Do What Makes You Happy Holy: Series Introduction (AM)

1 Peter 1:13-19

Introduction:

1. “Do what makes you happy” is a common mantra among people of the world.

2. The pursuit of happiness is enshrined in the Declaration of Independence as one of the inalienable rights for which the revolutionary war was fought.

3. This series is not a polemic against pursuing happiness per se; it is a call to avoid mistaking the primary purpose and pursuit of human existence for momentary bliss.

Discussion:

I. The Foundation of Our Call

A. “Therefore” in 1 Peter 1:13 encompasses all of verses 1-12 as the motivation for our lives.

B. Essentially, verses 1-12 tell us what God has done for us, while the rest of the book tells us how He expects us to live in view of this reality.

II. The Chief Pursuit

A. Flowing from the heavenly inheritance God gave through the resurrection of Christ (1:3-9), the Lord has given us very plain instructions for ordering our lives.

B. There are three imperatives in 1:13-19 we must allow to inform our chief pursuit.

1. Verse 13: “…rest your hope fully upon the grace…to be brought…at the revelation of Jesus...”

2. Verse 15, 16: “…be holy in all your conduct…”

3. Verse 17: “…conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear.”

C. Such statements set our chief pursuit in the eternal, heavenly realm (cf. Colossians 3:1ff).

III. True Happiness

A. The primary theme of 1 Peter is suffering for righteousness’ sake while holding fast to the gospel (1:6—9; 2:18-25; 3:13-18; 4:1-4, 12-19; 5:8-11).

B. Suffering does not produce “happiness” as defined by the world, but suffering for righteousness does produce “happiness” as defined by the Lord (Matthew 5:3-12).

1. The word for “blessed” in the beatitudes can mean “happy” (Thayer; John 13:17 KJV).

2. Being persecuted for His name is to cause to “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad” (5:12).

Conclusion:

1. The world’s pursuit of happiness does not fit the biblical mold.

2. We must find happiness/joy/gladness in pursuit of His will.

3. Put another way, we must do what makes us holy, and then we can be truly happy.

Further Food for Thought

1. Have you ever come to a fork in the road where momentary happiness clashed with holiness?

2. How do we keep the eternal ahead of the temporal to avoid giving in to the temptation?