What Makes You Happy?

WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?

INTRODUCTION:

What makes you happy? Studies show that people who are healthy and have money are

happier than those who are less healthy and do not have as much money. The question

becomes: does being healthy make you happy or are you happy because you are

healthy? Likewise, does money make you happy or are you happy because you have

money? Also, are people happy because of things like fame, popularity, and prestige, or

are they happy because of such things? Elvis Pressely had all those things, yet he said,"I

am miserable as hell." What makes you happy?

I REAL HAPPINESS CAN NOT BE FOUND OUTSIDE IN THE WORLD:

Jesus defines real happiness in the well-known Sermon On The Mount in Matthew

5:1-12. His definition becomes the word blessed, which in Greek is Makarios, meaning

happy, blissful, joyful, and this legitimate happiness comes from within and not from

without. The world cannot produce this happiness because the world's happiness is

contemporary, based on what is happening now. The slang expression, "what's up?"

refers to what is going on now in your life. Things that are happening now can change at

any time. Health may fail and money may decrease. Other things that people base their

happiness on may disappear at any time. Real happiness needs to be centered on more

than the external chances and changes of life.

II REAL HAPPINESS COMES FROM INSIDE:

This sermon that Jesus preached contains beatitudes, a model for happiness. Jesus

preached this sermon near the beginning of his ministry. Many to whom he was

speaking had their own idea of happiness. To the Pharisees and Sadducees, happiness

meant keeping the letter of the law and performing all of the sacrifices. To others,

happiness meant the overthrow the domination of the Roman government. Others

looked to the Messiah to establish himself on the throne of Israel as the new David or

Solomon. However, Jesus turned happiness upside down. Happiness does not consist

of all those outward and external things. Happiness consists of a humble and contrite

spirit within.For us today, happiness consists in the realization of our sins and a

submission to Jesus Christ for forgiveness and a new life forever with him. Happiness

comes from a real and meaningful relationship with Christ. Too often we engage in an

easy beliverism when it comes to a relationship to Christ. We say a brief prayer of

acceptance of Christ, often from our heads and not from our hearts. We are satisfied

with joining church and attending on Sunday when we can.Some call this cheap grace,

which means not surrendering all to Christ. The disciples followed Jesus to their

death.We are not called to martyrdom, but we are called to die to self.Paul said he died

daily.(1 Corinthians15:31) John the Baptist said he must decrease so Christ may

increase.(John 3:30) The more we let Christ increase in us, the happier we are.

However, real submission to the transforming power of Christ is missing in the lives of

many Christians. We join the world in the pursuit of happiness through the mundane

things of life. Real happiness comes from a deep relationship with Jesus Christ, born of

a broken spirit because of our sin.Most of the qualities Jesus spoke of in the Beatitudes

come from the inside,poor in spirit, the mournful, the merciful, pure in heart. These

qualities come because of Christ being in you. Happiness springs forth from these inner

qualities. A song writer wrote,"I'm happy with Jesus alone. Thank God I can say I'm

happy with Jesus alone." The door of happiness is opened with the key of faith in Christ.

Jesus says that those who hunger and thirst after him shall be filled. Happiness comes

from being filled. Filling comes from a feeling of emptiness. You feel good when you fill

your empty stomach with food. Your lungs are filled with air when you take a deep

breath. You feel better when your thirst is quenched by a cold glass of water. Happiness

comes from being filled with things we need on the inside. What good is a pile of money

when we are thirsty for a drink of water. Money cannot help us when we need

something on the inside that money cannot buy. Things on the inside give us real

satisfaction. We are happy when we are filled with something we really need. Happiness

comes from Jesus living his life within us. Real happiness comes from inside.

Colossians 1:27 says that Christ in us is the hope of glory. Christ in us brings

happiness. Here are some verses on happiness:

a.Happy are they whose God is the Lord. Psalm 144:15

b.The Godly are happy. Psalm 68:3

c.Your joy may be complete. John 15:11

The words of this song express the power of something within: