Be Content

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday, the 25th of September, 2022, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Our YouTube streaming channel is: 

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.]

How many times have you heard of someone winning a huge lottery and within a year they’re broke?  They spent it all, mostly on stuff of little or no value.  It all went on things they thought would make them happy, but didn’t.  That’s a tale as old as mankind, I think.  We even looked at an example from our Bible a few weeks back, when Jesus told us of the prodigal son.

So many people sincerely believe that things can make them happy, and more money allows them to buy more things to be happier still.  But no measure of physical wealth can bring true and lasting happiness.  And sudden wealth often results in sadness and tragedy, because some folks just can’t handle it.  Still, people are driven to strive for more and more, seeking happiness, never content with what they have.

In our invocation, the author of the Letter to the Hebrews told us to be content with whatever things we have.  He also warned us to not be covetous in our conduct.  When we let our desires run out of control, we become discontented with what we have and want more.  Covetousness leads to discontent, and this is not good in God’s eyes.

The Apostle Paul speaks of this too, and warned Timothy about the pitfalls it poses and how it could affect the young pastor’s ministry.  Please listen and follow along to the instructions that Paul gave Timothy, and us, in chapter 6 of his 1st letter to his young friend and protégé, verses 6 through 19, and I’ll be reading from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible this morning…

6 Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.

9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

11 But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. 13 And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 15 For,

At just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. 16 He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will. All honor and power to him forever! Amen.

17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. 19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.

--1 Timothy 6:6-19 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for giving us good, concrete reasons and examples of how discontentment can lead to our downfall.  Your Son Jesus and His disciples clearly admonish us to always be content with what we have, remembering that all we have is from You.  Thank You, gracious God, for giving us all we need.  Forgive us, please Father, when we still want more.  Forgive us when we let our desires lead us into covetousness and discontentment.  Please help us to always be content and not seek more and more.  And Father, please protect us from Satan and from those who do his work.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand the message You have for us this day.  Remind us to be content with what You have given us in this life, and of what awaits us in the next.  This we pray in the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

A May 1994 issue of "Our Daily Bread" reported that, "In the fifth century, a man named Arenius determined to live a holy life.  So he abandoned the conforms of Egyptian society to follow an austere lifestyle in the desert.  Yet whenever he visited the great city of Alexandria, he spent time wandering through its bazaars.  Asked why, he explained that his heart rejoiced at the sight of all the things he didn't need.”

“Those of us who live in a society flooded with goods and gadgets need to ponder the example of that desert dweller,” the article continued.  “A typical supermarket in the United States in 1976 stocked 9,000 articles; today it carries 30,000.  How many of them are absolutely essential?  How many superfluous?"

If the typical supermarket in 1994 carried 30,000 different items, how many do you suppose it would offer today?  Doesn't that huge selection make it more difficult to choose which to purchase?  A good bit of their inventory is devoted to items we don’t really need, but that we might want.  You just need a gallon of milk?  You have to go by the bakery to get to it.  And you can’t get to the check-out register without passing through the sea of temptation offered by the tabloids, magazines, chewing gum, and candy.

The marketers want us to buy more and more because that’s how they make their living.  Buy this and you’ll be happy.  Buy all these and be the envy of all your friends.  You NEED this!  It would seem our modern society is geared toward making us discontented with what we have, urging us to get more and more.  Our Bible tells us otherwise.

Paul says that if we have enough food and clothing, we should be content.  I personally would add water to that list, and note that many people in this world do not have enough food, clothing, or water.  Most of us here in America have been blessed with these and so much more.  But too many Americans seem never to be content.  Too many long to be rich, as Paul notes, and then they fall into temptation and are trapped by their wants and desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.

Founding Father and statesman Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying, "Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor."  In this, Franklin echoes Paul in that if we are content with what we have, then we are already rich.  But being discontent and wanting more leaves us spiritually poor and eternally doomed.

In our church reading we spoke of how we can easily be lured and enticed by our desires, and how those desires can lead to sin, and sin to eternal death.  Not being content with what we have brings forth desire for more, for something new and different.  And we are soon on the wrong path.

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews wrote to all those early Jews who believed Jesus to be the Messiah and accepted Him as Lord.  Paul wrote to his young protégé Timothy, who he had mentored in the ministry.  And Jesus spoke to us all when He told the tale of the wasteful prodigal son.  And all told us to be content with what we have.

Jesus also spoke to us when He shared another parable with the Pharisees and scribes who derided Him and scoffed at His works.  Listen to the picture He painted with His words, as saved for us by the Apostle Luke in the 16th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 19 through 31…

19 Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. 20 At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. 21 As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores.

22 “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.

24 “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’

25 “But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’

27 “Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home. 28 For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’

29 “But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’

30 “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’

31 “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”

--Luke 16:19-31 (NLT)

Now this isn’t a condemnation of being rich.  It isn’t about being rich or poor.  Jesus said, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God”.  He didn’t say it could never happen that a rich person could be saved, just that it isn’t as easy.  Being rich is not a sin.  How we use our riches, our wealth, is what makes the difference.

If we’re not content with what we have, we’ll keep trying to get more and more, giving no consideration to what we might do or who we might hurt in the process.  All we’re concerned with is getting more and more.  Mine, mine, mine!  Gimme, gimme, gimme!  Sounds like a two-year-old, doesn’t it.

Discontentment makes us unhappy and horrible to be around, ultimately leading to our damnation.  If we are content with what we have been blessed with, we will share with those less fortunate.  We will be more concerned with the things of heaven than of worldly gain.  Contentment makes us happy and brings us peace.

God is good.  He sees to our needs and even gives us more, just so that we can be content and spend our time helping others and enjoying life rather than seeking more things that just add to our clutter.  Let us be content with all He has given us, for we truly are blessed.  In the beautiful name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for blessing us with all we truly need, and then giving us even more so that we might enjoy our life in this world.  You are such a good Father, showering Your children with gifts from above.  Thank You, Father, for loving us so much.  Father, too often we don’t stop long enough to see how richly You bless us.  We let the modern culture drive our desires and grow our discontentment.  Sometimes this results in tragic and disastrous outcomes.  Forgive us, Father, our seasons of discontent.  Forgive us when we want more than we truly need.  Please, loving Father, help us see all the gifts You provide.  Remind us that everything comes from You, that You created everything there is, and that You give us what we need.  Help us to be not only content, but ever grateful for all we have.  And Father, please help us remain strong, faithful, and true through all that we face in this age.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You saw the greed and covetousness in man’s hearts and You often warned us how this condition leads to discontent, and discontent to ruin.   Thank You, Lord, for the simple stories You told that carried profound messages.  Please, Lord, help us be content with what we have, content with what we have been blessed with.  Please help us ignore the ads and urgings that shout out how more things will make us happier.  Forgive us when we look to things to fulfill us rather than finding fulfillment in You.  And Jesus, please heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another.  Help us remain trusting and obedient no matter what we go through.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.