Jesus’s Prescription for Happiness

According to a study jointly conducted by the World Health Organization and Harvard Medical School, and based on more than 60,000 face-to-face interviews worldwide, the richest country — the United States — has the saddest people and is regarded as one of the unhappiest places on earth.

The happiest people on the planet? Nigerians, and they have one of the lowest standards of living. I don’t believe Nigerians have the corner on the market, though. Believers do.

In Matthew 5, Jesus gives us his prescription for how to have happiness. “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 sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3-10, ESV).

This is not what Jesus is saying in the Sermon on the Mount: Live like this and you will become a Christian. That’s impossible. What he is saying is this: Because you are a Christian, you can live like this and experience happiness.

Happiness is found in character not in possessions. Every one of these Beatitudes is something internal, not external; something you are, not something you have.

God would never ask you to do or be something that is not possible. God never makes his Word, his promises or his challenges unattainable. God never directs us into dead-ends, but he always leaves a gap of dependency. You can’t practice the beatitudes without God. Which means you can’t be happy without God.

These beatitudes are not natural for us. We need God to instill them into us and direct us. We look to God to help us, and he will. You want to be happy? Jesus shows us the way. It may take a little effort to get there, but it’s doable with Jesus beside us, helping us. The committed are willing to break out of their religious thinking and embrace Kingdom thinking. That brings us true and ultimate happiness.

_{After pastoring an inner-city congregation in Detroit for thirty years, Pastor Tim served at Brooklyn Tabernacle in NYC for five years and pastored in Lafayette, Louisiana, for five years. He became Senior Pastor of Times Square Church in May of 2020.}