Islington Baptist Church
July 15, 2001
Philippians 4:10-20
Series: Big problems for Christians and all people
Scripture readings: II Cor. 8-9, I Tim 6:6-10
Contentment: the secret to being content
Before I went on holidays we were in the midst of a series entitled “Big problems for Christians and all people”. The first subject we considered was the tongue, then we talked about forgiveness, followed by the sexual purity.
The last time we were together we talked about anger-with a slight twist. In talking about anger we dealt with the question “Is it ever right for a person to be angry with God?” While it may be that we sometimes think we have a right to be angry with God, the reality is we never do. That we might not be guilty of sinning against God by harboring anger against Him, we must have a Biblical perspective and Biblical expectations of God.
Today we are going to consider the topic of contentment. Contentment is all about being satisfied. The word content means to “be enough” “To suffice” and has to do with being content with what is available.
In the book “The pursuit of Godliness” Jerry Bridges writes that we must learn to be content in respect to 3 areas: our possessions, our position in life and in the church, and in the providence of God.
On of the things that struck me in reading Jerry’s chapter on contentment was how he had applied it in his own life. Listen to what he wrote….. “Since early childhood I have suffered a vision impairment that is often frustrating, and total hearing loss in one ear that is often embarrassing. But those are not my only physical problems. One day I stood before the bedroom mirror and named 7 distinct things that were “wrong” with my body; things I had often fretted about and murmured over. That day I said, “Lord, I accept the fact that you made me the way I am, and that your grace is sufficient for all these limitations.” I cannot say I have not fretted over these problems since then, but I can now say I know how to be content with them: by accepting that God’s grace is sufficient. Although I do not always apply this wonderful fact, it is true and it is always available. The choice to accept it and experience contentment is mine. And the choice is yours in your particular circumstances.
Our text today is Philippians 4:10-20 READ
The verse that we are going to key on today is v.11. In verse 11 Paul says “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.”
What a amazing statement! Oh that we might be able to say this.
-to be content irregardless of the possessions we have or do not have. As you know we live in a materialistic, buy it on credit and pay for it later, culture
-to be content irregardless of our social standing or place within the body of Christ
-to be content irregardless of the things God providentially allows into your life.
When we speak of the providence of God we acknowledge that no circumstance comes to us by chance and that all things are under the control of God. Hence, we have physical ailments such as Jerry Bridges has, when you end up with a grouchy neighbor, etc, etc. All come to us as first having gone past God and past Christ, right through us.
Alan Redpath has written on this subject saying “there is nothing- no circumstance, no trouble, no testing- that can ever touch us until first of all it has gone past God and past Christ, right through to us. If it has come this far, it has also come with a great purpose which we might not presently understand.” So what must we do? We must learn to be content. We must trust God and lean not on our understanding. We must rest in joy of who are Lord is and the truth that His grace is sufficient for us.
When Paul wrote “I have learned to be content no matter the situation” he was more than qualified to write and teach on this subject.
You see, Paul was writing from a Roman jail. Roman guards were at his side and death lay before him.
Paul was also writing as one who had grown up as a youth with a silver spoon in his mouth- yet now he knew poverty. Paul knew what it was like to live under persecution and under peace. Paul knew what it was to have a roof over his head and the stars over his head at night. Paul knew what it was to a full stomach and a empty stomach. Paul knew what it was to be surrounded be loving Christians and to be abandoned by his Christian brothers. Paul knew what it was to healthy and he knew what it was to have a thorn in his flesh that God refused to take away.
We must learn to be content and be about following Paul’s excellent example
We must note the tone of Paul’s letter to the Philippians and of this passage. It is a letter and passage which bubbles over with joy. v.10
Paul was not a defeated and crushed Christian. He was a joyful Christian, filled with the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is not something that depends upon external circumstances either. The joy of the Lord that Paul had and that we must have finds its center in the very person of God and the Lord Jesus Christ who strengthens us.
While the tone of joy permeates the whole of the book of Philippians, the occasion for Paul’s joy in the Lord in our passage demands our attention.
In considering this passage as a whole, it is plain that the discussion as a whole regards the financial and material generosity of the Philippians towards him.
Paul’s joy relates here to the Philippians sending him money and supplies while he was there in prison.
Paul rejoiced in the fact that God was supplying all of his needs, just as the scriptures promise us, and that the Philippians were the vessels that God was using to do that.
Paul here rejoices in the fact that they had renewed their interest in supporting the work the Lord had gave him to do. Note also that there is no hint of bitterness on Paul’s part. For a while they had not supported but Paul’s understanding is clear and gracious: Time and circumstances had prevented them, not their hearts or attitude.
Of all of the churches that Paul had planted, the Philippian church turned out to be his biggest and most faithful supporters. Time and time again, even when no other churches gave, no matter in what part of the world Paul found himself in, the Philippians strove to support Paul in the work of the Gospel.
Now you might say “I bet the Philippians were rich. My guess is that they were a wealthy bunch”.
Nothing could be farther from the truth. In II Corinthians 8:1-5 Paul writes of their generosity regarding his collection for the starving Christians of Jerusalem. “Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, there were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering of the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.”
The Philippians gave to Paul out of their poverty, they gave till it hurt—all for the sake of their brother Paul and the Kingdom of Christ.
These Philippian brothers and sisters gave as to the Lord and the manner of their giving qualified as a pleasing act of worship to God.
On the subject of giving and of supporting the work of God, Charles Spurgeon wrote while preaching on this passage “The Christian far oftener disgraces himself as a Christian when he is prosperous that when he is dirt poor. It is an amazing thing how money will stick to his fingers.”
How about here? Are you and I being faithful in giving to the Lord’s work. Are we following in the footsteps of the Philippians? Does your giving qualify as a pleasing act of worship?
To these Philippians who had renewed their monetary support of Paul, to the detriment of even their own well being, Paul reminded them of this beautiful promise of God. “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory” v.19
This is a promise of God that each one of us can take to heart. God’s promise to each and every one of us who are the followers of Jesus Christ is to give us exactly what we need.
God provided Paul with exactly what he needed at just the right time. The vessels God used were the Philippians. Paul blessed them by reminding them that God, the owner of the cattle on a 1000 hills, would supply them with exactly just what they needed.
I trust you relish and delight in this wonderful promise of God. It is an unbreakable promise. God will give us all that we need, in his time, in his way, with the vessels of his choosing.
Sometimes we have a problem though: according to our discontentment we desire, rather, we expect of God, to give us more than just what we need.
In our materialistic and wealthy country “Give us our daily bread” is not a prayer that many of us genuinely pray. God’s promise to give us what we “need” or what will “suffice” is not exactly what we are always looking for.
We must learn to be content. We must learn what Paul learned: to be content in any and every situation.
Paul was rotting and starving in jail awaiting an imminent death, yet was the most joyful and content guy around.
What was Paul’s secret? What is the secret to being a content person?
Jesus! As he says in v.13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
-Paul’s joy and contentment didn’t rest in what he had materially. It didn’t depend on the Philippian gift and support—this he makes abundantly clear
-Paul’s joy and contentment didn’t depend upon his social standing or place within the church structure
-Paul’s joy and contentment wasn’t related to the various things God providentially allowed into his life.
Jesus and all sufficient strength and grace that Jesus provided him was the reason for his joy and contentment in life.
In Psalm 37:4 it says “Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart”. Paul had the desires of his heart. He had Christ, the sufficient grace of God, the promises of God, and hope eternal.
Paul was a man consumed by his love for God. Paul’s satisfaction was with the giver and not the gifts of the giver.
Paul also was a man who had a clear sense of purpose and mission that we often lose as Christians. His clear sense of purpose and mission was what led to his contentment.
He understood that the seeking of the Kingdom of God was the priority. He saw himself as a soldier under the command of Christ and as such he gave himself wholeheartedly to the service of Christ and his kingdom. His stomach, his health, a house, retirement, worldly treasures, these were not his concern. His concern was the Kingdom and glory of God.
In Philippians 3:8 Paul says “I count all things lose for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him,….”
The secret to Paul’s contentment had everything to do with Jesus.
CONCLUSION
To conclude I have 3 main questions for you and of course myself
1. How generous are you to the Lord’s work?
God used the Philippians and the generous hearts that they had to minister to Paul as he sat in prison. The Philippians gave, not out of their abundance but rather they stepped out in faith, trusting in the promises of God and gave out of their poverty.
When it comes to the Lord’s work and the subject of giving do the dollars tend to stick to your fingers or are you stepping out in faith, trusting in his promises, giving with a joyful heart and thanking God for the privilege of giving to the great work of the Kingdom.
Is your giving an act of worship that pleases God?
2. Are you content?
-Are you contented with your possessions
-Are you contented with your position in life, society, and in the church
-Are you contented with the providence of God, understanding that there is nothing- no circumstance, no trouble, no testing that can ever touch us until first of all it has gone past God and past Christ right through to us?
The great thing is that contentment is something that can be learned! And guess who the teacher is? God
3. Do you clearly understand that the secret to contentment and having the joy of the Lord in your life is locked up in the person of Jesus Christ and your being consumed with Him and the mission that He has given you?
Might I suggest that we all learn the following 2 verses
“I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” v.11
“My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” v.19
Prayer
