Crazy Happy, Part 3 - A Deeper Dive
message recap
In part three of our series, Crazy Happy, we continued our look at the search for true happiness. We established in parts one and two that most of us spend considerable time in that pursuit. The world tells us that to find happiness, we must “do.” Advertising bombards us with messages that things and experiences will fulfill our every desire. Unfortunately, we ultimately find that the constant pursuit of the latest and greatest, the newest and fanciest, only leads to a perpetual cycle of moving from one thing to the next.
On the other hand, God tells us that to find happiness, we must “be.” As we have unpacked the Beatitudes found in the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, we’ve learned that the Greek word makarioi, used at the beginning of each Beatitude, is translated to “blessed.” But we’ve also learned that the same word can be translated to “happy.” So, where we read, “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” we could substitute the words “happy are.” Does this really mean that experiencing poverty can make us happy? Well, yes, not only the poor in spirit, but those who mourn, the meek, and even those who hunger and thirst can find true happiness. It is not the condition that brings happiness; it is the result. The poor in spirit find humility, those who mourn receive comfort from God, and the meek receive their reward for extending kindness and gentleness.
This week we turned to the remaining Beatitudes. We learned that those who are merciful find happiness in receiving mercy in return. The pure in heart, who are selfless, kind, and put others before themselves, live a life completely in sync with God. They love what God loves. They care about what God cares about. And the peacemakers find happiness by reconciling people with each other. If we make peace with others, will we not feel more peace ourselves? Jesus was the ultimate peacemaker because we are all reconciled with God through his sacrifice.
The final two Beatitudes, found in verses 10-12, might be the most challenging to uncover the source of true happiness.
“10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Where is the happiness in being persecuted? That is the subject of this week’s Deeper Dive.
Being a Follower of jesus isn’t always easy
Nobody said being a follower of Jesus would be a walk in the park. In fact, Jesus himself warned the disciples by saying the following:
“18 If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”
Jesus predicted precisely what many of the earliest followers experienced. They were hated and persecuted; some were even put to death simply because they continued teaching what they had learned from Jesus. So threatened by Jesus’ radical ideas of love, justice, and charity, the religious establishment believed their only option was to stop the movement with extreme measures.
The persecution of those who follow Jesus has continued throughout history. Even in the present day, in many parts of the world, Christians are oppressed. Governments forbid the outward expression of faith, forcing Christians to gather in secret. It’s hard to imagine finding true happiness in these conditions, yet the believers persevere.
Fortunately, our ability to publicly profess and practice our faith is protected in the United States. Some may disagree with our beliefs, but we aren’t forced to hide those beliefs. Those protections, however, don’t extend to public opinion. Where is the happiness in facing insults and criticism from those who do not share our faith? Why do we remain loyal to God even when popular culture mocks us and questions our beliefs?
True happiness is not found in the approval of others. It is found in the steadfast love for God and one another. As followers of Jesus, we find happiness and joy in our unity and in our singleness of purpose to love God and love people. Each Sunday, when we gather together to worship and praise, we find happiness in fellowship and community. While our ultimate reward for ignoring the opinions of a broken world may be found in heaven, it’s comforting to know that God has brought us together in the present to find strength in one another.
What a crazy idea! True happiness can be found even in the face of disapproval. Next Sunday we wrap up this series by tying together everything we’ve learned. We hope you’ll join us!