Sermon Tone Analysis

Declaration of Independence

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

As a nation we have become obsessed with the last line of this declaration, the pursuit of happiness

But what is happiness and where is happiness found?

In our pursuit of happiness

The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness.

—ERIC HOFFER, The Passionate State of Mind

The secret of happiness is to admire without desiring.

And that is not happiness.

—F.H. BRADLEY, Aphorisms

The secret of happiness is to admire without desiring.

And that is not happiness.

—F.H. BRADLEY, Aphorisms

The secret of happiness is to admire without desiring.

And that is not happiness.

—F.H. BRADLEY, Aphorisms

The secret of happiness is to admire without desiring.

And that is not happiness.

—F.H. BRADLEY, Aphorisms

The secret of happiness is to admire without desiring.

And that is not happiness.

---F.H. Bradley, Aphorisms

As a nation, we have pursued with great passion and vigor the illusion of what we call the American dream

we all want our piece of the pie.

But when happiness based upon me receiving something, I will always want more, because deep inside of me, I will never be fully satisfied

The focus of James’ letter to these believers scattered through the lands

Stop living according to the standards of this world and its philosophies (which are fading away)

And start living in the way in which we were designed and how God intended us to live

Holy lives “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

(, NASB95)

There is a war waging in the soul of the church

Our enemy is doing everything he can to lure us away from truth of God’s word

He Re-focuses our attention on the things of this world

He convinces us that God really doesn't care or is holding back something good from us.

And I am afraid he is winning the war of discontent

Today we are going to look at a passage in book of James that uncovers this lie, and how we can refocus on the One who makes us content.

PRAY

(READ) PAGE

Verses 1-3

James has spent the last 3 chapters encouraging his readers to be transformed

old standard vs. new standard

This new standard is not something we have to accomplish on our own it is a work of the spirit

But there is still a war wagging in our lives

Paul describes it as a war against the Spirit, and the flesh.

PAGE

Desire = the Greek work is hedone, where we get the English word hedonism

Hedonism is the philosophy that the “chief purpose in living is to satisfy self.”

Our culture

right to happiness

we deserve happiness

that we must pursue happiness with all of our heart

Fishing lure

We focus on the outward circumstances

we want

we steel

we lust

we covet

Kill and covet

Is James speaking about physicall killing here

Jesus said it is a matter of the heart

The words we say and do in order to receive

The word covet can be translated as covet or envy

Envious” in this context refers to a quest for position, rank, or fame—an evil expression of personal ambition.

In this context it

VERSE 2-3

You do not have, because you do not ask, and when you ask, you have the wrong motives

Literally describing a church that is dying within

James is describing a situation where personal happiness is given a place prominence over the health of the church

The enemy blinds us in thinking that we deserve

personal happiness

entitled to a good life on this earth

Thomas D. Lea, Hebrews, James, vol. 10, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 319.

The same lie that Satan fed Eve in the beginning, is the same lie He feeds us today

The lie that God doesn’t want us happy and he is keeping something from us

He tempts us in the same way as he has done in the past

Many have looked for happiness, but have com

Satan is cunning

He uses what is around us to make us desire what others have

looks

status

rank

popularity

pride

He is got us so focused on what we don't have, we cannot see what do have in Christ

ILLUSTRATION OF THE ROPE

VERSE 4-6

We buy into the idea that we deserve it and we literally pimp ourselves out in order to attain it

We will do what is absolutly shameful in order to get that momentary happiness

And yet GOD desires so much more for our lives

God is not keeping us from being happy

But in order to find happiness we need to look to Christ and his way towards joy

God’s spirit is envies, looking for that place of eminence in our lives

He cannot and will not share his throne with no one

He desires to be number one in our lives

He wants everything in our life total devotion

But with total devotion, God will provide what we need in order to carry out this devotion

He provides everything that we need to live out these godly lives

He not only gives us what we need he tells us how to accomplish it

YOU WANT TO FIND TRUE HAPPINESS

Find you contentedness in God alone