Are You Content With Christ?

0:00After 13, a while back, I read a story by a guy named Lloyd Cumbleton, as you might imagine, he's British. That's what was Sir Henry Parnell. He was the Secretary of War in Britain in the mid-1800s. And as he came down, Stas, when he overheard his cook exclaim, oh, so if I only had five pounds, I'd be so content. I was thinking about a little bit of work, and kind of eager to see if they weren't encouraged, the band handed out a five pound note. That's probably about 4 to 50 bucks, but still, that was something. And she thanked him, of course, profusely. And as he turned to her back upstairs, he paused outside the door to hear if they really would express her satisfaction and thank God for it. And as soon as he was around the corner, and he'd go in and say, what did I say, 10?

1:00You can laugh, OK, you get the idea there. Funny story, a true story, but here's kind of the unsettling part. That woman's response would probably be mad at the role than the exception. One of the chronic failures of the human heart is discontent. And it's also an inner role. When real courtiers learned to see themselves, telling ourselves, is this what he did? You know, if I only had this, if only I had this much, if only this circumstance would change, if only this was different, I would be content. But so often, that's not the case. It's been about eight years now since I've been a short series on Wednesday nights about this matter of contentment. And my assertion, as we began that study, was we all struggle with discontent.

2:04And it went over, I think about that series. It always brings a smile to my face, primarily because I love this graphic. It's just of all the graphics. I just, it just, so hits the point. But when we first stepped here two weeks ago, I was standing through the first book of the Psalms, last week we had with a Joe here with us. And I'm not quite ready to move into our new series yet. So just recently, as I was thinking about things and reading some things, a little prompted me that maybe it's some time for us to give a little renewed attention to the subject of our contentment as believers. So that's what we're going to do tonight. And we're going to look at just two verses in Hebrews 13, for many verses that had to do with the matter of contentment. So take a look at Hebrews 13 verses 5 and 6. Right, a Hebrew says, let your conversation, let your, let your health, let your character, let your matter of living, be with our covetousness

3:06and be content with such things as you have. The half said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. So that when I barely say, the light is my helper. And I will not fear that man shall do unto me. And there are many passages in scripture that the challenge is about being content. Probably the most familiar one for most of us is Philippians 5, stating in verse 11, verse, as not that I speak in respect of land, for I've learned what's overstair, I'm there left to be content. I know they've had a big base. And I know they've had a bond. Everywhere in all our films, I am instructed about to be full and to be hungry, about to a bond and to suffer need. And then here's kind of the secret, if you will. I can do our things through Christ who strengthens me. And in our text really highlights that same secret.

4:08We need to find contentment in Jesus, not in stuff, in the Lord, not in our circumstances. And Paul tells us that contentment is found as we rest in Christ. And in the author of Hebrews dies our attention to that same point. So to that end, I've filmed the title of the message tonight as a question that really each of us needs to ask ourselves, and we need to answer before they're answered. And the question for us is this, are you content with Christ? Am I content with Christ? Is Jesus enough? Let's begin with prayer. Father, we are thankful that you have given us all that will need for life and godliness, given us salvation, given us the resources to learn and grow and live for you

5:12and walk with you. I pray, Father, that you would help us to make that our priority and not our earthly pursuits. I pray, Father, that you'd help us tonight to be honest with ourselves about the start of our soul, whether we're content, whether we're discontent, whether we're complaining, whether we're satisfied because you are enough. So we ask for your help. So we spend this time together in your work. Jesus, name my prayer, amen. So someone has pointed out that our texts tonight, these two verses is comprised of basically a command, a premise, and a response, okay? Take a look at these verses with me. He was 13-5. Here's the command, let your conversation, let your man of meaning live living, being without consciousness, literally without the other man, and be content with such things as you have. So that's what we're talking about to do.

6:12And then he gives us a promise, for he had said, I will never leave you, nor forsake me in a hot, bitter response, so that we will badly say, the life is my helper. And I will not fear it, no, shall do, and to me, I will not fear what circumstances may it be for me. I have the word, he's enough. So to begin by considering the core, the action that God gives us, meaning of what he says, be immature, if be met by consciousness, but instead be content with what you have. Now, there's not much to add to that, I know it's pretty straightforward. And now, if we're honest with ourselves, I think we now recognize that way, we struggle sometimes to obey that command. We struggle with discontent. We struggle with the desire for more. We struggle with the love of money. We struggle with the being satisfied

7:12with our circumstances. And then salary discontent becomes one of those, and I call them, yeah, but since, okay. Yeah, I should be content. You can't, you don't understand it. It's, it's proud. Now, you know, I should be doing this, but you know, I can explain it. And that's certainly understandable that there's a word struggle in this area. And there are out of sins like that, you know, in our lives, clean cut sins, so to speak. Things that we tell ourselves, don't really hurt anybody. We just kind of hover that sin and pamper that sin, and that attitude and that thinking in our lives, and tell ourselves that God understands and it's okay. But let me suggest folks that maybe it's not God who needs to understand that we're the ones who don't understand. For example, do you understand that discontent is a vile sin?

8:14We might be, that is the last thing that doesn't really hurt anyone. It's one of those acceptable, right? Easily, we're not sure how to show us a way to live that sin. Let me remind us of another familiar text about being content. First, one of these six, starting in verse six, but Godliness with contentment is great gain. For that nothing in this world, and it's certain we can tell you nothing out. And having food and ramen, let us know that we're being content. But those that worry about it, and those who have a desire for riches, fall into temptation and a snare, and a too many foolish and hurtful us, which drown in indestruction and the perdition, they stand fair because the love of money is the root of our evil, which we are some covered after, they have ad from the theft, and push themselves through with many sorrows.

9:15So, so we'll call the rate of humans for telling us to keep our lives free from the harsh sin of discontent. You know, instead, be content. Now, you might say, what do you mean the hellish sin of discontent? Isn't that, isn't that a little bit maybe overstated, a little bit sensationalized? Folks, I would suggest it's not. You know, we want to minimize it, but God doesn't. You know, look at the language of the text before you. You know, we want to save it. We're not even talking about discontent drowning people in indestruction and perdition, or perdition means damnation. So, so let's agree of the love of money, covetousness, discontent. These are serious matters. We ought to run from them like the plague, and yet that's easier said than done.

10:16Well, back, I happened to buy a little book written by Thomas Watson. Some of your familiar with that name, Watson was a non-conformist, pure-tent preacher, author, and anyone in the mad at 1600s. And interestingly, Watson was known by his peers for his intense study of the word of God. And if you read anything that he's written, it shows. And the book that I came up on is entitled the art of divine contentment, an exposition of Philippians 4.11. It's a short word book, and it's available online. And the CCU or that word, you can get it for yourself. It's about 75 pages, all focused on just one verse of scripture. And one of the verses that I read a few minutes ago, right? Philippians 4.11, not that I speak in respect of one. But I've learned in which I have a state I am. Okay, and that includes the state of Illinois, okay? I've learned in which I have a state I am, by birth to born content. And in Ratson offers a number of strategies, he calls them.

11:20But for certain contentment that are just as relevant to Bay is when he wrote them something like 350 years ago. Here's the first. Watson says, the way for a man to be contented is not by raising his a state higher, but by bringing his heart lower. Now that's the good old 1600 English that doesn't always fit so well in African accurate. So I'm going to read that into something a bit more meaningful in using a 21st century word talking. You grow in contentment, not by adding to what you have, but by subtracting from what you desire. Okay, let that sink in for a minute, right? The way you grow in contentment is that they're having more, but by wanting less. But it says that you'll find contentment when you're positions rise to the level of your desires. But as believers folks, we need to find contentment, not by pursuing things to satisfy those desires.

12:21But by bringing our desires down to whatever it is that God has given to us, those things, the circumstances, the resources to which God has entrusted us. In other words, find joy in what God has already and is presently giving you. The story is told of a wealthy businessman who was disturbed to find a fisherman just saying where he's going beside his boat. And he couldn't help himself, and he just said to the fisherman, why don't you have a profession? And the fisherman said because I've caught enough fish for today. He's now going to go out and catch me out of this. They start on, the fisherman says, well, why would I want to do that? And the businessman says, because you could run away. And then you could be a bigger boat so you could go out there and catch you than my fish. And then you could purchase a man out there so you could build a bigger catch, make my money.

13:21Eventually you could have a fleet of boats and a whole staff of fishermen and do what's at mean. And the fisherman says, okay, then what would I do? Well, so the businessman, you'd be able to sit down in your life to watch the first revenge he gave out over the water and said, and what do you think I'm doing now? And it's about our mindset. And that's about our pursuits. You grow in contentment not by adding to what you have but by subtracting from what you desire. Then Franklin said, contentment makes poor men rich. And this contentment makes rich men poor. Now, that's a reasonable answer. Well, so our second strategy from Thomas Watson, and again, I'm the one that he said, but same idea, strategy number two, you grow in contentment by making wise comparisons, grown contentment by making wise comparisons.

14:22We look at people around us who have more. We look at people who redeem those circumstances more desirable. Maybe they seem healthier, they're younger. They have more stuff. They have more opportunities. They have a better job. They have this. They have that. And we'll look at them and we compare ourselves and we find ourselves lacking. And then we start asking God, you know why them and not me? Remember Psalm 73? Why did they make a password? Why did these people seem to have all these things in our doubt? And that kind of comparison is uneranged. It's a wrong comparison that can only lead to discontent. And so I have to suggest five comparisons that can help us to be content. Here's the first one. Compessing a condition to what you deserve rather than to what you desire.

15:25You know, it comes to kindness and mercy that has given us more than we deserve. And then it comes to trouble and affliction that has given us less than what we deserve. Here's an interesting verse that you may not be familiar with, but even if whatever, this is what I remember with Alkisa. But Israel 9.13, it says, and after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespass, seeing that now our blood has punished us less than our liquidies deserve. And it's given us such a deliverance as this. He says, you know, we have been punished less than what we deserve. God would have every cause to withhold all His blessings from us. And yet He has so richly blessed us. And He has treated us with such kindness and we deserve none of it. Thomas Watson was writing at a time

16:27when many pastors were being thrown into prison. How could these men who were enduring this suffering be content like Paul was when he was in prison? And Watson speaks to them and uses this argument of comparing your condition with what you deserve. Watson says, has God thrown us into prison? You might have thrown us into hell. You know, it's all about your perspective, about what you compare to. Here's a second wise comparison, compare your condition with others who have less, okay? Point here simple and familiar. We so easily look at those who have more than we do and we feel discontent. Instead we should look to those who have less and be thankful. No Watson says, am I in prison? Well Daniel was in a worse place. He was in the lion's den, right? There's somebody who's got it worse than you. This is the argument your man used when you were complaining about your dinner as a kid and she reminded your man was starving, traveling in India or China or wherever it was, right?

17:29That's it. You know, let's look at some good you have it. Let's stop comparing yourself with what you are at and think about the blessings that you have. Someone who said, I'm mad because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet. So comparison number two. Compare your condition with others who have less. Number three, compare your condition with Christs on earth. You know, you're unhappy with your home. Well in Matthew 8, 20 Jesus said to Foxes, have holes and the birds of the earth have nests. But the son of man have not where to lay his death. Are you unhappy with your appearance? In Isaiah 52, 14, when Robert has message, we're so mad, we're than any man. In his form, we're in the sons of men. And the cross Jesus was hardly recognizable as a man. If your friends let you down, Jesus knows how that feels. Matthew 26, 56 says, then all the disciples

18:29for sook him and fled. You know, folks, whenever we are facing difficulty, it will help us to see that Jesus knew more about hardship and deprivation than you or I ever will. And he deserved none of it. You know, we don't get what we deserve. God treats us way, way too kind. Here's another wise comparison. Compare your condition with what it once was. What's in suggest thinking about your condition? And you were born spiritually. You were lost and headed to hell. Mativity will have nothing in the match from the one. Or rather, when we read 1 Timothy 6, 7, which says that we brought nothing into this world. You may not have earned your land in this world, but you certainly have more than you brought into it. And then lastly, he says, compare your condition with what it will soon be. The same text 1 Timothy 6, 7 continues, right? It says where we brought nothing into this world

19:30and it is certain we can carry nothing out. There's a time coming and perhaps sooner than we think. When everything you have ever wanted in this world will be of no use to you whatsoever. You know, people say you can't take it with you. And it's a trait little saying, but it's true. But it's true. You know, there's, you take nothing with us. When we die, we leave every material thing behind. That's why Paul says in collage, in three, two, set your affection on things above. Not on things on the earth. Verse three continues, he says, for ye are dead in your life is hid with Christ in God. Most of us are familiar with these words. Only one life will soon be passed, only what's done for Christ will last. And that's taken from a poem written by a missionary CT study. And there are eight stanzas I told him,

20:31and they'll all end with that same little expression. I'm going to read you just one of those stanzas. State rats, when this white world would tempt me sore, when Satan would a victory score, when self would seek to have its way, then help me, Lord, with joy to say, only one life will soon be passed, only what's done for Christ will last. So Watson suggests these wise comparisons as a strategy for developing a contented heart, as a way of cultivating a proper perspective of contentment. And that's something that God commands. Let's go back to our text, Hebrews 13.5, let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have. And let me say it a different way, right? Don't worry about it with covetousness. Let's not be content, then satisfying,

21:34with whatever God has given you, and whatever he's withheld for me. So that's the essence of the command, be content with such things as you have. And in order to obey that command, we're all only started. I said our text has three parts. First of all, a command, then there's a promise. Okay, so let's look again at our text, Hebrews 13.5, let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have. For he had said, here's the promise, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. You know, notice that the God doesn't make his appear. He doesn't give his command, and then add a threat. He doesn't do it like sometimes we do as parents. You know, and so don't do this or else, you are in real my trouble. You know, now he does passion. That's about the dangers and things like that. But he says, if you want to deal with this promise, if you want to obey this command, here's the secret.

22:34Here's the point. Rest, trust in this promise. I will never leave you, nor forsake you. The motivation and power for obeying the command lies in the promise. We obey the command by believing the promise. That's really, that's how we love the Christian life. We obey God's commands by resting in his promises. We follow what God tells us to do by just finding strength in what he has said, the words of encouragement of goods, the promises that he makes, the assurances that he gives us. And this is a particularly amazing promise. That says, I will never leave you, I will never forsake you. To be forsaken by God will be, I suppose, the worst thing imaginable. I mean, completely alone, totally helpless, and utterly helpless forever. It'd be a horrible thing. That's what hell is all about, right? Being cast out forever from God.

23:37But God says, listen, if you will, if you will just simply believe my word, it will never happen to you. You'll never be alone. You'll never be without my help. Whatever you face, you'll never face it without the light of hope. Whatever happens, I'll be with you. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Commentators, point out that in the Greek text, there are actually five negatives in that short, little promise. You know, what does it mean, no? No, you can't translate that in the English because we view a dilemma of a term as a positive. But in the Greek language, a dilemma of a term simply adds emphasis. In fact, the word is called a dilemma of a term an emphatic negation in that ancient language. In the English promise, we have five of them or a pile up on top of each other. One commentator says, this is perhaps the strongest negation in the Bible.

24:38And the idea would be like this. I will never, never leave you. I will never, never, ever, ever forsake you. When Spurgeon quotes down this text, can tell it of his message, never, never, never, never, never, five, never. That was his title to his message on that verse. And folks, you can trust God on this. When he says never, he means never. Unless there be any doubt, he says it five times. He's the father who loves you. He's the son, the savior who redeems you at the expense of his own blood. He is the spirit who indwells you. And he says, I will never, ever leave you. I will never forsake you. That means there will never be a time when you do not have a father who loves you. There will never be a time when you do not

25:39have a savior to God and keep you. There will never be a time when you do not have the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to bond and sustain you. And Christian contentment finds its roots in this truth that we have God. And that is enough. Everything else is just icing on the cake, isn't it? Everything else is just God's peripheral blessings that he chooses to pour out upon us. But ultimately, what we need and what we have is the father who loves us, the savior who died for us, the Holy Spirit who indwells us and enables us. And we'll always have him. And that is enough. And this promise is ours because of Jesus. One of my favorite verses in all the Bible, 2 Corinthians 1.20, for all the promises of God in him,

26:39and even those Jesus, all the promises of God in Jesus are ye that they yes. And in him, amen, under the glory of God by us. Picture a message on that text in the first couple of months after we came back in February of 2010. And the idea is, you know what? Whatever questions you may have, the answer in Jesus is yes. And whatever promise you see, the answer in Jesus is amen, which means it is certain. You can count on it. You can rest, secure it. And then it says, under the glory of God by us, in the point of that final little phrase in that verse, is this, that when we believe the promises of God, when we rest in those promises, God is glorified. When we say, Jesus, yes, you're the answer. Yes, you're the amen, you're the need. And we believe those promises, God is glorified.

27:41We do so under the glory of God by us. Second Peter 1, 4 tells us that God has given us exceeding great and precious promises. And then can be more important or more precious than this one. I will never leave you nor foresee. You can draw strength from this promise. And it's not the only time that God makes such a promise. God made a similar promise to Joshua as he faced the challenge of leadership upon the death of Moses. In Joshua 1, verse 5, God tells Joshua, just as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, and the idea is therefore be strong and of a good courage. So this is a promise for when you're afraid. It's a promise for when you face an overwhelming challenge. In Isaiah 43 and verse 2, God promises when you pass through the others, I will bear with you.

28:43If it's anxiety or worry, it is at its root, anticipating a problem without realizing the strength that Jesus will give you to meet it. Now, that statement is an original with me. Sadly, I don't remember where I read it. I just found it in some notes I had from years ago, but it's on the point here. What we worry, we get anxious, we get concerned because we fail to be reminded of the promise that Jesus is with us, and he will give us absolutely to face that challenge. Whether it's in the material realm, whether it's in similar realm, whatever it might be, whatever it's bringing us down, whatever it's causing us to wish for something different, to be discontent. The answer is, Jesus is with us, and he'll give us the strength and the grace and the enabling to face it and to go through it. The presence of Jesus is the Christian answer to fear. When you know that God has said,

29:43I'll never leave you or forsake you, then you'll be able to stay with confidence, there will be my helper, and I will not fear. Fear it, man shall do unto me. That's where six of my texts. Thomas Promise helps us in the face of great difficulty. It also helps us when we need to take a step of faith. God made us promise to Solomon, who was kind of in the opposite position from Joshua. God used God to establish a great kingdom. There was not more to conquer in that particular moment. And so the great temptation for Solomon was to just kind of sit back and listen to him as comfort zone, to put self-sort of speak to head back. Couldn't even head back on bailing the temple after all. You know, you don't even believe it, the man after bailed on head, hadn't done so. Ready to at the very end, but he hadn't. And the bailer, of course, David's last words to Solomon, it includes a long list about it, David has done to gather the materials, for better than the temple, and then David says to Solomon in first Chronicles 20 or 20, be strong, and have a good church, and do it.

30:45Fear not, nor be this made, for the lesson God, even my God, will be with thee. He will not fail me, nor for a safety, until all has finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. Now, there are times in our lives when the greatest temptation is to play it safe when God wants you to step out in faith. And that can certainly be the case when it comes to our finances. You know, God prompts you to be generous and we wanna hold back. And at times like that, you need to remember this promise. You can step out, because God is with you. And He'll never, ever leave you. He'll always be there to take care of you. There's a third place where we find this promise in the Bible, and then we need to be done. It's a promise made to people who have found that it is costly to follow Jesus.

31:46And this third place where we find this promise is right here in the book of Hebrews. Let me just add a little background. Fire and Christ have been costly for these Jewish believers. The Hebrews that the author is writing to. Costly in many ways, but one way was financial. The authorities had come in and confiscated their property simply because they were believers. And some were apparently beginning to wonder if the cost was worth it. And that's why there is so much in this epistle about persevering. Just keep going. Don't turn back. Don't give up. Keep going forward. Keep trusting. Keep moving ahead. And in Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 34, the writer says, for you have compassion of me in my bonds. And took joyful and despairing. And this is God speaking to them. And took joyful and despairing of your guts. Merlin in yourselves that you have in heaven, a better

32:47and enduring substance that goes back to that compare with what's to come. Well, on the one hand, in terms of earthly goods, what's to come, we can't take it with us. On the other hand, when we step into the presence of the Lord, we will have every, every rich thing, you know, not necessarily the material things, though I think an abundance of theirs, but they won't be unconcerned. We'll find the riches of Christ in our presence with him to be the answer to all of those things. And the writer of Hebrews says, you know what? Don't be taken aback because it has cost you something to follow Jesus. He won't leave you. He won't forsake you. And he'll be there when you step into eternity. You've chosen Jesus. You've chosen to take up your cross and follow him. And to you, God says, I will never, never, never, never, never review you. You'll always have a loving Father and a redeeming Savior and the power of the Spirit of God always.

33:47I'll never, never forsake you. That's the promise that God has made. So we've looked at the command and the promise. And all that remains is our response to that promise. And this really is the conclusion of the message tonight. Look at verse six, so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper. And I will not fear what man shall do to me. Folks, the secret to obeying God's command about being content is to believe the promise. Of his presence. And as you believe the promise in so doing, you're, you're then obeying the command. And doing that puts you in a position to know with confidence that God is your helper and that you have nothing to fear. Folks, is Jesus enough for you?

34:48Are you content in him? That's the question where we began. That's where the question where I wanted to finish up today. Knowing that you have a father who loves you, a Savior who stands with you, the Holy Spirit who indwells you. And he has promised that he will never, ever, ever leave you or forsake you. Whatever things tug at your heart and make you feel discontent, you can let go of those things. And believe God's promise and let him draw you close to him. Peace in life comes from knowing that everything that concerns you is in the hands of the Savior who loves you, who gave himself for you and who promises never to leave you. I will never leave you or forsake you. You can be content with that. Our Father, we are thankful for the promises that we find in your

35:49were rich and precious promises, dear promises, powerful promises. I pray that you would help us to be people who are are not governed by our circumstances, but rather who are just held in your hand and strained by the love of Christ and secure knowing that you are always with us. And that your grace is always special. Yes, your blessing is we spend a few minutes together now in prayer of Jesus in my prayer.