Best News Ever: Find Your Happiness (Romans 5:1-11)

Decl of Indep July 4, 1776: all men…are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

• #1 mental illness – anxiety

https://adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics

• CDC – June report 40% reported at least 1 mental/behavioral health condition

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6932a1.htm

• US election increased mental wellness apps by 30%

https://sensortower.com/blog/us-election-mental-health-apps

• = “rejoice” X3

Rejoice in God

Romans 5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ² Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

1. Jesus changes your identity

• “justified” – from unrighteous to righteous

2. Jesus changes your relationship with God

• “peace w/God through our Lord Jesus Christ” – from wrath to peace
• Peace:            1. Global       2. Nat’l            3. Personal

When 2 parties demand ownership/control = war. Our life & world us vs God.

He defeated us and we surrender to Him for peace.

3. Jesus changes your emotions

• “access…into this grace in which we stand”;  “we rejoice in hope”
• from tossed & hopeless to standing & hopeful

You may not get relief, but you can rejoice!

You need be a Person & a purpose bigger than your live to give it meaning

“obtained access into…grace” – Adam fled, Moses alone Mountain, Holy Holies

Rejoice in Hardship

Romans 5:³ Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵ and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

People & Parents: character & emotional health is forged through hardship

1. we rejoice in our sufferings,

• trouble that inflicts distress, oppression, affliction, tribulation hardship

2. knowing that suffering produces endurance

1. refocus 2. remove 3. reprioritize = things may not change/improve

3. endurance produces character

• Counting calories, dollars, & ballots matters. Counting character really matters

4. character produces hope,

• suffering burns away all objects of faith other than God
• once you’ve been through a few wars you smile when you put your boots on

5. and hope does not put us to shame,

• You often cannot decide what happens, but you can decide who you become.

=Leadership about increasing pain threshold. Jesus Greatest Leader= Most Pain

Rejoice in Reconciliation 

Romans 5:⁶ For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— ⁸ but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. ¹⁰ For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. ¹¹ More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

1. Who you were?

• “ungodly”, “sinners”, “wrath”, “enemies”

Every relationship needs  sacred moment. E.G. Marriage. You and Jesus Christ

2. How you were saved?

• “Christ died”, “saved by Him”

• If God was for you as enemies, He will be for you as friends
• If God did not give up on you when @ war, will not give up now @ peace

3. Who you are now?

• “love”, “justified”, “saved”,

• Who loves you so much they would die for you?
• Who do you love so much you would die for them?

= “reconciled”, “rejoice” – peace/safety/health – relationship restored = party!

Suffering in the Spirit

Romans 5:3,5 we rejoice in our sufferings…because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Suffering

1.    If it happens, it is because you are now ready.

2.    God does not cause all that you suffer, but uses all that you suffer.

3.    Suffering helps us care less about what we have & care more about who we become

Spirit

• First mention of Holy Spirit in Romans since 1:4, 20X in Rom. 8
• Bible has principles. Spirit has POWER!

Jesus models a personal/powerful relationship with the Holy Spirit

Apostles (4^th Cen) – “born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified…”

Nicene (4^th Century) – “was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate…”

Life? Go to heaven when you die?

Jesus’ in Luke 

1. Elizabeth & Zech “filled w/the HS”, John “filled w/the HS, from his mother’s womb”
2. Mary conceived “The Holy Spirit will come upon you.”, “Christ” – anointed HS
3. Isaiah 61:1–2 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…”
4. “full of the Holy Spirit,” “led by the Spirit,” “in the power of the Spirit”, “rejoiced in the HS”
5. Baptism – 2/4 Gospels “HS remained”

Luke 11:13 the heavenly Father [will] give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

1. You have a 100% chance of success if you live & suffer in the Spirit

When will you meet with Him? How will you learn from Him? Who is filled with Him? What is He saying to you?