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Good Friday morning my dear “Walking with Jesus” friends;
I doubt I need to remind any of us about today’s date November 22, 1963, right?
Perhaps you have noticed every generation has ‘cataclysmic’ events which profoundly shape that generation and change the world. The dates are historic… December 7, 1941 (Pearl Harbor); November 22, 1963 (JFK assassination); November 9, 1989 (Berlin Wall); September 11, 2001 (Twin Towers terrorism attack).
Every generation, from the beginning of time, has wrestled with this word: CONTENTMENT. In the face of world shaking tragedies, and just the day to day challenges of life, which we all encounter… contentment of the heart seems so elusive, doesn’t it?
So here’s a fair question to begin our time together today: “Over the journey of your life…What creates CONTENTMENT in you?”
May I ask some other questions to begin?
> Was your childhood family a content place to grow up? What bred contentment in your parents?
> In the churches you’ve been part of… what nurtured ‘contentment’ and what aroused ‘discontent’?
> In your adult life, your adult family, your jobs, your social groups… when were you content and when were you ‘discontent’… can you discern WHY?
> Now, in 2019… when have you been ‘content’? What were the contributing factors to your contentment this year?
Now let’s dig into God’s Word, the Bible and these three powerful verses today… Philippians 4:10-13:
Paul writes: “I rejoice greatly that at last you have renewed your concern for me… 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… I can do all things through HIM who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:10-13)
Evidently when Paul received Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25) from Philippi, he was delighted to see such a dear friend and hear wonderful news from a group of people he loved dearly. Perhaps Epaphroditus brought him some special gifts from those friends. The result for Paul in prison was, “I rejoice greatly…”. We all understand… we’ve all had that wonderful experience of a visit from a friend bearing welcome news and perhaps gifts.
Many of you know our daughter April and granddaughter Claire surprised Dawn and me last December with an unannounced visit. They live in Dakar, Senegal, West Africa and we’d talked with them only two days before via “facetime”, as we chatted with their family. So when they appeared at our doorstep in Florida, less than 48 hours later, it was shockingly wonderful. We rejoiced for days! Take a moment right now and just thank God for those times in your lives, my friends, when your joy, your happiness, simply overflowed.
Now please notice Paul’s transition from “rejoicing” to “content” in verse 11. There is a big difference between those two conditions of the heart and mind isn’t there? I wonder how you define “contentment”? Did my questions at the start today leave you scratching your head a bit?
Truth is, contentment is elusive for most people. As you see Paul says “I have LEARNED to be content whatever the circumstances.” That suggests to me a process, perhaps a long process, over time.
Rejoice or joy or happiness is an explosion of delight that normally arises out of circumstances… would you agree? It’s kind of like fireworks. You hear the ‘thump’, then you watch the little firelight zoom up into the sky, and then BANG a magnificent explosion of light and design that arouses a joyful response and lots of ‘ooos’ and ‘aaahhhs’ from the crowd, sometimes even applause and horn honking, right?
But that’s very different from the quiet, calm, settled, ‘contentment’ that brings a reflective smile to your face and usually causes you to close your eyes and just breath deeply, embracing the condition of a content heart.
So what did Paul discover? What had he learned about being content, no matter the circumstances? Do you see in vs. 12 Paul says “I’ve learned the SECRET of being content in any and every situation…“? Ok, let’s spend the rest of today digging into that. . .
I’ve wrestled with this for years, and may I offer a few things I’ve discovered… and I’d welcome hearing from you, my friends… what do you think Paul had learned, as the secret to his contentment? What have you learned about being content?
#1… IDENTITY. Paul’s identity as a young man was his zealous pursuit of being a perfect Pharisee. He was totally driven in his study, his self discipline, his passionate pursuit of meeting all the requirements to be a model Pharisee. All that changed when he met the risen Jesus Christ!
Paul discovered his ‘new creation in Christ’ identity was a GIFT from God. He couldn’t earn it, or buy it, or negotiate for it, or even steal it. His new identity was ALL a miraculous work of God in Paul, that resulted in a totally different man! So different he actually changed his name from Saul to Paul!
It took Paul years to fully understand this new identity and he wrote extensively about this transformation. We’ve been reading his letters, so we’ve seen it over and over, especially in Romans.
I believe Paul had learned to be content even in beatings, and imprisonment, because, he was absolutely convinced his identity was secure and sure in Jesus Christ. By the work of God, Paul was . . .
* a son of the Most High God, adopted into God’s family (Romans 8:14-17; Gal. 3:26-4:7)
* forgiven of his sin (Ephes. 1:7,8) even his persecution of Christians (Gal. 1:13)
* reconciled from being an enemy of God to being a friend of God (Col. 1:21-23)
* indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God who taught him, empowered him, guided him (Romans 8:5-13, 26,27)
and much more… perhaps you can add some new identity characteristics that you cherish?
#2 PURPOSE in life! Oh how that had radically changed for Paul. As a Pharisee his ambition was success, influence and elimination of Christians. As a follower of Jesus, his purpose was being an “Ambassador of Christ through whom God is making His appeal.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-20) His ambition was to take the Gospel where it was unknown (Romans 15:16-20). It was incredibly fulfilling for Paul to see people’s lives transformed, when they trusted in Jesus Christ.
#3 PROCESS of Becoming all God designed him to BE! Do you remember Paul wrote in Phil. 1:6 “Being confident of this: that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…” It’s what Paul explained in Philippians 3:12 “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me…”
Are you and I content, that the Holy Spirit is daily doing His refining work in us, my friends, and sometimes that includes painful things?
But, do we trust His loving work in us for our good and His glory? For Paul I believe he learned that even the most difficult things could be used of God in the process, of developing Paul to become the man God had designed him to be.
#4 SOVEREIGNTY of God over all things, at all times, in all places, including our lives? Remember Paul wrote: “In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the PLAN of Him who works out everything in conformity with the PURPOSE of His WILL, in order that we…might BE for the praise of His glory. (Eph. 1:11,12) And, of course, you remember this from Paul: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28).
Paul had learned that no matter what the situation, the unexpected problem… God was Sovereign over it all, and working that situation into conformity with His greater plan, and Paul found great contentment in submitting to God’s Sovereignty! That’s a struggle for us isn’t it. We want to be in control, in charge of our lives, don’t we?
#5 God’s unfailing LOVE! You’ll remember in Romans 8:29-39 Paul declares “For I am convinced that nothing…shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord…”, and that conviction echoes throughout Paul’s letters and difficult life experiences (1 Corinthians 13 & 2 Corinthians 11:24-12:10). Do you and I have that deep conviction my friends, no matter what the circumstances?
#6 HEAVEN! Great contentment came to Paul, in his absolute conviction that heaven, in the Presence of his Savior and King Jesus, God the Father, all the angels and those who have preceded us in Christ… is a very real place. It was awaiting him and all of us who have trusted in Jesus. Paul was awaiting either the return of Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) to take us all up, or the glorious transformation which would be his experience in what he called ‘departure’. Paul was certain that at the moment of death he would be instantly in heaven with his Savior. (Phil. 1:20-26; 1 Tim. 4:7,8).
I could probably add several more… but I’d rather hear from you. my good friends. What other things do you believe contributed to Paul making such a radical statement, from prison… “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation…”?
More importantly, what have YOU learned to be the secret to YOUR contentment in life as you ‘walk with Jesus’?? Would you write and tell me… and share it with some of your friends! Isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about??
Tomorrow we’ll dig into that powerful verse 13 “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
Oh Lord Jesus how we thank and praise YOU today, that we too can learn to be content in every situation.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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