Surprised by Joy In the Struggles of Life

Matthew 5:9-12

• Surprised by joy in coming to God• Surprised by joy in walking with God• Surprised by joy in bringing God back to our

struggles in life

“People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway.If you do good, people may accuse you of selfish motives. Do good anyway.Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway.What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.Give the world the best you have and you may get hurt. Give the world your best anyway.” --Mother Teresa

There is a blessing in doing what is right, even in the struggles of life. That’s when we are surprised by joy!

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God

• “Yes, we love peace, but we are not willing to take wounds for it as we are for war.” -- John Andrew Holmes

• Be the first to make up; “Do over”

• Ephesians 2:14-16

• Choose carefully which hill you are willing to die for

• Romans 12:18 “If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

These failed “Peacemaking 101”

• Cain (He just wasn’t Abel)

• Peter (He should have said, “Malchus, would you lend me your ear?”)

• Judas (The originator of “the kiss of death”)

• The Sons of Thunder (“Jesus, NOW can we call down fire from heaven?”)

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the

kingdom of heaven…

• “God will not look you over for medals, degrees, or diplomas, but for scars.” -- Elbert Hubbard

• “Because of righteousness…” (right relationships)

• “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you….if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” – I Pt 4:14-16

Yet sometimes Christians are emotionally and socially persecuted because of:

• Speaking “religious babble” or “God talk”

• Wearing a “spiritual chip on our shoulder”

• Being archaic

It is human nature to fear that which we don’t understand, and to persecute what we fear.

The point is not that Christians are to be different, but that we are to be righteous, and by being righteous, we will be different!

Righteousness is “a hill worth dying for.”

What is the “blessing” in persecution? “Great is your reward in heaven.”

•

Matthew 5:3-10

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Surprised by Joy

We’ve come to God.We’ve walked with God.

We’ve taken God back to our struggles in life.