If there were three words that captured the essence of this Psalm and the essence of God’s plan it would be Pursue and Proclaim. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Sermons in the Psalms
TEXT: Psalm 67
TITLE:  Blessed to be A Blessing
PREACHER: Tim Lambros
BIG IDEA: God pursued you so you could proclaim Him

POINTS:
1. GOD’S BLESSINGS TO US
2. GOD’S BLESSINGS THROUGH US

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”As you read your Bible, you begin to see over and over that this has been God’s plan from the beginning. As Abe Lincoln said he found something in the Psalms for every day of the year – today we are going to find the essence of God’s purposes RIGHT HERE IN the Psalms!”

“If you’re not a believer in Jesus, your starting point is to ask God for grace.  The Psalmist’s prayer is asking for God’s continuous grace, His sustaining grace.  The best saints and the worst sinners unite in their need for grace.  Grace is God’s riches at Christ’s expense. Grace is unmerited favor. Properly understanding Grace is the death to any approach or legal case one desires to make before a Holy God.”

“God forgives, then He gives.  That’s how God works. He reconciles us to Himself. He cannot give blessings to you until the grace of God has arrested you.”

“Now notice the object of the Psalmist prayer for grace. May God be gracious TO US.  This is how we know the Psalmist is talking about the people of God.  This is why when we read our Bible’s we need to be careful to not overpersonalize the Scriptures. God blesses and is gracious to each one of us personally but makes us a part of the people of God.  Every believer personally experiences God’s WORK OF GRACE but most of Scripture addresses us as a group – the Psalmist to the people of Israel and now the Psalmist to you and I as the Church.“

“God’s purpose in creating the world, creating you and I, has always been to make Himself known.”

“God pursues us so we can proclaim His name!  How do we know this is for us?  How do we know God’s plan hasn’t changed? The OT is the NT concealed – the NT is the OT revealed. We know this applies to us because the NT reveals God’s plan to pursue a people for Himself that will proclaim God’s ways to others.”

“If there were three words that captured the essence of this Psalm and the essence of God’s plan it would be Pursue and Proclaim.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Luke 2:14
Numbers 6:24-25
Genesis 12:1-3
Galatians 3:7–8
Galatians 3:16

QUOTES:
Abe Lincoln - “[The Psalms] are the best. I find something in them for every day of the year.”

Martin Luther - “[The Book of Psalms], it’s the Bible in miniature.” 

Derek Overstreet - “God’s shining face represents His presence to bless and prosper.  Like the sun shining down on the harvest causing things to grow and be healthy and bear much fruit, so God shines His face upon His children, pouring out His grace and blessing.”

Dane Ortland - “In Jesus and His work on our behalf, we see the length to which God would go to draw men and women everywhere into the blessing of enjoying the radiant face of God shining down on them.”

C. H. Spurgeon - “Ignorance of God is the greatest enemy of mankind, and the testimonies of the saints, experimental and grateful, overcome this deadly foe. God has a set way and method of dealing out mercy to men, and it is the duty and privilege of a revived church to make that way to be everywhere known.”

APPLICATION:
What are you known for?  What do people know about you? 

How can you be more strategic and intentional in your evangelism? 

1. As a Church, we are going to begin sharing our “who told you” testimonies?  Begin to think about and write out your story.  Who did God bless so they could bless you – make God’s ways known to you?

2. Begin thinking in terms of “Pursue and Proclaim” God’s purpose in the world is to pursue a people for Himself that make Him known to the nations.  That happens as you consider who God may have you pursue to position yourself for proclamation.