True Happiness
John 14:1-21
Psychologists say that people need three things to make them happy. First of all they need something to do. Secondly they need something to love. Finally they need something to look forward to. I think Scripture agrees with this. However, to be truly happy and satisfied we must make sure that we are doing the right thing, loving the right thing, and looking forward to the right thing. This passage before us, as well as many others in Scripture that show us what to do, what to love and what to look forward to.
I. Something to Do
-Everyone needs and wants something to do! There are a lot of things that we can do to make us happy, but if there is one thing we fail to do we will never be satisfied!
-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
-None of these things, however, can satisfy my soul!!
-Some people are happy while they are high
-Some people are happy while they are skiing, or snowmobiling
-Some people are happy while they are partying
-Some people are happy while they are camping
-Some people are happy while they are gambling
-None of these things, however, can satisfy their soul!
-Jesus Christ gives us what we need to do to find true satisfaction which will lead not only to happiness but joy unspeakable and full of glory!
A. Believe Also in Me (v. 1)
-apart from a trust and faith in Christ no one will ever find true joy or satisfaction! We must have confidence in Him as our Lord and Savior.
-the woman at the well in John 4 had done a lot. She had been married 5 times and was living in adultery--but she wasn’t satisfied--but when she trusted in Christ He gave her living water where her soul would never thirst again
-the prodigal son in Luke 15 had done a lot. He spent his time and money living rioteously. He had partied, he had the women, he had plenty of money. But when the money ran out he found himself lying in a pigpen unhappy and dissatisfied. But praise God he came home to the Father’s house and that is a picture of us leaving behind the things that cannot satisfy and placing our faith in Christ!
-Peter had plenty to do. He was a fisherman. But he left all and followed Christ, and in Christ he found true satisfaction!
-Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but by Him
-Without Him there is a God sized hole in a person’s soul that only He can fill!
B. Work for Me (v. 12)
-Jesus let’s us know that after we believe in Him there is still something to do--WORK
-You and I have the privilege to be servants and ambassadors of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
-Telling others about Jesus involves work
-Training and discipling Christians takes work
-Raising and nurturing our children takes work
-Working for the Lord is not a burden, but it is a blessing!
-We have the opportunity to make an eternal and spiritual difference in mankind!
C. Ask From Me (vv. 13-14)
-We also have the wonderful privilege to ask from Christ
-When we ask things in His name and in His will He will fulfill those requests!
-Asking in Christ’s name means that we would ask what He would ask, and what would bring glory to Him.
-You can’t properly ask in His name without knowing His nature.
-He will provide for us everything that we need that pertains to life and godliness!
-He will give us the tools necessary to accomplish His purposes!
D. Obey Me (v. 15)
-Christ has given us many commands to obey
-He has told us to live holy lives
-He has told us to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, but do it even more so as we see the day approaching.
-He has told us to preach the Gospel to every creature
-He has told us to provoke one another to love and good works
-He has told us to build one another up
-He has told us to glorify Him
Application: To be happy we must have something to do. We will do what we think will make us happy. The reason some do more physical things than spiritual is because they think the physical will bring more happiness. However the physical things we do are only temporary and will fade away; our happiness will fade right along with it. We need to do the spiritual: pray, witness attend church, etc.
II. Someone to Love (vv. 15-24)
-Not only does everyone need something to do, but everyone needs something to love!
-Some are in love with money to try to find happiness, but the love of money is the root of all evil and many have pierced themselves through with many sorrows going after it.
-Some are in love with pornography or immoral sex to try to find happiness. But they are corrupting their minds and destroying their bodies.
-Some are in love with things to try to find happiness. But they find that things will never satisfy.
-Jesus said that the 2 greatest commandments involved love!
-We are to love God with all of our heart, all of our soul and with all of our mind! We are to love our neighbor as our self!
-An individual that is not in love with God and not in love with his neighbor is an individual who does know about true happiness!
A. Our Love for God Produces Obedience! (vv. 15, 21, 23-24)
-don’t sing Oh, how I love Jesus and live in disobedience to Him!
-we show Christ how much we love Him, by how much we obey Him.
-Jesus stresses over and over again in these verses that those that truly love Him, are those that live their lives according to His will. They love Him so much that they realize that He has their best interest at heart and are willing to SURRENDER to His will!
-If we love God we will also love those He has made, those created in His image!
B. God’s Love for us Produces Comfort & Communion (vv. 16-20)
-He let His disciples know that He would send them and us the Comforter. The Holy Spirit lives in our hearts to: comfort us, convict us, and to encourage us.
-What wonderful words Jesus shares with His disciples and words of great comfort for us as well. We are in Him and He is in us!
-Jesus also tells us that His Father will love us, He will love us and He will manifest Himself to us! Christ loves us and shows Himself to us in His Word and through His Spirit.
Application: What wonderful news that we can have something to love; someone to love that loves us more than anything or anyone else could! Money doesn’t love us, things do not love us, immorality doesn’t love us! God does!
III. Something to Look Forward To
-not only does everyone need something to do, someone to love, but everyone also needs something to look forward to!
-Some POW’s hopes were never dashed because they looked forward to being free
-People that work look forward to getting a paycheck
-People that race look forward to finishing and hopefully winning
-Praise God we have something greater to look forward to!
A. The Father’s House (v. 2)
-are many mansions
-is a place prepared specifically for us
-a place prepared by the hand of God Himself
-a place of no sickness, no pain, no sin, no tears!
B. The Son’s Return (v. 3)
-He has gone away to prepare a place
-He, Himself will come again to receive us
-Where He is, one day we can be!
Application: Do you want to be truly Happy?
Find something to do--Trust in Jesus as your Savior and get busy for Him
Find someone to love--Love God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself
Find something to look forward to--Look forward to Christ’s return, and spending eternity with Him!
