The Secret of Contentment- Schooling (Philippians 4.10-13)

Philippians 4:10-13

GBCCR 10/20/24

Introduction

Catch- I can do all things through christ!

What a wonderful phrase, but so misused… even by me

One example was when mic was put in the hands of 17 year old Christopher Bogstad

I had just gotten back from Mexico Missions trip, and never being afraid to share my mind, I decided I would tell a story of my time there.

I told this great story of being encouraged by a young Mexican girl in our broken spangelish

We somehow got on the topic that I had some big Spanish test coming up when I got back home and I was quite worried because my skills were not that good.

She decided to share Philippians 4:13 with me…you can do all things through christ who strengthens you, you can do it chris.

And I told everyone how much we went to encourage the people in Mexico and yet came back encouraged.

My youth pastor must have cringed because

Philippians 4:13 is not speaking about being able to pass my Spanish test

One: The only way to pass that test was the learn the material

Two: this one of the most abused passages in the bible. ]

This is what happens when you rip it out of context, you steal its meaning

This isn’t a passage about doing whatever you want, but about learning contentment in any situation.

However, that contentment is hard and it’s a lesson we need to learn

Like a math lesson that must be studied to prepare for, so too we must enter into the school of contentment

Review

As we saw last week, We are in the 4th major section of Philippians

As the glories of the good news of Christ have been shown throughout the year

Now we are to get down to the brass tacks, or the immediate importance of all this doctrine

In the midst of conflict, we need to think over the truth

Paul gave a series of filters to help us control our thinking

He specifically encouraged us to look at his example

Now he applies the same command to think on the issue of contentment.

3 places to be schooled in contentment.

Learn contentment in others’ kindness (10)

Explanation

Paul is once again bringing up joy in the book

This time he speaking of his own joy

He is not commanding it of others

He says it is great joy

Same joy speaking of people seeing Jesus coming and the conversion of gentiles in acts 15

Acts 15:3- they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren.

This is really excitement and praising of God.

& notice that the Joy is grounded “in the lord.”

Paul is demonstrating that his joy in them is really rooted in their mutual worship of God who is working in all of them.

Paul was joyful that they were thinking of him.

The word concern means to think on dwell on. It is the same word used in v2 for Euodia and Syntyche to agree

Here it means thoughtful care

This was proven by their gift to him

Remember that the Philippians were a ardent supporters of Pau’s missionary effort

But he uses the word revived

It term used to describe how plants bloom again during the spring.

Like after a dry summer when things get very dead…or so they appear dead

But every year when the rains comes out the plants begin to bud again, the leaves return…and then comes the deadly pollen.

the Philippians care had gone through a dry period for some reason,

but with new knowledge they sent their messenger Epaphroditus, there was a new spring!

But Paul knew this could sound like complaining

“I’m so happy you finally got your act together and helped me out.”

So Paul makes it clear that there is no inference of rebuke, but instead explains why.

They had concern all along, but lacked the opportunity to show it.

The Philippians were very poor, even as they supported Paul they gave

But something has happened where they could no longer help him until they sent Epaphroditus to Rome

Paul is thrilled, but look at verse 17

It is not really their gifts that he is thrilled at

He is joyful because of the blessings they will receive from God for this.

Here Paul under house arrest, and he finally gets some support when everyone locally is against him, but he is happy for them!

Illustration point- Contentment comes when we rejoice over the good others do

But joy can be hard for a pastor sometime

Spurgeon said in his lecture on the minister’s fainting fits

It is not necessary by quotations from the biographies of eminent ministers to prove that seasons of fearful prostration have fallen to the lot of most, if not all of them. The life of Luther might suffice to give a thousand instances, and he was by no means of the weaker sort. His great spirit was often in the seventh heaven of exultation, and as frequently on the borders of despair. His very death-bed was not free from tempests, and he sobbed himself into his last sleep like a great wearied child.

We who love to see people saved, lives changed, growth of God’s kingdom and growth in ourselves are easily tempted with discouragement

I am tempted to be discontent with this sinful world and my sinful self

Yet Paul always are magnetized to any good occuring in others

So we too should have contentment over the good of others

Application

So, are you praising God for the blessings of others.

Complaints are always easy… when we have expectations that others fail

But contentment in the Lord is possible when we see God’s work in this sin filled world

Or beware the frustration of needs. As we will see that wrong idea of contentment is that I do not need anyone because I’m self content

But Paul was joyful of the opportunity that his need gave others

A second application could learn from the example of the Philippians

You can be a source of Joy for others

Store up so you can give.

Our missionaries have many needs, we should have the same heart that wants to meet those needs when we can

Christmas is coming up and it is a time of giving,

but all year we can have the privilege of to building up joy in others

Feel no guilt if you haven’t been able to give with your time or your money for a while

Maybe you had kids and the times got tight

Or your health made certain service impossible

But when you hear of the need and God has enabled you to meet the need, go for it without embarrassment or guilt of previous absence

Trans: Paul’s joyful contentment was due to seeing their good works, but also from what God had been teaching him directly.

Learn contentment in life’s circumstances (the Ups & Downs). (11-12

Explanation

Paul continues to explain why his thanks and concern for them is genuine even while giving an example for them.

He doesn’t want to focus on his needs

but only how he is content in everything.

Paul says perhaps most the encouraging and discouraging statement

He learned contentment…

It is the same word we saw last week about lessons of doctrine and theology that we are supposed to live out.

even the mighty Apostle Paul did not become instantly content when he was born again after seeing the risen Christ

Nor did he pray to God to remove the discontentment and it just went away…

instead, God took him through a long process to learn to be content

Content a common term in the greek word that meant

a common term in the greek word that meant

Self–sufficient, adequate, Content, satisfied with one’s lot

Often it was used by Philosophers to speak of the man who was above it all and didn’t need anyone

We do the same thing,

The Above the influence campaign says:Above the Influence. It’s a state of mind. It’s about being yourself and not letting negative influence get to you. Pressure to drink, do drugs

Above the Influence. It’s a state of mind. It’s about being yourself and not letting negative influence get to you. Pressure to drink, do drugs or do anything that goes against who you are in order to fit in—that’s negative influence.

& that sounds good, except that we are made to be dependent, so we will depend on someone eventually

Kids, let your creator define you God tell you who you are

Paul’s focus was not on anything in himself,

his strength, his ability,

but what God said was true and what he was teaching Paul.

He knew God was in control and thus could be content in any situation.

His identity was in Christ,

and thus he knew Christ gives him the ability to respond correctly in any situation

Verse 12 explains he’s been through a lot

Humble means, going hungry, suffering need

All speak of being low, lacking, or just missing the mark.

Few of us know what truly being hungry is,

But it is also the idea of failure or loss.

I think we all know what it means to come in second with someone

When we are not someone’s #1 priority, so we end up being left out

Paul lived a tough life as a missionary, thus he wrote

2 Corinthians 6:4ff- but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities….as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich…..

Yet Paul did not like suffering for suffering’s sake,

as we’ve learned previously in this book, he rejoiced over what the suffering produced

John piper defines our need for help this way:

A cry for help from the heart of a childlike believer is sweet praise in the ears of God. … Prayer is the translation into a thousand different words of a single sentence: “Apart from me [Christ] you can do nothing” (John 15:5)

So in Christ it is possible to be content in anything even as you call out for your needs

Trans: But Paul also lived through what was even more tempting…

Prosperity, being filled, and abundance

To abound means to have left over, to exceed what you need

These are moments of successes, comforts, and beautiful times.

Paul’s life was not always hard,

he saw great blessings in his churches

Do you remember the time Paul was in Corinth and even though there was hard times, her literally hard from God

Acts 18:9–10- And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”

and times where he was well fed, when he had plenty left over.

And even in this, he did not become consumed by the success and the blessings.

The secret to being content was not found in those good times, because they too will not last.

Paul experienced it all and DA Carson says:

He avoids the arrogance that is often associated with wealth; he also avoids the kind of spiritual arrogance that is often associated with poverty

Illustration point-Life’s circumstances are lessons on contentment

God takes us through ups and downs to teach us contentment in each

We know contentment is not found in success

Tom Brady stated in 2005 interview w/ 60 minutes

“Why do I have three Super Bowl rings, and still think there's something greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot of people would say, "Hey man, this is what is." I reached my goal, my dream, my life. Me, I think: God, it's gotta be more than this. I mean this can't be what it's all cracked up to be. I mean I've done it. I'm 27. And what else is there for me?”

He’s played at the top of his game and now is finally dropping

But, those who always live in poverty may be only content because they don’t know the sweet taste of wealth

The story of Thomas Cranmer, the great English reformer

Queen Mary wanted him to renounce his belief in the bible alone against the Roman Catholic Church.

He was tortured in the Tower of London Dungeons for a while, and he never confessed differently, but it wasn’t till he was removed, put in a comfortable setting and then told he would be sent back that he gave in and denied the biblical gospel.

God’s graciously gives us both to allow us to be free of either

Life is teaching us contentment in Christ alone

Application

So, when do you feel comfortable and full, and when do you feel empty and needy?

I know it can be discouraging when you see yourself failing at being content with little or much

We must believe God allows you to have great success and he takes it away so that we might learn contentment

Like a great athlete training different muscles so that there is a muscle memory to respond in any situation

To do that they have to get up early, work late, deprive themselves of various good

This doesn’t happen with just ease but only with strenuous effort to grow in contentment

Think over God’s providence in your life and how he is trying to train you to say with the Psalmists

Psalm 84:10–11- Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

God is working to show you Himself as all satisfying

So contentment It is not a passive acceptance assurance that God has supplied one’s needs, and the consequent release from unnecessary desire.

Trans: We’ve seen contentment in our need because it gives opportunities for others & life is meant to teach us, so 3rd, the foundation to contentment is that

Learn contentment in Christ’s identity. (13)

Explanation

What is the secret?

Everyone wants to write books about that, go on tour to explain this

Paul’s relationship with Christ is his secret

The Philippians were a good church, they loved God,

but it appears that maybe they were focusing on their own ability too much……

Thus Paul told them it is Christ who works in them, that they are to agree in the Lord

The word Christ is not here, though it might be in some of your bibles…

but Him refers to the Lord in v10.

So it’s clearly Jesus.

To truly understand contentment we must start with the only truly content one: God

Because in the beginning there was God.. and nothing else… and god was completley content with that

God was perfect and within the trinity there was perfect joy

As Jesus said,

John 17:5- And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

God did not create because he needed anything

God created only to show what we already had

Apart from him there can be no contentment

Adam and Eve had perfect relationship with this perfect God

But how did Satan tempt them see Him no longer as good but as a cruel depriving God?

By discontentment.. planting the ideas in Eve’s mind that there is more out there than God has given her

We inherit this from our parents

Union with Christ restores that trust

Hebrews 11:34 speaking of those with faith

quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight…due to faith

Union in His death is the antidote to legalism -- Col 2:20

Union in His resurrection life is the antidote for worldliness -- Col 3:1

Union means that we are called righteous—Romans 8:1

Christians know they are saved by Christ alone, but too often, we seek to find our happiness, purpose or identity in other things

Things that disappoint

Illustration point- We can handle all things through Jesus who now is our life

There are many historical examples of this

In the 1700s, an English pastor, Dr. Stonehouse, was passing through England, fearful of the appearance of the sky.

He came upon a shepherd named David Saunders, and asked him what sort of weather it would be the next day. The shepherd replied, “It will be such weather as pleases me.”

The pastor was surprised by that answer, and asked him how that could be. “Because,” replied the shepherd, “It will be such weather as shall please God, and whatever pleases him always pleases me.”

This is the power to be content, trust in content one

Application

What is the application here?

Believe that Jesus does offer you what you need in any situation and nothing else will

There are many false idols we seek contentment in

Work will not satisfy, family will not satisfy, health will not satisfy, nor political victories

Only Christ can bring contentment

Psalm 37:7, 16- Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! …- Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.

No, the problems will not just disappear,

it will take effort, but active waiting on God can be done.

I know some of you may say I regret so much about my life… what good is contentment now? I can’t do enough.

And this is why we end with this… Christ has already done enough for you

Jesus worked at the cross to give us the promised rest of sins forgiven and heaven opened up to believers. Jesus sweated  INCLUDEPICTURE "/var/folders/ts/9h340rj55dscs3fyd96hpnm40000gp/T/com.microsoft.Word/WebArchiveCopyPasteTempFiles/2Q==" \* MERGEFORMATINET and writhed on the cross, fought for breath, and

bled out his life in order to save us. He did that for godless wasters as well as for those who learn quickly.

Your worst days are your salvation just as much as your best ones. You must believe you are joyfully accepted by your father’s love of your best days of contentment as well as on your best.

God’s declaration of you being righteous comes from the mouth of God in the power of the Spirit and on the merits of Christ

unbelievers…yes, you are expected to live perfect lives and have a heart that wants Jesus…

that fact that you don’t love him is not an excuse.

But the solution is simple, trust in this good savior who lived and died in your place

Therefore

Since we have seen (Cohesion)- You need contentment, but you need to learn it

Be excited about God’s work in others, not just in what you want to occur.

Notice what God does in your life so you can keep track of what he has done and who he has shown himself ot be

And realize that you cannot create contentment, but only by identifying yourself with him

We know we must (Resolution)-

Football

Two guys playing basketball, football, in a debate whatever

Both are nervous but are thinking “I can do all things through Christ.”

One will go home excited, praising God for the win,

the other…well, he might be upset at God, why did you not give me the strength…or worried, is there something wrong with me.

Some may think that is silly, but that is so common

Instead, the prayer must be, Lord, help be learn to be content

And when we’re not, it’s lord, thank you for your forgiveness and allowing me another time to learn