Oh, To Be “Well Content”

Introduction

I realize that the speed at which a song is sung is somewhat the interpretation of the leader. But I asked him to lead that song a little bit more up tempo, and I don’t know if it helps you, but I usually get lost in that song because it’s going so slow. And singing it just a tad bit more up tempo helped me to focus on what we were saying to God. I think actually, Tim, that’s the right speed for that song. And I really appreciate you trying to do that for me. All right. And it pertains to the lesson that I’m going to present tonight. I don’t know how this is going to turn out, but I like the sermon. But, you know, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be a good one.

And I’m not really sure that it’s going to be applicable to your circumstances right now. But you need to be ready for the application of this sermon when it is applicable to your circumstances. Because I’m going to talk about things tonight that can steal our joy. And that is something that Paul talks about over and over again the joyous nature of the life in Christ, to rejoice in the Lord always. And I’m going to talk about some things that, circumstances that tend to interfere with our rejoicing that ought to characterize us. And I told you I was going to talk about this passage in 2 Corinthians 12 and verse 10 as we were teaching 2 Corinthians. And this is going to serve somewhat too as a summary from a different angle on the study of 2 Corinthians.

But Paul makes this statement in 2 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 10. And something leaked out at me that night, and this happens sometimes when I’m teaching such a wonderful class as you are. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. And he’s talking about afflictions that pertain to his life because he has chosen to follow Jesus. And it also occurred to me that this theme actually runs through the whole epistle, as we shall see in a moment. And he says this in 2 Corinthians 12 and verse 10, right after he speaks of the final area of his difficulty. And we’ll talk about his list in chapter 11.

And in chapter 12, he’s talking about visions in Revelation. And then he says, My thorn in the flesh. And we debated what that might be as all good adult Bible studies do in 2 Corinthians chapter 12. What was exactly Paul’s thorn in the flesh? I don’t know for sure, but I know this. It wasn’t a lot of fun. He wasn’t saying, oh boy, I’m glad I have this. He prayed that it might depart. And after the third time, as he prayed that it might depart from him. And remember what he called it. It was a messenger of Satan so that he would not be carried away with pride. It was a messenger of Satan, give it to him, given to him to buffet him. Now, when you read that, you don’t read the word buffet.

Okay, this is not about buffet. When we see those letters together, we’re more calmingly thinking about buffet. But this was a messenger of Satan that buffeted his body. And this messenger of Satan. He prayed that it might depart, but the Lord answered him and said, My grace is sufficient for you. Power is perfected in weakness. No, I’m not going to take away your thorn in the flesh. Whatever it was. And then this remarkable verse follows. It’s incredible. I mean, look at. Okay, how are we going to catalog these things? Weaknesses, insults, distresses, persecutions, difficulties, Paul’s troubles, and sometimes we start talking about Paul’s troubles. It’s, you know, yada. I’ve heard about Paul’s troubles so many times. But there is something very important to learn here.

And it is that two words that I read at the beginning of the verse. Well content. And so I’ve entitled this sermon tonight, Oh, to be well content. The goal of this sermon is that we might know the contentment that Paul had. We read some verses that I think are easier rolling off the lips than they are to live. Philippians 4, Philippians 4, 11 and 12. I want to connect it with this verse. Philippians 4, 11 and 12. Paul says, and I’m not speaking from what? When I say this. Remember, he’s already told them to rejoice. The passage I quote in the beginning is Philippians 4, verse 4. He says, Rejoice in the Lord greatly in verse 10. And he says, I don’t speak from what, but I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

And whether that involves humble means, 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. Now flip back over really quickly to 1 Timothy. 1 Timothy chapter 6. 1 Timothy 6, where he says in verse 6, 1 Timothy 6, but godliness actually is a means of great gain. True wealth. True wealth is accompanied by godliness. When you live godly, you’re wealthy. Forget money. Godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into this world. So we cannot take anything out either. So I look at the statement Paul makes about contentment in those two passages. And then the passage in verse 8 of 1 Timothy 6, if you’re still there, that says, if you have food and covering therewith to be content.

Okay, I have meals, I have a food to eat, I have clothes to wear. It’s all I need. Be content. That’s hard for us. And I look at what Paul says here in 2 Corinthians 12, and I say, You ready for this? This might have been easier for Paul than for us. This is what struck me that day I was teaching this. This might be easier for Paul. And I’ll tell you why. Because, as I mentioned to you in that class, he did not stay in a holiday in express when he traveled. He did not have all the marvels of modern medicine. Now, he did have, if he was indeed the brother of fame that we talked about, the gloved physician Luke, and I’m sure he was very good as a physician.

He did have Luke, a personal physician traveling with him a lot of the time. But I want to tell you, Luke’s methods of doctoring are nothing like 21st century methods of doctrine, and I’m pretty sure Paul didn’t have some Advil in his pocket. Now, seriously, how often do you take Advil or Tylenol or aspirin, whatever pain reliever? Can you imagine how popular those items would have been in the first century? If they were available. Paul didn’t have any of that. And I mentioned when we studied this, that Paul was probably more familiar with difficult days than good days. And because that was more common for him, challenges of robbers, as we shall see in a moment as he was traveling, while he was more commonly involved in difficult times, he might have been easier to accept.

And to be well content rather than those of us who live pampered lives as a fluent Americans who go home to our air-conditioned palaces every night. And we take those things for granted. Now I realize some people in our group deal with chronic pain. Some have experienced emotional struggles, or they deal with a nagging problem that does not seem to find a favorable remedy, but still a lot of us have many more good days than bad days. And when we do have bad days, are they anywhere close to what the Apostle Paul experienced? Let’s take a quick journey through the earlier part of 2 Corinthians and see what I was talking about, as this being something Paul mentions frequently in this epistle, verses 8 and 9.

We do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction, our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life. Now, I don’t know what all that involved, but that’s bad. Afflictions, we despaired even of life. We had the sentence of death within ourselves in order that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises from the dead. Hold that thought. Now flip over to the next passage in chapter 4, verses 8 and 9. Again, he addresses this: we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed. We saw this morning in Isaiah, actually, we didn’t get there. But sinners and transgressors, God will crush together at the end of Isaiah chapter 1.

But he says, as difficult as our circumstances are, afflicted in every way, but not crushed, perplexed, but not despairing. Persecuted, but not forsaken. Struck down, but not destroyed. Okay, hold that thought. Chapter 6. Chapter 6 and verse 5. In beatings, and we’re going to look at these contexts in a moment. But in beatings and imprisonments, in tumults, and I don’t know what all of those are, but that’s a very graphic term. Tumults. In labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger. He had mentioned in the previous verse 4 at the end, in afflictions and hardships and in distresses. Now, in this very familiar listing of many things specifically, there are such things in chapter 11 as in prison imprisonment, and we talked about this. When you can’t count how many times you’ve been beaten, you’ve been beaten a lot.

Beaten times without number, he says, often in danger of death. And then he gets to the specifics that he could count. Five times, 39 lashes from the Jews, three times beaten with rods. Oh, and beyond that once he was stoned. Survived that. That’s recorded in the book of Acts. Three times I was shipwrecked. And that’s not any fun if you haven’t done that lately. To be shipwrecked. A night and a day I have spent in the deep and been on frequent journeys and dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen. We’re not in a lot of dangers, although there are some bad people out there, but dangers persistently, we’re not in that kind of most of us are in our homes when the more dangerous elements of society are inflicting their damage.

But he says, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren, labor and hardship, sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food. That doesn’t describe us. In cold and exposure. Cold and exposure. We don’t experience that down here. But can you imagine traveling? Cold and exposure, apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure upon me of concern for all the churches. I gotta tell you, I read that passage and say, I really struggle to identify with that. What all of that was like, because my circumstances are so divergent from Paul’s. But here’s what I think we can do. While I will not know, most likely the kinds of troubles and difficulties that Paul said he’s learned to be well content.

While I may not know all of those troubles and struggles to the extent that he did, I can learn to be content in my circumstances. And that’s what this lesson is about. And these circumstances are areas where the devil wants me to give up on faith. And God wants me to overcome by my faith. And here’s the observation that I want to make as we get into this, and that is, and I maybe I’m just speaking just for myself, and if that’s the case, fine. But I think I’m speaking for other folks too, and that is that we don’t handle difficulty very well. We think of about the last time, where something less than ideal happened to you, and it sent you into a tailspin. Now you know what’s happened.

We don’t handle difficulty very well. People get so easily discouraged when difficulty comes, and they want to give up on faith. But here’s what I want to tell you. Discouragement does not change truth. Some people act as if, as they give up on their faith, that somehow their troubles and difficulties have changed what truth is. Truth doesn’t change. As Jesus says in Matthew chapter 5, not one stroke or letter of the law shall pass until all shall be fulfilled. And that theme is carried over with the new covenant when he says, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall never pass away. Matthew 24 and verse 35. And we’ll say this, not one iota. Well, that actually comes from that verse I quoted in Matthew chapter 5.

The smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet is the little yod. And that’s where we get our word iota from that little smallest stroke that represents the letter in the Hebrew alphabet. And so we talk about one iota. I’ll tell you, I don’t care how bad your difficulties are, how frustrated you are, and how discouraged you are, not one iota changes about the will of God. It does not change truth one little bit. But I’ll tell you, when we’re in pain, and the things highlighted in red, you need to be able to stay away from. When we are in pain, whether it’s emotional or physical, we are tempted to conclude, and again, this is the devil who wants us to conclude like this, that God is not here.

That’s what Israel often concluded. God is nowhere near our circumstance. He doesn’t care. His heart is not touched with my grief. And so we think in pain, God is not near, and God doesn’t care. I want to tell you the answer to this. This is what the book of Revelation is all about. This is exactly it. These Christians are being persecuted. They’re dying. They did not love that. I want to say this one more time to you. In Revelation 2 and verse 10, where it says, be faithful unto death. He is not saying, you know, you need to be faithful till you die, and then when you die, you get eternal life. So persevere to the end. That’s not the main concept there. The main concept there is, you be faithful even if it means you’re going to die.

You’re going to be put to death. Be faithful even to death. He’s talking about people who are being persecuted. And he says, you be faithful even if it means that somebody’s going to take your life. And you do that. Yes, it implies then be faithful all the way to the end. But that’s a secondary thought there. The first thought is, you be faithful even if it causes somebody to kill you. And I will give you a crown of life. They did not love their lies even unto death, he says later. I got a text yesterday from Todd McAdams, who preaches in Livingston, where I was last week. And he says, if you could choose a verse that’s the theme of the book of Revelation, what verse would it be?

And I thought of those two verses. Revelation 12 11, Revelation 2 10. Be faithful unto death. They did not love their lives unto death, but because of the word of the testimony and the blood of their Lamb, they were victorious because of Jesus. And so what is the book of Revelation telling us? It is saying to those believers, God is still there. It may look chaotic on the earth, but God is still there and he cares and righteousness will win, so don’t forfeit that. In the midst of your struggles, in the midst of your difficulties. Our problem is that we expect our lives to just continue on as peachy and wonderful as they’ve been. And isn’t that what a lot of folks are preaching these days?

If you’re a Christian, all your troubles vanish away. And even material prosperity will come as a result of choosing to serve the Lord. I don’t know where people are getting that. They’re not getting that from the New Testament. Serve God, and all of your troubles go away, and prosperity comes too. I’ll tell you, the New Testament is a lot about persevering in the midst of struggles. Physical, financial, and otherwise. Well, let me get to the bottom line with this. How are we going to be well content? And again, you may not need this today. Maybe you’ll write in the margin of 2 Corinthians, because one day a day will come when you’re really down and out and you’re hurting and you’re looking for answers. And I hope you’ll turn to these thoughts.

1. Expect the Less Than Ideal

Number one. Oh, to be well content. Number one, expect the less than ideal. You see, that’s the problem with us. I said Paul, he was used to bad days. He was used to days that were not so peachy and wonderful. We are not so used to that. And so the bad days that we have are less common. And so we’re blindsided when they happen. Sometimes people are going to mistreat you because you believe in Jesus and take your stand with him. And that’s what Peter says in 1 Peter chapter 4. Don’t think it’s strange when fiery trials come upon you. In 1 Peter chapter 4, verses 12 through 19, he says, it is with difficulty that the righteous are saved, verse 18. And then he says, entrust your soul to a faithful creator in doing what is right.

And if I might go back to verse 17, he says, it is time for judgment to begin at the house of God. That is, God is going to take account of his people. It is time for judgment to begin at the house of God. What will be the outcome for the godless man and sinner? That’s somewhat of rhetorical question. The godless man and sinner has God as his enemy. That’s not going to turn out well. Righteousness wins, as we saw a moment ago, as in looking at the book of Revelation, what it’s telling us. And so he says, just because someone persecutes you, now don’t suffer as an evildoer, he says in that context of 1 Peter 4. But if anyone suffer as a Christian, let him do what?

Rejoice. Now, see, that’s going back to the same kinds of things Paul was saying in Philippians and 2 Corinthians. Expect the lesson. And just beyond persecution. What about God’s chastening? How does that enter in all of this? The Son that he loves, he chastens. Hebrews chapter 12. I told you many times, I don’t know what all that involves, but sometimes difficulties come our way because they’re designed to train us. And they yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness, the Hebrew writer says in Hebrews chapter 12. Again, I don’t know what all of that involves, but we wouldn’t put that in the ideal kinds of things for our lives. Struggles, difficulties. And I’ll tell you this. It is likely not even in our best interest that everything goes wonderful all the time.

Interesting verse in 2 Timothy 4. When Paul says, I’m ready to be offered, the time of my departure is at hand. I fought a good fight to finish the course. I’ve kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge will give me at that day. Not me only, but all those who love his appearance. The word agape is used there. All of those who love his appearing, who anticipate, who are focused on, whose appearing means victory, ultimate victory, immortality. I love his appearing. Even though I’m about to die in the time of my departure, being poured out as a drink offering, it is at hand. I am anticipating that. I’m focused on that. That’s the most important thing to me.

Then he gives the example of demons. Will you remember the example of Demas? Now he forsook Paul, right? And what was his problem? He loved this present world, agape again. He was loving the wrong thing. Instead of loving the appearing of the Lord, he lost sight of that and he started loving the world. See, my concern is that when we don’t have enough difficulties to offset our often posh and affluent circumstances, when we don’t have enough difficulties, we might find ourselves like demons. More attached to the world than focused on his coming. As Paul was. Remember how he wraps up 1 Corinthians Maranatha, Lord come. He was focused on the appearing of the Lord. So, Paul’s inspired solutions for contentment. Number one, expect the less than ideal.

2. Trust in God Who Raises From the Dead

Secondly, trust in God who raises from the dead. Now let’s go back to those texts. Let’s go back to those texts that we looked at initially in 2 Corinthians and see Paul’s solutions. These are the ones you need to underscore. In 2 Corinthians 1, okay, he mentioned he was burdened excessively, despaired even of life. And I’ll tell you, sometimes I’ve met Christians that’s where I am, right there. Despairing even of life. That’s where I am. You ever been there? Well, what does he say? We have the sentence of death within ourselves. In order that. Now notice the solution. Mark this, verse 9. That we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises from the dead.

What does that say? God is bigger than all your circumstances. Whatever they are, as awful as they seem, as much as they hurt, as horrible as they are, as much as we would like for those things to change. My pain, my troubles, this nagging problem that just won’t go away, this discouragement, the disappointment of people, you name whatever it is, I am unhappy, I am discouraged. God is bigger than your problem.

Because isn’t the biggest problem death? And God can raise people from the dead.

And in Romans chapter 8, nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors. What’s that context about? If God be for us, who then can be against us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? And then what does he say? Tribulation? That’s troubling things. Distress. You ever been in distress? Persecution? How about famine? Nakedness. You know, my life never goes to these extremes. Might sometimes, but it doesn’t right now. Famine, nakedness, these are the extremes. Peril or sword, I have not been attacked with a sword this week, have you? Peril or sword, no matter what it is, we can conquer not death nor life. That’s two extremes. Angels, principalities, things, present, things to come, height, depth, or anything created shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8, 2 Corinthians 1 and verse 9. What do bad circumstances tell you to do?

3. Manifest the Life of Jesus

You’re not going to be content unless you do it. Trust in man. Trust in God who raises from the dead. And that’s going to be your biggest challenge. Your exit from this world that you cannot avoid. Trust in God who raised it from the dead. He is bigger than your problem. Whatever it is. I don’t care how bad it is. And it’s not it’s not as bad today as it’s going to be. Whatever that thing is, solution number one. Solution number two. Manifest the life of Jesus. That’s why I like this. Oh man, I like this sermon. Oh, I’m getting ahead of myself. Chapter 4 and verse 7. Notice that context afflicted in every way? Look at the solution. He actually starts in verse 7. We have this treasure in earthen vessels.

That’s us. This treasure in earthen vessels that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not in ourselves. We get into trouble when the power is us. We’re looking right here for the solution. No, the treasure, this treasure in earthen vessels is that God is our power. He’s governing our life, and he’s assisting us as Christians. Now look at this. Always, verse 10, always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our bodies. What does that say? Paul’s going through all the persecution, and he says, I get to show people what it means to be like Christ. I get to manifest the life of Jesus in my body till I die. I get to be like him.

He suffered. I get to show people what it means to look like Christ. Now tell me why that’s important. Paul isn’t thinking about what. See, it takes focus off me. That’s where we get really discouraged, and when people throw in the towel, that’s why? Because it’s all about me. How you want to be really miserable, then you just start thinking about how everybody’s relating to me. How people have disappointed me. How much pain I am in. You see, it all begins focused inward. It’s all about me. And Paul says, what you have to do when circumstances go sour is you’ve got to get the focus off yourself. I’m going to demonstrate for others the example of Christ and show them I’m going to be a servant of them in my trouble.

Where did he learn this? Jesus on the cross of Calvary is where he learned it. I’ve heard a lot of people talk about the seven statements of Jesus on the cross, and I think when I got done, they missed the point.

You know what those seven statements are all about? Jesus was teaching, Jesus was teaching to his last breath. All of those statements were calculated and designed to teach as he was giving his life in crucifixion. And I can’t begin to appreciate that. He is still teaching. Look at me here. I don’t deserve this. I’m innocent. I don’t deserve to be dying on the cross. That’s not what he says. He looks around and he says, Father, these people. Mindless sheep. Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing. See how he’s projected the focus off of himself. That’s what’s going on there. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Now somebody might look at that and say, well, see, he’s saying right there, I’m suffering here, I’m suffering here.

I don’t think that’s the primary intention of that passage at all. I think he’s quoting Psalm 22, and I think he’s telling people, onlookers at the cross, including us, who would read about it centuries later. He’s saying, you want to know what the cross means? You want to know what it’s all about? Go back and read Psalm 22. That’s what’s going on here. He was teaching by quoting that passage from Psalm 22. When he said, Woman, behold thy son, the beloved disciple, beloved disciple, behold your mother. Again. Focused on others. His mother, his faithful mother. I thirst. Well, again, yeah, that’s that he’s on the cross, he’s thirsty. But he’s expressing his humanity to be sure, but I’ll tell you what else he’s doing. Fulfilling scripture.

4. Realize That You Possess Everything

Quoting Psalms. Jesus knows what he is doing, he is doing precisely to fulfill God’s will for him. These statements are all about others. You’ve got to get the focus off of yourself. And I’ll tell you, our biggest problem, I guarantee you, in the midst of our pain, is that we’re thinking about ourselves. If we are not well content, that’s the reason why. So when the pain comes, what do you do? Okay. I’ve got to manifest the life of Jesus. That’s my mission. I want people to see Jesus living in me. Number four. In the midst of your pain, you need to realize that you possess everything. And if you look at the context of the statement in 2 Corinthians 6, 4 and 5, where he says, in working together with him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

He concludes that at the end when he says, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich as having nothing, yet possessing all things. And I couldn’t help but think about this when Mike talked about Nick and Amber, who’s got it better than we, no one, that they recite with the kids. And we know, well, I can’t relate to that. We ought to be able to. Because as believers, we possess everything. How valuable is it that you know what a person has to do to be saved? Like with the passages we read this morning. I’m reading those last three verses. You’re going, yeah, I’ve heard those many times. Baptism is essential to salvation. Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins. You’ve heard those passages before.

How valuable is it that you know the pieces that go together for salvation? What’s that word? The peace of God that surpasses all comprehension, that in the midst of incredible pain and suffering, you have heaven’s assistance and heaven’s answers. How valuable is that? Christians, I don’t care how much pain you have to live with. Christians live at the very top of the living well chart. If we can measure living well for every person that lives, Christians are up here. Always. Doesn’t matter about our pains. Because one day, all such fortunes will be reversed. And we will experience immortal bliss in the presence of God. And I’ll tell you, that’s going to be the trunk card of all trump cards. And that’s why you can tell the Corinthians in chapter 3 of the first epistle, you possess all things.

All things belong to you. Again, in our trouble and our trial, it’s, oh man, I don’t have anything. You know, everybody’s got more than me. This is awful. This life is picking on me. And again, if I could say all of that, couldn’t Paul say all that? With his sufferings and distresses that we’ve been reading about in 2 Corinthians? But he’s saying, as sorrowful yet. You know, this hurts. I’ve shed some tears here. Sorrowful yet rejoicing. Knowing that I possess everything. Everything that really matters. If you’re in Christ, if you have a relationship with the Creator, if you have fellowship with Him, if you know the truth, then you possess everything that matters, and then this final point, and you’ve been patient. We need to think about something in our trouble.

5. Weakness Is Not a Bad Thing

As we get back to the context of chapter 12 and Paul’s thorn in the flesh, weakness is not a bad thing. When was the last time you were really sick? You ever had one of those days where you just you hardly could get your head off the pillow unless you were having to get to a restroom. But you were just so sick. You felt pretty weak that day, didn’t you? And I bet you thought, I really need God. I really need God. You see, weakness is good for us. Because when we’re strong, we think, I don’t need anything or anyone. I’ve got the world by the tail. We become smug and self-sufficient and self-dependent. I need weakness. That’s why sometimes I need difficult circumstances, and sometimes I need God’s chastising, if nothing else, so that I can be dependent on him.

We need to think in these difficult times, I need this. I need weakness. Because it makes me God dependent. And in weakness I am made strong, Paul says.

Conclusion

So my question to you is this sermon going to make us better people? I need thee every hour. Do we really, do we really need him every hour? I listened to a song from the group Narrow Way. If you’ve not heard of them, they’re a quartet that’s put out a couple of CDs now, and I know one of them, young guys. And I like the song they sing on the first CD. I need you, O God, I need you. For without you, life’s unclear. You walk beside me and always guide me. All my life I need you near. Oh my God, I need you near. Such a simple thought, but it’s a beautiful song. The next time a bad thing happens in your life, how are you going to handle it?

Write down 1 Thessalonians 5, 18 at your last verse tonight. Where Paul said, in everything, do what? Give thanks. What situation does that leave out? In everything, give thanks. Success in difficulty may well depend on each morning’s spiritual preparation. Are you ready to face each day? Whatever comes. With the example of the Apostle Paul as he imitated Jesus. And can you say, no matter what, I am well content? And are you prepared for life’s conclusion and a glorious eternity with the Lord? And that’s why you need to respond to his invitation to put your faith and confidence in him and live your life for him so that you can have the hope of immortality when you die. And we seem to encourage that response. If you’ve not done so, let’s stand and sing.