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Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
I have a question for all of us this weekend. . .are you CONTENT in life?
I wonder how you would describe contentment of the soul? I wonder what you have found, in your life, that contributes to or steals your contentment?
You may remember the Apostle Paul in his letter to his friends in Philippi wrote “I have learned the secret of being content in each and every situation…” (Philippians 4:12) Now, a few years later, as Paul is writing to his friend Timothy, in 1 Timothy 6:1-10 Paul urges Timothy to give wise leadership to the Christians in Ephesus, many of whom are evidently struggling without contentment in their lives.
In verse 1&2, Paul speaks about contentment in employment. How many people do you know who have been discontent, frustrated in their employment situations? Specifically Paul speaks about Christian slaves treating their masters with respect, both those who have no interest in God and those who are followers of Jesus Christ, as they are. So, what attitudes have you had regarding your employers, your supervisors? How do you suppose God responds when His people dishonor Him with bad attitudes in their work setting?
You’ll remember servitude was common in the first century, and often it was voluntary, as many people found themselves destitute or so deeply in debt they had no hope of eventual repayment. In some ways the “bankruptcy” process of our day was the voluntary servanthood of centuries past. But regardless of the master-servant/employee-
Would you like to know a secret in this? If you are a follower of Jesus, then the job He either led you into or has enabled you to have, can be viewed as God’s assignment for you... and that should breed contentment in you IF you are fully committed to honoring Jesus with your life and serving as His Ambassador where-ever He places you! And Paul says that respect, both public and private for a person’s master/employer is one evidence of godliness.
May I give you an Old Testament example? Do you remember Nehemiah the ‘cupbearer to the king’? He had such a good reputation with the king that when he presented the need for the wall around Jerusalem to be re-built, the king commissioned his servant Nehemiah to go and lead the project.
So here’s the question for all of us who are employed… are we content that if we are following Jesus wholeheartedly, then our employment is an assignment from God and provides us the opportunity to honor Jesus with our attitudes and work ethic? Regardless if our employer is a fellow Christian or has no interest in God at all. If we are an employer, are we treating our employees with respect and in ways that help them flourish in their giftedness and hard work? Are we, Christian employers, helping our employees draw closer to Jesus because of the work environment we’ve developed? Is Jesus honored in our workplace?
Paul continues in 6:3-5 addressing another group of people with whom the issue of contentment is a problem. This time it’s spiritual teachers. That could be pastors, priests, rabbi’s, imam’s, elders, deacons, monks and nuns, bishops or whatever titles the spiritual leaders have in your city. Paul is also talking about Sunday school teachers of all ages, and Bible Study leaders and house church leaders or missionaries or even counselors or even those who use media to communicate spiritual teaching .
It’s anyone who offers with some degree of assumed authority, commentary on God, religion or spiritual concepts. In our world of wide diversity in religious opinion, Paul challenges Timothy to watch out for those who have an “…unhealthy interest in controversy…”. Has your life been touched by someone like that? Remember James wrote “Not many of you should presume to be teachers… because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1)
God has designed every human being with a soul that longs for spiritual contentment and Jesus came to earth so we could discover and live in that contentment of soul every day. In fact Jesus said “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, but I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) Jesus also said “I am the light of the world, whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness… if you hold to My teaching 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 8:12,31,32,36) “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but by Me.” (John 14:6) So this weekend, is your soul content in your relationship with God? Are you confident the spiritual beliefs you hold are God’s truth? Are you content that your hope for eternal life with God in heaven is certain? Has Jesus set you free, not only from your sin, but from the things that kill contentment in your soul?
You see my friends, the anchor verse to this 6th chapter is verse 6. That’s easy to remember and I suggest you memorize this: 1 Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” What do you think that means? I suggest it means godliness and contentment are inseparably linked together and they both are evidence of God’s work in your life, for His glory! Discontent and ungodliness distance you from God.
Finally, Paul speaks to one of the greatest contentment killers of all time. . . money! Look at verses 7-10. Several powerful truths that we cannot discount, and when held tightly, will breed contentment in your heart! Look at them. . .
1. “For we brought nothing into the world and we take nothing out of it.” (6:7) We came in naked and helpless, needing others to do everything for us, and brought nothing with us from the womb! We end life unable to do anything for ourselves and carry nothing tangible with us as we leave this life, except our relationship with Jesus.
2. “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.” (6:9) We all know this is true. We have seen it all around us all our lives. Maybe, we even remember times when passion for the accumulation of money & possessions motivated us to make decisions that hurt us and others deeply. And what is at the root of this my friends? Envy, greed, jealousy, pride… am I right?
Gambling is one of the best and most dangerous examples of this truth. James wrote “where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” (James 3:16) That’s why King Solomon wrote “Above all else guard your heart, it is the wellspring of life.” (Prov. 4:23) So is your heart content with God’s provision of your financial needs? Do you really believe God knows your needs better than you? Jesus said “The Father knows what you need, even before you ask Him.” (Matt. 6:8)
Finally, 1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Jesus said “You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Matt. 6:24) Have you found it to be true? Have you discovered that if you are not very careful, rather than money serving your needs, you will be servant to the accumulation of money. And when that happens, contentment is not only elusive, it’s driven far away..., and up will grow the weeds of envy, selfishness, pride, arrogance. Rather than being content in your relationship with Jesus and delighted to be His servant through whom Jesus is touching our world with His help and hope… you will find Jesus is more and more an intrusion in your life. You’ll begin to resent Him and distance yourself from Him, and that my friends is a hauntingly desperate place to be.
So we end to day as we began, are you content this weekend? Content in the Sovereignty of God in your life? Content that God loves you more than you can imagine and the cross stands as proof of God’s love! Content that you can trust Jesus with anything and everything in life because He understands it better than you do! Are you content in His provision of your employment, your housing, your automobile, your bank account, your investments, your retirement income?
Are you content that He knows the future as clearly as if it was right now, and you can FULLY trust Him to walk with you from this moment, all the way to your last breath? And if there is even a hint of discontentment in your life, are you confident Jesus is big enough to replace it with His Holy Spirit’s contentment?
Let’s talk with Him about this right now and put in Jesus’ nail scared hands every detail of our lives and be content in Him!
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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