PASTOR MARK MIKELS – October 26, 2008
“TIME TO SHINE” – Part Three
(Seeing Opportunities In The Midst of
Calamity)
Intro … Well, it continues to be an excellent “Time To Shine” … not
much has changed since we began this little series two weeks ago. Our
world continues to teeter on the edge of financial ruin as the stock
market toys with people’s lives like a cat with a ball of twine.
Who would have thought that gasoline dropping below $3.00 a gallon
would be an indication of just how bad things have gotten!
Jobs are disappearing – credit for many has dried up – the irrational
exuberance and the irresponsible management that has driven much of our
nation for the past decade or so has reached a logical and inevitable
conclusion of chaos, confusion, and condemnation.
Or in the words of the immortal Forrest Gump:
“Stupid is as stupid does”.
The thesis of this series of messages is that such an environment
provides an excellent opportunity for Followers of Jesus Christ to
shine like stars shine in the blackest of nights.
In fact, we have pointed out that there are certain truths of our faith
that can best be demonstrated in just such troublesome times.
Two weeks ago we discussed Demonstration Truth #1 …
“We are but strangers and pilgrims in this world”
We are buoyed along during difficult times by a Heavenly Hope
Last week we examined Demonstration Truth #2 …
“We are recipients of a supernatural peace”
We rejoiced to recognize the tremendous values or benefits of that
divinely given peace …
It allows us to stay cool, calm and collected;
It allows us to lie down and really rest; and
It allows us to stay zeroed in on the things that really matter.
Today we come to …
DEMONSTRATION TRUTH #3 …
We possess the SECRET of CONTENTMENT
(Philippians 4:11-12)
Here’s how the Apostle Paul expressed it in his “thank you letter” to
the Church in Philippi who had just sent him a generous gift …
I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your
concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no
opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for
I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I 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.
“Contentment” … now there’s something that is certainly best
demonstrated during troublesome times for troublesome times are usually
when “contentment” goes right out the window – troublesome times are
when feelings of “dis-content” are found everywhere.
Here’s how Webster defines “contentment” …
THE DEFINITION OF CONTENTMENT …
“To be HAPPY enough with what one has
or is – to be SATISFIED” (Webster)
We could say that …
We are CONTENT when we are SATISFIED
with WHAT we have and with WHO we are.
What a position to be in anytime – but especially during troublesome
times … to be satisfied – not really needing to have anything more
than what we already have; not striving after things, not engaging in
the endless pursuit of “just a little more”; not challenging our
current status in any way. To be content with what we have and with who
we are.
Now here’s our point today … I’m calling it …
Today’s Key Reality #1 …
CHRISTIANS are perfectly POSITIONED
to demonstrate CONTENTMENT.
Just think about WHAT we have and WHO we are …
Now I don’t mean the size of your bank account (assuming your bank is
still solvent) or the fact that you have a star on Hollywood’s famous
“Walk of Fame” for there’s no guarantee that any Christian will become
either wealthy or famous, though some have become one or both.
And the truth is … wealth and fame are more likely to lead to
feelings of discontentment than to feelings of contentment …
especially when troublesome times threaten to take away both.
Think about the things that we have as Christians that nothing can take
away … things that will bring us a feelings of satisfaction until we
draw our last breath … things that troublesome times merely cause to
rise to the surface of our minds …
We, as Christians have …
FORGIVENESS of SIN – no amount of money can buy that.
The Scripture says that though “The wages of win is death” (Romans
6:23) … “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are
in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
We, as Christians have …
DELIVERANCE from HELL – no judge on earth can grant that.
The most familiar verse in the Bible says “For God so loved the world
that
He gave his one and only Son so that whosoever believes in him should
not
perish (go to Hell) but have everlasting life.”
No one on this earth ever has to decide to “go to Hell” – that’s where
everyone on this earth – everyone in this room – is just naturally
heading.
And deep inside himself or herself, every unsaved person has a feeling
(especially during troublesome times) that somehow his life has “gone
to Hell” already and that feeling makes contentment pretty much an
impossibility.
How different the Christian who has received God gracious gift of
forgiveness and has been “Delivered from Hell”!
What do we as Christians have?
We have Forgiveness of Sins; we have Deliverance from Hell and finally
in our list this morning we have …
ASSURANCE of HEAVEN
“I go to prepare a place for you”, Jesus said.
“So shall we forever be with the Lord”, said the Apostle Paul.
“I write this things so that you may know that you have eternal life”,
wrote the beloved Apostle John.
That’s the Heavenly Hope that we spoke about in the first message in
this little series. It not only provides us with Stability and
Security; it obviously provides us with a sense of Satisfaction as
well.
A contented person (first of all) is a person who is satisfied with
What
He Has … and Christians have some incredibly satisfying things in
their possession.
Now secondly Webster informed us that a contented person is a person
who is satisfied with Who He Is …
As born again followers of Jesus Christ, we Christians are …
CHILDREN of GOD – What an incredible intervention!
In the Gospel of John we read …
“Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name,
He gave the right to become Children of God – children born not of
natural descent, nor of human will, but born of God.”
Through the miracle of spiritual birth, God has “re-generated” us as
His Own Children in this world. We belong to Him, we are called by His
Name, we are Sons and Daughters of God – there is no earthly
designation higher than that … We are as high on the list as any
human being can go!
As born again followers of Jesus Christ, we Christians are …
MEMBERS of God’s earthly FAMILY – What a privilege!
The Apostle Paul wrote …
“Now you are the Body of Christ, and each one of you is part of it.”
(1 Corinthians 12:27)
There is no sense of isolation for a true follower of Jesus Christ;
he/she belongs to an entire world-wide network of fellow believers.
He/she is related to the greatest saints who have ever lived. He/she
has both a heritage of faith and a family of faith – There is no more
prominent family
in all the universe to belong to than the Family of God.
WHO ARE WE?
As born again followers of Jesus Christ, we are Children of God
Himself; we are Members of God’s Earthly Family (the church) and …
As born again followers of Jesus Christ, we Christians are …
TEMPLES for the SPIRIT – Now there’s an awesome reality!
The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Corinthian believers …
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit,
who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)
This is perhaps the most important aspect of our earthly identity.
We house in ourselves a part of the Holy Spirit of God. He dwells in us
–
He fellowships with us – He works His Works through us … We are a
vital part of His Plan – We have an awesome purpose and power within
us.
You see why I say that …
“Christians Are Perfected Positioned to demonstrate Contentment”?
We Christians are perfected positioned to demonstrate our satisfaction
with What We Have and with Who We Are.
Now for …
Today’s Key Reality #2 …
CONTENTMENT can powerfully IMPACT the DISCONTENTED.
As soon as the words of that Key Reality appeared on my computer screen
this week, my mind flew to a scene in one of my all-time favorite
movies “Chariots of Fire”.
“Chariots of Fire” (which won the Best Picture Oscar back in 1981)
tells the story of two young Englishmen, Eric Liddell (a committed
Christian) and Harold Abrahams (a complete secularist) as they prepare
for and then compete in the 1924 Olympic Games.
The scene to which my mind was drawn is one in which Eric Liddell who
refused to compete on the Lord’s Day is delivering a message to a
Sunday afternoon audience while Harold Abrahams is bemoaning his
efforts previously made and is trying to prepare himself for the race
of his life –
the finals of the Olympic 100 dash.
In his agonizing self analysis, shared with his college roommate –
Aubrey Montague, Harold illustrates our Key Reality that …
“Contentment can powerfully impact the discontented.”
PLAY SCENE …
Can you see yourself “sitting in that chair” …
Can you see yourself telling the “Harold Abrahams” in your life that
such “contentment can be his as well as yours”? Can you see how a
spirit of contentment can powerfully impact and inescapably draw
someone who is never known it?
I know – I know … That assumes that we have it in the first place,
doesn’t it? The truth is “being a Christian’ doesn’t just automatically
make us content”, does it?
There’s a “secret” to contentment … that’s what Paul said he had
learned … the “secret to being content in any and every situation”.
Well, here it is …
THE SECRET OF CONTENTMENT …
“LINK your sense of well-being to NEVER-CHANGING heavenly realities
rather than to EVER-CHANGING earthly circumstances.
Link your sense of well-being to What You Have and to Who You Are in
Christ – those things we itemized this morning – those things that
cause you to say … “I have all that I need – I require nothing more –
I am content”.
Time for just one Key Clarification – a clarification needed for all of
you thinkers out there …
Being satisfied with What I Have and Who I Am does not mean
that I necessarily am satisfied with How Things Are!
We might frequently and energetically engage ourselves in seeking to
change “The Way Things Are” and we should – it’s just that we don’t
link our sense of well-being on the outcome!
The outcome of our earthly struggles should have nothing to do with our
contentment level.
Now as we conclude this message this morning, I’m reminded of a chorus
we used to sing a long time ago – a chorus that some of us no doubt
sang as children – a children’s chorus that like so many children’s
choruses conveys the kinds of wonderful simple concepts that adults
have so much trouble hanging on to …
It might put this message today in words that you can hang on to this
week.
The words to it went like this …
“I am satisfied – I am satisfied;
Satisfied to know that my Savior loves me so.
I am satisfied – I am satisfied’
Satisfied to know He loves me!
Final Thot … GODLINESS with Contentment is GREAT GAIN!
(1 Timothy 6:6-7)
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