Happiness In An Unsettling World
Steele Creek Church, Eastfield Campus
Dr. Tom Bartlett – October 11, 2020
Matthew 5:6
Satisfaction
OUTLINE
Satisfaction
“When something seems to be missing in life”
“. . . No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.” Ecclesiastes 1:8b (NLT)
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Vs. 6)
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires. . .” 1 John 2:15–17 (ESV)
The Passing Promises of the World
“. . . all that is in the world. . . is passing away. . .” (Vs. 16-17)
• Pleasure will satisfy you – “desires of the flesh”
• Possessions will fulfill you – “lust of the eyes”
• Performance will immortalize you – “pride of life”
The Secret to Personal Satisfaction
“And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:18 (ESV)
Stop taking direction from a passing world
“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live. . .” Isaiah 55:1-3 (ESV)
Follow hard after God and His forever kingdom
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6–7 (ESV)
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV)
Ask yourself:
• Is my focus on today only?
• Will my current path lead me to be more like Christ?
• Is what I’m currently doing pleasing to God?
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6 (ESV)
MANUSCRIPT
“When something seems to be missing in life”
Good morning and welcome to Steele Creek Church, my name is Tom Bartlett and I’m the campus pastor here at the Eastfield campus.
I’d like to invite you to open up the church center app (English or Spanish), and follow along with me by clicking on sermon notes.
Now, I’ve been alive long enough to notice a few things.
• A piece of pound cake doesn’t way a pound, but a single piece can add two pounds to anyone who eats it!
• Fasting goes very slowly.
• There’s no such thing as a genuine imitation anything
• There are no unbiased opinions, AND
• You can eat one potato chip, as long as you consider the entire 64-ounce bag, “one”!
I’ve noticed that people die of all ages. CHADWICK BOSEMAN Black Panther actor died at age 43.
We live in a world that is looking for total and lasting satisfaction in life, yet it seems nowhere to be found. Solomon wrote about this dilemma in Ecclesiastes. . .
“. . . No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.” Ecclesiastes 1:8b (NLT)
Ever feel that way? Restless, not content, needing a change or wanting to try something different?
• The average marriage in the US lasts only 8 years
• The average worker stays in their current job less than 10 years. The younger you are the more you change.
• The average length of time people stay in a home is 8-9 years depending on where you live.
Could it be we’re all searching for something that is not there? Or are we simply looking for satisfaction in life in all the wrong places? Now, I know that there are items that say they truly satisfying, such as a snickers bar or a cup of coffee, but is that real satisfaction?
The only person I’m aware of that offers a surefire recipe for personal satisfaction is Jesus Christ.
We’re in a series on the Beatitudes, which means “blessing”. Jesus is teaching about how to have joy and happiness in life. He says in verse 6. . .
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Vs. 6)
Now, there’s a lot of things we hunger and thirst after, but none of them can bring lasting satisfaction. Why? Because they go away and they don’t last.
So, for everything that God offers us, our enemy offers a counterfeit.
Jesus’ disciple John wrote about all the world has to offer and he sums it up in three areas.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires. . .” 1 John 2:15–17 (ESV)
The Passing Promises of the World
“. . . all that is in the world. . . is passing away. . .” (Vs. 16-17)
The promise is that if you taste this, if you consume this, do this, acquire this, then you will truly be satisfied with life. The world says. . .
• Pleasure will satisfy you – “desires of the flesh”
Just experience pleasure and you will find satisfaction! Yet is that true? No, not at all. Like a drug, pleasure at one level is never enough.
The first roller coasters were built in Russia in the 1800’s and went up a whopping 70 feet. Today the “Steele Vengeance” coaster at Cedar Point makes a 200-foot drop reaching speeds of 74 miles per hour. Why? Because 70 feet at 25 miles hour is no longer enough!
• Possessions will fulfill you – “lust of the eyes”
Maybe if you just get enough stuff, then you’ll be happy. People search the world for all kinds of items but it’s never enough. Ever walk into someone’s house who collects a certain something and there’s examples of that thing all over the house? They have hundreds but there’s always room for more.
One show on TV that I can only stomach occasionally is a show called hoarders. People keep everything they’ve ever had. Does it make them secure or happy, no, it does the exact opposite!
• Performance will immortalize you – “pride of life”
Well, maybe this will work. I’ll be the best at this or that and then people will remember me, I’ll really impress people then.
None of these works because they are passing away as the bible says.
One day you win the Super-bowl, in a few years the next generation doesn’t even know who you are.
TYLER IN THE PARK – Eugene Robinson asks, “You don’t know who I am do you?” (Super-bowl champion, 2 time pro-bowler assisting my son in his throwing and routes)
SIN WILL TAKE YOU FURTHER THAN YOU WANT TO GO, KEEP YOU LONGER THAN YOU WANT TO STAY AND COST YOU MORE THAN YOU WANT TO PAY!
The Secret to Personal Satisfaction
“And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:18 (ESV)
The key to life satisfaction is not impressing people or acquiring junk or experiencing pleasure, it’s a passionate pursuit of knowing and enjoying your creator.
The scriptures are consistent in this plea to stop looking to what does not satisfy and seek the One who does. Based on Jesus words, please let me suggest two directives.
EXAMPLE/STORY -
Stop taking direction from a passing world
In Isaiah 55, the Lord is inviting His people to enjoy Him and not look for satisfaction in what doesn’t last. Don’t spend your money on things you think will fulfill you. Don’t seek pleasure in food as if it will meet all your needs.
YOUR TRUE HUNGER AND TRUE THIRST IS SPIRITUAL.
“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live. . .” Isaiah 55:1-3 (ESV)
What is the rich food He speaks of? It’s a relationship with God. Knowing Him and knowing what He thinks about you and His care for you.
Stop eating junk food and expecting to be satisfied. Turn away from the evil practices of the world seeking what doesn’t last.
Follow hard after God and His forever kingdom
Isaiah continues with a life directional statement. “Seek the Lord while He may be found.”
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6–7 (ESV)
It’s actually wicked to pursue anything else. The wicked will follow the world, but the righteous will seek to know God. Does that mean these righteous people are perfect? Not at all, they are not perfect, they are pardoned.
HOW CAN WE TELL IF WE HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER RIGHTEOUNESS? (D. Martin-Lloyd Jones, pg. 75-77, Studies on the beatitudes).
• Can you see through your own false sense of righteousness? Do you realize that within yourself there is nothing righteous?
• Do you remind yourself continuously of your need to actively live out this righteousness by seeking to be more and more like Christ?
Here’s the promise from Jesus Himself about this active pursuit.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
What are you looking for?
Feel like somethings missing?
Could it be that what you’re really seeking is a sense of significance that can only come from the one who created you and knows you?
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV)
Ask yourself:
• Is my focus on today only? Pleasure, possessions, performance?
• Will my current path lead me to be more like Christ?
• Is what I’m currently doing pleasing to God?
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6 (ESV)
GOSPEL –
