat down and the 12 apostles with Him, and He said unto them,
with desire, I have desired to eat this Passover with you before
I suffer. With desire, the margin says,
I have heartily desired. I have in my heart desired to
eat this Passover with you before I suffer. He said, being here
is the blessing of my heart. Being here right now is the culmination
moment of my heart's desire. He was all pointing to this.
That's what he was saying. It was all pointing. That's the
last Passover. That was the last time the Passover
was held. He said, I told Moses to institute
a Passover lamb for the sole purpose of picturing this. And with desire, I desire to
do this for you. That's what he was telling them.
It's my great blessing to be your lamb slain. He said, as great of a blessing
as it is to receive salvation, it is a blessing. It truly is.
But he said infinitely greater is the blessing of being able
to give you salvation. It is more blessed to give than
to receive. Now, knowing that, do we not
say in response with great joy, amen, the blessing belongs to
you. All the blessing belongs to you. Is it not our great blessing
to be able to say, all the blessing goes to you? We want you to have
all the blessing. Thank God He blessed you above
every other blessing. Thank God. Thank God for blessing
Jesus Christ, the God-man above every other sinful man on this
earth. We are blessed, but not like him. The apostle Paul told
Timothy, he is the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings
and Lord of lords, and all of God's people cry, amen. The Apostle
Paul said in Romans 9 verse 5, Christ is over all, God blessed
forever. And all of God's people cry,
Amen. Amen. All the blessing be unto
Him. Let's close with Revelation 5.
Turn with me over to Revelation 5 and we'll close with this. Revelation 5 verse 1 says, And
I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book
written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And
I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy
to open the book and to loose the seals thereof? And no man
in heaven nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to
open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much because
no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither
to look thereon. And one of the elders said unto
me, Weep not, behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root
of David, hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven
seals thereof. And I beheld, and lo, in the
midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst
of the elders, stood a lamb as it had been slain, having seven
horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent
forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book
out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And
when he'd taken the book, the four beasts and the four and
twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of
them harps and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers
of saints. And they sung a new song, saying,
Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof,
for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood,
out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast
made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on
the earth. And I beheld and I heard the voice of many angels round
about the throne and the beasts and the elders. And the number
of them was 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of thousands saying
with a loud voice, worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive
power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory
and blessing. And every creature which is in
heaven, and on earth, and under the sea, and such as are in the
sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, blessing, and
honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon
the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever. And the four
beasts said, Amen. And the four and 20 elders fell
down and worshiped him that liveth forever and ever. Because he
was the giver, Blessed be the name of the Lord. All praise
to Him who reigns above and majesty supreme, who gave His Son for
man to die, that He might man redeem. Blessed be the name of
the Lord. He said it's more blessed to
give than to receive. But we sure are thankful for
what we have received, aren't we? We sure are thankful. All blessing be to Him for blessing
us. All right, let's all stand together.