Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION

The story is told about a pilot who always looked down intently on a certain valley in the Appalachians when the plane passed overhead.

One day his co-pilot asked, “What’s so interesting about that spot?”

The pilot replied, “See that stream?

Well, when I was a kid I used to sit down there on a log and fish.

Every time an airplane flew over, I would look up and wish I were flying... Now I look down and wish I were fishing.”

It is always tempting to think that others have it better than we do, and that if we just had “a little more” everything would be fine.

But contentment cannot be achieved by increasing possessions.

Nothing will ever be enough.

Over the last 14 weeks we have been studying the book of Philippians.

Our theme has been, “Joy in all of life’s circumstances.”

Though Paul wrote this letter from prison, facing the possibility of death for preaching the gospel, he displayed perfect peace and joy through his trust and confidence in God.

Today, we finish this book, and Paul closes his letter by emphasizing how “Christ is Enough.”

He shows how the Philippians can have contentment no matter what they face in life, as they center their lives on Christ.

Open your Bibles with me to the book of Philippians, chapter 4.

We will be going through verses 10—23 this morning.

The first thing we will see Paul emphasize is…

1. Christ-Centered Contentment

EXPLAIN

The Philippians had been supporting Paul, but for some reason they had ceased to do so for a time.

Paul says they “had no opportunity.”

Something prevented them from giving to him, but it wasn’t because they were no longer concerned for him.

Now at last they were able to support Paul financially again, and Paul rejoices in the Lord, recognizing that it was by His hand.

However, Paul then says he didn’t need it.

He doesn’t want to the Philippians to think that his relationship with them is based on their giving.

He wasn’t asking for their help.

He wasn’t counting on it.

Their giving to him was not out of any sense of obligation to Paul, but freely given by them, and Paul is careful to not imply that he expects them to continue supporting him.

Paul didn’t need their money because he had learned to be content no matter what his circumstances were.

He goes on to say…

v. 12

Paul says, I’ve learned how to be content no matter what situation I’m in.

Whether I have much or little, whether I’m well-fed or hungry, I am content.

I’ve learned the secret!

WHAT IS IT???

Paul had a CHRIST-CENTERED CONTENTMENT.

He is saying, Christ helps me in every circumstance.

I depend on Him.

I trust Him.

He has allowed whatever has come into my life, and because of that, I know that He will give me the strength to get through.

APPLY

I’m not saying anything new when I say, we struggle to be content.

We tend to get caught looking ahead to the future, where we think we will be content.

The problem is that it our definition of contentment is a moving target.

This is described well in a poem by Jason Lehman, called…

Poem “Present Tense” — Jason Lehman

It was spring, but it was summer I wanted, the warm days, and the great outdoors.

It was summer, but it was fall I wanted, the colorful leaves, and the cool, dry air.

It was fall, but it was winter I wanted, the beautiful snow, and the joy of the holiday season.

It was now winter, but it was spring I wanted, the warmth, and the blossoming of nature.

I was a child, but it was adulthood I wanted, the freedom, and the respect.

I was 20, but it was 30 I wanted, to be mature, and sophisticated.

I was middle-aged, but it was 20 I wanted, the youth, and the free spirit.

I was retired, but it was middle age that I wanted, the presence of mind, without limitations.

My life was over, but I never got what I wanted.

If we are looking for our contentment in the circumstances around us, then we will never reach it!

At the end of our lives we will realize that we were looking for contentment in all the wrong places.

We must strive for Christ-Centered Contentment!

How do we do this?

Paul’s letter to the Philippians is the answer to that question.

Let’s do a quick overview of some of the highlights of the book of Philippians!

One way to have a Christ-Centered Contentment is too…

a. Know Who You Are in Christ

Philippians 1:1 “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:”

We find our identity in Christ.

We have received forgiveness for our sins and new life because of our faith in Jesus Christ.

We have been justified, saved from the penalty of sin.

We are being sanctified, saved from the power of sin.

We will be glorified, saved from the presence of sin.

Another way Paul encourages the Philippians to have a Christ-Centered Contentment is to…

b.

Trust in God’s Sovereignty

Philippians 1:12 “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,”

Paul realizes that God has a reason for everything that God allows.

for us to have a Christ centred contentment, we must realize that…

God is in control of all circumstances which come in our lives.

EVERYTHING GOOD OR BAD!

Job Illustration?????

Another way that we strive for Christ-Centered Contentment is to…

c.

Seek to Honour Christ in All Circumstances

Philippians 1:20 “as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.”

No matter what was to come in Paul’s life, he desired to honour Christ.

Christ Himself is our example in being willing to give Himself up as a sacrifice for us.

Another way for us to strive for Christ-Centered Contentment is to…

d.

Understand the Surpassing Worth of Christ

Philippians 3:8 “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ”

Paul understood the value of Jesus.

He was willing to give up everything!

One more way we strive for Christ-Centered Contentment is by…

e. Press On Toward the Goal

Philippians 3:20-21 “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

Paul knew that there is something far greater for us in eternity, that the earthly things of this world do not even compare with.

When we truly understand all of the implications of the gospel, we realize that this world is not the IT we are looking for.

As believers we need to be reminded of these things often, because our memories are short.

We are easily distracted by the things of this world.

This is why it is so important for us to be in the word of God every single day!

When our focus is on Christ, he strengthens us to be content no matter our circumstances here on earth.