Real Happiness Series

INTRODUCTION

- In the OT, the 10 Commandments were given as instructions for living.

- Paul, in Galatians 3, shares that the purpose of the 10 Comm are to expose sin.

- Jesus in Matthew called his first disciples and then immediately began to teach them

- He uses one word, “Blessed”.

GRK word “ma-kar’-ios” and it can mean many words from “fortunate, well off, supremely blest, and happy”. HAPPY – now that’s a word we can understand.

Jesus begins this great Sermon by INSTRUCTING HIS DISCIPLES “HOW TO BE HAPPY” in the section known as “the BEATITUDES”.

A. ILLUSTRATION

One Sunday as they drove home from church, a little girl turned to her mother and said, "Mommy, there’s something about the preacher’s message this morning that I don’t understand." The mother said, "Oh? What is it?" The little girl replied, "Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. He said God is so big that He could hold the world in His hand. Is that true?"

The mother replied, "Yes, that’s true, honey." "But Mommy, he also said that God comes to live inside of us when we believe in Jesus as our Savior. Is that true, too?" Again, the mother assured the little girl that what the pastor had said was true. With a puzzled look on her face the little girl then asked, "If God is bigger than us and He lives in us, wouldn’t He show through?"

APPLICATION: That is what the Beatitudes are about - God showing through. It has always been God’s purpose that when He entered our lives, He would be allowed to fill and control us so that He would "show through".

Beatitudes represent 8 ATTITUDES OF HAPPINESS

B. THE SETUP

While we will go through each of 8 attitudes of HAPPINESS, I think we should notice 2 Very Important surroundings of this lesson.

1. Verses 1 & 2 - First is the setup to this sermon.

a. READ VERSES 1-2

b. Explain importance of our coming to Christ to learn

Deuteronomy 4:29 (MSG)

29 … if you seek God, your God, you’ll be able to find him if you’re serious, looking for him with your whole heart and soul.

2. The Result of Each Attitude is GOD!

The end of each of the 8 attitudes is a form of God.

HAPPINESS IS GOD WHO BLESSES HIS CHILDREN!

3. To receive true happiness, one must seek God

DO YOU REALLY WANT HAPPINESS? MAKE YOUR DECISION OF HOW YOU WILL RESPOND TO WHAT JESUS TEACHES US OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS AS WE EXPLORE THE “SERMON ON THE MOUNT”

VERSE 3: 1st Attitude: to be “poor in spirit”

“God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the kingdom of heaven is given to them.”

to be humble – to have a correct estimate of oneself in connection with God.

Romans 12:3 (NLT)

3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

VERSE 4: 2nd Attitude (tied to 1st): those who “mourn”

“Those who mourn will be comforted”

GRK = ‘wails’ ‘suffers’ - sin and suffering in hurt and lowliness.

When we realize our unworthiness before God, we will feel a deep regret for our sin and move into repentance through a state of humility.

That same state of humility shows one who suffers for Christ understands the honor.

VERSE 5: 3rd Attitude (also tied to 1st): the “meek”

“God blesses those who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them.”

Lit. - “humble” - the same attitude as in last 3. It conveys a complete trust in God.

Greeks to describe a horse that has been broken - power under control. A horse is a strong and powerful animal, but trained, he is as gentle as your best friend!

APPLICATION FOR 1ST 3 ATTITUDES

None of these words describe a person that looks down upon Himself or is a whimp but rather a person who in his own eyes realizes his need to remove Himself so that Christ can live through Him – SO GOD WILL SHOW THROUGH US.

VERSE 6: 4th Attitude: who “hunger and thirst for righteousness”

“God blesses those who are hungry and thirsty for justice, for they will receive it in full.”

One who has an intense longing that he cannot satisfy – Being so filled with GOD, that one completely does His will.

Psalms 119:1-3 (NLT)

1 Joyful (happy) are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord.

2 Joyful (happy) are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts.