Jesus Wants To Give Us Heavenly Happiness (Part 2) Series

Jesus Wants to Give Us Heavenly Happiness (Part 2)

The Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 5:1-7

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Grayson Baptist Church - February 27, 2013

(Revised December 16, 2020)

BACKGROUND:

*In Matthew 5, Jesus opened His Sermon on the Mount by telling us how to have a truly happy life, a life filled with the kind of happiness that can only come from God. Mark Wood explained that here "Jesus established a standard of living counter to everything the world practices and holds dear. It is an utterly new approach to living that gives joy instead of despair and peace instead of conflict." (1)

*This Sermon on the Mount approach to living gives us the heavenly joy Jesus spoke about in John 15:11. There the Lord said, "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." The Lord's approach to life also gives us the peace we see in John 14:27, where Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

*God wants our lives to overflow with this kind of happiness, and Jesus shows us how to get it. But this truth can be easy to miss, because most of our English Bibles use the word "blessed" instead of "happy." This original word basically means "happy."

*Our confusion partly comes from the fact that there is another New Testament word translated as "blessed." That word "blessed" means to "speak well about" someone or "praise" someone. It's where we get our modern word "eulogy," and it's why we call our mealtime prayers "saying the blessing." We thank and praise God for His gracious gifts.

*A good example of this other word "blessed" is in Matthew 21:9. There Jesus was riding into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, and "the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: 'Hosanna to the Son of David! "BLESSED is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" Hosanna in the highest!'"

*Here in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus used the word about happiness. This original word is found 50 times in the New Testament, and it is translated "blessed" 44 times. But the other times it's translated as "happy" or "happier."

*For example, in John 13:16-17, Jesus told His disciples, "Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, HAPPY are you if you do them." The original word for "happy" there is the same word "blessed" here in Matthew 5.

*Another example of this original word is in 1 Timothy 1:11. There Paul mentioned "the glorious gospel of the BLESSED God." That word "blessed" means "happy" too. It reminds us that although God's wrath is real, we have a happy God! And He wants His people to be happy too. Let's think about that as we read Matthew 5:1-7.

MESSAGE:

*What makes you happy?

*Daryl Grimes once said:

-"I am happy when I go hunting or fishing.

-I am happy when I go see a friend or loved one.

-I am happy when I go to church and experience a good service.

-I am happy when I have fun with my kids.

-But none of these things can satisfy my soul.

*Some people are happy when they are high.

-Some people are happy when they are skiing, or snowmobiling.

-Some people are happy when they are partying.

-Some people are happy when they are camping.

-And some people are happy when they are gambling.

-But none of these things can satisfy their souls.

*Jesus Christ gives us the true satisfaction which leads not only to happiness but joy unspeakable and full of glory!" This is the kind of happiness the Lord wants to give us, but where can we find it? (2)

1. FIRST: WE CAN FIND IT IN A HUMBLE HEART.

*We saw this last week in vs. 3 where Jesus said: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

*Jesus was not talking about financial poverty there. He was talking about someone who has realized his spiritual poverty without the Lord. But this person is filled with joy because he is fully trusting in the righteousness Jesus gives to everyone who believes in Him.

*It's the same kind of poverty and joy we find in Psalm 34:1-8. There King David said:

1. I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

2. My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.