TEXT: Philippians 4: 10-23 (CSB) – “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly because once again you renewed your care for me. You were, in fact, concerned about me but lacked the opportunity to show it. I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me. Still, you did well by partnering with me in my hardship. And you Philippians know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone. For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account. But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you greetings. All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”
The greatest achievements of mankind have been accomplished by two types of men – those who were smart enough to know it could be done, and those too dumb to know it couldn’t.
Take for example Charles F. Kettering, a noted scientist, and inventor. He gave a tough assignment to a research worker at G.M. just to see how he would react to a difficult problem. Kettering forbade him from using the notes in the files – notes written by the experts with the statistics on why it couldn’t be done. The young man struggled and struggled with this tough problem – he wasn’t aware that it could be accomplished. Unfortunately – because he didn’t know it couldn’t be done – he succeeded and did it. This caused Kettering to say that if we want to overcome defeat we must ignore the possibility of failure.
There are 3 kinds of people in the world. The “will’s,” the “won’ts,” and the “can’ts.”
The first accomplish everything.
The second oppose everything.
And, the third fail in everything.
So – in dealing with this passage consider who are you? A will, won’t, or can’t?
Man desires the peace that God so freely wants to offer. Why don’t we have it? In this passage, we came in with worry, left with peace, by prayer (verses 6,7). Peace is guarding our thoughts and emotions by thinking about Jesus (verses 8,9). Yet I hear some of you say – “But it doesn’t stay long.” Or, “I don’t have it yet.”
How do I acquire this peace? By contentment, Paul says in our reading for today.
Peace by prayer
Protected by thinking on Jesus
Provided by contentment
Let us see what God has to teach us about the true, all-encompassing peace that He offers us so freely. We will start today with a short study of Contentment. (Tomorrow we will see the teaching of ICTC.)
The dictionary defines contentment as “being satisfied.” The Greek word Paul uses literally means “self-satisfied.”
Does that sound like the world’s method? The world’s idea of peace is tied to material goods – to striving for more. Advertising is based on our dissatisfaction. This goes from Townhouses to Toothpaste. Clothes to Cereal. They strive to find areas that we hold in dissatisfaction and then play to it. What are the areas?
· Prestige
· Power
· Status
· Friendship – Love
Because man is basically dissatisfied with his lot in life – Madison Avenue is getting rich. According to AdAge.com – the total dollars spent on advertising in the US during 2002 was $236,875 million.
All because Americans are dissatisfied.
A nation with one of the highest levels of lifestyles – is also one of the most dissatisfied.
Paul speaks of contentment as being a part of our Christian life. He warns often about this. Consider what he said to his neophyte preacher-boy, Timothy –
1 Timothy 6: 6-10 – “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
Notice the Bible does not teach that money is the problem, rather it is the attitude toward money.
Verse 7 in the letter to Timothy above (bolded) stresses the issue about materialism. It makes me think about the story of a rich millionaire who had died. When the Doctor and Lawyer came out, the heirs asked, “How much did he leave?” They answered them, “He left it all, he couldn’t take anything with him.”
God encourages us to be content with our lot in life.
· First, this shows our faith and trust in a loving Father
· Second, this gives us the inner peace and assurance we so desperately seek.
God does not expect us to be lazy, we should always the best that we can in every situation. But, we need to develop contentment with where we are. Tomorrow, when we unpack ITCT – we will see how we can, like Paul acquire contentment.
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