Philippians 4:10-13

Well, good morning and welcome to Life’s Restaurant. My name is Todd and I’ll be your server today. I hope you have enjoyed the appetizers of praise and worship this morning. Now, let me tell you about our main courses. I have to warn you that here at Life’s Restaurant you don’t always get what you order. I’m sorry about that but there is nothing you can do because you have to eat here.

But you can order whatever you want and the Chef will take it into consideration. I will say that a favorite around here is our delicious plate of Happiness Soufflé. Almost everybody orders that when they come here but I’ll be honest with you, it rarely satisfies. It’s a very small plate and if that’s what you want, you will rarely get enough.

Another favorite around here is a big ol’ Money Sandwich. You could say this is the opposite of a Po’ Boy. If that is what you want, you have to order it just right and work real hard and maybe you will get it, maybe not. The problem with this order is that when you order the Money Sandwich, you miss out on a lot of other good things. And even a double order is not very satisfying.

We have a special right now that I would like to tell you about. We have a Health Casserole that is very popular. It comes with a side of gym membership and spandex. It’s pretty hard to chew and the Chef may take it away from you with no warning so there’s that.

Other popular dishes we serve here at Life’s Restaurant are Glory Supreme which comes with a side of vanity. There is also the Sex, Drugs and Rock N Roll Soup which tastes great going down but I have to warn you, it will tear you up inside.

There is one other item that most folks don’t even know is on the menu. It’s not ordered very often because most people don’t think it sounds very appetizing. It doesn’t have a fancy name and it is not served on a fancy plate. And honestly, I have seen way too many people sample it and not like it. But if you continue eating it, it will be the most satisfying and fulfilling thing you have ever had. It is simply called Jesus.

When you order Jesus as your main course here at Life’s Restaurant, you will certainly get it. You are welcome to go back for more as often as you like as it is the only thing on the menu that is all you can eat. A little goes a long way but more is better and actually comes with every good thing this restaurant has to offer as sides. But the really good thing about ordering Jesus is that you will be content with whatever else the Chef brings you because Jesus goes well with everything.

Today, as you sit here feasting at Life’s Restaurant, are you content? Would you like to be? You can but if you order contentment, you rarely get it. You only get contentment through Jesus. When you give your life completely and fully to Him, you will find yourself able to be content no matter what else Life’s Restaurant serves up.

How do I know this? I know it because the Apostle Paul did it and tells us how in the book of Philippians. We have come to the end of our study of this beautiful little book and Paul concludes it with a summary of what happens when you put everything else he has talked about for four chapters into play in your life.

When you have joy in the Lord, unity in the church; when you press on to work out your salvation and when you are not worried but thinking about right things, focusing on getting to know Jesus more and more through prayer, scripture and church attendance then you can be content in this life through the power of Jesus. That is a summary of Philippians and what you get when your life is focused on Jesus. Let’s read it in Philippians 4:10-13.

I rejoiced greatly in the LORD that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Contentment is a fascinating thing. The more you chase after it, the less you have. The more stuff you get that you think will make you content, the more stuff you need. Some of the most contented people I have ever met have the least amount of stuff. It doesn’t make sense to this world and it only leads to frustration.

I found out in studying this week that there is a whole business model around contented cows. Morris suggested I look it up when I told him what I was preaching on today so I “researched” it. I Googled it and found that it started with Borden Dairy Company’s advertisements of Elsie the contented cow back in the 1940’s. The idea was that Borden kept their cows so contented that their milk output reflected their happy life.

That branched off into a business model that suggests if you keep your employees happy and comfortable and secure then they will be more productive as well. So, it works out well for everybody. There’s only one problem. As I just said, lasting contentment is not found in stuff. You can be content for a while…if things are good…if you have everything you need and want…but it never lasts.

Paul says here that he has learned to be content no matter the circumstance. Now how do you learn anything? Well, you can learn by reading about it in a book. You can learn by watching somebody else go through it or you can learn by experience. Anybody want to guess how Paul learned to be content? He learned by experience. He went through it. He went through the highest highs and the lowest lows.

I don’t know if you caught it but I started off by comparing God to a Chef in Life’s Restaurant serving us up whatever He wanted. Now, I want us to think about God as a Father. If God is a Father, and scripture calls Him that several times, then let’s think about how He treats His special child, the Apostle Paul.

Paul was extremely passionate when his name was Saul in persecuting the Christians. In Acts 9 it says that Paul was breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. His passionate hate was the breath in his lungs. It stirred him up and kept him going and I believe that is one reason why God chose to change him over to the right team and chose him to be one of the most influential Christians that has ever lived. Paul was a passionate man and for the rest of his life, Paul was passionate about seeing others come to know Jesus.

Before his conversion, Paul had been trained by the best and smartest people. He came from a long line of religious people. He had done all the right things and been to all the right places and could say all the right things. He had made good choices in his life and thought he was making a good choice by rooting out what he thought was blasphemy in this new “cult” called the Way or what we now call Christianity.

But then God changed his life. And you would think that God would see that he now has an all-star on his team. You would think that God would handle him with kid gloves and make everything go his way and protect him from anything that might hurt him or even discourage him.

But you know Paul’s story. He tells us in 2 Corinthians 11 that he was a servant of Christ. Then he goes on to say, “I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

I’m exhausted and in pain just from reading it! I can tell you after the first beating or two, I would have said, “I’m gonna go make some tents or something over here real quietly. Leave all that missionary stuff to somebody else.”

But I say all of that to show you two things. Number one – it’s not out of the realm of possibility for you to have to go through that kind of thing as well even as a Christian. Number two – you can still be content. You can still have everything you need. Even if your loving Heavenly Father allows you to go through the worst things in this world you can be content.

The Greek word Paul uses here for “content” is “autarkes” (aw-tar-kace) and it literally means to be self-sufficient, adequate and needing no assistance. Paul was glad to get whatever it was that the church in Philippi sent him but he was mainly glad because of what it meant for them. He didn’t need anything else to be content. He had contentment. He had joy and peace and God’s wisdom. He had all the promises of God but he was glad they sent it because of what it meant for them.

You may have noticed I rarely say much at all about tithing. I don’t because so many other preachers talk about it all the time and it has given preachers a bad name. The Bible talks a lot about giving but I’m afraid if I bring it up, somebody is going to say, “There he goes again, Ethyl, talking about money. That’s all he ever talks about.” I don’t want to give you that excuse. And it’s a shame because giving of your time, talent and treasure is how you get rewards in Heaven. That’s what Paul was talking about here.

We talked about it a little last Thursday night. Matthew 6 tells us not to store up treasures in this life because they will wear out or get stolen or ruined but instead use our time, talent and earthly treasure to store up treasure in Heaven. Money and stuff comes and goes. You should give your money and stuff to the church so we can do good things that God allows us to do with it but don’t think the church needs it. This church is autarkes. We don’t need a thing. God protects and provides like crazy but you need to give so that God sees your faith and will reward you. And that reward MIGHT be here but it will definitely be in Heaven for all eternity.

Like almost everything in God’s congress or how God works, it is countercultural. Giving to God will actually make you more content with what you do have. And I’ll tell you the truth, if you think I’m just saying that to get you to give then try this: give whatever God tells you to give to the church in Bridgeport or Decatur or Runaway Bay. Seriously. I want you to be rewarded for eternity just like Paul wanted for the Philippian church that was giving to him.

Have you ever seen an uprooted tree? When a storm uproots a tree, take a look at the massive root ball. The bigger the tree, the more massive the roots. The most important part of the tree, the part that is most vital to life is the part that can’t be seen. It’s basically the same with a Christian’s life. The most important and vital part is the part that can only be seen by God. When you give from the heart, whether it is giving your time, your talent or money, God sees. Don’t let anybody else know. That’s not their business. It’s between you and God and God sees the heart and rewards you for it. When you let other people know what you are doing or giving, Jesus said you have your reward right then and there. (Matt. 6:1-2)

But Paul’s main point here is really his main point in the whole book of Philippians. Do you want contentment? Get close to God. Do you want joy? Get close to God. Do you want peace? Get close to God. Matthew 6:33 backs it up when it says to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Paul says, I can do all things through Him who gives me strength and so many people think that means I can do all things through a verse taken out of context. Does that mean that Christ will give me strength to do anything I want? Nope. Keep it in context. Paul is talking about going through difficult times. He is chained to a guard. He is in prison. He has lost his freedom, his rights, his livelihood, his friends. He has no home. Food is questionable. Clothing is sparse. And Paul says, “I’m okay. I’m fine. Don’t need a thing.”

Now, guys, when Paul says he is fine, he means it. He’s fine. He’s content. This is not like how your wife says she is fine the day after y’all have a big argument. You know what I’m talking about. You think everything is over and done. You have gotten on with your life but your wife keeps giving you that look. You know the look. And when you ask her what’s wrong, she says, “Nothing! I’m fine.”

So, what do you say? “Whoo, good. I thought something was wrong. But if everything is fine, I guess I’ll go fishing.” If you have been married for more than 30 minutes, you know that’s the wrong answer. Her “fine” does not mean fine. She is not content and you are about to find out.

But Paul knew the secret to having true contentment. That’s what he called it in verse 12. It’s a secret. It’s a secret but he wants everybody to know that the secret is knowing Jesus Christ and knowing Him better and more intimately. It’s the whole theme of Philippians and it is the secret to this life and the next. I will say it again. Knowing Jesus more and better is the secret to having a rewarding, full and abundant life here and in the next life. It makes everything better in this life and the next. It was Paul’s one goal in life and everything else stemmed from knowing Jesus.

Leaning on his fence one day, a devout Quaker was watching a new neighbor move in next door. After all kinds of modern appliances, electronic gadgets, plush furniture, and costly wall hangings had been carried in, the onlooker called over, "If you find you're lacking anything, neighbor, let me know and I'll show you how to live without it." (SermonIllustrations.com)

I’ve heard it before that it takes for people to hear something at least three times before they start to remember it. Well, Paul has told us over and over and over in this book to have joy or rejoice in the Lord. He says here that he is content through Him who gives Paul strength. All of this; the joy, the peace, the contentment, the grace, mercy, blessing, everything is found IN Jesus, through Jesus, by Jesus and for Jesus. It is to our good and His glory and when you live your life with that mindset, you have everything you need.

Do you know Him today? I’m not asking if you go to church. I don’t care what class your mama taught or that your grandad was a preacher. Do you have a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus? You can but you have to decide in this life. Once you die, it will be too late and we are not guaranteed another breath. Ask Him today to forgive you of all your many sins and if you ask sincerely, He will. Repent of those sins – turn away from that lifestyle and that attitude. Surrender everything you have and everything you are to Him today and make Him Lord of your life right now as we pray.