The Secret of Contentment
New Years Series • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. 14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. 17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 21 Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings. 22 All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household. 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
“The Secret of Contentment”
Lets pray.
Our world is no different in many ways to the first century when paul wrote what is his famous letter to the church in phillipi which is his happiest letter. We have Iphones, Drive cars, use computers but the human nature in all of us is much the same. We have a tendency to want things that we dont have. Or look around and wonder why we have missed out on whatever the thing may..be
….. Enter pauls encouragement here to a little church, in a gentile world, struggling to deal with all the same issues we deal with today:
The Jesus Follower Vs The Follower of the spirit of the age
What the world wants to offer is at a direct contrast to what the kingdom whats to give its zitizens. what Jesus would like us all to have in him. And its no wonder that almost on the daily basis we are bombarded with a continual sense of this “isnt enough” which can lead, if not treated through the lens of scripture and tyhe power of a renewed mind to then start to believe the life that i need more than i have…. and worse yet can lead to the plavce the devil would love for you to live which is in a state of DISCONTENT which really looks like i believe the lie that
God isnt providential: my circumstances are decided some other way
God isnt insufficnent: He cant take care of
God is unwilling to help me
HERE PAUL IS DEVELOPING, SHAPING THE CHURCH, THE NEW CHURCH IN CHRIST TO INFORM THEM OF THEIR IDENITY THEIRE NEW LIFE AND A NEW UNDERSTANDING.
\3 x Questions.
1.WHAT IS CONTENTMENT?
2.WHERE DO I FIND IT?
3.WHO HAS IT?
1.What is contentment? (slide for definition)
1.What is contentment? (slide for definition)
TRUE CHRISTIAN CONTENTMENT IS THE BOWING OF MY WILL TO THE LORD IN WHATEVER SITUATION I FIND MYSELF IN.
TRUE CHRISTIAN CONTENTMENT IS THE BOWING OF MY WILL TO THE LORD IN WHATEVER SITUATION I FIND MYSELF IN.
Whether Good. Bad or some degree of inbetween…..I recognize, and submit to His lordship and his leading over me. His soverignty over every situation i am in, my full and complete acceptance that wherever i cam in, He knows it, He wills for me to be in it… and somehow through the power of the spirit within me i am abe to revel in it, glory in it even, be joyful in it - No matter what it looks like.
Paul had this story to tell.
Do you have this story to tell? its a righteous man’s testimony.
12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
The opposite of contentment is ENVY - which is the state of not bowing to the Lord with our will, but being unsatisfied or unfulfilled because of whatever situation we find ourselves in,
Proverbs 23:17 “17 Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day.”
Envy is a sin That erodes us….
While contentment is a grace that blesses and sustains us…..
PROPHETIC WORD FOF OUR CHURCH: this is what we are believing will become a genuine reality in the life of our
30 A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.
13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”
Its a state of being: not a state of doing. Jesus says “Be Content” with your wages
the SIGHT OF CONTENT EYES: CONTENTMENT FROM GOD GIVES US A SUPERNATURAL SIGHT: Gos porovidential hand in all things
Contentment always see’s something the world cannot recognized!!! THe Content Jesus follower recognizes and acknowledges what God has already done for me! Wordly Envy will always point to what is missing and focus in on why
Paul is talking about this difference here:
the Eyes of contentment always
See Gods blessing
See Gods working
See Jesus’ leading
Thats why Paul said Philippians 4:18 “18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.”
MJM Translation: Gods taken care of me, I see it, I recognize what it looks like…. and i give him the praise for it!
CONTENTMENT IS FROM GOD
thats where it comes from
CONTENTMENT IS LEARNED NOT EARNED
“we make money the old fashioned way” Smith Barney
2.WHERE DO I FIND IT?
2.WHERE DO I FIND IT?
Somewere Good? Somewhere positive?
You cant bottle up and sell Contentment!
Its not like we can do that
I mean i would love to tell you just like you can tap to connect for some contentment but that wouldnt work
Its not found in a worldy setting, a bank account, an app, a position earned in life….
See when paul wrote this: he wasnt writying it from a new york city penthose.. he was in prison....It was found by Paul in the prison and the palace? how can that be so?
Well he says how it comes:
Write this down: CONTENTMENT IS LEARNED NOT EARNED
Write this down: CONTENTMENT IS LEARNED NOT EARNED
12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
CONTENTMENT IS ONLY FOUND IN THE SCHOOL OF GODS PROVIDENCE.
in other words…. as you walk it out… its worked oout in you. As you step forward in faith, its springs forth in you as you walk with Jess
3.WHO HAS IT?
3.WHO HAS IT?
Whover knows Christ!
In Christ….. in the person and the Lordship, the leading of JESUS
The scret is in the sufficeny of who Jesus is and how well i know him
you cant read our passage without seeing what comes before it:
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 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 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
Its not in the meeting of Christ, Its in the Knowing of JESUS, His words….. His voice
2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
THE MORE I KNOW JESUS…. the MORE CONTENT I WILL BE
Do you have it?
Do you have Jesus?
With Jesus… you will be content
CONTENTMENT MEANS I AM SUFFICIENT IN CHRIST ALONE
Paul says….well supplied….
David said Ps 23:1 lacking nothing…
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
cup overflowing….
Pressed down shaken together running over....
Seed for the sower…..
CONTENTMENT PREACHES THE GOSPEL FOR ME
Paul was content when he was in the secure in the wealthy persons villa
or in the depth of a dungeon insecure and without knowing where his next meal would arrive from
