About Us

Audio Sermons

Bible Courses

Bulletin Articles

Directions

Links

Sermons

Sermons In Series

Happiness

Psalm 128

^{Introduction: Being happy is what most people want but few obtain. Nathaniel Hawthorne compared happiness to a butterfly, which, when pursued is always just beyond our grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. In other words it is some thing we can not catch but we can obtain. How? That is what this lesson is about.}

^{I) Consider the following people:}

^{A) The Rich, the Famous; and the dead}

^{Anna Nicole Smith age 39 died from drug intoxication}

^{Tommy Dorsey age 51 died from sleeping pills}

^{Brian Epstein (manager of the Beatles) age 32 died from sleeping pills}

^{Christ Farley age 32 died from drug over dose}

^{Bobby Hatfield (part of the Righteous Brother) age 63 died from cocaine overdose}

^{Len Bias (number 1 pick the Boston Celtics) age 23 died from cocaine overdose}

^{Margaux Hemingway (actress and model) age 41 committed suicide}

^{Jimi Hendrix (1960’s icon) age 27 died sleeping pills}

^{Anissa Jones (Buffy on "Family Affair) age 18 died massive drug overdose}

^{David Kennedy (4th child of Robert Kennedy) age 28 died drug overdose}

^{Marilyn Monroe age 36 died sleeping pills}

^{Ken Caminiti (professional baseball player, 15 years Houston, San Diego) age 41 died cocaine and opiate overdose}

^{Christina Onassis (daughter of Aristotle Onassis) age 38 died Prescription drug overdose}

^{Elvis Presley age 42 died Prescription Drug Overdose}

^{Eric Show (baseball player) age 37 died Drug Overdose}

^{Dennis Wilson ((Beach Boys) age 39 drowned while drunk}

^{Keith Whitley (country music singer) age 34 died Alcohol poisoning}

^{Hank Williams age 29 Alcohol abuse, possible drug abuse}

^{B) Why did they risk their lives for a momentary hing, a cheap thrill, a comatose state? Or, why did they deliberately end their lives?}

^{1. They were searching for something that their money could not buy and their fame could not give them.}

^{2. It is called contentment or happiness.}

^{C) It can not be found in:}

^{1. Earthly success – many were very successful}

^{2. Notoriety – every one has their five minutes of fame. Remember baby Jessica, the little girl that fell into a well in Texas? I was reading about her and those that rescued her. The man that actually brought her out of the ground committed suicide a few years ago. His brother explained that he was never able to let go of the fame.}

^{3. Possessions – most had whatever they desired, we are the most prosperous nation on the face of the earth but that does not mean we are the happiest.}

^{4. Wealth – most on the list were either at the height of their careers and earning power or had already made their fortune.}

^{II) Happiness Is Possible For Everyone}

^{A) A few do not really want it}

^{1. Fearful of success – they equate success and happiness with worldliness.}

    ^{a. A connection the Bible does not say.}

    ^{b. In Matthew 5 we have the Beattitudes. Jesus did not say miserable are the poor, or miserable and blessed are the peacemakers.}

    ^{c. Yet some equate misery with Christianity – like the Puritans that refused to enjoy the finer things of life less they become to happy.}

^{2. They prefer to wallow in their misery.}

    ^{a. It is like rooting for the Chicago Cubs. You know they are going to lose so you are not disappointed when they do.}

    ^{b. They like their self pity and are comfortable with it.}

^{3. They maintain a gloomy disposition – like Eeyore in the Winnie the Pooh Books}

^{B) This is done as a conscious choice!}

^{1. "Most people are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be" – Abraham Lincoln}

^{2. You have the power to either be happy or unhappy. Sometimes despite and not because of your circumstances.}

^{C) Some are unhappy because they do not know where to look}

^{1. "Grass is always greener" complex}

    ^{a. I will be happy once …}

    ^{b. What makes you think you will be happy then?}

^{D) The search for happiness is universal but success is often limited}

^{1. Once a person achieves what they think will make them happy; they find out it failed to produce true happiness.}

^{2. Then the search continues, we go on to the next thing.}

^{3. May be you are looking in the wrong place!}

^{III) Where To Look For Happiness?}

^{A) Solomon wrote about this}

^{1. He tried to find happiness in the usual places that people of every time have looked for it}

^{2. He tried pleasure, wine and women, music and recreation, possessions, great construction projects, and even the pursuit of knowledge (Ecclesiastes 2.1-11)}

^{3. Only at the end does he realize where true happiness lies, Ecclesiastes 12.13}

^{B) Jesus emphasized happiness in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5.3-12}

^{1. Blessed (Markarios) – means happy (Vine, Thayer)}

^{2. Beatitude is a Latin word meaning happiness or blessedness}

^{3. Jesus offers happiness, John 10.10; 14.1}

^{4. If you want happiness, look to Jesus and you will find it}

^{IV) Happiness Depends On You}

^{A) Jesus mentioned blessed (happy) in some unusual circumstances}

^{1. "the poor in spirit" (Matthew 5.3); "those who mourn" (5.4); "those who are persecuted" (5.10); those who are persecuted like the prophets (5.12)}

^{2. Happiness or joy is a state of mind that transcends physical circumstances.}

    ^{a. There are rich people that are miserable and poor people that are happy}

    ^{b. There are rich people that are happy and poor people that are miserable}

^{B) James says to "count it all joy" when temptations come (James 2.12)}

^{C) Paul was in a Roman prison when he wrote to the Philippians (Phi. 1.13)}

^{1. Yet he used this as an opportunity, Phil. 1.12}

^{2. He used the word "joy" repeatedly in this letter(1.3, 4; 2.2; 3.1; 4.4)}

^{3. Paul had learned a valuable lesson, Phil. 4.11}

^{D) Happiness is a learned response}

^{V) How To Be Happy}

^{A) Be obedient to God, Acts 8.8, 39}

^{1. Sins are forgiven, Col. 1.14}

^{2. You become a new creature, 2 Corinthians 5.17}

^{B) Be thankful for what you do have, Eph. 5.20; Phil. 4.6 (An attitude of gratitude)}

^{1. Count your many blessings name them one by one, count your many blessings see what the Lord has done.}

^{2. We have a lot of unhappy people today because they are not grateful for what they have. They expect what they have and demand more.}

^{C) Think on good things, Phil. 4.8-9}

^{1. Nothing is so bad it can’t be worse: an optimist may be thankful that it isn’t worse, a pessimist will say "great things are going to get worse."}

^{2. There is a silver lining in most clouds. The other night I was watching a show on storm chasers. These people actually try to find a tornado. This particular group had a special vehicle they wanted to drive in the middle of a tornado. There were two possible places where a storm was developing that could produce a tornado. They chose one and it was the wrong one. At first they were upset over missing out on an F5 tornado that developed at the other place. However, upon seeing the destruction of the tornado they realized they were fortunate. It would have killed them.}

^{D) Seek the wisdom and understanding of God’s word, Pro. 3.13}

^{1. Don’t just read, see.}

^{E) Grow, 2 Peter 3.18}

^{(Borrowed and adapted from Terry Sanders)}

^{D.T. @ Westside Church of Christ 10.04.07}