Bringing Happiness to Your Community

Lieutenant Rob Westwood-Payne

Captain Rob Westwood-Payne

Happiness • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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You can bring God's peace and happiness to your neighbourhood.

Notes

Transcript

Handout

Bible Introduction (2m)

Do you live in a happy town?

Rightmove’s Happy at Home Index ranks ten happiness factors: including friendliness of neighbours, quality of local amenities, sense of belonging, and the quality of nature.

5. Perth, Scotland

Perth is located an hour away from Edinburgh and Glasgow, and is often described as ‘the gateway to the Highlands’. The city is situated on the banks of the River Tay and is known for its thriving food scene, with a range of award-winning restaurants.

4. Llandrindod Wells, Wales

Llandrindod Wells is a spa town located in the Powys district of Wales. It’s known for its picturesque setting and thriving local community, and finished fifth in last year’s rankings.

3. Royal Leamington Spa

Royal Leamington Spa (to use its full name) is situated just a few miles from Warwick in the West Midlands. The town’s stunning architecture and award-winning green spaces show why it is consistently rated among the best places for quality of life.

2. Skipton (Yorkshire & The Humber)

The charming market town of Skipton is located in North Yorkshire. It has been described as ‘the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales’, and boasts a 900-year-old castle and historic cobbled high street.

St. Ives, Cornwall

The idyllic coastal town is a world-renowned surfing hotspot, and residents wax lyrical about the town’s green spaces, proximity to nature and friendly vibe. Jessie Wright of Bradleys estate agents in St Ives says: ‘The lifestyle is really out of this world; it’s like we have our own little hub and micro-climate and the way of life here is a lot of people’s dream. It’s all very relaxed – the Cornish word is “dreckly”, which means “at some point” – so it’s fair to say that we’ve honed a very chilled out and stress-free vibe, which I think is all part of the charm.’

What about your town? What are you doing to help make it a happy place?

Introduction (5m)

Why do we do what we do? Why do we serve others?

Video: Veggie Tales - I give because I’m happy | 1:00

Our motivation is our happiness

Are you happy?

Explored biblical basis for happiness. God is happy. He is the source of our enjoyment of life. Happiness and pleasure can be expressions of worship.

It’s not just about us and our happiness

We are called to reflect peace, happiness, contentment and joy to a world searching for happiness. / Why we’re involved in our community - EP, CFL, TF, LC, children’s activities, music, etc.

Explanation (5m)

Our God-given happiness motivates us to seek the happiness of our town

Jeremiah 29:7 NLT

And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

The context is that God’s people are in exile in Babylon

Jeremiah 29:1 NLT

Jeremiah wrote a letter from Jerusalem to the elders, priests, prophets, and all the people who had been exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar.

597 BC - King Nebuchadnezzar > from Judah to Babylon. Terrible - destroyed Jerusalem, ransacked temple, ruined economy, removed leaders, enslaved people.

God’s people therefore viewed Babylon as evil

Seen throughout Bible - symbol of city of Man as opposed to city of God.

Prisoners of Satan in evil city. Refugees in Babylon which opposed everything to do with God.

Imagine the Israelites reaction to God’s commands

Jeremiah 29:4–7 NLT

This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

Israelites - languishing in captivity, depressed at their fate, abandoned, banished, condemned, exiled.

God saw it differently - sent them there on a mission.

God wants his church to be in our town

A presence. Living where he wants us to be - not just worshipping and serving. Involved in its business. Building families. Leading normal lives.

God wants his church to seek the peace and prosperity of their town

Peace = shalom. Not just absence of conflict.

… the webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfilment, and delight. ... Shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness and delight—a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, a state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder. (Cornelius Plantinga, philosopher)

Comprehensive peace and happiness: contentment, wholeness, health, prosperity, safe, restful. Harmony. Happiness. All is right with the town.

Application (5m)

Our happiness, our “blessed life” and our prosperity must always be reaching out to our community and the world around us

Commanded to do anything/everything to further public good

Good neighbour. Picking up rubbish. Clearing snow. Planting tree, flowers. Feeding poor. Volunteering here or elsewhere. School governor. Saying hello with a smile. Driving safely. Helping people who have broken down. Embracing all people in our community with the love of Christ.

Pray for the peace of our town

Economy including justice for poor and prosperity for everyone in town. / Safety - kept safe from harm and violence on streets. Criminals transformed by love of Christ. / Politics - grant wisdom to local authority councillors and officers. / People - Lord’s blessing on all people, neighbourhood, churches, business, schools, houses for welfare of town.

We do what we do for our town not just because we’re happy but because it is a way of revealing the Kingdom of God in our community

What are you doing to help bring his kingdom to earth? To reach out in happiness?

Next Steps

SB 944 - What can I say to cheer a world of sorrow?

What can I say to cheer a world of sorrow? How bring back hope where men have sorely failed? Just where I am I?ll speak the word of comfort, Tell how for me Christ?s sacrifice availed. Just where he needs me, my Lord has placed me, Just where he needs me, there would I be! And since he found me, by love he?s bound me To serve him joyfully. 2 What can I do to ease life?s heavy burdens? What can I do to help mankind in need? Just where I am I?ll share my neighbour?s hardship, Lighten his load, and prove a friend indeed. 3 What can I do to justify my living? What can I be to make this life worthwhile? I?ll be a voice to call men to the Saviour, Just where I am, and win my Father?s smile. Miriam Mary Richards (1911-1989) © The General of The Salvation Army. Used By Permission. CCL Licence No. 30158 Copied from The Song Book of The Salvation Army Song Number 944

Questions for Reflection/Small Group Discussion

Is happiness only about personal gratification?

What is shalom? How does it interact with happiness?

How can we cultivate godly happiness and reflect that to the world?

Prayer Subjects

For the economic prosperity of our town, including justice for the poor and prosperity for everyone.

For the safety of the people of our town, that they would be kept safe from harm and violence on our streets. That criminals in the town would be transformed by the love of Christ.

For the politics of our town, that God would grant wisdom to our local authority councillors and officers.

For the people of our town, that the Lord’s blessing would be on all its people, our neighbourhoods, our churches, our businesses, our schools and colleges, and our homes as we pray for the welfare of our town.

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