LEARNING TO BE CONTENT
Someone once asked comedian Bill Cosby why he and his wife
had five children. He said, “Because we
didn’t want six!”
In many areas of life, most of us want
more. Although that is not always true
(as with Cosby and kids), what we consider to be pleasurable prompts us to want
more. Something inside of us pushes us
to get all we can, never content with what we have.
Last
fall, we Red Sox fans celebrated the first World Series in decades only to
realize that ‘next year’ would be a very different team, perhaps less likely to
be a repeat winner.
A few weeks ago, UNC fans were
celebrating a national championship in basketball. Some were content with that and thankful for
that achievement, but others were immediately concerned about next season and
the possibility of losing key players to graduation and to the NBA. The satisfaction of winning was soon
overtaken with a desire for more!
Even though we live in one of the most
affluent nations on earth, nearly every one of us sees ourselves in need of
more…more money, more house, more stuff and on it goes!
Seldom do we hear the word ‘enough.’ After
all, how much is enough? The Bible calls
upon us to live lives of contentment but we find few models of contentment
around us and consequently have a hard time sorting out what it means to be
content.
We almost believe that contentment signals
a counter-cultural frame of mind, or a kind of deviant point of view found only
in those who are either unqualified or incapable of acquiring more. Therefore, they justify their deficiencies by
settling for less—content because they have no real choice.
But what about those who have great
capacities and unlimited potential who are content with what they have? God calls us to a life of contentment, so we
need to get a handle on what it is and how we find it.
THESIS: We will never
be content with anything until we first learn to be satisfied with Jesus
Christ.
Over the next several weeks, we are going
to study God’s Word to see what He teaches about contentment.
I. THE LESSONS OF CONTENTMENT HAVE TO BE LEARNED
Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak from want; for I have learned
to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
--As
Paul has been explaining to the Philippians, the surpassing value of knowing
Christ provides us with the only truly satisfying purpose and pursuit in life.
Chapter 1
-- To live is Christ
Chapter 2
-- To have the attitude of Christ
Chapter 3
-- To know Christ, the power of His resurrection
Chapter 4
-- To rejoice in Christ
--Now
Paul offers a summary of what it means in practical terms when he explains that
the overall impact of a Christ-centered life is “peace which surpasses all
comprehension” (4:7) and to “have learned the secret of being content” (4:12).
--Discontentment
is our natural state, but contentment can be learned when we are satisfied with
Jesus Christ.
A.
LEARNING WHEN TO BE CONTENT
--Several
things need to be understood when we set out to learn when to be content.
--Today
we are going to mention a few of them in our introduction of this topic of
major significance for believers in a self-indulgent culture.
--We
have turned things upside down in our values.
--We
learn God’s contentment only when we know when He wants us to be
content…something we do not know on our own!
1.
Content with Wrong Things
--We
are often content with the wrong things and dissatisfied over the wrong things.
a. Content with Too Little Obedience
--We
have found that our priorities have been dictated by desire, but desire for
selfish things, not a desire to love what Christ loves and do what Christ
commands.
Matt. 25:35-36 ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to
eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me
in; 36 naked, and you clothed
Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’
--Jesus
told His disciples that when we ignore those in desperate need, it is the same
as if we ignored Him.
--We
have allowed ourselves to be content to do nothing for those who have the
greatest needs and pour ourselves out with the greatest efforts to satisfy
ourselves first.
Why
do we sense that the Joy Prom is so right?
…the Extreme Makeover brought such satisfaction? Because we are investing in what God views as
important!
Luke 14:12-14 And He
also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon
or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or
rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and repayment come to
you. 13 “But when you give a
reception, invite the poor, the crippled,
the lame, the blind, 14
and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you
will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
·
Content to Allow
the Lost to Remain Lost
·
Content to Leave
the Defenseless without a Voice
·
Content to Let the
Hungry Stay that Way
·
Content to Avoid
the Poor and Excuse Our Lack of Concern
·
Content to Leave
the Prisoners Alone and Forsaken
·
Content to Ignore
the Plight of the Sick
b. Content with Too Little of Christ
Matt.
15:8-9
“‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their
teachings are but rules taught by men.’”
· Content
to Leave Our Bibles on the Shelf
· Content
to Worship with Only Our Words
· Content
to Pray without Any Passion or Faith
· Content
to Have a Savior but Not a Master
· Content
to Believe Rightly but Not Live Righteously
--These
are the things we must learn never to be content about, because God wants us to
desire greater things in these areas!
2. Discontent with Wrong Things
--What
has happened is that we have allowed our lives to become dissatisfied with
things that have no lasting value and comfortable with the state of our souls!
--We
are dissatisfied and not content with…
…Our Income …Our Housing
…Our Cars …Our Clothing
…Our Weight …Our Jobs
…Our Marriages …Our Children
…and so on!!
--These
are the things we must learn to be content about, whatever our circumstances!
3. Discontent with Right Things: Discontent with the Present Condition of Our
Souls
--Here,
the Lord invites us to a ‘holy discontent’ so that we might long for, be
fervent for, zealous after, passionate for, consumed by, eager about…and many
other such biblical phrases which speak of God’s intentions for our hearts.
a. Press on toward the prize
Phil. 3:12-14 Not that
I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in
order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ
Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not
regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting
what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for
the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
b. Striving and Laboring Together
Colossians 1:29 And for this purpose also I labor, striving
according to His power, which mightily works within me.
c. Excel Still More
1Th. 4:1 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord
Jesus, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk
and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel still more.
d. Fan Gifts into Flame
2Tim. 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God,
which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
e. Thirst and Pant for God
Psa. 42:1-2 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you,
O God. 2 My soul thirsts for
God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
--Does
this sound like God wants you to be content to have a passive, indifferent
interest in knowing and loving and gaining more of Christ?
--I
don’t want to be complacent about, or comfortable with my relationship with the
Lord, but to persist with all that is within me to gain more of Him!
4.
Content with the Right Things:
The Sufficiency of All that Is Ours in Christ
--When
we ‘go hard’ after Christ and allow nothing to stand in the way of seeking and
knowing Him, there we will find the only contentment that matters…we will learn to be content with Him alone!
--When
Paul said that he had learned to be content, what do you think he was referring
to? Content in Christ!
--Who
or what can satisfy my soul at its deepest level but Jesus Christ?
a. Content to Be with Jesus
Matt. 11:28-29 “Come to me, all you who are weary and
burdened, and I will give you rest. 29
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
b. Content to Rest in His Goodness
Psa. 116:7 Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to
you.
c. Content to Be Still
Psa. 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the
nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
d. Content to
Appreciate Whatever My Circumstances Bring
Phil. 4:11-12 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.
e. Content Not to Understand but Still Trust
Hab. 3:17-18 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the
vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there
are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be
joyful in God my Savior.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we have a calling to be men
and women of contentment. With the world
around us teasing us and enticing us to want more than we have, we have to
fight against an attitude of discontentment.
The more we get of what the world offers,
the less it satisfies us. Championships
in sports, raises at work, new things added to our lifestyles…none satisfy for
very long. We quickly become
discontented again.
But when we find our contentment in Jesus
Christ, we realize that only He can satisfy completely and fill our lives with
contentment. How many times will we have
to learn that lesson? Every day we have
to remember that only He can satisfy and set our heart on Him.
The old hymn says what we need to say,
“I’d
Rather Have Jesus”
I’d
rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d
rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d
rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
I’d
rather be led by His nail-pierced hand
Than to be the king of a vast
domain,
Or be held in sin’s dread sway;
I’d rather have Jesus than
anything
This world affords today.
I’d
rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d
rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d
rather have Jesus than worldwide fame;
I’d
rather be true to His holy name.
Wouldn’t you rather have Jesus and learn
to be content in a way that is impossible any other way?
May 1, 2005
Providence Baptist Church
© David Horner 2005
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