Are You Satisfied in Christ?

Tom Shrader closes out the book of Philippians by unpacking Paul's declaration that he has 'learned the secret' of contentment in all circumstances, rooting that secret firmly in being 'in Christ.' Drawing on Philippians 4 and 1 Timothy 6, Shrader challenges listeners to examine where they are seeking satisfaction — in marital status, children, finances, talent, or background — and to recognize that lasting contentment comes only through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He closes by connecting Paul's joy in prison to the spread of the gospel among Caesar's household, applying it as a call for believers to make the invisible God visible in their everyday lives.

“Joy is not circumstantial. Joy is relational. Happiness is circumstantial — markets up, I'm happy; markets down, I'm sad. Joy is living in spite of circumstances, with this understanding of God and who He is, and the promise that He has for us, and the hope that we find in Him and Him alone.”

— Tom Shrader

Series: Philippians

Recorded: 2008 at East Valley Bible Church

Duration: 50 min

Themes: contentment, satisfaction, joy, money, identity, peace, gospel, circumstances, struggling with discontentment, financial stress, single adult, parent, new believer, feeling unfulfilled, young adult, searching for purpose

Scripture: Philippians 4:10-23, Philippians 3:8-10, Philippians 1:6, Philippians 1:12-14, 1 Timothy 6:6-8, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Isaiah 40:29, 2 Corinthians 12, Matthew 6:19-20, Proverbs 11:25, 2 Corinthians 9:6, Acts 20:38, Romans 12:1-2

Theological Themes: union with christ, soteriology, sanctification, godliness with contentment, justification, in christ, eternal security, fruit of the spirit

Full Transcript

Introduction

Good morning. Open your Bibles to the book of Philippians, chapter four. We are going to finish the book today.

A few announcements before we begin. M25 is next Sunday, and we are going to need your participation. It is going to be a tough day, so please take that seriously and plan to be there.

Today is also Memorial Day, which used to be called Decoration Day. It is the day when, as a nation, we stop and remember not merely those who have served, but those who have died in the nation's service. I want to encourage you throughout this weekend to remember that it is much more than hot dogs and chips, and to take some time to honor them.

On that note, I want to recommend a book, especially to you men. It is about a gentleman who becomes a Navy SEAL, goes through that process, and then lands in Afghanistan — four guys surrounded by 300 Taliban within hours. The title of the book is *Lone Survivor*. It is one of the best books I have read. Everyone I have given it to or suggested they purchase has loved it. It is a little rugged — there is some language and other things in there — and it is not a children's book, so keep that in mind. But the story of what these guys go through is a powerful reminder of the sacrifice people make to serve, and of that ultimate sacrifice — those who have given their lives so that we can gather here today and open our Bibles to Philippians chapter four.

Church Plant Announcement

If you are with us for the first time, make sure you use that tab and register your attendance. That is an invitation for us to come into your life.

A couple of months ago, Tyler and I were talking about church planting, and we said we would be back within a couple of months to share who, where, and when. We are back much faster than we anticipated, and we are excited to talk to you about another church plant.

The "who" is Luke Simmons. Luke is headed out on a church plant, and I will let him share the where and the when.

I am privileged to lead a team to go plant a church in early 2009 in the Queen Creek–Williams Gateway area. My wife and I have been on a journey, praying and seeking the Lord's help and wisdom for a long time about whether this was something we should do and, if so, where. We are thrilled to be ready.

Queen Creek has been booming, even despite all the housing slowdown. The Williams Gateway area is a particularly strategic community. There are plans in the next few decades for close to 200,000 people to be living there. There are almost 10,000 college students there right now, and three communities specifically built for residents 55 and older. It is a very intergenerational and, in the future, very diverse community — a strategic place to reach with the gospel.

My ministry experience has been here in a suburban context and also on a university campus. Our hope is to start in Queen Creek with the plans of being a multiplying, church-planting church, and to try to fill up that community with churches that preach the truth and serve and love the city.

Please do not minimize the prayer aspect of this. Prayer really is a big deal, so please pray for us. We are going to hold an informational meeting on Saturday, June 14th, at 7 o'clock in room 200. If you are interested in helping be part of the mission — not simply because you would like a church closer to your house, but because you want to help reach that community with the gospel — we would love for you to come and learn about what we are going to do.

I want to encourage those of you looking for an adventure to saddle up for this. And I will speak bluntly: Luke is not looking for you to join him if all you want is something closer to your house. That is entirely the wrong reason. He wants you on mission, on purpose, and invested in what is going on.

We have done church plants in the past. We have made mistakes, and we have learned a lot. Even the DNA of this church plant is going to be church planting. Church planting is going to be a big part of what you hear here, what you hear at Williams Gateway, and what you hear everywhere associated with East Valley Bible Church going forward. We have said it before: either step up and serve here, or step out and be part of what God is doing somewhere else.

Contentment as a Learned Secret

He said, "Not that I speak from want, for I have — here's the key now — I have learned to be content whatever circumstances I am in. I know how to get along with humble means. I know how to live in prosperity. In any and every circumstance, I have learned." Now that word *learned* has appeared twice. Whatever this is, Paul is saying this isn't natural. He wasn't just born with this instinct. This is something he had to learn, something he had to be taught.

"I have learned the secret." It sounds like an infomercial — like this should be something we can market. Whatever it is, it's the secret. Paul says, "I've learned the secret of being filled and of going hungry, and having abundance and suffering need." So he has learned to have a lot, and he has learned to have a little. He has learned that when the skin comes back and there is a tumor, he rejoices. When there is no tumor, he doesn't stop rejoicing. In prosperity and in need, he has learned this whole idea. He has learned to be satisfied, content. "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." There is the secret.

What It Means to Be In Christ

Paul uses the phrase *in Christ* throughout this letter, and this is worth a personal study. Find a good Bible study website — search "Bible study" and something like Crosswalk will come up — and do a search on "in Christ" or "in Jesus." See how many times that phrase appears and begin to study what Paul is saying through it.

What Paul is saying is that to be *in Christ* is to believe that Jesus is who He said He was. Once you are positionally in Christ, you can address God with the term Father. And Paul says he has learned the secret: because he is in Christ, he can find contentment *from* Christ. It is similar to the peace of God — because we have peace *with* God, we have the peace *of* God. Because we are in Christ, we can find the contentment that is found only from Him.

Ecclesiastes and the Question of Satisfaction

The rest of life is all a sojourn. After this series, we are going to study the book of Ecclesiastes, and the study on that has already begun. When you say "Ecclesiastes," people think of it as a downer. It is, in this sense: Solomon is simply saying that if you are looking for satisfaction anywhere in the world other than that relationship with Christ, you are looking in the wrong place and you will always be disappointed. So Ecclesiastes is really a book about hope, not a book about despair. It is a book that tells us where we can find fulfillment.

That book was chosen a long time ago, but it perfectly fits as a follow-up to this series and fits the times we are in.

Are You Satisfied in Christ?

Part 3 of 8

I stopped to get a coffee this morning at 4:30 on the way in, and I saw diesel price today was $4.79 a gallon. Everything I'm hearing says gas is on its way to $5, $6, $7, $8 a gallon. We hear a lot about home costs and mortgages, and I'm meeting more and more men who are out of work. The expense of it all, the inflation — it can be overwhelming. There is a difference, though, between how we respond and how the world responds. The books of Philippians and Ecclesiastes are wonderful books for us to be studying at this point in our culture and history.

Found in Christ

Paul says that because he is in Christ, he has the contentment that is found in Him. If you turn back just a page to Philippians chapter 3, look at verses 8 through 10. That is exactly what Paul is saying over and over again. He speaks in verse 8 of knowing Christ, in verse 9 of being found in Him, and in verse 10 of knowing Him and the power of His resurrection. "Because I am in Christ" — that is a critically important phrase, and it is what it means to be a believer.

When we look at Scripture, we see all sorts of ways that God describes those of us who are in right relationship with Christ. We are believers. We are followers. Those of us who are found in Him have relationship with Him. Paul says, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." There is this idea of power — I can do all things — and I find that power in Christ alone.

Isaiah 40:29 tells us that God gives strength to the weary and to him who lacks, He increases power. In 2 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul writes about a thorn in the flesh, some problem he had. He says three times he took it to the Lord and asked to be delivered, and he was not. But God's response was that His grace is sufficient. Because we are in Christ, we can find the contentment of Christ.

The Blurred Line Between Needs and Wants

For us, we frequently have a blurred line between needs and wants. Sheryl Crow had a wonderful song that was popular a few years ago, and it contained the great line: "It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you have." There is a real sense of satisfaction and contentment in that. We touched on this the last time I was here, and we are going to return to it now.

I want you to mark Philippians 4, then turn to the right to 1 Timothy chapter 6, and keep both of those places marked. We are going to unpack these together. I want to talk a bit more about contentment and take it a little broader than we did a couple of weeks ago before we wrap up our study in this book.

We live in a time that communicates a single message: see it and go get it. Someone cut out a little piece of paper from a magazine and gave it to me, saying they thought it illustrated the immediacy we talked about before. It was an advertisement, and it said simply: "Buy now, pay later. Free shipping." See it, want it, Google it, get it.

Godliness with Contentment

Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:6 that godliness is actually a means of great gain when it is accompanied by contentment. We saw that a couple of weeks ago. Godliness plus contentment equals whatever great gain looks like in God's economy. We brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it. Verse 7 of 1 Timothy 6 is the key to all of this. For me to see the world as God sees it, I need to understand that this life is temporary. I have to begin to distinguish between the temporal and the eternal.

Something has really been getting to me lately, and maybe it has always been there and I am only now noticing it. I talk to Christians constantly, and when I ask how they are doing, they say, "Better than the alternative." And I find myself thinking: if this life is better than the alternative — meaning death — then we are all in serious trouble. I presume this life is not better than death. I presume this is as close to hell as I am ever going to get, and some days it feels closer than others.

And if you are here and you are not a follower of Christ, then this life is as close to heaven as you are ever going to get. The alternative is not something to be avoided — it is, at the end of this life, to be united with Christ forever. This is not better than that. I know what people mean when they say it, and I use careless words like that myself sometimes, but it is starting to trouble me. So let's put that phrase to rest.

What Does "Content" Actually Mean?

Now look at verse 8 of 1 Timothy 6. "If we have food and covering, with those we should be content." Here is where I want to focus, because I did not address this last time, so this is where the real lesson begins. He says that if you have food and covering, you should be content. But what kind of food?

There was an article this week in the newspaper, on a couple of websites, and in a television story as well, about a restaurant in New York serving a $175 cheeseburger. That sounds extraordinary, even exorbitant. They interviewed the owner of the restaurant and asked him who orders it. The restaurant is in the financial district, and he said it is brokers trying to impress their clients.

Being Content with What God Has Given You

God does not promise us a specific standard of living. Whether your food is a ninety-nine cent double cheeseburger or a $175 cheeseburger, whether your clothing comes from Goodwill or Neiman Marcus, whether your home is a studio apartment or a sprawling house — the call is the same: to be content. And contentment is not an excuse to be apathetic. It is simply being satisfied, no longer always reaching for more, bigger, better, new, and improved. That desire never ends. I love Raisin Bran, but then came Raisin Bran with Crunch, and I told Susan to find me the one with Crunch. It is a small and silly example, but it illustrates the endless cycle of wanting the next thing.

When we talk about financial matters, I want to take this a little deeper, and my whole point is for you to examine your own life. Contentment is not only about money. It extends to the talents God has given you — or has not given you.

Contentment with Your Talents and Abilities

I was watching Oprah on Monday — my day off, and I watch it for you, not for me. Oprah had child prodigies on the program that week. A tiny little girl came out, took the microphone, the music started, and she belted out a Whitney Houston song. She was incredible. There was also a child who could identify over a hundred countries on a map at two and a half years old. Most of us do not have talent like that, and that is precisely what makes those children remarkable.

You may not be content with the talent God gave you, or with the intellect He gave you. Some people are extraordinarily brilliant. I remember years ago I jumped in a car to take Charles Colson somewhere, and I had a whole list of questions prepared. I asked him the first question, and he answered it — then he turned it around and answered the next question without me asking it, and then the next one, and the next one, and lobbed it back to me. I still had forty-five minutes left and I was completely out of questions. I was blown away by how brilliant he was.

Being content with how God made you does not mean you stop improving yourself. But take something like physical appearance. Some people are very pretty or very handsome, and some of us are not. I can live with that, and most of you are no bargain either, so let us just enjoy it together. What I have never understood, though, is being proud of your looks, because that is one of the things you had absolutely nothing to do with. It is like being proud of your height. I wish I were taller, but the one dimension I actually can control — my width — I seem to ignore completely, and that is not good.

Contentment with Your Family and Marital Status

I want to get into your life a little more directly here, because contentment must also apply to the family God has given you. Let us start with marital status. If you are single, the call is to be content in singleness. I meet so many single people — it seems more women than men — who appear absolutely determined to get married. A woman who comes to Priority Living gave me the best line I have ever heard on this subject, and I use it with women all the time: it takes a very good man to beat no man at all. All the married women in the room are laughing because they understand exactly what that means.

I understand the desire to be married — I genuinely do. But for whatever reason, at this point in time, God has you where you are. And sometimes the fastest way to find perspective on that longing is to sit down and have coffee with a married person. I know plenty of husbands who are unhappy and plenty of wives who are unhappy, and that is its own lesson in contentment.

Contentment in Marriage

If you are married, contentment means being satisfied with the spouse you chose. There are 3.5 billion options of the opposite sex in the world, and this is the one you picked. You did not stumble into it. You said better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. A man told me this week that I had taught him something a while back — that if he wanted to be married to a ten, all he had to do was consider his wife a ten, since it is a subjective term anyway. He told me he is married to a ten today.

Scripture calls husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church, and it calls wives to respect their husbands. Sometimes a wife's dissatisfaction with her husband comes out in very ugly ways — in the way she talks about what he does not provide, the house they live in, the old clothes, the worn-out rug. When that happens, especially in his presence, it is deeply damaging to him. Contentment in marriage means choosing to honor the person God has placed in your life.

Contentment with Your Children

Being content with the family God gives you also means being content with your children. My granddaughter Reagan was born about three weeks ago, and I was reminded of something I have seen in every pregnancy I have ever been around. When someone asks what they are hoping for, the answer is always the same: ten toes and ten fingers. And when that baby arrives, everyone counts — one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten — and there is pure joy and wonder.

But it does not take long before ten fingers and ten toes are no longer enough. We begin to communicate our unmet expectations to that child. We drive them, shape them, force them, and manipulate them, rather than simply celebrating what God gave us — which, by every reasonable definition, is an average child.

Contentment with What God Has Given You

So often the parenting thing reveals your pride and your selfishness, because you want your child to be extraordinary — not even for their own benefit, but for the recognition that is associated with you. You want to be able to talk about how Biff scored the winning touchdown. My girls were cheerleaders, so I was the only one who would go to a game and say, "Somebody take a timeout, we need a cheer." Everybody else was watching the game, and I was thinking, they've been working all week on this cheer.

I'll never forget leaving an eighth-grade game — final score 64 to 4 — and there was a man talking to his son about another kid on their team. He said, "That Billy can run, that Billy can shoot, that Billy can play defense, that Billy's like a quarterback on the court." I believe children should respect and obey their parents and generally be silent in moments like that. But I so wanted that kid to say, "You're exactly right, Dad — that Billy can run, and that Billy can shoot, and that Billy can pass, and that Billy can play defense, and that Billy is a quarterback on the court. You know why? Because he doesn't have your genes. I'm stuck with your genes."

And then there is contentment with the parents God has given you. You might look around and say, "That would be a better house to be raised in," but if God thought that was a better house for you to be raised in, He would have put you in it. He put you right where He wants you.

It gets bigger than that. It really is about your whole background and experience. I think of Susan, because when you see her now — if you spend any time with her, which is somewhat hard to do, but if you get the chance — you find that she is this very gentle, understanding, very determined, just an incredible person. Her dad was a nut. Her mom was a wonderful lady, but just in way over her head in the circumstances. Her dad walked out one day and never came back. But Susan never saw herself as a victim.

In your past there might be some real terrible things, but God is sovereign, and if He wanted to spare you from it, He could. He never caused or allowed it for anything other than His glory. So rather than saying, "I wish I was married, or I wish I was single, or I wish I had her, or I wish I could have him, or I wish my kids were like that, or I wish my family background was like that" — you cannot change it. God gave it to you for a reason, and He says to be content in the midst of that. Rejoice in that.

God Gives You Exactly What You Need

Every trip to the doctor's office is a cause for thanksgiving, because God is going to give you exactly what you need — not even what you deserve. Forget what you deserve; you do not even want to go down that road. He is going to give you exactly what you need. And sometimes He will give you what you want, but sometimes what you want is not what you need, and what you want might not even be good for you.

How do you parse all of that out? Some of it is a result of your own decisions. But the call remains: be content. Be satisfied.

Paul's Gratitude for the Philippians' Generosity

Now keep that spot marked and turn back to Philippians 4. He says in verse 14, *"Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction."* If the letter ended at verse 13, and you took what might seem like an abrupt near-rebuke in verse 10 — though I do not think it is a rebuke at all — along with "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me," you could misunderstand it. You might think Paul either needed more, or did not appreciate the gift the Philippians had given him. But that is not it at all.

He says, *"You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone."* He goes back ten years here. He is saying: remember ten years ago when I left you and went out to preach — you were the only ones who supported me. You were the only ones who were there.

*"For even in Thessalonica, you sent a gift more than once for my needs."* As Paul found his way to Thessalonica, he would work, and then when there was money he would quit working so he could focus on ministry, and then he would go back to doing both — but the church at Philippi was consistent throughout. He is saying: remember ten years ago, you sent me the money, there has been this gap, and I am so grateful for that.

The Profit That Increases on Your Account

Verse 17 is a really interesting verse. Paul says, *"Not that I seek the gift itself."* That makes sense, because every time you talk about money there are people who say, "All those preachers do is want money — it is about the salary, they are in it for the dough." Paul says, I am not seeking the gift, *"but I seek for the profit which increases to your account."*

He is interestingly interjecting here a concept found throughout all of Scripture — this whole idea of giving and receiving. Jesus says in Matthew 6, verse 19, *"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal."* And Proverbs 11:25 says, *"The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered."*

The Principle of Generous Giving

From an agricultural metaphor, 2 Corinthians 9:6 says, "Now I say, he who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, he who sows bountifully will reap bountifully." That is why in Acts chapter 20, verse 38, Paul can say, "Remember the words of Jesus who Himself said, it is more blessed to give than to receive." Paul says there is some sort of accounting that takes place. You are edified, you are built up when you give. He said, I am not taking the money because I need it — I do — but it is not just about me. As you meet my need, your account increases and your blessing seems to expand.

Now I want to be very careful here. I do not want anyone to think we are talking about a health-and-wealth prosperity gospel. God may want you sick; He may not want you wealthy. I despise that teaching seen so often, especially on television, that if you give, it will be given back to you in a certain proportion, or that if you give, you will be healed. That is not doctrinally true. That is not the gospel.

The gospel is something that can be preached at 24th and Camelback and in the heart of Calcutta. God may want you sick and He may want you poor. And why would He want that? For one reason — you would be a lot easier to deal with. You will listen then. Paul himself prayed three times to have the thorn in the flesh removed, and God did not do it. Paul says God's grace is sufficient: "I am made strong when I am weak."

God Supplies Every Need

But there is a principle Paul is teaching here. He says, "I have received everything in full and have abundance. I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God, and my God will supply all your needs." Paul is telling the Philippians that not only did they receive a spiritual blessing, but there is a physical dimension to this blessing as well.

Turning back to 1 Timothy chapter 6, Paul writes in verse 17: "Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy." In other words, do not focus on possessions or their uncertainty — focus on God. He continues: "Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed."

Paul is saying that if you have been given things, they have been given to you for a reason. Everything you have — time, energy, effort, money — God has given to you so that you can steward it to advance His kingdom. Everything you have is truly on loan from God. It has been given to you to enjoy, certainly, but also to give, to share, and to bless.

The Challenge of Stewardship

This raises all sorts of questions, and that is why I come back to this again and again. If I am supposed to steward what I have been given, how much should I give? Where should I give? What should I do with my time? What about that point in life when I no longer have to work for money — what we call retirement? Am I truly free to do whatever I want, or is there an expectation attached to that time? All of life is a stewardship issue.

When most people hear the word stewardship, they reach for their wallets. They assume it is entirely about money, and in many churches people complain that all the leadership ever talks about is money. Our own staff has actually been critical of me on the opposite point — they say I do not talk enough about the financial dimension, because it is a genuine spiritual issue. And they are right that it is. But so is how you spend a holiday. So is what car you drive or what house you live in.

I cannot unpack all of those decisions for you. I cannot tell you how much to give, what car to drive, or what house to live in. But you ought to wrestle with those questions. I find them a challenge myself.

A Doxology Rooted in Doctrine

Let us return to Philippians chapter 4 to finish. Paul has said, "I have received everything in full and have abundance. I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you sent." That is the background. Paul is in prison, and this letter is going back along with Epaphroditus. He will also send Timothy. And at the center of everything, he declares: God will supply your needs. God is not bankrupt. Our God will supply all of these needs.

In verse 20, Paul breaks into doxology: "To our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen." What we see here is a response to a doctrinal truth. Paul has been reflecting on joy, on God meeting his needs, and the natural result is this burst of praise. He says "our God" — a personal, intimate relationship. That intimacy comes through again and again in this letter. It is not about religion; it is about relationship. Our God, my God, your God.

Doxology breaks out when we understand doctrine. Worship of the true God is not done in ignorance. We understand who He is. We understand that in Him and Him alone we find life. Paul then uses the word "greet" three times in verses 21 and 22, addressing every saint.

Saints Set Apart for the World

"Greet every saint in Christ Jesus, the brethren who are with me greet you, and all saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household." He uses that term "saint" both in verse 21 and verse 22. When we see that word, it means a person who has been separated or set apart — set apart for God's holy purpose. You are set apart.

Now here is what that does not mean. It does not mean we withdraw from society. It is not like some sort of legalist, separatist group. The night before He died, Jesus prayed, "Father, just as you sent me into the world, I'm sending them into the world." God wants you fully engaged with your culture.

I know how scary that is, because it is a scary culture. I did this at the men's retreat last week — I said, take out a piece of paper and write down all the names of unbelievers with whom you have an ongoing relationship, and with whom you are in the process of being used to proclaim the gospel. The more you are involved in church, the shorter that list tends to be, and that is just not right.

God did not save us so we would get together and have Bible study after Bible study after Bible study. Is Bible study important? Absolutely — we study it. But why? To break out into doxology and to see life transformed, so that we can be that light to the world, that salt to the earth.

That is what a saint is. A saint is somebody who has been set aside, through whom God lets His light shine. They are separated, God is using them, and they know Christ in a personal way.

The Gospel Spreading Through Caesar's Household

Then Paul closes by saying, "All the saints greet you, especially those from Caesar's household." Go back to chapter 1. Remember, Paul is writing from a Roman prison. He says in verse 12, "Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole Praetorian Guard and to everyone else."

Verse 14 shows a tremendous benefit of this imprisonment: "And that most of the brethren in the Lord, because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear." Those who knew Christ but had perhaps been a little timid, or had been sitting on the sidelines waiting for Paul to do it, suddenly realized Paul was not there to do it anymore. Their faith became activated.

That is the idea behind stepping up and stepping out. As God continues to expand what He is doing, there are gaps to be filled. Those of you who are serving — serve more. Those of you who have thought about serving but never have — now is the time to be involved.

But look at what Paul is also saying in verses 12 and 13. There is the Praetorian Guard — Caesar's soldiers — who are watching him in his imprisonment. My suspicion is that two things happened. First, Paul made the invisible God visible. Second, Paul spoke the truth boldly.

As those guards sat chained to him in prison, they were watching and saying, "He is different than all the other prisoners. We have never had a prisoner like this who seems so content, so joyful." And then Paul, in the midst of his teaching, was explaining why — because Jesus was in him. As a result, some of those guards were saved. They took that message into their world, and by the time Paul closes the letter, even some of Caesar's household are sending greetings. That is the power of the gospel. You cannot shut it down. If God is doing something, they can imprison you, they can do whatever they want — they cannot stop it.

Joy Is Relational, Not Circumstantial

Our desire is not merely to see people converted, though we would love it. That is God's job. Our job is simply to live the truth and preach the truth boldly — to make the invisible God visible and to speak the truth boldly.

And then Paul says, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit." That grace — that unmerited favor — is the grace that brought you into salvation and keeps you there. As chapter 1, verse 6 promises, "He who began a good work will continue it till the day of Christ Jesus." In this letter, Paul uses the term Christ, Jesus Christ, or Lord Jesus Christ forty times. He speaks of being in Christ, knowing Christ, and living in relational closeness with Christ.

This book is all about joy, and joy is not circumstantial — joy is relational. Happiness is circumstantial: markets up, I am happy; markets down, I am sad. Joy is living in spite of circumstances, with an understanding of who God is, the promises He has made, and the hope we find in Him and Him alone.

That is what it means to have an idol. An idol is simply us trying to find satisfaction in a person, place, or thing that we can only truly find in Christ. Every person, place, and thing in your life will at some level disappoint you. As I begin to see the world and understand how God created it, I recognize that I was not made to find ultimate satisfaction anywhere else.

Living in Satisfaction Through Christ

We were not created to be happy with a new shirt, a new car, or straight A's. All those things are fine, but we are not going to find satisfaction in them. Satisfaction comes from being in Christ, found in Him, knowing Him — from relationship with Him.

So what does that actually look like? It looks like talking to Him through prayer and Him talking to you through the Word. It means taking your ordinary, everyday living and bringing it before God.

Romans 12: Everyday Life as an Offering

Here is Romans 12, verses 1 and 2 from The Message paraphrase: "So here's what I want you to do, God helping you. Take your everyday, ordinary life. You're sleeping, you're eating, going to work, walking around. Place it before God. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him."

And then verse 2 continues: "Don't become so well adjusted to the culture that you fit into it without thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God and you'll be changed from the inside out."

Living Differently Is Evangelism

If you want to get serious about evangelism, all you have to do is live this out. We tend to think evangelism means standing on street corners or knocking on doors. Maybe it does — go do that if God has wired you that way. But you can let the person in the next cubicle tomorrow see something different in you, and that will start evangelism. You serve with a joyful heart, and that begins the whole idea of proclaiming the truth.

What Comes Next: Ecclesiastes

Our next book is the book of Ecclesiastes. You can go back and start reading your way through it. You will find it in the Old Testament, tucked right between Proverbs and the Song of Solomon — twelve chapters that are as fresh as if they were written this morning. They speak directly to you, to me, to us, and to the world we live in, addressing once again how we find meaning and satisfaction in this life.

Closing Prayer

Father, help us see this. God, thank You for the blessings You give us, and thank You for the struggles, the challenges, and the difficulties we face. Thank You for Jesus Christ. Father, allow us to take our ordinary, everyday lives and present them to You. Don't let us become so well adjusted to this culture that we simply fit into it without thinking — but God, don't let us be afraid of the culture either. Strengthen us. We acknowledge we are weak, but we can be strong as You infuse us with Your grace. Let us live in a way that brings honor and glory to You. Thank You that we can have joy in plenty and in little, in all circumstances. We have learned the secret to life: it is to be in Jesus Christ. We love Him, Father, because You love us. We pray to You in His name, Amen.