Then I Would Be Happy!
Basilea Schlink teaches that true and lasting happiness is found only through repentance, forgiveness, and wholehearted love for Jesus within the kingdom of heaven.
In this devotional sermon, Basilea Schlink explores the true source of lasting happiness found only in the kingdom of heaven. She emphasizes repentance as the essential step toward receiving forgiveness, salvation, and a deep, abiding love for Jesus. Using the example of Mary Magdalene, Schlink illustrates how a repentant heart is transformed by God's grace. Listeners are encouraged to embrace repentance as the gateway to joy and love in their spiritual journey.
Full Transcript
God lives and works today. He is building a kingdom of love and happiness. How often we hear people say, oh, if I only had this or that, then I would be happy.
But when our hopes are realized, usually our happiness doesn't last. Today's meditation by Basilea Schlink tells about a wish that can be fulfilled, a way that is guaranteed to bring happiness, lasting and everlasting. The first characteristic of the kingdom of heaven is joy, great joy, and it's kindled only through contrition and repentance.
This is because repentance is the prerequisite for attaining forgiveness. And wherever there's forgiveness of sins, there's salvation and joy. People who are repentant are rich, for they who no longer demand anything from God and man, who are the very poorest creatures, they have become rich in grace and gifts.
The kingdom of heaven is also the kingdom of love. We are only able to love because he first loved us, and Jesus loves the repentant sinner. He didn't come to save the righteous, but to save sinners.
Therefore, he bestows his gifts of love and forgiveness on those who need a savior, who come to him filled with remorse and contrition. When we receive forgiveness, our hearts become so filled with joy that we cannot help but love him, with love that knows no bounds. We cannot help but give our lives to him who gave his life for us, who saved us from the eternal prison of sin.
How many people sigh, if I could only love Jesus with all my heart, life would be rich, and then I would be happy. This is the essence of heaven, when everything centers around Jesus, when everyone loves him above all else. What a joyful message we have.
Repentance is the way that brings us to an overflowing, wholehearted love for Jesus. It brings with itself a great treasure of grace and mercy. We see this with Mary Magdalene.
She came to Jesus with a repentant heart, bringing him only her sins, and she went away enriched and transformed by his great love. What an example she is for us. Yes, God's command, repent, is truly the gate through which we enter the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of love.
There's no other way. You have been listening to a program written by Basilea Schlink of the Little Land of Canaan. To learn more about how God lives and works today, visit us at our website, www.canaan.org. That's K-A-N-A-A-N.org. If you contact us, we would be happy to send you a free inspirational booklet.
If you do not have access to the web, please contact this radio station for our postal address. God bless you.
Sermon Outline
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I. The Illusion of Happiness in Earthly Things
- People often believe possessions bring happiness
- Realized hopes often fail to bring lasting joy
- Earthly happiness is temporary and fleeting
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II. The Kingdom of Heaven: Joy and Love
- Joy is the first characteristic of the kingdom of heaven
- Joy comes through contrition and repentance
- The kingdom is founded on love because God first loved us
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III. Repentance as the Gateway to Forgiveness and Salvation
- Repentance is necessary to receive forgiveness
- Forgiveness leads to salvation and true joy
- Repentant sinners are rich in grace and gifts
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IV. The Example of Mary Magdalene
- She came to Jesus with a repentant heart
- She was transformed and enriched by His love
- Her story exemplifies the path into the kingdom of heaven
Key Quotes
“The first characteristic of the kingdom of heaven is joy, great joy, and it's kindled only through contrition and repentance.” — Basilea Schlink
“Repentance is the way that brings us to an overflowing, wholehearted love for Jesus.” — Basilea Schlink
“God's command, repent, is truly the gate through which we enter the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of love.” — Basilea Schlink
Application Points
- Examine your heart for areas needing repentance to experience true forgiveness and joy.
- Cultivate a love for Jesus that centers your life and brings lasting happiness.
- Remember that earthly possessions cannot satisfy the soul; seek the kingdom of heaven first.