#blessed Week 2: Graced By His Face Message Summary: You can find a lot of blessings in someone’s face. The smile of a mother. The proud eyes of a father. The grin of a friend. The nod of her acceptance. The love in his expression. This is why the face of God is a massive blessing. Because he is gracious to us and looks upon us with favor, he turns his shining, smiling, accepting, love face towards us. No wonder King David’s heart only wanted to see God’s face! No matter how people look at us in this world, every believer can close their eyes and see grace in God’s face. That’s why we are #blessed. ✦ Numbers 6:25 — “…the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you…” ✦ Isaiah 6:5 — “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” ✦ Sin is a mess that we need addressed. ✦ Numbers 6:25 — “…the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you…” ✦ Psalm 31:14-16 — But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.”15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me. 16 Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. ✦ Psalm 80:3,7,19 — Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved…7 Restore us, God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved…19 Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved. ✦ John 1:14,16 — The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth…16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. ✦ Jesus became flesh so that we would be blessed! ✦ Psalm 103:9,10-12 — The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love… 10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. ✦ Ephesians 2:4-9 — But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. ✦ We will see Jesus’ face because we’ve been BLESSED by God’s grace! ✦ Revelation 22:3-5 — The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face…They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. Planting Jesus Roots GATHER — Pick a song/hymn from today’s service and play it throughout the week, paying special attention to the lyrics about Jesus and how he has blessed us. What lyrics are your favorites? Why? GROUP — Think about your unique strengths and God-given gifts. Whom could you bless this week with your gifts? GROW — Read Psalm 103. What phrases/verses speak most to you about how we are blessed by God’s grace? What Bible stories come to mind? What would you include on your personal list of how you have been #blessed by God’s grace? GIVE — Take one minute today to thank God for the hundreds of people who give so graciously of their time and money to make 922 Ministries a great place to “plant Jesus Roots”. GO — Next week’s message is about being #blessed with peace. If you know someone who is unsettled, anxious, or simple needs to know peace, invite them to join you at one of next weekend’s services. Homework: Numbers 6:22-27