Fake News: God just wants me to be happy

Text: Matthew 16:24–26

INTRODUCTION: THE LIE OF HAPPINESS

There is a story that comes to us from the battlegrounds of World War II. A group of American soldiers was making its way through a hostile zone.

The terrain was rugged, the danger was real, and death seemed to hang in the air. Suddenly, one of the men stepped on a landmine. The platoon froze.

They knew what that meant. If he moved, he’d die instantly.

But as the tension rose, one soldier—without hesitation—leapt forward, shoved his friend out of the way, and took his place.

The mine exploded beneath him. His sacrifice was complete.

Years later, the soldier who had been saved went to visit the family of the one who had given his life.

Choked with emotion, he tried to express his gratitude. But all he could get out was, "He died so I could live."

The father of the fallen hero looked the man in the eyes and asked a simple, piercing question:

"What are you doing with the life he saved?"

Church, that question echoes into eternity. What are you doing with the life Jesus saved?

Because the One who died for our freedom, the One who stepped onto the mine of our sin, was not just a brave man—He was the Son of the Living God.

And yet, in our modern culture, we have minimized His sacrifice.

We’ve diluted His call. We’ve bought into a lie—a subtle, soft, smiley lie that says:

"God just wants you to be happy."

That’s the fake news we’re confronting today.

It’s a message that fills our timelines, our TV shows, our motivational podcasts, and sometimes even our pulpits.

But Jesus had a very different message. He didn’t promise happiness—He promised a cross.

Let’s read what He says in Matthew 16:24-26:

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life?

Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life?"

I. THE MYTH OF HAPPINESS: A COMFORTABLE LIE

This myth—"God just wants you to be happy"—sounds good. It feels good. It’s the kind of message that people like to hear.

It’s the kind of theology that doesn’t challenge you, doesn’t confront you, doesn’t cost you anything. And that’s exactly why it’s so dangerous.

Because it puts me at the center of the story. My dreams, my feelings, my satisfaction—those become the measure of God’s goodness.

God doesn’t just want you to be happy, he wants you to be Holy.

We can only experience true happiness by living a right relationship with Him.

But listen carefully:

A god who exists just to make you happy is not the God of the Bible. It’s a god we’ve created in our own image.

The real God—the Holy One, the Righteous One, the Redeemer—He’s not your therapist or your cheerleader. He is your Savior and your Lord.

God is not interested in superficial smiles that mask broken souls. He came to make you whole, not just make you feel good. And that process—called sanctification—is often uncomfortable.

Think about how much of the Bible refutes this myth:

Noah didn’t feel happy building an ark while everyone mocked him.

Abraham didn’t feel happy being told to sacrifice Isaac.

Moses didn’t feel happy leading stubborn people through the wilderness.

Jesus didn’t feel happy in Gethsemane.

Can I give you a confession. In all my years as being a pastor I haven’t always felt “happy”.

Like Noah I’ve had people Mock me for what God was telling me to build.

do you think that makes me happy?

Like Abraham God has told me to sacrifice family on the altar to test my obedience.

I’ve had my own brother spit on my bible.

I’ve had my own uncle tell me I should get a real job because you can’t support your family with this. do you think that makes me happy?

Like Moses I’ve had to lead stubborn people through there wilderness and I still do.

do you think that makes me happy?

Like Jesus I’ve had my gethsemane moments where I’ve anguished in prayer over someone in a hospital bed and nursing home

Where I’ve anguished in prayer over the pressing power of my enemies

Where I’ve anguished over Pharisees who would plan and pray for my demise and downfall where they actually believed it was Gods will for them to do that! but guess what? I’m.still.here. Im still standing. So don’t confuse pain with punishment. Sometimes, God’s greatest work in your life happens in the valley, not on the mountaintop.

There’s an old story about a man watching a butterfly struggle to emerge from its cocoon.

The man, wanting to help, carefully snipped the cocoon open. The butterfly came out—but it was weak, and its wings were shriveled.

You see, it needed the struggle to strengthen its wings. Without the process, it couldn’t fly.

Likewise, the struggles you face are not meant to destroy you. They’re meant to develop you.

God’s goal is not to pamper you—it’s to prepare you.

II. THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP: DENY, TAKE UP, FOLLOW

Let’s return to Jesus’ words in verse 24:

"If anyone wants to follow Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me."

This is a radical call to discipleship. And let’s be honest—it doesn’t fit neatly into the consumer Christianity of our culture.

This is not a sales pitch. Jesus doesn’t say, "Follow Me and I’ll make you rich." He says, "Follow Me and you will suffer."

A. Deny Yourself

This is the exact opposite of what the world teaches. The world says, “Indulge yourself.” Jesus says, “Deny yourself.”

The world says, “Live your truth.” Jesus says, “Die to yourself.”

God doesn’t want you happy at the expense of holiness.

for example, God desires that you deny yourself the pleasure of sin for his righteousness.

God desires that he himself, becomes your delight.

To deny yourself means to stop making yourself the center. It means surrendering your rights, your reputation, and your pride. Jesus tells us to take up your cross.

B. Take Up Your Cross

In Jesus’ day, the cross was not a piece of jewelry—it was an instrument of death.

To carry a cross was to be on your way to die. Jesus is not calling us to comfort. He is calling us to die—

to our sin, to our will, to our desire to control.

This is a call to suffer for something greater than yourself.

And let me say to someone today: the reason your faith feels stagnant might be because you’re trying to follow Jesus without carrying a cross.

That’s also how Churches become stagnant. We can become so comfortable with the “way we’ve always done it” that any change feels like death.

C. Follow Me

You see, Jesus doesn’t just give us a task—He gives us a path.

He says, “Follow Me.” Not a religion. Not a tradition. Me.

This is about intimacy. This is about surrender.

This is about relationship.

And He leads us—not just to a cross—but to resurrection. But you can’t get to Easter without going through Good Friday.

III. THE PARADOX OF LOSING TO GAIN

"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."

This is the upside-down Kingdom.

The way to live is to die.

The way to gain is to give.

The way to win is to surrender.

If you try to save your life—by making it all about you—you will lose the life God designed you to live.

But if you give your life away for Christ, you will discover real purpose, real identity, real joy.

ILLUSTRATION:

Imagine clutching a handful of sand. The tighter you squeeze it, the more it slips through your fingers.

But if you open your hand, you can hold much more. That’s what it’s like with your life.

The more you try to control it, the more it slips away. But when you surrender it to Jesus, He can do more with it than you ever could.

IV. THE DANGER OF A BAD TRADE

Jesus asks the piercing question:

"What good is it if you gain the whole world and lose your soul?"

It’s a rhetorical question with an obvious answer: it’s no good at all.

You can gain popularity, possessions, and pleasure—and still be bankrupt in eternity.

You can be successful by the world’s standards and still be separated from God.

You can win in the lottery and lose in heaven’s court.

You can have a closet full of clothes and a heart full of emptiness.

You can have it all—and still have nothing.

ILLUSTRATION:

There’s a story about a man who loved collecting art. He spent millions on paintings and sculptures. When he died, his entire collection was auctioned off.

The first item on the list? A simple portrait of his only son.

No one bid—until a poor man who had worked for the family raised his hand. He had no money, but he loved the boy.

The auctioneer banged the gavel. “Sold.”

Then he announced, “The auction is over.” Everyone gasped. “According to the father’s will, whoever takes the son gets everything.”

Church, when you take the Son, you get everything. Without Him, you get nothing.

V. WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THE LIFE HE SAVED?

So that beginning question still echoes:

What are you doing with the life Jesus saved?

Are you spending it chasing happiness? Or are you surrendering it for purpose?

Are you building your kingdom—or His?

Are you worshipping your family or are you worshipping with your family?

Don’t waste your life chasing temporary pleasure when eternal purpose is offered in Christ.

Don’t settle for fake news when you’ve been invited into Good News.

Jesus gave His life for you. The only reasonable response is to give your life for Him.

CONCLUSION: REAL JOY, REAL LIFE

Here’s the truth: there is a difference between happiness and joy.

Happiness is a state of mind that is temporary and is based on circumstances.

Joy is the state of your spirit that is eternal and based on your relationship with God.

God is not opposed to your joy. He created it. But He wants you to have joy that lasts.

Not the kind of joy that comes from a vacation or a promotion or a new car.

The kind of joy that comes from knowing your sins are forgiven.

From knowing your eternity is secure. From knowing your life has meaning.

Happiness is based on what happens.

Joy is based on Who holds your future.

So don’t fall for the fake news. Don’t settle for a life that’s fun but faithless.

Don’t trade your soul for the world.

God doesn’t just want you to be happy. He wants you to be holy.

He wants you to be whole. He wants you to be His.

And when you are His—when you deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus—you will find something better than happiness.

You will find life.

You will find joy.

You will find purpose.

You will find Him.

If you’ve been living for yourself, today is the day to surrender. If you’ve been chasing the world’s happiness, today is the day to choose God’s purpose.

and know God doesn’t just want you to be happy but he also wants you to be Holy.