The Secret of Contentment

Philippians 4:4-13

October 13, 2002

GOAL: That the hearers be moved to rely fully on Christ, acknowledging him as their Savior and the source of their contentment.

Introduction: Speaking from a lesson exemplified in Philippians, there are apparently two extremes that churches sometimes face in ministry. One is to be Judaizing and legalistic, the other is to be Antinomian and libertine. These two extremes should not be confused by categorizing them as arch-conservative and arch-liberal. They have nothing to do with philosophical orientation. But, they have everything to do with the spiritual orientation of the human heart. And in that regard they both share a common symptom, a lack of contentment. Since you and I are sinners prone to discontent, Paul’s message has particular meaning for us all. I mean; would you not like to know The Secret of Contentment? Listen to his words again: 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 everything through him who gives me strength. Talk about positive thinking, wow!

It is a wonder that the apostle Paul sounds so positive and confident in these words. They might lead us to think that he was living in the lap of luxury. Not so, although it would have been okay if it were true. But, Paul was probably in prison, facing a death sentence when he wrote this epistle. So isn’t it just a little curious to you that in spite of his circumstances, he is able to do the following:

1. Acknowledge the good deeds of those who respond to the Gospel call.

2. Acknowledge that God has already supplied our needs through Jesus Christ.

3. Acknowledge that contentment is a learned lesson and a gift from God.

4. Acknowledge that Jesus is and continues to be the source of all strength for everything.

I don’t know about you but I am interested because this is all an indication of contentedness. What’s the secret?

1. Paul acknowledges the good deeds of those who respond to the Gospel call. Paul is confident in the Philippians not because they are such good Christian people. Indeed, they were a people plagued with pride, a retirement community of Roman soldiers who had been given their land. There is nothing particular in the Philippians that Paul should be impressed with them. No, what impresses Paul about them is the commonality they share in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You see Paul is, as he says himself in (1:6) “Confident ... that he who began a good work in you will carry it on until the day of Christ Jesus.” There is wisdom in Paul’s words; a secret about to be revealed.

A. Before Paul’s conversion, he would never have been able to make such a statement. As a Pharisee he would have spoken of his own self-sufficiency, and he would have expected it of everyone else. He would have pointed to his own righteous acts as being pleasing to God simply because he did them. And he would have given no respect to those who did not live under the same legalistic values. After his conversion, when Christ is revealed in him, Paul realizes that a person’s sufficiency with God comes from God in the first place. Thus, he can gracefully encourage past actions of the saints who are gathered at Philippi. Even their simple gift to the imprisoned Paul was evidence that God was at work in their hearts.

B. You see their faith was accompanied by action, just as Abraham’s faith was accompanied by action. The people of Philippi apparently knew that to offer words without deeds would give no comfort to the distressed. That is the point James makes in 2:16-17: “If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” How very sad that self-righteousness always skews this statement so as to make faith dependent on one’s works. This is a lie by which Satan would lead us to think we are righteous because of what we do. That is what Paul thought before his conversion. But now, he is able to…

2. Acknowledge that God has already supplied our needs through Jesus Christ. There is no substitute; no other god that can do what Paul says God will do in the believers “carry out” His good work in them until He comes again. And because of this truth Paul is able also to say:

A. “My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (v 19). What a statement of faith this is. Paul, even though imprisoned, is content in himself with what he has and is so because of Jesus Christ. Why? He gives the answer in Eph 1:7 and Tit 3:5.

B. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Eph 1:7). Not even the Devil can keep a hold on God’s children. His power is limited by the completed work of Christ Jesus, the work of salvation, redemption and forgiveness. This grace is unlimited. Thus the Scripture says:

C. “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). This is the one baptism with the water and word of God that brings the promised Holy Spirit. And by that Spirit we have new life that is holy and righteous to God, not because of our good deeds, but purely because God Himself has willed it and declared it to be so for us. To fully understand what this means for us is the point of contentment. Thus, St. Paul must …

3. Acknowledge that contentment is a learned lesson and a gift from God.

A. “I have learned to be content” he says in (v 11). I have learned. Rather interesting words that make me wonder how much anxiety Paul went through before learning this lesson.

How long did it take for him to understand and grasp the truth that God’s heavenward call was irrevocable?

How long did it take him to understand and grasp that straining toward what is ahead was not a matter of exerting his own righteousness, but rather, a matter of keeping the faith in Christ Jesus?

How long did it take him to understand and grasp that everything that is done in faith is pleasing to God, and that nothing that is done outside of faith ever has worth in God’s sight.

Did it take the fourteen years of Paul’s absence from Jerusalem after the Damascus road experience, or did it take longer? Paul says, “Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem … in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain.” Gal 2:1-2 What is this Paul is saying? He is afraid that he might have been running his race in vain. Where is Paul’s confidence here?

B. Actually, it doesn’t matter how long it took Paul to get it. What matters is that he did get it. He did learn the secret. “I have learned the secret of being content” he says in (v 12). Now don’t you want to ask, okay already! Tell us the secret of contentment so that we too might have it.

C. You, of course noticed from the reading that contentment is not being among the needy. Neither is it in being affluent. Contentment is not being well fed or hungry. The point here is that Christians might experience any or all of these extremes. Contentment is to understand Jesus Christ and eternal life. Why? Simply because in Him we have become participants in the heavenly realms of God (Eph 2:6). Our most recently sainted members Jim and Sally had this down quite well. They too had learned the lesson of contentment. They knew the secret and were content even though facing certain death. They both stated how they were looking forward with great joy to what was coming. It was God’s work in them wrought by the Holy Spirit. And along with St. Paul, they both confessed their contentment in what they did and said. By that same Spirit St. Paul …

4. Acknowledges that Jesus is and continues to be the source of all strength for everything.

A. Knowing that they were a part of God’s work on earth, our two friends took their final breath with true joy. Knowing that we are in the good company of the angels and departed saints is true Joy and the secret of contentment. In the kingdom of heaven we truly experience real liberty. And that liberty causes us to …

B. “Rejoice in the Lord.” Notice that it is not in ourselves that we rejoice, but in the Lord! (v 4). I never heard Jim or Sally ever speak of their own goodness, but of the goodness they saw around them. That, my friends cannot come from the coercion of self-imposed rules and regulations, or a self-induced piety that cannot even smile or laugh at its own humanity.

Now if it is God’s work in us that matters, and it is, where do any of us get off thinking that we cannot have fulfillment or happiness or joy unless we are bound to a certain way of doing things? As long as a person looks for contentment and fulfillment in anything other than Jesus Christ, they can and will never have it. They have still to learn the secret of contentment. And that really makes me sad. Sad because we have all been given the word of truth whereby true contentment is found. Since coming here we have never gone outside of the traditional form of Lutheran worship. That means that we have not done a blended service. We have not even come close to a contemporary service. And even if we had, we still have the essence of worship, God’s truth. Now who among us is not content with that? I pray none of us. For in the words of our liturgy are the Words of our God. But let us never ever confuse liturgy with God’s Word. Liturgy is a form of worship. God’s Word is worship. It always glorifies God.

Conclusion It is through such worship that we with all believers can say with St Paul, God “Gives me strength” (v 13). In the Greek, this phrase denotes a present and continued action. It never ends in other words. In faith, we are always in a state of being strengthened, and liturgy never is the source of the believer’s joy and contentment. Listen to St. Paul, not to me. Listen and be strengthened. Listen and you will always hear The Secret of Contentment wherever God’s truth is proclaimed. Amen.