You know, often when I preach, every now and again, I preach against gamers, right, people
that are, I talk about, you know, the current generation that play, and look, my kids play
video games, there's nothing necessarily wrong with video games in and of itself.
But I was a bit of a gamer when I was a teenager, you know, if you, in the mid 90s, you would
actually, instead of having, you know, something that you could play in your house, you'd have
to go to the arcade machine, and, you know, I don't know if anyone remembers a game called
NBA Jam.
You know, there was this, there was this code that if you didn't put money into the machine,
there was this code, I don't know what it was, you move the joystick so much, you press
whatever buttons, and if you did the code just right, it would allow you to play this
tank game, where you're driving this tank for about 20 seconds, like a free game, you
didn't put any money in, you just put the right code in, and you can enjoy this 20 second
free game on NBA Jam.
Also, you know, if you'd play certain games on the PC, it was very common for people to
have cheat codes.
I don't know if you have cheat codes today, where you would, and it was very hard to find
cheat codes, because it wasn't, we didn't have the internet like we have today, we can
just Google everything.
Sometimes you'd have to buy like a gaming magazine or something to find the cheat codes,
and when you enter into the cheat code, you would have maybe invincibility, so you'd be
able to pass levels without dying, things like that.
And anyway, when I was thinking about this idea of the cheat code, I also discovered
in my Christian life, that in the Christian life, there are certain cheat codes to life,
and I want to share one of those cheat codes with you tonight, and the reason this comes
to my attention, it's just been the last few weeks, just different conversations that I
have with different people, that's not everybody, but just different conversations amongst whether
it's God's people, whether it's people within church, or whether it's people that have called
me, I get phone calls as well from people that are just not from our church, or even
different, like I listen to different podcasts, you know, I do a bit of travelling back and
forth between Sydney, I listen to different podcasts about different things, where it's
archaeology, history, finances, whatever it is, I listen to different things, and I realise,
you know, if I could just summarise one key thing that a lot of people are missing, and
I feel I've discovered, I've discovered this cheat code, and this cheat code is contentment,
contentment, and the title for the sermon tonight is In Search of Contentment, In Search
of Contentment.
Now, people have different ideas of what it means to be content, many people think contentment
is being joyful and being happy, you know, pretty much all the time, and you know, largely
I feel that I am quite a happy person, most of the time, and yes, it is, I guess, to feel
contentment when you have joy, but I'm here to tell you that even when you have sadness,
and even when you're going through trials and difficulties, and life can be confusing,
you can still have contentment, even during that time, so again, a lot of people think
contentment is based on being happy, but I'm telling you, you know, even when you're sad,
even when you're depressed, even when things are falling apart seemingly, you can have
contentment, it truly is a cheat code to life, some people think, well, I will become content
at some point, if I can just achieve this, or I get to that point in life, then I'll
truly be content, but you know what, a lot of people do end up achieving what they think
is going to give them a contentment, but when they get there, they find, well, I'm not content
here either, you see, what I'm trying to say to you is that you can have contentment right
now, right now tonight, like you can have contentment right now, and of course, that
contentment comes from the Lord, okay, that contentment comes from the Lord, you know,
contentment, yeah, it may carry the idea of being happy and joyful, but really, the idea
behind it is to be satisfied, to be contented, to be satisfied, like, I'm like, you know,
when you're not like, man, I need to be doing something more to have purpose in many lives,
I'm saying to you, I have it today, like, if the Lord said to me, all right, Kevin,
today's your last day, you know, you're passing away tonight, I'll be like, all right, Lord,
if that's, you know, I mean, I hope not, I hope I'm only halfway from my life, but you
know, I'd be content for the Lord to say, all right, this is the end of your life, I'll
be like, all right, Lord, I'm happy, I'm content, I'm satisfied, Lord, even though
not everything has to go according to my will or my plans, but Lord, if that's your will
for me, I'm happy to go today, if that's what you think is best for me, Lord.
And so again, many times I talk to different types of people, I feel that generally people
are missing contentment, that they're missing this cheat code, they need this cheat code
in their life and often when I hear, let me share with you the world, okay, and look,
when I say the world, you know, obviously we're talking about people that are not seeking
the Lord, but when I say this, the world has the flesh and we also have the flesh, so sometimes
what the world experiences, even believers can experience.
And you know, going to, I'm just thinking about going to primary school and high school
and having different groups of friends at different points in time, there was always
someone that would say something along the lines of, you know, I just, when I grow up,
I just want to be wealthy.
I want to have, you know, a lot of riches and, you know, you sort of ask, and their
concept is like, if I just have a certain amount of money, whether it's in the millions
or billions, then I'll be content, but then you ask them like, why, like, what's the point
of having all that wealth, all that money?
And they don't really have an answer, they don't really have an answer, they just like,
they think money is the solution and again, sometimes I listen to different podcasts,
it could even be about finances, not that I care about wealth, but sometimes I, you
know, I've got a big family, we've got a lot of expenses back and forth, I'm often saying,
hey, is there a better way to budget?
Is there a better way to structure my finances?
Is there a better way to organise my mortgage, etc, you know, for the purpose of a larger
family?
I don't care about riches, but when I often hear these people that speak of finances,
they have started with this concept, they want wealth, but they don't always know for
what purpose, and that's largely the world, for what purpose, they think maybe it's going
to give me contentment, but the Bible says in 1 Timothy 6, 10, for the love of money
is the root of all evil, which while some covet it after, they have erred from the faith
and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
So you get to that point, maybe you make it, maybe you become the multimillionaire, but
what you find is all it's given me is many sorrows to life, it's not given me the contentment
that I thought it would.
Then someone else, and look, I'm glad you're still there in Luke 12, we'll come back to
Luke 12, but someone else might say, well, you know, of course, it's not so much about
the money, yeah, but you know, it's the, it's the possessions, you know, one day I'd like
to own a Ferrari, I want to drive my own Ferrari, and you sort of say, I mean, I guess there's
nothing wrong with that, again, in of itself, but again, what, because people think if I
just have something, a possession, that's going to give me contentment in life.
But you know, you get the new Ferrari, and I don't know, I've never driven one, maybe
I'm wrong here, but I'm pretty sure, yeah, it will give you a temporary joy, you're driving
around and wow, look at this car, you know, you're showing off to your mates or whatever
it is, but after a few months, it's just, it's just another car, it's just getting me
from point, it's not getting me from point A to point B any faster, you know, I'm sure
we've all experienced where we've had something new and shiny, it felt nice for a while, but
then after a while, especially when you have kids and they put their hand marks all over
it, in some ways, whatever, who cares, you kind of lose the excitement, if you're, if
you're looking for contentment in material wealth, you're not going to find it, in fact,
you're there in Luke 12, look at verse 15, Luke 12, 15, it says, and he said unto them,
take heed and beware of covetousness, for a man's life consists of naught in the abundance
of the things which he possesseth.
Hey, but the world thinks that, they think if I just can get the material wealth or possessions
that I need, then I can get to that point of contentment and you know, usually people
that want the Ferrari, they're looking for a certain social status, they want to be seen
by others, they want to keep up with the Joneses, I don't know if you, keeping up with the Joneses,
right, it's not so much what they really want, it's just, I want to appear to be successful,
I want to appear, I want to be praised by man and, but they, again, that's not going
to give you contentment, Christ says our life is more than what we possess, like surely
our life is much more than that and then as people mature and grow and they get to a certain
point in life, they start to realise, you know what, it's not really about the wealth
and the possessions, they'll say, well, it's not, I don't care about enjoying it right
now but, you know, if I, I can just invest for the future, right, so I can retire early
and I don't know what people's ideas are, they're like, well, you know, maybe we can
travel the world and, you know, we can just relax and, and that's, that's their purpose
in life, right, to just amass as much as they can now, labour as hard as they can now for
some future enjoyments but the thing about that is we don't even know if we're going
to see tomorrow, like you work so hard for something in the future that you don't even
know if you're ever going to get there, in fact, you're in Luke 12, look at verse 16,
let's keep going, and he, and he spoke a parable unto them saying, the ground of a certain
rich man brought forth plentiful and he thought within himself saying, what shall I do because
I have no room where to bestow my fruits.
Now look, when you have too much room for all your abundance, I, I've seen it in this
church where people are like, I've got too much, here brother so-and-so or sister so-and-so
or family so-and-so, you can have some of my, my abundance and praise God when that
happens.
But what does this man do, verse 18, and he said, this will I do, I will pull down my
barns and build greater and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods because you know
what, I'll invest in the future, I'll keep investing in myself for some future payoff
to come, verse number 19, and I will say to my soul, so thou hast much good laid up
for many years, take thy knees, eat, drink and be merry.
He thinks this is what life is about, right, amassing as much as I can, retiring early,
just take it, you know, just life, make sure it's life is just a breeze, right, that, that's
when he'll be merry, right, that's what he thinks and then verse number 20, but God said
unto him, thou fool, this night, thy soul shall be required of thee, then whose shall
those things be, which thou has provided, so is he that lave up treasure for himself
and is not rich toward God.
Brethren, I want you to be rich toward God, right, I want you to lay up your hopes and
your dreams and your, and your, and your riches in heaven with God because Brethren, that's
going to be there forever, the riches and possessions and wealth you have in this life,
again you may not even see tomorrow and all that work and labour for what?
What did it really give you, did it give you the contentment that you were looking for?
Now when I say these things, I want to be mindful as well, I'm not saying wealth is
something wicked, the love of money is really all evil, I'm not saying having nice possessions
is a horrible thing, well if God blesses you in Ferrari, praise God, you know, I don't
want it, but praise God, you know, if God's given you something of, hey, investing and
thinking of the future, like these things are not wicked of themselves, but if you're
trying to find contentment in these things, you're not going to find it and I'm telling
you the world doesn't even find it, yeah, on Facebook they'll take a picture selfie
with their Ferrari, you know, they'll look happy, they'll look content, they look successful
but I'm telling you there's still an empty hole in their soul and they're truly not happy
with life.
And so I'm listening to these podcasts and like, you know, we're just looking for the
future, investment for the children, this and that, retire early and it always seems
that as these people achieve their so-called dreams, there's always something lacking,
okay, and then they realise, hold on, these material wealth, these things, just for me
and my efforts, it doesn't really give me what I was looking for, but you start to hear
this in the podcasts, right, and then the next concept is, okay, well, maybe what will
really give me contentment is to leave a mark or to leave a legacy for the future where
my name will be remembered but again, look, names are lost to history, you know, we don't
even know, like, we have some good historical records but truly, we don't even have all
the records, you know, the Bible speaks of nations and kings that archaeology are yet
to discover, you know, names get lost, legacies get lost, people get forgotten, you know,
nobody's going to be talking, you know, 100 years from now whether Ronaldo or Messi were
the greatest football players on the earth, no one's going to care about 100 years from
now, there'll be other great players or whatever, you know, if the Lord tarries is coming, right,
there'll be other, like, names are forgotten and this idea of legacy doesn't really give
you what you're seeking for, then people sort of start to change their mind, it's okay,
so it's not so much the pursuit of wealth and finances and possessions, it becomes,
well, it's more about creating experiences, you know, and they start to realise, look,
life is not guaranteed and they start to realise the truth of the Bible, life is a vapour,
it could be here today, it could be gone tomorrow, so I'm just seeking to create experiences
to maximise my enjoyment with these few years that I have, okay, so it's more about the
experiences and what can I achieve and the maximum joy that I can find and unfortunately
for many, they seek those experiences in drugs and alcohol and the clubbing scene and sleeping
around and all kinds of weakness and filth and again, that just takes them down a bad,
you know, spiral but also, you know, we have this, if you can come with me, come with me
to Ecclesiastes chapter 1, come with me to the book of Ecclesiastes, there is a man in
the Bible that surely did experience everything you can experience under the sun, like anything
anybody could ever wish to do or have, it was King Solomon, he had it all, he had all
the wealth, he had all the possessions and you guys know these passages, Ecclesiastes
114, Ecclesiastes 114, he says, I have seen all the works that are done under the sun
and behold all his vanity and vexation of spirit, that's Solomon, look Solomon experienced
everything, read the book of Ecclesiastes, he's done everything a man could ever, you
know, people talk about your bucket list, he had his bucket list and he fulfilled all
of his bucket list and he goes, I've done it all, I've seen it all, I've done, you know,
it's all vanity, it's all vexation, he goes, he doesn't give me contentment, it's not giving
me what I'm really looking for, right, you're in Ecclesiastes, look at chapter 2 verse 17,
it says, chapter 2 verse 17, therefore I hated life, you know, I don't want you to hate life,
I don't want to hate life, I mean it's such a precious thing that I'm even alive, right,
it's such a precious thing, I mean God's given us life, he's given us a soul, he's given
us a plan, he's given us his will to live, I don't want to hate life, you know, and I
don't, I certainly don't want my brothers and sisters in the Lord to hate life, but
it says, therefore I had life because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous
unto me, all is vanity and vexation of spirit, because yea I hated all my labour which I
had taken under the sun, because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after
me, because I've come to realise I just hate it all, because I'm not going to take it with
me when I die, like I laboured so hard for all these things in life, but when I pass
away someone else is going to take it all, so it's all, what's the point of it all then?
That's the realisation that Solomon comes to, and we will come back to Solomon later
in the sermon, so again I'm listening to these different podcasts, conversations, I'm starting
to see this theme, even amongst God's people, it's a lack of contentment, and I realise
you know what, I've got something, I've got this cheat code that I want to share with
other people, you know, I am content, and most of the time I am quite a happy person,
but even when I'm downcast, even when I'm feeling sad, and you know those are feelings
that you're going to go through in life, you can feel happiness today and sadness tomorrow,
even in my sadness I feel content, because I've come to realise you know what, even when
things aren't going exactly how I wish, the Lord's allowed me to go through this period
of time, for whatever purpose he has, and I know the purpose is for my good, I know
the purpose is for his glory, and that just, okay Lord, again, Lord if you want to take
my life tonight or tomorrow, alright Lord it's in your hands, just make sure my family's
looking after, please take care, I'm sure he will, I'm sure he's thought about all of
those things well before I had, but I've got this contentment that I feel like a lot
of people are lacking, okay, so again when you listen to these podcasts, it starts to
realise, people start to realise, as they get to the point where they think they're
going to get content, and they don't, like what's the next thing they're looking for,
okay, so they start to realise, okay it's not really the wealth and the money, and it's
not really the experiences, it's not giving me what I want, I'm travelling to Thailand,
I'm travelling to, you know, I don't know, the Caribbean, I'm doing this, I'm doing that,
it seems like they, and at this point they start to get kind of spiritual, they start
to realise, you know what, life isn't really material, they start to realise life is spiritual,
but because they don't know the Bible, they don't have Jesus as their saviour, they're
kind of lost, and the next step that they take is, they say well, what's really going
to give me contentment, is self actualisation, I don't know if you've heard that term before,
self actualisation, and that's known as the highest level of psychological development,
the highest level of psychological development, and where this idea comes from is, there were
some studies done where people were on the death bed, and they're asked, you know, if
there's something you could have changed in life or done differently, what would that
have been, and one of the top responses, I'll just read it here, it says, I wish I lived
a life that is true to myself, instead of the life others expected of me.
People say something like that, I wish I lived a life that was true to myself, you know,
and the idea of self actualisation is this, is reaching your full potential, based on
your skills, based on your interests, based on your intellect, reaching your full potential
of self, you know, recognising who you are, and not really comparing yourself to others,
but comparing yourself to you, and at that point, self actualisation, I don't agree with
this by the way, but I'm just sharing it with you, okay, like, it's kind of going on the
right track, it kind of goes on the right track, they start to realise it's not the
material wealth that gives true contentment and joy, but being true to yourself is the
idea, and so what we should be striving to do is living a life, according to this ideology,
that you know, it doesn't matter what others have to say, or you know, I don't want to
be restricted by any other person, I'm going to live what I want, I want to do what I want,
I'm going to reach my full potential, and they think that's going to give them the contentment.
When it's me, me, me, I, I, I, I, it's a very selfish attitude to have, it's very selfish
actually, and this idea of self actualisation actually is synonymous with enlightenment
in Buddhism, okay, enlightenment in Buddhism is, it's kind of like this end goal to awaken
to self, work out who you truly are, and to essentially be liberated from the material world,
like any connections, any emotional connections, any desires, if a Buddhist can get to the point
like a Buddhist monk, like where they just feel completely separated from the material world,
they've reached self actualisation, and when they die, they reach nirvana, and they cease to exist,
and that's the point of life for them, it's strange, like this journey, and I listen,
and I go hold on, these people are looking for a spiritual answer, because they're searching
contentment, and they just keep searching, they just keep searching, they just keep searching,
and they never find it, but I'm here to tell you brethren, you can find it, and you can find it
tonight, you can have it tonight, and God wants to freely give it to you, come with me to Philippians
chapter 2 please, come with me to Philippians chapter 2, Philippians chapter 2,
and while you're turning to Philippians 2, I'll read to you from Acts 20 34,
which says, yea yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities,
and to them that were with me, so Paul is saying, look I've worked, yes for my necessities,
but for others also, right, like for Paul, life wasn't just about what he wants, but he's also
looking out for the needs of others, because then he says in verse 35, I have showed you all things,
how that so laboring, ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord
Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive, see when it's about self,
you're fulfilling your own needs and your own desires, and you're trying to liberate yourself
from all things that might, you think might be restricting you, so you can reach your so-called
full potential, you start to forget about the needs of others, what they need from you,
look we're all interconnected, you know, we can't just be on this soul journey on ourselves,
I've got a wife, I've got children, I've got churches, you know, we have relationships,
we're connected with people, you can't remove yourself and become a monk in a monastery,
think that's going to give me content in life, no, Jesus Christ said he's more blessed to give,
to think of others, when you see somebody need a brother who is weak, and you can come alongside
and sacrificially give to them, rather than being concerned about what I want and what I need,
it's more blessed to give than to receive, and so even these people that are so-called
going this self-actualization journey, they're still not content, they're not getting the
blessing that Jesus Christ says, which is better to give than to receive,
better to be thinking of other people than of your own personal needs,
you're in Philippians 2 verse 4, Philippians 2 verse 4, look not every man on his own things,
but every man also on the things of others, let this mind being you, which was also in Christ
Jesus, who've been in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself
of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men,
and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross, this is the mind that ought to be in us, that we are willing to
lay down our lives for our Lord God and his will and his purpose in our life,
Christ was able to do this, lay down his life for the sake of others, to save our souls,
to forgive our sins, to face the wrath of God, he did it for others, and this is the mind that
we ought to have ourselves, come with me to another passage, come with me to Hebrews 12,
I want to show you something else, Hebrews 12 verse 2, we know how much Christ suffered,
we know how much he suffered for us, I mean we know what the Bible says,
I guess we don't really know how much he suffered because we're not going to experience the suffering
he experienced, but I mean can Jesus find contentment, dying for the sins of mankind,
do you think, like again the idea of contentment and joy sometimes is mixed up,
but what we see in Christ here in Hebrews 12, you guys know this passage,
looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for, look at this, for the joy,
for the joy that was set before him and endured the cross, despising the shame,
and he sat down at the right hand of the throne of God,
I mean it's hard to, like when we think of Christ on the cross and his death and his suffering and
like, you know, he's bleeding, he's broken, right, he's despised, right, he's forsaken by the father,
and what kept Christ sustained is this joy, he goes, for the joy that was set before him,
see what he was looking at the end of that verse says, and he sat down at the right hand of the
throne of God, for Christ, he said, you know what, this suffering is but for a moment,
I'm going to be resurrected and I'm going to be seated at the right hand of my father,
having done exactly what God expected me to do, and that's what gave him joy,
even when he's facing the the greatest suffering anybody could ever face,
and I'm saying to you brethren, what's going to give you contentment again, don't mix up with,
or Jesus had joy in this example, but what's going to get you through life when things are
falling apart and you know, you just feel like everything's collapsing and you know,
you're sad and you're burdened and it's like, I just don't like the life, I'm hating life maybe,
we're like Jesus, okay, we have the advantage compared to the world that we can think of
eternity to come, which is a real place and a real position where we know even if God were to
take my life today, I'm truly not dead, I'm going to be living and I'm going to be living
the greatest life with my Savior in heaven, that's what gives me contentment because I know exactly
where I'm going to be, if I had a heart attack right now and I just collapsed, you know,
everyone's going to be worried right, like when is he okay, is okay, I'm going to be like,
I'm going to be like, I'm looking at Jesus and look at what I made, oh yes, excited
and truly, you know, when we can factor in contentment into the picture and we think of
eternity, then I feel this is the cheat code, we have the cheat code because we know eternity is
real and we don't have the burden of thinking what's going to happen to me in eternity, am I
going to have a right standing with God, I don't know if I'm going to heaven, I don't know if I'm
going to hell, we didn't even have that burden, we're not 100% I'm going to be in heaven because
of what Christ has done for me and that gives great rejoicing, great contentment in life
but these people lack these things. The next thing that people look for
and this is when people go insane, I'm talking about the wealthiest of the wealthiest, I'm
talking about the most powerful of the powerful on this earth, right, they've got all the wealth,
they've got all the possessions, they've got all the experiences, they've got the whole Solomon
experience, they've experienced everything under the sun, they're still seeking contentment,
right and they're trying to figure out and they just can never get the contentment they're looking
for and they realize even, you know, even if they get to the point of self-actualization,
they realize well then it wasn't the possessions that were really needed but it was sort of
figuring out who I am and have I done everything that I can but then they realize hold on but
therefore if it's not about possessions and wealth then the poor man is going to the same place
that I am, to the grave, then what was it all worth for? If I can't take my wealth and my
possessions and my status and everything that I've achieved, if I can't take that with me,
what was the point of it all? So then they go insane and they search what we already have,
they search for eternal life but they look for eternal life on this earth,
you know, then they start looking at transhumanism, how can I still
continue to exist after my mortal body is destroyed, right? Maybe science and technology
will one day unlock eternal life and I can always have my legacy, I can have my possession
and they lose it, they go insane, they're looking for eternal life and all this time
we've been saying to them hey it's free, eternal life is free,
it's not based on what you've done, it's based on what Jesus has done but they rejected that
and they go crazy, they think they can download their consciousness one day into a hard drive,
they'll go into a cyborg and then they can walk the earth, they freeze their bodies,
maybe someday we'll figure out how to, you know, make that body alive again with new technology
and what have you, I don't know, I mean I don't believe that will ever happen to be honest with
you, I mean I'm not saying there's not attempts but I just don't think it's ever going to happen
but they seek, it's funny like on this journey they get everything and they just end up going
I wanted eternal life and this is this is why as a believer we can truly be content
because you've got it and it didn't cost you anything, that was like step one on the journey
right, that's like step one right, get saved, yep done eternal life, great like I know what I do
but for them this that's like their last step but they never get there and they're never content
so we have truly an advantage compared to the world and come with me to 1st Corinthians
7 please, 1st Corinthians 7, 1st Corinthians 7.
Now giving you the example of the world
and it's sad, it just reinforces to me that we need to give these people the gospel before
they're so far gone, so far from the Lord, reprobate even you know and but what is
just as sad is when believers are lacking contentment and we can lose like maybe the
moment you got saved you're like yeah you know what I'm satisfied, I've got what I've been
searching for right but then like anything that is new it starts to look less shiny as time goes on
life throws its curveballs at you and before you know it you're not really living the joy
that you once had and the contentment you once had and sometimes we because we have flesh
we can start searching for those things, the wealth, the possessions, oh Lord I think if
you just give me that job, you just give me that house Lord, you just give me that million dollars
Lord, then I'll really be content but you're just going to go the same journey or similar journey,
you won't go insane like the others but I'm just saying like and you'll think you and you start to
chase those things and you know what I'm trying to tell you brethren is you can be content today
another misunderstanding of contentment is the idea that well I'll be content once I
reach my target and I'm not saying that because I'm content today I don't have objectives and
targets, I do, I have many things that I would like to achieve in life but whether I do or not
or how long it takes to achieve those things is not going to take away my contentment or add to
my contentment, I already have it, I already have it whether I achieve what I really want to achieve
in life, how long it takes because I've also learned to enjoy or to find contentment
not at the destination but on the journey and even if the journey never gets there
you know one of my objectives just to share, I've shared this before, is to have a like-minded
church like ours in every state in Australia, I don't know if I'll ever do it, maybe other men
will do it one day okay, maybe I won't even see that, maybe I'll pass away before that happens,
I don't know but that's something that I have in my mind
um but I'm not going to be, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not going to say well
you know Lord and look that's, is that a good and righteous thing to do, yeah it is but I'm not
going to say hey Lord please make this happen so I can be content and satisfied, I'm satisfied
already, I don't need a 500 member church to be content, I was content with I don't know what the
1520 that we started with, I was content and I'm not trying to say like I'm this big shot, I'm not,
I just you know what is it that really gives contentment is when you can measure whatever
it is in life, when you can measure that in light of not what others have to say about you
but what the Lord is saying about you and again we're not perfect, I'm not a perfect human being,
I mess up, I make mistakes but I'm kind of, even when I mess up yeah I feel bad about it
but I'm like well what you know I'm like that though, I am weak, I am fragile, I am but dust,
I have a sinful nature and Lord when I mess up I'm just going to go to you and say Lord sorry
confess my sins whatever it is Lord help me all right and I'm back with my Lord, I'm content
all right like even in my frailty I'm content because I know this is just a period of time,
I know that down the track in the future God's going to give me a new body
and I'll never fail again, I'll never fail my Lord again with that body but the thing is even
my failure God knows that I have a body that fails, that makes mistakes all right I've got
that it's just it's and I'm content with that even believe it or not because this is just
the process of life at the moment, this is what we God knows right if that was a major issue
then God would have given us a new body the moment we got saved
now he wants to use me even in my corrupted body that I can walk in the spirit and not have victory
of myself but have victory in him who gives me the ability to do what is righteous and what is right
in his eyes. Did I get to turn somewhere?
If I didn't can you come with me to 1st Corinthians 7, 1st Corinthians 7.
1st Corinthians 7, 1st Corinthians 7 and verse number 17 the Bible reads but as God
have distributed to every man as the Lord have called everyone so let him walk so I ordain
sorry and so ordain I in all churches but God has given us every man it says here you know
God has called each one of us to walk with him okay we all have a walk with our Lord and I want
you to notice it says in verse 18 is any man called being circumcised now this is obviously
a reference to the Jews but let's say a gentile may have been circumcised what have you it says
let him not become uncircumcised is any called uncircumcision let him not be circumcised
you see Paul is telling us here you don't have to compare yourselves one to another
someone's been circumcised someone has not don't desire what the other person has or don't compare
yourself through that other person again it's that idea sometimes as Christians and you can
sometimes compare yourself to even another brother or sister in the Lord or compare your family to
another family but don't do that I guarantee you you compare yourself to other people
you will lack contentment in life he says in verse number 19 circumcision is nothing
an uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandments of God
so what does God want from us keep his commandments to know his commandments do
his commandments love his commandments that's vastly more superior than looking at one or
other in a physical sense comparing ourselves he says in verse number 20 let every man abide in
the same calling when he was called wherein he was called so whatever your calling or your
position is right now okay God says look you can abide in that and you can walk in his ways
we're all different I'm a pastor maybe one day someone who's going to be a pastor or at least
we're all church members right we have different sized families we've been saved at different times
we all have a different calling in life but wherever you're at it's not like oh Lord one
day when I get to become this or that that's when I walk with you that's when I'll be content
Reverend you can be content right now in the calling that you have
he uses other examples verse number 21 are thou called being a servant
he goes are you like an employee are you working for someone else right
he goes care not for it don't worry about it some people think well one day if I just start
my business and I don't have to work for other people I can just work for myself
then I'll be content just don't worry about it it's again is there anything wrong with that
no okay but again the mentality that Christians can have if I just do this then I'll be content
then I'll walk with the Lord then I finally achieve look you can serve the Lord you can
be content right now in the position you're at he says not just a servant he goes um
if verse number 21 but if thou mayest be made free use it rather so someone that is free that
is not a servant maybe you you do work for yourself maybe you're the employer and you
have other people because look if you're free we'll use that use that to walk with the Lord
but if you're a servant don't worry about it like if you're not free like other people
don't worry about it the point here is Paul is addressing this issue I want to be like that
I want to be like that person or if I just achieve this level if I achieve that status if I can be
more like that person and look that's going to destroy your contentment you you are unique
and you're special and you're loved by God and we come from different places and different
backgrounds and we have different strengths and different weaknesses
and God wants to use you today doesn't matter what your position of life is
and I'm telling you when you walk with the Lord and you know I'm doing right
not in the eyes of man not what I want but I'm doing what God wants I'm telling you that's the
cheat code that's there's contentment right there and you'll be satisfied in life and you're like
well if I'm serving if God wants me to remain a servant for the rest of my life so be it and if
the Lord allows me to be made free and start my own business well praise God I'll use that then
to serve him but whatever place you're at brethren serve the Lord and I'm telling you
you will be happy you'll be satisfied we don't always be happy well you're gonna
you're gonna be more happy than sad let's put it that way and again when the sadness comes
you're gonna still be content you know I preach a lot about do it for Jesus do it for God
I was trying to get why am I keep saying that in my sermons because I wanted to get this this
point this is the cheat code that I've been trying to work from my head because I've been
having lots of conversations and things and concepts and ideas and I just think you know
there's a lack of contentment amongst God's people there's definitely a lack of contentment
in the world I know that 100 but I don't want to see it in God's people because I think it's
a cheat code that's not it's not really a cheat code I mean it's it's just if I've got that locked
in my life then you know what I can face whatever challenge there is I'm I feel fulfilled in
whatever capacity I'm in whatever station of life I'm in I feel fulfilled in life if God were to end
my life today I'll be like all right Lord I won't be like well hold on Lord I still got to achieve
this and that well Lord if you didn't want me to start a church in every state in Australia I guess
someone else will Lord willing someone else will do it right I I I'm honestly I'm content in life
again even when I'm sad I'm content I'm satisfied I'm fulfilled even in sadness
if you find that you're losing your contentment when you're sad and cast down you haven't really
unlocked it properly contentment can always be there satisfaction can always be there
fulfillment in Christ Jesus can always be there in life
it says in verse number 22 first Corinthians 7 22 for he that is called in the Lord being a servant
is the Lord's free man okay so if you're a servant if you're like let's say you're gonna be a servant
you're gonna be a play for the rest of your life because well you're a free man according you know
you're God's free man God's made you free you've been redeemed from the law you're saved you're
going to heaven you know you've been made kings and priests you're a son of God you've got
eternity to live for you're free I mean you've got the advantage everyone else is still burdened
everyone is still serving of sin everyone's still struggling not knowing if they're going to go to
heaven or not look you've been made free even if that's the lot of your life to be remain an
employee for the rest of your life he goes um likewise also he that is called being free
and like man I've got freedom I'm not I'm not held down by some job I've got my own business etc
he goes is Christ's servant if you're if you're free in life will make yourself Christ you're
Christ's servants serve Christ say for a servant you're free and if you're free you're a servant
and so it doesn't matter it doesn't matter which position you're in
again as long as you're serving Christ you're walking in his ways he's verse number 23 you're
bought with a price be not ye the servants of men brethren let every man wherein he is called
therein abide with God and drop them to verse number 27 art thou bound unto a wife are you
married seek not to be loosed art thou loosed from a wife seek not a wife
sometimes the idea is well lord you know my my family is stopping me from serving you the way
that I ought to look you got a wife you got kids you got other responsibilities don't seek to be
loosed you can still serve God in that life if you're single you're like oh lord I just you know
I'll just be content in life if I can just find someone like I hope you do
but look if you're not content now as a single person you're not going to be content when
you're married you got to find contentment in the lord the lord is with you guiding you
teaching you in whatever position of life you're in so why compare ourselves that's what the world
does oh what are the Joneses doing oh they bought a Ferrari I'll buy a Lamborghini
he put a double story in his house I'll do a triple story in my house
that's how the world is believe it or not
but we can be like that as God's people he's serving God faithfully I'm not
don't worry about what he's doing don't worry about what she's doing
don't worry about what church down the road is doing you walk with God
you fulfill his will in your life you find content whatever it is my wife's holding me
back my kids are holding me back my parents are holding me back no they're not God's given you
that family God's given you that station in life you can still serve him I want you to be I really
want you to be content in life
and look sometimes yeah when life can get really hard sometimes that contentment can shake a little
bit it can but I again I not that I'm this great person I'm not I just just I just thank my savior
because he's always there he's never left me he's never forsaken me and I just my lord's there even
when I feel like everyone else has deserted me my lord is there I feel content about that
I've got the most powerful being on the planet on the planet most powerful being
a book of of of of eternity on my side he's created everything and he's never going to
leave me he knows my weaknesses he knows when I can't serve him how I would like but or
or achieve this or achieve that but lord this is a lot of life that you've given me and I'm
just going to serve you faithfully I'm going to be content with what you've given me I'm not going
to be like this world chasing this and chasing that hey if I get it I get it we'll praise God
it's for it's for him anyway it's for my lord um can we meet to Hebrews
no actually come with me to Philippians 4 come with me to Philippians 4 Philippians 4 verse 10
Philippians 4 verse 10 I feel like the apostle Paul unlocked this cheat code himself in fact
he says that he did you know he really truly unlocked this cheat code of contentment in life
in Philippians 4 please verse 10 Philippians 4 10 he says to the church but I rejoiced in the
lord greatly and now at your last your care for me have flourished again wherein you were also
careful but you lacked opportunity he says look he's received care from the Philippian church he's
received some type of financial help right I mean that's there was a point when they were lacked
opportunity to get it to him to roam but now he's received whatever aid they've they've given him
then he says in verse 11 not that I speak in respect of want it's not like I my desire was
for your aid and for the whatever financial help has come my way he goes for I have learned
in whatsoever state I am there with to be content
he goes look it's such a blessing to receive this aid this financial help from your church
he goes but you know at the end of the day whether I got it or not I've learned to be content
whether I'm poor whether I'm rich whether I have the possessions whether I if I don't
you know what Paul says I've unlocked the cheat code I'm content
look if Paul can speak this way I feel like I got there
honestly I feel like I got there in life and I want you to get there in life
like you know this is true you know what we read here you can be content in whatever state you're
in but again when we go through those states of difficulties and maybe poverty and whatever you
know not achieving what you thought you would like to achieve in life
your contentment might be shaken but I want to get to this point where Paul is able to say so
confidently right verse number 12 I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound a base is
low and lacking and to have too much abound everywhere and in all things I'm instructed
both to be full and to be hungry because I've been full I've been hungry both to abound and
to suffer need I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me see where does
your contentment come from it comes through Christ who strengthens you I don't know where
you're at in life I don't know how what you think of life I don't know if you're listening to the
world and and how they chase their level of contentment they can never get there
they never get there I'm telling you I've heard enough I realize wow they're all they
eventually they start with the material then they start to realize it's not the material it's
spiritual okay but they just because they're lacking the gospel and lacking the wisdom of
God they just can't find it they can't find Christ who strengthens them you have that
you have Christ Christ will strengthen you
you know um for those of you who have traveled from different places internationally or other
states in recent times I'm sure you've gone through moments where you've gone well Lord
are you going to provide like Lord is this going to work right and uh and it can get a bit worrying
like you can start to worry a little bit again that's just human nature that's how it is that's
what we are right and God allows us to go for these trials and and challenges and
but I hope that even when you're lacking and you think is this going to even work
I hope you can say you know what but I'm content anyway
I'm fulfilled I'm satisfied you know I'm walking with my Lord
if everything just falls apart you know what I can still be content in my Lord
because it's he who strengthens me not the self-actualization I've got to discover who I
am and and figure out me no it's not about you it's your strength must come from Jesus
they think it's about them you can be anything you wish to be
I want to be anything that Christ is Christ wants me to be in my life and you know again I feel
content I don't have to be a pastor to be content you know what if there was a man in the church
right now that was better suited to be the pastor of this church I'd be tempted so then that man
for me to sit down and just be a good right-hand man because I don't have to be the part that's
not what gives me contentment I'm content in my Lord now I want you to find that I want you to
unlock that cheat code in life it's so worth it like and you'll you'll be so different from the
rest of this world like you'll be different I want I want my family I want my kids to find it
you know I want my church members to find this contentment it's there in the scriptures just
so this world is so carnal it's so lessly it's so lustful and it's so easy in our flesh to get
distracted by this world and to lose our contentment in the Lord come with me to first
timothy chapter six first timothy chapter six
well you'll turn into first timothy chapter six I'll read to you from hebrews 13 five
it says let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things
as ye have as ye have right now you're broken down van brother just be content about it
at least you got me this far
you know I was thinking the last couple of years I've spent so much money on fixing like vehicles
like I didn't I almost don't want to think about it and I'm just putting over these
thousands of dollars paying for this and paying for that but you know Christina said to me
uh do you feel kind of bad like you know like you know what no I don't like because those
I don't care how beat up my car is and and how much I have to belay that to me it's like well
I'm just I'm thankful God's given me those funds to pay for that repair because it's a vehicle
that I need to get from here to there God knows what we need you know what I guess that money
wasn't for the investment or that money wasn't to pay down the mortgage or you know what God
gave me that to pay for that vehicle and I'm just content with that that's what it was for the whole
time like I don't beat myself up when there's a bill to pay oh man there's the electricity bill
again right 700 bucks whatever it is oh okay somebody's like well I'm content well thank you
Lord for for providing our electricity needs that we could have air conditioning on a hot day that
we could have hot showers that we could cook that we could have the lights on during the dark and
now it's time to just pay for it but I'm I'm not like oh I gotta handle this one wait for the last
due date before I put the money down like it's like look thank you Lord you know
where was I was okay first Timothy 6 right you were there
I didn't read I didn't finish Hebrews 13 5 let me read it again let your conversation be without
covetousness and be content with such things as you have for he have said I will never leave
thee nor for safety that's what I was talking about before you've got God with you living in you
how good is that and then it says so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper
and I will not fear what man shall do unto me the Lord is my helper who helps you
pastor Kevin God helps me he hears my prayers he sees my sadness he sees my trials and difficulties
and he's there to help me all the time so what I have to complain about
my life is made I've got the best life anybody could ever live because I've got God as my helper
first Timothy 6 6 let's finish on this one first Timothy 6 6 but godliness with contentment
is great gain you want to gain something great greatly oh big bank account no godliness
walk godly love your Lord speak to God spend time with him godness with contentment is great gain
the world doesn't have it they want it but they don't know what it is that they want
we're all spiritual beings we all have a need to be made right with our creator
but the world thinks they can just seek it and find it themselves
no we need God we need to walk in his ways and we need to be content and look your life will be
something amazing I tell you what I'm really happy in life and when I'm sad I'm still content
it says in verse number seven for we brought nothing into this world
and it is certain we can carry nothing out you can't take it with you again is there anything
wrong with those things no god gives you those things praise god but our contentment should not
rest in those things but again the world is thinking that's where they're gonna find
contentment your contentment is in Christ Jesus if you're not satisfied if you're not fulfilled
in life right now you know make sure tonight you pray to the Lord and say Lord help me find
satisfaction contentment fulfillment in you I'm sorry Lord that I've been trying to find that
by this bank account this value or this project or this position in life this social status or
this car or I'm sorry more that I've been looking for contentment in those things and I need to find
it in you again that doesn't mean just give up and you don't do anything in life I'm again I'm
constantly trying to do more I've got things I want to achieve I've got goals that I would like
to hit in life but whether I do or how long it takes or the journey that it takes I'm still
content in Jesus Christ he'll never leave me never forsake me he's my helper okay let's pray