Contented Living

Hebrews 13:5-6

Hebrews 13:5–6 NLT

5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” 6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

5 ἀφιλάργυρος ὁ τρόπος· ἀρκούμενοι τοῖς παροῦσιν· αὐτὸς γὰρ εἴρηκεν· Οὐ μή σε ἀνῶ οὐδʼ οὐ μή σε ἐγκαταλίπω·

6 ὥστε θαρροῦντας ἡμᾶς λέγειν· Κύριος ἐμοὶ βοηθός, οὐ φοβηθήσομαι· τί ποιήσει μοι ἄνθρωπος;

INTRODUCTION:

A- PREVIEW

I. There is a command of an attitude to avoid.

II. There is a contentment to be cultivated.

III. There is a companion to aid us in holiness.

I. There is a command against an ungodly attitude. (Hebrews 13:5a)

Hebrews 13:5a NLT

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”

5 ἀφιλάργυρος ὁ τρόπος· ἀρκούμενοι τοῖς παροῦσιν· αὐτὸς γὰρ εἴρηκεν· Οὐ μή σε ἀνῶ οὐδʼ οὐ μή σε ἐγκαταλίπω·

ἀφιλάργυρος ὁ τρόπος· = “don’t love money.”

a. This is a command.

A- Greed has no place in the Christian’s life.

(Ephesians 5:3)

Ephesians 5:3 NLT

Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.

(1 John 2:15-16)

1 John 2:15–16 NLT

15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

1- Greed is not Godly, but worldly.

2- Greed is destructive.

B- The desire upon which greed is built must be put to death.

(Colossians 3:5).

Colossians 3:5 NLT

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

1- Greed is sin.

a- Greed is idolatry.

1)- Greed is worshipping the things of this world, rather than Christ.

II. There is a contentment to be cultivated. (Hebrews 13:5b).

Hebrews 13:5b NLT

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”

5 ἀφιλάργυρος ὁ τρόπος· ἀρκούμενοι τοῖς παροῦσιν· αὐτὸς γὰρ εἴρηκεν· Οὐ μή σε ἀνῶ οὐδʼ οὐ μή σε ἐγκαταλίπω·

A. Godly contentment is a wealth in itself.

1. ἀρκούμενοι = to be satisfied, to be contented

2. τοῖς παροῦσιν= With such things as one has, to have on hand.

(1 Timothy 6:6-8)

1 Timothy 6:6–8 NLT

6 Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.

B. Contentment is based in gratitude and faith.

1- Contentment demonstrates that we understand where everything we have comes from.

2- Contentment demonstrates that we trust in God to supply our needs.

3- Contentment results in joy.

(Ecclesiastes 5:18)

Ecclesiastes 5:18 NLT

18 Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life.

III. There is a companion to aid us in holiness. (Hebrews 13:5c-6)

A- Jesus has promised His personal presence. (Hebrews 13:5c)

Οὐ μή σε ἀνῶ οὐδʼ οὐ μή σε ἐγκαταλίπω·

Hebrews 13:5c NLT

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”

(John 14:18).

1. Jesus himself has given the promise.

2. He will not leave (ἀνῶ) or forsake (ἐγκαταλίπω) us.

B- The presence of Christ provides confidence for living. (Hebrews 13:6)

Hebrews 13:6 NLT

So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

ὥστε θαρροῦντας ἡμᾶς λέγειν· Κύριος ἐμοὶ βοηθός, οὐ φοβηθήσομαι· τί ποιήσει μοι ἄνθρωπος;

1- We can have an open, verbal confidence in living.

θαρροῦντας= “to be confident, bold, courageous”

2- The source of confidence is the knowledge of who is helping us.

Κύριος ἐμοὶ βοηθός = The Lord is my helper.

3- This confidence does away with our fear - especially fear of people!

οὐ φοβηθήσομαι· τί ποιήσει μοι ἄνθρωπος; = I will have no fear. What can people do to me?

The picture painted by the psalmist in Psalm 23.

CONCLUSION:

A- Summary

I. There is a command of an attitude to avoid.

II. There is a contentment to be cultivated.

III. There is a companion to aid us in holiness.