Joyful Contentment

Introduction

Philippians 4:10–20 ESV

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. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 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. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. 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. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Paul finishes off this letter by returning to his love for the Philippians church and the church’s love for him.

What we see is that it’s been around 10 years since Paul helped start this church and they had not been able to support Paul for a season .

Paul is pretty careful ith his words here.

He is making sure in this letter that they know he is rejoicing because they have revived their concern for him, but he knows that the only reason their concern needs revived is because they didn’t have an opportunity to support one another.

The Philippians church was known in Acts as a poor church, so maybe they didn’t have the funds to help, maybe it was something else.

Paul wants them to know he is grateful that they have concern for him. He feels cared for.

But he also want to make sure that they know that his trust was never in them taking care of him, it was in the Lord.

He isn’t locked up in a prison cell waiting on Epaphroditus from Philippi to come in and serve him, he wants them to know that he was content.

I love verse 12, I have been brought low.

I have been seated high.

I have had excess and I have been in want.

Think about Paul’s life and all the various places that he has been in.

At the moment he is writing this letter he is dependent on others to bring him food and the things that he needs to survive.

He has been shipwrecked, left with nothing.

This is hard for us to imagine, maybe we got a really small taste of it at the begining of the pandemic.

when we went to the store and could not get exactly what we wanted.

But for most of us, and maybe you have a different story, you open the pantry and there is always food.

Growing up we had a single teachers income. We didn’t have many nice things, but still we always had food.

Often it wasn’t what I wanted, but there was always something.

But this a reality Paul lived in all the time.

There were no stores, not like Walmart.

So when he talks about being brought low, that is what he means.

low.

and abounding means he has had excess too.

This is where most of us are going to be.

We may not have to most ever, but we have more than we need, and I will say this is the most dangerous one to be too.

Because when you are in need, you look for help.

But when you have enough, you do not look for help as easily.

So in a real way, it is not always a blessing to have stuff.

because stuff so easily makes your heart and your mind and makes them feel content with stuff, but when you are content with stuff you are never really content.

There is always something else that you feel like you have to have and then everything would be better.

It’s never ending.

So you spend you life worrying about things you don’t need.

This lesson that Paul is laying out applies to everyone.

because it’s not really about the stuff you have, its about your heart.

It’s about joy, which is what Paul has been poking at this whole letter.

Paul I know the secret to facing all of those situations.

I know the secret to being content with whatever life throws at you.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

This is probably the second most popular verse in America, behind John 3:16.

But we isolate this verse, put it on our walls, cross stitch it on our pillows, but our intention and hearts when we see this verse typically isn’t about contentment.

I have laughed and made the joke that the way many people see this verse is as if it’s saying “I can do whatever I want”

So let’s look at Philippians 4:13 closely, because this verse is not giving you and me permission to do whatever we what, but it is giving us incite into the Lord that is crucial to contentment and joy.

All things does not include sin.

God is not the author of sin and does not command anyone to sin. God hates sin, so if you are doing something that is sinful, but you want to claim this verse, wrong.

This is not talking about supernatural physical feats.

To all the football boys who have this on your eye black and shoes, it doesn't make you a better football player. It’s not going to growing you 4 inches and give you 50 lbs of more muscle with a more speed and agility.

The other team isn’t looking at you going, oh no, they have Philippians 4:13 on written down… we are gonna get 45’d

It’s all things within the will of God.

what is the will of God? It is to obey God and enjoy God.

How do we do this?

Luke 10:27

Luke 10:27 ESV

And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

4. This is not permission to sit back passively after salvation, this is a call to grow in the Lord.

5. This is not permission to not repent and confess sin, this is a call to do those things quicker.

6.This does mean that whatever comes your way in life you can live out your Christian faith in the midst of it.

Sometime we think that God isn’t going to give us more than we can handle, and I don’t think that's true.

I think often, God gives us more than we can handle because in the midst of being overwhelm, about to give and give up we see our need for a savior our need to turn to the Lord more and more.

7. This work is done in the deepest part of your most innermost being.

This isn’t some external makeup or paint that you can plaster on and hope that is seeps in to your heart, this come from the inside out first.

But all of that doesn’t take away what this verse is getting at that is so much in need.

We talked last week about this idea that movie and TV and culture at large are glorifying this idea that you need to be insatiable.

That you never need to be content with what you have and where you are at.

But they make sure to say there are some areas that this never quenched desire can get you into trouble, however, if used right this is how you become someone.

You work harder than anyone else.

You think differently than everyone else.

You never are satisfied with what you have and where you are in life.

But the issue that this is manifesting in us, is there is this desire within all our hearts for something more.

But when we try to fill that desire by simply giving into sinful things and letting pride and selfishness run unchecked within us, that desire does not go away no matter what degree of success you attain.

That’s the things about climbing the ladder, it’s a never ending ladder.

I am not saying that you should settle for being the bottom rung at work or in life, I don’t think that at all.

I think you should be the best possible employee you could be for the glory of the Lord, but if you are looking to be fill by your vocation, by your kids abilities and decisions, by your status, by your bank account.

Their is always another rung in the ladder to climb, and it is exhausting and it is filled with despair and let down, NEVER joy.

Never contentment.

That is what Philippians 4:13 is about.

I can be content in ALL things, not just the bad not just the good but in all things, in the every day ordinary things of

folding laundry again,

doing the idishes again,

working homework with the kids again,

cleaning the house again,

mowing the lawn again,

Dealing with coworkers again

Sending email again

being out in the heat again

whatever it is that is done through Christ who strengthens you.

It’s rarely the big things that we get worn down with, typically its the monotonous every day things that we need strength for.

Paul says I am content because I know where my strength comes from and what my strength is for.

But he doesn't want the Philippians to think geeze Paul if you can get along with nothing then why are we sacrificially sending you so much and even one of our best people.

Paul says it was so kind of you to share with me.

You were the church that partnered with me from the begining.

Think about the impact on the Kingdom this small broke church in Philippi had because they supported Paul.

But Paul again shows them, I am so grateful for your gifts and they make me feel so loved it is so kind of y'all, but I don’t seek the gifts.

I seek the fruit that increases to your credit when you give those gifts.

Once again Paul is thinking about them.

They are sacrificially giving to Paul, Paul in turn takes their gifts and uses them for the Lord so the Philippians are being really good stewards of the resources they have.

Because of this, the Lord is going to count this for their good.

This desire to give and support godly ministries is evidence that God is growing them in their hearts more and more in His imagine.

They don’t need as much stuff they are content with less, and in turn place resources, times into places that expand for the kingdom of God.

This is my heart for our church.

I do not believe there is a set biblical number that you can give to the church.

Historically 10% is a tithe, that is what the word tithe means.

That’s a good goal.

For some that may not be attainable in life right now, that’s ok!

For some that may not be enough, the Lord may be giving you more so you can give more, that’s ok too!

There are principles when it comes to giving.

It should be joyful, this comes from a heart that loves the Lord and seeks to give to God what is already his.

It should be sacrificial, this comes from prioritizing the Lord over secondary things.

Our church this past year has done great!

In the midst of a pandemic, in a community largely run by oil prices and agriculture.

When oil prices tanked, and rain has been non-existent, the Lord has still been beyond good to our little church.

We are not in a financial bind, so I don’t want you to think I am preaching this because we are hurting as a church, that is not the case at all.

I do not look at individually who gives what.

I look at the total each month of what is given, where we spend how we spend and why we spend.

I do this because I believe that when we die we will stand before God and give an account of everything that we were given to steward that actually belongs to the Lord.

Money is the easiest one, right.

We earn our livings but in reality we all believe God is giving us those resources so in the end when you stand before God I want you in that moment to be beyond grateful for everything that you gave to Ira Baptist Church, that God says that is good stewardship.

But this goes beyond that.

Our kids our spouses our careers. Are all things given to us to steward.

Our kids, how are pouring into them the love of Christ?

our ministries here have been fluid since I have been here and I am hoping they will be settled this year, and I am excited that our new kids committee has planned for our kids.

They are going to be taught Gospel centered things.

So that when you die and stand before Jesus you can say I am grateful I entrusted them with my kids for that time.

But what home?

We have your kids for 2 hours a week in class rooms and then 1 hour for the worship service.

3 hours a week, what about at your home?

Are you discipling or evangelizing your own children?

Are you praying for them?

Are you setting them up to grow in Christ?

Are you stewarding them well?

What about your Spouses?

Paul in Ephesians tells husbands to love your wives as Christ loved the church.

So in essence you should love your wife for life to death, but also seek her wellbeing and make sure she is growing in Christ.

Pray with her. Talk about the bible with her. Repent to her.

Wives Paul in Ephesians says wives should respect their husbands.

How are you encouraging your husband?

Are you working to build him up in the Lord or are you seeking to tear him down?

Steward your spouse.

This does on and on.

Careers, friends, down time, etc.

Those are all things that the Lord has given you.

Steward it well.

So that when you die you will be grateful to stand before God and god will say well done GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT.

Not owner, but servant. You stewarded the things that I gave you well.

Paul finishes up by saying I have been well supplied.

Epaphrudduts that you sent was a a pleasing aroma to God, he was accepted.

and I know that God will supply everything else that in in according to His riches.

Not my need, but his riches.

Glory to God forever.

Philippians 4:21–23 ESV

Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

This is a letter so Paul ends with by sending salutations.

Pau lays greet every saint.

A saint just means believers. Christian.

Greet every Christian.

He does say all he says ever.

This means Paul had the individual people in mind.

Those who are with me greet you.

Especially those from the house o f Caesar!

Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

the unmerited unearned favor of God be with you.

Conclusion

GOSPEL

I think it is telling that in a book about joy, Paul finishes with contentment.

Being content grows as a fruit, much like joy, in fact the two go hand in hand.

If you are joyful you are content, if you are content you are joyful.

How do you get to this point?

It’s resting in the Gospel, not your own works that does this.

God only has one son without sin, but he has no sons without sorrow.

You have all that you need in Christ Jesus.