Some time ago (1988), Robert Fulghum published his best-selling book, Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. Recently, somebody suggested another book title: Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Noah. For example…
• Don't miss the boat.
• Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
• Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something big.
• Don't listen to critics; just do the job that needs to be done.
• Build your future on high ground.
• For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
• Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
• When you're stressed, float a while.
• Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
• No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting. (www.PreachingToday.com)
I like that, because it comes from somebody with a positive attitude, and attitude is very important when it comes to facing the future. Warren Wiersbe put it this way: “Outlook determines outcome; attitude determines action.”
So how do we find that positive attitude moving forward into the new year? We wish people a “Happy New Year!”, but where does that happiness come from? How can we truly have a happy new year?
Well, if you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Matthew 5, Matthew 5, where Jesus describes the truly happy people in this world.
Matthew 5:1-3 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed (or oh how happy!) are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (ESV)
The “poor in spirit” are truly blessed. They are truly fortunate as the privileged recipients of God’s favor. They are the ones who experience a fullness of life. Do you want to be truly happy? Then be “poor in spirit.”
BE HUMBLE IN YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS YOURSELF.
Understand that without Christ you are morally and spiritually bankrupt. Confess your unworthiness before God and your utter dependence on Him.
Now, that’s not what the world tells us. The world says, “Find happiness in self-esteem.” Jesus here says, “Find happiness in acknowledging that there is nothing whatsoever to esteem in self.” Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (NKJV)
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’” (Luke 18:9-13)
That man was poor in spirit. And Jesus says of Him, “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:9-14).
Do you want to be truly happy? Do you want to be truly favored by God? Then be humble in your attitude towards yourself. Be willing to admit, “I am a flawed individual.”
On April 12, 2012, the White Sox's pitcher Philip Humber pitched a perfect game. That is, he retired 27 batters in a row. No walks, no hits. It's a feat that's been accomplished by only 22 other pitchers in Major League Baseball's 135-year-old history. But then in November of that same year, the White Sox cut him from their team roster.
An article in Sports Illustrated zeroed in on Humber's deadly character flaw—perfectionism. The article's subtitle read, “For one magical April afternoon, Philip Humber was flawless. But that random smile from the pitching gods came with a heavy burden: the pressure to live up to a standard no one can meet.” The article continued:
The biggest problem with Humber wasn't his talent. It was, according to those close to him, the unrealistic expectations he set for himself. “He's a perfectionist,” says Robert Ellis, [a former mentor to Humber.]
Humber admitted, “After the game it was like, I've got to prove that the perfect game was not a fluke – I almost felt like I had to prove that I deserved to be on that list. I was thankful for it, but at the same time I wanted to make sure that everyone knew that this wasn't a joke. I'm really good enough to do this.”
Every time Humber took the mound, he tried to be the pitcher he was in Seattle – but competence seemed unattainable, much less perfection. In his next start, he allowed nine runs in five innings. Two outings later he was bombed for eight runs in 2 1/3 innings. Every time he fell short of the new standard he set for himself, he pushed himself harder. He began spending more time than ever in the video room. He played with every imaginable grip for his pitches. He threw extra bullpen sessions. He ran more, lifted more. He asked teammates how they dealt with their struggles. He couldn't understand why he couldn't recapture the magic. “I just feel lost,” Humber said.
The article concluded with a ray of hope: “Philip Humber doesn't know what will come next in his baseball story. This he knows: He's done chasing perfection.” (Albert Chen, "The Problem with Perfection," Sports Illustrated, 12-31-12; www.PreachingToday.com)
When we, like Philip Humber, feel like we’re really good enough to be perfect, we fall flat on our faces. It’s only when we are done chasing perfection, that we find real happiness.
I like the way Tullian Tchividjian put it recently. He said, “We start every year thinking, This is the year! We resolve to turn over a new leaf – and this time we are serious. We promise ourselves we're going to quit bad habits and start good ones. We're going to get in shape, eat better, waste less time, be more content, be more disciplined, and so forth. We're going to be better husbands, wives, fathers, mothers. And then, twelve months later, we've fallen short…again.
“The gospel is the good news announcing Jesus' infallible devotion to us in spite of our inconsistent devotion to him. As this new year gets under way, take comfort in knowing that we are weak and he is strong – that even as our love for Jesus falls short, Jesus' love for us never will. (Adapted from Tullian Tchividjian, It is Finished, David C. Cook, 2015, page 1;)
Do you want to be truly happy? Then give up the illusion that you are good enough to be perfect, and don’t be afraid to admit your own weakness.”
Jesus said, these people are happy, because “theirs IS the kingdom of heaven.” Notice, it is in the present tense. That’s significant, because in the next six beatitudes the reward is in the future tense. Verse 4 – For they SHALL be comforted. Verse 5 – For they SHALL inherit the earth. Verse 6 – For they SHALL be satisfied. Verse 7 – For they SHALL receive mercy. Verse 8 – For they SHALL see God. Verse 9 – For they SHALL be called sons of God. But here and in verse 10, the reward is in the present tense – For theirs IS the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is a present reality for those who are poor in spirit (vs.3), and for those who are persecuted (vs.10).
Now, the kingdom of heaven in Matthew is any place where God rules. We said it this morning in the Lord’s Prayer – Thy Kingdom come, Thy what? Thy will be done. The Kingdom of God is any place where God’s will is being done and people are enjoying the blessing of Christ’s reign in their own lives.
Is that what you want? Do you want the blessing of Christ’s reign in your own life, even here on earth, right now in the present tense? Then be poor in spirit. Acknowledge your own spiritual bankruptcy before God. Admit that you are weak and utterly dependent on the Lord. Be humble in your attitude towards yourself. Then 2nd…
BE HUMBLE IN YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS SIN.
Let the sin in your own life break your heart. Grieve over the loss of any purity when it happens to you. Jesus said…
Matthew 5:4 “Blessed (oh how happy) are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted (parakaleo).
It is the same word used of the Holy Spirit in John 14. He is the comforter, lit., the one called along side to help. When we grieve over the sin that is in our own lives, God sends his Holy Spirit to come along side us and to help us. He puts his arm around us, and He guides us away from that sin.
The world says, “Minimize your sin. Call it a ‘mistake,’ a ‘lapse in judgment,’ an ‘imperfection,’ but whatever you do, don’t let guilt ruin your life.” That’s what the world says. But Jesus says, “Mourn over your sin. Let the guilt and pain of sin bring tears to your eyes.” James 4:9 says, “Grieve, mourn and wail” over the stuff that’s not right in your life.
We dare not take sin lightly. It is a serious matter in the life of a believer, and it should break our hearts. For then, and only then, do we find God’s help in removing that sin.
I talked with a lady when we lived in Wisconsin, who for a time was unable to have children. Then God did a miracle and allowed her to conceive. Only that baby didn’t survive.
Soon after that, she found herself sitting next to a pregnant woman at a church dinner. She thought she was over the loss of her child, but all of the sudden she experienced feelings of resentment welling up within her toward the pregnant woman sitting next to her.
Now, most of us can understand her feelings and might even excuse them. But this lady made no excuse for the bitterness in her own heart. Immediately, she excused herself from the table, ran to the bathroom, and in tears begged God to take the resentment away.
Do you know He did! God came into that room right there beside her, and He replaced the resentment with his peace and love and joy.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Do you want to be truly happy in the coming year? Then be humble in your attitude towards yourself. Be humble in your attitude towards sin. And 3rd…
BE HUMBLE IN YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS OTHERS.
Be gentle in your dealings with people. Be lenient. Don’t demand your own rights, but be considerate of others.
Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Now, don’t confuse meekness with weakness. Moses was meek (Numbers 12:3), yet he judged a nation and led them through the desert. Jesus was meek (Matthew 11:29), yet he drove the money-changers from the temple.
Meekness is NOT weakness, but it is strength under control. The word was used in Bible times of taming a wild animal, of bringing the animal’s strength under control, so it could serve the needs of others.
And that’s what God calls us to do in all our relationships. Take what strength you have and use it to serve others. Don’t demand your own way. Don’t assert your own rights. Instead, treat others as more important than yourself, and make sure THEIR needs are met. Make sure THEIR rights are not violated.
The world says, “Assert your rights, and don’t let people walk all over you.” Jesus says, “Blesses are the meek, the gentle, and the humble.” Philippians 2 says, “Consider others better than yourselves.”
Harsh treatment might get you immediate results sometimes, but over time, it ceases to be effective. Over time, it hardens people; and over time, it just drives people away. On the other hand, there is no power greater than love. Over time, love conquers all. Over time, love changes people’s lives; and over time, love fosters an intense loyalty that is unstoppable.
That’s what a ladies prayer group discovered in the early 1990s when gang violence erupted in Boyle Heights, a section of East Los Angeles. Eight gangs were fighting each other in the parish around the Dolores Mission Catholic Church. People were killed and injured every day, but God’s Spirit moved a group of women, who met for prayer, to take action.
One night, after their prayer meeting, 70 women began… a procession from one barrio to another. They brought food, guitars, and love. They ate chips and salsa and drank Cokes with gang members, and they even sang some songs together. The gangs became disoriented, baffled; and the war zones grew silent.
Each night the mothers walked, challenging the old script of retaliation and escalating violence, in what they called their “love walks.” As the relationships between the women and the gang members grew, the kids told their stories; and together they developed a tortilla factory, a bakery, a child-care center, a job-training program, a class on conflict-resolution techniques, a school for further learning, a neighborhood group. (James Bryan Smith, The Good and Beautiful Life, InterVarsity Press, 2010, pp. 131-132; www.PreachingToday.com)
These women conquered their piece of the earth, not with violence and strong-arm tactics, but with true meekness.
You see, only the meek inherit the earth. Only the meek have any real influence, over time. The harsh and unyielding end up with nothing. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Do you want to have a truly happy new year? Then 1st, Be humble in your attitude towards yourself. 2nd, Be humble in your attitude towards sin. 3rd, Be humble in your attitude towards others. And 4th…
BE HUMBLE IN YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS GOD.
Cultivate a true spiritual passion. Develop an insatiable desire to know God intimately and to model His ways personally.
Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. (ESV)
A young man approached an old monk wanting to know where he could find God. The monk said, “Follow me. I’ll show you.” So the young man followed the monk to a river where they both waded in. Then all of a sudden, the monk grabbed the young man and forced him under the water. The old man was much stronger than he looked, and he held the young man under for a long time. The young man was flailing, desperate for air, and about to give up the struggle, when the monk finally let him go. Then he said to the young man, “When you want God as bad as you wanted air, then you will find Him.”
How badly do we want God? I’m afraid that too many people are satisfied with only a little bit of God on a Sunday morning and nothing more. But only when we want Him more than food or water, only when we want Him more than the air we breathe, only when we want Him more than life itself, will we ever be truly satisfied. Otherwise, we’ll just go on living in our mediocrity.
The world says, “Don’t be too overzealous in your faith. Just get enough religion to be comfortable, but not too much to make you a religious nut case.” Wilbur Reese put it this way:
I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please.
Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine.
I don't want enough of Him to make me love a black man or pick beets with a migrant.
I want ecstasy, not transformation.
I want the warmth of the womb not a new birth.
I want about a pound of the eternal in a paper sack.
I'd like to buy $3 worth of God, please. (Wilbur Reese)
That’s all the world wants. But Jesus says, “Hunger and thirst for righteousness. Want it more than anything else. For then, and only then, will you be satisfied.”
Do you want to have a truly happy new year? Then be humble in your attitude towards yourself. Be humble in your attitude towards sin. Be humble in your attitude towards others, and be humble in your attitude towards God. In a sentence: Be humble if you want to be happy.
It seems backwards, doesn’t it? If our contemporary society were writing a set of Beatitudes for the 21st Century, it might go something like this:
Blessed are the rich and famous, because they can always get a seat at the best restaurants.
Blessed are those who party, for they know how to have fun.
Blessed are the movers and shakers, for they shall make a name for themselves.
Blessed are those who demand their rights, for they shall not be overlooked. (Bryan Wilkerson, in his sermon, The Heartbreak Gospel, www.preachingtoday.com)
Jesus offers us a better way:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
May all of you have a truly happy new year.
