A Sermon Based on the First Sermon I Preached at Central

THREE CLUES TO HAPPINESS

A Sermon Based on the First Sermon I Preached at Central

TEXT: "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."  --John 15:11

Since next Sunday is the last Sunday of my ministry here at Central, I have been doing a lot of reminiscing, as you can well imagine. I vividly remember that very first Sunday. I walked through the breezeway and stopping before I inserted the new key in the door, I prayed that I would have the ability to respond faithfully to my call as pastor. I had reason to believe that I really was called of God to serve Central. When I opened the door, I thought to myself, "I wonder how many times I will be doing this." Ken Bradley was already in the church -- he was always the first one to open the doors, in those days. I discovered that he wanted to have the time before everyone arrived to talk to the minister. He wanted to be certain that he had really been forgiven.

I had been in that pulpit before when I preached at the Regional Assembly. But now I was walking into the pulpit as minister. Though I was well prepared, I still felt a little anxious. As I read my text I didn’t realize that it would be the dominant theme of my ministry here.

These words of Jesus from the gospel of John were the text: "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." My sermon this morning is based on that sermon.

The late, great Florida preacher tells about attending a meeting of ministers where the question was being discussed, "Why are Christian ministers so preoccupied with the subject of sin and salvation? Why don’t they preach more on what everyone needs -- happiness?’

Dr. Hamilton said, "the reason some ministers said they shied away from the happiness theme is that happiness should not be the purpose of human existence. Some of the ministers said that it is impossible to preach on the subject because no one knows what happiness is. It cannot be defined.

Some people think that happiness is an illusion in this world. Thomas Carlyle, the 19th century British historian, said happiness is not a worthy pursuit. He said, "What right do you have to be happy? What act of legislature promised it to you?" He believed that our desire for happiness was born of our vanity. "We think some reward is due us and we rate ourselves too high. It would be better for us to think we deserve to be hanged, then we would feel it happiness to be only shot."

But in spite of what some long-faced preachers may say, the Bible does not shy away from the pursuit of happiness. Christianity begins by assuming happiness. Christianity points the way to happiness. Christianity is basically a joyous religion. Christ himself was a joyful man. He called himself the bridegroom of the world. Jesus actually had to defend himself from the accusations of her over-pious enemies and explain to the people why he and his disciples were so joyful. He began his Sermon on the Mount with a list of "blesseds" -- and they might correctly be called "Nine ways to be happy." The characteristic note of the New Testament is not sorrow, but joy. On the last night before his crucifixion, Jesus said, "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy may be full."

What we have to see is that there are spiritual laws that govern the search for happiness. Happiness does not just drop down from the sky. Happiness does not come just by accident. I believe that the gospel helps us see that HAPPINESS IS ESSENTIALLY AND INEVITABLY A BY-PRODUCT, THAT IT COMES INVARIABLY BY INDIRECTION. It is something that is added in the pursuit of something else. It is a consequence. It is the fruit of the spirit. "The fruit of the spirit is joy..." said Paul.

I would like to give you what I think are three clues to finding genuine happiness. The first clue is this--listen: Happiness is a consequence of inner stability. That is inner stability, not outer security. It is found inside of you-- not outside of you. We tend to externalize the search of happiness. We can’t shake our minds free from the notion that life DOES consist in the abundance of things we can possess. We can’t shake our minds free from the notion that inner well-being is dependent upon outer circumstances, the things that happen to us. If "luck" would just break for us on the stock market -- or Tunica -- or by a visit from Ed McMahon -- why, then we could be happy. If only I could get a better job, or get a better car, or get married -- or get unmarried... why, then I could be happy.

Now it would be pious hypocrisy to say that our sense of well-being is not vitally affected by what happens to us. The child raised in the poverty of the Binghampton ghetto ... the woman who lives with an abusive husband ... the person who suffers a debilitating illness ... all must overcome great odds to find inner stability. What happens to us is not unimportant, but neither is it all-important! Our well-being is not wholly at the mercy of the things that happen to us! The joyousness of Jesus was certainly not at the mercy of what happened to Him.

And then I said for the first time what has become a mantra that I have repeated time and again in twenty-five years: "It’s not what happens to you, but what you do with what happens to you that counts."

SO THIS IS THE FIRST CLUE "HAPPINESS IS THE RESULT OF INNER STABILITY. NOW HERE IS THE SECOND CLUE: THE GOSPEL TEACHES US THAT HAPPINESS IS THE BY-PRODUCT OF HOLINESS.

Or, if the word "holiness" sounds too theological, say "wholeness" - same thing! Health, wholeness, holiness all come from the same root. It means the same thing as when we say, "She has got it all together."

You’d think we would be smart enough to see the inevitable connection between happiness and wholeness of life. That’s why those who seek happiness in focusing on their sensual enjoyment are always disappointed. They can’t get away from the rest of themselves.

The "Playboy philosophy" seems to be so attractive. If it feels good, just do it! Let your natural instincts have complete freedom. Don’t frustrate your biological drives. These animal instincts within us should have the freedom to express themselves.

Well, must of us Christians would agree -- except that we carry it a step further. It is true that there are animal instincts within us -- but don’t forget that we are spiritual beings, too.

If it is harmful to frustrate the animal part of our nature, what about the rest of us? What about your mental, moral and spiritual side? What about your suppressed morality ... loyalty ...devotion?

It has been my experience that when you hear someone say, "I have a right to be happy. I have a right to live my own life," you can be sure they are not happy and they are not living their own lives -- their whole life.

You simply cannot deny yourself the fulfilment of your spiritual dimension without suffering terrible consequences. (Have you heard the story about the wife who was so tired of having her husband come home late at night staggering drunk? She said, "I’m going to show you just how disgusting and ridiculous you look." And she GRABBED his bottle and took a long swig. "Uggg! That was terrible." And her husband, still two shakes in the wind, said, "Aha! And you thought I was just having fun all these years!")

When the conscience goes one direction and conduct in another, the springs of happiness dry up!

AND HERE IS THE FINAL CLUE TO FINDING HAPPINESS: HAPPINESS IS THE INDIRECT CONSEQUENCE OF USEFULNESS.

Work is enjoyable. Michelangelo said, "It is well with me only with a chisel in my hand." (I hope I can remember that during my retirement!) We are made by our Creator to be creative.

Here is the clue -- a small key that opens a big door. Christianity whispers in your ear the discovery that the highest human happiness is found in the activity which to the careful self-seekers seem absurd: self-forgetful devotion to something beyond yourself.

It is repeated over and over again in the New Testament: You lose life to find it. There is no truth Jesus emphasized more, or that life more consistently confirms. Self-seeking is self-defeating. "He that saveth his life will lose it!"

Center yourself on yourself and you won’t find joy, but misery. This is why so many people are "fed up with life." This is why so many people are burned out. This is who so many people are depressed.

If you spend your life trying to be happy -- you probably won’t be. If you spend your life acquiring things to make you happy -- you probably won’t be. If you spend your life surrounding yourself with comfortable things to make life easy for yourself in order to make yourself happy -- you probably won’t be.

And here’s the paradox: if you forget yourself and try to spend and be spent for the kingdom God ... if you reach out in service and love to others ... if you make yourself useful to somebody, and find creative work to be done ... Well, at some point along life’s journey somebody will ask you if you are happy and you’ll say, "Well, I hadn’t thought about it, but, you know, I really am!"