The Pursuit of Happiness, Part 1

When you hear of someone that is “blessed,” what do you think? Is it that things are going well for them, whether financially, health, family, or all of the above? Would it shock you to know that God wants things to work out for you to the point where you will experience ultimate satisfaction in life? At the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, he explained to his followers what it looks like to live a “blessed” life, and you might be surprised that it looks very different than we would imagine.

Rest on Us
Maverick City Music

On Repeat
Hillsong UNITED

This is the Kingdom
Elevation Worship

Nothing Else
Cody Carnes

Genesis 1:27-28
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female He created them. And God blessed them. Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.

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Baruk
Hebrew word for “blessed.” It carries the idea of “supreme happiness or flourishing.” God bestowed on them this state of internal peace, approval from Him, and this deep satisfaction and contentment at the core of their being.

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Genesis 12:1-3b
Now the Lord said to Abram, go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land I will show you and I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

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Matthew 4:17
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

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Matthew 5:3-12
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets before you.

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Blessed
Is the word “ma-kar-ee-os.” It carries with it the same idea of “supreme happiness or a declaration of good fortune and flourishing.”

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Hebrews 8:8-10
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.