January 1, 2012…just recently that day came and went, and with it started a new year!
A few weeks before, I was sitting in my office preparing for that day for it also was the first Sunday service of the new year. I was contemplating the day and having an entire year opening out before us, when this question came to mind: What do people really want in 2012?
Almost immediately this question came to mind: What would make people happy in 2012?
And then I realized: that is what people want. People want…we all want…to be happy.
So… What would make people happy in 2012? What would make you happy?
Well, perhaps many of us would be happy if we had good health or a steady income; in other words…if our lives were settled and sure. If we had confidence that everything was going to be okay. Or you could use another word: PEACE. If we had a peace about 2012 – and throughout 2012 – if we really believed good things were going to happen, then we would be happy.
Or perhaps, if we knew we would have PLENTY in 2012, then we would be happy; plenty of money, plenty of food, plenty of clothing or shelter. If we had plenty of time to do the things we desired. If we had all we needed and maybe just a little bit more, then we would be happy.
Or maybe for some, PROGRESS; just a sense that everything is okay, or at least that it’s heading in the right direction. Things are going to get better. We are going to make progress in 2012. Then we would be happy.
Or last, perhaps PURPOSE; knowing why I’m here on this planet and being able to accomplish that. Would that make you happy in 2012?
What if you had all four? If in 2012 you had,,,
PEACE… believing good was going to happen;
PLENTY… having all you needed and maybe a little bit more;
PROGRESS... your life heading in a good direction; and
PURPOSE… accomplishing God’s reason for creating you;
…then would you be happy?
When I take those four words – PEACE, PLENTY, PROGRESS and PURPOSE – someone who has all that, I can sum up their life in one word. That person is: BLESSED!
The Merriam-Webster online dictionary agrees.
blessed 2: of or enjoying happiness; specifically: enjoying the bliss of heaven.
3: bringing pleasure, contentment, or good fortune.
If you could experience a whole year of blessings, wouldn’t that be great?!! An entire year of “enjoying the bliss of heaven;” while experiencing “pleasure, contentment, or good fortune.”
I would love a year like that – a blessed year! I’m pretty sure that you would too. So what I want to do is share a series of thoughts centered around this theme:
Living Blessed!
I want us to learn how to live blessed; enjoying happiness, the bliss of heaven and having pleasure, contentment and good things happening to us. I want to live such a life, and I want you to live it as well.
So today we begin. And we begin with Psalm 1.
How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path of sinners, of join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the LORD’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2)
Did you notice, did it occur to you: the first word in the song book of the Bible is “blessed?” My translation uses the word: “happy.” But our use of happy can mean so many things. The use in this passage is better translated: “blessed.”
So here, the praise book of the Scriptures, begins by telling us about those who are blessed. Specifically, these first two verses tell us two important truths about those who really and truly get to experience “Living Blessed!”
To live a blessed life, we first learn…
I. The Ones We Must Ignore
The old saying goes: “You can tell a lot about a man by the company that he keeps.” This is true. We all do it; we judge someone by the others we see them hanging out with.
This is why I use to tell Caleb, every year: “Son, until they get to know you, your teachers will judge you by the ones they see you being friends with.” And, “If you are in a crowd and one of you does something dumb, all of you will be in trouble.” Of course, I did this to encourage him to pick good friends and not to hang out with trouble makers. Maybe you said something similar along the way to your kids.
There is another phrase we’ve all heard: “guilt by association.” Similar phrase; and also true… we do it all the time.
You want a couple of examples? Look at the tragic events surrounding the assistant coach at Penn State. Others were around, all the time. They must have seen or heard something; they must have known. Now several others are having their character and actions questioned. Did Pa Joe know? We wonder.
Second example: A good friend helps President Obama buy real estate at a ridiculously reduced price. The friend is now in jail, convicted of fraud and other crimes. Some have asked: what did Obama know and when. Is he part of the scheme? Is he guilty of something in this case as well?
The old saying is true: “You can tell a lot about a man by the company that he keeps.”
So don’t be surprised when the first verse of Psalms tells us we must ignore certain types of people in order to live a blessed life. There are three groups:
a. Wicked
Blessed is the person who does not walk in the group of, which means does not follow the advice of, the wicked. By wicked the author means those who are not walking with God. And this makes perfect sense.
Why would you follow the advice of someone who does not know God or walk with Him?
If you want to live blessed in 2012, then don’t follow the advice of those who don’t walk with God. Ignore the advice of the wicked.
b. Sinners
Blessed is the person who does not stand around with, or stand in the path with, sinners. By sinners the writer means those who have not been transformed by salvation. These people still live under the guilt, shame and weight of their sins. If they died this moment, they would exist forever apart from God – for no sin, no sinner can enter His presence for eternity.
The person blessed in 2012 will not live as sinners do; will not participate in their sin. But rather, will ignore their path and not be influenced by them.
Third group to ignore are the…
c. Mockers
Blessed is the person who does not join a group of, or sit in the seat of, mockers. Mockers are those who show no respect. Instead, they ridicule and make fun of.
Mockers are not open to genuinely discussing an issue. They are unwilling to consider the possibility that there might be an opinion, other than their own, that might be valid. They often can be hurtful, harmful and infuriating.
The person blessed in 2012 will ignore this group’s method of dealing with life.
Did you notice something as we looked at the three groups we should ignore? There is a progression.
The writer starts by saying we should not walk with the wicked. Next he writes we should not stand with sinners. And last, we should not sit with mockers. Walking, then standing, then finally sitting… this is how sin entraps us.
First, we are just walking along. Then we stop to examine; now we’re standing. Next thing you know, you are sitting right in the middle of it!
The blessed person has learned not to fall for this trap!
Now, some of you more evangelistic types are thinking, “Wait a minute. That’s what Jesus did! He often hung out with sinners. So we can’t ignore them!” And you are right; Jesus did hang out often with sinners, and so should we.
Each of us who are Christians should know some persons who have not yet come to Christ in salvation. We should build relationships with them so that we may have an opportunity to share Christ with them.
But that is not what the writer of this verse is telling us to ignore. For there is a huge difference between this evangelistic activity with sinners, hoping to influence them to salvation; versus hanging out with them and becoming influenced by their lifestyle.
Do we minister in the world among the wicked, sinners and mockers? Absolutely. But when they try to entrap you, bring you down into a life of rebellion or sin, the blessed person has learned to ignore their advice, thoughts, suggestions or ideas.
Second truth to live a blessed life we see in this passage is…
II. The Object We Adore
Read again verse 2: “Instead, his [the blessed person’s] delight is in the LORD’S instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.”
How much do you love your favorite food?
How much do you love your favorite sports team?
How much do you love your favorite activity, hobby, club or TV show?
How much do you love your spouse or family?
How much do you love God’s Word?
The psalmist writes that the blessed ignore the ungodly influences and instead learn to adore… “delight in”… God’s Word. Adore it so much, they spend time meditating on it “day and night.”
Really, how much do you adore God’s Word?
Do you read it regularly? Do you have a piece of Scripture that sticks out while you are reading; that sort of captures you? Do you spend time throughout the day thinking about that one piece? This is meditating.
If you adore God’s Word, this is what you do. And you do it every day. And you live, blessed!
The psalmist tells us so in the next verse. Look at verse 3:
“He [the one who ignores the wicked and adores God’s Word] is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”
Three benefits the blessed experience.
a. Nourished
The Middle East, where the psalmist lived, was then and is today an arid place. Water is scarce in some areas. But you, if you adore God’s instruction will be like the tree beside “streams of water.” Abundant water and nourishment will make you the next two things…
b. Fruitful
Bearing fruit in season means that at the right time – according to God’s timing – you will bear fruit. You will have an impact. You will make a difference. God will work through you to impact others and to touch eternity!
And, you will be…
c. Strong
The littlest leaf, out on the end of the smallest branch, even that one will not wither. You will be a strong, vibrant, healthy “tree” – creation of God.
To be nourished so that you can be abundantly fruitful and strong, this is the blessed life. This is the life available to all Christians in 2012.
To paraphrase the psalmist: “Learn to ignore the advice of the wicked, the lifestyle of the sinners and the ways of the mockers; instead adore God’s Word daily, and in 2012, you will prosper.”
May we all do this, and begin living today: The Blessed Life!
