R764 The Seven Blessings Part 3

Now I want you to listen perhaps like you've never listened before. When you give your heart to Jesus Christ because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the cross, by which means the price has been paid in full, you and I are immediately guaranteed full partnership as is with Jesus Christ. That was the voice of Dr. Don Wilton, our teacher today, and as we open God's encouraging word together, you're going to receive a blessing. Know that we're here for you as well at 866-899-WORD and online at theencouragingword.org. And now the seven blessings with Dr. Don Wilton. Now today is going to be really no different from the past 60 years plus in this church. We're going to need our Bibles. So I'm going to ask you to open your Bible today and turn with me to the book of Hebrews in chapter 12. We're in a remarkable study together. And for those of you that perhaps are worshiping with us for the first time, we got to Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 22, just two short verses in a sense, really three verses, 22, 23, 24.

We discovered something there. Now friends, I'm going to submit to you today, and this may surprise some of you, even your pastor made a grand discovery before I got to the point in my own ministry that I came to study the Word of God at this juncture. I don't believe I'd ever seen this. I'd never heard it.

I've never heard a message. I've never read a book about it, but God began to speak to my heart about these seven blessings. And God began to speak to my heart about something that is really quite remarkable.

And that's this. It's not so much about what I do for God. It's what God does for me.

Now I want to remind you of something today. The moment that you give your heart to Jesus Christ, God gives to you seven blessings. They are yours. God makes that happen. And I'm going and I'm going to tell you how that happens outside of confessing your sin, calling upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, receiving him into your heart and life, believing that God raised Jesus from the dead. You don't do anything to receive these blessings. God gives them to you.

We're going to discover that. You say, now wait a minute, pastor, how can these things be? I don't deserve that. Well, I certainly do not. None of us deserve these things. You mean God gives them to me when it is part of my salvation. It's part of being in Christ and Christ in me.

Absolutely. A friend, listen, God will bless your heart when you hear this. I don't know about you, but sometimes I get awfully tired trying to do what I can do for God. And I ought never to stop trying to do what I need to do for God. But I do need to stop, listen, understand, and rejoice at what God does for me.

Well, let's just remind ourselves here. Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 22, writing to Christians said, but you, those of you who have given your hearts to Christ, number one, you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to the city of the living God. Number two, all believers without exception, you've given your heart to Christ.

You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly. Number three, all believers, when you give your heart to Jesus, you have come to the church of the first born whose names are written in heaven. Number four, when you give your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, you have come to God, the judge of all of all men. Number five, when you give your heart to Jesus Christ, you have come to the spirits of righteous men made perfect. Number six, when you trust Jesus Christ as your savior, you have come to Jesus Christ, who is the mediator of a new covenant. And number seven, when you give your heart to Jesus, he comes into your life and forgives you for your sin. You have come to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Now, you know that we've already looked at the first two blessings.

I do want to mention them. Number one, blessing number one, when you give your life to Jesus Christ, you are guaranteed a place in heaven. I don't mind telling you folks that that verse 22 has so gripped my heart.

I will readily confess to you. Until I got to that point in this passage, I do not believe I have ever fully understood heaven until I got to that point. Where heaven was, where heaven is, and where heaven always will be, and how I relate to heaven.

It has put a whole new meaning on my life. When someone loses a loved one and I say, I said to a precious young lady who gave her heart to Jesus, she said, Jesus Christ, in the early service this morning, I said, sweetheart, your grandmother went to be with Jesus this week, didn't she? She said, yes, sir. I said, where is she? She said, in heaven. I said, you've given your heart to Jesus.

Where are you going? She said, heaven. Folks, we are guaranteed a place in heaven. Number two, second blessing. We are guaranteed participation in the heavenly choir.

I'm still reeling from that, but we discovered a wonderful truth last week. This is not just about being part of a heavenly chorus. What it means to be a participant in the heavenly choir according to the second part of verse 22 means that I am guaranteed full participation in everything and all things that pertain to my eternal destiny in Christ. Everything that is going to be done in heaven, I'm going to do.

Well, you know, God gives to us varying gifts and we need people to sing in the choir and serve tables and we need people to coach in basketball and on our baseball fields and we need people to drive buses and we need this and we need that. Folks, in heaven, there's going to be none of that. We're going to participate in the whole shebang.

Nobody's going to be left out. God includes all of us 100%. All right, blessing number three.

Now, this is wonderful. Third blessing. When you give your heart to Jesus, we are guaranteed full partnership as heirs with Christ.

This is blessing number three. We are guaranteed full partnership as heirs with Christ. Now I want to show you, look at verse 23.

This is what God says. Those who have given their lives to Jesus Christ have come and that word there means have become part of, are inextricably intertwined with, are one in the same with, are members of the church of the firstborn whose names are written in heaven. Many years ago, I was preaching a revival in Florida and I want to tell you that at that particular time, my wife and I were pastoring a wonderful church in south Louisiana. It was a tiny little church. I don't know if any of you been into south Louisiana.

It's a wonderful place and we still love those people. The parsonage where we lived was a trailer home and the trailer home backed up on the cane fields, sugar cane fields, and the bayous of south Louisiana. One of our favorite things to do as we lived in our little home was to watch the cane rats running up and down in our living room. If you don't know what a cane rat is, they're about that big and if you look at them the wrong way, your leg's gone.

I mean out of there. I was earning, I don't mind telling you, I was earning $10,000 a year. They paid me $800 a month.

That's what I was earning. Don't mind telling you that. We had about 40 or 50 members, sweet people. It's important for you to know that because while I was preaching revival in Florida, we got to the Tuesday night and a group of men came to shake hands with me afterwards and I thought they were coming to tell me how wonderful the message was but they said to me, Brother Wilton, we would like to have a meeting with you. I said, well, I'd be glad to. Well, the next day, I was picked up in this nice motor car. I was taken to this office complex up onto the 25th floor in a very nice office and sat down wondering what was going on and this is what they said to me. They said, Don, we have been looking for a young man like you. I said, thank you very much. They said, we believe that you are the kind of person that we need to approach to join our company.

This is who we are. Without going into any detail, they were a major, I guess what you'd call lobbyist group. Many of you in business will understand this. They were a major, major lobbyist consortium in America and what they said to me was, here's what we're going to do.

We would like to sign you to a five-year contract. And I said, hold on. I said, gentlemen, you don't seem to understand. I'm in the ministry. I'm pastor of First Baptist Church, White Castle. I said, oh no, we know that and you preach in revivals and crusades all over. This is not going to interfere with that.

I said, it's not? I said, well, I can't do it. I'm in the ministry. They said, well, look, what we're going to do is you will have to probably work with us one night a week, never on a Sunday. We're not going to do that, but what we will do, we'll send our jet to New Orleans. We'll pick you up. We'll take you to this corporation in Hawaii, in London, in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, where all these corporations are. You'll speak for 20 minutes, 30 minutes. You'll do what we want you to do. Use your power of persuasiveness and debate and then we'll fly you back. Sometimes you'll get in the plane, go there, come back.

These are corporate jets. It's not going to take any problem. I know that folks.

I flew to Washington in 58 minutes from, from Asheville Regional Airport. You can do it. I'm telling you just like that. Suits my personality.

I love it. I said, hold on a minute. I, I, I, you know, you don't seem to understand. I am in the ministry. Then they told me what they were going to pay me to do this. I mean, they put that figure right in front of me.

I have never heard of so much money. I immediately began to hear God speaking to me. It was so clear. It was plain. It was, I hadn't heard a word up until this point. I said, me and Samuel speak, Lord, thy servant heareth. I'm telling you, they put in front of me, folks.

It was absolutely the greatest thing I had ever seen. Here I'm earning $10,000 living in a rat infested trailer among beautiful people, trying to do my doctorate at New Orleans Seminary. I've got absolutely nothing.

I've got two little children at home, little babies, and I'm looking at this kind of money. They said, oh, that's nothing. After five years, let me tell you what they did. They said, oh, that's nothing.

After five years, let me tell you what you will be earning. And they told me, folks, when they told me, basically they were telling me, listen, you will be a very, very, very wealthy man. Well, I'll confess to you. I went back to New Orleans, biggest mistake of my life, and told my wife, you know, what do wives know about life and ministry?

I go to my soulmate, my beloved Karen. I tell you, it wasn't a long conversation. I said to her, sweetie pie, you're not going to believe what God has provided for us. Now, you know, I can still remember that very short conversation.

She looked at me and she said, well, what's there to talk about? We can't do that because we made a commitment to be in full partnership with God. Now friend, I'm talking about Don and Karen here. You see, God called the two of us into full-time gospel ministry.

And it didn't matter how much I tried to rationalize that. When I said, yes, Lord, I signed on the dotted line. Now I want you to listen, perhaps like you've never listened before.

When you give your heart to Jesus Christ, because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the cross, by which means the price has been paid in full. You and I are immediately guaranteed full partnership as is with Jesus Christ. Forgive the interruption. We'll be turning to Hebrews chapter 12 in just a moment, but Dr. Wilton wants me to remind you. We're here for you. We'd love to pray with you, listen, talk, connect with great resources at the other end of 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673, or someone you're asking about the promises prayer resource. You can take a peek right now at our website, theencouragingword.org or call for your copy right away.

866-899-WORD. I'll tell you more about that at the end of the broadcast, but let's dive back into God's word today with Dr. Don Wilton. God does not come to us and say, here's what I'm going to do for you. I'm going to let you buy shares in my company.

God does not come to me and say to me, now that you've trusted me as my savior, I'm going to watch what you do. I'm going to watch every moment and I'm going to reward you bit by bit. And if you are lucky enough and if you work hard enough and if you do enough for me, maybe one day I will allow you to receive all that I have for my own son, Jesus Christ.

Oh, no, sir. God in his divine mercy from before the foundation of the world makes an announcement to everybody who calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are given a full partnership in the company of almighty God.

Somebody say amen this morning. What does this mean? Well, let me show you what it means because this passage tells us about this. It means three things. Number one, it means as believers our names are written down in the Lamb's book of life.

If you are guaranteed, how do we know we guaranteed this? Number one, because as believers, the Bible teaches us that our names are written down. And the word there means that our names are registered as co-company keepers of the company of God. We become full partners. In fact, Jesus said in Luke chapter 10, he said, that's the reason why you can rejoice because your names are written down in the Lamb's book of life. Now watch this. God not only tells us that we guaranteed full partnership because our names are written down, but we're guaranteed full partnership because our inheritance is secure.

Means it's absolutely firm. It stands. In Romans, for example, Romans chapter eight, you can go from verse 19 through verse 20, verse 17 through verse 29. And I'm not going to read it all to you. Suffice to say, Paul said this to the church at Rome. He said, we, those of us who are in Christ, the same subject focus that we find in Hebrews 12, all of those of us who are in Christ, watch this, are heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, who is the first born among the brethren. No wonder when I give my heart to Jesus Christ, what he does for me is he includes me in a full partnership with the church of the first born.

My name is written down. My inheritance is absolutely secure. And number three, our covenant is guaranteed. Our covenant is guaranteed. Boy, I tell you, you go back into, into Hebrews chapter seven.

I know we were there about seven years ago, but if you go back to Hebrews chapter seven folks, you're going to see some marvelous things. For example, in verse 20 of Hebrews chapter seven, you ever made an oath? You know, boys and girls often look at each other, don't they? Have you ever watched children? I remember when we were little ones, we probably did that. We say, somebody said, well, you promised me you're going to do that. And you say, I promise I hope or hope to die.

You know, come to think about it, we should have a lot more death when it comes to children. You ever had someone say to you, bring me a Bible. I'll put my, I'll put my hand on that Bible. Folks, let me ask you, why do you need a Bible to prove that you're a man of your word? Jesus said, let your yeas be yea, let your nays be nay. Why you got to call on a Bible? You ever had somebody, they want to tell you, they're going to do what they say. They're going to bring me a Bible, come on, I'll put my hand on the Bible.

Why? You and I ought not to have to call for a Bible. Are you a man of integrity or aren't you? If you say yes, you're going to do it. If you say no, do you mean it?

Any questions? Now I'm going to show you something folks, this is marvelous. Our covenant in Christ is guaranteed with the oath of God. Look what happens here in verse 20 of chapter seven. And it was not without an oath. Others became priests without an oath, like me and all the priests of the Old Testament. But he, that is Jesus Christ, became a priest with an oath when God said to him, the Lord has sworn and will not change his mind. You are a priest forever. And because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant, the New Testament, which is my blood. Bang!

Just like that. Now what is that oath? You know what it is? It's the word of God. I love it. When people come up to me and they say, God said it, that settles it.

I agree. That's it. It's the word of God.

God's word. What more do you want? Looking for another reason? Folks, you can't look for another reason.

There is nowhere else to go to. God said it. God said, you give your life to me, your name's written down. You are guaranteed full partnership, full partnership as a full heir with Christ. You become a member of the church of the first born for all time and for all eternity. You are guaranteed all that God guarantees you. Blessing number four, write this down.

Now this I might just be able to introduce today, but I want to get it on the table. We are guaranteed the presence of God. We are guaranteed the presence of God. All right, Hebrews chapter 12, I think we are. Hebrews chapter 12. Here's a remarkable statement. It's right there in the middle of verse 23.

Because you've given your heart to Jesus Christ, watch this, you have come to God, listen to this, who is the judge of the judge of all men. Now there's something interesting here folks. The Jewish people couldn't conceptualize this. In fact, what they believed and what I'm going to talk to you about is the total unapproachable, untouchableness of God, if you please, symbolized in Mount Sinai. Even Moses had great difficulty. He trembled. Animals were executed if they dared to come now because God was holy.

Folks, listen to me. The Bible tells us that when God presenced himself around Moses, he had to cover up his face. He had to hide in a cleft of a rock because man could not tolerate or come into the presence of God. So how is it that I am now guaranteed the presence of God? Here the Bible says, because I've given my life to Christ, I have come to God.

The one who is the judge of all men. How can these things be? What a blessing. You mean to tell me that Christ is in me and I'm in Christ and God is with me? Steve, we sing a wonderful anthem with the choir entitled God with us.

What does that mean? I thought God was up there in heaven. Where is God? I'm lonely.

I'm desperate. I'm hurting. I'm by myself. God is there. God's in you. He's around you. He's alongside you. He's the greatest friend, the best confidant that you will ever have in your entire life. Not just for today, but for all time and eternity.

How did this happen? Well, my friends, because we have received the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, three things happened. Number one, God's righteousness is conferred upon us. I love watching the stories about King Henry and his Knights of the Round Table and you will remember all those stories. I love the swashbuckling three musketeer motifs that we see every now and again, but you will have the king and in walks the knight in shining armor and he kneels down and the king takes the sword of his authority and he taps him on the shoulder and he says to him, I confer upon you knighthood and from now on you have full guaranteed participation in the presence of the king. You are one of the Knights of the Round Table. You are going to sit at my table as a knight because I have decreed it to be so.

Friend, listen to me. That's what the conferred righteousness of God is all about. When I received Jesus Christ, he, as it were, takes the sword of the righteousness of God in the blood of Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ has now become my high priest. He is my mediator. He's the one who paid the price for a sinner like me and God in his infinite glory from before the foundation of the world. He says to me, Don Wilton, I confer upon you the righteousness of almighty God, which means my son rise.

You can be seated at the round table of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and there's nothing that you can do. It's what I have done for you. It's what I have done for you.

It's an amazing truth. God's righteousness is conferred on us. Number two, God's judgment is removed from us. That's what Romans eight verse one is all about. There is now therefore, here it is, no condemnation to those who are in union with Christ Jesus.

When I give my life to Christ, the moment he confers his righteousness upon me because of the sacrifice of Jesus, he removes judgment from me, which brings me to the third point. His presence is guaranteed for us. Friend, listen, if righteousness is conferred upon me and judgment is removed from me, God's presence is guaranteed to me because the two hindrances are no longer there or because of Jesus Christ. What a blessing. What a blessing. Do you know the Lord Jesus?

Such a powerful question. Do you know Jesus? Personally, I knew about Jesus for a long time.

I grew up in the church, knew the right things to say and do, but I didn't know him personally, but I do now and my life is remarkably changed. I pray that you would know him today. If you realize that your sin has separated from him, let's pray about it together.

You can repeat right after me. Lord God, I realize my sin has separated me from you, but I also realize you died on the cross from my sins. I accept you as Savior and Lord. Come into my life.

Change me from the inside out. In Jesus' name I pray. If you've prayed that prayer and you're ready to begin with a brand new life, let us talk with you.

Let us put resources in your hand that will help you grow. You can call us at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673 or meet us online at TheEncouragingWord.org for great resources like this. Revolutionize your prayer life in 2019 with Pastor Don Wilton. In his powerful, uplifting, and faith-building message, The Promises of Praying for Others, you will come to understand the wonderful gift of prayer in your life and learn to delight in the privilege of approaching God's throne on behalf of others. The Promises of Praying for Others can be yours on CD or DVD to enjoy and share with family members and friends for your gift of any amount to The Encouraging Word this month.

Write to us at post office box 2110 Spartanburg, South Carolina 29304 or call us toll free at 866-899-WORD or visit online at TheEncouragingWord.org. Thank you for your support. Your generosity will be a tremendous blessing to The Encouraging Word Ministry as we continue full speed ahead in 2019, bringing hope and changing lives through God's encouraging word. Our time's gone for today, but we stay connected online at TheEncouragingWord.org and this phone number 866-899-9673. Join us tomorrow for more of the seven blessings with Dr. Don Wilton.