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Phil. 4:10-13 THE SECRET SOCIETY OF THE SATISFIED Intro: Paul uses the word
“content”
in verse 11. This word speaks of “being satisfied with what one
has, regardless of how small it might be.” Are you a contented person? Are you satisfied with your lot in life? If you are, then you possess great treasure, We
live in a world of discontented people!
You might be saved and have much in this world and still not be
content. Ill. Quaker who promised to
give a piece of land to the most contented person in the village. “If
thou be content, then why dost thou want my lot?” Rather
than living lives of grateful contentment, our lives are often filled with complaining. We “whine, pine and recline.” We complain when children are noisy, instead
of being thankful that they are healthy, happy and in right mind. We complain about our home when thousands
have no home. We gripe about work when
many have no jobs. We fuss about our
cars when many have never seen a car.
Why? We have never learned the secret of contentment! There
is a secret to satisfaction and Paul knew all about it. Look at his words: “I have learned”, v. 11, this word means “to
gain knowledge”. “I
know”, v. 12, this word
means “to understand, to make a discovery”. “I am instructed”, v. 12, this phrase means “to be
initiated”. Paul uses the
language of Greek “mystery religions”. They
claimed to have special knowledge of deep, divine secrets possessed only by the
initiated. Paul borrows their words to
tell us that he has been initiated into The Secret Society Of The
Satisfied. He knows the secrets
and he shares them with you in these verses.
Here are the secrets that will allow you to join The Secret Society Of The Satisfied.
A. Ill. B. God knows your needs. 1.
He may send it directly –
Ill. Elijah and the ravens, 2.
He may meet our need through
others - C. Regardless of what God provides, rejoice in
it, II. v. 11 SECRET
#2: REST IN YOUR SITUATION ( A. Not Self-Satisfaction – We
should never settle for less than our best.
We can be ambitious and still be right with God. Should not be satisfied to be an office boy
when could be President; to make C’s when could make A’s; to play 3rd
string when could be All-American; to be mere Christian when could shake the
world for God. ( B. Not Self-Sufficiency – “to be
enough in one’s self” – Ill. Stuff you hear from motivational speakers;
smile and be happy preachers. You can do
anything you want, just put your mind to it.
( C. It Is Self-Surrender – Word made
Christian. Means “to be
self-contained; to have all needed within.” Used to describe a city or
country that needed no imports.
They had all they needed to sustain life. ( III. v. 13 SECRET #3: REALIZE YOUR STRENGTH A. Paul does
not say “I can’t” – That is the language of PESSIMISM. B. Paul does
not say “I can” – That is the language of PRESUMPTION. C. He said “I
can…through Christ” – That is the language of POWER. This is dynamic contentment; this is dynamic
Christian life. This is victory over
every temptation; grace for every trouble; strength for every task. ( Conc: Ill. Poor farmer worked hard
and had nothing. When he died, his
property was found to be sitting on a sea of oil. He had a treasure he had never tapped into!
Are you content? Are you saved? Are you tapping the well of His power? |
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