Philippians: The Joy of Contentment, Lesson 8 of 8 (Philippians 4:10-21)

LEARNING GOALS Ø To develop true contentment. Ø To learn what it means to live in Christ’s strengthening. Ø To understand generous giving and contentment. Ø To increase trusting God’s faithfulness in meeting your needs. Ø To realize how being content brings glory to God in our lives.

OUTLINE 1. INTRODUCTION 2. PAUL’S TESTIMONY OF CONTENTMENT 3. PAUL’S TEACHING ON CONTENTMENT

INTRODUCTION

Everyone is searching for contentment, but few find it: • Some think if I could just get a better job with more pay then I would be content. • If I had a bigger house or a luxury car then I would be content. • If I had a different husband or wife then I would be content. • If I get the latest iPhone or increase my golf driver then I would be content. • If I could just win the lottery then I would be really be content. • If all my problems would suddenly disappear then I would be content.

But none of those things work.

In fact, the more we get the more discontent we become. And we discover that the absence of problems doesn’t produce contentment.

How can we be content? That is question these closing verses of Philippians answer.

1 The says a lot about contentment: • 1 Timothy 6:6 says, “But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.” Then verse 8 adds, “If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.” • Hebrews 13:5 says, “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”

Philippians 4:12–21 is the most extended passage on contentment in the Bible.

It relates back to what Paul wrote in the first part of Philippians 4 that we looked at last week. There will be no contentment when we are mired down in worry and anxiety.

Contentment is rejoicing in the Lord always in every circumstance. • Contentment comes to a heart that is humbly submitted to God’s will and work in and through your life. • Contentment comes from a consistent, confident prayer life. • Contentment comes to a heart and mind that is guarded by the peace of God. • Contentment comes to a mind that is not conformed to the world’s thinking but is being renewed by the Word of God.

Paul sums all this up about how he learned contentment and encouraged the Philippians to be content.

Intertwined in this passage are two of the most familiar and most often quoted verses: • Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” • Philippians 4:19, “And my God will supply all you needs according to His riches in glory in Christ .”

But these are not stand-alone verses. Their powerful meaning is unfolded in the context of being content.

Paul’s Testimony of Contentment Philippians 4:10-13

There was a special relationship between Paul and the church in .

Back in chapter 1:5 Paul described it as partnership or fellowship in the gospel. Paul had planted the church in Philippi and through the years they had prayed for him, supported him, and shared the gospel at Philippi and beyond.

2 Paul says their hearts were knit together in their passion for Jesus, their affections for one another, and their commitment to sharing the gospel with others at home and around the world.

In their loving concern for Paul’s needs in the Roman prison, the church sent a love offering to him. In verse 10 he expresses his joy-filled gratitude, “But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lack opportunity.”

The lack of opportunity means that Paul was not in need before.

Now his circumstances have changed and he is grateful for their support. “Not that I speak of want” in verse 11 means that Paul had not asked for support.

He did not send out a letter asking, “help me.” Instead, the Philippians had learned of Paul’s need from the report of others.

This leads to Paul’s remarkable word of testimony in verse 11, “for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.”

How did Paul learn contentment, deep peace in his soul?

In the book of Philippians there are three answers. One from his earlier testimony and the other two from this passage in Philippians 4.

He believed God is in control. The FIRST WAY Paul learned contentment was in a strong faith that God is on His Throne and is control of what happens in the lives of His people. Paul’s contentment was grounded in the providence of God.

Providence means that God orchestrates the circumstances of our lives to accomplish His purpose.

There are times when we are going through difficulties that don’t make sense at the moment. But when time passes, we can look back we see that God was working, and orchestrating, causing all things to work together for our good and His glory, even when we did not see at the time.

Back at the second half of , Paul gave his testimony to the providence of God at work in his imprisonment.

The congregation at Philippi was greatly concern about him being in prison. So, he writes to assure them his imprisonment had turned out for the great advancement of the gospel.

3 He was able to win people to Jesus that he could not have reached if he was not in prison.

Chained to the ever-shifting members of the Praetorian Guard, he shared the gospel with them, and some were saved, and a church was planted in the household of Caesar Nero at the very center of paganism.

God’s providence brought Paul to Rome and to prison for that purpose.

This testimony would have stirred memories in the Philippians of how they had seen the providence of God at work. Rome was not the first time Paul had been in prison. When he first came to Philippi in Acts 16, Paul and were unjustly thrown into prison.

Instead of complaining about their circumstances they “were praying and singing hymns of praise to God.” You can only do that if you believe that God is in control. And He is!

God sent an earthquake and the doors of the prison opened and the chains were unfastened. God is the chain breaker! The result was the conversion of the Philippian jailor and his household. The planting of church at Philippi was grounded in the providence of God.

If you do not see God in control, then your circumstances will often look out of control. Worry and fear will follow.

If you see God in control and in His providence working out His purpose to conform you more in likeness to Christ, to teach you faith, or to give you opportunities to Jesus with other, then you will learn contentment.

His focus was not on finances. The SECOND WAY Paul learned contentment was in the bare sustenance, the meager food, and uncomfortable conditions of prison. He has already thanked the Philippians for their financial gift although he did not ask for it.

Now he adds in 12, “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.”

He is saying, I have been poor, and I have had enough financially. My contentment is grounded in something much more valuable: the Kingdom and the advancement of the Kingdom.

Question: What do you think most Americans would say brings them contentment?

4 American culture is obsessed with the idea that contentment can only be found in getting more and more money. For example, prosperity preachers have gained a large following by calling poverty a curse and promising if you have enough faith you will become wealthy.

Paul is saying that type of thinking is hollow and false.

The Bible says a lot about finances: • In 1 Timothy 6:9–10 after exhorting us to be content with the basics of food and clothes Paul adds a strong warning, “But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” • In Matthew 16:26 Jesus asked, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” • In Matthew 6:32–33 Jesus assures us about the basic needs of life, “Your Father knows what you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Contentment is not found in your net worth statement, your checkbook balance, or with how much is in your retirement account. Contentment is found in your relationship with Jesus and in your passion for His Kingdom.

He lived above his own strength. The THIRD WAY that Paul learned contentment was in understanding what it means to live in divine strength. In verse 13 he testifies, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” The “Him” of course is Christ.

Paul is saying I am connected to Christ, Christ lives in me, therefore I have a supernatural strength for every situation.

In :7–10 Paul tells how he learned this vital lesson. He talks about his thorn in the flesh, his point of real weakness. We do not know what that was in his life. We just know that we all have those places in our lives.

Paul called it a messenger of Satan that beat him up and beat him down. In three different long seasons of prayer Paul asked the Lord to take this area of weakness out of his life. Jesus answer to those prayers is in verse 9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”

To this Paul responds in verses 9b, “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weakness, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”

5 At the end of verse 10 he says, “when I am weak then I am strong” because my weakness makes me totally dependent on Christ to work powerfully in and through my life.

How can you know the strengthening of Christ in daily life? John 15 tells us how.

The word “abide” means to remain, stay put, be closely connected. In John 15:4–5 Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Life flows from the vine to the branches. Separated from the vine, the branch has no life in itself.

Jesus said we are to live closely connected to him in an intimate relationship so that His life is flowing into us, because apart from Him we can do nothing. He then adds two more essentials to abiding in Him: • Abiding in His Word (verse 7)–You cannot be strong in the Lord without spending time in His Word and letting Him speak to your heart. • Abiding in his love (verse 9)–which leads to applying His presence and His Word to daily life in glad obedience.

In our own strength we all falter and fall on our faces over and over. In dependence on His mighty strength, we can do all things.

Questions: When do you tend to rely on your own strength over the Lord’s strength? Why?

Paul Teaching on Contentment Philippians 4:14-23

Paul returns again to the gift the church had sent, but this time as an object lesson in contentment.

There are several characteristics of their giving biblically:

• They were faithful in giving. In verses 14–16 he talks about the fact that other churches had forgotten him in giving support, but that the Philippians sent him support often. “Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving

6 and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.” • They were sacrificial in giving. The church at Philippi was a generous church but it was a poor church. They gave graciously and sacrificially because of their commitment to Jesus as Lord. In 1 Corinthians 8 Paul is teaching the church in Corinth about giving. He uses the church at Philippi as an example saying their giving was characterized by an “abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.” How did they give joyfully and generously out of their poverty? Verse 5 Paul said that he did not expect them to give this way, but they did so because “they first gave themselves to the Lord.” • They gave willingly. In Corinthians 8:4 the Philippians were. “begging us with much urging for the favor of participation.” They were saying to Paul, “Pease let us give!” • They were God-pleasing in giving. In Philippians 4:18 Paul said, “But I have received everything in full and have in abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from what you have sent.” But he wants them to know that they had not just given to him, but they had given to God, And God saw their gift as “a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.”

The lesson Paul is teaching in contentment is in Philippians 4:17. Paul said what really matters is not how the gift helped him but “the profit it has on your account.”

He is saying your giving has demonstrated your faith and faithfulness before the Lord.

Therefore, you can confidently stand on the promise of verse 19, “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

If you live within your resources, you will never find contentment. But if you live in the unlimited resource and loving care of God you will find true contentment.

In the closing verse Paul points to three importance principles of living a contented life.

• It brings glory to God. Verse 20, “Now to our and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen” • It encourages others. In verses 21–22 Paul asks that the Philippians share greetings with the other churches in their area. Then he said of others in Rome, “The brethren who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.” Your participation in the gospel has encouraged everyone here. • It is supplied by the grace of Jesus. Verse 23, “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with your spirit.”

7 No wonder Paul said, “But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.”

Questions: • What are some specific ways you can give generously with contentment? How will giving generously challenge your faithfulness?

CHALLENGE

1. This week take time to write down some of the ways God’s providence has been demonstrated in your life. 2. What best identifies your giving? a. ______Joy (I am thankful I can give) b. ______Hesitance (I don’t think I can afford to give) c. ______Committed (I give regularly) d. ______Sporadic (I give from time to time)

Written by: Dr. Don Dunavant, Bellevue Member, Life Group Teacher, Retired Professor and Pastor

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