Sermon Tone Analysis

Blessed and Happy

Radical stuff

vs 3 - blessed

vs 4- blessed

vs 5 - blessed

vs 6 - blessed

vs 7 - blessed

vs 8- blessed

vs 9 - blessed

blessed - makarios

KJV 50 times - blessed 44; happier 1; happy 5

Fully satisfied

The word "beatitude" comes from the Latin beatitudo, meaning "blessedness."

The phrase "blessed are" in each beatitude implies a current state of happiness or well-being.

This expression held powerful meaning of "divine joy and perfect happiness" to the people of the day.

In other words, Jesus was saying "divinely happy and fortunate are those who possess these inward qualities."

While speaking of a current "blessedness," each pronouncement also promised a future reward.

Some one said a good sermon should have a good beginning and a good ending

The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending, then having the two as close together as possible.

matt 5:1-2 set the backdrop for a good sermon

Hillside - rising from the sea of Galilee between Tiberias and Capernaum

The Church of Beatitudes built in 1937 stands on this site today.

The sloping green grass makes a great place for and natural amphitheater - a great place to preach

Teaches would customarily sit with their students.

The disciples closest to Christ with the multitude behind him.

The audience would hang on every word.

The opening sermon would be eight beatitudes.

Today we will look at seven and will consider the eighth separately.

I Lack of Happiness

a) our endless pursuit of happiness

Within the heart and soul of every person is the desire to be happy.

Happiness is the sole aim for existence.

Declaration of Independence - “life,liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”

Most of what we do is driven by the desire to be happy.

However, our pursuit of happiness ids often met with disappointment

A resent poll stated that 76% of the people living in this country are not happy.

In spite everything we do to be happ it is not working.

A resent magazine in the UK stated that Nigeria was the happiest country.

Nigeria

one of poorest countries

one of the most corrupt

live on $500/year

obviously money and wealth are not the secret to happiness

II Life of Happiness

Serving people are happy

Happiness is not something you pursue but something you possess!

9 times in Matt 5 Jesus said your are blessed, fortunate, well off ..

a) Jesus is not talking about something superficial but something real.

Happiness does not have to be something you peruse but something you possess.

IF you are not happy you are living below your privileges.

b) Perpetual Possession - - its not based on circumstances.

The happiness the word knows is on happenings.

Going good happy

vs 10 - talks about persecution - happy when persecuted?

no satisfaction here

III Laws of Happiness

Each of these beatitudes has to do with our relation to God.

If you are night right with God you will not be happy.

You can try everything this world has to offer ,but one of the secrets to happiness is being in a right relationship with God.

The first step in entering the kingdom, the first step to happiness is being poor in spirit, realizing your spiritual poverty.

The second one is mourning over it.

The third one is humbly falling down before the glory of God in your condition.

The fourth one is then pleading for a righteousness which you don't have and hunger for.

That begins then to manifest itself in an attitude of mercy toward others, a pursuit of purity and peacemaking in your own life, and creates hostility in the world.

That's the flow of the Beatitudes.

The poor in spirit, the mourning, the meek, those who hunger and thirst, feel empty inside, those full of mercy, those pure in heart, those who make peace, those who are persecuted, those who are reviled, those who have all manner of evil spoken against them.

You know, that sounds to me like the biggest list of losers I ever saw.

Well, by the world’s standards they are.

The world says, “Exert yourself.

Demand your rights.

Be a bigshot.

Push yourself up.

Hold onto your pride.”

This is a different kind of a kingdom.

It even advocates persecution without retaliation and blesses those who live that way.

It’s a spiritual kingdom.

So the political aspect of this message was devastating.

It was absolutely everything was the opposite of what they expected a Messiah to say.

Its upward

Poor in Spirit

Pride has no place here - admit you sinned and throw yourself to God

You can not hide

You can not run

Some are always in despair they are hold

You want to enter His kingdom?

That's where you start.

This is the true diagnosis of man.

And it's only when you recognize it that you become a candidate for entrance into God's kingdom of happiness.

When you see yourself as empty, poor, helpless, bankrupt, you can't contribute one single solitary thing to your salvation, you can't give God anything that in any way qualifies you for any blessing from Him, you are ptochos, not penes.

You need mercy.

You need grace from an outside source, from God Himself because you can bring nothing, you are destitute, beggarly, helplessly dependent.

What is Jesus saying then?

Happy are the destitute, happy are the beggarly, happy are the hopelessly dependent, happy are the people who have nothing and can earn nothing.

Let me tell you, folks, that's shocking stuff because it just goes right against the grain of everything the world assumes to be true.

poor in spirit - not talking about poverty

Spiritual poverty - they know they are utterly bankrupt before a holy God.

having a relationship with God starts with one recognizing they are a sinner and have nothing to offer God on their own.

The poor have realized

Morn

A deep sorrow for their sin.