Thrive With Satisfaction

INTRODUCTION

ILL- Snicker’s Satisfies

Sugar Free Candy- It does not satisfy.

Sugar satisfies more.

-Grandma’s Banana Pudding- sugar free version would never work.

We are looking for satisfaction in things that will never satisfy.

Thrive Spiritually.

Jesus satisfies- He gives life meaning. Eternal meaning.

James 1:9–12 ESV

Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

4 Issues Sabotaging a Full Life

1. Pride (9-10a)

James 1:9–10 ESV

Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.

Top 1% of world make over $32,000 a year.

Malawi Villages-

Pride causes judgment of others.

Comparing yourself to others will never bring satisfaction.

Poor in Jesus’ day.

3% Ruling Class

Everyone else were peasants- no middle class

About 1/3 were slaves.

Rich and poor never associated.

Rich weren’t allowed to do business with poor.

Jesus and early church shook up this social order.

Matthew 5:3 ESV

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed”= fulfilled- a life of meaning.

Humility is the key to fulfillment in sermon on the mount.

Jesus put them all around the same table.

Paul in Philemon- take slave as your brother.

Slave is equal to the wealthy when in Christ.

Philemon 1–25 ESV

Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you. Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Thinking we are better than others causes us to lose our joy.

Luke 18:9–14 ESV

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Social media causes us to judge self with snapshots of other’s best moments.

Pride needs to low self esteem. We don’t measure up to our own expectation.

2. Trust (9)

James 1:9 ESV

Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,

Boast= because it is where you have set your identity.

Trusting in wealth sets up disappointment.

Proverbs 18:11 ESV

A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his imagination.

COVID-19 Crisis shows us that wealth is temporary.

Went from greatest economy in U.S. history to staggering unemployment.

Election Year- we are looking to government instead of God to heal our land.

Who needs God when we have wealth and government to take care of us?

Psalm 20:7 ESV

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Trusting in this world will always let you down.

3. Time (10)

James 1:10 ESV

and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.

“Wild flower… passing away”

ILL- rain in Mountainair. - desert came alive.

Now things are drying back out and flowers are withering.

Invest in eternal.

Isaiah 40:8 ESV

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

4. Plans (11)

James 1:11 ESV

For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

Our worldly pursuits are temporary.

We will be judged by the eternal, not earthly gains.

1 Corinthians 3:12–15 ESV

Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Perseverance-

our ability to persevere through difficult days is dependent upon what we are investing in.

Careers/ businesses/ retirement- all will fade.

When they become our gods our joy is dependent upon their success.

Our joy is found in God.

Nehemiah 8:10 ESV

Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

compare verse 11 to James 1:2-3

James 1:2–3 ESV

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

CONCLUSION

Where are you looking for fulfillment?

The only one who can fulfill us is the one who created us. He knows exactly what we need.

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.