Be Content Series

Introduction:

I greet you all in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. As per the will of God, we are meditating under the Theme: I will never leave you nor forsake you, ‘Uninterrupted Presence of God' in our lives. Today, we are meditating on the theme 'Be Content'. I am not going to do the expository sermon from the passage read to us, but we will do the exegetical sermon on Hebrews 13:5.

Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. (KJV). Hebrews' thirteenth chapter has commenced with an exhortation and moved on to Trust in the Lord. Let brotherly love continue, Entertain Strangers, Remember those who prisoned for Gospel. Remember the leaders who spoke the word of God, and consider the outcome of their way of life.

Watch your conversations

Be Confident in whom you trust

Be Convinced in what promise you have

1. Watch your conversations Hebrews 13:5.a

The Providence of God has expressed in the sentence free from Love of Money. Free from the love of money suggests that there were financial pressures were among original readers of this book. He has mentioned about this issue in Hebrews 10:32–36, 11:25–26. He had encouraged them for a better future while they had gone through economic pressures and social alienation. So watch your conversations, discussions, reflections, plans, and goals.

People look for a decent living with basic amenities and needs are met. 1 Timothy 6:10, the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. That verse notes that an unhealthy desire for wealth has led to the ruin of many lives. God, never guarantees that we will enjoy the lives of material prosperity, with wealth or luxury. Wealth is not an indication of blessedness. Several believers have experienced severe financial hardship, and many have even died from exposure, thirst, hunger, disease, and worse. So our conversations are without covetousness. Duties, work, earnings are good.

Gill comments: Conversations with covetousness leads to evil desire, practice defraud, immerse in over-anxious care for worldly things, express dissatisfaction in dealings. The reason for the mention of covetousness is, mentioned duties could not be performed aright, as brotherly love, hospitality, remembering and relieving persons in bonds, and adversity. Treasures earned and kept for self and hidden from useful to others.

According to Ellicott Conversation refers to the way of thought and life, character, disposition. Benson further explains it as our behavior, or manner of living to be without covetousness.

Jamieson-Fausset vouches with both of them as conversation as a manner of life. The love of filthy lust and the love of filthy lucre follow one another as closely akin, both alienating the heart from the Creator to the creature, detestable and deteriorating things of the earth. Cambridge Bible School Commentary writes the word conversation is not referring to the general talk but the spurning of the mind, turning the direction of the thoughts and ways of life (Ref:biblehub.com), motivation, cunnings, and vilest plans of life.

So Adam Clark says that means the manner of your life, disposition of your hearts about all your secular transactions be with spiritual clarity. The covetous man is ever running out of present realities into futurity with insatiable desires after secular good, and it increases as the subject of life increases in years. He never comes back, never gives up.

These kinds of evil conversations change purpose in life, attitude towards the ministry, and stop giving to Church. Yes, it is true, we have seen how people have changed their minds and attitude towards the Kingdom of God, ministries, and mission support. Because of their unprofitable and irreligious conversations.

That is why the author had started with good qualities of the Christian life. He wrote on in Chapter 13 about continuing on the brotherly love, showing hospitality, care for the abused, but avoid unscrupulous sexual relations.

The love of money creates an attachment to the present order that stands in the way of working toward the transformation of the world. It makes you retrieve yourselves from transforming ourselves into the image of God. Remember Paul’s advice in Romans 12:1-2. If money is the chief reason we take a job, start a company, run for office, join a church, choose our friends, invest our resources, spend our time, or find a mate, then we are not living by faith (Ref:theologyofwork.com). Then faith is not exercised, covetousness drives our lives.

2. Be Content with what you have (Hebrews 13:5.b)

The COVID-19 has made the world economy upside down. Lives of the rich and poor have affected alike. The money inflow and outflow have almost stopped. Money uses to go around in rotation, and it was circulating among the traders, vendors, and customers. Money, currency or dollars are necessary to meet the necessities of human life. So be content with present or such things, present riches or poverty, and present losses or crosses, reproaches and afflictions (ref:bibleref.com) Be satisfied or manage your needs accordingly. Plan properly to handle to live with what you have.