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A. A Beatitude starts with..."blessed....(blessed or bless-ed')
1. Can mean to pronounce a blessing upon.....
God pronounced blessing upon each of the Patriarchs..... Gave them special honor.
Gen. 24:1 Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in
every way.
HEBREW:
Many times resulted in special physical and spiritual things (blessings)
2. Can mean to ask a blessing ...... "giving of thanks"....
(Mat 14:19) And ordering the multitudes to recline on the grass, He took the five loaves and the
two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave
them to the disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitudes,
GREEK:
3. Can mean..... "Happy" or "Happy is"...... this is the meaning that we are looking at
In this lesson....
GREEK HEBREW
B. The world around us has devised everything within human ingenuity to produce happiness.
1. Alcohol & Drugs.....
2. Fancy cars.... Houses
3. Recreation.... Leisure time
4. Movies and reading material
5. Many more that you could name
C. None last and most disappoint.
1. Alcohol & Drugs.....end in addiction & death
2. Someone else has a fancier car or better house to covet
3. Recreation/leisure time evaporates too quickly
4. Movies & reading material are only for the moment
D. The beatitudes we are looking at are telling us how to be truly happy.
1. Isn't that what you want?
2. Do you believe God?
OUR FIRST BEATITUDE:
(Acts 20:32-35) PAUL TO THE EPHESIAN ELDERS.... "And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have coveted no one's silver or gold or clothes. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
A. Paul said.....In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak
1. Working hard....
2. The world says.... "work is the opposite of happiness..."
3. The truth is....Working hard and happiness always go together
B. Not only that.... the world says .... "It's better to receive than to give..."
1. Jesus said...'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
2. Do we believe Jesus??
3. Why do so many of us act as if it were a lie??
a. Many look at giving to the Lord on the Lord's day as a necessary nuisance--like paying taxes, or paying insurance premiums.
b. Many see the giving of our time or resources to the needy the same way.....
"OK I'll be a part of the visitation program
Someone is in need.... "What's everyone else giving?...." (don't want to do more than I have to)
C. It may be that we have not tested it.
1. Too many of us could not say, one way or the other, whether what Jesus said is true or not--we haven't tried it.
2. Have you ever known ANYONE who has tried it that could testify that it is not true?
a. My experience is the opposite.... When people try it...THEY ARE LIKE MIKEY IN THE COMMERCIAL...."TRY IT, YOU'LL LIKE IT."
b. Actually, those who truly try it.... make it a way of life!
3. Many are willing to experiment with sin, finding that it works the way God says it will.
4. Why not test this beatitude--It will work--it will produce basic and durable happiness in this life.
D. Another Beatitude, like this one, from the O.T.....
(Psa 41:1) "How blessed is he who considers the helpless; The LORD will deliver him in a day
of trouble."
OUR NEXT BEATITUDE:
(James 1:12) Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
A. James told the Christians who were scattered throughout the land....
"Happiness comes from trials..... Happiness comes from problems...... BUT ONLY WHEN YOU PERSEVERE."
1. Some might say, "You mean I should be happy when TROUBLE COMES?!"
2. The world says, "Avoid having trouble in your life at all cost!"
a. Did you do something wrong?.....Lie your way out of it!
b. Did you run out of money?.....Steal some!
c. Are you losing at reaching your goal?....cheat!
d. Disappointed in your marriage?....Get a divorce!
e. Kids got you down?....Abandon them!
f. WHEN YOU'VE GOT TROUBLES....CAVE IN
B. James tells us....(James 1:2-3) Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
1. yes!! you should be happy when troubles come.
2. It is only in times of trouble that:
a. You can prove to yourself, and others what your life is REALLY ABOUT!
b. You can grow as a Christian.
C. In the O.T. (Psa 34:8) O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
1. If you have troubles..... God will provide you with strength to persevere!
OUR NEXT BEATITUDE:
(Psalm 1:1-5) How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
A. Who are your friends? Who do you confide in? Who do you listen to when you need someone to listen? Who do you take advice from?
1. Your family? do they honor and follow the law of the Lord?
2. Friends? do they honor and follow the law of the Lord?
B. Do you DELIGHT in the law of the Lord?
1. "What did God say?" should be at the very heart of our search for answers.
a. Seek counsel from those who will help you search His word for answers.
1) When you find the answer - delight in it!
2) Meditate on the word of God
b. When you seek counsel of the world..... You will get worldly advice.
2. God says.... You have a right to be happy ....so make your marriage work....
3. Friends say.... You have a right to be happy....forget God & throw the bum out!
C. How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners,
1. Again.... Who are you in the "path" with?
a) Not talking about "blocking the path" of sinners
b) Being in the path with them!
2. Paul said....(1 Cor. 15:33)... "be no deceived, evil companions corrupt good morals."
D. God's word....God's instructions are eternal but....The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
E. In the O.T. (Psa 40:4) How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, And has
not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.
Conclusion:
Do you want to be happy?.... Listen to Paul in Rom 12:1-2
I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy
sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be
conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may
prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Present yourself to God in trusting obedience.... Be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins,
If you have conformed yourself to this world in some way....come out from among them and be ye clean......REPENT!