“The Secret of Contentment”
Philippians 4:12-13

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Pastor Kevin Vogts
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas
Thanksgiving Day—November 26, 2020

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

The text for the final sermon in our Fall Sermon Series on Philippians is from today’s Epistle Reading.  Paul writes, “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, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

You are invited to follow along on the last pages of the bulletin as we consider, “The Secret of Contentment.”

The book of Ecclesiastes observes, “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.”  I always think of the billionaire who actually complained in an interview on “60 Minutes” some years ago, quote, “A billion dollars just isn’t what it used to be.”  That may seem outlandish to you, but the truth is all of us are infected with that very same strain of dissatisfaction.  It’s hard to believe, but if you or I were billionaires, we would feel the very same way.

That’s because dissatisfaction is part of the sinfulness we are ALL are born with.  Dissatisfaction with what we DO have, and a longing for what we DON’T have, goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden.  Dissatisfaction was the devil’s ploy to get Eve to eat the forbidden fruit: “The serpent said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden”?’  The woman said, ‘We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, “You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.”’  The serpent said, ‘You will not surely die, for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’  When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”

Adam and Eve could eat from every tree in the garden except one, and yet they fell prey to the devil’s temptation to be dissatisfied with all they do have and long for what they don’t have.  Ever since, we ALL fall prey, over and over again, to that SAME ploy of the devil, making US dissatisfied with all we do have and longing for what we don’t have.

But, Paul says, “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, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”  So what IS the remedy for dissatisfaction?  What is the secret of contentment?  Paul tells us the secret: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  That is the remedy for dissatisfaction, that is the secret of contentment: Trusting faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul explains in Romans why faith in Jesus Christ is the secret of contentment: “If God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”  God will never forsake you in your need, for he has already freely given you the most precious gift: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

“If God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”  Paul goes on, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . .  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Trusting faith in Jesus Christ, that is the remedy for dissatisfaction, that is the secret of contentment. 

Christianity is really a RADICAL religion.  It’s RADICAL to say that your sins are not counted against you because God’s Son paid for them himself.  It’s RADICAL to say that your misfortunes and problems are therefore not a punishment from God, because all your guilt is fully pardoned for Jesus’ sake.  And, especially in our society, what Jesus says about material things is REALLY radical: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Everything in our society is geared toward convincing you the exact opposite, convincing you that your life DOES consist in the abundance of your possessions.  But, Paul tells Timothy, “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 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. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.”

If you are to have contentment, YOU must be a radical, radically breaking with the world’s materialistic thinking and having a different outlook. Consider spiritual blessings much more important than earthly things.  Look upon all that you possess as gifts from the Lord.  Also look upon your work and income as from the Lord, his way of providing for you, just as Jesus himself worked as a carpenter and Paul as a tentmaker.  Trust in the Lord to provide for all your needs.  And, as Paul says in 1st Corinthians, “Use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.”

Hebrews says, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’  So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. . .’”  Paul says to Timothy, “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”  Jesus puts it this way, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” 

As Paul writes Philippians, he is in prison, facing false charges that could lead to execution.  But even in prison, Paul has contentment with his situation, because he knows his sins are not counted against him; he knows that his misfortunes and problems are therefore not a punishment from God; he trusts that even in that bad situation, God is working all things together for his good; he believes his heavenly Father will provide for his needs in the way he knows to be best.  That’s what Paul means when he says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  That same trusting faith in Jesus Christ is the secret of contentment for you when you are facing misfortunes and problems and bad situations in your life.

Do not fall prey to the temptation of dissatisfaction with what you do have and longing for what you don’t have.  Instead, give thanks for all your blessings, both earthly blessings and the blessing of salvation, and trustingly take your wants and needs to the Lord in prayer.  As Paul says just a few verses before our text, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.”

“If God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”  Trusting faith in Jesus Christ, that is the secret of contentment, for Paul and for you. 

“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, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Amen.