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Scripture Reading

Please turn with me in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 4. As we have seen, chapter 4 contains various encouragements and exhortations from the Apostle Paul to the church in Philippi. I'll read beginning in verse 1 in chapter 4. Therefore my beloved and longed for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.

And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication. With thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again, though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Nevertheless, you have done well that you shared in my distress. Now, you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. for even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.

Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Indeed, I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. and my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever, amen. Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar's household. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, amen. Well, let us pray.

Opening Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, we thank You for the God-breathed Word. We thank You that it's profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. We ask that You would give us ears to hear and hearts to receive the things of verses 10 to 13 tonight as we consider that that blessed characteristic of the Christian life, contentment. We ask that you would forgive us at the outset for being discontent, for murmuring at your providence in our lives. Give us grace and wisdom and the power of the Holy Spirit to follow the leadership of the Apostle Paul in this particular matter. And again, may you indeed be glorified in this glad hour. And we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Introduction

Well, as I said, various exhortations and encouragements. He first tells them to persevere, the perseverance of the saints in verse 1, pursue unity in the church of the Lord Jesus in verses 2 and 3, the joy of the Lord in verse 4, moderation among men, verse 5, the prayer of the believer in verses 6 and 7, the thought life of the believer in verses 8 and 9, the thought life of the believer in verse 8, and then the conduct of the believer in verse 9.

And now he comes to the matter of the believer's contentment. And he does so by showing forth his own condition and his own state. But remember that Paul has told us in verse 9, the things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do and the God of peace will be with you. Back in 3.17, he says, So in chapter 4, verses 10 to 13, the specifics are not the contentment of the Apostle Paul, but it's the contentment of the believer. Those in Christ Jesus need to imbibe this particular mentality and this particular embrace of God's providence in our lives. So I want to look first at the expression of his gratitude to the Philippians in verse 10 and then the explanation of his contentment in verses 11 to 13.

Paul's Expression of Gratitude

Note first his expression of gratitude in verse 10. Paul practices what he preaches. Remember in verse 4, he tells the saints there, rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice. He doesn't just throw that out there pastorally or theoretically, but it's something that he himself imbibes and it's something that he himself practices and engages in.

And several times throughout this epistle to the Philippians, he has indicated his joy in them. God had knit his heart to this church in Philippi. Back in Acts chapter 16, when he first went into this place, when he first met Lydia at the riverside, he met the Philippian jailer. His heart was knitted to them. He loved this church, and now he's expressing his gratitude to them. for their kind provision in terms of temporal gift.

So I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again or blossomed again. Though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. So what he is saying, he's not chiding them. He's not saying I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last, you deadbeat slobs, you have finally returned to doing what you were supposed to be doing in the beginning.

No, they had cared for him, they were kind to him, they had sent a gift via Epaphroditus to alleviate his suffering and turmoil as he's in a prison cell as he writes this book Philippians. Probably because of their own poverty or probably because of their own inability to get goods to him while he's in a prison in Rome. So he's not chiding them, but rather he's rejoicing in their goodness.

In fact, look back at 2 Corinthians 8, and you see the apostles' affection for them in a context where he's trying to put pressure on the Corinthians, not in a bad way, but he's trying to put pressure on the Corinthians to be large-hearted and generous in terms of their giving, and he holds up the model of Christ after having held up the model of the churches in Macedonia. So notice in chapter 8, verse 1, Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia, that in a 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, they were freely willing. imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to 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. So we urged Titus that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. But as you abound in everything, in faith and speech and knowledge and all diligence and in your love for us, see that you abound in this grace also."

So Paul loved that. He's not chiding them here in 4:10. He's not suggesting that they were deadbeats, that they needed to get back to it, but he's appreciating the fact that now they are able to continue this supply of good gifts. He mentions this specifically in verse 17. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Indeed, I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you.

A sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. The Roman state didn't provide three hots and a cot for men like Paul, who was in prison. If you had friends, they were the ones to come and alleviate your particular temporal needs. And in this case, the church in Philippi sends Epaphroditus with a particular gift in order to give him what he stands in need of in terms of sustenance.

So he expresses his gratitude to them, and he loves them as a result of that.

Paul's Present Situation

Now in terms of his contentment, we see that in verses 11 to 13. There's four observations I want to make here. First, his present situation in 11a. Secondly, his learned conviction in verse 11b. Third, his diverse circumstances in verse 12. And then finally, his source of contentment in verse 13. And obviously, Paul's source of contentment is not his circumstances. Paul's source of contentment is Christ. And brethren, that's the great message of verses 10 to 13.

Whatever the condition of our lives, whatever the circumstances we find ourselves in, whether we are abounding or we are abased, whether we are empty or we are full, Whether we are rich or whether we are poor, whether we're free men trafficking through the Roman Empire, preaching Christ and Him crucified, or we're in a prison cell writing the book of Philippians, if we put our focus, if we attach our contentedness to our circumstances, we will always come up short. It is Christ who strengthens us no matter the situation. So note his present situation in 11a.

He says, So first, when he says, not that I speak in regard to need, he's not commending the Philippian church because they met his temporal needs. He makes that clear in verse 17, not that I seek the gift. I just didn't, I'm not praising you for the sandwiches. I'm not praising you for the Fritos. I'm not praising you for the cloak. I mean, he's not upset about those things. He's got to eat. A man's got to eat when he's in prison. But that's not why he's commending them. That's not why he's expressing gratitude to them.

It is rather their evident obedience to the blessed master of the church in terms of Christian fellowship and alleviating the hardships and the difficulties of fellow brethren. So in verse 17, not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. So the commendation was not based on the meeting of his physical needs. The commendation was based on the fellowship of the saints. And many commentators observe this.

When we look at Christian fellowship, we often know, or we hear that, it's one of the Greek words we know. We know cosmos means world, and we know koinonia means fellowship. Most guys that have half a sense when it comes to Greek and theology, they conclude that there's a financial element in fellowship.

It's not just talking about the Canucks, and we're both Christians, so therefore, we're having fellowship. No, it's to alleviate one another's difficulties. It's in order to further the kingdom of God, to be sure. I'm not saying that's the only thing. We're only fellowshipping when we're handing people money. No, no, I'm not saying that. There is that sharing of resources amongst one another in the context of the Christian church.

So the Apostle commends them for that very thing. And the commendation was based on God's blessing upon them. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. In other words, he's pleased that God is pleased and is going to bless the church in Philippi for their generous liberality toward the Apostle Paul.

Paul's Learned Conviction

So his present situation, not that I speak in regard to need, notice secondly his learned conviction. For I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. And I think this is very encouraging, because I think 10 to 13, on the one hand, is very discouraging, right? Contentment. That's a tough one, isn't it?

Let me just jump down to Burroughs' definition. If you haven't got the rare jewel of Christian contentment and you really want to be plowed up, read that. You know, just give it a perusal. You know, you'll thank me later, I'm sure. Burroughs says, with reference to contentment, that sweet inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition. Yep, I got that down, said no Christian ever. Listen to Manton. Contentment is a quiet temper of mind about outward things, and so it is opposite to three things, murmurings, distracting cares, and covetous desires.

So as I said, 10 to 13, overarchingly, a bit of a gut punch, because all of us, and maybe you're the exception, struggles with contentment. But the encouraging thing is what Paul starts off with here in terms of his learned conviction. He says, for I have learned. It wasn't inherent. It wasn't there by nature. It wasn't there automatically at regeneration. It wasn't there when he was set apart as the apostle to the Gentiles. It was a learned characteristic.

How do you think Paul learned that? Well, he went down to the bookstore, he got on Amazon.ca, and he said, I want five books on Christian contentment. He got Burroughs, he got Manton, and he read these things, and he moved himself then into this sweet and compliant frame where he submitted to all of God's fatherly providences in his life. No, that's probably not how Paul did it. Paul did it through the things that he suffered. Paul did it through the things that he was vexed in. Paul learned by God's practical application of the doctrine in the context of the apostle's life.

In fact, Zanke makes the observation. The apostle, this is after he talks about there's two ways of learning. Obviously you read books, obviously you take in the theory, obviously you understand the propositions and the arguments and the various things that compose of the transfer of information from one body to another. We need that, we need the theory, but as well we need the practical. We need to get in the trenches. We need to pull up our shirt sleeves. We need to get at it. And so Zanke's commenting on that latter.

He says, The apostle did not learn contentment from revelation or from books, but from a lot of practice. This is, I submit, the encouraging part of the sermon. I have learned Not, I'm the master at contentment. Sit at my feet and I will tell you slobs how you must function. No, he learned this. But from a lot of practice, by the grace of Christ, strengthening him internally and training him in every kind of affliction and need.

Burroughs, again from Rare Jewels says, contentment in every condition is a great art, a spiritual mystery. Burroughs is right. You're all looking at me like I'm nuts. You're probably the most contented persons on the face of the earth. I'll try to cut this short and you can contentedly go home and enjoy your tea.

I think this or these are sorts of challenging passages in the context of the church, in the context of family, in the context of individual life. Being content says something about our understanding of who God is. I think contentment is directly connected to God's providence and we're going to get to that in just a moment.

But in terms of his learned conviction, notice what he says, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. I would submit the conviction includes economic status. I have learned in whatever state I am. And then he goes on to speak specifically with reference to economics. He knows how to be a beast, he knows how to abound, he knows how to be full, he knows how to be hungry, he knows how to abound, and he knows how to suffer needs. So the primary referent, and again in a context where he's commending the Philippians for having provided temporal provision for his sustenance, certainly includes financial status. In fact, Gill says, so that a believer may say, who has the smallest pittance of earthly enjoyments, this, with a covenant God, with an interest in Christ, with grace here in heaven hereafter, is enough.

You see, learn conviction for I've learned in whatever state I am to be content. I argue that he's dealing with economics or finances or things that fill our bellies and clothe our backs. Manton says it is not abundance that we need, but a contented heart. Let a little suffice if God gives no more. So certainly there is that, but I would suggest as well the conviction transcends economic status.

In other words, you might be able to get to the point of contentedness with reference to your salary. You may get to the point where you're content with your hourly rate. But you may be discontent in other relations. You may be discontent towards your wife. You may be discontent towards your husband. You may be discontent towards your parents. You may be discontent towards your children. So again, I don't think Paul's just limiting it to this financial sort of a framework, but in all other matters, I have not learned how to be content.

And I make mean mugs at everybody that gets in my way. No, no, no, no. This contentedness is overarching. I have learned in whatever state, not just financially. I've not just learned to make due on a limited budget, but in all things, in all my conditions, in all my circumstances. And the conviction encompasses the entirety of the Christian life. In whatever state we find ourselves, whatever our conditions may be, our circumstances may be, here's what we are supposed to pursue.

Burrows again, that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition. Manton again, contentment is a quiet temper of mind about outward things. And so it is opposite to three things, murmurings, distracting cares, and covetous desires. So does everybody follow?

Yes, it's limited specifically in the context of temporal provision. I know how to be hungry, but I know how to be full. I know how to be a base, but I also know how to abound. But certainly knowing the life and ministry in the example of the Apostle Paul, it cannot be simply confined to financial situations. It must extend itself in all of life. Christian contentment is contentedness in every sphere, in every relationship, in every circumstance, in every jot and tittle of God's world.

Paul's Diverse Circumstances

Notice then his diverse circumstances, and this is how he learned. Notice, I learned. How did he learn? Well, he says as much in verse 12. I know how to be abased, I know how to abound, everywhere and in all things I have learned, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Turn back to 2 Corinthians 4. We have seen many examples of the Apostle Paul in the book of Philippians refer to his own sufferings. And we have traced those out in several of the sermons, specifically in the book of Acts. But I want to focus just on two. How did Paul learn with reference to being content in whatever his state, whatever his condition?

Again, look at 2 Corinthians 4, specifically at verse 7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power of God that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed. We are perplexed, but not in despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken. Struck down, but not destroyed.

Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus. and that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you.

And then 2 Corinthians chapter 11, this answers the question, how we learn? You don't learn to depend upon Christ when you're hungry if you've never been hungry. You don't learn how to depend upon Christ if you're in a prison if you've never been in a prison. See brethren, the things we often rail against and murmur against and complain about are the very means that God is using to conform us onto the image of his beloved son.

When it comes to divine providence and especially God's work in the lives of His people, we need to take Romans 8:28 seriously. We know that He causes all things to work for good. We like that on the fridge, we like that on the bumper, but we don't like that when it means any hardship or any trial or any significant difficulty in our lives. It never dawns on us that through the hardship, through the affliction, and through the significant difficulty, that's the means by which God works out good.

You see, Paul learned this because of what Paul went through. I submit that all of us, as we go through those things, we learn, we grow, we understand, we get to the point, hopefully at some point, where we've learned not to rail against God's providence.

Notice in 11:22, are they Hebrews? He's basically throwing dust in the eyes of the false apostles. the pseudo-apostles that had come, that had presented their case, that tried to entice the Corinthians after them. So he's laying out his sort of pedigree, his resume in terms of what he had done with reference to Christ and his church. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ?

I speak as a fool, I am more. In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. A night and a day I have been in the deep.

In journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen. in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Besides the other things, what comes upon me daily, my deep concern for all the churches, who is weak and I am not weak, who is made to stumble and I do not burn with indignation. If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. In Damascus, the governor under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped from his hands.

Paul lived a gnarly life, brethren. He lived a gnarly life. He wrote, God causes all things to work together for good to those who love him and to those who are the called according to his purpose. He writes what he does here in Philippians chapter 10 at verse 11.

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. He explains it. I know how to be abased. I know how to abound everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. So he had been abased. He had abounded as well. Scripture doesn't detail that. It doesn't say, yeah, Paul had a respite. He hung out on an island for a bit, ate good food, got refreshed. It doesn't say that, but he himself says that.

I know how to abound. I mean, it wasn't the case that he always walked under this dark cloud of hunger and sleeplessness and misery and trial. He knew how to abound. But where was his strength? He's going to tell us in just a moment, but before that, I just want to read one quote from D.A. Carson. You know, we're thinking through this. He'd been abased. He had been abounded.

I mentioned Proverbs 30 this morning. Two things I request of you. Deprive me not before I die. Remove falsehood and lies far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food allotted to me, lest I be full and deny you. And say, who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor and steel and profane the name of my God.

Carson mentions, with reference to Paul, he had abounded and he had been abased. He avoids the arrogance that is often associated with wealth. He avoids the arrogance that is often associated. I know how to abound. And let me tell you, it was the life of Riley. It was great. You plebs ought to try and achieve that at some point. I made good decisions, I worked hard, and therefore I abound. He doesn't do that. He avoids the arrogance that is often associated with wealth. He also avoids the kind of spiritual arrogance that is often associated with poverty. I think that's perceptive.

It's not holy to be poor. If it was, it'd be easy to be holy. There's a lot of unholy poor people, brethren. There's a lot of unholy poor people. But the papal church has commended poverty for their priests. It's just this kind of built-in thing. Well, he's poor, he must be godly. No, that just doesn't follow. Those things aren't inextricably connected. I love that. He avoids the arrogance that is often associated with wealth. He also avoids the kind of spiritual arrogance that is often associated with poverty.

The brute fact is that Paul's content in both circumstances because his contentment is utterly independent of circumstances. That's the point of the text. He is content in both circumstances because His contentment is utterly independent of circumstances.

Paul's Source of Contentment

That's then verse 13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. There is an obvious limitation of the text. Notice, all things in verse 13 most likely corresponds to the all things in verse 12. I know how to be abased and I know how to abound everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry. This is not a text that promises the 12-year-old he's gonna play in the NBA, because he can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

That's a weird take. I can jump over the moon because Christ strengthens me. I can build a refrigerator from scratch in the first century because Christ strengthens me. No, this isn't a license for you to be an astronaut because now, if you become an astronaut, certainly the providence of God, the blessing of our Lord, the wisdom, the ingenuity, the hard work, the open doors, all that is owing to Him. It's not like you wake up in the morning and say, well, Jesus can strengthen me to do anything. I'm going to go fly. I'm going to jump off the roof and flap my arms and fly because Jesus strengthens me. That's not what the text means.

I can do all things. the Christ who strengthens me. I can deal with the abasement. I can deal with the abounding. I can deal with the hardships. I can deal with the trials. I can deal with the afflictions. I can deal with the various circumstances associated with life in a fallen world, opposition by the Jewish unbelievers and the civil state. I can deal with all that because of Jesus. My contentedness is not wrapped up in my circumstances.

My contentedness is wrapped up in my connection to the Lord Jesus Christ. I have been justified in Christ, 3.9. I am being sanctified in Christ, 3.10. I will be glorified in Christ, 3.11. I am confident that he who begins a good work in me will complete it unto the day of Jesus Christ.

See, believer, your contentedness is not wrapped up or connected to your circumstances. Your contentedness must be wrapped up and connected to your relationship to Jesus. So that if you are full or you are empty, so that if you are free or you are in prison, So if you're surrounded by the loveliest people on earth, you're surrounded by a bunch of derelicts, your contentedness is not wrapped up in that circumstance. Your contentment is wrapped up in your salvation.

Exhortation and Application

I would suggest, and I want to end here, there's an exhortation in the text and the encouragement of the text. I was going to do encouragement first, but I didn't want to leave us bruised, broken, and battered after the exhortation. So I'll end with the encouragement. I've already said it. He learned it. There's hope for us. But in terms of the exhortation, Paul commends the generosity of the Philippian church. Verse 10. I'm thankful that your care for me has come back.

Again, not because you were deadbeats, because you lacked opportunity, you couldn't get it from point A to point B. There was no Amazon dot whoever to, you know, hey, you know, send a care package to Paul, put it on the church's credit card. No, no. He commends them for their generosity.

Brethren, when all is said and done, that's what a church should be marked by. Jesus says in John 13, by this all men will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. The generosity of the church, the kindness and the compassion of the church, the goodness of the church, those things ought to be part and parcel of church life.

Yes, we're the pillar and the ground of the truth. Yes, we hold fast the word of truth. Yes, we contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. But we do it with love. We do it with kindness. We do it with compassion. We do it with graciousness. We do it with a givingness, a generosity. He commends them for that.

I would suggest secondly, with reference to this idea of contentment, with reference to financial concerns. Go back or go forward rather to 1 Timothy 3. I'm sorry, 1 Timothy 6, 3. to 10. It's kind of a parallel passage in terms of Paul's caution and admonition with reference to greed associated with false teachers. Notice in 1 Timothy 6 at verse 3. Well, that's the bad guys, verses 3 to 5. Notice in verse 6. Now, godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing with these, we shall be content.

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith and their greediness and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. So again, a good parallel passage. When we look at the Bible as a whole and we think about different passages of scripture and what it speaks to relative to financial provision by God or deprivation by God, there's a couple of things that I think will help us. First, the recognition of God's sovereign ownership over all things. Psalm 24, 1, the earth is Yahweh's and the fullness thereof. Anything that we have is allotted to us in accordance with God's purpose and plan.

If you're not rich, you know, I want to make sure we're not hyper-Calvinists. You know, God ordained that I make five bucks an hour, and that's just the way it is. Don't be hyper-Calvinists. You can get smarter and get more training, pursue better leads, and make $10 an hour.

Providence does not mitigate the lawful use of means. It's kinda like the guy that says, I wanna get married, but it hasn't happened yet, so therefore, I'm just gonna be single for my life. How about you make more money, comb your hair, brush your teeth, and go find a wife? Providence does not mitigate the use of means. Providence is the very foundation for the use of means.

So don't argue thus, well, you know, I'm destined to be poor. I just, that's my lot. Again, you can use means and try to make it better. But in the grand scheme of things, we are ultimately where we're at because the earth is Yahweh's and the fullness thereof. And he allots to us what it is his purpose and plan to allot to us.

It really is that simple, the recognition as well of God's promise and provision. Hebrews 13, 5 and 6, do not be covetous. Why? Because God has promised, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Again, a promise that we often apply, and rightly so, theologically, to the spiritual end of man. God never departs from us. He never leaves us. He never forsakes us in terms of our salvation. But interestingly, Hebrews 13, 5 and 6 speaks specifically to not coveting. Why don't you covet? Because God has purposed to never leave you nor forsake you. In other words, there's a physical application of that statement. I would suggest as well the recognition of the surpassing importance of eternity to come. Mark 8, Luke chapter 12. Mark 8, what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul? What about that man in Luke chapter 12?

The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. What does he do? He's got a problem now. I don't have any place to put my stuff. Isn't that interesting? That was his challenge. Where do I put all the stuff I have? I know what I'll do. I'll pull down my old barns and I'll build new barns. And once I have them all filled with my stuff, I'll say to myself, soul, take thine ease. You've got many goods laid up for many years.

What's God say? Thou fool, your soul's required of you tonight. There's something more important than temporal prosperity. There's something more important than financial stability. It's your never-dying soul. I would suggest as well the appreciation of God's blessings upon others.

One reason you know you might be discontent is because you get angry when others prosper. You're not supposed to do that. Romans 12, 15, we're supposed to rejoice with those who rejoice, and we're supposed to weep with those who weep. Somebody comes to the prayer meeting, I got a job promotion, I'm making bank now, and you weep over their joy? You've got problems. Or somebody comes to the prayer meeting, I lost my job, I got fired, and you rejoice while they're weeping? You've got problems. You've got some discontentedness in your heart.

So rejoicing at the good prosperity of others. And I would suggest as well the exercise of a charitable spirit. Somebody somewhere always has it worse than us, right? Contentedness is willing to part with even a little bit to try and alleviate the sufferings of others. So that's the cultivation of contentment with reference to financial concerns. I would suggest then the cultivation of contentment with reference to all of life.

Remember earlier I tied this to providence. What is providence? Well, Westminster Shorter Catechism number 11, what are God's works of providence? God's works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures and all their actions. That's providence.

So whatever your circumstances, whatever the conditions you face, whatever the situation you're involved in, it's not haphazard. It didn't just kind of fall into place. God's ordained it. God has put it together. God orchestrates all things for his own glory. And if Paul is to be trusted in Romans 8, 28, for the good of those who love him, to those who are the called according to his purpose.

Again, the perversion of the doctrine of divine providence is, I'm always gonna be a $5 an hour worker. Don't be a hyper Calvinist. Get out, get some skills and work hard. But with reference to this circumstance, and I wanna be as genuinely pastoral and kind and gracious as I can, because I struggle with contentedness.

I'm surprised, I see the look of shock in your faces. It's a tough one, isn't it? Beware of the mindset that says, you know, I'm single now, and I'm not picking on singles, I'm just using some readily available illustrations. But when I get married, I'll be content. What are you doing? You're tying your contentedness to your circumstances. When I get that promotion, then I'll be content. No, the challenge is to be content when you're single making five bucks an hour. I have learned in whatever state to be content. See, the problem is, by doing that, when I'm married, then. Or, name the scenario. If I get this car, then I'll be content. If I secure this home, then I'll be content. If I get this promotion, then I'll be content.

That's not what Paul says. I've learned, in whatever state, to be content. You see, you're never gonna achieve contentedness. Because what happens when you double your salary? Well, I doubled it pretty readily and handily, I can double it again. And when I double it again, then I'll be content. You're chasing the wind.

The challenge of the Christian life is to accept all things from God, the good and the bad. the perfectly acceptable and the very difficult challenges. Accept it from God, sweetly comply, to use a Burroughs word, to what God is doing in our lives and to be content. Why? Because of the situation or the circumstance? No, because I'm justified by faith in Christ. I'm being sanctified by the spirit of the living God. I've got promised glory in my future. In other words, I've got heaven. I've got everything.

Certainly I can navigate this lower world as difficult as it may be for another 50, 60, 70, 80 years. It's one of the reasons why it's not bad getting older, brethren. People say, oh, I don't want to get older. I do. It's closer to Jesus. All things being equal, you don't get hit by a truck. You usually die of old age. Each new year, you're a step closer to Emmanuel's land. You see, we need to accept the reality that not everything is going to be peachy king. It's not always going to be easy street. There's gonna be hardships. Do we murmur? Do we repine? Do we grumble? Do we complain? Do we lash out at God or at the circumstances involved? Or do we realize that God has ordained these things for his glory and for my good? My brothers and sisters, do not tie your contentedness to your circumstances or your situation. Tie your contentedness to Jesus Christ the Lord. That's the emphasis in verse 13.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Not join the NBA, not be a rodeo star, not be an astronaut, but be a faithful Christian under the rod of the Most High and to take it without murmuring, without repining, and without crying all the time over my particular condition. Christ is my Lord, He's my Savior, whether my belly's full or my belly's empty. Christ is my Lord and my Savior, whether I'm a free man, free to roam the Roman Empire, or I'm stuck in a prison cell writing this letter. Not that writing this letter was bad, I'm glad he was stuck in a prison cell. But you get the point.

Circumstances will always, always bring you to a place of discontentedness. Then you just become a controller. Got to control the environment and then I'll be happy. Got to make everything just so, then I'll be happy. That's not reality. That's living in a fantasy land.

Submit to the blessed will and providence of God. And the encouragement is simply this, the apostle learned contentment, we can too. We can too. The Apostle learned it through good and bad experiences. We must too. And the Apostle learned it comprehensively. We must too. Not just finances, not just economy or economics, not just food for the belly, but in all of life. He learned what it was to be content in his Master.

Well, let us pray.

Closing Prayer

Our Father in heaven, we come to you and we thank you that you are our Father and that you do provide for us and we are cautioned by Jesus in Matthew 6 against carnal anxiety. We know that you provide for the birds, you provide for the lilies, you provide for our our daily sustenance, we know that you are trustworthy in terms of our lives. Help us not to focus on the circumstances, help us not to focus on the situation, to focus always and alone and solely upon our Lord Jesus Christ. Pray for your blessing upon our church. I pray that you would go with us into this week and help us to honor you in each and every day, and may we bring glory to you. And we ask this through Christ our Lord, amen. Well, let us stand and sing