Title: Satisfied
Text: I Timothy 6:6-8
Truth: Contentment can only be found in God, not things.
Aim: I want the pursuit of God to be more important than the pursuit of things.
Life ?: What do I need to know & do so that it will produce contentment?
INVITATION
Where do the happiest kids in the world live? A study released in 2012 titled “The New Definition of Childhood,” produced by an agency headquartered in Chicago, found that the happiest kids in the world live in Mexico—despite its many social ills and widespread poverty. The study asked 4,000 children ages 6 to 12 in 12 countries what it’s like to grow up today. According to the first-ever Global Kids Happiness Index, kids in Mexico were the happiest in the world, followed by Spain, Brazil, and Germany. American kids scored fifth. Across almost all countries, the most important source of happiness for kids is close family and friends. The solution to nearly all our social ills always seems to come back to relationships with the most important people in our life. (Halee Gray Scott, www.christianitytoday.com, “Want to be Happy?)
Michelle Van Loon tells about the time her family moved from a sprawling ranch with a finished basement to a rental townhome with harvest gold appliances and a kitchen counter top the size of a Pop Tart. It looked like something from the 1970’s.
She thought they’d live in their 1970’s TV sitcom set for a few weeks, four or five months at most. Her family lived there for more than two years. She said it stunted her hospitality and ate away at her contentment.
Most of her stories began with, “When we move…” “When we move,” she’d say, “we will have people over for dinner again. We will unpack our library. We’ll plug into a church instead of keeping our relationships at a distance. When we move, we will relaunch the kind of life we used to have.”
Michelle said she allowed the dated décor of the townhome and the temporary living situation to steal her peace and contentment from 750 irreplaceable days of life. After a month and half she turned loose of her hope for a better living space and replaced it with restlessness that began to cover her soul. It was only after she moved to a different home did she realize that in her pursuit of something that wasn’t hers, she’d wished away so much abundant life that God wanted to give her.
Here’s how she closes: “There is no small irony in the fact that my husband and I are once again living in a 1970s rental townhome. It is a remedial lesson, perhaps, in choosing daily to cultivate contentment. God has provided a wonderful home and life for me here and now. As I live into his abundant life, my desires align with his, and my longing increases for my permanent address, the one home he has promised me I’ll live in, with deepest contentment, forever.” (www.christianitytoday.com, Green With Housing Envy)
Sixty years ago, when the first fast-food restaurants popped up across the U.S., the portions were much smaller than they are now. A typical hamburger was 3.9 ounces; today it can be three times as large. A soft drink was 7 ounces, but now that same drink can be up to 64 ounces. These sizes didn’t increase because of necessity but because we weren’t satisfied until we were stuffed.
What does it take to satisfy you? We want to be content. But what’s got to happen for us to quit fussing and fuming, worrying and complaining? When will enough be enough? How can we stop letting this world take away our peace. We can identify with this woman who had adequate housing but because it was not big enough she allowed it to steal her peace and contentment for 750 days of her life! We know that God doesn’t want that for our life.
Paul speaks on the subject of contentment to the young pastor at Ephesus named Timothy. Paul had mentored Timothy. He learned that Timothy was experiencing problems in the church. He writes him a letter with some wise advice. We know the letter as 1Timothy.
In chapter five Paul told Timothy how to deal with special groups in the church. He gave Timothy a principle at the beginning of the chapter that said treat people like you would if they were your own family. If a widow had difficulty meeting her needs, you’d feel obligated to help her. If you treated the pastor of the church like family, you’d provide adequate financial support and show him respect. He carries that thought forward into chapter six by saying slaves would honor their masters. But what would you do if someone was threatening your family with false teaching and causing divisions? You’d oppose it. You’d correct the false teachers and the false teaching. That’s the context of this passage on contentment.
Paul tells Timothy that there are two criteria to use in evaluating the false teachers. Does their teaching create unity or division in the church? Second, what is their motive for their teaching? Paul didn’t oppose leaders being paid but he did oppose leaders serving for the sole purpose of financial gain. When that’s the primary purpose, they often create disharmony and dissension in the church. But when leaders with the right motives teach the truth so that it promotes godliness, the church prospers spiritually. That’s what leads Paul to tell Timothy to focus on godliness rather than material gain. That context is why I’m saying contentment can only be found in God, not things. Today let's look at the first point of this message.
What do I need to know & do so that it will produce contentment?
THE PURSUIT OF GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT RESULTS IN GAIN (I TIM. 6:6-8).
6 But godliness with contentment is a great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out.
8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.
Timothy, don’t be like the false teachers. Don’t believe what they believe. Don’t do what they do. Instead make spiritual gain more important that financial gain. If you believe that it is more important for you to be like Jesus than Bill Gates, and you choose to live for eternity rather than time, your life will be far better. The problem is we don’t believe that. That’s why 40% of our church won’t even register a commitment to regularly support their church financially. They are not bad people. They are just not truly convinced that godliness is more valuable than gold.
Most Americans disagree with Paul’s basic assertion: “But godliness with contentment is a great gain.” Gain is what you get after an expenditure of effort and resources. Paul’s claim is when we pursue godliness along with contentment, our effort will result in a quality of life that can only be described as abundant.
I told you about Dwayne and his wife Lou Ann who became Christians when Carol and I witnessed to them. Sometime after that he was in a class I was teaching. I don’t remember the question I asked but I remember his answer, “Why didn’t I do this sooner!” He was experiencing the great gain that comes with pursuing godliness.
If true contentment is found in godliness, what is godliness? The word “godliness” is a compound of two words meaning “well” and “to be devout.” It suggests an attitude focused on God and actions that please God. The more our attitude or our way of thinking is like God’s, the more our actions will be like God’s. We will live out the truth of God.
We don’t have to live in a monastery to live godly. We can watch TV or be competitive in business or sports. We can be financially successful and possess nice things. A godly person is someone that takes God seriously. It affects his behavior and character. A person can be moral, benevolent, and zealous but not be godly. The godly person reflects the mind-set of God, the character of God, and the behavior of God.
Do you remember the story Jesus told of the rich man with bigger barns? This man has a bumper crop. His barns are too small to hold his entire crop. He decides to tear them down and build bigger barns to store his crops. He was successful. He planned for the future. He earned his money fairly, but he was not godly. God called him a fool. A fool is someone that lives as if there is no God. He didn’t think about his wealth like God did and he didn’t do with his wealth what God would have done. He thought all his wealth was for him. He thought as long as he had money he had life. That’s stupid with a capital “S.” The result was he lost every advantage of his wealth that night when he died. After all that expenditure of life, he had nothing to show for it in eternity. No gain. Godliness would have made the end of that story very different.
This life of great gain is the result of godliness with contentment. Contentment was a word used by a group of philosophers in that day called Stoics. They taught if you don’t want it then you won’t miss it when you don’t get it. Ever said that? You were practicing stoicism. The Stoics taught instead of finding your happiness without, you found your happiness within. Your trust is in you. Paul takes their word and gives it a Christian twist.
Paul agrees that your outward conditions should not affect your inward spirit. He said in Philippians 4:12-13, “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 everything through him who gives me strength.”
He learned to put his trust in God. What Paul means by contentment is that whatever situation you are in God is able to meet your need so you can be victorious and joyful and peaceful in that situation. In Philippians 4:19 he said, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Whether it’s good health or bad, wealthy or poor, good job or no job, people like you or they dislike you; God is able to provide you whatever you need to live in a way to please God. A Christian can be satisfied in all circumstances; he can live victoriously, because He trusts God to give him what he needs for that situation.
Let’s put this all together. When we pursue a mind-set and actions that please God (godliness), and we trust He will provide what we need in order to live with love, joy, and peace (contentment), we will experience benefits in this life and the next that far exceed our efforts.
In order for us to pursue godliness with contentment we need to view life in two ways. This will lead to a life of gain.
First, when we pursue godliness with contentment we will live for what is permanent and important. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out.
Let me ask you to respond to a couple of statements to help you determine if you are living for the permanent and important (Andy Stanley). Which one of these two statements would cause you the most anxiety? Statement #1: There is no God. When you die, that’s it. Nothing. No life afterwards. No being with loved ones. No purpose for this life. No heaven. No hell. You’re dead and there is nothing. There is no God.
Statement #2: You have no money. When you get home, it’s gone. A fire or tornado took it away. A thief stole your identity and wiped out your checking and savings account. The economy busts and you lose every dollar of your 401k. You gave your last dollar at the church. You have no money.
Which one worries you the most?
Let’s change the scene. You are in the hospital. Tubes and electrical patches are all over your body. The doctor has said you’re probably not going home. You’ll leave the hospital, unless there is a miracle, in a hearse. The preacher has been called to pray with you and your family. At that moment you are not thinking of temporal matters but eternal matters. You’ve wondered what it is like to die. You’re soon to know. You wondered what’s on the other side. You’re going to know. Now which one of those statements causes you the most concern: there is no God or you have no money?
Since this issue of God is the most important question you have at the end of life, godliness asks why you don’t make it the most important concern in your life now. Godliness leads us to live for what is important and permanent now instead of waiting until the end.
Over the triple doorways of the Cathedral of Milan there are three inscriptions spanning three beautiful arches. Over the right arch is sculptured a cross, and with it the words, “All that troubles is but for a moment.” Over the left arch is carved a beautiful wreath of roses, and underneath it the words, “All that pleases is but for a moment.” Over the great central entrance to the main aisle is the inscription, “That only is important which is eternal.”
Our home, our car, our degrees, our lifestyle are only for this time and not for eternity. We leave it all behind. It has its place. It has its importance. Since we leave all of this behind at death, they should never be of greatest importance in our life. No man is rich if the grave brings bankruptcy. Godliness with contentment is great gain because the result is you live for what is permanent and important.
The second reason why pursuing godliness with contentment is great gain is because you know things never bring happiness. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.
Godliness helps us understand that things never bring happiness. Food and clothing stood for the necessities in life. Our society is more complex than Paul’s so our necessities might include a car or a degree. Let’s be clear that it is not wrong to enjoy material possessions. It’s not wrong to enjoy the fruit of our labors. What Paul is saying is that there is a limitation to the happiness that material things can bring you. Our ultimate happiness is not satisfied by things.
You know eventually every person comes to believe this. A friend videotaped an interview with his father and mother on their fiftieth wedding anniversary. His dad was a successful small town banker. In the interview his dad said that when he and his friends are playing golf and they get around to talking about their families, every one of them admits they wish they had spent more time with their wife and kids. I’m sure they must have told their family they needed to work like they did because they were trying to provide better for their kids. I think they were telling the truth. But they were deceived. They probably did it in part for their own ego needs.
What’s sobering about that story is this father and his friends came to that opinion when they were old men. I wonder how many days of young married life each wasted because he was pursuing things instead of the wonderful, warm love of his wife. I wonder how many days of parenthood each wasted because he was out seeking vocational success. That was a need. But each came to see that some of that time should’ve been spent with God’s gift of his sons or daughters. Some people become grandparents and have still not learned this lesson.
Here me clearly. Be ambitious in your career. Go as far as your ability and opportunities will take you. Seek to provide abundantly for your family. Work hard and enjoy the fruits of your labor. But the only way to protect yourself from being deceived by the saltwater of materialism that gives you a desire for more and more but doesn’t ultimately satisfy is to pursue God with contentment. That’s what will give you a life of great gain.
One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"
"It was great, Dad."
"Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked.
"Oh yeah," said the son.
"So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father. The son answered: "I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us; they have friends to protect them."
The boy’s father was speechless. Then his son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are." (Steve Miller, Sermon Central)
Christ offers us a better way of living. He is the only path to take to true contentment. You’ll find that out one day. Why not today?
