Content?

Philippians 4:4-20

Theme: Contentment is a by-product of faith and trust that Jesus is near; GOD is active in more ways that we can imagine and therefore by the Spirit we can have the strength to cope with whatever comes our way.

We’re continuing in our series in Philippians. And in the letter, the Apostle Paul is trying to explain something about life. He calls it, being in Christ. So, we’ve discussed God’s love for people, God’s willingness to do whatever possible to bring us into close contact with himself. And last week we talked about how all of this, when accepted, produces joy. The topic today is contentment as a further result of being in Christ. Let’s see what that means.

A. Who is content?

To begin, let’s take a look at a couple of pictures. The first I have is called the Scream by Edvard Munch, showing an agonized figure, a man? A woman? Overwhelmed.

Edvad said of the painting: “I was walking along a path with two friends – the sun was setting – suddenly the sky turned blood red – I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned on the fence – there was blood and tongues of fire above the blue-black fjord and the city – my friends walked on, and I stood there trembling with anxiety – and I sensed an infinite scream passing through nature.” Paul would say all creation is groaning.

What caused the scream? It may have been the artist’s sensitive nature realizing that all is not right in the world. Focused in part of the situation of his manic depressive sister.  Some say that this painting describes an individual suffering from a mental disorder known by a sense of going through the motions of life but not experiencing it, feeling as though one is in a movie, loss of connection with one's identity, feeling as though one is in a dream, feeling a disconnection from one's body.

Do you ever feel your life slipping away like that? Just one job after the next, another patient, field; no say in the matter, just going through the motions?

I have another painting. This one may also be familiar. It’s by Vincent VanGogh entitled Starry Night. Painting while in a hospital working through a depression, VanGogh offers hope. The bright moon and stars are light in the darkness. The gentle swirls of the night are not black, but blue. A moment of calm in his anguish.

He once said of the night that “There are moments in life when everything within us too is peace and atmosphere” Starry Night is a fight between a man and his anxiety. And the man believes that darkness will not overcome the light.

So both paintings are a response to life. The Scream an anguished cry of hopelessness and Starry Night, a scream for hope, light and love.

And now the point: which reality best reflects where you are in life. Or to put it another way, are you content? Is there a deep urge for different/better/more going on inside that threatens to overwhelm? Is there a calm that seems unreasonable given the business and challenges of life?

What do you think it would it take to be content?

A cure, another baby, reconciliation or healing from a past hurt? Would contentment come with one more quarter, a larger practice or class or congregation?

Our text says,” ¹² 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. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Wow, so who’s there yet? I confess that I’m not. Taken at face value Paul seems to have few complaints about life and I believe that. The Bible repeatedly teaches that contentment is a sign of spiritual maturity. So, while I’m not fully content with my life, the lingering dis-content does bother me. And that it bothers me I take as a good sign. Maybe others here can relate.

Let’s explore our text and maybe discover the source of Paul’s contentment. There are three things to say and the first is that

B. Biblical contentedness is

1.      Just as important in plenty as in want

Paul stresses that having or not having is not the issue. He’d experienced both and in the end it makes no difference.  It seems that consumerism has confused many people into believing that more is better and contentment comes through having more of whatever we may desire.  Paul didn’t believe it then and contented people don’t believe it now.

So Paul does not write his thanks for their gift because he had felt neglected. He writes because he sees them maturing in their faith. His joy was never based on what he had; Paul’s joy and contentment was based on believing that God would meet his needs in Christ Jesus. That is a statement of maturing faith.

Bottom line: contentedness has nothing to do with how much or how little one has or any other external factor.  And as I spend time with people who believe as Paul does, I see it’s true.

“In Christ, many have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

The second thing about Biblical Contentedness is that it is

2.      realistic and Intentional

In verse 14 Paul mentions his troubles. Paul is not in denial; he acknowledges reality. In this life, with or without Jesus, there will be trouble.  Mature believers know that living in denial is dangerous because it is a recipe for fragile immature faith. Faith is tested and strengthened through pain and hardship Paul has spoken on that time and again. It’s why he reminds us that we share in Jesus’ suffering. It makes Christ followers strong and mature, wise in the world as it is.

At the same time, the truth is that God hates suffering.  But rather than writing about how God has let him down, Paul makes no excuses and gives no easy answers to the source of his troubles. He will focus on the one who walks with him through all of it. So when trouble comes some ask: Is it a test? Is it intentional, an act of discipline from a loving heavenly father? Are some troubles allowed for some other purpose? Are some troubles bound to come because that’s normal for followers of Jesus? Or is trouble simply the reality of living in a broken world?

The Bible teaches all of the above, but the point is that believers are called to take troubles seriously so that reliance on the Spirit and contentment may grow. And in this way Paul is also intentional. Rather than trying to dodge troubles or to deny them. He faces what comes because he is convinced that Jesus is near. Both in the sense of being present in all of life, unseen but close. And he is convinced that Jesus’ return will happen at any moment.

Paul believes that Jesus’ words are true: no one knows the day or hour when the end will come – save the father. And for that reason, trying to figure it out is useless. The power of the Christian life is in living each day with passion; doing whatever it is we do the best we can – to God’s glory. It may be the last day we have.

Mature believers aren’t looking for an escape or deny the reality of suffering; they have not given up on God being able to fix things. They have not given in to joyless obligation. Living with a strong belief that Christ is near means being prepared, alert and watchful, making every day count as a precious gift from God. Paul lives that way; mature believers live with a view to the life to come so that they can truly live right now. For the sake of others, for the sake of the world, for their own joy and contentment. As we read, so as to attain to the resurrection.

They know that they can do all this through him who gives strength.

And finally, Biblical contentedness is

3.      God given

That should be no surprise. How else can someone learn the secret? It’s too big, too radical to dream up on our own.  In verses 8-9, Paul says think about all the ways you see God at work in the world, in your life and mine. Copy what I do and God will grant peace.

Copy, walk the path I’ve walked.

We began with two paintings and I asked which one was truer of your life. We might also say, which path are you walking? Paul’s path involved a moment of clarity when something died. He met Jesus in a flash of light and had a choice to make: remain blind or receive sight.

His religious efforts couldn’t do it. He had to die to self. We all do. Choosing sight meant giving up striving for more/better/different in order to find joy, peace and contentment.

And that image is Paul’s standard answer to what it means to be in Christ. Contentment comes through dying that’s the only way.

A few more pictures may help us understand the situation.

The first is this of a child at the door. Notice the room is dark, the world outside is bright and alive. Notice too, that the foot in the bottom right tells us that a man is watching. This picture tells me that everyone has a choice to stay inside where it is dark, familiar and seemingly safe. But what lurks in the dark? Friend or foe? Molester or liberator? In the dark it’s too hard to tell.  And of course the world outside also has questions. It’s bright and unknown. What lives out there? What can help or harm? The deciding factor must be that in the light wwhat is present can be seen, considered and dealt with.

I see this picture as a way to understand the baptism of infants. God has opened the door to his glorious community alive in the world and as children we are guided to that open door.

Another picture, this one features a man sitting outside. He’s entered the light and now has time for life. He sits. Is he meditating on the deep truths of scripture, or thinking about what to have for dinner? We don’t know of course, but what we can see is that he is at ease in the world he lives in. HE can see it for what it is without out fear or being overwhelmed. He does not appear ready to scream.

Again, much like a profession of faith is taking the next step on the path. It is a step from darkness into light. From a darkened room into a world of options to discover, cherish and share. It’s the evidence of a changed heart.

All believers, no matter how mature, are in Christ. They are in fellowship with Jesus through the Spirit and to achieve that all have to die, go through the doorway.

I’ll ask one more time. Are you content?

If so, praise God! Contentment is one of the richest of blessings to receive.

If not, why not?

Is this all new to you?

Is this all too impossible?

Does it seem like too much of the good life is lost?

Does screaming seem better than breathing deep the atmosphere of peace?

           

The promise for all is that

God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

²⁰ To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.