Contentment Class 2

Overview

The Source of Contentment: The Character of God

Contentment is resting in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ and in His sovereignty. It is not dependent on circumstances, nor is it an emotionless or carefree existence. Genuine contentment grows in the midst of strained relationships, hard providences, longing, and even fear—not by their absence. Its source lies not in what surrounds us, but in who God is. His attributes are the bedrock on which a settled heart rests.

Consider how each of God's characteristics anchors the soul:

• Omniscient. He knows everything about us—our sitting and rising, our thoughts before they form, our words before they are spoken (Psalm 139:1–6; 1 John 3:20).
• Wise. He always knows what to do and how to do it, ordaining all things to His good purpose (Job 12:13; Romans 11:33).
• Omnipresent. There is no place we can go where He is not already with us Psalm 139:7–10.
• Immutable. He does not change, develop, or decline Malachi 3:6.
• Living, rational, and active. He purposes, plans, and brings to pass what He intends Isaiah 46:8–11.
• Omnipotent. He is able to do far more than we can ask or imagine Ephesians 3:20.
• Good. Without fault or defect, full of compassion and grace Matthew 19:16–17.
• Just. Our sin has been justly punished in Christ; there is no double jeopardy for those covered by His blood 1 John 1:8–9.

Where these truths fade from view, discontentment rushes in. When the focus shifts to circumstance, we begin asking from our situations what only God can give. None of us will ever reach a moment when every relationship, every health concern, and every pressure is perfectly resolved. To wait for that moment as the gateway to peace is to chase a fantasy.

The Enemy of Contentment: Coveting

The chief enemy of contentment is coveting—the desire to possess what belongs to another. It can show itself in cravings for someone else's relationships, season of life, gifts, or circumstances, and it bears the marks of comparison, anger, or grief over another's good James 4:1–2. Luther's treatment of the Ninth and Tenth Commandments reminds us that the call is not merely to avoid scheming for what is our neighbor's, but actively to help him keep what is his.

We can recognize coveting along four lines: when the object of desire is itself wrong (as with the forbidden fruit, Genesis 3:6); when the means of obtaining a good thing is wrong (as with Sarai and Hagar, Genesis 16:1–4); when the motivation is wrong, wanting something simply because someone else has it (as Israel did in demanding a king, 1 Samuel 8); and when we complain about what we lack. Coveting is a sin pattern, not a problem solved by acquisition—when one desire is satisfied, the appetite simply attaches itself to something new.

Pastoral Application

Ask honestly where your focus rests today: on your circumstances, or on the character of God? Contentment will never be manufactured by changing your situation, because no situation can carry the weight only God can bear. Rehearse who He is—all-knowing, wise, present, unchanging, active, all-powerful, good, and just—and let those truths settle your heart. Resist coveting by examining your desires, your means, and your motives, and by giving thanks for what God has actually given. Contentment is His gift, rooted in His person, received by grace.

Transcript

Let's pray together, please. 0s

Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks 2s

for your gift of contentment, 5s

your gift of contentment rooted in who you are 8s

and your promises. 11s

We thank you for the privilege of studying your word 14s

and ask now that as we gather together 16s

that you might speak to us, your grace. 20s

We thank you for your presence, 24s

we thank you for your word in Jesus' name. 25s

Amen. 28s

We continue on in our study on this subject of contentment. 31s

As we talked about last week, 37s

contentment is resting in the person and work 39s

of the Lord Jesus Christ and resting in His sovereignty. 43s

So it's resting in the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ 49s

and resting in His sovereignty. 54s

We took a look at what contentment is not. 57s

Contentment is not dependent upon circumstances. 61s

So a sense of saying, 65s

when all of the circumstances in my life get good, 67s

well, then I'll be content. 71s

No, contentment biblically is not dependent upon circumstances. 73s

It's not an emotionless life. 78s

Remember the Stoics advocated and forms of stoicism today 80s

that contentment is a result of trying to get rid of all emotion 86s

in your life. 90s

No, contentment is not the emotionless life. 93s

It's not a carefree existence. 96s

It's not an absence of relational struggle or anguish. 98s

It's not a life without longing. 102s

It's not a freedom from fear. 104s

In fact, as we studied last week, 108s

contentment is that which occurs amidst all of those things. 111s

Even when circumstances are lousy or relationships are strained, etc. 115s

Well, today I want to take a look at with you at the subject of the source of contentment 123s

and the enemy of contentment, 127s

the source of contentment and the enemy of contentment. 130s

Here's the main point of today. 135s

The characteristics of God are the source of contentment. 138s

The characteristics of God are the source of contentment in our life. 143s

His attributes and his characteristics allow us to rest in who he is. 150s

So as we look at contentment as resting in the person and work of Jesus and his sovereignty, 159s

we're going to delve into that a little bit more and see how contentment is intimately linked 167s

with the very characteristics of God. 172s

So I want to examine some of the characteristics of God with you. 176s

Let's go first to omniscience. 180s

Omniscience is the characteristic that God is indeed all knowing. 191s

He is all knowing. 196s

He has perfect knowledge of all things. 198s

Let's see that in scripture. 201s

Let's go to 1 John, chapter 3, please. 203s

Go to way to find 1 John as to go to the book of Revelation and then turn left. 206s

You'll very quickly run over the Peters. 213s

You're going to hit 1 John very quickly. 217s

First John, chapter 3, verse 20, verse 20. 221s

Let's start in verse 18 to get a context. 235s

Little children, let us love not in word or speech but in truth and action. 241s

And by this we will know that we are from the truth and we'll reassure our hearts before Him. 247s

Whenever our hearts condemn us, for God is greater than our hearts and He knows everything. 256s

He knows everything. 266s

Let's take a look at Psalm 139. 269s

Go to way to find the Psalms. 272s

Let's just open up to the middle. 274s

You'll land on one of them. 276s

Psalm 139. 278s

We'll pick up in verse 1. 279s

Psalm 139. 284s

In beginning with verse 1, there we read, 292s

Oh Lord, you have searched me and known me. 295s

You know when I sit down and when I rise up, you discern my thoughts from far away. 299s

You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 307s

Even before a word is on my tongue, oh Lord, you know it completely. 313s

You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 318s

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. 323s

It is so high that I cannot attain it. 327s

He knows us by name and every single detail about us. 332s

He knows us better than we know ourselves. 336s

Every action passes before him. 341s

He knows before the thoughts are even crystallized what our thoughts will be. 345s

Every undertaking he is aware of. 351s

He is aware of the manner in which we pursue the undertakings. 355s

Even before the word is said, he knows it. 361s

And he keeps this all under his scrutiny. 365s

We can rest then in the one who has such perfect knowledge about us that knows the beginning and the end of our lives. 370s

He knows our sorrows and is ready to help us. 381s

He is all knowing and in that knowledge of one who knows us so completely, we can rest. 384s

Second characteristic I want to explore with you is that God is wise. 393s

God is wise. 401s

Let's go to Job chapter 12. 404s

Job is nestled right before Psalms. 407s

So Job chapter 12 verse 13. 411s

Job chapter 12 verse 13. 416s

With God our wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding. 432s

God knows in every case what to do and how to do it. 444s

And He disposes and ordains all things for the attainment of His purpose. 451s

This soul surpasses our knowledge. 457s

Part of our fretting in life is we try and fathom those things about God which are unfathomable. 461s

And so when you ponder a situation in your life, rest in the assuracy of who God is, a God who is omniscient, knows all things, is absolutely wise in the application of His knowledge and amidst our lack of understanding and comprehension, then you see we can rest in that. 472s

In fact, in Romans the 11th chapter we see that very point. 495s

Let's go there please. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts and then Romans, Romans chapter 11 verse 33. 501s

O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsurczable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways. 521s

Amidst the things we cannot understand, we trust them in who He is, in who He is. 538s

The third aspect, our characteristic is that God is omnipresent. 547s

God is omnipresent. 554s

In other words, God is everywhere. God is everywhere. 557s

Let's go back to Psalm 139 please. 564s

Psalm 139 will pick up in verse 7. 568s

Where can I go from your spirit or where can I flee from your presence? 587s

If I ascend to heaven you are there, if I make my bed and sheel you are there. 593s

If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there, your hand shall lead me and your right hand shall hold me fast. 597s

Where can I go? There is no hiding from Him. 610s

How prevalent is the Scripture? Do not fear for I am with you. 616s

Fourth characteristic, He is immutable. 623s

Let's go to Malachi, the third chapter. 635s

We will see the unchanging character of God. 640s

Last book in the Old Testament. Malachi chapter 3. 643s

Malachi chapter 3, verse 6. 648s

For I the Lord do not change. 667s

Therefore you or children of Jacob have not perished. 673s

I do not change. There is no development in God. 678s

There is no decline in God. He is what He is and He will always be what He is. 681s

Fifth, He is a living rational, an active being. 692s

He is a living rational and active being. 706s

Let's go to Isaiah 46. 713s

Good way to find Isaiah is to go to Psalms, then turn right. 718s

Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon. 722s

Isaiah 46, Jeremiah is too far. 725s

Isaiah 46, 10 to 11. 731s

Let's go to verse 8, so we are not mid-sentence. 749s

Remember this and consider. Recall it to mind, you transgressors. 752s

Remember the former things of old. For I am God and there is no other. 756s

I am God and there is no one like me. 760s

Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 765s

My purpose shall stand and I will fulfill my intention. 772s

Calling a bird of prey from the east, the man from my purpose from a far country. 780s

I have spoken and I will bring it to pass. 785s

I have planned and I will do it. 789s

He purposes, He plans His acts, He is intent on the execution of the very thing that He determines. 794s

Sixth, He is omnipotent. 806s

In other words, He is all powerful. 813s

He is all powerful. He can do whatever it is He wills to do, whatever it is His purpose. 818s

Let's go to Ephesians, the third chapter. 826s

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and then Romans. 829s

Verse and second Corinthians, Galatians and then Ephesians. 834s

Ephesians chapter 3, verse 20. 838s

The speaks of His omnipotence. 848s

Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than we can ask or imagine to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. 854s

Seven, He is good. 876s

He is good. 882s

There is no fault or defect in Him. 892s

Let's go to Matthew 19. 897s

Very first book of the New Testament, Matthew 19, verse 17. 901s

Let's go to 16. It gives a little more context. 921s

Then someone came to Him and said, Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life? 925s

And He said to Him, why do you ask me about what is good? 931s

There is only one who is good. 936s

And that of course is God. There is no fault or defect in Him. 941s

He is good and kind to His creatures. That's Psalm 145. 947s

He desires to bring the lost back. That's Jeremiah 31. 950s

He is full of compassion, gracious and slow to anger, Exodus 34 and Nehemiah 9. 956s

He is also just. He is also just. 964s

Let's go to 1 John chapter 1. 970s

So go to Revelation, turn left and you're right into the John's. 975s

First John chapter 1 verse 9. 984s

If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 999s

Sound familiar? Look at verse 8. 1009s

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 1013s

You see how the liturgy comes right from the Word of God itself. 1017s

He is just. The justice of God has been expressed. 1021s

The justice has fallen now upon the sun. There is no double jeopardy. 1026s

There is no double jeopardy in which the justice has been expressed. 1030s

The sun has taken the punishment and now God is going to loop back even though the sun has taken the punishment for sin. 1036s

And God is going to loop back and punish us now for sin. 1042s

No, there is no double jeopardy. 1048s

We will not pay for what has already been paid. 1051s

So, contentment then is rooted in the characteristics of God. 1057s

It's not dependent upon circumstances, not dependent upon how relationships are going, not at all. 1064s

It's rooted here. It's rooted in the fact that he knows everything. 1068s

That he's absolutely wise in his application of knowledge. 1073s

That he is everywhere. He is with us. He is immutable. He doesn't change. 1077s

He is living and rational and active. He is omnipotent. He has all power. 1082s

He is good and he is just. 1088s

You see, where then is the focus in our lives, is the focus on the circumstance or is the focus on the characteristics? 1091s

You see, when the focus is on the circumstance, it's a recipe. 1102s

It's a recipe for discontentment in our life. 1106s

Because we are trying to get out of the circumstance what only God can give. 1111s

Have any of you ever had a time in your life where you would say everything in my life is absolutely perfect at this moment? 1119s

Nothing can change with regard to relationships or health or job or have any of you ever had that time. 1130s

No. And will you ever have that time? 1141s

No. You won't. We can live with the fantasy that we will. 1146s

And I'll be happy and content only if this changes instead of understanding. 1153s

No, it's not rooted in my circumstance. It's rooted in the characteristics of God. 1162s

Okay. What then is an enemy of contentment? 1167s

An enemy of contentment is coveting. An enemy of contentment is coveting. 1174s

Coventing is the desire to get what belongs to another. 1185s

And it can take so many different forms. 1191s

I think of Luther as he talked about the 9th and 10th Commandment. 1193s

9th Commandment, you should not covet your neighbor's house. 1198s

He says, what does this mean for us? 1201s

We're to fear and love God. Remember fear is adoration. It's awe. It's respect. 1203s

So that we do not desire to get our neighbor's possessions by scheming or by pretending to have a right to them, 1210s

but always help him keep what is his. 1217s

See, this is what Luther does in the catechism. 1220s

I really hope you'll read through the catechism several times during a year. 1223s

It's so good to refresh it. Luther just preaches. It just breathes the scripture. 1227s

And what you see is Luther will deal with the negative of the commandment and then he always deals with the positive of it. 1234s

So he says, this is what we mean. Don't do this. Do this. 1241s

Instead of understanding the commandment is simply negative, the commandment is open up the positive. 1245s

10th Commandment, you should not covet your neighbor's wife or as man's servant or as man's servant or as cattle or anything that is your neighbor's. 1251s

Luther writes, we're to fear and love God so that we do not tempt or coax away from our neighbor his wife or his workers, 1259s

but encourage them to remain loyal. Do you hear the negative? Don't do this. Do this. 1267s

Let's look at James chapter 4. James chapter 4. 1276s

James chapter 4 will pick up in verse 1. 1290s

That's why that didn't make sense. I'm in Hebrews. 1311s

I said, why in the world that I choose that? So James makes a lot more sense to my point here. 1317s

So James chapter 4 verse 1, those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? 1325s

Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and you do not have it so you commit murder. 1332s

And you covet something and cannot attain it so you engage in disputes and conflicts. 1343s

You do not have because you do not ask. 1351s

The enemy of contentment then, contentment being rooted in the very characteristics of God, the enemy of contentment is coveting. 1356s

Coventing can involve relationships where you say, I sure wish that I got along with, fill in the blank, like they get along with fill in the blank. 1365s

You can covet seasons of life where a person says, I can't wait to get into your season of life. 1380s

It can involve circumstances, it can involve gifts and abilities and it's marked by comparison and it's manifest when we find ourselves angry or grieving about somebody else's good. 1393s

How do we recognize it? We can recognize coveting when the object of desire is wrong. 1410s

So you can recognize coveting when the object of desire is wrong. 1422s

Let's take a look at Genesis chapter 3. 1428s

Genesis chapter 3. 1431s

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was the light to the eyes, 1451s

and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate and she also gave some to her husband who was with her and he ate. 1460s

Why is the object wrong? Because God said, eat of every tree in the garden and save one, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 1472s

So you can see we're coveting manifest itself and you ask yourself the question, is the desire for this wrong? 1481s

You can recognize coveting when the means to obtain the good thing is wrong. 1492s

You can recognize coveting when the means to obtain the good thing is wrong. 1501s

Let's go to Genesis chapter 16. 1508s

Genesis chapter 16. 1511s

Remember the promise had been made to Abraham and Sarah that through them this nation would come. 1514s

They were childless. 1520s

The child wasn't coming forth. 1522s

So the good thing is the child. The good thing is the promise here. 1526s

The means now in their mind to live out this promise, that's what's wrong. 1532s

And you can see the coveting manifest. 1539s

Now Sarah, I, Abram's wife bore him no children. 1542s

She had an Egyptian slave girl whose name was Hegar and Sarah, I said to Abram, you see that the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. 1545s

Go into my slave girl, it may be that I shall obtain children by her and Abram listened to the voice of Sarah. 1553s

So after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Cana, Sarah Abram's wife took Hegar the Egyptian, her slave girl, and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife. 1562s

He went into Hegar and she conceived. 1575s

You recognize coveting? 1581s

When the object of the desire is wrong, you recognize coveting if the means to obtain the good is wrong. 1583s

You recognize coveting when the motivation is wrong. 1596s

When we want something simply because someone else has it. 1603s

I think of the people of old, for the sake of time it won't turn there, it's for Samuel 8. 1612s

The people of old that wanted a king. God said, nope, no king. 1617s

Then God says, I'll give you the king. I'll give you the king. 1624s

You see the problems that result from that. 1627s

But the people wanted the king simply because other nations had a king. 1631s

So the motivation for the desire was wrong. 1638s

You can see coveting when we complain about what we don't have. 1643s

So when the object of desire is wrong, if the means to obtain the good thing is wrong, 1653s

if the motivation for the desire is wrong, or when we're complaining, when we don't have something. 1659s

Coveting is the enemy of contentment. 1670s

And it is a sin pattern that is not solved once whatever it is you desire has been attained. 1675s

Then the sin pattern simply manifests itself in another area. 1686s

So it's not like, well, coveting will go away if I could just get that. 1691s

Nope, if you get that, then it just shifts to something else. 1698s

It's a sin pattern in one's life. 1704s

So if contentment then is not rooted in circumstance, but it's rooted in the characteristics of God, 1709s

and resting in who he is, coveting shifts then into, 1720s

I could be content if I just had that. 1728s

I remember as a child on family vacations. 1736s

I remember I'd be sitting in the back seat, and I mean, I'd been taught this lesson from my parents. 1741s

But I would see something like a beautiful sports car or something like that drive by. 1749s

And sometimes just intentionally I would say, I'd be happy if I had that. 1757s

And I just waited for the response, because I knew my folks would just immediately pick up on it, 1762s

and then they realized I was just doing this to just kind of irritate them. 1768s

But you see, we think that we'll be content, we think we'll be happy as long as we have that. 1772s

Well, if we get that, then the that just simply shifts. 1779s

You see, there is no contentment in coveting. 1783s

There is only contentment in resting in the characteristics of God, 1786s

and resting in who he is, and resting in who he is. 1796s

Not what we want, is the source of contentment by His grace. 1804s

Well, next week we're going to continue this theme. 1812s

We're going to look at causes and patterns of discontentment. 1815s

We'll continue next week. 1819s