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More Than Enough

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November 21, 2021

| Speaker: Hoon Kim

| Series: Stand Alone Sermon

More than Enough

ME:  Happy Thanksgiving…  

  • My heart today = you walk out truly + deeply grateful + joyful + content.  
  • Not just lip service… From festivity >> reality
  • Extremely Important Posture:  Commanded + Contested (enemy hates when you=grateful, content)
  • 1 Timothy 6:6-9, “6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that  plunge people into ruin and destruction.”
  • BUT To most Americans, vs.8 = LAUGHABLE 

WE:  I remember HS… Air Jordans 1… not want them, NEEDED them

Today, we see discontentment in: 

  • CC debt. ≠Content to live within our means, go >> debt.  So overspend + anxiety by cc debt.  
  • Advertising industry goal =convince you ≠happy unless buy product. 
  • Andy Stanley, Awareness fuels discontentment. (newer, bigger, faster, shinier)
  • Social Media: Vacations      Food      
  • Not pushing x complacency:  We need to push to do more + better
  • But x MANY >> UNHAPPY 

 

But you know… real danger = Spiritual in nature

  • When you’re UP >> LOOK DOWN
  • MAKES US: arrogant, proud, condescending, entitled, self-centered…
  • When you =DOWN/LESS >> KEEP UP or UNHAPPY
  • MAKES US:  Insecure, ungrateful 
  • BUT REAL DANGER…
  • ULTIMATELY, ALL grumbling & dissatisfaction = Theological.
  • ASK:  WHO is behind your situation, treasures, talents, opportunities, family?  God!  

So what’s solution?  ≠Look Down.    ≠Keep Up      >>  secret

 

GOD:  Paul writes about secret of contentmnet/ joy Phil.4:10-13

  • NOW need to know something Paul; experienced incredible hardship 2Cor.11:23-28
  • 5X 40 lashes -1 /  3x beaten rods /  1x stoned  / 3X shipwrecked>>  night & day drifting sea
  • Danger from rivers + thieves + Jews/ Gentiles.  In city, in wilderness
  • Physically:  Lack of sleep, hunger, thirst, exposed elements
  • NOW, in jail, JOYFUL + THANKFUL + CONTENT… ≠DESPITE his situation!

 

  • Phil.4:10-13, “10  I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and  hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
  • DEF:   Satisfied with one’s circumstances

 

Paul refers to a secret that unlocks contentment.  

  1. Vs.12 Secret that is “learned over time”
  • Phil.4:11-12, “11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.  12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound.  In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.”
  • Paul had to LEARN
  • ≠immediate, took time + seeing same things repeatedly… God’s patterns…
  • Pasta sauce secret. trial , error proportions of ingredients, but finally, butter and salt.
  • What about US? Author of most NT, shares his lessons with us?
  • THIS = PROMISE + INVITATION TO US!! 

 

  • Testimony of preaching = sick.  Bicycle kick >> Broken collarbone.  
      • Worst sermons = overconfident & pray less.
      • 2Cor.12:9, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

 

  1. This secret is x “whatever situation/ in any & every circumstance ”

 

Even in MOST DIFFICULT SITUATIONS.  Paul rested in SOVEREIGNTY…  

    1. WHEN THINGS DON’T GO AS YOU LIKE… 
      • Rom.8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good…” 
      • God blesses us in what HE GIVES, and God blesses us in what He WITHHOLDS.  

 

    1. FOR THE GOOD OF OTHERS: Paul’s chains advanced Gospel:  
      • Phil.1:12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,
      • Paul = chained to Imperial guard; emperor’s bodyguard overseeing all prisoners.New shifts, guards.

 

    1. 50/20 Principle:  When OTHERS harm you.
      • Gen.50:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

 

  1. Vs.12-13 Secret = “Jesus who gives strength”
  • 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound.  In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
  • Refers to PRESENCE OF JESUS, 
  • Present Tense: Jesus infusing strength right now.
  • 1Timothy 1:15, ““Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst.” 
  • WORST OF SINNERS… Grace + Mercy
  • COVID + HEART + FATIGUE Yet satisfied in Christ.
  • Isaiah 30:20-21, “20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. 21  And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.”

 

A RELATIONSHIP SO OVERWHELMING, that RELIGION + COMFORTS = SHIT

  • Phil.3:7-8, “7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ”
  • CS Lewis, The Problem of Pain, “All the things that have deeply possessed your soul have been but hints of it—tantalising glimpses, promises never quite fulfilled, echoes that died away just as they caught your ear.  But if it should really become manifest—if there ever came an echo that did not die away but swelled into the sound itself—you would know it.  Beyond all possibility of doubt you would say ‘Here at last is the thing I was made for…’

 

YOU:  How do I get this strength?

  • IF YOU’RE NOT A BELIEVER:  You RECEIVE it through SALVATION… Admit SIN, DAR
  • CHRIST IN YOU By HOLY SPIRIT… this = OFFER to you

 

  • IF YOU ARE A BELIEVER
  • 1980’s USA conducted experiment in desert, Biosphere: goal = create “perfect”  natural environment x human, plant, animal life.  Huge glass dome, strived to recreate perfect growing conditions: purified air, water, filtered light.  One peculiar problem = trees ≠grow past height, topple over.  Scientists then realized they’d forgotten to recreate 1 crucial element: wind.  Trees need wind to blow vs them. Makes roots grow deeper, enables trees to grow taller!  15 Quaker drive.
  • Psalm 1:2-3, “…2 his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3    He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”