Are
you living the good life?
What does
that mean to you?
Go to
recliner – talk about the normal way people perceive the good life.
People
possessions power
I
just want to be happy.
“The
pursuit of happiness.” It’s a
phrase with which every school child is familiar.. . . a phrase that is
foundational to our national identity and part of the introductory insistence
of our Founding Fathers’ Declaration of Independence. Life liberty and the
pursuit of happiness.
Did you hear
that the Girl Scouts of America just revamped their merit badges? The Girl
Scouts’ new merit badges reward skills that reflect 2012 more than 1912, the
year GSA was founded. Accordingly there are now merit badges in computer
programming, web site design and ecology.
Among these new
merit badges is one called “The Science of Happiness.” To earn this badge
girls must work for one month on a careful strategy believed to increase
personal happiness. The girls must practice specific behaviors — such as
intentionally being forgiving towards others — and then “evaluate” the
effect of those behaviors on their over-all psychological well-being.
The
“pursuit of happiness” may be proclaimed as an “inalienable right” by
the Declaration of Independence. But it continues to be an elusive quarry for
most of us. That’s why we are eager to embrace a “scientific” equation
that might get us to that hard-to-attain state of happiness
The happiest people don’t have the best of everything; they make the best of
everything they have.
In one of the
syndicated “Bottom Liners” cartoons, a worried looking businessman is
sitting across the table from a fortune teller. The fortune teller says,
“Happiness is just around the corner. . . However, there is an extra charge
if you want the street address.” We know the street address. At no extra
charge.
Is the pursuit
of happiness really the key to the good life? the Bible gives us some
direction about how to live the good life.
Jesus used
the word in one of his speeches: happy
are the poor in spirit for they shall see God
His formula for happiness seems quite odd and different than our
expectations of what is necessary for us to be happy.
Paul speaks
about it in various places but in I Thess. 2: 1-9 he gives us some insight
that tells us that living the good life
comes from pleasing God.
1 Thessalonians 2: 1-9
1 You know, brothers and
sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. 2
We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you
know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face
of strong opposition. 3 For the
appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying
to trick you. 4 On the contrary,
we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not
trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 5
You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up
greed—God is our witness. 6 We
were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even
though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. 7
Instead, we were like young children
among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8
so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share
with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. 9
Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked
night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the
gospel of God to you
Happiness
is not something we “find.” Happiness is woven into the tapestry of our
life as an infusion of God’s grace. Happiness is something we cultivate on a
daily basis, not for itself, but as part of a larger mission in life Happiness
is a byproduct of living a life that is pleasing to God. So how do we do that?
I.
live a life of integrity
Often
when we use the word integrity – we think it means telling the truth – it
does mean that – but it means a whole lot more than that.
Integrity is living your life in such a way that it reflects a Godly
value system. Paul says I am
not doing this to please you or anyone else; I have no ulterior motive, I am
not trying to trick you or deceive you. I’m
not going to flatter you or be caught up in the greed cycle. I just want to
live my life to please God – a life of integrity.
To
live a life of integrity is to stay grounded in the midst of both criticism
and praise.
Criticism
verse one
evidently someone had suggested that his visit was a failure.
Have any of you ever been criticized?
Told you were a failure?
Paul knew
what it was like to be criticized. after he left Thessalonica, it is clear
that someone had started rumors questioning Paul’s motives in preaching the
Gospel in the first place, that he was just in it for the money. This may have
hurt Paul more than the floggings. To give his all for the Gospel, to take
nothing in return in order to be able to preach without being a burden to the
young churches that he was starting--to have given so much of himself and then
to have someone start malicious rumors that he was in it for his own
gain--that surely hurt Paul most of all. But Paul was an amazing man. He had a
faith of great maturity and depth.
For
Paul to please God it meant being rejected, beaten, imprisoned, tortured,
killed, for the sake of proclaiming that one simple truth.
In
the midst of all this, Paul writes the book of Philippians and say:
rejoice in the Lord in all things.
Have
to learn how to handle praise. Some people will flatter you with their talk out of a
motivation to get something from you.
Story
of Cavett Robert and the young salesman
Would
you like to live your life regardless of the criticism you endure or the
praise you receive. Live your life to please God.
He is your primary audience.
II.
live a life of love reread verse
8
Why
would Paul put himself through all of these problems, endure this suffering
and undergo strenuous hardships. Because
he loved them.
Real
love involves sacrifice. Parent
child relationship when we really love our children, we are willing to be
inconvienced. Sacrifice, put off things we would rather do.
Men
when we really love our wives, we are willing to be a partner, not a dictator
– to realize their opinion, their priorities, their goals are important to.
This means sacrifice some of yours.
Women the reverse is also true.
When
we really love the lord and the church, we are willing to sacrifice for it.
Give money – time – volunteer hours which we would normally use on
ourselves.
III.
live a life of purpose vs.
9
Paul
says my purpose in life is to preach the gospel.
I’m not looking for praise, honors, and material rewards.
I want you to join me in heaven some day.
I want you to hear and understand this marvelous message about the
grace of God.
What
gets you out of bed in the morning?
Tony
Compolo – a dynamic preacher and educator says:
“What you commit yourself to will change what you are and make you a
completely different person. What you commit yourself to will determine your
future more than anything that has happened to you in the past.”
When
we have no intentions of helping others, no passion for life, or no direction
for our future, we might as well stay in bed.
Thaddeus
Stevens story
Author
and pastor Tony Evans says; “my passion when I get up in the morning is
this: how
can I make God look good today;
it transforms my everyday experience into an exciting adventure.”
Whats
your purpose – why do you get out of bed?
What makes your life worth living.
People possessions and power or is it something else.
Is it that inner drive to make God look good today?
Proclaiming
Christ. preaching the gospel praying
for his people those are the only
activities that so fill Paul’s heart with love, and joy, and human happiness
that he is “delighted” by life because he lives to please God. To Paul:
That’s living the good life.
Life is tough.
We struggle to find some equation that can bring us the end we crave—-true
happiness. There are challenges with our health, on our job, in our homes.
Paul was no religious guru holed up in a cave away from the problems of the
world. He was out there facing opposition every day of his adult life. You
think you have a hard job. Has it ever left you physically beaten up by mobs,
thrown in flea-infested prisons, shipwrecked far from home?
Friends, here
is the secret to dealing with life when it gets tough. Take the focus off your
problems and place them on Christ. If you keep your eyes focused on your
problems, all you're going to do is wallow in self-pity. You will be a burden
to yourself and everyone around you. But if you will focus on Christ and on
the people around you, then there is hope that you will find the real meaning
of life. You will be living the good life.
If
you really want to live the good life, our greatest commitment is the one we
make to Jesus Christ.
In
1986 Lisa had her firstborn son – 12 weeks premature originally told he
would not survive– he somehow made it, then she was told more dark news –
he had cerebral palsy and would likely never walk; may
be blind and mentally handicapped.
The
dream of living the good life seemed like a nightmare. Growing up was tough
for him. 16 surgeries were necessary. Teasing by children – unable
to participate in various activities, insurance company fights over coverages.
His balance was so poor, he fell many times injuring himself. He
eventually learned to walk haltingly and as a teen discovered the joys of a
Segway scooter.
As
he grew, he defied the odds, learned to hit a golf ball, shoot baskets and go
diving. Using a special dog to
help his balance and a Segway he went to USF where he graduated magna cum
laude.
He
wanted to be a doctor but was turned down five times because the authorities
said no one would want a disabled doctor.
He didn’t give up – went to a school in the Caribbean where he
majored in pediatric and hyperbaric medicine.
Finishing
his clinical rotations in the United States, he passed all of his medical
boards and is presently interviewing for a medical residency.
He is a medical doctor specializing in pediatrics.
His name is Tyler Sexton, you may recognize him as the grandson of Dick
and Jeanne Norris.
Tyler is living the good life despite his
limitations. He has a strong faith in God and what God can do through him.