Please turn in your Bible this morning to Philippians chapter 4 as we learn how to be content in what the Lord has given to us. Contentment seems to be unattainable for many people today. Dissatisfaction with jobs, with their spouse, with their children, with their parents, with their friends, with things, just dissatisfaction with life in general. Thus, as we learn this behavior of being discontent we then take it with us when we are saved, and instead of giving it to God, instead of being content with what He has bestowed upon our lives, we are discontent. Listen to this story for it illustrates to us the idea of being discontent no matter what we may have. We are told:
Sometime ago there appeared in a newspaper a cartoon showing two fields divided by a fence. Both fields were about the same size and each had plenty of the same kind of grass, green and lush.
In each field there was a mule, and each mule had his head through the fence eating grass from the other mule’s pasture. All around each mule in his own field was plenty of grass, yet the grass in the other field seemed greener or fresher, although it was harder to get.
And in the process the mules were caught in the wires and were unable to extricate themselves. The cartoonist put just one word at the bottom of the picture – “DISCONTENT”!
- Earl C. Willer
How true that is for our own lives. Discontentment seems to lead us into situations in which we become all tangled up trying to get something that we may already possess or don’t really need. Thus, with that said, let’s begin reading in Philippians chapter 4, starting in verse 11 and see what the Lord has for us this morning as we look at The Content Life, what it is all about!
According to Webster’s Dictionary the word “contentment” means, “the state, quality, or fact of being contented. A satisfying or being satisfied.” The word “content” means, “happy enough with what one has or is; not desiring something more or different.” Thus, to be content then is the opposite of being covetous, or being greedy, or being worldly, or being materialistic. Jesus put it this way in Luke 12:15, “. . . ‘Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.’”
In America today we would be wise to heed that warning of Jesus because we tend to think that one’s life does consist of the abundance of things he possesses. We truly are living in the days where the mentality is, “More is better!” And so we grab for all that we can. We try to obtain bigger and better things. The latest this, the newer that and thus, we are not satisfied, contentment eludes us because we are not seeking it, but things. I don’t know if you remember the commercial where this man is boasting of all that he has; a new car, a new home, a new riding lawn mower, a swimming pool. And he is in debt up to his eyeballs! He needs help, not just in buying things he can’t afford, not just in how to pay off his debt, but learning how to be content in life.
It is like the story of the Pompeii lady. You remember the explosion of the volcano in Pompeii don’t you? We are told:
Of the 20,000 inhabitants of Pompeii, some 2,000 lost their lives, among them a woman who loved finery about all else [she had the best of everything]. As the deadly rain of fire came down, she decided to run to the harbour and escape by ship. That was wise, but this rich and beautiful woman stayed behind just long enough to collect as much jewelry as she could carry. Snatching her rings, she hastily thrust them on her fingers. There was no time to hunt for a box or a bag in which to cram her ornaments, so she picked up as many as she could hold, and rushed into the street, clutching her pearls and diamonds, her rubies and sapphires, her gold brooches and her earrings – a wealth of finery that would be placed at thousands of dollars today.
But she delayed too long. The poisonous fumes overcame her as she ran; and with all her trinkets she stumbled, fell, and died, clutching the things she prized so much.
There, under the ashes of Pompeii she lay; and when the excavators found her, she was still lovely, and her hands were still laden with jewels.
- Prairie Overcomer
What are you holding onto, grabbing for, not willing to let go? What has consumed your life? What are you passionate about? You see, whatever it is can bless you or destroy you. Paul was a man who had the right perspective of things, the right perspective of the situation. He knew what was important and because of that, he was content! Paul, in I Timothy 6:6-12 tells us this very thing. We are told, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
Paul is saying that we are to live a life surrendered to the will of God, to find contentment in that and it will be a blessing. Being satisfied with what God has given to you. If you aren’t surrendered to the will of God for your life you will drown in trying to find contentment in the mire of this world! Now, here in Philippians Paul gives to us three reasons he was able to find contentment and I believe they are important for us, especially in the days we are living in. In fact, Paul warns us in II Timothy chapter 3 that in the last days times of great stress will come upon people as they focus upon self, they are unthankful for what they do have, and they are trying to find contentment, satisfaction outside of God, and it is eluding them, they will never find true contentment outside of God, lasting contentment!
Paul’s points are as follows: I Accept All Things – Philippians 4:11-12. I Can Do All Things – Philippians 4:13. I Have All Things – Philippians 4:18-19. Thus, with the remainder of our time this morning we are going to be looking at these points that Paul is making.
1. I ACCEPT ALL THINGS – PHILIPPIANS
4:11-12
When Paul says that he accepts all things it is not some fatalistic attitude, a “Whatever will be will be” mentality. Nor is Paul saying this as he sat like some fat cat in some ivory tower looking down upon those that had nothing. Paul says that he has “learned” these things and it is a word that speaks of learning by experience. This was not some theoretical idea, something he read about in a book, something he contemplated, but through his life’s experiences he learned how to be content.
Paul was a Pharisee at one time, someone that people looked up to. He had the best schooling, the best teacher of their day. He had it all. But Paul also knew about having nothing. He knew what it was like to be cold, to go without eating, to not have a warm place to rest at night. He knew what it was like to be persecuted, to be stoned for sharing his faith, to be put in jail for sharing his faith, to be beaten up and-so-on. And Paul says he knows how to live no matter what situation comes his way and not only to know how to live like this, but to accept all things that came his way, he learned how to be content as he went through the school of life.
A great example of discontent is seen in pro-athletes, but they are not alone by no means. For football players, the ultimate goal is getting a Super Bowl ring. It means that you are the best team in football that year. And so players work hard, they even try to get on the best teams so they can get a Super Bowl ring before they retire. Barry Sanders from the Detroit Lions played on that team his entire career without winning the Super Bowl. As it got closer to retirement for this great running back, the team he was on wasn’t looking too good to obtain his goal of winning the Super Bowl, so he wanted to be traded to another team. The problem for Barry was that the Detroit Lions would not release his contract, they would not let him go and thus, instead of playing for a losing team, he retired, maybe hoping that then he would be released by them and could join a winning team. That didn’t happen. And so, because he couldn’t get his way, he couldn’t get the ring he wanted so badly, he just quit the game, he was not content just to play the game.
Interestingly enough, I believe it was Troy Aikman, who
was the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, who said after winning
the Super Bowl, and I am paraphrasing, “Is this all there
is?” You see,
something that so many covet so much, when it is obtained, is
not that great after all, it didn’t bring contentment!
It was empty.
Then there is Carl Malone who just retired from basketball.
He played almost his entire career with the Utah Jazz and he ended
his career with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was asked by a reporter
about not having won a world championship ring in the NBA, if
that was important to him, if people would judge how good he was
or wasn’t because he didn’t win a NBA championship.
He responded, and I am paraphrasing again, but he basically
said, “I would have liked to win but I hope people don’t
measure my career by that.
I hope they look at how I played the game, that I gave
it my all every game and I hope I encourage these young players
in the NBA to do the same!”
I like that.
Maybe you heard this story before, and if not it’s premise or principle rings loud and clear. We are told:
Coming downstairs one morning, Lord Congelton heard the cook exclaim, “Oh, if I only had five pounds, wouldn’t I be content!” Thinking the matter over, and anxious to see the woman satisfied, he shortly after handed her a five-pound note, then worth about twenty-five dollars. She thanked him profusely. He paused outside the door to hear if she would express her satisfaction and thank God. As soon as his shadow was invisible, she cried out, “Why didn’t I say ten?”
- Prairie Overcomer
Have you ever found yourself in a situation like that before? I’m sure we all have and the reason is simple, we are not content. Then what should we do to be content? First of all the word that Paul used for “content” means “self-sufficient.” Now don’t come to the conclusion that Paul looked to himself to accomplish these things, that he was the master of his destiny, that he was in control. Not at all. Paul was self-sufficient in the new life he had in Christ, by the power of God working in him and thus, as he learned these lessons on how to be content through the things he was going through, by the power of God’s Spirit working in him, by yielding to the Holy Spirit he was able to be content.
The prophet Habakkuk had a problem trusting God, accepting what God was doing, being content in what God was brining to pass and God changed his heart, he learned how to be content by his life experiences. Thus, in Habakkuk 3:17-19 we are told, “Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls — Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.” That is the proper perspective to have. God is in control, thus, no matter what may come my way, rags to riches or riches to rags, I know how to live – with a content heart because I ACCEPT ALL THINGS!
2. I CAN DO ALL THINGS – PHILIPPIANS
4:13
Here again we can find contentment as we understand, as we realize, as we apply this principle that we can do all things by the power of God working in us. J. B. Phillips translates Philippians 4:13 like this, “I am ready for anything through the strength of the One who lives in me.” The Amplified Bible puts this verse like this, “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency].” And The Living Bible puts this verse like this, “for I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power.”
You see, as a Christian you have the power in you to accomplish all the things that God wants you to accomplish – thus, know His will for your life, walk in it! That means if you have much or if you have absolutely nothing, God is still able to accomplish in you and through you what He wants! Think about it, Paul was in prison and even in chains and yet the Gospel message was still going forward as the Roman Soldiers chained to Paul were getting saved, the Palace Guard; some of Nero’s own family and the brethren in Christ were being strengthened in the faith!
In John 15:4-11 Jesus lays out this principle of abiding in Him and bearing fruit of being in Him, attached to Him. He tells us, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”
The problem comes when we place our eye’s on the situation and we might start out by saying, “I got it! I got it!” I got it!” But soon it deteriorates into, “I don’t got it! I don’t got it!” You see, it is not that I can do all things, but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, by His power, by His strength working in me and I can then do all the things He desires me to do!
We see this illustrated for us with King Saul and his son Jonathan in I Samuel chapter 14. The army of Saul had about 3,000 troops that dwindled down to 600 men as many fled in fear of the Philistines and even some of the Jews, some of his men joined forces with the Philistines – a “Better Red then dead” mentality! King Saul camped in fear near the area of Gibeah with his 600 men. Keep in mind that Israel was far out numbered, the Philistines had thousands of soldiers and chariots!
Saul sat down in fear, immobilized under a pomegranate tree in the outskirts of Gibeah, in Migron, while Jonathan was on the move, he was a man of faith, he knew he could do all things through God working in him. Jonathan heads over to the enemies camp with just his armor-bearer near Micmash.
As they are traveling they come to two jagged cliff’s on either side of them where the Philistines were located with their archers who would shoot down upon the enemy and the enemy could not climb up easily to get them because of the jagged rocks. It seems like a foolish thing for Jonathan to do and yet he felt sitting and doing nothing was wrong and he wanted to find out if God was in this, if this was what he was suppose to do, so he was on the move.
Let’s read of this in I Samuel 14:6-15 and see the faith of Jonathan. We are told, “Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, ‘Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the LORD will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few.’ So his armorbearer said to him, ‘Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart.’ Then ‘Jonathan said, Very well, let us cross over to these men, and we will show ourselves to them. If they say thus to us, “Wait until we come to you,” then we will stand still in our place and not go up to them. But if they say thus, “Come up to us,” then we will go up. For the LORD has delivered them into our hand, and this will be a sign to us.’ So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, ‘Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden.’ Then the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, ‘Come up to us, and we will show you something.’ Jonathan said to his armorbearer, ‘Come up after me, for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel.’ And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and knees with his armorbearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan. And as he came after him, his armorbearer killed them. That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armorbearer made was about twenty men within about half an acre of land. And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so that it was a very great trembling.”
What a victory with only 2 men! You see, Jonathan wasn’t thinking, “I wonder if God can do this?” but rather “I wonder if God wants to do this?” That is important, Jonathan was ready to take those steps of faith as long as God was leading, otherwise he knew it would be a fruitless endeavor. God is looking for availability not ability for He is more than able to equip us with what we will need to accomplish the work as He did with Jonathan!
Too often we are afraid to take steps of faith, to go forward as God leads. Think of it like this, if you never go up to bat you will never strike out! That is great isn’t it? Not really because if you never go up to bat you will never know the thrill of hitting a home run. You see, you must come up to the plate, you must take a swing, and you may not always get the hits you want, but through God, you can do all the things He desires of you! Remember what Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13. And folks, as we do we will find contentment as we are walking in the will of God, obeying His voice! Thus, I CAN DO ALL THINGS!
3. I HAVE ALL THINGS – PHILIPPIANS
4:18-19
As we read this, “I have all things” some of you might be thinking, “Hey, wait a minute, I don’t!” That is because you have lost the focus and your eyes are not placed upon God and what He has given you. You are focused on earthly things, and thus, you are discontent. Remember what Paul said in Ephesians 1:3-6, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” And Paul goes on for three chapters telling us all the rich blessings we have in Christ! Thus, with all the material blessings that God bestows upon us is just icing on the cake!
And here is the thing, God will supply us with what we NEED, not necessarily what we WANT! He knows what we are in need of and He will supply these things in His time if we would only learn to wait, to be content in what we have! Instead of complaining about what you don’t have, rejoice in what you do have! And if you are struggling with this, trying to think of what you have instead of the things you don’t have, Paul helps us by saying in Hebrews 13:5, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” He is always with you, thus, rejoice and be content in that!
Some one hundred years ago it was determined that the average American had about 70 wants, things he desired to have. A similar survey was taken of his grandson and he had nearly 500 wants on his list and today, I’m sure that number is even higher. Why? Because people are not content in what they have!
Because they do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, He is not their Lord and Savior, they can never accept all things, they can not do all things, and they can not have all things, they are discontent! But we as Christians have Christ and thus, don’t allow things to bring discontent to your life but allow Christ working in you, learn how to accept things, do all things and have all things, learn how to be content in Christ! And so, may we know that We Have All Things.
As I begin to close this morning, let me ask you this. In your Christian walk do you live more like a thermometer or a thermostat? In other words, are you like a thermometer that goes up and down being totally influenced by its surrounding environment? You see, a thermometer doesn’t change anything, it has no influence on anything, it just responds to what is happening around it. Many are like that today, they go up and down, burn hot and cold depending on what is happening around them. The thing is, if you are a thermometer, you are not influencing anyone, they are influencing you, the circumstances around you are having a influence on you and you respond accordingly.
On the other hand, a thermostat does just the opposite, it is not influenced by the surroundings but it regulates the surroundings depending on what is needed. When it is too cold, the thermostat will cause the heat to go on, when it is too warm, it will cause the air-conditioner to go on and cool things off. It has the ability to do that. As Christians, we should be a thermostat and not a thermometer, we should have a positive influence on those around us. Jesus put it this way in Matthew 5:13-16, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
That is what the Lord wants us to be, what He wants us to do, to be a thermostat as Paul was, regulating the surroundings and making changes as they are needed, influencing people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ because as people look at us they see men and women that are content in their faith, they are sufficient in Christ and thus, they can accept all things in Christ, do all things in Christ and have all things in Christ!