Sermon for Nov. 1, 2009: “Finding Contentment in Christ”

I’m posting the sermon from this past Sunday, but I’ve got to warn you–the audio is not good.  We’re using some new equipment, and we need to make some adjustments.  I think the audio is good enough.  (It will be better next week.)  The sermon outline is below the audio.

Download the sermon by clicking here.

Or, listen to it online by clicking the Play arrow below:

“Finding Peace and Contentment in Christ” (Philippians 4:10-20)

It’s human nature to never be satisfied. We want more than we have. Or, we want different things (and people) than we have. We think that we’ll find peace & happiness if we just get a little more.

That’s not true! God says that true peace comes does not come from getting more stuff. In Philippians 4:10-20, Paul tells us how we can find true contentment, and some of the marks of a content person.

Foundation of contentment: valuing Jesus above everything else

Contentment does not mean:
• We ignore needs, or pretend they don’t exist
 Phil. 4:12 Matt. 6:8
• We do nothing
 Phil. 3:14-15 1 Cor. 15:10

Contentment does mean:
• We live out the reality of these verses:
 Phil. 4:11-13 Matt. 6:33-34 2 Cor. 12:9-10

Whatever your heart clings to & confides in, that is really your God.

3 Characteristics of content people from this passage

1. Gratitude
• Paul was grateful for their financial support
 Phil. 1:3-5 Phil. 4:15-16
• Paul knew that God was the responsible for meeting his needs
 Phil. 4:20 (Notice that it’s God who supplies the needs.)

2. Giving: when you are trusting God to meet all your needs, it frees you to be generous to others.
• Opposite of the world’s attitude
 James 4:1-2 (It happens in the church also!)
• Early church gave in order to meet needs & spread Gospel
 2 Cor. 11:9 1 Cor. 16:1-2 2 Cor. 9:7 Phil. 1:5
• They could give because they trusted God’s ability to provide for them

3. Trust: God is ready, willing, and able to meet all our needs.
• Do I believe this?
 Phil. 4:20
• Our trust is based on 2 facts:
 God is powerful enough to care for us. (Is. 40:15)
 God loves His children perfectly & wants to care for us
(Matt. 11:27 James 1:17)
 The perfect picture of this is Psalm 62:11-12

Application

What do you place your trust in?
**Money **Good works
**Family **Friends
**Church membership/attendance

All these things will let you down—only Christ:
**is worthy of your trust
**can save and keep you
**provides all your needs (from His infinite riches)

Turn away from all those things that can never give you peace & contentment—turn to the Jesus! He only can save and satisfy.