HAPPINESS IS ACCEPTING JESUS

TEXT- ACTS 16:25-34

INTRODUCTION

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVERY READ THE COMIC CALLED MOMMA?

IN A RECENT CARTOON STRIP MOMMA'S DAUGHTER CAME HOME WITH A BOY CRYING, "MOMMA, DOUG WANTS TO DROP ME! I'M SO UNHAPPY!! I'D BE MISERABLE WITHOUT HIM!!" IN THE NEXT FRAME MOMMA LOOKS UP AT THE BOY STANDING NEXT TO HER DAUGHTER AND SAYS, "YOU BEAST!" WITH A STARTLED LOOK ON HER FACE MOMMA'S DAUGHTER SAYS, "MOMMA, THIS ISN'T DOUG. THIS IS MY NEW BOYFRIEND, JACK."

THIS MORNING I AM GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THE SERIES OF SERMONS THAT I STARTED LAST WEEK ON THE TOPIC OF HAPPINESS.

THESE FIRST TWO SERMONS ARE BASICALLY AN INTRODUCTION TO THE VERSE BY VERSE STUDY I WILL BE DOING FROM THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS.

THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS WAS WRITTEN BY THE APOSTLE PAUL TO ONE OF THE LORD'S CHURCHES LOCATED IN THE CITY OF PHILIPPI.

THE FIRST TIME PAUL CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE PEOPLE IN PHILIPPI WAS DURING HIS SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY WHICH IS RECORDED IN ACTS CHAPTER 15.

THIS LAST WEEK FRANCE CELEBRATED ITS 200TH YEAR OF FREEDOM SINCE THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.

DURING THE LAST TWO YEARS A VERY POPULAR PLAY CALLED "LES MISERABLES" HAS BEEN RUNNING IN LOS ANGELES.

THIS PLAY WAS TAKEN FROM A BOOK WRITTEN BY VICTOR HUGO ABOUT A MAN WHO LIVED THROUGH THE FRENCH REVOLUTION NAMED JEAN VALJEAN.

THE STORY TELLS ABOUT HOW JEAN VALJEAN WAS SENT TO PRISON FOR TRYING TO STEAL A LOAF A BREAD TO FEED HIS SISTER AND HER STARVING CHILDREN AND WAS RELEASED AFTER NINETEEN YEARS.

WHILE IN PRISON JEAN VALJEAN WAS HATED, MISTREATED AND ABUSED BY A JAIL GUARD NAMED JAVERT.

WHEN HE WAS RELEASED JEAN VALJEAN WAS COMPLETELY OSTRACIZED FROM SOCIETY AND TREATED AS AN OUTCAST BY EVERYONE EXCEPT A FRENCH PRIEST WHO GAVE HIM A PLACE TO SLEEP AND FOOD TO EAT.

DURING THE NIGHT JEAN VALJEAN STOLE THE SILVER PLATES THAT WERE ON THE DINNER TABLE.

WHILE HE WAS RUNNING AWAY HE WAS CAUGHT BY THE POLICE AND QUESTIONED AS TO WHERE HE GOT THE PLATES.

JEAN VALJEAN TOLD THE POLICE THAT THEY WERE GIVEN TO HIM BY THE PRIEST.

THE POLICE BROUGHT HIM BACK TO THE PRIEST AND ASKED HIM IF THIS WAS TRUE AND THE PRIEST RESPONDED BY SAYING, "YES, AND HE FORGOT TO TAKE MY SILVER CANDLESTICKS WHICH I ALSO GAVE HIM."

NEVER BEFORE HAD JEAN VALJEAN BEEN SHOWN SUCH LOVE.

YET, THAT ONE EXPRESSION OF LOVE WAS ENOUGH TO CHANGE HIS ENTIRE LIFE.

THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE JEAN VALJEAN WAS TENACIOUSLY TORMENTED BY THE PRISON GUARD JAVERT WHO CONTINUALLY TRIED TO RUIN HIS REPUTATION AND KILL HIM.

TOWARDS THE END OF HIS LIFE AND DURING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION JEAN VALJEAN AND JAVERT MET ONE LAST TIME.

JAVERT WAS UNCOVERED AS A SPY AND JEAN VALJEAN WAS GIVEN THE RESPONSIBILITY TO KILL THE MAN WHO HAD TRIED TO KILL HIM FOR YEARS.

JEAN VALJEAN TAKES JAVERT TO A SECLUDED PLACE, UNTIES HIS HANDS, SHOOTS THE GUN INTO THE AIR AND TELLS HIM HE IS FREE TO LEAVE.

UNABLE TO ACCEPT THIS EXPRESSION OF LOVE AND FORGIVENESS JAVERT THE PRISON GUARD COMMITS SUICIDE BY THROWING HIMSELF FROM A BRIDGE INTO AN ICY RIVER.

IN HIS BOOK, VICTOR HUGO WROTE, "THE SUPREME HAPPINESS OF LIFE IS THE CONVICTION THAT WE ARE LOVED."

HAPPY PEOPLE ARE THOSE WHO KNOW AND ACCEPT GOD'S LOVE AND FORGIVENESS FOR THEIR LIVES.

WITHIN THE BIBLE THERE IS ANOTHER STORY TOLD ABOUT A PRISONER AND PRISON GUARD.

OUR TEXT IS FOUND IN ACTS 16:25-34 AND THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE IS, "HAPPINESS IS ACCEPTING JESUS."

AS WE EXAMINE THESE VERSES I WOULD LIKE US TO NOTICE THREE THINGS: