Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Continuing for talk about being content in God.

Focus on prayer last week - focus on the Word of God this week

Good Times, Bad Times

Again, the first step is to realize that times of suffering are at hand no matter what.

The Bible is uniform in the experiences of a Christian: we will all in one way or the other suffer - that is just the nature of life.

I know that today most people try to hide that fact by ornamenting their lives especially the way that others view their lives - snapchat, instagram, facebook.

We all know that just most of the things they show is just fake - and we even admit it.

That is probably why we are getting so disconnected to each other, because we are lying so much to each other that we cannot blame others when we do not care about other, because they might think everything is fine given their social profiles.

The truth is everyone is struggling.

Non-Christians and Christians struggle - and we are all looking for a way out, a way to cope, a way to be content with our circumstances.

This is especially important as Christians because the more we try to live for Christ, we will be persecuted.

Paul perfectly describes the current world situation in his letter to Timothy.

Suffering is universal, it is pervasive and it is continuous.

Therefore, we must wake and understand what is going in our lives, and that the things that happen in our lives are the norm.

Paul wanted the people to know that.

He wanted people who work together for the Gospel to know about his sufferings and struggles.

He was glad as it says in our passage that he rejoiced when the people of Philippi started again to worry about him.

Knowing about our life in general and as Christians is the first step to learn to be content in the good and the bad times.

Learn to be content

Last week, we have already learned a bit how we can learn to be content and to stand firm in Christ.

It was through prayer.

We mentioned this a bit last week but today we want to elaborate a little bit more on this part so that we can really learn to be content in the Lord and that is we need to learn to be content through the Gospel.

Philippians 4:12

We see that Paul teaches about how he learned to be content as a Christian and explains in verse 12 what we just have learned - that times are good sometimes and sometimes times are bad but he learned in all circumstances to be content.

How?

The main point of our passage lies here: it is through the Gospel

Prayer: we do not know what to pray for - we know that we need to pray but we do not know how prayer has power to keep us strong.

What Paul touched upon, he reveals here fully - the peace of God, the truth of Christ, the Lord being at hand.

It is the Gospel

See it is one thing knowing that things will be happening and being content - knowing that things will happen, can help you to cope with the situation better but that will not make you content - which in the Greek can be translated as self-sufficient.

Here Paul is definitely not talking about being self-sufficient apart from Christ but autonomous from the things happening around him, therefore having joy - the message of Philippians.

Being content means to have joy - and we learned last week that joy is not a spontaneous reaction to nothing but a purposeful response to things happening.

So, in order for us to be content and joyful, we need a reason; we need a reason to pray; we need a reason to persevere - the reason is the Gospel.

Paul says that he is being made strong in the Gospel.

Being made strong in the Gospel

Look closely here at the phrase “have learned the secret” which actually is just one word in the Greek μεμύημαι memuemai which root comes from μυω and shares this with another word - μυστήριον - the mystery.

When the Bible talks about the mystery in several occasions we know what God means by them.

The mystery of the Gospel is the cross of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel of Christ Jesus crucified and glorified for our sake.

That is why we can learn to be content.

Now, the questions lingers still - HOW can we be content by the fact that Christ has resurrected from the dead that happened 2000 years ago in today’s situation?

Probably, the Psalmist says it the best

What is struggle?

Maybe it is a good time here to stop and talk about what struggle actually is.

Struggles are not:

Not getting into my dream college

Not going to prom

No having a nice house

etc.

But struggles are Christians are:

to finish the rest in the midst of temptations

social pressure

loneliness

etc.

to glorify in this sinful body

We do not define struggle by not having what we want but not having what we need - then we need to discuss what we need.

Based on your definition of your need, your struggles are defined - as a Christian our need is to glorify God.

That was Paul’s need.

Necessary for what?

To preach the Gospel and to glorify God by bringing others before God!

Knowing that this is his need and knowing that throughout his endeavor to fulfill this necessity sufferings will entail, and knowing that God is with Him, Paul was content!

The question is what is your need?

Only as your need is to glorify God which should be as Christians, only then can you find rest in Him as well as joy as He will finish the good work in you.

You need to learn to be content by learning to trust in Him in your needs for His kingdom aligning your life to Christ because only then we know that an escape of heaven is promised to you!

Paul in another letter mentions that despite the sufferings he is facings, he is strong because of the mystery is fully revealed to Him, which is Christ.

It was God working in Him

Therefore, now, no temptation, no suffering, not even death could take away the joy and contentment of Paul

Friends

One last thing that I want to mention is that in our journey as Christians and learning to be content we must make sure that we learn how we help each other to be content.

- so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

We forget too often that as we only look to God, we forget what He is actually provides for us.

See, even in expecting help from God, we expect ways that we agree with like God mysterious and supernaturally appearing to us and doing crazy things.

But we know that God even though He can work in any way possible, He had decided to work through His church lets each one of us participate in His work of joy and comfort as we are called to comfort each other.

Do not look away.

Paul rejoiced GREATLY as the Philippians became aware of the problems that Paul was facing.

But look at Paul, too.

Paul was not quiet about his needs.

See, we are too ashamed with our needs that we do not express them, not to people and not to God.

Do not be ashamed, ask for help, ask for comfort, ask for support for that is what the church is called for.

But discern first what your problems are.

Are you just too obsessed about your life and wants or are your worries focus on the glory of God and what you need to do so?

Conclusions

There will be good times, there will be bad times.

But God will be there always with us.

He is there, was there in Christ and will be there through the Holy Spirit.

Hold on to His promise, hold on to the Gospel, for in it lies the power for us to rejoice and to be content for we see love of God on display in Christ Jesus on the cross.

What is there to fear knowing that the Creator of all things loves us and cares for us?

Also knowing that everything is in the plan of God, trusting that it is, we have all reasons to be content no matter what the circumstance.

So, put your trust in God, go into the Gospel, the mystery that is revealed to you and rejoice.

Be content.