6/29/08: 7 Pentecost
St Stephen’s San Jose, The Rev Ken Wrat=
ten
Sermon Series on Happiness; Week Two – =
Happiness
Turned Upside Down
Last week: We started looking at Matt=
hew
5 for information on what brings us lasting happiness. Realize your need for
God; face your failures and sins honestly; be humble in your relationships
(submit to control by God).
Most of us think we need to fix external thin=
gs,
things on the outside of us, and that will make us happy. Make more money;
change jobs; have a child; have another child; get the children out of the
house; or whatever.
The Bible tells us that this is an upside dow=
n view
of life. God wants to help us get right side up, and to live our lives from=
the
inside out. Rather than try to work on external things, we should focus on
internal characteristics of our life. And in response to seeing those
characteristics, God will favor us with lasting happiness.
First, let’s review a critical point fr=
om
last week. When Scripture says ‘Blessed’, this word in the orig=
inal
language of the NT means ‘happy’; But this Greek word for happy
means being happy because we are enjoying God’s favor. In Matt 5, Jes=
us
is saying that people who exhibit these characteristics have God’s di=
vine
favor working in their life. This isn’t about being lucky, or feeling
like we’re just in the right place at the right time. This is how to
experience deep inner joy that comes from the inside out; not from the outs=
ide
in, because we have God’s favor.
M=
att 5:6; hunger and thirst for righteousness
(Describe a craving): Ruth and me going for a
Wendy’s Frosty.
But Jesus wants us to crave having God in our
lives.
God blesses those who long for God. He blesse=
s them
by filling / satisfying them.
We try to be satisfied with external things; =
like
shopping. Or putting work at #1.
Work can consume your life: a lot of you here
already know that. You’ve been part of this valley’s culture as
long as I have, or longer. You can let your job be your only social connect=
ion,
your hobby, your discussion on your day off. It becomes a role you plan in
order to succeed; but it isn’t “you”. And you end up losi=
ng track
of who you are, because you are
embedded so deeply in the role.
P= salm 34:8; “Taste and see t= hat the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.” Taste = and see that God is good. This is about God feeding us from the inside. So how = is your appetite for God these days? How is your spiritual appetite? Is God ju= st the appetizer? Or is he the snack? Or is he the main course in your life? <= o:p>
Maybe there was a time early in your faith li=
fe,
that you couldn’t learn enough about God, you couldn’t pray eno=
ugh,
or read the Bible enough, or talk to friends about God enough. But maybe
that’s not where you are now. This isn’t about where God is;
He’s still where he was. It’s about us. We drift away from doin=
g what
used to keep us connected, and growing, and hungry for God.
Don’t miss opportunities for fellowship
– a summer movie night, the golf dinner.
Or doing ministry or mission together –=
help
with prep for the pre-school; or taking food or clothing down to SMUM (do y=
ou
know where it is?); or hiring one of the Sudanese boys to do some yard work=
for
you, so they can earn some extra income.
Plan to sign up for the Crossways bible study=
this
September; one weekday morning or evening for a year.
M=
att 5:7; merciful
This is the total opposite of our culture. Our
culture says that the way to feel happy is to take power and use it over
others. Jesus teaches that being truly happy is about learning to share mercy, and to help others.
[My visits to Mary at the adult home in Water=
town.]
I brought my family to meet her. Candace &
Laurie made dolls for her.
I got more out of my time with Mary than she =
got
from me.
When you share mercy, it comes back to you.
M=
att 5:8;
pure in heart
God blesses those who are authentic in the wa=
y they
are trying to follow God.
Why do you do what you do? What motivates you=
? Is
it to serve God?
The person you say you are; are you really th=
at
person?
Are you the same person during the week that =
you
are on the weekends?
Roles ref Eckhart Tolle’s book, A New E=
arth
(from Ann Tyler)
‘Functions’ are what we do; if th=
ey
define us, they become ‘roles’; not authentic.
If you are pure in heart, you constantly work=
to be
authentic in your relationship with God. And the blessing Jesus describes i=
s that
you will begin to see God in many more places in your life; in the people y=
ou
work with; in the circumstances of your life; you see God in action all aro=
und
you; you see him there, and moving, and active, and involved, and guiding y=
ou.
Jesus says, ‘happy are the pure in heart’.
M=
att 5:9; peacemakers
One level of being a peacemaker is to take ac=
tion toward
making peace in the petty rivalries in your life; with family members; frie=
nds;
co-workers; siblings; or members of this faith family. When you decide to l=
et
go of the squabbles, feuds, arguments, fights, sharp words, stubbornness, w=
hatever
builds a fence between you and those around you; that releases an anchor th=
at
is pulling you down, pulling you away from inner peace and happiness.
It is so easy to let our ego control our live=
s. But
God calls you and me to a higher standard of citizenship, a higher level of=
relationship
with each other. It’s hard work. But it is the level of awareness God
calls us to, recognizing these patterns that pull us down, and refusing to =
let
them control us. It’s about practicing God’s presence in our li=
fe;
it’s about living in God’s grace all the time. It is possible. =
Being a peacemaker isn’t just about mak= ing peace with the people around us. = It is also about remembering that Jesus came to give us peace with God. <= o:p>
<= o:p>
2=
Cor
5:20; Come back to God.
No matter how far we’ve moved from God,=
we
can come back.
No matter what we’ve done that we know offends God, we can come back.
No matter what we have not done, that bri=
ngs us
up short from God’s plan, we can come back.
Being a peacemaker includes making our own pe=
ace
with God, coming back to God.
If you are going to experience lasting happin=
ess,
it has to be anchored from the inside, and not in outside things or
circumstances. For happiness to be right
side up, we need to invite God to turn the world’s value system upside down. We need to-
Hunger for God, and be filled with Him
Share mercy, and let it come back to us
Be authentic (pure in heart), and see God at =
work
everywhere
Bring peace into every relationship, and mirr=
or
God’s love
And then we will live life on a foundation of=
inner
happiness.
Amen
1