Finding Freedom From Circumstances
OKAY – I want to read a couple of passages of Scripture that will lay the groundwork for our conversation this morning.
AND – please keep in mind that the words I am about the read are literally God-breathed, alive and active.
UNDERSTAND MGCC – these words are…
• Sharper than a double edged sword, they penetrate even to dividing joint and marrow, soul and spirit, and they judge the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
• Useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives,
THEY – correct when we are wrong,
THEY - teach us to do what is right
AND THEY - thoroughly equip us for every good work.
• Like the rain and the snow that come down from heaven,
THEY – water our lives causing things to bud and flourish,
THEY – are from God and will not return void but will achieve the purpose that God has for them this very day!
UNDERSTAND – if you ever wondered why each week I stand up here so confident and so excited that something powerful might happen…
That’s why. That’s why.
I get to share words of life from the Author of life.
OKAY – let’s do this… First passage Luke 8:22ff
One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out. As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap.
NOW NOTICE – that it was Jesus’ idea to cross the lake.
SO – He knew where they were going and what would be coming their way.
But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger.
The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?”
The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!” - Luke 8:22-25
NOW – the next 2 passages come from Philippians chapters one and four…
QUESTION – do you know where Paul was when he wrote this letter?
(In a Roman prison awaiting his execution)
NOW - I would call that a fierce-my boat is taking on water circumstance, wouldn’t you?
Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. – Phil 1:11-13
I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 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. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. – Philippians 4:11-13
Prayer
OKAY – so we are in this series, Finding Freedom.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. – Galatians 5:1
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
– John 8:31,32, 36
AND MGCC – here’s the deal this series (when you boil it all down) is about telling the things that seek to bind us, like…
Fear, Worry, Anger, Yourself and Stuff
“You are not my master”
“You are not the boss of me”
QUESTION…
HAVE - any of those 5 things ever tried to be your master?
AND TODAY – 12/6/2020, we are going to talk about finding freedom from our circumstances.
QUESTION…
HAVE – circumstances ever tried to by your master, tried to be the boss of you?
HAVE – circumstances ever taken away your peace, joy and contentment?
UNDERSTAND – the core idea in finding freedom from your circumstances is expressed in the following equation…
Jesus is > your circumstances!
Circumstances… Got any?
Jesus is > your circumstances!!!
NOW - in the text that I read earlier from Philippians 4, Paul makes an extremely … hard to believe statement.
I MEAN – like, seriously imagine yourself being able to…
say - believe – and live out these words,
in the midst of your circumstances
I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 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. – Phil 1:11,12
I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances…
Seriously Paul? For real?
content whatever the circumstances…
QUESTION – have you learned that secret yet?
Are you?
Am I?
Is the person to your R/L?
content whatever the circumstances…
AND – check out the challenge, or should I say, the command that Paul gives in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5…
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. – 1 Thess 5:18
Be thankful in what?
Why?
NOW - circumstances speak to the various situations that are happening around you.
IN FACT - the word circumstance comes from the same root word as the word circumference.
AND SO - the idea is that you could draw this giant circle around yourself, and whatever happens inside that circle would be defined as your circumstances.
QUESTION – what is inside your circle this morning?
What are your current circumstances?
NOW - what we learn— and some of us learn this, pretty early on in life—is that much of…
WHAT HAPPENS - inside of our circumference is largely out of our control.
I MEAN – there is and has been some stuff that came into your circle that you had little or no control over, right?
AND LISTEN – some of the same ‘not in our control stuff’ has jumped into every one of our circumferences in the year 2020. AMEN!
COVID 19 and all that has come with it...
SURE - we’d like to think that we have some control—and to a degree that’s true—but again there is still so much we don’t control, so many decisions we can’t make…
OR – that other people make for us.
BOTTOM LINE - there is a lot that happens within our circumstances, within our circumference that we don’t get to choose.
AND LISTEN – some of the stuff that we do not, and did not, get to choose - is pretty rough, painful and difficult.
AMEN?!
AND YOU KNOW – I think Paul would say, “Yeah, I know, I get it… been there and done that times 10…
AND THEN – I believe he would look us in the eye with a gleam in his and say…
NEVERTHELESS…
I’ve learned to be content whatever the circumstances
I am able to give thanks in all circumstances
AND THAT’S - that’s… difficult to do, to live out, right?
BECAUSE - we have this idea that the reason…
• we don’t give thanks
• we are not content
is precisely because of our circumstances.
I MEAN…
IF our circumstances were different,
IF what was inside of our circle was different…
THEN - we would be able to give thanks,
THEN - we would be able to be joyful,
THEN - we would be content.
BOTTOM LINE - we think the problem is our circumstances, AND SO - we think… You know…
• I wouldn’t be so angry,” or,
• I wouldn’t be so disappointed,” or,
• I wouldn’t be so discouraged,” or,
• I wouldn’t be so frustrated
• or irritated or depressed or worried or afraid…
IF my circumstances were different.
QUESTION
Do you ever think that way?
AND SO…
WE CREATE - this kind of ‘if/then’’ equation with our circumstances.
We say things like…
“IF this changed…IF these things were different inside my circumference, THEN… I would be different.
I MEAN…
IF - I could get the promotion at work,
IF - I could meet the right person,
IF - my wife would show some interest
IF – my husband would just listen and hear me
IF - my neighbors would move
IF - my health was better
IF - the parking lot was closer
IF - my parents would stop fighting
IF - the boss was nicer
IF - my coworkers were kinder
IF – people would stop hating on and attacking me
IF - my children were more obedient
IF - my house was bigger
IF - my car was newer
IF - the winter was warmer
IF – … and you go ahead and fill in the blank…
THEN…
Everything would be better and I would be different.
AGAIN - we have all these things where…
• IF - it was just different,
• IF - something would change within our circumference, within our circle…
• IF - our circumstances…
• IF - they could just be different…
THEN - we could be thankful, then we could be joyful and content…
NOW THIS - is sometimes referred to as “the happiness illusion.”
The happiness illusion – is where we spend much of our lives thinking that our contentment is going to be determined by circumstances
AND LISTEN – the reason that it’s an illusion is because it never works…
BECAUSE - there will always be things in our circumference that we want to change, that we want to be different.
QUESTION
IF - circumstances are what determines whether or not we are thankful and have a contented spirit…
THEN - how can Paul say, “Give thanks in all circumstances”?
How can he say that?
I MEAN…
MAYBE - Paul was just, YOU KNOW - wired a little bit more that way.
OR MAYBE - he hadn’t experienced too mnay difficult circumstances in his life.
YEAH - it’s one thing for somebody who lives in luxury and doesn’t have a care in the world to say, “Give thanks in all circumstances.”
BUT HEY – you haven’t been where I’ve been, or gone through what I’ve gone through. Because if you did…
THEN…
BUT MGCC – we know from the Scriptures that a life of ease and comfort was by far, not Paul’s experience.
I MEAN – all we need to do is read 2 Second Corinthians 11:24-27, to see that many (not so fun, taking on water) things came into the circumference of his life…
Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,
I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers
I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
WELL - that’s quite a list, right?
I MEAN - his circumstances, what happened within his circumference, were some extremely difficult things.
AND – in Philippians 4 we find Paul talking about being content and joyful from a prison cell in Rome…
QUESTION … When Paul says, “Give thanks in all circumstances,” I mean, how does he say that?
AGAIN MAYBE - Paul was just one of those, you know, annoyingly optimistic people.
I MEAN - we all know some people like that.
They’ve just kind of lost touch with reality, and they’re happy but they’re also…you know… not all there
OR MAYBE - Paul…maybe Paul has just been stoned one too many times…and you know…you know what I mean.
I mean, maybe that’s what’s happened.
He’s just kind of lost…he’s lost touch with the ‘real’ world.
OR MAYBE - he’s just practicing the power of positive thinking….
Where you just tell yourself a lie enough times that eventually you start believing it and living as if it were true, even though it’s not true at all.
SO - maybe that’s how Paul is able to say…
NOW PERHAPS - some of you have studied this before.
AND YOU - would point out the preposition and you would say, “You know Steve, it doesn’t say, ‘Give thanks for all circumstances.’
It doesn’t say, ‘Give thanks for getting beaten with rods.’
I MEAN - that’s sadistic.
But Paul’s not saying that… He’s saying, ‘Give thanks in all circumstances.’”
OKAY…
WELL - I understand that there’s a difference (between in and for), BUT – come on…
I MEAN – was Paul really able to give thanks in the midst of getting beaten with rods?
Is he really able to give thanks while in the middle of the sea, treading water for a day and a half after being shipwrecked?
AND LISTEN - this isn’t his first shipwreck. It’s not his second.
He’s been shipwrecked three times!
LIKE - is he still giving thanks in the middle of those circumstances?
YES!
QUESTION…
SO - what allows him…what allows him to do that?
What allows Paul to be joyful and content no matter what comes inside of his circumference?
UNDERSTAND MGCC - it all comes down to, it all rests upon one thing… in fact, it rests on the equation that we’re looking at this week:
Jesus > your circumstances.
UNDERSTAND - it’s Jesus that allows us to look at whatever circumstances come our way and still have a spirit…
of thanksgiving, of contentment, of joy.
MGCC… It’s Jesus, It’s Jesus, It’s Jesus!
Jesus > your circumstances
LISTEN - there’s no way that Paul can say, “Be joyful always, give thanks in all circumstances, - without Jesus!
UNDERSTAND…
GIVING - thanks in all circumstances –
BEING - content no matter what comes into your circumference without Jesus—it’s just, it’s just not going to happen!
MGCC – it’s Jesus that allows you to be able to look at whatever circumstances you face, whatever you experience, whatever the situation you might be in…
AND STILL - be thankful, joyful and content.
BECAUSE…
WHATEVER - those circumstances are,
WHATEVER – you are experiencing circumstantially…
Jesus (who He is, AND what he has done for, and in us)
Is always, always > than our circumstances.
OKAY SO - here’s what I want you to do. I just kind of want you to use this as a visual for what’s happening in your life right now.
NOW - on one side I want you to think through your difficult circumstances, okay?
I MEAN – we’ve looked at Paul’s list in 2 Corinthians 11.
NOW – I want you to look at your list.
AND – I am reasonably sure that we all have one.
AGAIN – I just want you to look inside your circumference.
AT - some of the tough situations you’re in right now, situations you would change if you could.
SO – what are the difficult, painful, hurtful things inside of your circle right now?
OKAY – so are you compiling your list… good.
AND NOW – I want you to just kind of pile all of those things on one side of the scale in your mind.
AND - for some in this room (or watching online) it may take a couple of trips to load it up.
AND – some of the stuff is pretty heavy.
AND NOW – what I want you to do is take Jesus…
• Who He is
• What He has done
• What He can do
I want you to put Jesus on the other side of the scale…
QUESTION – who wins!
Jesus is > our circumstances…
AND SO – what I want to do now
IN ORDER TO - help you/me/the person to your R/L
TO NOT ONLY - Get and embrace,
BUT – to live (in, out and from) this equation
Jesus is > our circumstances…
IS TO – give you another equation…
AN EQUATION – that kind of explains the why and the how behind, Jesus is > our circumstances…
Freedom = Jesus being in our circumstances working for our good and His Glory.
AND – to help us unpack this equation and find freedom from our circumstances…
LIKE WITH – finding freedom from… fear, worry, anger and yourself… I want to use and acrostic of another word.
AND – that word is ‘Him’ and that ‘HIM’ is Jesus.
UNDERSTAND MGCC
YOU WILL - find freedom from your circumstances by remembering HIM!
H – HE Is In Your Circumstances
UNDERSTAND…
IF - you are a Jesus follower.
IF – you (in faith, repentance, confession and baptism) have surrendered your life to Him… as we see people in the NT doing throughout the book of Acts.
IF - you are a Jesus follower… You are never alone.
I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. – Psalm 139:7,8
UNDERSTAND - Jesus is with you, in your circumstances.
YES HE IS - with you in all the not so fun stuff that is in your circumference, right now.
OR THAT – will come into your circumference in the future!
LISTEN MGCC…
LIKE - the disciples in Luke chapter 8 (that we read earlier) YOU KNOW – those 12 guys in the middle of lake, a fierce storm pounding them, strong winds beating against them, their small boat quickly filling up with water…
12 guys who were terrified and believed that their current circumstances were about to take them under for good.
UNDERSTAND MGCC – as with those 12 guys…
Jesus (the King of kings, Lord of lords, the Alpha and Omega) is with you in the middle of your storms/circumstances.
NOW - the truth is that we (all have) and (we all will)
Go through storms and difficult times (Jesus said in this world we will have trouble, and He wasn’t lying, was he?).
AND PERHAPS - a fierce storm is pounding you right now…
I MEAN – hurricane force winds are crashing against your marriage… or maybe you are taking on water in your finances or your health, or your job, or somewhere else…
AND IF - that is where you are… Listen the two truths that you must never forget is that Jesus is with you in the storm.
AND THAT - Jesus is > any storm that you will ever face.
UNDERSTAND – the waves and wind still know His name and bow to His command.
Let me say that again…
Jesus is > the storm, than the circumstance you are in right now!
QUESTION – do you believe that?
OKAY HERE’S THE DEAL…
Jesus being in Paul’s circumstances..
whether he was, well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want…
Was the secret to Paul’s continued contentment.
Regardless of whatever came into his circumference
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. I can do all things through him who gives me strength. – Philippians 4:11-13
I can do all things through him who gives me strength. – Philippians 4:13
NOW – I do not think there is a more misquoted and misunderstood verse in the entire bible.
Years ago I remember seeing t-shirts with pictures of athletes on them with the caption underneath…
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength”
YOU KNOW - I wonder what that t-shirt conveyed to the kid who struck out and didn’t block the goal.
UNDERSTAND – in context what Paul is saying is…
• I can endure, I can be content
• I can praise His name in all circumstances because Christ is with me
The disciples are in a violent storm, and they…
went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?”
The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!” - Luke 8:22-25
QUESTION – why didn’t they wake him up sooner?
I MEAN…
WHY - would they try to go through this storm, this circumstances on their own…without Him?
I don’t know, but then again…
Why would we?
Why would you?
Why would I?
Freedom = Jesus being in our circumstances working for our good and His Glory.
And we walk that path to freedom by remembering HIM.
H – HE Is In Your Circumstances
I – In All Circumstances He Is Working For Our Good
UNDERSTAND MGCC –Jesus is not only ‘in’ your circumstances but He working in your circumstances for your good. AMEN?!
OKAY – but exactly is the good that HE is working in your circumstances?
Check out these 3 passages…
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. – Romans 5:3,4
Jesus’ brother James said pretty much the same thing…
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. – James 1:2-4
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. – Romans 8:28,29
UNDERSTAND MGCC…
I get it, I feel you…
At times our circumstances can be so – overwhelming…
I MEAN – the pain, the hurt, the loss, the fear, the worry, the uncertainty, the loneliness, the betrayal, the hopelessness…
Can be so intense…
THAT – it seems almost impossible to not let it become our master and boss.
BUT LISTEN – freedom really is found knowing that HE is
In All Circumstances He Is Working For Our Good
MGCC – JESUS is > than your circumstances!
AND HE - is working in your circumstances for your good.
• To help you develop endurance
• To help you develop strength of character
• To give you a confident hope of your salvation
• To make you mature and complete, not lacking anything
• So that you will become more like Jesus
UNDERSTAND – knowing that there is a point, a plan, a purpose in the pain… is the path to freedom!
FREEDOM = Jesus being in our circumstances working for our good and His Glory.
And we walk that path to freedom by remembering HIM.
• H – HE Is In Your Circumstances
• I – In All Circumstances He Is Working For Our Good
M – Make Your Circumstances About His Glory
UNDERSTAND – every storm, every difficult circumstance, every painful situation…
That you would like to remove from your circumference is an opportunity to bring glory to God!
Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.
As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.
And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear… – Phil 1:12-14
“Paul is in prison. Again. Each time, he is not sure if he will be released or executed. And even when he is free from prison, he is not free from threats to his life.
But notice his perspective on the entire situation. He can see his troubles and imprisonment only through the lens of grace-fueled optimism. The gospel has become known throughout the imperial guard!
From Paul’s perspective, in the light of the gospel, everything must serve the purpose of the glory of Christ, so it isn’t therefore a tragedy that Paul’s in prison being persecuted within or unjustly maligned without. No, it is a privilege. Paul considers it a blessing to be considered worthy to suffer for the cause of Christ.” - Matt Chandler
MGCC – is what I have learned about our circumstances over the years…
Our circumstances put us in the center ring with a powerful and undeniable opportunity to bring Him glory.
This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. – John 9:3
I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
- Philippians 1:21
Jesus is > our circumstances!
Freedom = Jesus being in our circumstances working for our good and His Glory.
And we walk that path to freedom by remembering HIM.
• H – HE Is In Your Circumstances
• I – In All Circumstances He Is Working For Our Good
• M – Make Your Circumstances About His Glory
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