Week 3 Contentment in an age of dissatisfaction
Discussion Questions
1. What is contentment? Are you content?
2. Where do most Australians look for or expect to find contentment?
The trap of wanting more
3. Why do so many Australians play lotto when the odds of winning are so short?
4. What sort of dangers are there in doing just about anything to have that little bit more?
(see 1 Timothy 5:9-10)
5. What does Paul say (1 Timothy 6:10) is the root of kinds of evil? What does he mean?
6. Why have so many older Australians, who’ve “made it” in life, come to that point where
they’ve asked the question “is this all there is?”
The joy of knowing Jesus
7. What does Paul in Philippians 4:1-13, say in the key to learning contentment?
8. What does the writer to the Hebrews in ch 13:4-6 is the key to being content?
9. Read what Paul suggests Timothy pursue in place of the love of money in 1 Timothy 6:11
and discuss what difference this makes in a person’s life and to their level of
contentment?
10. How does a relationship with God help someone who has no money be content?
11. How does a relationship with God help someone who has achieved a lot of success in life
and yet is asking “is this all there is?” and “what is life all about”?
12. Why did Mark say in the sermon “we’re not on about religion here”?
13. Discuss the impact of the series and please report back to Mark if you have other ideas for
topic which might be similarly helpful.
The Anglican Church of Noosa
Sermon outline
peace forgiveness contentment # 3 Contentment in an age of dissatisfaction
1 Timothy 6:3-10; Philippians 4:8-13; Heb 13:5-6
A preacher from Seattle – Mark Driscoll – after a month in Sydney reckoned he knew what this
nation’s idol is.
I wonder what you thought he said? What is Australia’s idol? It’s great distraction? What people live
for? Work for? Want above all else?
He observed that Australia is all in all a fairly selfish society, and that which is worshipped is
COMFORT.
What do people make the most sacrifices for in life for?
Comfort. COMFORT.
And that which makes me comfortable – is often at someone else’s expense… even the expense of their comfort!
We’ll go to this event and not that one on the basis of what is comfortable.
We’ll dress for? - comfort.
We’ll talk to this person because we’re comfortable in doing it.
We’ll move or extend or build so we’ll be more comfortable.
We’ll refurnish so we’ll be a little more comfortable.
As a society – we lack contentment. We don’t know what it means. We don’t know how to find it.
We’ll work our guts out trying to achieve it and then we’ll wonder why it’s escaped us.
Some look for contentment by imbibing or injecting or smoking.
Some look for it by ensuring other people like us or think we are cool.
Some look for it by travelling, by putting off responsibility, by staying at home as long as they can, by
playing around sexually….
Some by making sure they get a high mark in year 12, so they can go to the best UNI, to get the best
job, to follow the best career path that will pay good money in the hope that one day we’ll be Comfortable.
Some – by doing the bare minimum, surfing heaps, taking all they can get from centrelink – so they
can be – comfortable!
CONTRAST THIS WITH PAUL’S LETTER TO TIMOTHY For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and
clothing, we will be content with that.
WILL WE?
Paul said to the Philippians (4:12) I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I
have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,
whether living in plenty or in want
Have you learned that?
How CAN we learn contentment?
1. The trap of wanting more
2. The joy of knowing Jesus
The trap of wanting more
On Tuesday of this week - $50 million lotto. Over 3 million people tried their hand…. Odds so short – out of those 3 million – none had the winning jackpot - $70M next week.
Next week – Melbourne cup – the amazing amount of $98.1M was spent in betting in Australia in 2010 – bound to be more now!
Survey – people no matter what their income or their bank balance – whether they live in Ipswich or Ascot – when you ask – how much more they need – about 10%...
Real comfort – happiness – contentment – if only the billionaire had 10 more million – if only the millionaire had 100,000 more – if only the person on $40,000 had another $4,000 – they’d be OK!
Endless cycle – that little bit more – never enough!
1 Timothy 6:9-10 People who want to get rich fall into tempta on and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruc on.
Not only the desire for more – it’s the route you take to get more.
Cheat the time sheet or tax return; cheat the system, inflate the price, cash-in-hand; sometimes – theft; or gambling and the horrific harm that brings….; fraud, embezzlement; laundering…
Foolish and harmful desires – which aren’t just ‘not a good idea’ – but are harmful – they plunge people into destruction!
Susan and I know someone – gambled – had twin girls – marriage failed… parents split up… on a good wage in some of Australia’s major telcos – but nevertheless – wanted – needed – more
4 years ago I married a guy called Dave. Just days before he went to jail for fraud. He worked at one of the big four banks and had worked out a way to syphon money in to his own accounts… he wanted – just that little bit more…
Your story may not be so obvious
Wanting more –takes its toll
-
Stay back at work to get ahead – toll on marriage and relationship with children – thinking that climbing the corporate ladder with attended monetary benefits will lead to contentment
-
Dodgy investments – promise much – but then the company goes broke… -
Stock market – finally going to make it – and boom – the GFC strikes
-
Or the next house – the next car – the next O/S trip – or moving to Noosa from the city - will finally bring ‘comfort’ – contentment – -
But it doesn’t… because you’re still the same person and the same underlying issues remain….
It was Hugh Mackay – the social commentator – full of great insight into Australians who said – sooner or later baby boomers after the kids have left, after they’ve made it at work; after they’ve purchased their dream home… they are somehow left with that nagging mid-life question “is this all there is?”
Maybe that describes you – at least in part.
You’ve spent your whole life going after more, but you’ve never been satisfied. And you’ve always wanted more. And after you’ve gone after more – in the wake you’ve left behind – has been a marriage, a relationship with a child or sibling or parent…
…and still today – even though you’ve moved to Noosa for the ‘good life’, you find you’re still not there… And you’re asking ‘is this all there is?’
The joy of knowing Jesus
The answer to ‘is this all there is?’ is a resounding ‘no’.
And if life only consisted in what you owned and what you had achieved… then – what ultimate meaning would there be?
That early leader of the church named Paul, writes to his friends and says “I learned to be content – whatever the circumstances” “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation”.
So Paul – please tell us – what did you learn – what is the secret?
Imagine being content whether living in Penthouse by the beach or sitting in a slum in India!
Being content whether in sickness or in health
Being content whether employed or on the dole
Being content whether you had loads of friends or none.
Being content – even when away or estranged from your family. In every circumstance.
Astonishing.
The secret?
The secret is a relationship
Paul said – I can do everything – that is – be content in any and every circumstance – through him who gives me strength!
Lost and lonely and beaten up – Content because God strengthens him.
Hungry and wet and cold? – Content because God strengthens him.
Or what about us – what about people today?
Living the high life – Content because God strengthens you
70 and wondering if there’s more to life than chasing a golf ball around the greens? – Content because God strengthens you
All alone and feeling lost? Content because God strengthens you
Once a successful high flying business person – and now Mr or Mrs no one in particular? Content because God strengthens you.
Family not want to know about you – Content because God strengthens you
Lost all your money in the GFC and surviving now on next to nothing? – Content because God strengthens you.
There’s the secret
A relationship with God
Friendship
And because of that – a knowledge of who you are; an understanding you are loved so much that Jesus died for you; hope for the future; assurance of eternal life; knowing where you stand.
Content!
In every circumstance. Because you trust God. He loves you. He only plans the best for you. Even if everything’s not OK, it’s Ok.
Let me tell you about Cath and Adrian.
Brought up in another denomination
Landed on their feet. Adrian a successful lawyer. Cath a busy mum.
Yet – neither of them happy.
Susan and Cath met – read Bible together. Began to have some questions and find some answers.
Cath started coming to our church in Roseville
Adrian followed
They both loved that when it came time for the sermon, everyone opened the Bible and the minister explained.
Cath became a Christian
Adrian followed
Within a few years, Cath began studying theology with Susan and became our children’s minister
Adrian runs the lawyers Christian fellowship and goes to Africa teaching the Bible to pastors who have had little education.
They found the contentment which had eluded them despite their worldly success. They found in relationship with God – they found in Jesus. Here’s the promise put another way:
Heb 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Even if you have nothing else, if you have God’s presence with you, you have all you need.
Because friends – Christianity is all about relationship.
We’re not on about religion here!
Religion is the desire of humankind to find and reach out to God. It tries to discover who the god is and then please “it” by following its rigorous rules, regulations and rituals—and by trying hard not to break the rules. It loves the mystery of ritual; the predictability of routine; the pageant of dress up; the repetitive chant. It controls people and holds sway over them by both carrot and stick.
But what we’re on about here is relationship with Jesus. We don’t try to reach out to God or try to find him—he has come to us and revealed himself in the historic person of Jesus. We can’t earn or win his favour by rule keeping—he offers eternal life as his great gift. Like all relationships, ours with Jesus brings change and growth as we love him and grow to know what pleases him and what breaks his heart. When we muck things up, he forgives us. Our relationship with Jesus brings a rich contentment unsurpassed by anything this world offers.
How can you find peace in an age of anxiety?
In relationship with the God who made you and loves you and who will lead you beside quiet waters and restore your soul.
How can you find forgiveness in an age of revenge?
In relationship with the God who loves you so much he sent his Son to die for you so you can be forgiven and become a person of forgiveness
And how can you find contentment in an age of dissatisfaction?
In relationship with the God who strengthens you no matter what your circumstances – with the God who even if everything else in life fails you and all other relationships go sour – the God who will never leave you or forsake you.