Content In Christ

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0:12Well this morning we come to the second to last sermon in our Series in Philippians. And then next week. I've invited Pastor Tom Boyer. He was our pastoral resident for a time in he went out and planted Emmaus church, and I've invited him to come and share an update and to preach the sermon next week our last sermon in Philippians and then the following week. We will begin a series in Proverbs Proverbs Chapter 1 through 9. It's a joy to see the baptisms this morning to hear our young ladies sing. And so would you now join me as we open God's word?

0:55Father we ask that you would open our eyes. Open our hearts. to see you more rightly and then to know the truth of your word more clearly only you can do that by the power of your spirit and so in life in our hearts this morning our hearts and Minds to behold what you want to see in and through your word we pray this in Jesus name. Amen. in the Book of Numbers There's a stunning event that takes place in the life of Israel. If you'll remember with me, God had just led the people of Israel out of Egypt. He had just delivered them from the hand of pharaoh at the Red Sea what they saw was Miracle after stunning Miracle one on top of another and they finally come to the promised land and they send out spies one for each tribe 12 Spies go out into this promised land and they bring a report back and ten of the twelve say, oh no.

2:10It's terrible news. These people are large and strong. They are great Nations. We felt like we were grasshoppers. They could just step on us and we would die. and what does Israel do? They complain numbers 14:2 says and all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron the whole congregation said to them would that we had died in the land of Egypt or would that we had died in this Wilderness. It's a stunning moment after seeing God's faithful strong hand lead them out with miraculous power. They say we would rather go back to Egypt and Be under the hand of pharaoh, then die out here in the wilderness. We would rather go back and serve Pharaoh than serve god with the uncertainty that lies before us.

3:11And what does Moses do in that moment. He says but God has let us out here. God has done this. He's going to give us this land. And how do the people respond? They pick up stones to Stone Moses and Aaron and then God says this in numbers 14:27 how long shall this wicked congregation Grumble against me. And that's the part. I want us to see this morning. He calls their grumbling wickedness. It's a display of unbelief and faithlessness. To Grumble against God is to stand in Judgment of God and to tell him that his way of doing things is not to our liking.

4:07And the opposite of grumbling is being content and that's precisely what we're looking at in our passage this morning. The antidote to grumbling is having or being content contentedness and it yet it's a rare trait in our world today. Is it not much of our society? capitalizes Upon Our being discontent We have something to sell you to upgrade your phone or your car or your house. And so we want you to have this constant state of discontentedness so that we can sell you some more things. dissatisfaction drives much of our economy And it's a great danger for the church as well because it reveals unbelief faithlessness a wickedness. And so this morning Paul.

5:05Teaches us how to be more content. He called his friends in his six imperatives in the passage before to rejoice and not to be anxious and to set their minds on what is worthy of praise and now he transitions to thank the Philippians for their financial gift which they sent by way of paffarditis and now he takes this opportunity to teach on contentment. Now at first glance when we read this passage, we might find it odd. Some have called it a thankless. Thanks. I don't know if you saw that when you read it or heard it read but it's almost like he says thanks, but no thanks. He says thank you for your gift, but I didn't really need your gift. I didn't really need it. I've learned to be content. And so some would say is Paul being ungrateful.

5:55Imagine how that would go over with donors to a Ministry. Thank you for your generous giving we didn't really want it. We really didn't need it. It was totally unnecessary just doesn't have the right ring to it. Instead Paul is not doing that. He calls their gift a fragrant offering to God in Chapter 4 Verse 18, but what he is eager to do is to teach his friends. The Secret of Christian contentment and this secret is what enables Paul throughout this entire letter To be buoyed with joy, it's very unexpected. Isn't it? When we read this letter, he just says I'm rejoicing I'm full of joy. I'm rejoicing and we're thinking you're in prison.

6:43And he says I'm rejoicing and it's because of this. and so We're gonna look at this passage in two parts Paul's expression of Thanksgiving in verse 10 and then Paul's model of contentment in verses 11 to 13. So begin with me and look at verse 10. Once again, here's Paul's expression of Thanksgiving. He says I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me you were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. So here we see again. He says I rejoiced in the Lord here. We have this theme of rejoicing again and again because of their partnership and commitment to the gospel and we know from other passages in the Bible that the Philippian church was remarkably generous in second Corinthians 8 Paul records that the churches of Macedonia which included the Philippians begged for the privilege of giving to needy Believers in Judea. So second Corinthians 8:2 says they're Abundance of Joy and their extreme poverty have Overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part we don't often think of putting those two things together. Do we they're Abundance of Joy and their extreme poverty.

8:00overflowed in a wealth of generosity so These Philippians have been committed. To the advance of the gospel and in their partnership with Paul, but what Paul wants to make clear in these verses that he's not interested in what he can get from them. But what he wants for them, he says doesn't say I rejoiced when I received your gift do I rejoiced when I was able to buy more food or get more clothes or get a warmer blanket, but he says I rejoiced in the Lord greatly. His Joy is in God and we're gonna see that more clearly. He recognizes that the Philippians generosity was an Evidence of God's grace at work in their life.

8:43And so Paul doesn't want to just receive the gift and forget about the giver and he doesn't want to receive the gift and just thank the Philippians for the gift, but he wants to see the ultimate Giver behind the gift Paul sees that it's God who is at work in these Philippians enabling and empowering both their partnership in the gospel their friendship, but then also their generosity now the word revived where he says I rejoiced at length that you revived your concern for me or it has the sense of blooming or growing almost like bulbs that spring forth after a winter and he says I'm thankful that you've renewed your concern for me. And at first this could seem like a backhanded complement like thanks a lot for caring about me as I wrote in prison, you know, thanks a lot. And I don't think that's what Paul's doing because he says you were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity which means they had always been concerned about Paul, but for some reason or other we don't know exactly why that their financial support their love was dormant. It could be because Paul was traveling they couldn't reach him because of their poverty. They couldn't send anything but now again this renewed partnership is an occasion for rejoicing What Paul does here in these opening verses is he avoids the pitfalls that often accompany Financial partnership?

10:12Paul doesn't manipulate them to give more doesn't say something like Philippians. I thought you guys were more Godly and generous than those Colossians apparently not You know, it doesn't he doesn't do that. He doesn't flatter them to give to get them to give more. You know, I can tell from your gift that you're the one church that really cares about. The gospel doesn't do that. It doesn't guilt them into giving more. It doesn't say boy. I'm you know, so alone and poorly clothed and starving to death and infected with wounds and thank you for providing a few hot meals for me. Paul doesn't do any of those things what he is doing is he's trying to highlight that it's not what I'm trying to get from you but what I want For you Paul wants their good later in verse 17. He says not that I seek the gift.

11:05But I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. So Paul really sees this as a partnership in the gospel. And he says that the gift is wonderful. But what I want you to see is this secret of contentment that changes everything. So now let's take a look at verses 11 through 13 Paul writes there now. Not that I am speaking of being in Need for I've learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound in any and every circumstance. I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger abundance and need I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

11:53You see the contrast that Paul is establishing for us. He says I know what it's like to be in need to be brought low to face hunger and to be lacking and on the other side. He says I know what it's like to abound and have plenty and to experience abundance and in both those things poverty and prosperity Paul gives his main point, which is this I have learned the secret of being content. Which is in Christ Christian contentment is rooted in our relationship with Jesus. And this changes everything because it helps us understand why Paul writes his letter the way that he does. He's so full of joy, and it's so unexpected and we're wondering why Paul people are preaching out of envy and spite people are maligning you and slandering you people are trying to lead astray the very church that you helped plant. Why are you so happy and Paul says it's because his Joy is rooted in Christ and not his circumstances.

13:03His Joy doesn't rise and fall with the stock market or his bank account or physical health or his situation. Now notice he says not that I am speaking of being in Need for I've learned in whatever situation I am to be content. His experience of Joy did not depend on how much food he got from week to week or the physical Comforts or the lack of those things instead. I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content now notice that word learned. He's saying that this is knowledge that he's obtained by experience through a lifetime of experiencing poverty and prosperity. So Paul is not giving this armchair lecture.

13:56Having never actually experienced these things, but he's saying as I've lived my entire life. As I've had a lot of things. As I've had respect and acknowledgment and financial means and as I've been down and out and homeless and beaten and stoned. he says Christ has proven. That he is enough. all that I need is Jesus in jail, as long as I have Christ I can rejoice. It's not tied up in how much food I have or how warm I am or whether my friends even care about me. My joy is rooted and grounded in my relationship with Jesus. Contentment is about our state of mind and not our state of affairs.

14:57Our outlook on life ought to be tethered. to Christ rather than our circumstances So Paul here is not trying to use the Philippians. He's not trying to get something out of them instead. They have this shared partnership in the advance of the Gospel. Now what is contentiveness? How would we Define it? Let me give this definition. Contentment is the settled submission to God's will for one's life. Contentment is the settled submission to God's will for one's life. It's saying whatever God puts before me. I believe that he's good. He's righteous. He's Sovereign that the god of the universe will do no wrong.

15:50And so I can rest knowing that he's for me. now let's highlight and look at what Paul has talked about up to this point throughout this letter and apply that in terms of contentment contentment is an absent of sinful anxiety. We saw that last week right chapter 4 verse 6 do not be anxious about anything. So contentment would be absent of the sinful anxiety. Contentment is also the experience of God's peace chapter 4 verse 7. The peace of God will guard your hearts and Minds in Christ. Jesus contentment also lives in light of the truth that the Lord is at hand. God is coming back. So what whatever we need God is going to supply that because he's coming contentment isn't contrary though to crying out or to prayer.

16:48He said in Chapter 4 Verse 6 but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God and yet contentment. I think sometimes we can think contentment just means kind of fatalism. Well, I just won't want anything and I'll just don't I just won't do anything. Contentment isn't laziness or fatalism or resignation. Remember what he said in chapter 3 that he strains forward single-mindedly pressing on toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ. Contentment is an inactivity. Paul says in chapter 3 by any means possible. I might attain the resurrection from the dead. So Paul is saying I'm living for Jesus single-mindedly pursuing him and yet I'm content and Paul feels like both of these things are perfectly compatible.

17:42I'm gonna be anxious for nothing. I'm gonna have the very peace of God, which guards my heart and mind I'm gonna single-mindedly pursue Jesus and I'm resting knowing that God is my God. Contentment also doesn't mean we don't suffer. He said that in chapter 1 verse 29, it's been granted to you. Not only believe in his name but also suffer for his sake now look with me at verse 12. Paul says I know how to be brought low. I know how to abound in any and every circumstance. I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger abundance and need. and Paul is very remarkable here. He's saying when you have prosperity.

18:29The Temptation is just to always want a little bit more you talk to some of the richest men in the world and say well how much more money do you need and they say just a little bit more. Just more than the next guy and the other temptation is when you don't have very much at all is I need more. I can't survive without a little bit more and yet he says in both those things plenty and hunger abundance and need he has learned this secret. Now this word secret here means Mysteries are inside our knowledge and I think what Paul is trying to convey here is that he has the lived experience of what it is like to both be impoverished and to have prosperity and to show and to experience that Jesus is sufficient.

19:21So he's saying that he has learned that in light of all that he has taken hold of. He counts it all this loss. for surpassing worth of knowing Jesus his Joy doesn't fluctuate with what he has or doesn't have he's learned the Open Secret that God is dependable and trustworthy. So this morning? Have we learned the secret of contentment? Does our Joy Rise and Fall with whether we hit all the green lights on our way to work? or whether We ran out of coffee that morning. And so we're grumpy all morning or you know, eggs are so expensive. So, you know didn't have exit this morning a little bit hungry, right?

20:13does our joy Rise and fall with our circumstances the health diagnosis. the relationships around us our bank account do our Joys rise and fall with all the things that seem unstable in our world what's going on in the news and and we read things and we just get more and more discouraged or is our joy. Rooted in God in such a way that we're content. That that were trusting. That we're not grumbling. We're not complaining.

20:53Paul says that he knew what it was like to be brought low. Consider these three instances First Corinthians, 4:11 to 13. He says To the present hour. We hunger we thirst we're poorly dressed. We're buffeted and homeless, we labor working with our own hands when reviled we blessed when persecuted we endure when slandered we entreat we have become and are still like the scum of the world the refuse of all things Paul knew what it was like to be brought low. Or second Corinthians 6:4 and 5. He says in afflictions hardships calamities beatings imprisonments riots labors sleepless nights and hunger.

21:37Is what we've experienced or second Corinthians 11:25. He says I was beaten with rods three times stoned Shipwrecked at a night in a day. I was adrift at Sea on frequent Journeys in danger from rivers and robbers and our own people and Gentiles and the city and in the wilderness and at Sea and from false Brothers in Toil and hardship through many asleepless night. Through all of these experiences Paul learned the secret. That Jesus plus nothing. equals everything That with Christ. He has everything that he needs for Joy at his disposal. Puritan Jeremiah Burrows wrote this book called The Rare Jewel of Christian contentment. And he said this he said Christian contentment. Is that sweet inward quiet gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.

22:50Hear that Christian contentment. Is that sweet inward quiet gracious frame of spirit. Which is able to freely submit to and Delight in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every Condition. It's the settled sense that God is trustworthy. That God is good. That God is for us. Now we come to verse 13. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. This is probably one of the most misused Bible verses. Prosperity Gospel preacher wrote this about Philippians 4:13 One of the ways it's misused most people tend to magnify their limitations. They focus on their shortcomings, but scripture makes it plain all things are possible to those who believe that's right. It's possible to see your dreams fulfilled. It's possible to overcome that obstacle.

23:46It is possible to climb to new heights. It is possible to embrace your destiny. You may not know how long it will take. But you and you may not have a plan. But all you have to know is that if God said you can You can. You see the problem of taking this verse out of context. Diego Carson quotes his father saying a text without a context is a pretext for a proof text. So I can dream as much as I want about playing in the NFL or in the NBA. But it's just not happening too old too short not going to happen. So beware of cliches that mask lies as inspiration. Far too many make Philippians 4:13 try to mean whatever they want. So a better way to translate this verse could be I can do all these things through him who strengthens me and it refers back to the immediate context of enduring poverty or Prosperity through Christ's power.

24:53And notice that what Paul does here in this section is that he concludes and begins with this reference to Christ. He rejoices not just in the gift not just in the Philippians but in the Lord and he can endure all things through Christ who strengthens him. So this is not a triumphant Banner Over accomplishing physical Feats of Strength, but it's Paul's way of saying God is sufficient and is able to cause me to endure through whatever I might experience because he alone is God he alone is good and he is supplying me all that I need One commentator writes this Paul isn't saying I can break these chains body slam these guards and run out of this prison with 4.4 speed through Christ who strengthens me?

25:46He's not saying that. What he is saying is that I can endure all things with this settled sense. This contented sense that God is for me. God is good. God is never going to let me down. So as I sit here in this prison and my Philippian friends have delayed their gift and I'm starving at moments and I'm chained to this guard God has not changed toward his people. He loves them. He is for them. Look at the Cross of Christ. Jesus is for his people. Don't forget that for a moment. like the Israelites in the wilderness They lost sight of what God had done in bringing them out and they said we'd rather die in Egypt.

26:53Paul is able to endure any hardship. Because to live is Christ. And to die is gain Jesus transforms our outlook on life. So that whatever we experience whether it's proper poverty or riches. It's an opportunity to magnify Christ. So this morning? I know many of us are facing various things. Some of you are experiencing Prosperity. Praise the Lord. And others are experiencing great trials and hardship and suffering. fresh diagnoses of a failing body all sorts of other trials and tribulations that you would not have chosen for yourself. And you find it increasingly difficult to not be anxious. What if does he still?

27:58What what's going to happen? And the word that you need to hear this morning. Is that God is for you? God is sufficient. God is God he is still Seated on his throne. If you get a cancer diagnosis or Dementia or Alzheimer's it does not mean that Romans 8:28 somehow disappeared from our Bibles overnight. God is still working all things together for good for those who love him and for those who are called according to his purposes. So Paul models for us and models for the Philippians that his Joy is rooted in Jesus and for us this morning. Your circumstances do not need to change in order for you to experience the joy of the Lord.

29:01Your marriage does not need to change in order for you to experience the joy of the Lord. Your bank account does not need to increase in order for you to experience the joy of the Lord your ZIP code. Or your health condition does not need to change or improve in order for you to experience the joy of the Lord your car your material possessions your job your church. Your family does not need to change in order for you to experience the joy of the Lord. God is unchanging and he is still present and he is still ruling and he is still reigning and he is for his children. So Jesus is more than able to satisfy our souls. It means have we been looking in the right place for that satisfaction?

29:57Have we been going to Jesus? Rather than to everything else. To satisfy our deepest longings and hopes and dreams. Perhaps you can identify with this poem when I read it. It just struck me. It said it was spring but it was summer. I wanted the warm days and The Great Outdoors. It was summer, but it was fall. I wanted the colorful leaves and the cool dry air. It was fall, but it was Winter. I wanted the beautiful snow and the joy of the holiday season. And then it was now winter but it was spring. I wanted the warmth and the blossoming of nature. I was a child but it was adulthood. I wanted the freedom and the respect I was 20, but it was 30. I wanted to be mature and sophisticated. I was middle-aged but it was 20. I wanted the youth and the free spirit.

30:52I was retired but it was middle-aged that I wanted the presence of mind without limitations. My life was over. But I never got what I wanted. Paul doesn't want us to live a whole life. Waiting and wishing for what we want and never find it. And it's not just about being content in your situation. It's being content in Christ. Jesus is sufficient. So have we learned the secret of contentment this morning? some of us believe maybe not with our words. We wouldn't say it out loud to friends, but in our heart of hearts and functionally, we think if only I had more money better friends a better job nicer stuff a healthier body lived in a better place in a bigger house drove a better car married a better person. Then I truly be happy we wouldn't say it because we've been embarrassed to say it but functionally, that's how we live. That's how we feel.

32:01And Paul tells us that contentment is rooted in our relationship with Christ. When we focus on the riches we have in Jesus we're less concerned about what we don't have. here here the lyrics of this old hymn that many of you know Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of Earth will grow strangely dim. in the light of his glory and grace as we behold the Beauty and the majesty and the goodness and the sufficiency of Christ. Everything else Fades away. Everything else grows dim in light of all that we have in Jesus Christian contentment is when Jesus Takes the foreground and everything else lives in the background.

33:03Now what would people in our world say to this idea of Christian contentment today? Well many people in our world are living for joy and satisfaction, but they're looking in all the wrong places. Social media makes us believe that someone out some one out. There is living a better life than me. And that makes me envious and jealous and lots of marketing is pushing us and pointing us to finding true satisfaction and contentment and yet it always lets us down. We can't find contentment in things. But it's found in having Christ. And if you're not following Jesus this morning, we would love to introduce you to Jesus who we believe is the ultimate and the only source of contentment that can be found in this world.

34:04We would love. To help you find a joy that does not rise and fall with the circumstances of life. First Timothy 6:6 tells us that godliness with contentment is great gain. And so do we want great gain in our lives seek? First God's kingdom and be content in knowing Christ and being a recipient of his love. So very very practically, how can we be more content this morning? As you walk out of here, how can you be more content with the poverty or the prosperity or somewhere in between that you find yourself in? I think it comes down to do we really believe what God has said. Do we believe what God has spoken in his word to us?

35:00That were citizens of Heaven destined for Glory that we are children of God that were objects of God's infinite love revealed in the Cross of Christ that he's giving us the very power of the Holy Spirit the same power that raised Jesus from the dead he is supplied to us right now. Do we believe that God is good. Do we believe that Jesus emptied himself became a servant humbled himself to death even death on a cross for us. Jesus strengthens us even this morning. By his spirit so that we can endure all things. And what this does is it frees us from a whole host of sins that we would otherwise. struggle with if we're content in Christ.

35:51Envy goes away jealousy goes away bitterness and grumbling and complaining goes away coveting goes away because we have the ultimate treasure Jesus and so that's the very simple thing I want us to grasp this morning. God is for us who can be against us if we have Jesus. What else do we need? Yes, we need food. Yes, we need shelter. Yes, we need clothes. But even if we lacked those very things Jesus alone satisfies our souls. Jesus alone is sufficient to fill all that we desire and we can be content in all circumstances because we have received the greatest treasure in all the world. amen Let's pray.

36:52Oh Father. This is at one. Moment a very simple lesson to learn who Jesus is sufficient. And in another level. We will spend a lifetime learning it. Because it's so hard to grasp. So help us grasp this truth. That in whatever we experience. Our joy does not rise and fall with our circumstances and situation, but that it would rest in the goodness of Jesus towards us. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen.

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