Romans chapter 4. I'm taking
my text from verse 6, 7, and 8. And I'm asking this question,
and I pray that we can answer it from the Word of God. Who
is that blessed person? Who is that blessed person? It says here in our text, even
as David, God's king, God's servant, David, the sweet psalmist of
Israel, a man after God's own heart, Even as David also described
the blessedness of the man unto whom God would impute, reckon,
charge righteousness without works, without any expected contribution
on our part, God freely charges righteousness to His people,
saying, here's the blessed man. Blessed are they whose iniquities
are forgiven. Blessed is that man whose sins
are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not charge you with sin. The believer's sin, all
of his sin, transgressions and iniquity has been charged unto
another. The Lord Jesus took our sin,
the sin of God's people in His own body, completely paid my
sin debt. Therefore, God cannot charge
the believer with sin. There is therefore now no condemnation
to those who are in the Lord Jesus Christ." Now, I've been
thinking about Paul's words that we read last week about Agrippa
standing before, that is, the words of Paul standing before
Agrippa. You remember what he said in
Acts chapter 26? Paul said before Agrippa and those men of that
city and the chief captains He said, I think myself blessed,
blessed of God, blessed of God. And then later he said, I want
all of you to be just like I am, a sinner saved by grace to accept
these chains, accept these bonds. I don't want you to be chained
like I am, but I want you to be just like me, that blessed
man, that blessed man. in Christ Jesus. It's by the
grace of God that I am what I am, he said. Now, most people would
consider King Agrippa to be the blessed man. Here he's sitting
on the throne. Here he has power and influence
and wealth. Most people would look at him
and say, well, he's the blessed man. They wouldn't think Paul
the prisoner to be a blessed man. But in reality, the true
blessed man was not the king on the throne, but the prisoner
in chains. That's the blessed man. That's
the blessed man. Turn, hold your place there and
turn to Matthew 16. Matthew chapter 16. Who is that
blessed man? Well, look what it says here
in Matthew 16, verse 24. Then said Jesus unto his disciples,
if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up
his cross and follow me, for whosoever will save his life
shall lose it. Whosoever will lose his life
for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profit if he
shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall
a man give in exchange for his soul?" So who is the blessed
man? That man who can say with the apostle, I count all things
but loss that I might win Christ and be found in Him. Not having
my own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is
through the faith of Christ, the faithfulness of Christ, the
righteousness which is of God by faith. You see, what old King
Agrippa had was temporal. What King Agrippa had was physical. And we know that the fashion,
the fashion of this world is passing away. The things which
we see are temporal. The things which are not seen
and the things we see by faith are eternal blessings. in Christ
Jesus. What Paul and every believer
enjoys is eternal and spiritual, spiritual blessings in Christ
Jesus. Find Ephesians chapter 1. Ephesians chapter 1. What Agrippa
had was just temporary. What he had was physical. But
what Paul enjoyed was eternal blessings in Christ Jesus. No
wonder he could say, I'm a happy man. I'm a blessed man." Ephesians
chapter 1, and here's the blessedness every believer enjoys, Paul and
Silas and Timothy, but you, every believer who trusts the Lord
Jesus Christ alone for all salvation, they enjoy these same spiritual
blessings that Paul writes about here. In Ephesians chapter 1,
verse 3, Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ. We bless God and honor Him who
had blessed us. He's blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in the heavenly things in Christ. According as He has
chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be
holy without blame before Him in love. Having predestinated
us under the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according
to the good pleasure of his own will, to the praise of the glory
of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in a beloved."
Now, that's the blessed man. And every believer, every believer
who trusts the Lord Jesus Christ alone for all salvation can enjoy
this same blessedness that Paul writes about here. You see, what
we have in Christ Jesus is eternal. eternal blessing. He has obtained
for us eternal redemption. He has given to us what kind
of life? Eternal life in Christ Jesus. Now I want us to see in
the Word of God who is the blessed man. Who does God say is a blessed
man? Well, most of these are found
in the book of Psalms. Turn to Psalm 32 first. And this
is when Paul writes there in Romans Chapter 4, under inspiration
of God. God gives in this Scripture to
pen, in Romans 4, and it comes from Psalm 32. Look at verse
1. Blessed is he whose transgression
is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom
the Lord imputeth not iniquity, in whose spirit there is no guile,
no hypocrisy. Believers are sincere in what
they believe. They're totally committed and
sold out and persuaded to trust Christ alone. Three things he
mentions there, transgression, sin, and iniquity, all taken
care of by the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Who is that
blessed man? That blessed man whose transgressions,
which are against God, against thee and thee only have I sinned,
which are against God, are all, all, not some of them, not those
in the past, not just those present, All sin, past, present and future,
in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of
sins, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His
grace. Not my works, not my obedience,
but His grace and His grace alone. Transgression all forgiven. And
then he mentions secondly, sin. My sin covered, covered, completely
covered. How much so? You know how covered
the sin is of God's people? That God said their sin and their
iniquity, well, I remember no more. That God says this, He
said the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us, cleanses, continually
cleanses, keeps on cleansing, keeps on cleansing from all sin,
all iniquity, totally put away by the Lord Jesus Christ. That's
a blessed man. That's a blessed man. And then
he says iniquities, not charged to me. Well, they were charged
to somebody. You read Isaiah 53. He was wounded
for our sin, bruised for our iniquities. Wounded for our,
bearing our sin in His own body. And with His stripes, we're healed,
completely healed. Who's the blessed man? That's
the blessed man. That's the blessed man. in Christ
Jesus. And then Paul picks it up and
says, righteousness, not only all of our sin taken away, sin
and iniquity and transgression, but he comes along and he puts
this on. By the inspiration of God, blessed
is that man to whom is charged, not only my sin all gone, but
God gives us a perfect, justifying righteousness to stand before
God Almighty freely by His grace. That's a blessed man. God made
Him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made
the righteousness of God in Him. He is the Lord, our righteousness. Now who is the blessed man? That's
the blessed man. That sinner saved by God's sovereign
grace and made a new creature in Christ Jesus. That's the blessed
man. Here's the second one. Find Psalm 34. Who is the blessed
man? Psalm 34, look what it says here. Psalm 34, verse 7. Psalm 34, verse 7. The angel
of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and deliver
them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord
is good. Blessed is the man that trusteth
Him. You see what he's saying there?
Oh, taste and see. that the Lord is good. Blessed is that man that trusted
Him. Who is a blessed man? Who is
blessed? Blessed is that sinner that is
given eyes to see Him. God who commanded the light to
shine out of darkness has shone in our hearts to give us the
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in Christ Jesus. Oh, taste and see! He's given
us eyes to see Him. Our Lord said in Matthew 13 to
His disciples, blessed are your eyes for they see. Blessed are
your ears for they hear the things of God. Blessed are those who
are given eyes to see Him as altogether lovely. And then it
says, O taste of the Lord. Blessed is that sinner that's
given a hearty appetite to feed upon the Lord Jesus Christ. You
see, man by nature drinks iniquity like the water, drinks iniquity
like the water. But that man who's been blessed
of God, he's given an appetite to feed upon Christ who is the
bread of life. He is the bread of life. In Him
we have life and salvation in Christ, in Christ alone. That's
a blessed man. You remember what Peter wrote
in 1 Peter 2. about those who desire the sincere
milk of the Word that they might grow thereby. If you have a desire
in your heart to take His Word, to study His Word, to meditate
upon His Word, and have a desire to know Him and to seek Him,
you're a blessed man. God's given you life. He's given
you eyes and ears to hear Him and to see Him. That's a blessed
man. And then it says, blessed is that man that trusted him.
You see it, Psalm 34, 8, that trusteth who? That trust yourself? Now that's a cursed man, according
to what Jeremiah said. Cursed is that man that trusted
himself. But the blessed man is that person
that's blessed of God, given life and salvation in Christ
to trust him and him alone. That's a blessed man. that's
given faith to trust the Lord Jesus Christ. Knowing this, that
faith is not something that blooms naturally in our heart. Faith
is planted by the sovereign hand of God Almighty. Knowing that
God gives faith to whom He will. He said, I will have mercy on
whom I will have mercy. We know that faith is a gift
of God. Every good gift, every perfect gift comes down from
God. Faith is a gift of God. Knowing that faith is God-given
and He gives it to whom He will, how precious are those who believe? How precious is that faith that
causes us to believe? Given of God. That's the gift
of God. No wonder Peter calls it precious
faith. Who have obtained like precious
faith through, through The righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. That's
a blessed man. Are you sitting here trusting
yourself for salvation? Trusting something you've done?
Or has God taught you better to trust the Lord Jesus Christ
alone? Christ alone. That's a blessed
man. Oh, taste and see that the Lord, He is good. He is good. The God of all the
earth. He will do right. He is good. Everything about Him is good.
His Word, His character, His work, everything about Him is
good and holy and righteous. Blessed is that man that would
trust Him who is all goodness, all righteousness. Now, here's
the third thing, the third psalm. It mentions the blessed man.
Psalm 65. Psalm 65. Turn over there. Look at Psalm 65. Look at verse
4. Blessed is the man whom thou
choosest, and causes to approach unto thee, that he may dwell
in thy courts. We shall be satisfied with the
goodness of thy house, even thy holy temple." Now, who's a blessed
man? Well, you know, I walked an aisle
and made a decision. Well, countless millions have
done the same thing and died in their sin. But who is the
blessed man? The blessed man is that man that's
chosen of God and that man that is drawn to the God who is God,
the true and living God. That's a blessed man. Blessed
is the sinner chosen by God's sovereign grace. Our Lord said,
you didn't choose me, but I've chosen you. I want you to look
at this scripture here. Find II Thessalonians 2. Thank God that He chose the people.
Had He not chosen me, I never would have believed Him. I never
would have loved Him. I never would have sought His
mercy. Thank God He did choose me according to His own sovereign
purpose and grace. That's a blessed sinner who's
been chosen of God. 2 Thessalonians 2, look at verse
13. But we are bound to give thanks. 2 Thessalonians 2, verse 13.
We are bound to give thanks. Now why does He say that? Do
you ever notice whenever the doctrine of election is mentioned,
there's always right nearby it the doctrine or the truth of
praising God? We thank God for His sovereign
saving, electing grace, His electing love. We're bound to give thanks
to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God has,
from the beginning, chosen you to salvation. God chose you to
salvation. That's a blessed man. And He
does this through the means that He has ordained. Sanctification
of the Spirit. What is that? That's the new
birth. That's regeneration. And that causes us to believe
the truth. To believe the truth. Whereunto
He called you by our Gospel. Oh, what a blessed thing it is
to be called by the Gospel. This is not the call of the preacher.
This is the call, the invincible call of God the Holy Spirit through
the Word that is preached. Whereunto he called you by our
gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."
That's a blessed man that's been chosen by God. But it says also
in Psalm 65 that blessed man chosen of God and that man who
God Almighty causes to approach unto Him, drawn to Him. Now here he's talking about the
irresistible draw of grace. Thy people shall be winning in
the day of His power. Having loved His own with an
everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness He does draw
His people to Himself. How does He draw us irresistibly
to Himself? I'll tell you what He does. He
makes Himself irresistible. He makes Himself so lovely and
beautiful to ourselves, giving eyes to see Him. We say in our
heart, I must have Him. And we let go of everything else.
And we embrace by faith the Lord Jesus Christ. Drawn to him by
irresistible fetching grace. Fetching grace, calling grace,
redeeming grace. You remember the story of when
David was exalted to the throne in Israel and anointed as king.
And he had a covenant that he made with his dear friend Jonathan. concerning the house of Jonathan.
And Jonathan had a son, you remember his name? Old Mephibosheth. And when David ascended to the
throne, he said to those servants, you go get old Mephibosheth and
fetch him and bring him here, he's mine. That's fetching grace. Blessed is the man to whom God
causes to approach unto him. That's a blessed man. Oh, to
approach unto him that he may dwell in his courts. Look what
it says there. We shall be satisfied with the
goodness of thy house. With whose goodness? I'm not
satisfied with my goodness. I have no goodness of my own,
but I'm satisfied with His goodness. You might, in fact, we can say
this, the Lord Jesus Christ, He is goodness. When Moses asked
the Lord, show me your glory, You remember what he said? I'll
cause all my goodness to pass before you, and I will have mercy
on whom I will have mercy. He's talking about the Lord Jesus
Christ. He is the believer's goodness. He is the believer's
righteousness. That's a blessed man. We and
the believers are satisfied. Satisfied with Christ who is
my goodness, who is my righteousness, and we dwell with Him. We're
one with Him. We're married to Him in that
covenant of grace. He dwells in our heart by His Spirit. Christ
in you, the hope of glory. Even thy holy temple. That's
a blessed man. That's a blessed man. Here's
the fourth one. Psalm 85. Turn over there. Psalm
85. Psalm 85. Blessed is that sinner. Oh, that
sinner. Psalm 84. I want verse 5. Look
at verse 4. Psalm 84 verse 4, Blessed are
they that dwell in thy house. It's a house of peace. It's the
dwelling of peace. They will be still praising the
Lord. Stand still and see the salvation
is of the Lord. Blessed is the man, blessed is
that sinner whose strength, whose hope is in Him, the Lord. whose heart are the ways of God,
the ways of truth. Who is a blessed man? Blessed
is that sinner whose strength is in the Lord his God. The Lord Jesus Christ, the believer,
is a whole force, power of our salvation. That's why Paul said,
I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. It is the power of
God. The power of God unto salvation
to everyone that believes it. In that gospel is a very righteousness
of God revealed. How God can be just and the justifier
of the ungodly in that gospel. That's a blessed man whose whole
hope of salvation, the strength of his forgiveness, the strength
of his pardon, the strength of his righteousness, the strength
of his salvation is in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. He is my
strength. He is my hope. whose hearts are
implanted with His ways, His ways. There's just that one way,
although it's in many facets and many different aspects, there's
just the one way. Christ, He said, I am not a way,
I am the way. There's salvation in no other
but in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's a blessed name. You see
how he's describing who the blessed man is. Blessed is that sinner
whose strength, whose hope, whose salvation is in the Lord Jesus
Christ. And whose hearts have been implanted
the ways of grace, the ways of truth, the ways of life in Christ
Jesus. Now here's the fifth one. Turn
to Psalm 94.12. Psalm 94.12. Who is the blessed man? Would
you say old Ripper was the blessed man? Or would you say Paul the
Apostle was the blessed man? Well, there's no doubt in your
mind, is there? The Apostle Paul was the blessed
man. In Psalm 94 verse 12, blessed is that sinner. The Lord knoweth,
look at verse 11, the Lord knoweth the thoughts of man. He knows
our heart. He knows us. And he knows that
the thoughts of man left to himself are vanity. Vanity! We, by nature, left to ourselves,
our thinking is totally corrupt and totally wrong. The Lord knoweth
the thoughts of man, they're vanity. Vanity, vanity. But blessed
is the man whom God has chastened, O Lord, and that man who has
had his thoughts corrected and teaches him out of Thy law. That's a blessed man. That man,
that sinner who is corrected and taught of God, he's a blessed
man. Turn to John chapter 6. John chapter 6. This is a blessed
man. That man that's been corrected.
That man who's been taught of God. Here's the blessing. Look
what it says. John chapter 6 verse 44. It says,
No man can come to me. except the Father which sent
me draw him, and I'll raise him up at the last day. It is written
in the prophets, they shall all, they shall be all taught of God.
Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father
comes to Christ." The blessed man who has been taught of God,
who has been taught of God. Who is the blessed man? Who is
that sinner? It is that sinner that's corrected
and taught of God. You see, whom the Lord loveth,
Whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom
he receiveth." If the Lord loves you, He teaches you, He corrects
you, because all of our thoughts by nature are vain. He said,
my thoughts are not your thoughts, or my way is your way, saith
the Lord. Look over here at Job chapter
5. Verse 17, Job 5, 17, Happy, behold,
happy, blessed is the man whom God corrected. Therefore despise
not thou the chastening of the Almighty. At the blessed man
who's been worked on by God, who's had his thoughts corrected.
We used to say that old saying, you know, that young man, he
needs an attitude adjustment. And that's exactly what God Almighty
does to His people when He does a work of grace in the heart.
He changes our attitude. He changes our thoughts. He gives
us low thoughts of self and high thoughts of Him. He humbles us
in the dust. He's nigh unto them of a broken
heart. He save us such as be of a contrite spirit. Those who
are taught of God. Oh, that's a blessed man. That
blessed man that's Been taught of God is that man who's been
loved of God. Loved of God. That daddy would
take his son to the woodshed. Them old-timers used to talk
about. Take their son to the woodshed. Why'd they do that?
Why'd they? Because they loved you. And whom
God loves, he chastens and he corrects and he disciplines his
people. I don't, we don't have a discipline
committee. The Lord is the one who corrects
His people. You see, He knows our thoughts.
He knows our hearts afar off. He knows what we're thinking
before we think a thought. And when our thoughts are wrong,
He corrects us. That's a blessed man. Here's another one. Turn
to Psalm 112. Psalm 112. The blessed man. Who is that blessed man? Psalm
112. Look at verse 1. Praise ye the
Lord. Blessed is the man. that feareth
the Lord, that delighteth greatly in His commandments, that's a
blessed man. That man that fears God, that
fears Him. Look right up above it in Psalm
111. He sent redemption, verse 9,
unto His people. He commanded His covenant forever.
Holy and reverend is His name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom. A good understanding have all
they that do His commandments. Believe His Word, and His praise,
His glory endureth forever. Blessed is that sinner that fears
the Lord, that reverences the Lord. Holy, look what it says
in verse 9 of Psalm 111, holy and reverend is His name. Now
listen to me, you can learn something here. Never call any preacher
or any man reverend. Holy and reverent. Holy and reverent
is His name. We have reverence to His person,
His glory, His Word, His Gospel. Now this is not a slavish fear,
but a godly fear, which leads to delight in His service. Believers
delight to obey His commands. John said, His commandments are
not grievous, they're a blessing to hear His Word, to read His
Word. Turn to Psalm 1. He says this
in Psalm 1. We delight. The believer delights
in His Word. In Psalm 1, look at verse 1. Blessed is the man that walketh
not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is
in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day
and night. And this law here, if you look
at Psalm 119, that's His Word. It's His truth. We delight in
God as He's revealed in the Word of God. Turn to Psalm 119. Look
at verse 24. Have you ever noticed in Psalm
119 that with one or two exceptions in every verse in Psalm 119,
it talks about His precepts, His command, His law, His Word,
and we delight in thus saith the Lord. Psalm 119. Look at
Psalm 119. It says in verse 24, Thy testimonies
also are my delight and my counselors. Psalm 119 verse 35, Make me to
go in thy path, the path of thy commandment, for therein do I
delight. I delight in His Word, don't
you? I delight in His law as it's fulfilled in Christ Jesus.
He appeared once in the end of the age and put away sin by the
sacrifice of Himself and doing so satisfying every penalty of
that law. He redeemed us from the curse
of the law being made a curse for us. He said, I didn't come
to destroy the law, I came to honor it. I came to satisfy God's
holy law. We delight in Him. Blessed is
that sinner that fears the Lord, who has been made a loving, willing
bond-servant of the Lord Jesus Christ." That's the blessed man.
Now here's another one. Turn to Proverbs chapter 8. Proverbs
8. Proverbs 8. Here's the blessed
man. You see, we can ask these questions
and we can answer these from the Word of God. And we'd like
to do so. Proverbs chapter 8. Who is the
blessed man? Look what it says in Proverbs
8, 32. Now therefore hearken unto me, all ye children, for
blessed are they that keep my ways. Hear instruction, be wise,
refuse it not. Verse 34, Proverbs 8. Blessed is a man that heareth
me, watching daily at my gates. waiting at the post of my doors. For whoso findeth me findeth
life, and shall obtain the favor of the Lord. But he that sinneth
against me wrongeth his own soul, and all that hate me love death."
That's a cursed man. Oh, blessed is that man that
heareth Him, that would watch daily, daily watching, waiting
for a word from God Almighty. That's the blessed man. Turn
over here to James chapter 1. James chapter 1. Who is that
blessed man? Look what it says here about
the Word. You see, we receive the Word not as it is the Word
of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, that effectually
worketh in you who believe. Blessed is that man that will
hear His Word, and that delights in His command that fears the
Lord. James chapter 1. Look at verse
17. Every good gift, and every perfect
gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights,
with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of
his own will beget he us with the word of truth, that we should
be a kind of firstfruits of his creature. Wherefore, my beloved
brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow
to For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Wherefore, lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness,
and receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able
to save your soul, and be you doers of the Word, not hearers
only, deceiving your own selves. Blessed is that man that would
hear the Word of God, and obey Him, and submit to Him." You
see, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
Now stay right there in the book of James. The eighth one, I'm
on number eight. The blessed man is this man here,
in James 1 verse 12. Blessed is the man that endureth
temptations, trials, heartache for the gospel's sake. For when
he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord
hath promised to them that love him. Blessed is that man, that
sinner that's given grace to endure the trial. No wonder that
Peter called it. Turn over just a couple pages
to I Peter chapter 1, I Peter chapter 1, verse 6. No wonder that Peter calls these
trials precious, precious. You see I Peter 1, look at verse
6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though
now for a season, if need be ye are in heaviness, through
manifold temptation, that the trial of your faith, being much
more precious than gold, that perish it though it be tried
with fire, might be found unto the praise and honor and glory
at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. If need be, God
send you a trial that's good for us, whom having not seen
you love, in whom though now you see him not yet believing,
You rejoice with joy unspeakable, full of glory, receiving the
end of your faith, even the salvation of your soul. Blessed is that
man that has been given of God a trial. I tell you what God
sent trials do. They don't produce faith, but
I tell you what they do. They reveal whether faith is
real or whether it's phony. That faith of God's elect when
God sends that trial, when God sends that chastening, when God
sends that correcting, we know that all these things are for
our good. All things do work together for
good to them who love God, to them who are called according
to God's purpose. All things are of God, of Him,
through Him, and to Him, and for His glory. Blessed is that
man when he's tried of God and that faith. is revealed as true
and genuine. I tell you, saving faith, the
faith of God's elect, it will be tried. God will send these
trials, and they're for our good. That's why He calls them precious,
precious, precious. Well, here's the last one, number
nine. Turn to Revelation 14. Who is that blessed man? Well,
that man chosen of God, taught of God, blessed of God to trust
Him, that delights in His law, that hears His Word, who's taught
of God, who has those trials that are sent from God for our
good and for His glory. Now here's the blessed man who
not only is given faith to live and who lives by faith, but that
sinner who dies in faith. These all died in faith. It says in Hebrews 11. Now Revelation
14, 13. Revelation 14, 13. I heard a voice from heaven saying,
write, write it down, blessed are the dead which die in the
Lord. It doesn't say just blessed is
a man who has died. Blessed, that blessed, happy
is that redeemed, blood-bought, washed, justified sinner. Blessed
are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth. Save the
spirit that they may rest from their labors and their works. We are His workmanship created
in Christ Jesus unto good works, but our works don't precede us
to recommend us. It says there the works do follow
them as evidences of His work in us. That's a blessed man who
dies in the Lord, who lives his life by faith, who dies in faith. That's a blessed man. Turn over
here and let's look at this Scripture. 2 Corinthians 5. Oh, blessed
is that man who dies trusting, believing, resting in the Lord
Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5. That's why Paul
says we are confident We are confident. We walk by faith,
not by sight. Verse 7, 2 Corinthians chapter
5. We are confident, I say, willing
rather to be absent from the body to be present with the Lord.
Absent from this body and to be present with the Lord. Turn
over to Philippians, Philippians chapter 1. Who is that blessed
man? Blessed is that man who dies
in the Lord. Blessed is that man that trusteth
Him. Philippians chapter 1. To be
absent from this body is to be present with the Lord. Look what
it says here in Philippians 1 verse 21. Philippians 1 verse 21. For to me to live is Christ. That's Christ. He is my life.
My life is hid with God in Christ. To die is not penalty, not punishment. For me to live, that's Christ.
To die is gain. Blessed are they who die in the
Lord. You know how many times the Lord
uses the word precious? We're redeemed with His precious
blood of Christ. Faith is called precious. Anyone
else is called precious? Precious are those who die. Precious in the sight of the
Lord is the death of His saints. That's a precious thing. You
know, it's an answer to the Lord's prayer that of all that the Father
had given Him to be with Him where He is in John 17, verse
24. Father, I will pray. I pray that
all that You've given me be with me where I am that they may behold
my glory. For me to live is Christ, to
die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this
is the fruit of my labor. Yet what shall I choose? I know
not. For I ministrate betwixt two,
having a desire, to depart, to be with Christ, which is far,
far better. Can you even imagine the blessedness
to die in the Lord and to depart out of this life and to be with
Him eternally forever? My friend, that's the blessed
man. That's the blessed man. Well,
I pray that the Lord will bless those things to your heart and
you can get your concordance and And look those things up,
look that word up, blessed man or blessed, and you can go through
those things and I pray the Lord will bless that word and that
message to your heart.