In God's Family, We're Content
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Trash Talk Trivia
The average American will throw away over 200,000 pounds of trash in his/her lifetime.
Americans throw away more than 28 billion pounds of edible food every year (40% of the food we produce).
The average American will by 9 brand new cars in his/her lifetime (there are more cars than people on our planet).
The average American will own 44 smartphones and 36 tablets and 13 coffeemakers in his/her life.
I think it’s safe to say that Americans have a problem with a lack of contentment…
Hundreds of billions of dollars spent each year on advertising designed to destroy your contentment, tempt you to covet, and lure you to spend money you don’t have buying stuff you don’t need to impress people you don’t like.
Americans are drowning in debt. The average credit card holder in America has $6,469 in credit card debt—that doesn’t include car payments, student loan debt, or mortgages.
But in God’s family, we’re called to live differently (1 Tim 6:6-8 NIV).
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
Subject
What is contentment?
Why does being content matter?
How do we cultivate contentment?
Body
Body
What is contentment?
What is contentment?
The New Bible Dictionary, Third Edition Contentment
It is not a passive acceptance of the status quo, but the positive assurance that God has supplied one’s needs, and the consequent release from unnecessary desire.
Contentment is not...
Laziness or apathy about life
The opposite ambition
Being content doesn’t mean…
You don’t work hard to improve your situation
You shouldn’t pursue your dreams
You roll over and accept injustice or wallow in self-pity
Contentment is trusting that God will provide for your needs and being free to enjoy the life he gives.
Why does being content matter?
Why does being content matter?
Exposition (1 Tim 6:6-10)
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Contentment sets you free to enjoy the life God gives.
Materialism/consumerism is a trap that promises happiness but never delivers. Corporations profit off your discontentment, not your contentment.
Illustration: One of Mae Cat’s favorite toys is a spoon… but one of the phrases I sometimes hear from my older children is, “I’m bored and have nothing to do.”
More stuff does not produce more happiness. Happiness comes from contentment.
Contentment sets you free to enjoy blessing others with the abundance God provides.
Illustration: Cookies…
How do we cultivate contentment?
How do we cultivate contentment?
“Reading the menu doesn't fill you up; eating the food does.” – Wayne Cordeiro
Count your blessings. Remember all that God has done for you. (Ps 107:43)
43 Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.
Exposition: Gratitude is a lost art in our culture. Thankfulness produces contentment and contentment leads to happiness. A thankful heart is a happy heart.
Application: Thank God for something specific and unique every day.
Stop comparing and start celebrating. Stop coveting and start rejoicing. (Exod 20:17)
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Exposition: As long as you’re comparing, you’ll never be content.
Illustration: This is one reason why social media has been linked to increases in depression, unhappiness, and even suicide.
Application: Praise God for the blessings he gives to others.
Tell yourself no; tell God yes. Don’t lay up treasure for yourself; be rich toward God. (Luke 12:13-21)
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” 16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Illustration: The house we bought in Springfield was 120 years old and had tiny closets…
Application
We often cannot say yes to God because we cannot say no to ourselves.
What is one thing you can deny yourself this week so that you can give to God? (Coffee)
Be satisfied with Jesus. Jesus is enough. (Heb 13:5-6)
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” 6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
Exposition: “Be content with what you have...” What do we have? God. If we have God, what else do we need?
Application: True contentment is only found in Jesus. You will never find rest until you rest in him. Do you belong to Jesus?
Conclusion
Conclusion
Contentment Prayer (Prov 30:7-9 NIV)
7 “Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.