Be Happy Attitudes (pt 1)
Background: The “Beatitudes” represent the introduction of the Sermon on the Mount (28-30 AD), the first, formal teaching of Jesus with his followers. In these short, powerful, poetic verses, Jesus topples the traditional thinking of his day (and ours), by showing us how opposite the Kingdom of Heaven is from the Kingdom of Earth. And yet, he also suggests that succeeding God’s way will help you master the art of everyday living in 2025.
During this 3-week series, we will investigate 3 Beatitudes each week.
Matthew 5:3-5 (NIV)
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Remember: The people Jesus spoke to on the Mount of Beatitudes were like us. We’re cut from the same cloth. This is not some irrelevant, historic literature. It’s as applicable in SoCal 2025.
Be Happy Attitude #1: In God’s Kingdom, filing for spiritual
bankruptcy isn’t the end, it’s the beginning.
3 “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. (The Message)
The problem is trying to do life on our own
Self-reliance is the DNA of sin; becoming “like the gods”
Poor people can be self-reliant and wealthy people can be God-reliant, but resources tempt us to do life on our own
Be Happy Attitude #2: In God’s Kingdom, good grief is when we bring it to God and when it reminds us of a blessing we have experienced.
4 “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. (The Message)
God wants to be involved in all of our life and emotions; don’t exclude Him
When we see God as our source, we thank him for His gifts; even when they leave
Be Happy Attitude #3: In God’s Kingdom, meekness is not weakness. Rather, it’s about walking softly and carrying a big God.
5 “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought. (The Message)
John Stott: “Meekness is not the absence of assertiveness, but the absence of self-assertion.”
Tozer: “The meek person is not a human mouse, plagued by feelings of inferiority. Rather, one may be as bold as a lion in moral conviction, yet no longer deceived about themselves."
N.T. Wright: “Jesus is promising the world to the people who refuse to grab it for themselves.”