Week 1/Day 1 of "A Life Worth Following"

Justin’s Excerpt: Be open to all advice. There is always room for improvement. The greatest obstacle for growth is not ignorance, it is knowledge. Don’t think you know it all. Be teachable. Potential is limitless to the teachable. Quit being a know-it-all. Justin Sullivan 2/02/02

Sermon on the Mount

Are you happy? Matthew 5:1-12

Welcome to the journey of building a life that is worth following. Over this eight week period, you will be working to build six spiritual disciplines into your life that will help you hear God’s voice and follow His plan. The development of spiritual disciplines always results in a total transformation of your life; moreover, the ultimate goal of these disciplines is to replace old destructive habits with new habits that will give you the ability to interact with God on a daily basis. As you walk through this journal over the next forty days, God will reveal to you what it takes to live out what He requires of you which will enable you to build a life that is worth following.

Today, you are going to begin the first of twelve experiences developing the spiritual discipline of Bible study. So many followers of Christ live in fear and spiritual insecurity because they have not developed the discipline of studying the word of God. Listen to the words of Jesus as He addressed a group of His followers:

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free’.” John 8:31-32
It is certain that God’s truth is incredibly powerful, and holding to its teaching will set you free to experience Him moving in your life. To experience this, it is important that you learn how to effectively study His Word. There are many followers of Christ who love to sing, love to spend time with Christians, and love to go to church, but because of the fact they neglect studying God’s Word, they miss God’s voice and God’s truth in their life. If you are going to develop a life worth following, developing the discipline of studying His word is critical.

Over the next eight weeks, you will be going step by step through a section of Scripture entitled the Sermon on the Mount. This is a sermon preached by Jesus and recorded in its entirety by Matthew, one of Christ’s twelve disciples. The major theme of this sermon revolves around the kingdom of heaven and what that looks like here on earth. When it comes to God’s kingdom, many people think they will only experience it when this life is over. Though every person who hears God’s voice, repents of their sins and experiences God’s forgiveness will go to heaven when they die, Jesus revealed in this sermon that human beings can also experience a glimpse of the kingdom of heaven here on earth. This sermon reveals the way God intends for His people to live their lives.

There are several reasons this sermon is important to study. First of all, this sermon had an obvious impact in the lives of the early disciples. Just the fact that Matthew included the entire sermon in his gospel speaks of the importance of this event. The second reason is that its core message goes against keeping religious rules, and leads us to understand how to practically walk with God. The third reason this sermon should be studied is because applying its teachings will produce effective and influential servants of Christ in a world that desperately needs to see individuals living out their faith in unapologetic and uncompromising ways.

Now, open your Bible to Matthew 5:1-12 and get ready to move step by step through this sermon’s first section, which is called the Beatitudes. It begins like this:

When He saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He began to teach them, saying: (Matthew 5:1-2, HCSB)

From the very beginning of His life, people were drawn to Jesus. In this passage, Jesus has begun His earthly ministry and multitudes of people have started to flock to Him. It was a common custom of most rabbis to sit down when they were getting ready to teach. On this occasion, Jesus had positioned himself on a mountainside and His disciples tuned in to hear what He had to say. Though the exact location of this sermon is unknown, it’s likely that this took place somewhere in Galilee. Keep in mind as Jesus is teaching here that the term “disciples” does not necessarily refer to the twelve closest disciples but to all of the people who were following Christ at the time. At this point in Christ’s ministry, many people were following Him because of His teaching and His amazing miracles.

On this mountainside, Jesus started teaching on the Beatitudes. He begins each statement by using the term “Blessed”. It is important to note that in the original language, this term actually means “happy”. This not only caught the attention of people during the time of Christ, but it catches people’s attention today because the pursuit of happiness is one of the greatest quests of mankind. In this section of the sermon Jesus reveals the secret to living a happy life.

It is amazing to consider the many sacrifices mankind has made all throughout history in search of this thing called happiness. The Beatitudes reveal that the secret of being genuinely happy is only found when a person is properly connected to God. When it comes to true happiness, most people focus on the wrong things. Many choose to count on stuff or status to bring happiness to their life. Jesus, however, makes statements in this part of the sermon like “Happy are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”, “Happy are those who mourn, for they will be comforted,” and “Happy are the meek, for they will inherit the earth”. At first glance, these so called “happy” statements made by Christ don’t seem like they would make the normal person want to jump up and down and sing a merry tune. However, when you take the time to study and meditate on the words of Christ, the internal qualities that His instructions reveal hold the key to a true life of happiness. At first glance, these attitudes may not appear to produce real happiness. However, when you take the time to really think about them, God’s plan for happiness will become clear to you. Follow the breakdown of each of these attitudes.

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. (Matthew 5:3, HCSB)

To be a person who is poor in spirit is to be someone who consciously and intentionally depends on God. So many people try to depend on their own strength and abilities. Jesus reveals that the truly happy person is one who completely depends on Him. If you are going to be happy, you must realize that apart from God, you can’t make it. Real happiness begins when you surrender your life completely to God.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, because they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4, HCSB)

To be a person who mourns is to be a person who honestly recognizes and admits to his needs in life. Many people choose to ignore their problems and struggles, and refuse to bring their real issues to the only One who can help them. Happiness is found when you willingly admit to your sinful nature and genuinely repent of your sin.

5 Blessed are the gentle, because they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5, HCSB)

To be a person who is gentle or meek is often mistaken with being a person who is weak. Don’t misunderstand Christ when He says, “Happy are those who are gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” A good definition of gentleness is tamed power. To be meek or gentle is to live under God’s authority in your life. Happiness comes to those who humbly and gently submit to their position as a follower of Christ.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, because they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6, HCSB)
To be a person who hungers and thirsts for righteousness involves having a spiritual appetite and satisfying that appetite by living a life that pleases God. Happiness is found in seeking not after your own satisfaction, but living a life choosing to satisfy God.

7 Blessed are the merciful, because they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7, HCSB)
To be a person who is merciful is to show mercy to others, whether they deserve it or not. Being merciful reveals the peace and happiness God brings to your life. You are called to be merciful with others because God has been incredibly merciful with you. Mercy will produce genuine happiness in your life, because it is of God. Grace and mercy are two important terms that need to be understood as you evaluate Scripture. Grace is a gift you are given that you do not deserve; mercy is the act of overlooking the punishment that you do deserve. God has freely given you the gift of grace and has chosen to show you mercy. Therefore, happiness comes when you choose to be merciful toward others.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God. (Matthew. 5:8, HCSB)
To be a person who is pure in heart means that you are someone who is consistently asking God to clean up your life. A happy person is internally clean from sin. Many people struggle with sins that are secret. Happy people consistently own up to all sins in life, because those who do experience God’s forgiveness firsthand.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9, HCSB)
To be a peacemaker is to always try to make resolution in conflicts, which helps to build solid relationships, and also models for others how to have inner peace in life. So many people are living at odds with others, with no inner peace. Peace and happiness are only found in a real relationship with Jesus Christ; this is all possible because Jesus paid the price for you. He brought peace to you, and every time you bring peace to a relationship, you represent Jesus to the world. It is for this reason peacemakers are called sons of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. 11 Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. 12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
(Matthew 5:10-12, HCSB)
Finally, Jesus said that persecution for His sake will cause you to truly be happy. Jesus wants you to know that you can actually be happy when you suffer because of Him, not because it is fun, but because the suffering itself will bring you closer to God. The eternal value of being ridiculed for Christ’s sake far outweighs the temporary discomfort or pain. When you pursue a life of becoming like Jesus, you cannot help but stand out from the crowd. When this happens, bank on it, persecution will come. If you are not facing persecution on a regular basis, it is likely that you are not living the way God intended for you to live. The honor of persecution puts you on the same team as many giants of the faith who have gone before you and faced ridicule, suffering, and even death, all in the name of Jesus Christ. Though it is strange and ironic, persecution produces happiness.

Those are the Beatitudes. They came straight from the heart and life of Jesus, and they are meant to be studied and examined. Here are some key truths that are important to understand and apply to your life. First of all, the Beatitudes are leading you to realize that being is more important that doing. Who you are is much more important than what you do. Secondly, the Beatitudes describe the way all Christ-followers are supposed to live. God really wants you to be happy, and this is why He made His word so clear. Thirdly, every Christ-follower is meant to possess all of these attitudes. Sometimes people read the Bible to pick and choose what they want to hear. In regard to the Beatitudes, you are supposed to possess all or them. And fourthly, none of these attitudes are natural, they are all supernatural. Only God can bring these attitudes into your life. Will you allow Him to do that? Recognize the fact that the pursuit of happiness is a journey every human being will have to face. Real happiness begins with a life that intentionally turns to God.

How is this working for you?




Are you intentionally turning your life to God? In the space below, write out how you have turned your life to God.






Re-read all the Beatitudes; do you think they are written randomly or do you see a progression?









The Beatitudes are leading you to focus on being, not doing. What does this mean to you?

A simple request

Throughout life, most of us have the incredible privilege of coming in contact with certain people who live exceptionally and set inspiring examples in every day life. My life is one that has been greatly impacted by many exceptional people but there has been one young man who made such an impact on my life that God compelled me to write a book sharing his story.

Justin Sullivan was a giant of the faith who grew up at Council Road and made a difference in the lives of many people. I had the awesome privilege of serving as Justin’s youth pastor from the time he entered the Student ministry as a seventh grader up to the time of his death immediately following his graduation from High School. On the day I preached Justin’s funeral, God revealed to me that his story must be written down and told in a way that points others to a deeper walk with Jesus Christ. Justin grew to become a spiritual giant of the faith. It is my deepest prayer that his example will impact countless lives through this written record. I have committed to the Lord to not only personally learn from Justin’s life example but to also faithfully and effectively tell his story to others.

Justin graduated third in his class at Yukon High School, where he was not only an honor student, but also an honor athlete. Justin had a strong desire to bring glory to the Lord in every aspect of his life. He was named Baseball Player of the Year for the State of Oklahoma by the Daily Oklahoman on June 2, 2002. The following day he was tragically killed in a random car accident on his way home from work. Even though his life was short, Justin taught people what it meant to walk with God and lived a life that was worth following.

The prophet Micah wrote a great description of a godly life which Justin lived out on a daily basis. Micah 6:8 says:
“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

Justin Sullivan was an exceptional athlete, an exceptional student and an exceptional competitor. Though these qualities enabled him to stand out, the thing that made Justin’s life worth following was his exceptional walk with Jesus Christ.

The target audience of this journal is athletes. Though others would benefit from this forty day experience, this journal is designed to capture the eye and the heart of the athlete. The contents will lead participants to embrace six disciplines that were observed in Justin’s life. The establishment of these disciplines will guide participants down the road to building a life that is worth following. This forty-day experience will not be easy or convenient. It will require thought, time and discipline but will most definitely result in supernatural benefits for all those who choose to walk this road.

This forty day journal is laid out over eight weeks with the intention of each participant spending five days a week significantly engaging the Lord. Though individuals could effectively go through this journal, it is the intention that individuals go through this experience with someone else so that there will be the benefits of discussion and accountability. My prayer is that God will use this book to impact groups like sports teams, FCA Huddle groups and community groups. In addition to this, I see the Lord using this book to help fathers disciple their sons and coaches impact their players.

Each journal comes with a bracelet made from the seam of a baseball modeled after a gift that Justin’s grandfather, Benny Bechtol gave to me following Justin’s death. This bracelet will serve as an accountability reminder to follow through with the eight week commitment.

The following is the breakdown of the journal.

o Twelve of the forty days will be spent studying the entire Sermon on the Mount.
o Five of the forty days will be spent walking through an exercise in prayer.
o Five of the forty days will be spent engaging in a meditation and journaling exercise.
o Six of the forty days will be spent in a section entitled, “Time with a Giant”. In this section, participants will walk through character lessons lived out by Justin.
o Seven of the forty days will be spent memorizing Ephesians 3:14-21.
o Five of the forty days will be spent learning to serve someone else in practical ways.

I am asking our church family to pray that the Lord would use this journal to make a real difference in the lives of other people. In addition to this, I am asking that each of you pray about utilizing this journal in your own life as well as in the life of someone who needs to deepen their walk with God. The journals should be available for sale some time in January.

Justin was an eighteen year old man whose everyday life made an unforgettable and undeniable contribution to the Kingdom of God. Unfortunately in our day, many people choose to count the days of their lives rather than making their days count. In only eighteen years Justin made his life count. His example and his writings will inspire you to use all your gifts for eternal trophies, rather than those which collect dust on a mantle and truly build a life that is worth following.