June 24, 2001

Philippians 4:10-23

How to Be Content in the Midst of Troubles

1. Introduction

1. Illustration – According to the Utne Reader, as of April of 1998 the marketing gurus at El Al Airlines are offering flights to nowhere. Passengers on these new non-destination routes never actually leave the airspace above Jerusalem, but they do enjoy a gourmet dinner, drink from a "bottomless" glass of wine and choose from one of four films playing in the cabin – all for $85. "I think it’s going to be a great success," says an El Al spokesman, "very decadent."
2. Context –The search for contentment in the midst of difficult circumstances drives many people to do strange things, like taking a flight to nowhere. Paul lived through many tough times, but it was precisely those times that helped him figure out the secret to finding contentment. Let's look at Philippians 4:10-23 to see what he found.

1. Scripture Passage

1. Philippians 4:10-23 – I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 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 everything through him who gives me strength. ¹⁴ Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. ¹⁵ Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; ¹⁶ for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. ¹⁷ Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. ¹⁸ I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And my 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. ²¹ Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send greetings. ²² All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household. ²³ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
2. Paul is taking about contentment that defies logic. Contentment that runs in the face of our normal emotions. Contentment that we so desperately need. So let’s go through this passage together and figure out exactly how to be content like Paul was even in the midst of troubles.

1. How to Find Contentment

1. Paul begins by rejoicing in the Philippians’ show of concern for him. He’s not plugging for more stuff, because he says I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. He talks about being content when he is needy and even when he’s got lots of stuff. Why would he say that? Have you ever noticed that it can be harder to be content when you’ve got stuff than when you don’t? I believe it’s because when you have nothing, you are grateful to have even just your basic needs met. But when you’ve got stuff, you can always see someone who’s got better stuff, so you want to upgrade your stuff. Paul says that this contentment in any and every situation is a secret that he has learned. He’s trying to get everyone’s attention by saying that. If you want someone to listen very closely, all you have to do is tell them you’re going to give away a secret. And, in Paul’s case, it was a secret because not too many of the Philippians had learned it.
2. So what’s the secret? I can do everything through him who gives me strength. That’s it?! Yes, that’s everything. That’s the starting point. Remember that in the original Greek there were no paragraph divisions, so Paul has been following a continuous thought in his writing. Having Christ-like motives, Christ-like conduct, Christ-like attitudes, Christ-like desires and goals, running a Christ-like race, reconciling in the name of Christ, rejoicing in Christ, allowing your mind to be renewed to Christ-likeness, being content in Christ – what’s the common factor? What’s the tie between all of these things? Christ. He is the secret to being content. He is the starting point for our contentment in life. Does that mean that we have to be content that we’re being hammered and that unrighteousness seems to rule the world and that people are getting hurt by sin all over the place? No, in many respects that would almost be perverse. What Paul is talking about is being content in whatever place in life God has placed you. And if you can get a grip on all the stuff Paul’s been writing about in this letter, then you can begin to get a grip on being content wherever God has placed you.
3. Illustration – D.W. Miller, in The Chronicle of Higher Education, writes, We’re so busy striving for income that there isn’t time for friendship. You can track visiting patterns for families over the past 25 years: Visiting has declined dramatically in the United States. The divorce rate also goes up when people become richer, and partly it’s because their very effort to become richer is a strain on the family. In general, materialists are unhappy people. If earning and consuming are less satisfying than finding companionship, why do we engage in them so eagerly? We’re not very good judges of what makes us happy. We live in a materialistic culture that cues people to what they ought to be working for. If it were a religious culture, it would be piety; if it were a warrior culture, it would be honor and bravery. But in a materialistic culture, it’s money… Do you sense a craving in advanced democracies for the sort of changes you want? Yes, there’s a craving, but they don’t know the target of their craving. There’s an unsettled feeling, a malaise, to use Jimmy Carter’s word: Life is not giving me what I want. But they don’t know, because leaders of society – and I don’t just mean politicians, but universities and journalists, too – have not helped them to see where the next phase of their felicity lies. As this quote shows, the people of our culture are trying to find contentment. But they are looking in all the wrong places. What does it say about us as Christians that there is very little difference statistically between us and non-Christians? We have internalized the values of our culture instead of transforming our culture with our values and our faith. We cannot find contentment in the things of this world. Christ is our hope of contentment.

1. Contentment and Mutual Accountability

1. I find it interesting that Paul didn’t end his letter here. The first word in verse fourteen says a lot: "Yet." I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Yet… He said, "I need Christ, but I also need you." We need the encouragement of each other to learn to be content in the circumstances God has placed us in. Paul talks about the Philippians’ giving, but he also says he’s not mooching for more. He says, "I am looking for what may be credited to your account." He wants to help them gain treasure in heaven just as they have helped him to do the same. That is a powerful message. We can’t be "Lone Rangers." When we help each other, we are giving an offering pleasing to God. Paul didn’t demand a gift, but he was thankful for it. He was accountable to the Philippians just as much as they were to him. They were partners in ministry.
2. There is a strange paradox here. Many men of God have written about the fact that the more time we spend, as Bruce Wilkinson puts it, "abiding in Christ" the more time we have to accomplish His will. We’re hung up on doing. We’re not content to just be with our Savior and Lord. Doing is important, but when we keep God’s priorities Paul describes what will happen. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. When we’re truly content, and we do things God’s way and don’t do things when we’re not supposed to, then He is freed to meet all of our needs. He knows that, more than anything else, we need to be in right relationship with Him. He is our constant companion and friend. He also knows that we need each other deeply.
3. Paul closes with greetings to and from fellow believers. Paul knows that his contentment depends on Christ and on his relationship with his brothers and sisters in Christ. Funny thing. A secular author in a highly respected journal has figured out that we need close personal relationships, and we Christians haven’t. We need Christ if we’re going to be content in the midst of troubles. We need each other too if we’re going to be content in the midst of troubles. Maybe it’s time we figured out all the joy we’re missing out on, and learn to care for each other.

1. Conclusion

1. What about you? Are you having a hard time being content wherever you are at? Have you been chasing after stuff when relationship is really what you need? What is Jesus saying to you?
2. If you haven’t been content, and you’d like to make a commitment to start following the principles in this letter to the Philippians in order to find that contentment you’ve been looking for, raise your hand right now.
3. Let’s pray.