PASTOR MARK MIKELS – October 26, 2008<\/p>\n
“TIME TO SHINE” – Part Three<\/p>\n
(Seeing Opportunities In The Midst of
\nCalamity)<\/p>\n
Intro … Well, it continues to be an excellent “Time To Shine” … not
\nmuch has changed since we began this little series two weeks ago. Our
\nworld continues to teeter on the edge of financial ruin as the stock
\nmarket toys with people’s lives like a cat with a ball of twine.
\n<\/p>\n
Who would have thought that gasoline dropping below $3.00 a gallon
\nwould be an indication of just how bad things have gotten!<\/p>\n
Jobs are disappearing – credit for many has dried up – the irrational
\nexuberance and the irresponsible management that has driven much of our
\nnation for the past decade or so has reached a logical and inevitable
\nconclusion of chaos, confusion, and condemnation.<\/p>\n
Or in the words of the immortal Forrest Gump:<\/p>\n
“Stupid is as stupid does”.<\/p>\n
The thesis of this series of messages is that such an environment
\nprovides an excellent opportunity for Followers of Jesus Christ to
\nshine like stars shine in the blackest of nights.<\/p>\n
In fact, we have pointed out that there are certain truths of our faith
\nthat can best be demonstrated in just such troublesome times.<\/p>\n
Two weeks ago we discussed Demonstration Truth #1 …<\/p>\n
“We are but strangers and pilgrims in this world”<\/p>\n
We are buoyed along during difficult times by a Heavenly Hope<\/p>\n
Last week we examined Demonstration Truth #2 …<\/p>\n
“We are recipients of a supernatural peace”<\/p>\n
We rejoiced to recognize the tremendous values or benefits of that
\ndivinely given peace …<\/p>\n
It allows us to stay cool, calm and collected;<\/p>\n
It allows us to lie down and really rest; and<\/p>\n
It allows us to stay zeroed in on the things that really matter.<\/p>\n
Today we come to …<\/p>\n
DEMONSTRATION TRUTH #3 …<\/p>\n
We possess the SECRET of CONTENTMENT<\/p>\n
(Philippians 4:11-12)<\/p>\n
Here’s how the Apostle Paul expressed it in his “thank you letter” to
\nthe Church in Philippi who had just sent him a generous gift …<\/p>\n
I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your
\nconcern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no
\nopportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for
\nI have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it
\nis to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned
\nthe secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well
\nfed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.<\/p>\n
“Contentment” … now there’s something that is certainly best<\/p>\n
demonstrated during troublesome times for troublesome times are usually
\nwhen “contentment” goes right out the window – troublesome times are<\/p>\n
when feelings of “dis-content” are found everywhere.<\/p>\n
Here’s how Webster defines “contentment” …<\/p>\n
THE DEFINITION OF CONTENTMENT …<\/p>\n
“To be HAPPY enough with what one has<\/p>\n
or is – to be SATISFIED” (Webster)<\/p>\n
We could say that …<\/p>\n
We are CONTENT when we are SATISFIED<\/p>\n
with WHAT we have and with WHO we are.<\/p>\n
What a position to be in anytime – but especially during troublesome
\ntimes … to be satisfied – not really needing to have anything more
\nthan what we already have; not striving after things, not engaging in
\nthe endless pursuit of “just a little more”; not challenging our
\ncurrent status in any way. To be content with what we have and with who
\nwe are.<\/p>\n
Now here’s our point today … I’m calling it …<\/p>\n
Today’s Key Reality #1 …<\/p>\n
CHRISTIANS are perfectly POSITIONED<\/p>\n
to demonstrate CONTENTMENT.<\/p>\n
Just think about WHAT we have and WHO we are …<\/p>\n
Now I don’t mean the size of your bank account (assuming your bank is
\nstill solvent) or the fact that you have a star on Hollywood’s famous
\n“Walk of Fame” for there’s no guarantee that any Christian will become
\neither wealthy or famous, though some have become one or both.<\/p>\n
And the truth is … wealth and fame are more likely to lead to
\nfeelings of discontentment than to feelings of contentment …
\nespecially when troublesome times threaten to take away both.<\/p>\n
Think about the things that we have as Christians that nothing can take<\/p>\n
away … things that will bring us a feelings of satisfaction until we
\ndraw our last breath … things that troublesome times merely cause to
\nrise to the surface of our minds …<\/p>\n
We, as Christians have …<\/p>\n
FORGIVENESS of SIN – no amount of money can buy that.<\/p>\n
The Scripture says that though “The wages of win is death” (Romans
\n6:23) … “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are<\/p>\n
in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)<\/p>\n
We, as Christians have …<\/p>\n
DELIVERANCE from HELL – no judge on earth can grant that.<\/p>\n
The most familiar verse in the Bible says “For God so loved the world
\nthat<\/p>\n
He gave his one and only Son so that whosoever believes in him should
\nnot<\/p>\n
perish (go to Hell) but have everlasting life.”<\/p>\n
No one on this earth ever has to decide to “go to Hell” – that’s where
\neveryone on this earth – everyone in this room – is just naturally
\nheading.<\/p>\n
And deep inside himself or herself, every unsaved person has a feeling
\n(especially during troublesome times) that somehow his life has “gone
\nto Hell” already and that feeling makes contentment pretty much an
\nimpossibility.<\/p>\n
How different the Christian who has received God gracious gift of
\nforgiveness and has been “Delivered from Hell”!<\/p>\n
What do we as Christians have?<\/p>\n
We have Forgiveness of Sins; we have Deliverance from Hell and finally
\nin our list this morning we have …<\/p>\n
ASSURANCE of HEAVEN<\/p>\n
“I go to prepare a place for you”, Jesus said.<\/p>\n
“So shall we forever be with the Lord”, said the Apostle Paul.<\/p>\n
“I write this things so that you may know that you have eternal life”,<\/p>\n
wrote the beloved Apostle John.<\/p>\n
That’s the Heavenly Hope that we spoke about in the first message in
\nthis little series. It not only provides us with Stability and
\nSecurity; it obviously provides us with a sense of Satisfaction as
\nwell.<\/p>\n
A contented person (first of all) is a person who is satisfied with
\nWhat<\/p>\n
He Has … and Christians have some incredibly satisfying things in<\/p>\n
their possession.<\/p>\n
Now secondly Webster informed us that a contented person is a person
\nwho is satisfied with Who He Is …<\/p>\n
As born again followers of Jesus Christ, we Christians are …<\/p>\n
CHILDREN of GOD – What an incredible intervention!<\/p>\n
In the Gospel of John we read …<\/p>\n
“Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name,<\/p>\n
He gave the right to become Children of God – children born not of<\/p>\n
natural descent, nor of human will, but born of God.”<\/p>\n
Through the miracle of spiritual birth, God has “re-generated” us as
\nHis Own Children in this world. We belong to Him, we are called by His
\nName, we are Sons and Daughters of God – there is no earthly
\ndesignation higher than that … We are as high on the list as any
\nhuman being can go!<\/p>\n
As born again followers of Jesus Christ, we Christians are …<\/p>\n
MEMBERS of God’s earthly FAMILY – What a privilege!<\/p>\n
The Apostle Paul wrote …<\/p>\n
“Now you are the Body of Christ, and each one of you is part of it.”<\/p>\n
(1 Corinthians 12:27)<\/p>\n
There is no sense of isolation for a true follower of Jesus Christ;
\nhe\/she belongs to an entire world-wide network of fellow believers.
\nHe\/she is related to the greatest saints who have ever lived. He\/she
\nhas both a heritage of faith and a family of faith – There is no more
\nprominent family<\/p>\n
in all the universe to belong to than the Family of God.<\/p>\n
WHO ARE WE?<\/p>\n
As born again followers of Jesus Christ, we are Children of God
\nHimself; we are Members of God’s Earthly Family (the church) and …<\/p>\n
As born again followers of Jesus Christ, we Christians are …<\/p>\n
TEMPLES for the SPIRIT – Now there’s an awesome reality!<\/p>\n
The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Corinthian believers …<\/p>\n
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit,<\/p>\n
who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)<\/p>\n
This is perhaps the most important aspect of our earthly identity.<\/p>\n
We house in ourselves a part of the Holy Spirit of God. He dwells in us
\n–<\/p>\n
He fellowships with us – He works His Works through us … We are a<\/p>\n
vital part of His Plan – We have an awesome purpose and power within
\nus.<\/p>\n
You see why I say that …<\/p>\n
“Christians Are Perfected Positioned to demonstrate Contentment”?<\/p>\n
We Christians are perfected positioned to demonstrate our satisfaction
\nwith What We Have and with Who We Are.<\/p>\n
Now for …<\/p>\n
Today’s Key Reality #2 …<\/p>\n
CONTENTMENT can powerfully IMPACT the DISCONTENTED.<\/p>\n
As soon as the words of that Key Reality appeared on my computer screen
\nthis week, my mind flew to a scene in one of my all-time favorite
\nmovies “Chariots of Fire”.<\/p>\n
“Chariots of Fire” (which won the Best Picture Oscar back in 1981)
\ntells the story of two young Englishmen, Eric Liddell (a committed
\nChristian) and Harold Abrahams (a complete secularist) as they prepare
\nfor and then compete in the 1924 Olympic Games.<\/p>\n
The scene to which my mind was drawn is one in which Eric Liddell who
\nrefused to compete on the Lord’s Day is delivering a message to a
\nSunday afternoon audience while Harold Abrahams is bemoaning his
\nefforts previously made and is trying to prepare himself for the race
\nof his life –<\/p>\n
the finals of the Olympic 100 dash.<\/p>\n
In his agonizing self analysis, shared with his college roommate –
\nAubrey Montague, Harold illustrates our Key Reality that …<\/p>\n
“Contentment can powerfully impact the discontented.”<\/p>\n
PLAY SCENE …<\/p>\n
Can you see yourself “sitting in that chair” …<\/p>\n
Can you see yourself telling the “Harold Abrahams” in your life that
\nsuch “contentment can be his as well as yours”? Can you see how a
\nspirit of contentment can powerfully impact and inescapably draw
\nsomeone who is never known it?<\/p>\n
I know – I know … That assumes that we have it in the first place,
\ndoesn’t it? The truth is “being a Christian’ doesn’t just automatically
\nmake us content”, does it?<\/p>\n
There’s a “secret” to contentment … that’s what Paul said he had
\nlearned … the “secret to being content in any and every situation”.<\/p>\n
Well, here it is …<\/p>\n
THE SECRET OF CONTENTMENT …<\/p>\n
“LINK your sense of well-being to NEVER-CHANGING heavenly realities
\nrather than to EVER-CHANGING earthly circumstances.<\/p>\n
Link your sense of well-being to What You Have and to Who You Are in
\nChrist – those things we itemized this morning – those things that
\ncause you to say … “I have all that I need – I require nothing more –
\nI am content”.<\/p>\n
Time for just one Key Clarification – a clarification needed for all of
\nyou thinkers out there …<\/p>\n
Being satisfied with What I Have and Who I Am does not mean<\/p>\n
that I necessarily am satisfied with How Things Are!<\/p>\n
We might frequently and energetically engage ourselves in seeking to
\nchange “The Way Things Are” and we should – it’s just that we don’t
\nlink our sense of well-being on the outcome!<\/p>\n
The outcome of our earthly struggles should have nothing to do with our
\ncontentment level.<\/p>\n
Now as we conclude this message this morning, I’m reminded of a chorus
\nwe used to sing a long time ago – a chorus that some of us no doubt
\nsang as children – a children’s chorus that like so many children’s
\nchoruses conveys the kinds of wonderful simple concepts that adults
\nhave so much trouble hanging on to …<\/p>\n
It might put this message today in words that you can hang on to this
\nweek.<\/p>\n
The words to it went like this …<\/p>\n
“I am satisfied – I am satisfied;<\/p>\n
Satisfied to know that my Savior loves me so.<\/p>\n
I am satisfied – I am satisfied’<\/p>\n
Satisfied to know He loves me!<\/p>\n
Final Thot … GODLINESS with Contentment is GREAT GAIN!<\/p>\n
(1 Timothy 6:6-7)<\/p>\n
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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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"template":"","meta":[],"categories":[3,5],"archive_item":"http:\/\/archive.org\/details\/sonlifecommunitychurch.com--time-to-shine--time-to-shine-part-3","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonlifecommunitychurch.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sermons\/170"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonlifecommunitychurch.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sermons"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonlifecommunitychurch.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/sp_sermon"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonlifecommunitychurch.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonlifecommunitychurch.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonlifecommunitychurch.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}