How to be Right
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Happiness Is
Matthew 5:6
Online Sermon:
http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567
Happiness Defined
Are you happy? The Britannica dictionary defines
happiness as “a state of emotional well-being that a person
experiences either in a narrow sense, when good things
happen in a specific
moment, or more
broadly, as a positive
evaluation of one’s
life and
accomplishments
overall.”1
Determining one’s
level of happiness is
not easily attainable for while it is greatly influenced by the
wealth, safety and freedom one has living within one’s own
country,2 it is also derived from a variety of other factors.
Even though the rich, famous, and powerful have the most
expensive items one can purchase this does not mean that
1
they are happy but merely partakers of expensive marketing
endeavors. While having an easy, rich, or successful life
certainly goes a long way towards helping one feel happy the
privileged few who attain such status are still susceptible to
bouts of depression and anxiety. And if worldly success was
the only factor of happiness, then how does one explain that
some of the poorest and oppressed of this world, despite their
bleak circumstances, are able to feel joy in midst of trials,
tribulations, and injustices?
Asking if you are happy is a deceptively complex
question for the answer often changes moment by moment
regardless of one’s circumstances.
If happiness were to be defined as the
emotional well-being of one’s mind, then why
aren’t more people using their imagination
and the power of their minds to will
themselves too always be happy?
While most people want to be happy, they are often unsure if
what they are feeling day by day could be labeled as either
good or happiness! For example, when I ask a colleague of
mine at work if he is happy, he usually responds with “well I
am not unhappy!” While most people want to feel a sense of
joy, accomplishment and satisfaction with their lives is this too
Taken from the following website: https://www.britannica.com/topic/happiness
2
Taken from the following website: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-globalhappiness-levels-in-2021/
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lofty of a goal for something that is not only difficult to define
but almost impossible to produce? The following sermon is
going to review Matthew 5:6 and other Scriptures to suggest
that happiness is not the product of one’s circumstances or
the fabrication of one’s mind but a gift from God granted to
those in His family who “rejoice in His works and covenantal
faithfulness to their Creator!”3
Happiness Link to One’s Circumstances
There are many examples in Scripture of God’s people
being happy due to the wonderful things happening in their
lives. In the Old
Testament happiness
was often associated
with “sexual love
(Song of Solomon
1:4), marriage
(Proverbs 5:18), the
birth of children
(Psalms 113:9), the
gathering in of the
harvest, military victory (Isaiah 9:3) and the drinking of wine
(Psalms 104:15).”4 There was great happiness when Joseph
was reunited with his family, and the widow Ruth married her
kinsman redeemer, Boaz. It would have been easy to be a
3
Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for
Topical Studies (London: Martin Manser, 2009).
4
David P. Scaer, “Joy,” in Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, electronic ed., Baker
Reference Library (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1996), 430.
happy Israelite during Solomon’s reign when nothing was
made of silver because it was so plentiful it had little or no
value (2 Chronicles 9:20)! We are also told that the Israelites
were especially joyous upon their deliverance from Egypt
(Exodus 18:9-11) and their return from Babylonian captivity
(Jeremiah 31:1-19)!5
In the New
Testament joy is
associated with
favorable
circumstances as
well. The Shepherd
who finds His lost
sheep (Luke 15:3-7),
the woman who
finds the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10), the prodigal son’s return
(15:11-32) and the man who sold all his assets to get the
treasure in the field are said to have been overwhelmed with
joy!6 Both the shepherds (Luke 2:10) and the Maji (Matthew
2:10) rejoiced when they met the Lord. There was also great
happiness in Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem (John 12:12-15),
when the disciples saw the empty tomb, when Mary was held
by the resurrected Christ (John 20:11-18) and even after the
Lord ascended to heaven (Luke 24:52)! How easy it truly is to
feel happiness when standing upon a mountain top of such
blessings!
David P. Scaer, “Joy,” in Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, electronic ed., Baker
Reference Library (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1996), 431.
6
David P. Scaer, “Joy,” in Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, electronic ed., Baker
Reference Library (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1996), 431.
5
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Happiness in Scripture does not solely depend on good
circumstances for often during the most depressing and harsh
events Christians were still filled with joy!7 James says we are
to consider it pure joy when we go through trials and
tribulations for when we persevere in faith then we “become
mature and complete, not
lacking anything” (1:2-4)! Other
New Testament writers have said
that Christian joy paradoxically is
often the outcome of suffering
and even sorrow for Christ’s sake
(Col. 1:24; 2 Cor. 6:10; cf. 1 Pet.
4:13; Heb. 10:34, etc.)!8 For
example, Peter and John after
having been flogged for
preaching the Good News
rejoiced “because they had been
counted worthy of suffering
disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5:41)!9 Paul spoke of his
unspeakable joy in midst of afflictions (2 Corinthians 7:4-16)10
which later he described as having five times received the
forty lashed minus one, three times beaten with rods, once
pelted with stones, and three times shipwrecked (2
Corinthians 11:20-29)! When Paul and Silas were in prison
they rejoiced, prayed, and sang hymns (Acts 16:16-25).
7
James Montgomery Boice, The Sermon on the Mount: An Expositional Commentary (Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2002), 13–14.
8
S. S. Smalley, “Joy,” ed. D. R. W. Wood et al., New Bible Dictionary (Leicester, England;
Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 616.
9
David P. Scaer, “Joy,” in Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, electronic ed., Baker
Reference Library (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1996), 431.
“If by happiness we mean serenity,
confidence, contentment, peace, joy and soulsatisfaction, then Jesus is the best example of
supremely happiness.”11
From the words of our Savior in the Sermon on the Mount we
learn that happiness or being blessed is often obtained by the
poor in spirit (3), those who mourn (4), the meek (5), and
those who are persecuted for righteousness’s sake (10). So, if
circumstances are not a good predictor of happiness, then
what is and how does one feel unspeakable joy all the time?
Happiness in the Presence of the Lord
Happiness is not due to our circumstances, nor can it
be created by the power of one’s imagination but is found in
having a relationship with the Lord! Believers rejoice “because
God has surrounded them with His steadfast love (32:11)” 12
and through belief in the atoning sacrifice of His Son Jesus they
have been made right in His sight (John 3:16)! Happiness is
knowing that when we cry out like Apostle Paul, “O wretched
man (woman) I am” (Romans 7:24-25) that forgiveness can be
asked for and received (1 John 1:9). Happiness comes from
having deep fellowship with God by the still waters He
David P. Scaer, “Joy,” in Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, electronic ed., Baker
Reference Library (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1996), 431.
11
James Montgomery Boice, The Sermon on the Mount: An Expositional Commentary (Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2002), 15.
12
David P. Scaer, “Joy,” in Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, electronic ed., Baker
Reference Library (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1996), 430–431.
10
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graciously provides (Psalms 23:1-2). Happiness comes from
hearing the testimonies of other believers that God has given
His own every spiritual blessing in His Son (Ephesians 1:3)
because He always does good to those, He calls His own
(Romans 8:28)! It comes knowing one’s very footsteps are
secured when one
stands upon the
rock of one’s
salvation (Psalms
18) or sits under
the shelter of the
wings of one’s
Creator (Psalms
91:4). Happiness is
found in the
assurance that our struggles with the spiritual forces of evil in
the heavenly realms cannot destroy those who are sealed by
the very Spirit of God (Ephesians 6:12)! Happiness comes from
reading God’s holy word (1 John 5:3) and having His Spirit
commune with ours and reassured that as redeemed
masterpieces of grace we can joyfully be rebuked, corrected,
and trained (2 Timothy 3:16) to be right in His sight so that we
might be a holy, pleasing and living sacrifice unto our Lord
(Romans 12:1)! Happiness is paradoxically found in midst of
the darkest of trials and tribulations for it is often in crying out
to the God of all comfort one receives the strength to
persevere and draw nearer to one’s portion and heart’s desire
(2 Corinthians 1:3-5).
Above all happiness is knowing that not only
is our work for the Lord not in vain (1
Corinthians 15:58) but that He will one day
return to take us home to spend an eternity
with Him (John 14:3-4)!
Happiness is not the product of one’s circumstances or the
fabrication of one’s mind but a gift from God granted to those
in His family who “rejoice in His works and covenantal
faithfulness to their Creator! Are you happy?
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