The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment
First B Jackson
2026-09-06

Automatically transcribed. Where this and the recording disagree, the recording is the record.

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John, we're gonna get you for that. It's so funny. Now that you're seated, please stand in reverence to the reading of God's perfect word and scoot in towards the middle. There's still a few people looking for a seat. We're gonna be in Philippians chapter four verse 10 through 13.

I rejoice in the Lord greatly because once again, you renewed your care for me. You were in fact concerned about me but lack the opportunity to show it. I don't say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances, I have learned the secret of being content.

Whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need, I'm able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It's the word of the Lord. You may be seated. So, verse 13 is very wow. That sounds different than are y'all good?

Is that good? It sound okay? Feels echoey and loud. Maybe turn it down. Yeah.

That's better. That's good. Okay. Verse 13 is one of the most popular, well known verses. Right?

Great. There it is. And it's so misunderstood too. So I wanted to share a quick story about being misunderstood and try not to embarrass my wife too much. But we were in Saudi in 2019, and we we left the country multiple different times for either a visa run.

At the time you can only stay for a certain period, or this was a hot part of the summer in August and we were leaving to go to Europe on an outreach. When you're in The Middle East, going to Europe is always a great idea. Get out of the desert for a minute. And we're in the airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. And at that time, most things were segregated.

Men here, women and family here. And in the airport, in restaurants, the men could go in the family section, but in the airport security, I was not allowed to go in the family section. We're a new family. Piper was like 0.5 old. So Lauren has the stroller with the baby and her bag, and I'm just going through easy street in the men's section and she's in chaos with this.

We like big strollers so we can go off roading in our stroller. And it wouldn't fit through the gates because everyone else in the country apparently has little strollers. And so she's frustrated, and the lady that is telling her giving her instruction is frustrated with Lauren's seemingly inability to understand what to do. And having just really started to speak some Arabic, Lauren is is venting, which means in Arabic, this is crazy. Like, this situation is crazy, but means she is crazy.

And so this lady is hearing her say this, and then at the end of the line, we get to reconvene, and Lauren's telling me, you know, kinda what happened. And this lady hears and gets really upset. Like so much, she takes our family over to like the officers. It's not TSA there, it's simp whatever the equivalent is there. And they have us at their front desk, and she's so mad then they bring us into like the back room.

Like, you can't see anyone else. We're like in an office with these officers, and this lady is talking about how we've done this big wrong to her. And the officer starts asking questions. She ends up walking out and we kinda smooth the situation and we're I was worried that we're gonna be detained and not get to go on our trip. And like this is what we were trained for, you know, to be in these intense, you know, persecuted situations.

And but anyway, it all got smoothed over. We got out. But the reason I bring it up is Lauren was really misunderstood in that moment. This verse, verse 13, is often so misunderstood. Like, I think Ray has told this story to to y'all before, and I've heard it somewhere else about the group that would, you know, chop things in half with their hands all in the name of this verse.

I can do all things, you know, and they're all like big guys and they're just breaking things to show how strong they are in Christ, and that is just not what like, we're gonna contextualize this verse today. Alright? So I'm excited about it. It'll be good. Yes.

Are you clicking buttons for me, or is that just okay. That's that's so cool. Thanks. So verse 10, it's like he's reading my mind. Jeff is the man.

We'll read verse 10 again. I rejoice in the Lord greatly because once again, you renewed your care for me. You were in fact concerned about me but lack the opportunity to show it. So, Paul is writing to the Philippian church and we're now at the end of Philippians and it's really cool because there's this bookending that's happening. So, in the beginning in chapter one, he's rejoicing for this partnership that he has with this church and here, he's rejoicing again with this partnership.

He's rejoicing in the Lord and remember the word koinonia. The this partnership that he has with this church is bigger than just being a coworker. They have a common bond in the gospel. They they this this church is so fired up about taking the name of Christ to the nations and they are finally having the opportunity to give to Paul's efforts and and so he's excited not just for a financial gift but for their partnership that he has. And then he says, thank you.

This will go to good use but but God has me. I actually don't have needs. And and he commends the Philippian church later on or in second Corinthians eight. He taught and we've I've shared this verse with you guys before, but even in their severe test of affliction, They have abundance of joy. Even in their extreme poverty, they have overflowed in a wealth of generosity, and they gave according to their means, beyond their means.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus that though he was rich, yet for your sake, he became poor so that his so that you by his poverty might become rich. The Philippian church is following after the pattern of Christ in their giving, in their sacrificial giving. So his rejoicing is not in that tangible gift. Right? His rejoicing is in the Lord for their partnership and he is thankful for the gift.

So, the main sec the main part that we're gonna be focused on is this verse 11 verses eleven and twelve. We'll read it again. I don't say this out of need for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know how to make do with a little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances, I've learned the secret of being content, whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.

And there's a there's a writer, Puritan writer, Jeremiah Baross. He says, he calls it the rare jewel of Christian contentment. The rare jewel of Christian contentment. This quote is is is good too. That that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit that freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.

The rare jewel of Christian contentment. Five times, it's really interesting here. In these two verses, five different times, he he gives a different scenario essentially saying the same thing. No matter like, in whatever circumstance, in a little or a lot, in any and all, whether well fed or hungry, whether abundant or in need. So he's really covering all all the bases of all circumstances you could possibly run into.

Right? And he's still saying, I've learned to be content. He says two different times. I have learned to be content, which is encouraging. It's not like on the road to Damascus, Paul was just boom, downloaded with the ability to be content in all circumstances.

He he says twice, he was it was a learned thing. Are you discouraged about your level of contentment in your life? Do we act like we are content in all circumstances? Just yesterday, I was gonna share a story with Tim, but I'm gonna save Tim Tim's honor. Just yesterday, we were hiking, and little bit of background.

We have a puppy that is supposed to only walk like three miles, or otherwise it has like long term joint issues. Isn't it? Yeah. Another story maybe. But so we we were just going as a family.

We were gonna go to and and one of our kids is a little bit under the weather too, and so we're just gonna go hang out in the woods, let the puppy run around, and go home. That was the plan when we left. Thankfully, we did bring a lot of water. We go up the towards Curtis Canyon Campground, that grassy knoll that there's been many weddings on, but we was like, hey, let's just drive a little further. So we go up and then, you know, there's this sign.

It's like dangerous road conditions. Four wheel drive, high clearance required. And we're in the suburban. It's not high clearance, so it was a little tricky. Get to the Goodwin Lake Trailhead, and I was like, hey, let's just hike on the Goodwin Lake Trailhead just a little ways.

And so we start hiking a little ways, lots of complaints. It's pretty steep at first. And the dog, you know, is starting to get tired and lays down. And I'm looking at Lauren like, should we turn around? Like, you know, what should we do?

I I don't wanna pressure our family to go all the way to the lake. Even though in my mind I'm like, we're going to the lake. And the every every member of our house except for Lauren and I are not wanting to go to the lake. But we encourage with the the hope of ice cream, The the hope of more snacks and and and you know, barely have enough water. They didn't know we almost ran out, but we go all the way to the lake because I I could not be content Not.

Like, it's so beautiful up there. That way is where it is. Like, it's just I I I was thinking a lot about this morning too, and I was like, I have so much to learn here, and I'm supposed to tell you guys how to be content. Like, I can't even not push my family to borderline irresponsible risk, you know, to go to see a lake. And then on the way down, we switched where Lauren had Elias, which which is like a great backpack carrier with the waist strap.

And I had the dog in a backpack on the front, and it doesn't have the little chest strap. So it's like pulling my shoulders and some hiking like this with this 27 pound puppy, and my it's unnatural to squeeze your shoulder blades for like three and a half miles. And my back is screaming, and I'm thinking, I'm content. I am content. I am content.

I'm content. I am content. God, this is nothing compared to the glory that is awaiting us in eternity. But in all reality, that is so good for us to have in our minds right when we're a little bit of the story Tim, annoyed with traffic and we say oh what this idiot you know this out of state and they're they're I'm at their mercy right now of getting through to where I need to go. You know, like, we're not content in that in that situation.

Right? Because we're not focused on Christ. We complain and we wonder why. Why do we do this? But but the hope is this this is a learned progression.

We can know it. He says two times. I know. I know. I know how to be content.

And this isn't foreign to the rest of the letter. In the verse before verse nine, he says, do do what you have learned and received and heard from me and seen in me and the God of peace will be with you. What you have learned from Paul, what we have learned from the letter, do do that. Yeah. It's not foreign to the rest.

I'm I I skipped over. I was excited about the stories. All through this this epistle, chapter one, he talks about Christ being highly honored in in my body whether by life or by death. It's like the circumstance doesn't matter. And he and he goes on to say, to live is Christ, to die is gain, and he's torn between the two.

He longs to depart and be with Christ. Like, isn't that a great vision into his mentality that he has? Like, he would rather go be with Christ. That's that's how he can be content in all circumstances. Let me show you this too.

He he his circumstances are grim often. Actually, we're gonna get to that slide later. We'll get to that slide later. Alright. Keep going.

So chapter two, even if I'm poured out as a drink offering, this is what I shared last time. Even if I die and I probably will, I'm glad. Do y'all remember him saying that? I'm glad and rejoice with all of you. No matter if I die.

So that this how can he be like this? How can he not complain in these circumstances? And then chapter three, Ray covered, I think this was last week, maybe the week before. I also consider everything to be a loss. I consider everything to be a loss.

In view of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus, my lord, because of him, I have suffered the loss of all things and considered them as rubbish. Consider them as rubbish. So this is not a a new idea. Right? This is he's closing out the letter.

He's content in all circumstances. And then he talks about the secret of being content, which we're gonna get to in the in the last section. But I wanna take a little bit of time, and he's he's got the school of poverty and the school of plenty right here. He's talking about a little and a lot, hungry, well fed, abundance, need. And so I wanna unpack that a little bit for us today.

I can't relate to either extreme, but I do have a funny story about when I was in Auburn. I was on a monthly little allowance, and I'd run out. I had five days left in the month before I got another little nugget, to live off of. And I I had no food, zero. And I was in the kitchen, and I looked out the into the backyard, and there's a little squirrel hopping around.

So I grabbed my bow, and I cracked the door open and shoot it with a target point and and cook it. But I smelled steak next door, people I didn't know. And even though I had provision, I was greedy for the steak and potatoes that were filling their bellies, and I'm just barely getting by. You know? So like, the school of poverty is there's greed that's there.

Right? When we're in a dire need, the temptation to be greedy and desire what your neighbor has. There's a level of anxiety. How am I going to get to the next meal? Right?

I was just talking to a guy in our church a couple days ago who shared how that worldly depravity that he was in in this season when he was sleeping under a bridge was pointing him towards God. He was like, in this great time of need, all I could do was just pray, God, please help me through this. Please provide for me. I I don't know how this is gonna work out. But we're tempted and and bit to look at what others have and strive for those things more than than anything else.

There's an endless cycle of want, justifying the want, and then getting it, and then the next thing, and justifying that one, getting it, and then the next thing. But the good part of the school of poverty is it meets God is meeting my needs. Like, I recognize when I'm in that season, this is from God. Like, I didn't know where this provision was gonna come from, and then the squirrels in the backyard. I recognize that I need him.

Like, in that season, it's really clear. Right? I know I need God when I'm in that season. And and we have an opportunity in that season of poverty, the school of poverty, to have less distraction in our life. Like, it's simple.

It's our life is more simple in that in that season, isn't it? And and we're driven to depend on him more. In that desperation. And then we also have an opportunity to shine light on people that are in a similar season. That when you're in the same school of poverty that someone else is in, there's there's more of an opportunity to to share in your sufferings and and be able to say, hey, we're having a hard time, but my hope is in Christ, and and I can be content even when I'm in this difficult season.

The other school is the school of plenty. And we could argue about, you know, what level of poverty and and plenty. I'm sure in this room even it's it's really vast, the gap. So there's no way to dial in exactly from up here where everybody is. But in the school of plenty, the worldly distractions pull us away from God.

So it's different. Right? Our our worldly circumstances in the school of poverty is in a sense driving us, pointing us towards God but in the school of plenty, the worldly distraction is pulling us away from God. And then I asked the question when I was studying through this. He says, he says, I have learned to be content in need and in abundance.

Okay, Paul, like, how would you need to learn? Like, isn't it natural for humans to be content when they're in the school of plenty? Yeah. Like, of course. Right?

Like, we have everything we need. Of course, we're content, but he says no. I learned how to be content in the school of plenty. It doesn't say the school of plenty, but you get it. So some of the bad temptations in the school of plenty.

One, similar to the first is greed. It's never really enough. We are still looking to the our neighbors and being envious, and there's still that temptation to want more and more and more. We have this little black box camper. It's like six foot by eight foot.

We were content with it, and I think I was kind of in the school of plenty back home with this black box camper. I didn't have I wasn't in the school of poverty, but I but I come out here and we go camping and I see some campers in my eyes just have like stars. And I'm like, oh, we need to get a bigger camper. So now you'll see embarrassingly two campers. I'm trying to sell the little black box, by the way, but I have totally slipped in to like, oh, yeah.

This will help me be content. Like, you idiot. Anyway, sorry. But it's never really enough. I was totally content with our little black box, and now we have this 26 foot trailer parked on you guys' property right here.

And so the other thing that that the school of of plenty we struggle with in this school is the thought that we don't need God as much because we think we've got ourselves taken care of now because we've just got lots of finances coming in. I've got more than I need and and then we're not attentive to Jesus and what he's doing because I have so many dealings and business decisions and people relying on me to take care of them and their needs and and and keep this thing growing and growing. I don't have a slide for first Timothy six but Paul is is telling Timothy that, you know, we brought nothing into the world and we will leave with nothing. We should be content with just food and clothing. Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

The busyness, the the distractions, the selfish ambitions. And and and then if there's an opportunity to go and serve in a certain way that that's hard, it's hey. Well, I I could go and do that or give this, but but I've got way more important things to do. Those are some of the bad things in the school of plenty, but there's good things in the school of plenty too. Recognize his blessing and favor.

Right? We have the opportunity to recognize this blessing that he has given to us. It is from God and it's it belongs to God and and he has given me this unmerited favor and I'm gonna hold it with open hands. Right? This is not something to clinch and say, I earn this but to hold with open hands.

It's a secondary joy. This was a big eye opener for me too. The reason why we have to learn to be content is at first when we're thinking, oh, to be content in abundance. Like, my joy is coming from all these things. But in reality, the the truth is those things are a secondary joy.

So we must learn to still prioritize and understand the only thing that fills us, the only way that we can be joyful is from Christ. No matter what our secondary joy, what our circumstances look like. And it's it's an opportunity for us to truly live like all our things are rubbish. When we're with, again, the people that are in the school of plenty and and we're watching each other's lives and and living together and and working together. We have the opportunity to show them that my true desires aren't coming from my stuff.

Right? And we have an opportunity to be used for for kingdom advancement and bless others to follow the pattern of Christ who though he was rich, for our sake, he became poor. And I never did show you this slide but back to this is when Paul some of Paul's circumstances of poverty. He was receiving 40, beaten with rods, stoned. Remember, we went over this in the mass during the when he was visiting this church the first time he was stoned, thought he was dead, was shipwrecked, dripped at sea, danger from rivers, robbers, danger in the wilderness, hardship, sleepless nights, hungry and thirst, without food, cold and exposure, daily pressure on me because he has anxiety for all the churches that he's poured into.

There's a lot going on in Paul's life. A lot of circumstances that that could have driven him away, but he depends on Christ. So then I thought I asked this question. When are we not supposed to be content? You know, Ecclesiastes is like, there's a time for this and a time for that.

Do they does it say there's a time to not be content? Not no. There's not a time to not be content. When we got back from Saudi, we had a discontentment going from, one lifestyle of serving to another lifestyle of of plenty, and we had this discontentment that we were living our life in this suburban Alabama, you know, American dream, whatever situation, and there's this holy discontentment. Not that we were not content with our circumstances, but we were discontent with the way that the opportunities that we had, if that makes sense.

And and and then thinking about Christ was not content to stay in heaven. Right? He chose to come down and die for us. I think there is an opportunity for us to to think about how we're living our lives and not be discontent with the circumstances, but maybe be discontent with how we're following after Christ and pray for us to change and be more appropriately content with what he has for us. The last verse is the secret.

I'm able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I was gonna make fun of Tim Tebow because he's part of the reason why this verse is so popular. Right? But then before I made fun of him, he was interviewed about this verse and he actually did understand the context. He says that when you're a Christian, can be content because God has put you where you are.

He understands that no matter whether they win or lose, he can be content in that in that circumstance. I think most athletes probably put that on their face and think, you know, because of Christ, I can win this game, but that's where it's misunderstood. I'm able to do all things, and and all things is connected to all of the circumstances that were just listed. I can be content in any circumstance because Christ gives me the strength. That's the secret.

That's that's how the rare jewel happens. Right? Not being anxious about anything, counting all things as rubbish compared to knowing Christ. Paul's learned ability to be content rests on these two truths. He believes in the absolute providence of Christ that God controls the universe and is sovereign over everything that happens.

So, that's one. You've got he's gotta understand that. No matter what happens, I know God is sovereign over this. And then two, he believes that God is good and that he is for his people. So we can trust God that he's good and he knows what's best for us and he's sovereign over all things.

When we're hungry and everything is falling apart, we can either grumble and complain and moan, or we can be content in Christ alone. Like the analogy of the broken wagon. Remember the guy is headed to get this huge inheritance and his wagon wheel breaks, but he's he's not complaining. He's content because he's looking to the reward. Maybe it's time for us to think about what's in front of us and not not have our eyes set on the horizon.

I need to go do this and this and this and this. Maybe it's time to settle into the goodness of life that we can taste right now in whatever school he has us in. And seek joy from Christ, not from our things. And last year when that when we finally did the best we could at that instead of trying to fix our holy discontentment and we finally just stopped, We came on vacation and landed here, and then you guys brought us here. Well, it's so crazy.

But I I wanna invite the I wanna do a few things. We're gonna invite the band up, the ushers that John Hammond has asked to come. Y'all go ahead and come up, and everybody else, I want you to think. We're about to have communion but I want you to be thinking and reflect on what school you are in. The school of plenty or the school of poverty.

We're all learning. Are you in a season of need or abundance? And then think about this. I know I just started a lot of moving parts, but think about this. Jesus says, where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

So as we sit and you get to watch us distribute both the bread and the cup at the same time, Think and reflect where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. How what are we looking at for contentment? I'm really convicted by that, by by where I look to find my contentment. Like, I've gotta make it to the end of this hike. Jesus has offered us the opportunity to be content in him alone.

Nothing in this world can take us from him. And and today, we come to the table and have the opportunity to thank him for his death, his sacrifice. He gave himself for us on the cross. How can we be more content in him? If you are a believer in Christ, you're welcome to this table.

Let's pray before before we get going. Lord, thank you for your son. Thank you for all that you've done for us. Help us to be undistracted and reflect on how your word can change us to be more like you. In Jesus name, amen.

Once

you receive the bread and the cup, wait, and we're all gonna partake together.

Worthy of it all you're worthy of it all for you

On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took the bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, this is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way also, he took the cup after supper and said, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. We'll close out with the benediction.

The end of first Thessalonians, now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful. He will do it. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Amen. Go in peace.

Hi, Elijah. Hi, buddy. You wanna come see it?