Introduction
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” This sentence from the United States Declaration of Independence is arguably “one of the best-known sentences in the English language.”
British Prime Minister, David Camron, recently proposed a “national happiness index”. His purpose is to measure the level of happiness in society.
In this message we use the word “happiness” in its purest sense. Jesus said, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (John 13:17). “Blessed” is the word. “Happy” is the meaning. This is the divine method of the pursuit of happiness.
Maybe you have heard “A text without a context is a pretext for a proof text.” It is important to know what “things” Jesus refers to in John 13:17. From the context beginning in verse one of this chapter John writes, “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, are You washing my feet?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.’ Peter said to Him, ‘You shall never wash my feet!’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’ Simon Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.’ For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, ‘You are not all clean.’ So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them’” (John 13:1-17).
Jesus explains that knowing and doing “these things” will make you happy. What things? Humble service of Christians to each other is the focus of this passage. The happiest people in the world are those who serve others. Conversely, the unhappiest people are those who want others to serve them.
Our purpose is to explore and experience genuine happiness.