True Happiness

What brings you true joy/Happiness? Is it things? Is it people? Can it be either of these? Is it your church? family? etc . . . ?

Intro

Illus: There is no doubet we in teh south have our own language

Examples:

Aren’t you precious? - Sarcasm for someone who isn;t very sweet.

Bless your heart - basically is what you say before you say anything you want

Catty-Corner - Diagonal to something

Clicker - remote control

Coke- any sort of soda

fixin’ to - about to do something

Holler

Muddin’

Supper- Dinner

Pitcher - holds sweet tea

“A little while.” A term that seemed to create a bunch of confusion in the minds of the disciples

When you tell someone you are going away for a littel while what does that mean?

Drama

Confusion of terms by the disciples

John 16:16-

John 16:16–18 ESV

“A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.”

They wee confused because He was teh Messiah and they expected His Kingdom to be an immediate physical Kingdom

His Kingdom was at hand - Just came in on a donkey - Palm Sunday

Where was he going? How long? Why?

They were desperate and placed all of their hopes in what they thought He was doing and where He was going

Jesus clarifies his terms

John 16:19 ESV

Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’?

John 16:19

He chides them again for focusing on the wrong question

“A Little While”

and you will NOT see me

John 16:20 ESV

Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.

They will be fillled with grief at Jesus death, but the world will rejoice

The world is an enemy of God and the ruler of this world wanted to kill God

Illus: Chronicles of Narnia; Aslan laying on the table and the white queen stands with the knife and everyone is cheering. And, when she drives it into his heart they cheer and rejoice

God is Dead - Nietzsche

Friedrich Nietzsche writes his famous declaration, God is dead several times throughout his works.

The meaning of the phrase is often misunderstood — many have interpereted that Nietzsche believed in a literal death or end of God. Instead, the line points to the western world’s reliance on religion as a moral compass and source of meaning. As he explains in The Gay Science (Section 125, The Madman):

“God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?”

His point was that when man seeks to kill God that what is left is Nihilism- the belief that life is meaningless

This is where many are today - that life is meaningless

It may have been where the disciples would have been if Jesus had only died on the cross

Jesus says: “But your sorrow will trun to Joy.”

“And again, a little while, and you WILL see me.”

Jesus is clearly speaking of the Resurrection and the time prior to the ascension:

“Because I am going to the Father.”

Jesus turns them to the resurrection -

He uses teh illustration of child brith and the effects on the Mother

John 16:21 ESV

When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.

John 16:

Catie and Campbell Bailey

Pain and agony will be replaced by joy and happiness

How? Because Jesus will be raised fom the dead and conquer death and the victory will be for God’s people and for their salvation

John 16:22 ESV

So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

Doctrine

Truth of God’s Word

Jesus tells them what is going to happen and prepares them. And, the events that take place are exactly what Jesus said they would be.

This shows us the Word of Jesus are teh Word of God

Thsi shows us that the Words of Jesus/God are true

Sovereignty

This plan of Salvation is a plan that goes beyond the beginning of our time

That God orchastrated and arranged all of the actions necessary of every person in order for the plan of Salvation to take place

It wasn’t by chance - It was God ordained and directed

Resurrection

The resurrection of Jesus accomplishes the reversal of the effects of Original Sin

Sin = death

Resurrection is newness of life

- 1st Adam and Second Adam

Victory over the first death - physical and the second death spiritual

Accomplishes our salvation spiritually, starting in this life and physically, when He returns again and the dead shall rise again

1 Corinthians 15:20–23 ESV

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:20-

The Spiritual resurrection is the HS bringing you to faith and raising you to everlasting life in Christ Jesus - You have become a new creation

This is the source of our Joy - the HS and the resurrection we share with Christ Jesus

The physical resurrection is coming and that is when all Joy will by fulfilled

Focusing on the resurrection is where Jesus took His disciples because that was their salvation

Doxology

Christians can be some grumpy and complaining people can’t we.

We like the world often seek joy and happiness in things that won’t ever bring them

The only true Joy is found in the Joy of the Lord

1 Thessalonians 1:6 ESV

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

We are to rejoice in the Holy Spirit’s assurance of this resurrection

We have been raised Spiritually

We will be raised Physically

True Happiness then comes from the HS as we think and meditate on the resurrection

Conclusion

Stop looking elsewhere for true happiness

Focus and meditate on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Think on it. Be encouraged by it.

Celebrate it

As someone who has been grumpy all week. I am tired as many of you. Our only true happiness is not in work, or what we accomplish, or how well we do our job, or even the people around us. They can help, but true joy is when Jesus brings us from death unto life.

This is true happiness. Knowing and believing that Jesus didn’t just rise from the dead, but he brought you along with him.

Let us rejoice in this fact, Like Christ, we have been spiritually and will be physically raised form the dead.