The Pursuit of Happiness?
Phil. 3:10-21
Intro: Sing “If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands”
We live in a country where we believe that there is a God given right for us to seek out our own happiness.
In fact in our country’s Declaration of Independence, we are told that each person has been granted certain unalienable rights which include life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Not that I disagree with our founding fathers, in fact…I think they were very much on the right side of history; but even though we have the right to be happy I don’t think God wants us to be happy.
Did he just say that?
Rewind…God does not want us to be happy.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about being happy.
I was VERY happy last night at about 8:20 when LSU went ahead of Bama and won the game.
I’m hoping to be happy tomorrow night when I step on the scale for First Place.
But is that all there is? Just those momentary moments of “happiness” that rely on circumstances?
I think there is and should be more.
Anyone here want to be “happily married”?
I don’t (sorry honey)
I want to have joy in my marriage because it is built upon the love of God that saved both my wife and I…but I don’t want to simply be happy because things line up right and fall into the right place.
And sorry folks, but I have to confess…I’m not happily employed here at First Baptist Church.
I find joy in my service here, and I find joy in the relationships that God has blessed me with; but I’m not going to be content with simply being “happy”.
I want more…and we should all want more.
Yes, we have the God given right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…Just because we have a right doesn’t mean it is best for us.
I think there is more to life than just being “happy”.
Transition:
This morning I want us to continue on with our study of Philippians called “Fall into Joy” and consider our right to pursue happiness in light of God’s word.
Read Phil. 3:10-21 and pray.
OK, so if our life is not simply about the pursuit of happiness what should we be pursuing?
Our passage this morning tells us 3 things we should be pursuing as born again believers that are above and beyond the pursuit of happiness.
First of all…
1. Pursue Knowing Christ
Read vs. 10.
Keep in mind that the Apostle Paul is the author of this letter, and his conversion that we read about in the book of Acts led him to see that the pursuit of all that the world had to offer was nothing in comparison to knowing Christ.
Read verse 8…this is the highest of all pursuits according to Paul and according to the Holy Spirit that penned these words through the person of the Apostle Paul.
In verse 10 Paul uses the word “Know”, this is a word of intimacy.
In AT Robertson’s “Word Pictures” he says it means to have a personal acquaintance with or to have an experience with.
It means that there is a real relationship there.
What does it mean to “know”?
• It is more than a mere hobby
• It is more than just a weekend Jesus thing
• It is more than a passing interest the occupy time
• BUT…It is an all consuming passion and drive that totally dictates your life.
Paul said in verse 10 that he wanted to experience the power of the resurrection in knowing God…why is that?
1. Jesus exceeds all things…read that in Phil. 2:5-11 (Ever knee will bow and every tongue will confess); and then there is…
2. The Power of the resurrection, this is pulsing through our veins as born again believers.
• At point I do have an obligation and the honor of reminding you of what a born again believer is…
Now back to the resurrection power, this is what gives us life and gives life to all of the dead stuff we deal with in our lives:
• Dead hope
• Dead dreams
• Dead marriages
• Dead promises
• Dead Churches
• Dead people
This is the message to us, in pursuing God we find that knowing Him is life giving!
Knowing Jesus is life giving…and nothing else compares!
I know in my own life knowing Jesus has revolutionized my life because I now have He who overcame death living in me.
Christ brings life where this is death.
By believing in Christ, though you die physically you can life forever spiritually.
He brings life where there is death…and all we have to do is look to the cross!
The resurrection of Christ is not just a historical fact, but it is something that can and should drive your life.
Paul said we should pursue knowing Christ to the point of sharing in His sufferings.
Do you realize that there is a union with Christ that can only come as a result of suffering?
Those who suffer as a result of their walk with Christ have a new knowledge of Him and a new pursuit of Him that is indescribable.
Suffering drives us to the Savior.
Suffering brings to surface what is most important in our lives…and as born again believers that should be the person of Christ.
People who suffer find a merciful high priest and a faithful companion who has been there and in finding Him they find the power to live.
And dare I even say…you can find joy there?
It is true and it is real.
So first of all, pursue knowing Christ, but also…
2. Pursue what is Eternal
Read verse 14.
Some translations might read “Heavenly calling”, some “high calling”, or “Upward calling”…the point is we don’t need to seek what this earth has to offer and what is temporal, but only what is eternal.
Please don’t think I’m trying to depress you or depress you this morning, but we need to understand that life is frail.
We are not promised tomorrow, we only promised right here and right now.
Every breathe we take has the potential to be our last.
Not only that, but anything and everything this world has to offer will never stand the test of time.
The biggest and most well built house in southern CA could only stand for a few moments when the wildfires burned through over the last couple of weeks.
The almighty dollar that we depend on day in and day out is losing value in our global society and it hinges on what investors on Wall Street view as being valuable.
It is all temporary at best.
Tomorrow it can come to an end.
That is why we are told to pursue the goal and pursue the prize of what is eternal.
The Greek phrase that we have translated as “the prize”, or as the KJV reads “unto the prize” is used only one other time in the NT, it is found in 1 Cor. 9:24 which reads, “Do you not know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.”
Do you see the image there, you need to run the race in a way that you can put yourself in a position to win the race.
Don’t do it half heartedly…because we are doing it for what is eternal.
We are doing it for God’s greater glory, His honor and His kingdom.
We are doing it because He has given us life and life more abundantly.
We are doing it for the joy of running and winning the race.
ILLUS: One of the times in my life that I don’t think I can ever forget came from when I was 12 years old.
I was playing pewee football for the Oilers…year before we went 1-6; but this season we began with a 3 game winning streak that ended with a loss to the other unbeaten team called the Packers.
As fate would have it they went undefeated and we faced them in the “Sugar Cane Bowl” our championship game.
To make a long story short…we won.
I can see get the images in my mind of us watching the clock wind down and then running like maniacs all over that field celebrating what was probably the biggest moment in our lives.
I was 12 years old…23 years ago and it is like it was yesterday, I still remember the joy I felt that day.
Imagine how much more joy there is in the victory we celebrate in eternity in Jesus.
This is something we sing about quite often in our own hymn books.
How about the last verse of Victory in Jesus…you know it?
I heard about a mansion, He has built for me in glory.
And I heard about the streets of gold, Beyond the crystal sea;
About the angels singing, And the old redemption story,
And some sweet day I’ll sing up there, The song of victory.
Oh…victory in Jesus…
That is why we pursue what is eternal.
The victory has been won, we know that there is a great reward awaiting us…we just need to finish the race and finish it strong!
Finally this morning, I want us to see the third thing Paul tells us to pursue…
3. Pursue Transformation
Read verse 21.
In 2 Cor. 5:17 we are told that we are new creations, the old has passed way, the new has come.
In Romans 12:1 we are told to not be conformed to the patterns of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind.
And here in Phil 3:21 we see that ultimately we are going to undergo the mother of all transformations.
Do you realize that what we do here on earth as BAB is preparation for eternity.
Too may people have this idea that since life is short God wants them to enjoy life and have all of the fun they can…to pursue happiness.
And this idea is nothing short of a life from the pits of hell and too many sitting in church pews have bought into it…and some may be here this morning.
And there are some who have bought this lie and are living it straight to an eternity in Hell.
That is not what God created us for.
We were created by Him and for Him, His honor and His greater glory.
And as a result our salvation should bring a transformation into our lives.
We are new…
We are to be transformed…
We no longer live because Christ now lives in us…
And this is just a taste of eternity.
Basically, every day you are living eternally.
Eternal life doesn’t start at death, it starts at faith.
It begins at the point of salvation.
And that eternal life should be transforming us from who we were before Christ more and more into the image of Christ.
Transition:
Let’s be honest this morning as we wrap things up, are you different?
What was your life like before Christ?
Is your life different now?
“Well, I pray now…sometimes; and I go to church”
That’s fine, but is your life transformed?
Is it different as a result of your faith that leads to repentance?
Listen to the message of Christ in Mark 1:15, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the good news!"
Our faith and repentance go hand in hand…faith should lead to a life change.
Jesus said in Luke 9:23 that if anyone would come after Him we must deny ourselves, take up our crosses daily and follow Him.
That in and of itself is a transformation from who we were without Christ.
With out Christ we are all about appeasing ourselves, taking up our own causes and following our hearts, our mind or our noses…not the things of God.
So, is your life different?
If not, you are missing out on the joy that comes from the pursuit of knowing God, the pursuit of what is eternal and the pursuit of transformation.
Transition:
And it all starts with knowing Christ.
Do you know Him this morning?
If not, you can pursue life, liberty and happiness all you want…but it is a chase that will lead you no where but away from God and His purpose for you.
But to pursue knowing God and to know Him, that is where eternal life is.
For our born again believers…I’ll ask you again, do you have joy in your life?
Are you running after the wrong things?
