Contentment in the Lord

Introduction:

About Me:

Josiah

Pastor of GC—OVERLOOK/SHAMOKIN...

HUSBAND—FATHER (2/3 GIRLS)

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II. Opening Prayer

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III. Songs(x3)

Glory to His Name— F (p. 3)

What a Friend We Have in Jesus— D (p. 16)

Amazing Grace — D (p. 14)

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IV. Message: Contentment in the Lord

A. Introduction—a Desire for a Different Life

WE ALL HAVE THINGS WE WOULD CHANGE ABOUT OUR LIVES IF WE COULD…

STAGE of LIFE

FINANCES

HEALTH

SOMETIMES WE CAN & SHOULD CHANGE THINGS…

BUT SOMETIMES WE CAN’T CHANGE THINGS

Key Truth: SOMETIMES WHAT NEEDS to CHANGE MOST is OUR PERSPECTIVE…

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Focus: TEXT in HEBREWS—WILL ADDRESS THIS

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B. Message—Contentment

Hebrews 13:5 (ESV)

5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Context/Background:

HEBREWS is VERY DOCTRINE-HEAVY LETTER…

CH. 13 COMES as FINAL EXHORTATION

FULFILLMENT of ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP:

Hebrews 12:28–29 (ESV)

28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,

29 for our God is a consuming fire.

PEOPLE TYPICALLY THINK: WORSHIP = CHURCH…

CHRISTIAN LIFE = SO MUCH MORE— WHAT DO WE DO the OTHER 167 HOURS?

GATHERING W/ SAINTS = VERY IMPORTANT…

BUT GOD = HONORED BY ACTIONS as MUCH as OUR WORDS

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Overview: HEBREWS CH. 13 = FILLED WITH BASIC CHRISTIANITY… TELLING US WHAT “ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP” LOOKS LIKE…

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TODAY’S VERSE FOCUSES on CONTENTMENT

(V5) Explain: FREE from LOVE of MONEY = STANDARD for YOUR LIFE

INSTEAD: BE CONTENT W/ WHAT YOU HAVE.

C.C.: EASIER SAID THAN DONE....

SOME GENUINELY STRUGGLE—NOT HAVING ENOUGH, WANTING BETTER LIFE…

Example: CAMPING—OTHER CAMPERS HAVE PORCHES?!

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Good News: THIS COMMAND DOESN’T COME in a VOID—THERE’S a REASON WE CAN BE CONTENT…

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Reason: WE CAN & SHOULD BE CONTENT W/ OUR LOT.... BECAUSE GOD HAS SAID HE WILL BE WITH US…

Hebrews 13:5 (ESV)

5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Background: GK, EMPHATIC DOUBLE NEGATIVE…

HE WILL NOT NOT LEAVE US…

AND HE WILL NOT, NOT, NOT FORSAKE/ABANDON US.

“NEVER, NO NEVER, NO NEVER FORSAKE”

HE WILL CERTAINLY NOT LEAVE US, NOR FORSAKE US!

AS A RESULT:

Hebrews 13:6 (ESV)

6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

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AMAZING TRUTH—SOVEREIGN GOD = ALWAYS W/ US!!

COMFORT DURING HARD TIMES…

Exhort: IF WE HAVE GOD in OUR LIVES—WE CAN FIND a REASON for JOY—NO MATTER WHAT LIFE THROWS AT US!

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O.T. EXAMPLE: JOSEPH (GEN. 37-50)— CONSISTENTLY FACED PROBLEMS BUT GOD WAS WITH HIM…

SOLD BY HIS BROTHERS— LORD WAS WITH HIM in POTIPHAR’S HOUSE (39:2)

IN PRISON— GOD WAS WITH HIM (39:21)

PROSPERING in PRISON—BECAUSE GOD WAS WITH HIM (39:23)

EVENTUALLY—LEADING in EGYPT,, GOD WAS WITH HIM ALL ALONG.

13 YEARS of STRUGGLE PREPARED HIM for 80 YEARS of BLESSING

SECRET SAUCE WAS GOD W/ HIM ALL ALONG.

SAME is TRUE for EVERY BELIEVER in JESUS CHRIST, TODAY.

LIGHT MOMENTARY AFFLICTION—PREPARES ETERNAL WEIGHT Of GLORY!

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Conclusion:

GOD is WITH ME

1. NOTHING CAN SEPARATE ME FROM HIS LOVE

Romans 8:38–39 (ESV)

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,

39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2. HE’S WORKING ALL THINGS ACCORDING to HIS SOVEREIGN PURPOSE for MY GOOD…

Romans 8:28 (ESV)

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

GOD = INTIMATELY INVOLVED in OUR LIVES,, MORE THAN WE’LL EVER KNOW.— PROVIDENCE.

TRAIN @ PICNIC EXAMPLE??

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SO I MIGHT NOT HAVE a PERFECT LIFE...

I MIGHT CHANGE SOME THINGS IF I COULD…

BUT if I HAVE GOD—I AM BLESSED.

I CAN BE CONTENT W/ MY LOT—BECAUSE IT’S WITH HIM!

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V. Closing Prayer

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VI. Closing Song

How Great Our God (G) - p. 12 — Capo 2

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VII. Prayer Requests & Departing Prayer