DON T WORRY, BE HAPPY (Matthew 4:23-5:3) INTRODUCTION: I want to start a series of messages this morning on the portion of Scripture which Sinclaire Ferguson calls what is probably the best known part of the Bible. It is the Sermon on the Mount. Even people who know nothing of the Bible are familiar with things like Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. They have heard about being the salt of the earth, most have heard of the Lord s Prayer and many other parts of this sermon. By the way. Matthew doesn t call it a sermon, nor does Jesus. He refers to it as his sayings (7:28). I believe that it was St. Augustine who first called it the Sermon on the Mount. Oddly some Christians dismiss this sermon saying it sets forth standards for living that are impossible, too unrealistic, and therefore Christians are not to take them seriously. Others dismiss this sermon saying that it only applies to those living in the future Kingdom of God when Christ returns to reign on earth. But I believe that Jesus wants us to live by these teachings today. The Great Commission in the last chapter of Matthew has Jesus saying Go, make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. The Sermon on the Mount is part of those commands. What do you think about the Sermon on the Mount? Do you see it as applying to you today? I hope so for if you don t you ll never hear God speaking to you through it. BEGINS WITH THE 8 BEATITUDES You will notice that Jesus starts this sermon with the beatitudes. This is a series of eight statements that begin with Blessed. The Greek word for blessed can be translated happy. The happiness of the beatitudes is authentic happiness, not happiness created by the formula H=nF; i.e. happiness equals the number of times we have fun over a life time. Robert Schuler calls these beatitudes the Be- Happy attitudes. Let s think a little more about happiness. Happiness is something most people are pursuing. You know, the pursuit of happiness is one of the basic rights of the American way of life! It's written right into the Declaration of Independence. September 30, 2018 Corntassel CP Church Page 1
Happiness is something we all want and desire. We sing about it, not only in Gospel choruses like If you are happy and know it, clap your hands but also in the secular songs like, "Don't Worry, Be Happy." Any of you remember this song? Bobby McFerrin made the top ten in 1988. It is a commentary on our times about the deep feeling we have for happiness. There was a PEANUTS cartoon years ago in which Lucy asked Charlie Brown if he has ever known anybody who was really happy. Before she could finish her sentence, however, Snoopy came dancing on tip-toe into the frame, his nose high in the air. He danced and bounced his way across two frames of the cartoon strip. Finally, in the last frame, Lucy finished her sentence, "Have you ever known anybody who was really happy and was still in their right mind!" Is anyone in this world authentically happy? Certainly we know that many people are unhappy. In 2016 nearly 45, 000 people committed suicide in the United States, and suicide is on the rise. That is about 124 a day. Among people ages 15 to 34, suicide is the second-leading cause of death. Is there anybody who is really happy? Do you know of anyone who is truly happy? Are you happy? In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells us about how to be happy or to be blest. Jesus doesn't use the word happy; He uses the word "blessed. The happiness that Jesus is speaking of is the happiness that comes through the work of God in our lives and the blessings of God given to us. What is the secret of this authentic happiness according to the Sermon on the Mount? This is what I want to share this morning. THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS IS KNOWING THE KING PERSONALLY The secret of authentic happiness is not the pursuit of happiness. The great novelist, Nathaniel Hawthorne, saw this truth clearly. He wrote: "Happiness in this world, when it comes, comes incidentally. Make it the object of pursuit, and it leads us on a wild-goose chase, and is never attained." When we make happiness the goal of our life, we miss it. The idea of the "pursuit of happiness" in the Declaration of Independence is somewhat misleading. The secret of happiness begins not with the pursuit of happiness but by the pursuit of the kingdom of God. Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all September 30, 2018 Corntassel CP Church Page 2
these things will be given to you as well, Jesus said (6:33). Happiness is a byproduct of something else. It is the by-product of belonging to the kingdom of God. Jesus' theme in the Sermon on the Mount is how to live in the kingdom of God today. He mentions the kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God at least seven times in this sermon. 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 5:19...he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 5:20...you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 6:10 Your kingdom come.. 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God... 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven.. What is the kingdom of God that Jesus is speaking of? The kingdom of God is not a location but a relationship. The kingdom of God is the rule or reign of God. Where God reigns, there the Kingdom of Heaven is present. That is why Jesus could say, The Kingdom of God is at hand. It is because the King was at hand, and he was demonstrating His rule by healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead, providing food for the multitudes, by controlling the wind and waves. To understand the significance of the kingdom of God in Jesus teaching, let s go back and get the Biblical background of it. In the Old Testament God s kingdom is mentioned many times. There are different levels to his kingdom. On the highest level, God s kingdom is all His creation. He is King of all the earth, the Psalmist says. On another level God s kingdom in the Old Testament was focused on the nation of Israel. Israel was called to be a kingdom of priests unto God. Israel and the kingdom of God on this level were synonymous. But the prophets promised a new phase of God s kingdom to come. This was the Messianic Kingdom, the kingdom of God as ruled by God s Son. Isa 9:6-7 is one passage (Isa 9:6-7 NKJV) For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. {7} Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with September 30, 2018 Corntassel CP Church Page 3
judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. This is the kingdom that Jesus is talking about in the book on Matthew in general and the Sermon on the Mount in specific. Jesus is talking about the promised Messianic kingdom was here in the Person of the King. He was teaching them how to live in the Messianic Kingdom. He was teaching them how to live under the rule of King Jesus. The Sermon on the Mount gives us the teaching of the King for kingdom living. He starts by talking about the blessings of those who are part of the kingdom. The first key to the secret of happiness is to know the King personally, i.e.. Jesus. True happiness comes by yielding your heart and life to the King. Then you will experience the kingdom blessing of happiness or divine blessedness. Happiness is a by-product of knowing the King and being a citizen of the kingdom of God. THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS IS LIVING ACCORDING TO THE KING S TEACHINGS. Happiness is also a by-product of living a life according to the King s teachings. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is telling his disciples how they are to live in God s kingdom. We learn how to live in God s kingdom by living according to the teachings of Christ, i.e. according to the teachings of the Bible. When we walk in obedience to God's Word we will be happy. We sing the hymn "Trust and Obey". The chorus goes, "Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey." The Psalmist supports this: Psalms 119:1 NIV Blessed [happy] are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. Living according to the teachings of the Bible is intimately related to Christ s rule in our lives. Jesus expresses his authority through his word, the Bible. It is, as John Calvin picturesquely put it, the scepter by which King Jesus rules his people is the Scriptures. A scepter in the Bible days was an ornamental staff that symbolizes the authority of the king. Jesus staff of authority is the Scripture. Remember Jesus is not only the King but He is the good shepherd of the sheep. His staff as the Good Shepherd is His Word. (John 3-5) It is through the Scriptures that Jesus guides us, speaks to us, and leads us. That is why one mark of September 30, 2018 Corntassel CP Church Page 4
the Christian will be loving study of Scripture and a growing obedience to everything Christ teaches us through Scripture. Do you love Christ s scepter? Do you love His Word? Do you study it, read it faithfully? Do you seek to live according to his teaching? Happiness is a by-product of belonging to God's kingdom. Happiness is a by-product of living a life according to the teaching of the King. THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS IS TRUSTING IN THE KING S PROVISION. Happiness is also a by-product of trusting in the King s provision and care in our life. Matthew 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." The secret of happiness is to trust in a God who cares for you. Proverbs 16:20 NIV Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD. We need to learn to trust in the Lord. I like Dallas Willard s comment about trusting Jesus. He said, To trust the real person Jesus is to have confidence in him in every dimension of our real life, to believe that he is right about and adequate to everything. We put a premium on trusting Jesus for salvation and we should, but trusting Jesus doesn t stop at trusting him only for salvation. We are to trust Him in every dimension of our real lived life! Too often we get impatience and try to force things to happen when what we need is to learn to trust God to work in His way. A six-year-old boy was assisting his mother with some spring gardening. The mother was absorbed in her work while the little boy explored the miracle of growing things exploding everywhere. All at once the boy picked up a daffodil bud, and sat down on the ground, and studied it. Then with his two little hands, he tried to force it open into a full blossom. The result, of course, was disappointment and a mess: limp petals and a dead flower. Frustrated, he cried out, "Mommy, why is it that when I try to open the buds, it just falls to pieces and dies. How does God open it into a beautiful flower?" September 30, 2018 Corntassel CP Church Page 5
Even before his mother could answer, a broad smile broke across the child's face, and he exclaimed, "Oh! I know! God always works from the inside." God works from the inside and in His own way. In life we need to learn to trust God in every area and in every circumstance of our life. Do you have an area of your life that you need to trust Jesus more? What about your basic daily needs? Doesn t God promise to feed you and clothe you? What about relationships? Doesn t God promise to guide you in finding happiness in your relationships? Jesus will speak more about this in the Sermon on the Mount. What about behavior and attitudes in your life that rob you of happiness. Doesn t God promise to guide you out of these? Jesus will speak more about this in the Sermon on the Mount. To be authentically happy, or blest, we need to trust our King in every area of our real life. CONCLUSION: Let me ask you this morning, Are you happy? I mean authentically happy, the fullness of joy. Do you want to be happy? Do you know the secret of being happy? Let me close by quoting a song I learned long ago which sort of summarizes the secret of happiness: Happiness is to know the Savior Living a life within His favor Having a change in my behavior Happiness is the Lord Happiness is a new creation Jesus and me in close relation Having a part in His salvation Happiness is the Lord Happiness is to be forgiven Living a life that's worth the livin' Taking a trip that leads to heaven Happiness is the Lord Real joy is mine No matter if teardrops start I've found the secret It's Jesus in my heart Amen? Amen! September 30, 2018 Corntassel CP Church Page 6