The Beatitudes

Beatitudes

Happy in the One

Intro: There are a lot of articles, books, and websites written to give advice on how to become happier. One article, ends with the advice “You can be happier. It's just a matter of building the right ‘happiness skills.’" The University of Pennsylvania has an entire college program built around happiness and positive psychology.

Much of the advice given is meant to help transform your present life into something better. A Christmas Carol, with ebendzer Scrooge and The Grinch who stole Christmas, both move the main character from living a life they think makes them happy, to realizing they are not happy and then there is a transformation and a realization of what will actually make them happy.

Charles Dickens was a Christian and for his main character in A Christmas Carol, what changes Ebenezer Scrooge, is the actual redemption and forgiveness he goes through and receives a new life after three days.

He changes his life from what he thinks to what God thinks. And while there is not a necessarily direct correlation between A Christmas Carol and the Beatitudes, these concepts or character traits are what a Christian can strive to be.

So what does God tell us about how his children can act?

Read Verses

Main Point Jesus gives instructions to achieve True Happiness

I. Happiness Now

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

And you might be wondering why Have I inserted the words happiness when the translations is blessed. This word used originally has the definition of Blessed, fortunate or happy. This is different from the blessing ou pray over a meal, but this has those three definition of we are fortunate, we can be happy knowing that we have been blessed by God and that we will continue to be blessed or happy when we keep these characteristics in the forefront of our mind.

Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones who was an actual medical doctor before becoming a pastor at the Westminster Chapel in London states that the Beatitudes are in a spiritual logical sequence that must take place in a

The first one is being poor in spirit. Loud jones says that being poor in spirit is really an emptying of yourself, while all of the other characteristics are a fullness.

Before we can be filled blessed with the filing of God the Holy Spirit, we must empty ourselves, or perhaps more accurately in many cases in our lives, be emptied out by God in order to be ready to accept Him.

This is not meaning that poor people are more blessed than rich people because if you have been poor, or know poor people that would most likely tell you that that is not a time to be happy. Poor people may have less distance to travel to the bottom in order to be emptied, but the lack of money does not equal more faith.

Application point: Being poor in spirit also allows you to live the other characteristics in order to know that you are blessed.

When you are emptied, it is easy to be humble, merciful, peacemakers because what you have on the inside, what you are filled up with should be coming out, or overflowing to the outside.

Ebenezer Scrooge, we see that he has to be emptied from all of his curmudgeonly behavior. He is full of himself and everything he does is to make himself rich, which makes everyone else poor. He gives out as much coal to minimally heat his office, which makes it miserable for his employee Bob Krachett to work properly.

Scrooge is not poor in spirit. He had a very high view of himself to the point that he did not care about anyone else. Others despised him because he was so miserly and he did not need anyone.he was in fact, lonely.

Much of the happiness literature is geared toward. You doing it yourself.You making yourself happy. That is why you find those books in them self help section of the library or bookstore.

The world tells us we can have happiness now if we just rely on ourselves and do what makes us happy. Follow your heart in order to be happy, the world says. But God Says Follow me.

Paul explains to the Philippians church in chapter two of that letter, “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

We can be happy on this earth by emptiness yourself and allowing God’s prescience in your life to pour out. But this is not just for now, but, it has long term implications for the future.

II. Happiness Later

Our lives on earth are not easy. We suffer, we experience loss.

There are times when we feel like things have been taken and we are left with nothing. That doing the right thing gets you nothing and nice guys finish last.

When we show mercy, sometimes we do not get shown mercy.

But Jesus says when you act this way,

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.

In Romans, chapter 8 starting in verse 18 Paul explains to the church For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

In A Christmas Carol Scrooge wants to keep everything now. The only, his resources, his Time. He doesn’t even let Cratchett go early on Christmas Eve. He expects the contractual agreement of a week’s work for a week’s pay.

He shows no mercy and so he receives none from the people he interacts with.

When he is asked for money “At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge,” said the gentleman, taking up a pen, “it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.” “Are there no prisons?” asked Scrooge.

“Plenty of prisons,” said the gentleman, laying down the pen again. “And the Union workhouses?” demanded Scrooge. “Are they still in operation?” “They are. Still,” returned the gentleman, “I wish I could say they were not.” “The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?” said Scrooge. “Both very busy, sir.” “Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course,” said Scrooge. “I’m very glad to hear it.” “Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude,” returned the gentleman, “a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?” “Nothing!” Scrooge replied. “You wish to be anonymous?” “I wish to be left alone,” said Scrooge.

Scroogewantstogkeep hi money and does not care about the future. He only cares about his present.

The apostles are Sad at the crucifixion of Jesus because they think their best hope of the messiah has now come and gone. They don’t know what to do and they retire to the Upper room. Business as usual.

Jesus gave them hints that there was more to his mission. And that he would return in the future. He was resurrected after three days

The future is so much better because we will be comforted, we will see God and we will be satisfied that all the times of doing the right thing , the Christ-like action was worth it. Steering clear of the myriad of sins, the sacrifice of avoiding things that are not pleasing to God are filling and you are full.

TS: When we live differently from the word though, we will be persecuted,ridiculed and just looked down on or at least as different. And we must be Ok with the hat and help others who become Christians to know how to be happy in a Godly manner.

III. Happiness through Struggles

Each of the beatitudes are a struggle and we must keep it in the forefront why we come to church and do things differently than nonbelievers.

But Jesus knows that the word will make it difficult for the believer.

Jesus wants you to consider yourself blessed or fortunate when people persecute you for your right behavior or insult you becuase you are a Christian,living a Righteous life.

This seems the exact opposite of what should happen or how the world may act. When these things happen to you.

But we act in righteousness, not because it makes us superior, but we should be filled in and with God. We are filled up with Christ’s righteousness which he has given to us. The theological term is imputed.

“Christ’s atoning death constitutes a ‘demonstration of God’s own righteousness’, which has been hidden until ‘the present time’ (3:25–26). This delay has taken place on account of God’s ‘patience’, in which he passed over the sins which human beings have committed (verse 25).

Paul explains in starting in verse 21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— Romans 3:22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three ghosts over three days before he comes out a changed man. This represents the death of the old man and the resurrection of the man into his new self. Scrooge followJesus in a similar fashion to accept understand the redemption and forgiveness that he desperately needs to save his soul. And the only one that is mighty to save is God.

And that justifier is Christ.

IV. Our Source of Happiness

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Jesus explains or closes up this section of his sermon with the idea that we should be happy because, as chirstians, we are joining a long line of people who endured a lot of discontent, disrespect, and pain and suffering as a prophet of God.

John the Baptist will be beheaded on a whim for birthday present

God tells Jeremiah when he is commissioning him as his prophet in 1:18-19 saysAnd I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.” According to history Jeremiah was stoned to death.

Isaiah was sawn in two. Micah and Amos are purported to have killed by people close to the kings the prophets were under

The writer of Hebrew says this as he is naming people for the Faith hall of fame in chapter 11 (ESV): Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Conclusion

What do we have to be happy or feel blessed about?

The God of everything has chosen you to be saved, to fill you with His spirit and redeem you. To give you a second chance.

Ebenezer Scrooge realized what the redemption was about and he became a completely different person at the end of the story. He did not do it on his own. Scrooge was the focus oo some intense convicting the visits of the three ghosts. Which my guess is really a metaphor for the Holy Spirit working to convict Him of the error of His ways.

I do not like Charles Dickens, but understanding the Gospel message that God changes people, the story becomes bigger than just a mean old miser who changes his mind and gets in the Christmas spirit.

Instead the story is about God working to bing Ebenezer Scrooge into the Kingdom of Heaven. And God either has done or may be doing the same thing in your life.

He wants you to empty yourself and be filled and be happy in Him.

Closing Prayer

:1-2

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.