The Secret of Contentment

!!OPEN BIBLES to PHIL. CH. 4:10-13!!

Passage Reading

Philippians 4:10–13 (ESV)

10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.

11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

!!Open in Prayer!!

-----------

-----------

Intro: “Experience as Teacher/Progress in Discontentment”

There are a VARIETY of WAYS we LEARN things as human beings

SEEING (VISUAL LEARNERS)

HEARING (AUDITORY LEARNERS)

DOING (KINESTHETIC LEARNERS)

LEARNING RUBIK’S CUBE—

TEACHING—TRANSLATES to MUSCLE MEMORY

-----------

GETTING SURGERY/OPERATION?

WANT to KNOW THEY’VE CUT SOMETHING BEFORE & NOT JUST READ ABOUT IT!

EXPERIENCE/DOING = OFTEN the BEST TEACHER

-----------

(T) CONSIDER: APPLYING to LIVES as CHRISTIANS...

DISCIPLES = LEARNERS...

READ/HEAR SOMETHING from GOD’S WORD

SEE in LIVES of OTHERS

TRULY LEARN VIA LIFE’S EXPERIENCES: WHERE PHILOSOPHY BECOMES REALITY. “THE DOING”

-----------

Need:

CONSIDER HOW PAUL LEARNED VIA LIFE EXPERIENCES

&& WHAT IT TEACHES

&& HOW it TEACHES US to LEARN FROM OUR OWN EXPERIENCES TODAY...

PRAY HIS THOUGHTS on “THE SECRET of CONTENTMENT” = GREAT BLESSING...

(T) BEFOREHAND—QUICK RECAP.

🐢🐢🐢 --- 34 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Recap: “The Peace of God”

Last Wk:

PAUL BEGINNING to WRAP UP PHILIPPIANS

AFTER PERSONAL ADDRESSES—MOVING BACK to GENERAL TEACHING

-----------

IMPERATIVES:

REJOICE

LIVE GENTLE (PEACEABLY W/ OTHERS)

NOTHING BE ANXIOUS—EVERYTHING BE PRAYERFUL— PEACE of GOD

THINK ABOUT THINGS: TRUE, HONORABLE, JUST, PURE, LOVELY, COMMENDABLE

DO THESE THINGS/GOD BE WITH YOU

GOD DESIRES for US to LIVE @ PEACE...

PEACE W/ HIM

PEACE FROM HIM

(T) NOW—PAUL = GOING to TRANSITION to FINAL SECTION (V10-23)

ADDRESS PHILIPPIANS REGARDING THEIR GIFT to HIM/FINAL GREETINGS...

**COVERING in 2 WEEKS**

🐢🐢🐢 --- 32 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Preaching Passage:

Thought 1 (v10)

10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.

PAUL = TALKING ABOUT THEIR GIFT

(CLOSING TOPIC of V10-20)

-----------

Background:

CH. 2: EPAPHRODITUS— MESSENGER/GIFT BEARER

Philippians 2:25 (ESV)

25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need,

MATERIAL SUPPORT: MONEY? SUPPLIES? BOTH?

-----------

(V10) PAUL REJOICES—THEY’VE REVIVED THEIR CONCERN

**HE DOESN’T THINK THEY FORGOT—BUT DIDN’T HAVE OPPORTUNITY**

Thoughts/Possibilities:

DID THEY LACK PROVISION??

LACK MESSENGER/PACKAGE GUY??

NOT KNOW WHERE PAUL WAS??

CHURCH (PHILIPPI)—FORMERLY GENEROUS—HADN’T SUPPORTED PAUL for LITTLE WHILE—PERHAPS YEARS.

-----------

(V10) PAUL RESPONDS— REJOICING “IN THE LORD”

PAUL = GRATEFUL THEY’RE THINKING of HIM

PAUL CELEBRATES GOD’S PROVISION

James 1:17 (ESV)

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

PAUL ACKNOWLEDGES:

GOD PROVIDED VIA PHILIPPIAN BELIEVERS

-----------

(Q) HOW OFTEN DO YOU THANK GOD for HIS BLESSINGS/PROVISION in YOUR LIFE?

EXHORT: THANK GOD for HIS BLESSINGS in YOUR LIFE.

PAYCHECK—GIFT from GOD

FOOD on TABLE—GIFT from GOD.

**I TRY & MAKE a CONCERTED EFFORT—THANK GOD for HIS PROVISION in MY LIFE**

GOD is the PROVIDER—HE USES a VARIETY of MEANS

-----------

YOU’VE PROBABLY HEARD the STORY:

LITTLE OLD LADY—DAILY STEPPING on PORCH, CRIES OUT, “PRAISE the LORD”

NEIGHBOR MOVES in—ATHEIST

DAILY CRIES OUT: “THERE is NO GOD”

--TIME PASSES--

ONE DAY, LADY PRAYS: “PRAISE the LORD”....GOD PLEASE PROVIDE for ME—I’M HUNGRY

NEXT MORNING—PORCH is LOADED W/ GROCERIES

--------

SHE CRIES OUT “PRAISE the LORD, HE’S PROVIDED”

ATHEIST JUMPS OUT— “THERE is NO GOD… I BOUGHT THESE GROCERIES for YOU”

LITTLE OLD LADY RESPONDS: “PRAISE the LORD—HE’S PROVIDED ME WITH GROCERIES AND HE USED the DEVIL to PAY FOR THEM!”

-----------

PAUL—REJOICES in the LORD— FOR HIS PROVISION & CARE EXPRESSED THROUGH PHILIPPIAN BELIEVERS...

(T) But Paul wants to QUALIFY, or RATHER CLARIFY this…

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 11-12....

🐢🐢🐢 --- 26 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Thought 2 (v11-12)

11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

PAUL BEGAN W/ ROUNDABOUT THANK YOU...

NOW—HE POINTS OUT HE WAS SURVIVING OKAY

DOESN’T WANT to SEEM a DEBTOR

MAKE RELATIONSHIP WEIRD

-----------

NATURALLY SPEAKING—PAUL WAS SURVIVING,, NOT THRIVING.

BUT HE WAS MAKING IT

HOW???

PAUL HAD LEARNED an IMPORTANT LESSON: CONTENTMENT in EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE.

INCREDIBLE!!! POOR, SUFFERING APOSTLE = CONTENT!

-----------

(T) WE HAVE a CONTENTMENT CRISIS in AMERICA

**NOT ABSENT from CHURCH**

MANUFACTURERS THRIVE—MAKING US DISCONTENT— WHOLE NATURE of ADVERTISING

EVERY 15 SECONDS—LATEST, GREATEST THING = COMING OUT…YOURS ISN’T SO GREAT ANYMORE.

------

OCCURS W/ EVERYTHING.

DISHWASHER PODS/DISH SOAPS— SHOW YOU PEOPLE SCRUBBING INDEFINITELY BEFORE THEIR PRODUCT

TOOTHPASTE— THIS ONE MAKES YOUR TEETH WHITER

TECHNOLOGY— INSTANTLY OUTDATED/CONSTANTLY EVOLVING

IPHONE from 2MP CAMERA to 48MP…

TOP LINE STORAGE FROM 16GB to UP to 2TB!

CARS—COME OUT W/ NEXT YEAR’S MODEL BEFORE NEXT YEAR!

BY SUMMERTIME/FALL TIME— YOU NEED a 2026!

-----------

INTERESTING—WE LIKE to TEACH OUR CHILDREN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WANTS & NEEDS—BUT FOR US the LINE GETS BLURRED...

“I NEED a NEW CAR” = = MY CAR NEEDS WORK

“I NEED a NEW PHONE” = = MY BATTERY ISN’T AS GOOD ANYMORE

AS AMERICANS—GOD HAS SO SUFFICIENTLY TAKEN CARE of OUR NEEDS THAT WE FREQUENTLY CONFUSE THEM W/ WANTS…

-----------

NOT WRONG to WANT NEW THINGS— “EXCEPT NEW SPOUSE!”

BUT BE CLEAR—VERY SELDOM ARE WANTS, NEEDS.

-----------

CONSIDER:

PAUL—GREAT APOSTLE— DIDN’T HAVE MUCH

NO UHAUL to MOVE

(V11) “I’VE LEARNED in WHATEVER SITUATION I AM to BE CONTENT”

MAN W/ FAR LESS THAN US...

MAN W/ MORE NEEDS THAN US...

SAYS I’M OKAY.

-----------

DON’T BELIEVE HIM??

(V11B-12) CATEGORIES:

BE BROUGHT LOW/ OR ABOUND

LEARNED SECRET:

PLENTY—OR HUNGER

ABUNDANCE— OR NEED.

UPS & DOWNS

HILLS & VALLEYS

PROSPERITY & WANT

HE’S LEARNED the SECRET of CONTENTMENT

-----------

(Q) HOW DO YOU THINK PAUL LEARNED THIS??

EXPERIENCE.

THEOLOGICALLY: WE KNOW GOD PROVIDES...

SO HE LOOKS @ PRESENT PROVISION—SAYS “THIS MUST BE ENOUGH”....

THIS IS WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN to ME.

-----------

GOD’S GIVEN US HIS WORD to TEACH US… BUT HE ALSO WORKS THROUGH EXPERIENCES

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

LEARNED in WEAKNESS.

-----------

(T) PEOPLE CRITICIZE CHRISTIANITY— “WHY GOOD GOD ALLOWS SUFFERING”

GOD USES SUFFERING REDEMPTIVELY in OUR LIVES....

GOD USES EXPERIENCES as MODALITY FOR TEACHING.

------

LEARNING JOY in SUFFERING??? YOU HAVE to SUFFER

LEARNING CONTENTMENT??? YOU HAVE to ACCEPT PRESENT LOT

LEARNING PATIENCE??? GOD GIVES YOU PEOPLE & CIRCUMSTANCES to MAKE YOU PATIENT

HE DOESN’T ZAP US—MAKING US PATIENT, JOYFUL, CONTENT, PLEASANT PEOPLE...

HE GIVES US OPPORTUNITY to BE PATIENT, JOYFUL, CONTENT, & PLEASANT—WE WALK it OUT!

-----------

LEARNING CONTENTMENT— RECOGNIZING “WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN ME is ENOUGH”

NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU MAY BE LACKING… THE LACK is WHAT TEACHES US CONTENTMENT...

(T) & SO… PAUL’S CLAIMED—HE’S “LEARNED the SECRET”

WHAT is THAT SECRET??

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 13....

🐢🐢🐢 --- 17 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Thought 3 (v13)

13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

PROBABLY MOST FAMOUS/FAMILIAR VERSE

PROBABLY MOST MISUNDERSTOOD VERSE

**HERMENEUTICS: IMPORTANCE of LITERARY CONTEXT

CHAPTER MINIMUM

IDEALLY THREE

BEST CASE—ENTIRE BOOK

-----------

Matthew 18:20 (ESV)

20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

COFFEE SHOP GATHERING?? NOPE.

CHURCH DISCIPLINE.

Psalm 46:5 (ESV)

5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.

TALKING ABOUT JERUSALEM—NOT a FEMALE BELIEVER.

**JUST BECAUSE IT LOOKS GOOD:

WALL HANGING

STITCHED on PILLOW

COFFEE CUP

DOESN’T MEAN IT’S GOOD INTERPRETATION.

-----------

IF YOU BELIEVE—GOD = AUTHOR of SCRIPTURE

WE SHOULD WANT to HEAR WHAT HE’S SAYING,, NOT WHAT WE WANT to HEAR…

SO WE SHOULD DO BIBLE STUDY RESPONSIBLY.

-----------

I CAN DO “ALL THINGS”

SPORTS??

SINGING??

CAREER??

PAUL = TALKING ABOUT ENDURING a VARIETY of CIRCUMSTANCES W/ CONTENTMENT...

**CONTEXTUALLY:

DOESN’T GO from BEING HUNGRY & CONTENT to “I CAN RUN a MARATHON”

MARATHONS DIDN’T HAVE a GOOD REPUTATION in THAT DAY!!—REMEMBER the FIRST GUY DIED.

-----------

I CAN DO ALL THINGS =

I CAN FIND CONTENTMENT:

DURING HUNGER…OR ABUNDANCE

DURING WANT…OR SUPPLY

DURING GOOD TIMES… OR BAD TIMES...

HOW???

CHRIST GIVES ME STRENGTH.

One commentator has said: “It refers not to human accomplishment, but to God’s accomplishment in humans in the midst of the ups and downs of life.”[1]

-----------

DO/BE ABLE (WORD STUDY)

BDAG: “to have requisite personal resources to accomplish someth., have power, be competent, be able”[2]

WHAT PERSONAL RESOURCES DO I HAVE???

THERE is ONE,, JESUS CHRIST,, WHO STRENGTHENS ME.

-----------

PRESENT TENSE—ONGOING REALITY

IF I HAVE CHRIST— I HAVE ALL I NEED…BECAUSE HE’LL CARRY ME THROUGH!!

PLENTY?? —CHRIST CARRIES ME—I’M CONTENT (DON’T NEED MORE!)

WANT?? — CHRIST CARRIES ME— I’M CONTENT.

---

HUNGRY??— CHRIST CARRIES ME — I’M CONTENT

FED?? —CHRIST CARRIES ME — I’M CONTENT (DON’T NEED MORE!)

-----------

IF YOU NEED to HAVE the LATEST X, Y, Z...

NEED to HAVE WORLD’S PLEASURES

YOU’LL NEVER BE CONTENT.

BUT IF YOU REALIZE W/ CHRIST YOU HAVE ALL YOU NEED—

YOU CAN BE CONTENT EVEN WHEN YOU LACK

-----------

WONDERFUL NEWS—THERE’S NO “LATEST & GREATEST MODEL” of the LORD JESUS.

THERE’S NO UPGRADE

THERE’S NO “NEWEST COVENANT”

THERE’S NO JESUS 2.0

HE’S the SAME—YESTERDAY,, TODAY,, FOREVER...

THE SAME CHRIST THAT DIED FOR SINS & SUPPLIED STRENGTH to BELIEVERS in 1st CENTURY

== the SAME CHRIST WHO DIED FOR SINS of 21ST CENTURY BELIEVERS & GIVES US STRENGTH...

-----------

Homiletical Idea:

The secret of contentment is knowing that Christ will sustain me through every season.

PAUL KNEW—GOD PROVIDES

&& JESUS = WITH HIM,, STRENGTHENING HIM...

THAT WAS ENOUGH.

THE SECRET of CONTENTMENT = CHRIST’S STRENGTH CARRYING HIM THROUGH...

🐢🐢🐢 --- 8 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Gospel:

JESUS ISN’T JUST the ONE to CARRY US THROUGH THIS LIFE.... BUT the LIFE to COME...

NOT JUST the WAY to CONTENTMENT....

BUT the WAY for ETERNAL LIFE...

John 14:6 (ESV)

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

1 John 5:11–12 (ESV)

11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

(T) WHAT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN CONTENTMENT in THIS LIFE — CONTENTMENT in the LIFE to COME…THAT’S UNCHANGING.

LUKE CH. 16… RICH MAN & LAZARUS

ROLES REVERSED…

RICH MAN—DESIRING to ESCAPE & COULDN’T...

-----------

MORE THAN HELPING YOU BE HAPPY in THIS LIFE—I WANT YOU to BE SECURE in LIFE to COME

FAITH in LORD JESUS CHRIST = ONLY WAY....

FORGIVENESS in CHRIST = ONLY WAY....

IF YOU HAVE CHRIST—YOU HAVE ASSURANCE HE’LL CARRY YOU THROUGH THIS LIFE…

& THE ONE to COME....

Call:

And if you’re here this morning and you’ve not put your trust in Jesus Christ as your savior,

if you’ve not been saved by a gift of God’s grace,

and if you don’t know where you stand with God today,

I’d love to speak with you after the service today.

Because this matters more than contentment ever will.

(T) And now, for those who do have Christ in your life, I want to tell you this morning…

🐢🐢🐢 --- 5 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

App:

The secret of contentment is knowing that Christ will sustain me through every season.

**ALSO—ACKNOWLEDGING GOD = PROVIDER**

REMEMBER: PAUL’S “REJOICING in the LORD”

-----------

TWIN TRUTHS—SHOULD CARRY US THROUGH.

God, as your Provider, thinks your lot in life is good enough.

DISCONTENTMENT SAYS, “GOD WHAT YOU’VE PROVIDED FOR ME ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH...”

WHATEVER YOU MAY “LACK” = SUPPLIED BY CHRIST’S PRESENCE W/ YOU—STRENGTHENING YOU...

· Paul faced want—he was content.

· He faced plenty—he was content (not lusting for more!)

· He faced hunger—he was content.

· He faced plenty—he was content.

HOW DID PAUL LEARN THIS??

HE EXPERIENCED IT.

LIFE = ONE of GOD’S FAVORITE CLASSROOMS...

-----------

DOCUMENTARY: BARKLEY MARATHONS—YOU’LL NEVER KNOW WHAT is POSSIBLE...... IF THERE’S NO POSSIBILITY of FAILURE…PUSHING the LIMIT...

AS CHRISTIANS—WE HAVE CHRIST WITH US—WHOSE POWER is LIMITLESS...

PERHAPS SOME SEASONS of LIFE = EXTRA HARD… SO THAT WE’D LEARN to TRUST HIM MORE.

IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS TEACH US to PRAY MORE THAN GOOD DAYS

HARDSHIPS TEACH US to TRUST

LACK TEACHES US to RELY on CHRIST’S POWER & PROVISION in US...

-----------

IF GOD is USING HARD SEASONS in YOUR LIFE TODAY—

DON’T MISS the LESSON YOU COULD BE LEARNING.

IN TIMES of WANT:

LEARN CONTENTMENT...

INSTEAD of COMPLAINING

-----------

GOD’S PROMISED to TAKE CARE of OUR NEEDS—NOT OUR WANTS...

PERHAPS SOMETIMES WE NEED to BE REMINDED of HOW LITTLE WE ACTUALLY NEED

“6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1 Tim. 6:6-8).

ALL of US ARE DOING BETTER THAN THIS

WE’RE BETTER OFF THAN PAUL

WE’RE BETTER OFF THAN OUR LORD JESUS WHO DIDN’T EVEN HAVE a HOME!

The secret of contentment is that Christ will sustain me through whatever season I’m going through, and that is enough.

LET US BE CONTENT THEN, TO KNOW CHRIST AND to HAVE ASSURANCE of ETERNAL LIFE in HIS NAME....AMEN?

!!Close in Prayer!!