The Pursuit of Happiness Concluded

#9/9 The Pursuit of Happiness Stockwell Road MBC
November 22, 2009 MW
The “TOTAL” Package
Matthew 5:10-16
INTRODUCTION:
A. Total cereal has never been one of my favorite cereals. I prefer the ones with cartoons and high sugar but Total cereal commercials have always stuck out in my mind. You remember the ones that start out by saying Total cereal has 100% of the daily value of at least 11 vitamins and minerals in every bowl. You’ll need to eat 12 bowls of Raison Bran to get the same serving. You’ll have to eat 24 bowls of Rice Krispies and a whopping 3465 bowls of Lucky Charms to get the same amount of nutrition. The marketing slogan for Total is, “One Bowl, 100%”.

B. People who possess the Beatitude attitude can say that when they got saved and surrendered their lives they got the “TOTAL” package. Remember all of this supreme happiness that comes from the prior 7 attitudes? However, we must look at something else that comes with package…some trouble. Persecution and reviling are not something that we desire nor want to have to deal with but they are a fact of life to be expected by every person who possesses this type of spiritual maturity. Jesus told us to expect these things to happen. John 17:4, “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” Did you catch that? We are not of this world…we are in the world but not to be of the world. Possessors of the Beatitude attitude will be living life on a different plane…above the level of mediocrity that is so rampant in our world and society even our own Church society. As a result, persecution and reviling are two things that we will have to and should have to deal with and in fact should feel privileged that we get to because they did the same thing to our Lord!

C. Why does it have to be this way? The answer is actually very simple. You love life because you love Jesus. You have peace, joy, contentment and genuine love that others do not have and have not experienced or it has been a long time since they have experienced it. Lost people and saved but full of sin people are miserable: instead of peace they have unrest, instead of joy they have sorrow, instead of contentment they are constantly wanting more. They are unhappy and think that you should be too. What is the Christian to do? How can we still be blessed as we face persecution and reviling? Notice that we have a “TOTAL” Package that makes all the difference.
BODY:
I. WE HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP
Note: The most important piece of this package is your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. A person who possesses the Beatitude attitude will enjoy his personal relationship with Jesus. You have this because of…
A. Your Salvation—bought with a price—redemption
B. Your Surrender—possessing this type of spirit

II. WE HAVE A PAINFUL REALITY
Note: This is not something you and I can dodge or get around. If we possess Beatitudes 1-7 we will have Beatitude 8. It should just be expected! II Tim. 3:12, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
A. How?
1. persecutions—being followed after or pursued, physical violence
2. reviling—verbal assault, public slander

B. Who?
1. Lost men that are convicted and unwilling to repent
2. Saved men that are backslid and unwilling to repent
3. Ourselves—because we have not realized our forgiveness

C. Why?—Because of who you are identified with
(list the beatitudes)

III. WE HAVE A PURPOSEFUL RACE Hebrews 12:1-2
Note: This purposeful race gives our lives meaning and gives us something to do for God. Remember what He did for us…all we can do is what we can for him and running this race is one of those things!
A. It is a Privileged Race
--because of the legacy that we are continuing!

B. It is a Powerful Race
1. Salt: preserves, purifies, is precious, powerful
2. Light: dispels darkness, illuminates a path

C. It is a Prized Race v. 16—they will see my works and be saved!

CONCLUSION:
In closing notice back in v. 10-11 at the precious rewards that belong to every child of God.
A reward for today in being a part in God’s Kingdom here on this Earth and a reward for tomorrow when we see Jesus!
Let us all live this Beatitude Attitude as we pursue happiness and let us all be the salt of the Earth and the light of the world.