January 22, 2012 Happiness in Christ
1.22.12
“How can I be happy in God?”
some dislike this approach
some say seeking happiness in God
is selfish,
–we are to seek what is good for us in Jesus Christ, this is the offer of salvation that he makes
some say we should seek God’s will
not our happiness
–what pleases God is what is good for us, they are the same
the one who is happy in Christ will obey and love Christ more than any other
some say God never promised us to be happy in this life
–God never promised that our circumstances would be happy in this age
but he did promise us happiness in Jesus Christ and God’s love for us
some say God called us to sacrifice and deny self not be happy
–we give up what we once thought would make us happy
but will never make us happy
we give up a false happiness
for real happiness
1 Corinthians 7:20-24
in order to serve God
nothing needs to change in your situation
the only thing that must change is your mind and heart
in your heart there is a room for fullness of God, the joy of the Spirit, the love of God
no matter what is happening in your life
in a difficult “unhappy” situation
you can obey and love God
if your mind and heart are set on happiness in Christ and obedience to Christ
a slave does not need to get free to serve Christ
find happiness in freedom in Christ
and serve Christ there
a freeman does not find happiness in being free and doing what he wants
but in being a slave in Christ
in belonging to Christ
1 Corinthians 7:29a
not meaning there are only a few days or weeks left
means Jesus has come, died and been raised, and the last days have begun
now we live looking to Christ’s return
1 Cor 29b-31a
five examples of many more
“live as if you have no wife?!”
can’t be taken literally: powerful rhetoric
we are not to separate from the world, escape, reject
We are NOT to stop using the things of the world.
do everything we do “as if not”
rejoice as if not rejoicing
use things as if not using them
“huh?”
Use them but not like other human beings use them.
Use them but not like they are of great importance.
Use them but not like they are forever.
Use them but don’t let them define you.
Use them but not as your happiness.
wife — sexuality or romantic relationship or comfortable home not your happiness
you can serve Jesus by serving your wife but don’t let her become your happiness
mourn — in bad circumstance not devastated because your happiness is in Christ, feel the sting but it is seen as small and temporary
rejoice — take temporary fleeting pleasure in something as a small thing,
give thanks to God for it, but don’t let that be your life or happiness
buy something — but what you buy and own should be little to you, not your happiness
use the things of this world but not engrossed– like other human beings
it does not mean what you do in this world in the body is unimportant!!!
a person writes a book, or cuts a lawn,
or cooks a meal, or makes money, or tries to do well on a test
what is important is they are done to God,
for God, out of love for God
such a person is happy in Jesus Christ
but all those things are passing away
and not important in themselves
31b
the present form of this world is passing away, fashion, show,
the physical, created world is not passing away, it is being recreated, renewed
but many details and situations will soon be gone, not the people, not creation
live as if this is the last day, many things are transient and passing away
***
the things that make you happy
are the things keeping you from being happy
the ways you think you are obeying
are the things keeping you from obeying
many of us are very engrossed in the things of this world,
and lacking happiness in Christ and obedience to Christ
we do it to ourselves!! by focusing on and making these things our happiness
what we need
boot camp: to get us in shape to serve
drug rehab: to get us free to serve
spa treatment: to get us heathy to serve
the Church had just such a treatment but we seemed to have lost it/ forgotten it
fasting and retreat
fasting is the setting aside of all food
retreat is leaving behind anything that you use for happiness– going away
for a short time (not forever! we should use them!)
for this purpose:
to find your true happiness in Jesus Christ
fast and retreat for the purpose of prayer, worship, meditation on word
“fasting is feasting”
our problem:
We are using dozens of things every day to keep ourselves happy on those things.
if you take away everything you are using for happiness, it shows you how engrossed you were in those things
it frees you of those distractions in order to look only to Jesus for happiness
many protestant are suspicious that is a Catholic thing, old fashioned thing,
or a crazy legalist Christian thing
but in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus links fasting with prayer and giving to the poor
Why do we two of those and ignore fasting?
In Acts the church fasts and retreats for worship and prayer
Jesus retreats and fasts for prayer
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- Posted under 1 Corinthians
