6 Steps for Simplicity
Sermon for 3/13/2005
Introduction:
Hakunamatata in Lion King.
WBTU:
A. Read Scripture for the morning: Philippians 4:11-13
B. Now, when I say that we should be content, I do not mean that we should be content with many of the things in this world. We should not be content with sin. We should not be content with those who are outside of Christ. If there are unfair practices at work or elsewhere, we should not be content with that, but we should work toward better conditions. We should not be satisfied with human tragedy and evil. We should not be content with these things. The kind of contentment I am talking about is contentment in our own personal lives. Paul was contented and thankful in whatever circumstances of life that he was in.
C. Every person lives in one of two tents: content or discontent.
D. Paul could have been discontented with his material status. Paul at this time was a charity case. Completely dependent upon others. Early in Paul’s life, he probably had plenty of money. During his missionary journey’s, he was dependent upon people. He did make tents. Now, he has nothing.
E. Paul could have been discontented with his situation. In prison in a house in Rome.
F. Paul could have been discontented with the persecution. This was not fair.
G. Most people are discontented with their jobs, they are discontented with their families, they are discontented with their situation in life, but their situation is far better than the one we see that Paul was in yet Paul was content.
H. Many people believe that if they just had more money, then they would be content. If they could just get more of the material things of life, then they will be happy. There are scores of studies showing that material wealth does not create happiness. In three studies with 140 adolescents, Richard Ryan and colleague Time Kasser showed that those with aspirations for wealth and fame were more depressed and had lower self-esteem than other adolescents whose aspirations centered on self-acceptance, family and friends, and community feeling. Ryan says, “The wealth seekers also had a higher incidence of headaches, stomach aches, and runny noses.” Findings like these and others do not prove that rich people are unhappy. But they do point out that seeking material goals can remove us from vital connections with people, nature, and community- and that alone can make us unhappy.
I. Donella Meadows in her book Beyond the Limits says: People don’t need enormous cars, they need respect. They don’t need closets full of clothes, they need to feel attractive and they need excitement and variety and beauty. People don’t need electronic equipment; they need something worthwhile to do with their lives. People need identity, community, challenge, acknowledgement, love, and joy. To try to fill these needs with material things is to set up an unquenchable appetite for false solutions to real problems.
J. Paul lived a simple life free from the concern of material things. His joy and contentment was not based on his circumstances. His joy was not based on having a lot of stuff.
K. We’ll look at this again at the end of the sermon.
Thesis: This morning we are going to look at the last 6 principals that Richard Foster gives in his book Celebration of Discipline on how to live a simple life.
For instances:
5. Learn to enjoy things without owning them.
A. Owning things is an obsession in our culture.
B. If we own it, we feel we can control it; and if we can control it, we feel it will give us more pleasure. This idea is an illusion.
C. Many things in life can be enjoyed without possessing or controlling them.
D. Share things. Enjoy the beach without feeling you have to buy a piece of it. Enjoy public parks and libraries.
E. Take your family to things that cost nothing or little. To take my family to a movie costs big bucks but to take them to a public park costs me nothing.
F. If it costs nothing it is worth nothing. My friend, the best things in life are free. I am talking about romance. I am talking about walks. I am talking about times together as a family.
G. Take out a board game or some other group activity that costs little and interact. We need to enjoy our families. We don’t own them and we never will. We need to enjoy them while they are around.
H. WE all have our own toys to play with. Dad is on the Internet. Mom’s upstairs watching a movie on the DVD. The kids are downstairs playing video games. Everybody is connected to something outside the home even though they are physically within the same home.
I. We go out and buy something and use it for a few months and then we are bored with it. Learn to enjoy things without owning them.
J. It is amazing how things that are free are taken for granted and are rarely enjoyed.
6. Develop a deep appreciation for the Creation.
A. Talk about the best things in life are free.
B. Listen to the birds.
E. Enjoy grass and leaves and flowers.
F. Enjoy the mountains, beautiful area.
G. Go outside on a clear night and look at the stars.
H. 34% of Americans polled in 2000 rank shopping as their favorite activity, while only 17% prefer being in nature. The Las Vegas Strip is ranked as the #1 “scenic drive” in the country. One fourth grader, asked if he preferred to play indoors or outdoors, replied, “Indoors, because that’s where the electrical outlets are.”
I. One college student said when taking a gardening class, “I thought potatoes grew on trees. I guess I need to know more about where my food comes from.”
J. Wilderness leader Robert Greenway has spent many years on the trail. Feedback from more than a thousand wilderness trip participants (both adult and child) indicates that nature works wonders:
1. 90% described an increased sense of aliveness, well-being and energy
2. 77% described a major life change upon return (in personal relationships, employment, housing, or lifestyle)
3. 60% of the men and 20% of the women stated that a major goal of the trip was to conquer fear, challenge themselves, and expand their limits.
4. 90% broke an addiction such as nicotine, chocolate, or pop
K. People like Greenway urge us to “come to our senses.” By literally smelling, touching, and tasting nature, we begin to clear out some of the rubble in our heads.
M. (Psa 104:24 NIV) How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
7. Look with skepticism at all “buy now, pay later” schemes.
A. Both Old and New Testaments condemn usury for good reasons. Usury in the Bible is not used in the modern sense of high interest; it referred to any kind of interest.
B. Charging interest was viewed as an unbrotherly, an exploitation of another’s misfortune, especially when it was to a fellow Hebrew.
C. Jesus said in Luke 6:35- Lend, expecting nothing in return.
D. These words of Scripture should not be made into some kind of law that we should never take “good” interest. However, these words of Scripture should not be thought of as totally irrelevant to our society. Common sense, as well as the desire for simplicity, demands that we use extreme caution before incurring any debt.
E. Our society makes it so easy. Got a letter in the mail, opened it and there was a credit card in my name. All I have to do is call the 1-800 # and I can use this card.
F. According to Marielle Oetjen, a member of the Consumer Credit Counseling service staff in Colorado Springs, “One of the first things we do when people come here is cut up their credit cards. The credit card companies push instant gratification. Buy it now, don’t worry about it. Pay it off in little monthly installments. You can take as long as you want.”
G. Say you spend $2,000 on a typical credit card at 18% interest, and make minimum payments to pay it off. It will take you 11 years, and you will end up paying double the original price. And that’s if you never buy anything else with the card.
8. Obey Jesus’ instructions about plain, honest speech.
A. (Mat 5:37 NIV) Simply let your ’Yes’ be ’Yes,’ and your ’No,’ ’No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
B. Not everything in simplicity involves money.
C. If we consent to do a task, do it. Avoid flattery and half-truths. Make honesty and integrity the characteristics of our speech.
D. Plain speech is difficult because we so seldom realize that we need to please God and not men. Often fear of what others may think or a hundred other motives determine our “yes” or “no” rather than obedience to God.
E. If a more attractive opportunity arises we quickly reverse our decision. But if our speech comes out of obedience to God, we will find no reason to turn our “yes” into “no” and our “no” into “yes.”
F. This is frustrating in dealing with getting people involved in the church. Yes, I will be there. The day arrives and they are not here. Oh, I had to do this or a buddy called up and well it was a better offer. My friends, are we people of our word or not?
H. It will make our lives so much easier and simple, if we use honest speech and try our best to fulfill our promises.
9. Gladly associate with people of low position.
A. (Rom 12:16 NIV) Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
D. When we look at the history and upbringing of Andy Griffith, we see a boy that knew first hand what conceit was all about. Some people did not care for him because of where he lived and the financial status of his parents. The one who really mentored him was a Moravian preacher, most others didn’t want to have anything to do with him. We know that they are there but we don’t want to get involved with them.
F. David Broder wrote, “There are millions of people whose work makes our life easier, from busboys in the restaurants we patronize to orderlies in the hospitals we visit, but whose lives are lived on the ragged edge of poverty. Most of us never exchange a sentence with these workers. In sight, but out of mind.
Kathleen Birmingham- When I was in college, I had a sociology professor who mentioned to us the first day of class that every single person on this planet deserved to be noticed and recognized for their contribution to society. He even drew our attention to the people who clean out the trash cans and tidy the classrooms after the lectures. For our final exam that was worth 50% of our grade, he asked one single question, "What is the name of the janitor?" Happily, I passed that test with flying colors, and to this day notice the people others prefer to believe are invisible. I’ve always known the name of the janitor at my kids’ schools, I ask my server for his or her name if they don’t provide it, I use people names if they are wearing nametags because a person’s name is the most beautiful sound in the entire world to that person.
10. Shun anything that distracts you from seeking first the kingdom of God.
A. It is easy to lose focus in the pursuit of legitimate, even good things. Job, position, status, family, friends, security, hobbies- these and many more can all too quickly become the center of attention.
B. Addictions- anything that dims our sight of Jesus and His Kingdom.
J. Wilbur Chapman- Anything that dims my vision for Christ, or takes away my taste for Bible study, or cramps me in my prayer life, or makes Christian work difficult, is wrong for me; and I must, as a Christian turn away from it.
B. This brings us full circle to what Jesus said (Mat 6:31 NIV) So do not worry, saying, ’What shall we eat?’ or ’What shall we drink?’ or ’What shall we wear?’(Mat 6:32 NIV) For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.(Mat 6:33 NIV) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Conclusion:
A. Psychologist David Meyer- More than ever, we have big houses and broken homes, high incomes and low morale, secured rights and diminished civility. We excel at making a living but often fail at making a life. We celebrate our prosperity but yearn for purpose. We cherish our freedoms but long for connection. In an age of plenty, we feel spiritual hunger.
B. A few years ago, George Barna wrote a book entitled, “If things are so good, why do I feel so bad?”
C. We are trying to put a round peg in a square hole.
D. Philippians 4 Paul gives us the key to simplicity, the key to contentment. Philippians 4:13
E. Good principles the past two weeks, but they are impossible and meaningless without a relationship with Jesus Christ.
