The Secret

Jason Self

Partnership in the Gospel • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

Philippians 4:10–13

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Transcript

Needy

Pitchman

While you are turning your bibles over to Philippians 4:10 this morning, I will you that:

Prior to starting Harvest I went to a few churches in order to present the work we had planned here in Ross. This was all right after the COVID lockdown so I didn’t get to go to many churches but I always felt like I was a terrible salesman when I did. My message was that we would like your support in our mission, but that I trusted that if this work was of God, that He would provide all of our needs. It may be with their support it might not.

I have heard a lot of preachers of the years making a plea for funds, and they way they present the need it is as if they have no trust in God’s provision. And, we just can’t afford to take that approach.

Again I didn’t get to visit many churches because of COVID, so we only get a few hundred dollars a month in support, for which I am certainly thankful. But our needs have always been met, by the provision of God, the great majority by the giving of our members. Trusting in God we scaled back a little to launch, but here around 6 months after we are very close to having the resources I hoped we would have to launch according to my original planning. The doors have been open, the lights have been on, and the gospel has been preached.

Series Introduction

This morning, we are starting a series in Philippians, "Partnership in the Gospel.” And Paul begins, in thankfulness to the church in Philippi for their support of him. And to encourage them to not feel guilty in their lack of ability to provide in the past. And in Philippians 4:10-13 we get this mornings passage:

Passage

Philippians 4:10–13 KJV 1900

10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Our first message in this series “Partnership in the Gospel” this morning is entitled “The Secret”

Pray

Discontent

Discontent Sells

Discontent sells. The most effective way to sell something isn’t by demonstrating a need, or touting the value of a product. It is by creating an emotional connection. If you can make that emotional link, especially by making someone feel like they are missing out if they don’t have the product then you almost guarantee the sale.

We have all seen the advertisements that seemingly have nothing to do with the product being advertised, but instead portray some general sense of well being. They are creating an association between happiness and their product, and trying to convince you that without their product you will not be as happy as the people in the ad.

Car manufactures do this. They will offer you a discount based on the neighborhood that you live in. The idea being that if you live in the target market for their product and your neighbors see you driving around one of their cars, then they will be envious of your car and get one themselves.

If you are content with what you have, and want for nothing…then you aren’t a customer. If you lack contentment and believe that you can find happiness in the product being pitched…then you are, in fact, a customer.

It is no surprise that people who are lacking the things valued by their society might be discontent.

1 Tim 6:10 tells us that

1 Timothy 6:10 KJV 1900

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

It’s not having money that is the root of evil, it is the love of money that can be the root, the source all sorts of evils. While we might consider someone that loves money to be a Scrooge type of figure: wealthy, stingy and covetous, But I would argue that having money or not doesn’t dictate whether or not some love the money. Plenty of people love money who have very little of it. That is where envy is born and it can be exploited by the likes of predatory lenders and politicians alike.

Miserably Abounding

But you can be miserable having money as well. Look with me in Luke 12:13-15

Luke 12:13–15 KJV 1900

13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

And he goes on to tell the parable of the Rich man, you know the one. He increased his storehouses and planned to live his life in leisure, living on his abundance.

But what I want to focus on isn’t the parable, which certainly applies to this message, but what Jesus says at the end of v15

man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Jim Carrey

The actor Jim Carey: who has both made millions as a Hollywood A-Lister and struggled with mental illness and substance abuse.

Carey has the possession of things, and his high energy persona in the movies made him appear happy. But he also had failed marriages, depression, STD’s and in 2015 his girlfriend committed suicide.

I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed so they can see that it’s not the answer.Generosity

Physical Fixes

This man who came to Jesus, wanted the authority of God to resolve the issues he had with his brother over his inheritance. He wanted Jesus for an arbitrator rather than a savior. He was looking for peace by way of possessions.

Getting Educated

Mystery Defined

Back in Philippians 4:11 Paul speaks of what he ‘learned’ . This word μανθάνω (manthanō) was a technical term used by the pagan religions It’s the idea of being initiated into the secrets of the cult. In his commentary on Philippians Robert P. Lightner wrote of this word learned:

Paul used it here to suggest a kind of “initiation” (by his experiences) into being content when either well fed or hungry, and either in plenty or in want.

He has gotten the education, the mystery has been revealed, Paul knows the secret to being content.

The Education

In 1955 Sir Walter Raleigh set out on an expedition, believing he had a real chance to finding the mythical city of El Dorado. El Dorado was believed to be a city made of Gold located in the highlands of South America and so he set out. During the course of his journey he lost his son in battle with the Spanish and his lieutenant was captured and subsequently committed suicide. Raleigh never found the mythical city and upon his return to England he was beheaded by King James for disobeying orders to avoid conflict with the Spanish. Sir Walter Raleigh sought contentment in the riches and fame of discovering the mythical golden Kingdom of El Dorado and found nothing but sadness and death.

Back in Luke 14, a few parables after Jesus rebuked the follower looking to resolve the issue of the his inheritance, he said:

Luke 12:29–31 KJV 1900

29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

And that is the secret, that is the what Paul learned. When we find ourselves in times of abundance or if we find ourselves in times of want, the key to contentment isn’t seeking some to seek the Kingdom of God.

Rich

C.S. Lewis wrote in his book “The Weight of Glory”

He who has God and everything else has no more than he who has God only.

And this lines up with what we read in 1 Tim 6:6

1 Timothy 6:6 KJV 1900

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

How many people are seeking El Dorado? They see the promise of satisfaction to be just beyond the next horizon. If they could only get that new car, or that new phone, or that new house. I’m not condemning those things, I don’t advocate for asceticism. In fact if I had it my way I would hope the everyone here prospered in the Lord the way some of our heroes like Abraham or even in the majority of their lives Joseph or Job or David had. But if you think that you will find contentment in anything other than God, then you are sadly mistaken.

Living Ignorant

Magic

Several years ago now, and under the excuse of doing it for children’s ministry, I began to learn magic to use for teaching children. And you can call it whatever you want, magic, illusion, whatever. I don’t find much value in changing the name of something like calling a Halloween Party a Harvest Party. If anything I think Christians end up looking silly when we do it. So, whatever you want to call it, I perform illusions to help illustrate bible lessons for children.

I am asked all the time how I did a trick, and I typically respond the same way. I ask them “can you keep a secret?” at this point the child or adult for that matter usually begins to smile optimistically as they respond that yes, they can keep a secret. My response back is always “so can I”

Knowing the Secret

Knowing the secret to a magic trick is usually about as complicated as buying the trick from a magic store and learning how to perform the illusion. Really, once you learn a handful of the fundamentals of how illusions are performed, then really you will know how the majority of tricks work, at least on some level.

Practice

But just knowing the truth behind how a trick works, is a lot different than being able to perform it and perform it well. I own several tricks that I still can’t perform because even though I know the secret, I don’t yet have the skill to pull them off well. Then again I have some tricks that I practiced for weeks until the slight of hand was finally able to be mastered and performed.

Orthopraxis

You have no doubt heard the term orthodoxy, To believe the accepted doctrines of the faith is to be orthodox in your faith. But there is another term Orthopraxis that you may be less familiar with. Orthopraxis is doing those things which are ascribe dto in orthodoxy.

It is one thing to understand and to know what right Christian action is, it is something else entirely to follow through with it in action.

A Christian Truth

So many Christians can hear this truth and accept that it is true. That we like Paul should be able to find contentment in whatever situation that the Lord has allowed for us. But it is one thing to believe that it is true and something else for use to practice it.

And I think that we can be real and admit for a moment, that just by the nature of living in American in 2021 we are more blessed than most people throughout most of history and I would imagine that some of the things we complain about and get impatient about would blow the minds of those in the early church. That we can have such abundance and such ease by comparison, yet still live in such discontent.

Cooperation

I met with some new friends who are local pastors for lunch this past week. We are all relatively younger guys, I would imagine that I was probably pretty close to the oldest guy at the table. The spirit of the meeting was to discuss ways in which our churches can cooperate for the spreading of the gospel of Christ. All of these guys were orthodox. There are no doubt some secondary theological differences that we might have, but nothing that should present us from fellowship and cooperation for the sake of the gospel.

I think this same contentment that Paul talks about. That contentment that he has in much or when he has little. I think it is lacking in a lot of our churches. People, even pastors can begin to treat each other poorly or talk down about others, often because they lack contentment in the place God has put them — today. And so they tear down their brothers and sisters out of disconnect.

Your Circumstance

Facing Plenty

I don’t know exactly where we all stand this morning. You may and I hope that you are, going through a season of plenty. I fear that many of our neighbors don’t feel that they need anything because to the best of their understanding, all of their needs have been met. But so often they are miserable and lack contentment because they are looking for that contentment in the wrong places. I hope that if you in a season of plenty that still remember that the only way you are going to be content in your prosperity is in thankfulness and worship of God. And in using how you have been blessed to the benefit of the Kingdom of God.

Facing Hunger

But on the other hand, you may be going through a period of want. I can certainly recall difficult times in our lives, not knowing how ends were going to meet and if that is you today, I’m sorry that you are going through it.

But if I can offer this as encouragement: It may be that you are being given a chance to learn. They mystery of contentment is being revealed in your life. And I hope that you will have the faith to trust in God, that if you make your priority…even in the hard times…the seeking of the Kingdom of God. Have faith, that that will bring you contentment.

Close

As we close, if you lack contentment, I hope that you will make a decision that you will put your trust in God for your provision. Whether it is in finances or health or relationships or in any other thing. I hope that you won’t leave hear bearing it all on your own in discontent. And I hope that if you have been blessed by God that you will commit yourself, not to being content in your blessings but in the true contentment that comes from the worship and praise of our savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you have any thing you would like to discuss, about this message or anything else that is on heart this morning. Or, if you want to know more about the saving grace of Jesus. I would love for you to come up and have a convesation as soon as we conclude the service.

Let’s Pray.

Pray

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