THE KEY TO CONTENTMENT
1. This is the reason
given in our text for us to be content
“Let your conversation
be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he
hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly
say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
a. God has promised
never to leave nor forsake us
b. With the Lord as our
helper, what can man do? –
“Ye are of God, little
children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he
that is in the world.”
2. This is the reason
Jesus gave for us not to worry –
“Therefore I say unto
you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink;
nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat,
and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not,
neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth
them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add
one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the
lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and
yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one
of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is,
and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of
little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or, What
shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these
things do the Gentiles seek: ) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have
need of all these things.”
a. We are of greater
value to God than the birds or flowers
b. He providentially
cares for them, will He not do the same
for us?
-- The key to receiving
this care is to put God's will first
in our lives –
“But seek ye first the
kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto
you.”
3. Contentment comes,
then, when we trust God will provide what
we need!
B. KNOWING WHAT YOU
CAN'T TAKE WITH YOU...
1. As Paul discussed
contentment, he pointed out certain truths
“For we brought nothing
into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.”
a. We brought nothing
into this world
b. It is certain we can
carry nothing out! (have you ever seen
a hearse pulling a
U-Haul trailer?)
2. Why then become
anxious or worked up over things...
a. That at best are only
temporary
b. That will wear out,
be stolen, or left behind (or burned up
at the coming of the
Lord –
“But the day of the Lord
will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away
with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth
also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”
3. Contentment comes,
then, from knowing that material things are
only temporary
C. REALIZING WHAT IS
TRULY "ESSENTIAL" FOR LIFE...
1. Paul also revealed
what are the only true "essentials" to
sustain life –
“And having food and
raiment let us be therewith content.”
a. They are "food
and clothing"
b. Anything beyond this
is a "luxury", for which we ought to
be thankful
1) That includes
"shelter", which many believe is a
necessity
2) But millions live
without shelter, and such is possible
with the proper clothing
2. Since God has
promised to provide food and clothing
“Therefore I say unto
you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink;
nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat,
and the body than raiment?”
33), we can rest knowing that our "essentials" will be
provided
3. Contentment comes,
then, by realizing what is truly
"essential"
for life, for then we will realize how richly
blessed we really are!
D. UNDERSTANDING THAT
MATERIAL THINGS DO NOT SATISFY...
1. Solomon observed this
inadequacy of material things –
“He that loveth silver
shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase:
this is also vanity.”
a. Those who love silver
(money) will never be satisfied
b. The same is true with
those who love abundance (what money
can buy)
2. Material things do
not meet the true needs of the soul –
“All the labour of man
is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.”
“Ho, every one that
thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and
eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do
ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labour for that which satisfieth
not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your
soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and
your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even
the sure mercies of David.”
a. C. S. Lewis suggested
that God placed a longing in man,
that man might seek for
God –
“and hath made of one
blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath
determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that
they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him,
though he be not far from every one of us:”
b. Sadly, many people
try to fulfill that longing with
material things
c. They never succeed,
for only one thing can fulfill it: God
Himself!
3. Contentment comes,
then, from understanding that material
things will never
provide lasting satisfaction
E. FINALLY, TRUE
CONTENTMENT IS A GIFT FROM GOD...
1. Here is another
observation Solomon made in his search for
life's meaning:
a. The ability to enjoy
the fruits of one's labor is a gift
from God –
“There is nothing better
for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul
enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? For God giveth
to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the
sinner he giveth travail, to gether and to heap up, that he may give to him
that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.”
Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
“I know that there is no
good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also
that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it
is the gift of God.”
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
“Behold that which I have
seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good
of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God
giveth him: for it is portion. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and
wealth, and hath give him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to
rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. For he shall not much remember
the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.”
b. On the other hand,
many are allowed to "gather" and
"collect", but
will not enjoy the fruits of their labor
“For God giveth to a man
that is good in his sight wisdom and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he
giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good
before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.”
Ecclesiastes 6:1-2
“There is an evil which I
have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: a man to whom God hath
given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of
all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a
stranger eateth it: this vanity, and it is an evil disease.”
2. God has the ability
to provide lasting satisfaction
“Oh that men would
praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children
of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with
goodness.”
a. He promises to give
that which truly satisfies (makes one
content)
“Ho, every one that
thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and
eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do
ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labour for that which
satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and
let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me:
hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with
you, even the sure mercies of David.”
b. And in Christ, He
enables one to be content –
“Not that I speak in
respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be
content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where
and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to
abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth
me.”
-- Contentment comes,
then, when God sees fit to bless us with
that which truly
satisfies: "the sure mercies of David"
the blessings promised
through the coming Messiah
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