May 20, 2007

If only... Do you ever use that combination of words? I do. I remember when I was a boy in Junior High. I was crazy about dogs. Most of the books I read were dog stories. I loved Albert Payson Terhune's stories about collies. I envied friends who had dogs. I'd look at want ads and in pet stories and would say longingly "If only I had a dog, then I'd be happy." Do you ever think that way? Oh, maybe dogs aren't your thing. Maybe you want some game or electronic gadget. Maybe you want to go somewhere on vacation. Maybe you want to be on a sports team or get all "A's" in school. Maybe you want a friend. Maybe you're going through a tough time in your life-an illness, a depression, an addiction, or maybe some sin and you want God to take it way. And you think, "If only I would get what I want, then I'd be happy-then I'd be satisfied, then I'd be content.

Well, does it work? It didn't work with the dog. I got my collie. Exactly the dog I wanted. We couldn't get her potty-trained. We didn't know what to do with her when we went on vacation. She shed all over the house. Three years later we got rid of her. I got what I wanted, but it wasn't what I expected. Did it ever work out that way for you?

And then sometimes you never get what you want. Do you know what probably is hardest to take? When you think you will get what you want but don't. I remember praying for my dad before he went into to have open heart surgery. I never prayed harder than I did that night. And the surgery went well. I can still see the doctor coming out and announcing in his Chicago accent, "Your dad is a spunky guy!" But less than a year later my dad died of a heart attack. Maybe you are praying that God will heal you or take away an addiction or a temptation. And for a while it seems that your prayers are answered-- for a while. And then your hopes are dashed.

If you can identify with any of these scenarios, listen to what Paul says in Philippians 4. I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹²I 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

Paul was in Rome, probably under house arrest awaiting trial. People under arrest were required to support themselves, which is pretty hard to do when you are chained to a Roman soldier. So, undoubtedly Christian brothers and sisters were supporting him. Paul wrote this letter to the Christians in Philippi to thank them for their gift. You can see that from verse 10. But check out verse 11. What he says there almost sounds like he's a little ungrateful.

¹¹I am not saying this because I am in need,

Is Paul really telling his Philippian brothers and sisters, "Thanks, but I really didn't need your help?" Why would he say something like that?

In order to understand what he is saying, you have to look the rest of what he says

for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances

Certainly Paul rejoiced that these people showed such concern. Undoubtedly he understood their gift as a way in which the Lord was providing for him. But, he also knew that tough times were coming and not only for him, but also for the Philippian church. (Indeed they had already come.) Listen to what he writes in chapter 1, verse 29- 30

⁹For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, ³⁰since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

And he wanted to prepare them for that time. He didn't want them to sit in prison and say, "Oh Lord, if only you would have me released, then I will trust you." "Oh, if only you will protect my family then I'll still serve you. Oh Lord, if only you give me some sign of hope, then I'll still believe." No he wanted them to know that their faith, hope, and love did not depend on their circumstances. He wanted them to follow his example and to be content no matter what happened.

But what did Paul really mean when I have learned to be content?

Kid's, what language did Paul use in writing the letter? Greek. Now the Greek word that our English Bible translates "be content" is the word autarkhs (autarkes), which literally means "to be sufficient in myself."

Paul is saying, I am sufficient in myself to handle whatever comes my way. Sometime when we think of being content, we think having quiet peace and satisfaction-kind of like somebody who eaten a big meal and is feeling good inside. That's not what Paul means. Not at all! Some of these people were going to see their husbands and wives and children and fathers and mothers executed before their eyes. Some were going be burned alive. Some were already being shunned by their families, who would later turn them in to Roman authorities. No they wouldn't be all peaceful and smug. They'd be torn up and filled with grief and in terrible pain. But, if they discovered what Paul did, they would have an inner strength that would allow them to persevere-to stubbornly keep on trusting, keep on loving, and keep on hoping, keep on being the people Jesus saved them to be and to keep carrying on the mission he gave them.

There are so many circumstances in life that we cannot change. There are so many times God does not answer our prayers the way we want him to. When I was in preaching for a summer in Raymond, MN, a hog farmer from the church invited me to his house. This man was gradually becoming more and more crippled by Lyme Disease. And with tears in his eyes he worried whether he would be able to continue to work his farm. He pointed to a pile of book his cousin had given him to read. The books were all about how he could be healed if he only trusted God for healing. "My cousin told me I didn't have enough faith," he said. What do you think? I didn't know what say. And then I think that the Holy Spirit must have brought this thought to my mind. And I said "I don't think that those who are healed need nearly as much faith as those whom the Lord chooses not to heal. The fact that you are still trusting in him, in spite of not being healed and in spite of the discouraging things your cousin said about your faith shows me that that you have true faith indeed. For if you if didn't have enough faith, you'd have given up long ago." People of God, when the disciples were in the boat and Jesus was sleeping and the storm came up. (Do you remember that story?) Did Jesus perform the miracle because they had so much faith? Or did he rebuke them for having little faith? When God does not immediately give us what we want and yet we still keep believing: that's strong faith

Well, where do we get that strong faith? In verse 12 Paul says,

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

What is Paul's secret? The answer is found in verse 13,

³I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Who is the one who gives Paul strength? The answer is found in 1 Tim. 1: 12,

¹²I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength

And how does Paul receive strength from Jesus? Listen to these words from chapter 1, verse 21,

¹For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain

Paul believed in Jesus. And he knew that he had eternal life in him. Because of this he already knew that if the Lord allowed his enemies to take his life that he would have eternal life in heaven with Jesus. And he knew that if the Lord spared him, it must be that Jesus had something he wanted Paul to do for him here on earth.. Now that's empowering: To know that no matter what happens: whether I live or die Christ is merely fulfilling his loving purpose in my life-that all things will work together for my good-for my salvation.

Karen Watson was a Baptist missionary to Iraq. I would like to read an excerpt from the letter she wrote to the pastors in her church prior to leaving for the Middle East.

Dear Pastor Phil and Pastor Roger:

"You should only be opening this letter in the event of my death. [Karen was killed, along with four other missionaries, on March 15, 2004.] When God calls there are no regrets. I tried to share my heart with you as much as possible, my heart for the nations. I wasn't called to a place. I was called to him. To obey was my objective, to suffer was expected, his glory my reward..."

To obey was my objective, to suffer was expected, his glory my reward. Only someone who knew the secret of contentment could say that: Only someone who had the inner strength that only Jesus can give.

That's the other thing: the ability to keep on believing in spite of everything doesn't come from our own inner strength. It comes from having the Spirit of God inside. While in chains Paul wrote in chapter 1: 19,

⁹for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

Through your prayers-yes, it is always important to ask Christian friends to pray to God for us. Prayer is often the means through which God's power is released. But the power to keep trusting comes from him.

Yet, how can Paul speak so confidently? How does he know that the Holy Spirit will continue to give him power to trust Jesus and the life he has in him? The answer is that Paul is writing from experience. The Greek word that is translated "I learned the secret" is the word memuhmai (memnemai), which literally means "I was initiated into the mystery." To be initiated to is gain some initial experience in. For example, if someone initiated into a new job, they are shown what to do and then monitored to see that they understand.

Originally this Greek term and its reference to mystery was used by those who practiced mystery religions. But Paul doesn't mean what they did. When Paul uses the word mystery, always refers to something that God revealed to him. In this case he means that God revealed something through his experiences. What did he reveal? That the Spirit gives me more strength than I ever thought I could possess.

So today when we come to Jesus with if our only requests "O Lord, if only you would give me...."

Jesus answers us this way, (John 14: 15- 16)

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. ¹⁴You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.¹⁵"If you love me, you will obey what I command. ¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-¹⁷the Spirit of truth.

I will do it. No that doesn't always mean that if we pray to get an "A" on our test that God will give us an "A", It doesn't always mean that if we pray to get on a sports team we'll make it; it doesn't always mean that if pray for a loved on to get well, that he won't die, or if we pray for Jesus remove our temptation he always will. It means Jesus will do all you ask and more-I will ask the Father and he will give you the Spirit of Truth and having him you will begin to know the secret of being content. AMEN!