Halloween Our doorbell rang all night, we ran out of candy. I absolutely love all our little visitors. So does Bella my little dog, she is very

Transcription

1 1 Halloween Our doorbell rang all night, we ran out of candy. I absolutely love all our little visitors. So does Bella my little dog, she is very social. She thinks they are all coming to visit her. So Bella helps me greet each little super hero, or costumed character. I saw a big rubicks cube. A big cluster of grapes, an avocado, a herd of deer, some sharks and dinosaurs, the Incredibles were out in force, the Grinch, Bumble Bee the Transformer, I had a few visits from Russell Wilson, I saw at least 5 little Wonder Women, quite a number of FORT NITE fighters, Harry Potter characters, and of course several Captain America super soldiers. One time the door bell rang, and before I get there my door knob is already being opened, a little guy from Monsters Inc. with his little sister as Boo walks in to our house, like he lives here, I put a piece of candy into his overflowing sack and while I am giving his sister a piece, he is literally reaching into my bowl of candy and taking more for himself. He was not satisfied with what he was given, what he had and was very bold to grasp for more. He did not seem to be content. He seemed very interested in what he didn t have rather than aware of what he did have. Harvard did a study, they are very smart people. They asked a number of folks what would it take to be considered rich. They asked someone who was making $30,000 and they said $60,000. They asked someone who was making $50,000 and they said $100,000. They asked someone making $100,000 and of course they said $200,000. They asked someone making $500,000 and they said 1 million. They asked someone making 1 million and they said 5 million. I think the millionaire is related to my little Monsters Inc. friend. Well you see the theme, the theme is always more. Is more always the answer to a better life? Philippians 4:10-13 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had 1

2 2 no opportunity to show it. 11 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. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Paul knows how to go low in humble circumstances and he knows how to go high in abounding circumstances. A lofty claim. He has found the secret. Paul says in 1 Timothy that godliness with contentment is great gain. Are you looking for great gains in your life? I know one. It is called contentment. A few things contentment is not. Contentment is not settling, it is not resignation, it is not being passive, it is not an absence of ambition, it is not complacency. It is not an absence of desires or emotions or longing. Also being content and being bored are the opposite sides of the spectrum. It is actually a fruit of learning something which flows out of a secret. I am intrigued. I want to know the secret. Paul is what I call a very adaptable person. In lack or abounding, in need or prospering he s good. The strength of Christ in your life allows you to flex, modify and function in a variety of environments. People who demand things being a certain way, inflexible, in order to be content many times speak from a lack of strength and a lack of confidence or insecurity. Paul learned the secret of being content in either a humble condition and as well as an abounding condition. One of the all things we can do through Christ who strengthens us. It literally takes strength to resist the enemies of contentment whether in a place of need or in a place of plenty. Just like we can rejoice always, we can be content in every situation. Now it is something we will have to learn. Which provides a sub-point of something else we can do, and that is to learn. Recap of series: 2

3 3 ALL IN PRESS ON REJOICE ALWAYS BE CONTENT What a list. Just think if everyone was doing this? The world would be much different. Learning actually according to Paul is what opens the door to being content. It is the same word for disciple. Spiritual and life learning from Jesus allows you to adapt in positive ways to life s situations. If you are not learning, life will own you and we will be conformed and shaped and tyrannized by the world rather than transformed by Christ. And you will have high levels of discontment. I CAN learn and I CAN be content. The idea of learning contentment implies that Paul wasn t always content. It wasn t automatic. I feel he is admitting some trial and error in this statement. That is encouraging because it is relatable. Contentment is a process. Contentment isn t a gift only some people have. We can t use that excuse. I am not content because it s not my gift. Anyone can learn it. It has taken years for me to learn how to be more content as a pastor while surrounded by many uncertainties, many surprises, large areas of unfinished work in people s lives and projects to be completed. What used to cause me to panic or catastrophize today causes me to lay it at Jesus feet and I process it with much more peace. Are you a content person? Are you content with yourself, within your situation? Within your marriage, within your family? Within your income? Within your ministry? If not, you need strength from Jesus! Learning contentment is allowing Jesus to utilize teachable moments in your life. Being humble and hungry allows you to be reflective and examine the place of faith in your life. 3

4 4 Jesus would often gather his disciples after an event or encounter and debrief with them and teach them the deeper things of the kingdom. What is your teachable moment right now? What are you learning about your faith, your relationship with Jesus? Are you more concerned about what you don t have and forgetting about what you already have? Jesus loves to disciple you into contentment. Some of us are discontented. Watch the level of dis in your life? The perceived lack of resources, of relationships, of achievement is like a chronic torture to our souls. I saw poverty in Mexico, but I did not see high levels of discontentment by the people. It was refreshing to see people happy in what I would view as a lack in their living conditions. Are you ready to learn contentment? When we are content we stay on track. We don t lose our capacity to be gracious and generous. We don t over react to lacking or to abundance. We stay Gospel focused when content. Paul is saying that the environment isn t the deciding factor of who I am. Contentment is the basis for consistency and productivity of our core beliefs. This strength of contentment allows Paul to be gracious and a giver and a minister within a host of settings. Contentment allows us to love others well, to pour out of our lives for others. One of my first lessons in contentment was my first and only college roommate. We were so different. I could not control my personal environment in our tiny space. I wrestled with being content in a shared space. I learned contentment within that situation. Which helped me to be a good roommate. It took me a while to be content and then be gracious. Then I got married and started over with another roommate. Contentment isn t contentment until it is tested. The early church was tested often. 4

5 5 Polycarp Showed tremendous contentment at his death. He was asked to recant his faith in Jesus or be executed. For 86 years I have served Christ, how could I curse my King. I am thankful Jesus deemed me worthy of this moment. Then they tied him to a stake and burned him, and when that didn t seem to work they stabbed him. He remained grace filled. 1.The nature of contentment! It does mean to be fully satisfied. It is the analogy of what many of us will feel on Thanksgiving. A very full stomach. However Paul is not talking about a temporary physical contentment, but a deep personal satisfaction of the soul. Contentment is not having everything you want, but having what matters most. Paul definitely did not have everything he wanted. Actually while in prison, the prisoner was responsible for their own needs. You had to somehow organize your own food and clothing. There were no prison food programs or prison apparel. I am sure Paul went hungry often in prison, lacked proper clothing, the place where he learned to be content. Contentment was a very popular topic in ancient times. There were strong opinions on how to be content. Primarily two philosophies represented cultural thought. You could be a Stoic or an Epicurean, named after a greek philisopher. A stoic is content through detachment. Stoics are those unmoved by life. Stoics would intentionally be harsh to their bodies while showing very little reaction or disturbance to highlite their self sufficiency, their mastery. Nothing could bother them, because nothing could get to them. They were stoic. Any stoics here today? An Epicurean is content through pleasure. Not detachment like a stoic but through indulgence like a reveler. These are people club hopping on the weekends. Seek what is pleasurable to you, avoid anything painful and find serenity. There is no God, morality is not at play, just what is pleasing to you personally. 5

6 6 God is not asking us to deny our desires, our feelings. Either is He is asking us to be ruled by them either. These ancient philosophies are still present with different packaging. Modern times present other types of routes to contentment: Fame If I can just be famous I will be content? How many celebrities are content? How many commit suicide or engage in self destructive behavior once they are famous? Fame doesn t seem to produce contentment. Finances What did John D Rockefeller say about finances? Rockefeller was at one point the world s richest man and first ever American billionaire in the early 1900 s. When a reporter asked him, How much money is enough? He responded, Just a little bit more. Balanced Life The goal is contentment through balance, between work life, personal life, family life, schedule and time balance, financial stability, exercise, intellectual and emotional balance. Through balance I am content. Tell a young Mom at home with little ones to lead a balanced life, or a person with a chronic injury or sickness, or someone who just got laid off. No balance for you, so does that mean no contentment for you? I can tell you one thing. Paul did not live a balanced life. Shipwrecked, flogged, imprisoned, stoned. It might be okay to pursue this balance it but hold it loosely. Positive Thinking You are all probably aware of the self help industry and corresponding books that are published. It is a 10 billion dollar industry. Did you know 80 % of people who buy self help books are repeat customers. Conclusion: The first self help book was not enough. Paul presents something different than all of those. A secret. Not a secret people can t know, but something rarely known. Because it is not popular, The Stoics and Epicureans thought Jesus was foolish, it s not easy or quick to discover, it is something hidden which requires illumination. The secret is Christ. Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. 6

7 7 It is learned within a relationship with God that is so nourishing, the deep needs of your inner most being are met. Paul talks about the glorious riches in Christ. The learning part is discovering how awesome Jesus is. What do we have in Christ? In Exodus God described Himself as I AM. Then Jesus did the same thing. Listen to the capacities of Jesus and ask yourself if He is able to supply all your needs. I AM the bread of life He nourishes us, He is the answer to emptiness. I AM the light of the world He guides us, He is the answer to confusion and blindness. I AM the good shepherd He seeks us and finds us, He is the answer to loneliness and abandonment. I AM the resurrection and the life He conquered death, He is the answer to hopelessness or powerlessness. I AM the true vine He supplies the Holy Spirit to His branches, He is the answer to fruitlessness. I AM the way, the truth and the life He is God, He is the answer to our lostness. Jesus as the I AM loves you and seeks to leverage his strength and power in your life. Can we focus on the care of Jesus in your life? 7