Finding Contentment: Trusting in Christ's Abundant Grace
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See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world and not according to Christ. [00:00:17] (16 seconds)
What our enemy wants to do is to take us captive, and instead of living our life according to this secret, to live our life according to empty deceit. And our enemy is crafty, schemes against us, and it's very subtle. So we ask for this grace this morning. [00:01:18] (23 seconds)
Philosophy is this Greek word, two words together means a love of wisdom. Or another definition of philosophy is philosophy as a core is the study of fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, and reality. It's a discipline that explores the nature of life, the universe, and the human experience, often asking why and how to make sense of the world and our place in it. [00:02:14] (30 seconds)
To make sense of the world and our place in it. So if you're into philosophy, you'll talk about philosophical systems, things like nihilism, meaning life has no meaning, nothing has any value. Existentialism, since life has no meaning and nothing has value, you've got to find your value in your own existence. Stoicism, how do you live in a world where things don't go your way? Hedonism, happiness is found in pursuing pleasure. [00:02:43] (27 seconds)
And we're very aware that the culture in which we live thinks about those things sometimes the same way that we do, sometimes very differently. We don't have fancy systematic names for them, but we say things like, today, all people think about today is blank. Young people today, all they're concerned about is blank. Or if you're of a certain generation, you begin every phrase with, back in my day, or if you're the other end, okay, boomer, you know, however you want to do it. [00:03:58] (33 seconds)
And he is engaging with them about some very things that philosophers wrote a lot about. Virtues, friendships, gift-giving, and contentment. So, first century Greek philosophers, they wrote a lot about those ideas, and Paul's writing about that specifically about how Christ changes those things. So, let's read together Philippians chapter 4, beginning of verse 8, going through verse 13. [00:05:22] (27 seconds)
In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. And I can do all things through him who strengthens me. So, when you do some, start doing research on this, it sounds like Paul is looking at these four things that philosophers talked a lot about in the Greco-Roman world. [00:06:33] (22 seconds)
And in a three-party system, if you're the giver, whatever it is that you're thinking of giving, you're only able to give because God has given it to you in the first place. And in a three-party system within Christ, the whole reason that you're even prompted to give is because the Spirit within you is prompting you to give. [00:11:36] (20 seconds)
God is the one who enables the giver to abound in the good work of giving. God is the one who has enriched the giver so that the giver can be generous. God is the one who has supplied seed to the giver so the giver has some seed to scatter, and God is the one who is actually multiplying the seed that is given, and God is the one who is increasing the harvest because the seed has been given, but all of the thanksgiving goes to where? It's to God. [00:13:26] (28 seconds)
Now, first century philosophers, when they talked about contentment, they defined it a little bit different than we do. The Stoics of his day define contentment as this, is one who becomes an independent person, sufficient to his or herself, and in need of no one else. That's how the Stoics defined contentment. Independent, self-sufficient, don't need you, don't need anybody, I'm on my own. [00:16:34] (27 seconds)
Don't trust in the streams, trust in the fountain. Just that image. The fountain flows in many different streams, and our temptation as we see the stream of God's grace flow through, the fountain of God's grace flow through this stream and through these riverbanks, we begin to put all of our faith and trust in the riverbanks of this stream. [00:18:51] (22 seconds)
I think this is what Paul is saying here, I have found the secret of being content. You know what the secret is? You focus on the fountain, not on the stream. So, in this, this whole thanksgiving, this whole gift-giving idea, Paul says, the stream of how God provided for me in this moment was through the saints of Philippi. [00:19:27] (19 seconds)
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What our enemy wants to do is to take us captive, and instead of living our life according to this secret, to live our life according to empty deceit. And our enemy is crafty, schemes against us, and it's very subtle. So we ask for this grace this morning. [00:01:18] (23 seconds)
Philosophy is this Greek word, two words together means a love of wisdom. Or another definition of philosophy is philosophy as a core is the study of fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, and reality. It's a discipline that explores the nature of life, the universe, and the human experience, often asking why and how to make sense of the world and our place in it. [00:02:14] (30 seconds)
To make sense of the world and our place in it. So if you're into philosophy, you'll talk about philosophical systems, things like nihilism, meaning life has no meaning, nothing has any value. Existentialism, since life has no meaning and nothing has value, you've got to find your value in your own existence. Stoicism, how do you live in a world where things don't go your way? Hedonism, happiness is found in pursuing pleasure. [00:02:43] (27 seconds)
And we're very aware that the culture in which we live thinks about those things sometimes the same way that we do, sometimes very differently. We don't have fancy systematic names for them, but we say things like, today, all people think about today is blank. Young people today, all they're concerned about is blank. Or if you're of a certain generation, you begin every phrase with, back in my day, or if you're the other end, okay, boomer, you know, however you want to do it. [00:03:58] (33 seconds)
And he is engaging with them about some very things that philosophers wrote a lot about. Virtues, friendships, gift-giving, and contentment. So, first century Greek philosophers, they wrote a lot about those ideas, and Paul's writing about that specifically about how Christ changes those things. So, let's read together Philippians chapter 4, beginning of verse 8, going through verse 13. [00:05:22] (27 seconds)
In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. And I can do all things through him who strengthens me. So, when you do some, start doing research on this, it sounds like Paul is looking at these four things that philosophers talked a lot about in the Greco-Roman world. [00:06:33] (22 seconds)
And in a three-party system, if you're the giver, whatever it is that you're thinking of giving, you're only able to give because God has given it to you in the first place. And in a three-party system within Christ, the whole reason that you're even prompted to give is because the Spirit within you is prompting you to give. [00:11:36] (20 seconds)
God is the one who enables the giver to abound in the good work of giving. God is the one who has enriched the giver so that the giver can be generous. God is the one who has supplied seed to the giver so the giver has some seed to scatter, and God is the one who is actually multiplying the seed that is given, and God is the one who is increasing the harvest because the seed has been given, but all of the thanksgiving goes to where? It's to God. [00:13:26] (28 seconds)
Now, first century philosophers, when they talked about contentment, they defined it a little bit different than we do. The Stoics of his day define contentment as this, is one who becomes an independent person, sufficient to his or herself, and in need of no one else. That's how the Stoics defined contentment. Independent, self-sufficient, don't need you, don't need anybody, I'm on my own. [00:16:34] (27 seconds)
Don't trust in the streams, trust in the fountain. Just that image. The fountain flows in many different streams, and our temptation as we see the stream of God's grace flow through, the fountain of God's grace flow through this stream and through these riverbanks, we begin to put all of our faith and trust in the riverbanks of this stream. [00:18:51] (22 seconds)
I think this is what Paul is saying here, I have found the secret of being content. You know what the secret is? You focus on the fountain, not on the stream. So, in this, this whole thanksgiving, this whole gift-giving idea, Paul says, the stream of how God provided for me in this moment was through the saints of Philippi. [00:19:27] (19 seconds)
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