I.   Worshiping God continually:

     1) with our lips. (2 Chron. 20, Acts 16:23-26)

     2) with our lives. (Mt. 15:8-9, 2 Chron. 20)

II.  Personal worship improves Corporate worship.

III. How to develop a worship lifestyle.

I.   Sight Stages

     A.  Legs on a Road Trip (Mark 8-10)

     B.  Hands on a Blind Man's Eyes

          -  secrecy
          -  vivid, two stages

II.  Hard Heart, Hard Head

     A.  The Pharisees (Mark 10:5)

     B.  The Crowds (Mark 9:19)

     C.  The Disciples (Mark 8:17-18)

III. Real Vision, Re-vision

     A.  Let's See Some ID

          1.  Son of God (Mark 1:1, 11; 9:7; 15:39)
          2.  Son of David (Mark 10:47; 11:10; 12:35)
          3.  Messiah/Christ (Mark 8:29)
          4.  Son of Man (Dan. 7:13; Mark 2:10, 28; 8:31, 38; 9:9, 12, 31; 10:33, 45; 13:26; 14:21, 41, 62)

      B.  Follow Him (Mark 8:34)

I.   Introduction

      The Beatitudes are not :
            a) instructions to earn salvation
            b) commands

      They are:
            a) words of celebration for the disciples.
            b) words of invitation for the crowds.

II.  Traits of the Blessed Life

      a) poor in spirit
         spiritual bankruptcy (2 Sam. 7:18, Mk. 2:17)

      b) mournful
         grief over sin  (Ps. 51, Ps. 119:136)

      c) meek
         strength under control (Mt. 11:29, Lk. 23:34, Mk. 10:13-16, Jn. 2:14-17)

      d) hunger and thirsting
         famished (Jn. 4:14, 6:35)

III.  Further Traits of the Blessed Life

      e) mercy - compassion in action.

          two aspects:  a) forgiving (Mt. 18:35)

                               b) relieving suffering (1 Jn. 3:17)

      f) pure in heart - internal cleansing. (Mt. 23:23-24)

         pure in devotion. (Jas. 4:8)
 

        “they will see God” – a) presence

                                       b) glory

                                       c) grace

      g) peacemakers –
 
          peace - wholeness

          makers - active, not presence.

          a peacemaker is:  a) honest. (Ez. 13:10,  Jer. 6:14)

                                     b) risk - taking . (Col. 1:19-20

      h) persecuted –

          key:  because of righteousness (vs. 11)
 
          Why endure persecution – the reward!  (vs.12, 2 Cor. 4:17-18, Mt. 19:29)