BLESS - Week 1 “Blessed to B.L.E.S.S.”

What if the greatest blessing in your life is something you’re meant to give away? God has created each of us not just to receive His blessing, but to become a channel of blessing to the world around us. From the very beginning, God made humanity in His image, giving us both the desire and the capacity to leave a lasting mark—not just for our own sake, but for His eternal purposes. Deep within, we all long for our lives to matter, to make a difference that endures beyond our fleeting busyness. The question is: are we writing our lives in the snow of our own ambitions, or in the concrete of God’s eternal story?

God’s blessing is not about material gain or fleeting happiness. It’s about having His hand on our lives because we are in right relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Every person, regardless of their past or imperfections, is invited to participate in God’s great adventure: to know Him, to partner with Him, and to influence others for His glory. This is not reserved for the spiritual elite—God uses ordinary people, with ordinary lives, to accomplish extraordinary things.

Throughout Scripture, we see that God’s intention has always been to bless the world through His people. In Genesis, He blesses humanity with His image and calls us to fill the earth with His goodness. Even when humanity turned away, God called Abraham to leave his small story and join God’s big story—a story that would ultimately bring blessing to all nations through faith in Jesus. The New Testament reveals that everyone who trusts in Christ is adopted into this family of blessing, called to extend God’s love and invitation to others.

The greatest thing that can happen to anyone is to know Jesus personally. The second greatest is to help others come to know Him. This is the heart of God’s mission: that we would not just keep the blessing for ourselves, but share it with those near us who may be far from God. Over the coming weeks, we’ll explore practical ways to live this out—beginning with prayer, listening with care, sharing meals, serving in love, and sharing the story of Jesus. The adventure of blessing others is the concrete way we join God’s eternal story and leave a mark that will never fade.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God created you with both the desire and the capacity to leave a lasting, eternal mark—not for your own fame, but as a channel of His blessing. Every day, you are either writing your life in the snow of self-centered busyness or in the concrete of God’s eternal purpose. The invitation is to invest your life in what will truly last. [07:28]
• 2. Bearing God’s image means you are designed for relationship, partnership, and influence with God. Your true identity is not found in the world’s shifting standards or your own desires, but in the Creator who speaks blessing and purpose over you. Embracing this identity frees you to live with confidence and humility. [12:32]
• 3. The story you live in shapes everything about you. God calls you to leave behind the “little story” of self and step into His “big story”—a story where your wounds, failures, and dreams find meaning in His redemptive plan. The greatest joy is found not in getting God to fulfill your plans, but in joining Him in His. [24:16]
• 4. God’s mission is to bless all the families of the earth, and He does this through ordinary people who are willing to give Him access to their lives and relationships. Spiritual influence is not about programs or information, but about loving people enough to help them encounter the goodness of Jesus through authentic relationship. [32:32]
• 5. The blessing of knowing Jesus is meant to be shared. The Holy Spirit stirs within us a desire to give away the greatest treasure we’ve received. As you pray, serve, and share your life, you become a living invitation for others to experience the joy, forgiveness, and purpose found in Christ. [41:05]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:30] - What If You’re Withholding Your Greatest Blessing?
• [01:49] - What Does It Mean to Be Blessed?
• [03:02] - Blessing: More Than Material Gain
• [04:16] - God Uses Ordinary People
• [06:13] - The Desire to Leave a Lasting Mark
• [08:44] - God Blessed You with His Image
• [11:53] - Created for Relationship, Partnership, and Influence
• [14:54] - The Problem of Sin and Self-Centeredness
• [17:56] - Living in God’s Story vs. Our Own
• [21:08] - God’s Promise to Abraham: Blessed to Bless
• [24:16] - The Tale of Two Stories: Little vs. Big
• [25:38] - Five Practices to Bless Others
• [27:34] - Blessed for God’s Mission
• [30:09] - The Gospel and the Blessing of Abraham
• [32:32] - Becoming a Spiritual Influencer
• [35:44] - Receiving and Sharing the Blessing
• [41:05] - Prayer: Becoming a Blessing to Your World
• [42:56] - Invitation to Trust Jesus
• [44:53] - Next Steps and Closing

Bible Reading

Genesis 1:27-28 (ESV) — > So God created man in his own image,
> in the image of God he created him;
> male and female he created them.
> And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Genesis 12:2-3 (ESV) — > And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

Galatians 3:7-9 (ESV) — > Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Observation Questions

1. In Genesis 1:27-28, what specific instructions and blessings does God give to humanity when He creates them?
2. According to Genesis 12:2-3, what is the purpose of God blessing Abraham?
3. In Galatians 3:7-9, how does Paul connect the blessing of Abraham to followers of Jesus today?
4. The sermon described two ways of “writing your life”—in the snow of self-centered busyness or in the concrete of God’s eternal purpose. What does this metaphor mean? [[07:28]]

Interpretation Questions

1. What does it mean to be made in the image of God, and how does that shape a person’s sense of identity and purpose? [[12:32]]
2. The sermon says that God’s blessing is not about material gain, but about being in right relationship with Him through Jesus. How does this understanding of blessing differ from common cultural ideas? [[03:42]]
3. Why do you think God chooses to use ordinary, imperfect people to accomplish His purposes, rather than only the “spiritual elite”? [[09:24]]
4. The sermon talks about leaving the “little story” of self to join God’s “big story.” What are some practical ways someone might recognize which story they are living in? [[24:16]]

Application Questions

1. The sermon challenged us to consider if we are “writing our lives in the snow of our own ambitions, or in the concrete of God’s eternal story.” What is one area of your life where you feel you might be focused on temporary things? What would it look like to invest that area in God’s bigger purpose? [[07:28]]
2. God’s blessing is meant to flow through us, not just to us. Who is one person in your everyday world that you sense God might want you to bless or influence for Him? What is one step you could take this week to move toward that? [[41:05]]
3. The sermon outlined five practical ways to bless others: prayer, listening, sharing meals, serving, and sharing the story of Jesus. Which of these feels most natural to you, and which feels most challenging? Why? [[25:38]]
4. The greatest thing that can happen to anyone is to know Jesus personally, and the second greatest is to help others know Him. When was the last time you shared your faith story or invited someone to consider Jesus? What holds you back? [[28:10]]
5. The sermon said that spiritual influence is not about programs or information, but about loving people enough to help them encounter Jesus through authentic relationship. What is one way you can be more intentional in your relationships this week? [[32:32]]
6. The pastor shared a story about a woman who gave away a precious gem, and the man who returned it because he wanted “whatever you have that enabled you to give something so precious away.” What is the “treasure” you have in Christ that you could give away, and how can you do that in a real way this month? [[40:24]]
7. The sermon ended with a prayer asking God to help us see the people in our everyday world who need Him. Take a moment to pray for one person by name. What is one thing you can do this week to show them the love of Jesus? [[42:20]]