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Do You Want to Be Happy?
Everyone wants to be happy. We spend our money, time, and energy chasing our version of the good life. And on the way, we run ourselves into physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. But what if the happiness we’re all striving for isn’t the happiness we were created for?
Pastor and author Dr. Derwin L. Gray believes there is a better road to happiness, and it is found in the Beatitudes of Jesus. In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus revealed the shocking, countercultural path to true flourishing. It comes not through wealth, fame, or laughter but through poverty, obscurity, and mourning.
True happiness comes from a heart directed toward the kingdom of God and satisfied in Jesus the King. This 8-session small-group study demonstrates how Jesus taught us to search for, find, and hold on to the good life.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Uh, I want to tell you a story about two men. One of the men was courageous. He had conviction, he was complete. • • • The other man, not so much. He didn't have courage, • • um, he didn't have conviction. And he was anything but complete. • • • One day, Jesus asked this one man, he said, who do you say that I am? And the loudest voice amongst all the voices said this • • you are • • the Son of God. And Jesus was like, yeah, you're right, man. You nailed it. Uh, that's the Hebro translation. Not Hebrew, but the Hebro translation. • • • But then there was another man who was also asked, • • who was Jesus? • • • And this man said, I don't know who Jesus is. And then he was asked again, who is Jesus? And he said, I don't know. And then he was asked the third time, who is Jesus? And then he began to swear and a curse. And he said, I don't know who this man is. • • • • Well, one of those men was incredibly humble. • • • And because he was humble, • • • • he had courage and he had conviction, and he had wholeness completeness. Because he was humble enough to trust God, he was meek. • • Meek is the same thing as humble. It means • • power that is bridled and under control. • • The other one was not humble. As a matter of fact, he was actually very prideful. And because he relied on himself, when he was asked about who Jesus was, he denied Jesus. • • Well, some of you know the story and some of you know the man I'm actually talking about. These two men are actually one man. • • • • You, uh, see, Jesus gathered his twelve disciples, and these twelve disciples were a pattern and reflection of the twelve tribes of Israel. It's like Jesus was doing a new thing. He was building his church, and so he was getting his disciples. And Peter. Oh, man. Peter. What a great fisherman, man. But whoo? Boy Peter. • • Peter gives me hope. I hope Peter gives you hope, uh, because in Peter we see great statements like, you are the Son of God, but also in Peter, we see him going, I don't know who you are, Jesus, • • but what happened to Peter? How did Peter go from • • denying Jesus • to actually • • defending Jesus? Here's. What happened to Peter? Peter tapped into Jesus's words when he says, blessed are happy are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth once again. Meek is another word for humility. • After the resurrection, • • • • something happened to old Peter. After the resurrection, • • uh, Peter did what he had done before he knew Jesus. He went fishing. And three days after Jesus rose from the dead, • • peter was fishing. And he heard a voice that said, throw the net on the other side. • • • • Eventually, Peter realized that that was Jesus. And you know what Peter did? Peter pulled a forest gump and he jumped out of the boat and he swam to the shore and he got to talk to jesus again, because the last time he talked to • • Jesus was actually a denial of him. • • But this time, face to face, jesus asked Peter three times, do you love me? And Peter three times says, I love you. Those three times • • are the three renunciations of when Peter denied him. Jesus gave him grace • • to be able to reaffirm him, • • to reaffirm his allegiance. And so meekness Jesus says, Happy are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Happy are the god reliant. Happy are those who are self sufficient in God. Happy are those who go, god, your power and your strength is now my power and strengths. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • I mean, it's incredible that happiness is not you. And I saying, I'm going to do this myself. • • I have this. No happiness is saying, God, in my weakness, you are made strong. And when you look at Peter, a common fisherman stands up to the religious leaders of the day. In Acts chapter four, we see where Peter and other disciples are preaching about Christ. And the religious leaders tell Peter stop. And Peter's like, no, I can't do it. Another time we see Peter just standing up and boldly, leading ultimately • • • to Peter • becoming a martyr in Jesus's church. That the one that he denied is the one that he gives his life for. What in the world does this have to do with happiness? Everything. • • • • • You see, the good life is a life of meekness that we will, quote, unquote, inherit the earth. That God's promise of redemption, god's promise of salvation, god's promise of his purpose, god's promise of his power belongs to those who are humble enough, are meek enough to say, jesus, I need you. And you're listening and you're saying, you know what? Uh, Durwin, that's great, man, but that's Peter, I'm just a normal person. Well, guess what? God only uses normal people because that's all he has to work with. • • • • God uses normal people • • • • • who are • • • normal enough to say, gosh, I can't, Lord, but you can. I need you. Peter's transformation was rooted in his meekness or his humility to depend and to rely on God. And I think that's where our happiness is, is that happiness is found in trusting God to accomplish in us and through us what we never, ever thought was possible. In our marriages and our singleness and our education. In every facet of life, God is saying, Rely on me. Trust me. Um, there's so much pressure in trying to do it yourself. We were not designed to do it ourselves. That's why Jesus said, Happy are the meek, happy are those who are reliant upon God's power. As a matter of fact, Peter writes these words • • in one peter, chapter five, verse six, he says, humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God so that he may exalt you at proper time, casting all your cares on Him because he cares about you. • • • • • • We have a God who cares about us. Who loves us • • and the meek will inherit the earth. The new heavens and new earth will be populated by people who can only boast in one name, in one name alone. And that name is Jesus. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Speaker B
Hey, what's happening? As you get back to your groups, i, uh, have one question and one thought I want you to remember. Here's the question. What's the difference between confidence and • • Godfidence? And here's what I want you to remember. • • Humility gives us the supernatural ability to accomplish God's mission. • Peace.
Speaker A
I'm out. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •