Peace Through Contentment
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Paul has been encouraging the church at Philippi with a letter he wrote from a Roman jail. He has shown them with his words, attitude and through God’s grace of how one can live stress free in a stressed out world. Tonight we will close this series out with Paul teaching us “Peace Through Contentment.”
Text; Phil. 4:10-23
10 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.
11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
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, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
14 Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress.
15 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.
16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.
17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.
18 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.
19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you.
22 All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household.
23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
1. Christ Gives Contentment; 10-12
1. Christ Gives Contentment; 10-12
Paul thanked the church at Philippi for ministering to him in the past and now that they are doing it again.
Flourished- sprout again, shoot up, grow
Apparently there was a break in their helping Paul due to not being able to get resources to him or that they simply did not have the resources at some point in his imprisonment.
1 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia:
2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.
3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,
4 imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.
Paul is not complaining that they couldn’t give, but consoling them in the fact that God made a way when no one else could. He was content in Christ!
Content- to be satisfied.
We are not born with contentment. We are always wanting more. [Ills. Video of Declan crying because he could’t get another dinosaur from Wal-mart when his toy box is full of them]
Contentment is learned
Stop Comparing everything you have with what others have.
12 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
Stop Obsessing for more. Happiness has nothing to do with how much we have; it has everything to do with our attitudes toward what we have.
10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.
Start accepting Change. Life is all about change, nothing stays the same but Jesus!
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
2. Christs’ Strength Enables Peace; 13-14
2. Christs’ Strength Enables Peace; 13-14
Paul was thankful for the Philippians help in his distress but He was confident in Christs’ strength.
Christs’ strength goes beyond the material possessions we need, it is our hope/help to be content in all matters of life.
Do you need strength to be a better wife, husband, parent, or grandparent? Do you need strength to make your marriage work, get out of debt, resist temptation, break a bad habit, lose weight, gain weight, control your temper, or be nice to a difficult person? Jesus Christ can empower you to do anything. [Tommy Higle]
To the ignorant, Christ gives wisdom. To the fearful, He gives courage. To the proud, He gives humility. To the sick and hurting, Jesus gives healing. To the poor, He provides their needs. To the addict, our Lord is a rescuer and deliverer. To the sinner, He provides forgiveness and cleansing. [Warren Wiersbe]
29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
3. Contentment and Peace through Giving; 15-19
3. Contentment and Peace through Giving; 15-19
When a person is content in the Lord and living in peace then the grace of God abounds from them to others through giving.
[17-18] Paul commended the believers from Philippi in that their giving is bringing fruit to their account in the Lord.
34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?
38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
[22] The saints of Caesar’s household came about through Paul’s preaching and the support of the churches in prayer/provisions
[19] Giving brings contentment/peace knowing we are making a difference in kingdom work by God’s grace. A true believer cannot have real contentment and peace in Christ unless he is giving to the work of Christ.
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.
23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Close;
The grace of God gives us the strength of Christ to have Peace through Contentment in a world that is full of stress!
Video Devotional
“EMOTIONAL STRONGHOLDS”
www.bhpublishinggroup.com/qr/te/50-04
God can turn your negative emotions into positive feelings when you focus your thoughts on him and his relationship with you.
Evans, T. (2019). The Tony Evans Study Bible (p. 1412). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible.