Sermons
Content in Whatever
Series: Joy RobbersCONTENT IN WHATEVER
Sermon By Terry Siverd
Cortland Church of Christ / December 02, 2018
At some point during the last decade it became popular among teens and pre-teens to say, whatever.
This response, which in many situations could have been delightful, proved to agitate both parents and teachers.
The problem with this “whatever response” is that it can be understood in two entirely different ways.
It can mean contentment, as in Paul's usage of it in Philp.4:11 - -
I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
It can also reflect a measure of complacency or apathy, as in, “I don't really care...” or, “not really interested...”.
If it is used by a child or teen in this way (or a mate), it might well be interpreted as a form of disrespect -- as if
yawning with total disinterest, or perhaps even worse, as a form of “sassing” which could bring a serious rebuke.
It's hard to pinpoint exactly what it is that causes this perfectly fine word, whatever, to suddenly become so wicked.
It might be the tone of voice and/or the eye contact (or lack thereof) of the one who utters “whatever”.
Or it might hinge on the particular mood of the one on the receiving end of that whatever exclamation.
Some of you teens have learned the hard way that, Whatever you say, you shouldn't say 'whatever'.
As of last Sunday we have begun a new sermon series which I have titled, “Job Robbers”.
Last Sunday we spoke about politics and people - - how they can siphon away our joy.
This morning I want to talk about circumstances: life situations that can fleece us sheep of our joy.
Philip.4:11-13 is not just a springboard for our discussion, it is the primary text to which we keep returning.
For I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity;
in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both
of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Theodore Roosevelt (our nation's 26th president) proved to be a very quotable notable.
Here's one of his quotes: “Comparison is the thief of joy.”
Perhaps more than we'd like to admit, we get caught up playing the comparison game.
It starts out with just two little words: “if only...”.
If only I had the gene pool that so and so has.
If only I could have gone to a better school and had better instructors.
If only I had a high-paying job like so and so did or does, I could retire early.
If only my family had moved to Houston, TX instead of Ashtabula, OH, I could have really climbed the ladder.
If only we lived in a state where we had nice weather year round we could walk more and grumble less.
If only our church was located in a growth region, we too could grow by leaps and bounds.
If only our circumstances were different, we could excel and flourish.
Making these kinds of comparisons is neither fair to others or ourselves.
Two quotes here will help remind us that our comparisons with others are inexact at best. Steve Furtick writes:
“The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel.”
“Don't compare you're beginning to someone else's middle.” / Jon Acuf
Playing “if only” allows us to make excuses far too easily, but more seriously, it's tantamount to self-thievery.
It allows our circumstance, which we can't always control to dictate our joy and that, in itself, is quite sad.
Paul tells Timothy, who was a young preacher at that time, to pay close attention to yourself... (1Tim.4:16).
For over a decade I walked our first dog Siggy at places like Vienna Cemetery and Crown Hill.
He was quite content to walk within the fenced-in areas. Where fences were absent, the woods served as a boundary.
My walks off-lease with our second dog Bodie began well - - with him appearing to be content to stay close by my side.
I found myself rejoicing (maybe even bragging) about having two consecutive dogs -- both well-behaved and restrained.
During this past summer and fall, I have observed Bodie getting sucked into the greener grass syndrome.
Bo's make-up is different than Siggy's. Bo is much more eager to explore and being a little smaller he can more
easily evade the barriers: under the chain-linked fence, through the slightest gaps, around the fence.
And he is really fixated on little four-legged critters. Sig hunted for sport, but Bo hunts because it his job.
And of the two Bo definitely had better eyesight and a more keen sense of smell.
Vienna Cemetery itself has so much to offer, yet Bo seems to be hung up on the grass on the other side of the fence
- - the result being that he no longer seems satisfied with “the walk within”. He is losing what was once an abundance
of joy (for him and me) in order to pursue another frontier that his little dog brain has convinced him is so much better.
It's startling how closely this mirrors our human experience.
There is a MYTH to the greener grass. It too, like the “If only scenarios”, is an enticement by comparison.
Seldom ever does the lure of the greener grass truly deliver.
In fact, sometimes what seems so lush actually proves to be an outright lie - - a “wolf in sheep's clothing”.
A fatal attraction. An enticement that once looked so tasty ends up being a sickening mess.
Near Vienna cemetery one lady's son said to me, “don't go there, there's tons of poison ivy”. I don't know if
dog's are allergic, but you get my point - - some things that might appear so attractive can prove to be “bad news”.
We don't have to allow our circumstances to dictate our state of mind.
When the apostle Paul wrote Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon he was very likely in prison.
The scholar N.T. Wright thinks that Paul wrote these letters while imprisoned in Ephesus. Some think Rome.
In 2Cor.11:23, Paul defends his devotion by referencing his own numerous sacrifices on behalf of Christ.
He writes of far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death...
Concerning his imprisonments, the book of Acts only mentions four:
Acts 16/Philippi … Acts 21/Jerusalem … Acts 23-26/Caesarea … Acts 28:16/Rome.
While Acts 19 does not detail any Pauline imprisonment, other passages written from Ephesus
and concerning his time in Ephesus paint a picture of very grave circumstances endured by Paul.
cf. 1Cor.15:32; Acts 20:18-19; Eph.6:11-12 and 2Cor.1:8-10
One text that underscores the very point of today's message - - that circumstances need not take away our joy - -
is Acts 16:24-25 / (the jailer) threw (Paul & Silas) into the inner prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks. But
about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening...
Even in the bleakest setting (2Cor.1:8f), Paul remains firm, HE (God) will yet deliver us...
Very few of us have been imprisoned or will be imprisoned (in a jail cell or dungeon).
Hence, we may never face the challenge of having to cling to our joy while imprisoned.
But some of us have tasted first hand the challenges that come from other situations - -
not associated with serving “hardtime”, but confronted with hard circumstances.
A marriage that is teetering on the break of collapse … Working a job that you can't stand …
Not working -- without a job … Battling a disease that is not easily vanquished.
Heartbreak -- loosing someone who is not coming back.
WHAT IS CONTENTMENT?
Contentment is not the same as complacency, a word we offer connect with laziness or lackluster behavior.
For example, some young adults are eager to find that special match and get married.
But, single though they may be for the time being, they can still be content.
I would like to be the minister of a larger congregation, say with a Sunday AM attendance of 100, 200, 500, 1,000.
But I have learned to be content in circumstances that are far less, numerically speaking.
Most of us would smile at the thought of a job that offers a bigger paycheck.
But we can also learn to be content with the job we have.
Heb.13:5f states: Let you character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have...
Learning to be content does not equal living a life of complacency.
Paul's words in Philip.4:11/I have learned to be content in whatever circumstance must be balanced with
Paul's words in Philip.3:14/I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Contentment is learning to say thanks for simple daily blessings that we often take for granted.
1Tim.6:8/If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.
(Tell of the cute little welsh-corgie dog that “whistles” between bites).
Contentment is relishing the presence of God (Heb.13:6) in each and every moment of life.
For He Himself has said, 'I will never desert you nor will I ever forsake you,'
so that we can confidently say, 'The Lord is My Helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?'.
Contentment is learning to give thanks for all things (Eph.5:20) and in everything (1Thess.5:18) --
even when some of such things are inexplicable and unwanted.
Contentment is rejoicing in the promise of God's care for us even in hard circumstances.
Philip.4:19/My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Let us LEARN to stop using our circumstances as an excuse.
An excuse for failure or an excuse to grumble or complain.
Indeed, this is a mind-set that we LEARN. cf. Philp.4:11
Let us stop with the comparisons.
Let us thank God for all that we do have instead of perseverating on what we don't have that maybe others do.
Rather than “suggesting” to God what it is that we want in order to be happy,
let us cultivate the maturity to find joy in whatever God sends our way.
