We are going to start 2020 with an eight part series "The Way To Happiness". Everyone wants to be happy, and the New Testament is our greatest authority on the subject. Jesus Christ gives us the key that will unlock the door to happiness in the eight Beatitudes.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
The word translated “blessed” is sometimes translated “happy.”
We starting the series with "humility" (blessed are the poor in spirit).
The audio recording of the sermon is at the YouTube link at the end of the manuscript.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
The word translated “blessed” is sometimes translated “happy.”
We starting the series with "humility" (blessed are the poor in spirit).
The audio recording of the sermon is at the YouTube link at the end of the manuscript.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord , my strength and my Redeemer.
Psalms 19:14 NKJV
Scripture Reading:
Matthew 5:1-12 (ESV)1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
We are going to launch 2020 with a series titled “The Way to Happiness”, and we are going to start with something that we ended last year with, as we looked to this new decade and that is humility so this first sermon of 2020 is Humility Is The Way To Happiness.
Everyone wants to be happy, and the New Testament is our greatest authority on the subject. Jesus Christ gives us the key that will unlock the door to happiness. This key is found in the eight Beatitudes. Which we just read:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
The word translated “blessed” is sometimes translated “happy.”
Text:
Matthew 5:3 (ESV)3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Introduction
If God said to you on this first Sunday of 2020, “Choose eight things that you feel would make your new year a happy one and I will give them to you,” there are eight Beatitudes, what would you choose?
Would you choose to be “poor in spirit”? Would you choose things such as mourning, meekness, hunger and thirst, being merciful, being pure in heart, being a peacemaker, or experiencing persecution? Do these eight things sound happy?
Well, Jesus seems to think so.
Before you say that Jesus is wrong, think about the opposites of these qualities: characteristics like pride, pleasure-seeking, aggressiveness, compromising, impurity, cruelty, and hatred.
You wouldn't be happy with these characteristics, would you? Of course not!
So let's look at the eight Beatitudes as eight steps to happiness. and why they are your way to happiness in 2020 and beyond.
We are starting with being "poor in spirit" which is being humble which is exactly what we talked about last week.
I asked and answered some questions last week;
Would you like to know God better in the next decade? Humble yourself!
Would you like to receive God’s approval in the next decade? Humble yourself!
Would you like to break through to victory in the next decade? Humble yourself!
Would you like a closer walk with God in 2020 and throughout the next decade? Humble yourself
Humility is the way to happiness. Remember a scripture we had last week,
James 4:10 (ESV) Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Why is humility the way to happiness?
In Matthew 5:3 when Jesus spoke of being “poor in spirit,” he was saying that the poor in spirit recognize that our spirits are needy and we understand the means that can supply our need. The means to cure this poverty of spirit is in our discovery of God’s kingdom.
Matthew 5:3 (ESV)3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
People who are “poor in spirit” do not boast of their accomplishments or talents because they know that everything they have was given to them, in one way or another by God.
1. Humility enables you to be honest about yourself.
When Jesus spoke of being “poor in spirit,” he did not imply that being wealthy is wrong. Money can be handled in a Christian manner or in a non- Christian manner.
Success and prosperity can lead a person to be self-satisfied and proud. Yet poverty can drive a person to dishonesty.
1 Timothy 6:10 ESV For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
Jesus declared that if you want to be happy, you must be aware of your spiritual poverty. No picture is more pathetic than that of a person who has a great need and is unaware of it. Do you remember Samson after Delilah got him to tell her the secret of his great strength:
Judges 16:20-21 ESV And she said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" And he awoke from his sleep and said, "I will go out as at other times and shake myself free." But he did not know that the Lord had left him. And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the prison.
Being in spirit is the beginning of happiness. It is the admission that you are nothing without Christ. This admission is always followed by the Lord flooding your life with the riches of his mercy and grace. To be “poor in spirit” is to be honest about yourself, and this is the way to happiness!
Psalms 19:14 NKJV
Scripture Reading:
Matthew 5:1-12 (ESV)1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
We are going to launch 2020 with a series titled “The Way to Happiness”, and we are going to start with something that we ended last year with, as we looked to this new decade and that is humility so this first sermon of 2020 is Humility Is The Way To Happiness.
Everyone wants to be happy, and the New Testament is our greatest authority on the subject. Jesus Christ gives us the key that will unlock the door to happiness. This key is found in the eight Beatitudes. Which we just read:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
The word translated “blessed” is sometimes translated “happy.”
Text:
Matthew 5:3 (ESV)3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Introduction
If God said to you on this first Sunday of 2020, “Choose eight things that you feel would make your new year a happy one and I will give them to you,” there are eight Beatitudes, what would you choose?
Would you choose to be “poor in spirit”? Would you choose things such as mourning, meekness, hunger and thirst, being merciful, being pure in heart, being a peacemaker, or experiencing persecution? Do these eight things sound happy?
Well, Jesus seems to think so.
Before you say that Jesus is wrong, think about the opposites of these qualities: characteristics like pride, pleasure-seeking, aggressiveness, compromising, impurity, cruelty, and hatred.
You wouldn't be happy with these characteristics, would you? Of course not!
So let's look at the eight Beatitudes as eight steps to happiness. and why they are your way to happiness in 2020 and beyond.
We are starting with being "poor in spirit" which is being humble which is exactly what we talked about last week.
I asked and answered some questions last week;
Would you like to know God better in the next decade? Humble yourself!
Would you like to receive God’s approval in the next decade? Humble yourself!
Would you like to break through to victory in the next decade? Humble yourself!
Would you like a closer walk with God in 2020 and throughout the next decade? Humble yourself
Humility is the way to happiness. Remember a scripture we had last week,
James 4:10 (ESV) Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Why is humility the way to happiness?
In Matthew 5:3 when Jesus spoke of being “poor in spirit,” he was saying that the poor in spirit recognize that our spirits are needy and we understand the means that can supply our need. The means to cure this poverty of spirit is in our discovery of God’s kingdom.
Matthew 5:3 (ESV)3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
People who are “poor in spirit” do not boast of their accomplishments or talents because they know that everything they have was given to them, in one way or another by God.
1. Humility enables you to be honest about yourself.
When Jesus spoke of being “poor in spirit,” he did not imply that being wealthy is wrong. Money can be handled in a Christian manner or in a non- Christian manner.
Success and prosperity can lead a person to be self-satisfied and proud. Yet poverty can drive a person to dishonesty.
1 Timothy 6:10 ESV For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
Jesus declared that if you want to be happy, you must be aware of your spiritual poverty. No picture is more pathetic than that of a person who has a great need and is unaware of it. Do you remember Samson after Delilah got him to tell her the secret of his great strength:
Judges 16:20-21 ESV And she said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" And he awoke from his sleep and said, "I will go out as at other times and shake myself free." But he did not know that the Lord had left him. And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the prison.
Being in spirit is the beginning of happiness. It is the admission that you are nothing without Christ. This admission is always followed by the Lord flooding your life with the riches of his mercy and grace. To be “poor in spirit” is to be honest about yourself, and this is the way to happiness!
2. Humility drives you to commit your full potential to God.
William Barclay concluded that “Blessed are the poor in spirit” means blessed are those who have realized their own helplessness and who have placed their complete trust in the Lord. After you have done this, you will become detached from things and attached to God. You will commit your full potential to God’s will.
The boy who took all the food that he had and turned it over to Jesus is an example of somebody committing everything that they have.
John 6:8-13 ESV One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost." So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.
Once you are willing to commit everything to the Lord, you will be amazed at what Christ can do with what you have to offer. Andrew asked a question that we are so often tempted to ask,
“But what are they among so many?” In his own hands, the boy’s lunch was hardly enough to satisfy his own hunger. But in Jesus’ hands, the small meal became enough to feed more than five thousand people! Never underestimate what God can do with your five loaves and two fish. The moment you commit all that you have to Christ, the impossible begins to happen!
Poverty that produces happiness is poverty of spirit. Total submission to God’s will is always best, and humility is the way to happiness because it drives you to commit your full potential to God’s will.
3. Humility prepares you to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
No proud person can be filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit, because a life filled with pride has no room for the Holy Spirit. Those who are unwilling to be controlled by the Holy Spirit are controlled by selfish ambition. That's why the Lord said that we must become like little children before we enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:1-4 ESV At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Children depend on their parents. As God’s children, we are dependent on him. Children don't spend a lot of time little worrying about what they will eat, what they will wear, or where they will sleep. They simply assume that their needs will be met by their parents.
Matthew 6:31-34 ESV Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Our heavenly Father is responsible for our care. We are told to cast our cares on him because he cares for us.
1 Peter 5:6-7 ESV Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Jesus also said to his disciples,
Luke 11:11-13 ESV What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
The “poor in spirit” know they are poor in spirit. They know they can do, and can be nothing, apart from the indwelling Spirit of God. Those who find happiness through humility allow the Holy Spirit to fill them.
Ephesians 5:15, 17-21 ESV Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Humility that enables you to be honest with yourself, that causes you to commit your full potential to God, and that prepares you to be filled with the Holy Spirit is the way to happiness.
Conclusion
Eddystone lighthouse off the coast of Plymouth, England, was placed there over two hundred years ago to warn ships of the dangerous reefs. Henry Winstanley, the architect who built it, was so confident of its strength that he had written on the cornerstone, “Blow, O Ye Winds! Rise, O Ocean! Break Forth, Ye Elements, and Try My Work!” Those were foolish words, for less than three years later a raging storm destroyed the lighthouse, along with Winstanley and others who were making repairs on it at the time.
Years later John Smeaton, an early leader in civil engineering, rebuilt it. He found a new site and dug deep to the solid rock. He was a sincere Christian, as the new cornerstone said: “Except the Lord Build the House, They Labor in Vain That Build It.” For over ninety years it has stood every test—it was founded on rock!
Do you want the kingdom of heaven now? Then dig deeply and build your life on the foundation of humility, because it is the way to happiness!
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