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Sermon Notes June 12, 2011
Psalm: 128
Intro: Checking out at Lowe’s, “How are you today?”
- “I am Blessed” (Not fine, good, OK…)
- Blessed Identifies the Source of Satisfaction (Not self, surroundings…. What Good I have is from God!)
Psalm 128 – Moves from Happy to Blessed…
Last week = Reverence + Obedience = Happy
Happiness begins with Moral & Spiritual Integrity
(Center & Circumference)
Today = How God Often Blesses a person with Center & Circumferen
Psalm 128: 1-4
We Find the LORD’s Blessing at Home.
Note: Not all will be blessed at Home; Not Only Way God blesses.
Wisdom Literature is General Observation of God’s Way
- Truths about Family, help us as Church (household of God)
We Find the LORD’s Blessing at Home.
The Similes dominate this Psalm…. Cloud Message for Us…
ILL – I tried one out on Julie…. Date… took her by hand
“You are like a fruitful Vine..”
For now, skip the picture of Vine & Olive Tree…
Your wife shall be within your house, your children around your Table. Behold,
for thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD!
“Behold” = Do you want to Find God’s Blessing, Look at Family!
ILL – We used to Play Hide and Seek with an Object…
- “Warm” or “Cold”… Uncle Roger took of shirt!
- Hide object as close as possible to searcher (under chair)
Search for Blessing….Look Within Your House, Around Your Table!
We Find the LORD’s Blessing at Home.
t/s – The picture of Vine & Olive shoots… Unfamiliar, but Important
Common, Familiar National Symbols of God’s Blessing on Holy Land
ILL – Our State’s Overpass Artwork… Images of Wheat, Corn,
Oil Derricks, Cattle… (Our Prosperity…Bounty of land)
The Grape Vine & Olive Tree represented the Blessing of the Land!
Vine = Green luscious leaves, full, abundant grapes…
- Fertility, Prosperity, Security…..Joy!
Olive Shoots = New sprouts, branches from Old Olive Trunk
- Stability, Prosperity, …The Good Life!
Cultivate Family Blessings
Exp – The Vine and the Olive Tree required careful Cultivation.
Vine = Pruning, Protecting,
Olive Tree = 20, 30 40 years before Real Production…
Blessings that require our Careful Cultivation!
Ill – One year, I decided I would like to have a garden…
- Discovered, Easier to Plant a Garden, than to Care for it!
App –Marriage, Children are like that…. Careful, constant Cultivation
- Too many plant the Garden, but don’t want to Cultivate it!
- Time Within the House, Around the Table!
Celebrate Family Blessings
Exp – The Vine and Olive Tree were cause of Celebration, Joy!
What you find Within your House, Around Your Table will
Make your Life worth Living! (The LORD’s Blessing!)
Ill – My Dad’s story of one electric Light above table…Gathered around to admire it.
(I see the faces now…) Dirt poor family
App – This Psalm written in Time of great Poverty, Low Expectations;
Or, Prosperity, correcting Perverted Pursuits of Happiness.
Most Poor people understand what we will foolishly forget;
We Find the LORD’s Blessing at Home.
