Pastor Paul Chappell: Only Jesus Brings True Contentment

for a morning message I invite you to turn with us to the book of Hebrews chapter 13 one of my favorite chapters of the Bible we're going to be looking at verses five and six today as we learned that only Jesus provides true contentment only Jesus can give true peace in our soul and we're going to learn about that as we conclude our series only Jesus and look forward next week to a brand new series entitled God's essential servants I hope you'll join with us and invite a friend to join us here at LBCC live TV because we're going to learn that everyone is essential in God's kingdom and I really believe you'll enjoy this series next Sunday but today we want to look at Hebrews chapter 13 on this Memorial Day weekend to learn more about the contentment and the peace that Jesus Christ provides Hebrews 13 and verse 5 tells us let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper and I will not fear what men shall do unto me you know as we have traveled through this period of time known as kovat 19 or social distancing there has been much in the way of fear much in the way of anxiety that has built in the hearts of people people who do not know the Lord and even people that know the Lord have had fear about tomorrow or fear about health and we see in fact here in our text this morning that there has been in the hearts of many for many years this need to know from god almighty that we can be content and settled in Christ no matter what else is happening all around us a discontented spirit really is the spirit of this age and it has only been heightened by the various orders to stay inside or the social distancing measures that are needed and yet sometimes feel so very binding and we notice here this morning in our text that the Lord Jesus is comforting those early Hebrew believers many actually believe the Apostle Paul was the human author of the book of Hebrews we know that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and so we know that this is the message of God to the Hebrew Christians of the first century and God is comforting them and he is challenging them with these wonderful words I will never leave thee and I will never forsake thee we're thankful today that we serve a savior that is always with us and that he is never going to leave us I want you to notice a few ways today that we can rest in the Lord and avoid this matter of being discontented I want you to see in our text first of all that God commands us to resist covetousness you know sometimes the reason that we are discontented is because we're looking at others we're noticing what they have and we're noticing how they're blessed and sometimes it might even be living in the state of California and we hear about another state that they can actually go to Starbucks or they can actually go to a restaurant and and if we're not careful we can find within us a covetousness building based upon comparison with others and we certainly see that as it is referenced here to a lifestyle comparison the Bible says let your conversation or your lifestyle be without covetousness now covetousness speaks here of not only financial or material things but it speaks about the heart condition of always wanting something else never being willing to accept where we are in this particular moment of life the Bible says in Exodus 20 and verse 17 thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife thou shalt not covet his manservant nor his maidservant nor his nor his ass nor anything that is thy neighbors and so oftentimes when we think of covetousness we're reminded of the lifestyle that maybe we wish we had the word covet means to desire or to take pleasure in Benjamin Franklin said discontentment makes men makes rich men poor while contentment makes poor men rich being able to say this is the day the Lord has made I will rejoice and be glad in it being able to settle on the fact that God does all things well is the key to contentment there was a survey done not long ago in the US News and World Report and they asked people how much money would you need to feel that you were experiencing the American Dream and most indicated that they would need about twice as much as they currently had well I want to encourage you today that you can have joy and contentment where you live and with what you have and with whom you live today so long as Jesus Christ is in the center of it all that's why Timothy said in first Timothy chapter 6 the Apostle Paul said rather to young Timothy charged them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the Living God who giveth us all things richly to enjoy you see God says don't let your happiness be dependent upon what you have or where you live because you serve a God that's given you all things richly to enjoy now I don't want to sound trite when I say this but you know I have found in my own life that during this Cove in nineteen I've learned to enjoy some things that I had not enjoyed perhaps for some time I'm talking about basic things I'm talking about the first rose in our home that blossomed in our yard and and the beauty of that yellow rose was an encouragement to me of the faithfulness of God I'm talking about monarch butterflies in our backyard I'm talking about the garden that we planted in the early days of kovat 19 and now we're beginning to see fruit from that garden and God gave us all of this so that we might enjoy his creation and and I don't want to be so busy looking over the fence at what someone else has that I miss what God has put right in front of me and I want to tell you today if you have Christ you are spiritually rich if you have today a home and shelter you are materially blessed and there's something to be thankful for the Bible says in everything give thanks Hebrews is very much a reminder to us that the Lord will never leave us nor forsake us proverbs 24 and verse 4 says labor not to be rich cease from thine own wisdom wilt thou not set thine eyes on things that are not for riches certainly make themselves wings and then they fly away as the Eagle toward heaven and so in our lifestyle we are commanded in the Word of God that we must resist covetousness at that level we must not have that green in the monster building up in us but in our lifestyle learn to be content but you know if you're going to be contented in your lifestyle it really will begin in your heart spiritually it's a reflection of what's going on in your heart if you're full up with God and His goodness then everything else is just an additional blessing first Timothy 6 and 9 says it this way but they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and the perdition for the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows now we know that money is not the root of all evil but the love of money that is a heart condition that is what brings about a discontented spirit the Bible says in Luke 12 and 15 as Jesus spoke take heed and beware of covetousness for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth and so I want you to realize today that while we may all long for a little more of an opportunity with respect to either travel or shopping or whatever it is that you look forward to doing as this stay at home order is relieved and as we have opportunity in the upcoming days let me encourage you in this moment to find contentment in Jesus Christ who said I will never leave you and I will never forsake you and don't become so focused on rushing out to find a temporal satisfaction in the world's lifestyle or possessions that you forget this moment right now when here we are at LBC live Tata TV and here we are with the Bible open and we're focusing on Jesus Christ may we take that focus with us wherever we go resisting covetousness but I want you to see a second principle today and that is that God is calling us to remain content to remain content now notice back in verse 5 the Bible says let not let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have now the word content means to be possessed with unfailing strength or to be satisfied now years ago there was a rock and roll song and the singer said I just can't get no satisfaction and that's the way the world lives it there's just never a contentment with where they live with what they have with their job with their family and it seems like these people always think within themselves and sometimes say out loud you know if I could just get where the grass was greener if I could just get where they appreciated me with my job if I only had that car or that possession then I would finally be content then I could really enjoy the rest of my life well I want you to know that there are people all over this world who have infinitely less than we do and yet they are totally contented in Christ and that's the essence of this message today that in Christ we are all blessed Paul said in Philippians 4 and verse 11 not that I speak in respect of want for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content now I don't know I might be talking to someone today and you've grumbled your way through this entire coronavirus epidemic and I'm not here to make you feel worse today but I wanted I want you to know that I believe God wants us during this time to learn how to wait on him how to trust him and how to be content with Jesus Christ during this time now how can we remain content well I believe first of all we can remain content because of what God has provided for us in the past my friend just look back in your life and remember that he has never failed you throughout your life he has been faithful the psalmist said in Psalm 37 and verse 25 I have been young and now I'm old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread the psalmist said I've been young I've been old but I've always seen God provide for his people I bet you could say the same this morning God has provided for you first King 17 in verse 16 and the bread of meal wasted not neither did the cruse of oil fail according to the word of the Lord which he spoke by Elijah do you remember that story do you remember that beer widow woman and how once she put her faith in God that he had provided for her again and again I've read in recent days that if you have a $35,000 salary that you are in the richest 1% of all people in the world if you receive thirty five thousand dollars the global median salary is right at twelve hundred dollars and we think about that right at twelve hundred dollars a month and yet many people that are watching this morning have been blessed far beyond this materially God has been good to each of us he's provided for us in the past why don't you take a moment right now and think about it maybe you would say well he did give me that job that I have and he did bless us with this home I remember how happy I was and he gave us a child and I remember the joy that filled my heart and I remember when he saved our souls and I remember when God blessed us and our child graduated from school or when I received the promotion at work I'm telling you if you look back at all that God has done for you it will help you to rest today and to be content in this thought that he will take care of you the rest of the way I know the whole world's on pause right now I know the the pause button has been hit and and there are some that want to keep their thumb on that pause button I see that too but I want you to know that during this time of waiting that waiting times are not wasting times if we're drawing closer to the Lord and finding our contentment in him but I believe not only because he's provided in the past but I believe secondly we can be content because God has provided for our future he's going to take care of us a lot of people think about their future they think about savings and they watch the stock market and they worry about economies but I want to remind you that while we may fret over those things really and honestly God has already made a way notice what it says here in verse 5 he says I will never leave thee nor forsake thee now I don't know where you are right now or who you with so I'm imagining that you are at your dining room table and maybe family or friends are with you so I want you to help out with this message today and I want you to say this this phrase with me I will never leave thee nor forsake thee okay ready begin I will never leave thee nor forsake thee right and you say well I feel a little weird saying it sitting here by myself at my house wherever you are I want you to say it because I believe it's going to be good for you to proclaim this truth begin I will never leave thee nor forsake thee now we can be content when that gets into our heart that we serve a God who will never ever let us go I think of Matthew chapter 6 and verse 30 and I want you to think about it with me in fact if you have your Bible there would you turn there Matthew chapter 6 and verse 30 and I want you to let this passage just speak to your heart because we serve a God that will take care of us notice the Bible says here in Matthew 6 wherefore if God so clothe the grass of the field which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven shall not he much more clothe you O ye of little faith therefore take no Thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithal shall we be clothed for after all these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of these but seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you God says that very simply he says seek me seek my kingdom I'll take care of you God is telling us today you take care of my business I'll take care of your business that's why I believe with all of my heart that the first investment we make every week should be our tithes and offerings through the local church I believe if we'll seek first the kingdom of God that God will take care of us later in life he'll take care of all of our needs oh I would never rob from my tithe to put money in some savings for my future I'd rather trust God with my future I'm saying he will take care of you God will take care of you well the Bible says that we should resist covetousness the Bible says that we should remain content oh I'm so thankful that we have a God who provides for us and then finally I want to challenge you this morning to find rest in Jesus Christ to find rest in Jesus Christ now we cannot look to the government to give us wrath we cannot wait for a vaccination before we find rest we cannot wait for some new technology to bring rest to our souls what an insult to the Lord Jesus Christ who's with us right now so listen to what he says here in verse 5 once again he says I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me now you are either going to rest in your plan and your relationship and your ideas or you're gonna find rest in the Lord and I'm going to tell you there's no rest to be found in this world there's no rest to be found in your plans but there's great rest to be found in the Lord and we can find that rest first of all by remembering his presence by remembering that he is with us the Bible says in first Kings chapter 8 in verse 56 blessed be the Lord that hath given rest unto his people Israel according to all that he promised you see Israel did not find rest in another king and another king in another victory of war they could only find rest in God Titus chapter one and verse two says it this way in hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie hath promised before the world began so we have a God who has promised us rest in this life and rest for eternal life and I see so many illustrations of this in the Bible one of my favorite stories in the Bible is the story of the three Hebrew children Shadrach Meshach and Abednego you'll recall how that Nebuchadnezzar threw them into the fiery furnace and how that he was trying to destroy these three godly young men and in Daniel 3 and verse 25 the Bible says he answered and said lo I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God don't forget that story don't forget those three Hebrew children as they stepped out in faith and they said we're gonna stand up for God and they were told to bow down in the plains of dura they were told to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar but they would not bow they would be faithful to their God and so for their faithfulness they were thrown into the fiery furnace but when Nebuchadnezzar looked into that furnace he said I think I see a fourth man in there like under the Son of God you see only Jesus can say I will never leave you nor forsake you it doesn't matter if you get on a spaceship and go out of space it doesn't matter if you get in a coal-mining car and go into the depths of this earth you cannot escape the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ and so we're thankful today that we can rest in him we're thankful today that we can find our rest in a personal relationship I think of Joshua Joshua was going to take over and lead the children of Israel Moses had died and in Joshua chapter 1 and verse 9 the Lord spoke to Moses and said to Joshua and said have I not commanded thee be strong and be of a good courage be not afraid neither be thou dismayed for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest friend I don't know what I would do without the presence of the Lord and the leadership of the Lord Moses of old said Lord if you go not with me I cannot go I cannot lead these hundreds of thousands of people without your leadership you see the songwriter said it wonderfully when you come to the place when I'm all you'll have you'll find that I am all you need speaking of the Lord Jesus when you come to the place that Jesus is all you have you will find that Jesus is all you need I wonder if God has kept you out of your workplace out of the baseball field the baseball stadium wherever you'd be spending time this spring I wonder if God has put you in your home a little more and still your life a little more so that Jesus would become your all-in-all so that when we come back into this auditorium that we will be closer to him more appreciative of him more steadfast in him resting contentedly in Jesus Christ alone this is what we find the Hebrews being challenged to experience the rest that Jesus Christ could bring to them and we find that rest by remembering that he is with us and that he will never leave us we also find it when we remember his provision you see the Bible says something and I want you to see it here in verse 6 the Bible says so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper the Lord is my helper now sometimes our children would come to me and they would say dad can you help me with my math or my history I did really well on that till about the eleventh grade and then they would come and say could you help me with calculus or trigonometry and I would say ah let's ask so-and-so at church and and and I'm just telling you my ability to help them is limited but God is not limited in his ability to help you there is nothing there is no matter of life in which the Lord will not be your helper if you will simply turn to Him there's no need for furthering their depressive life the anxious life when the Lord is your helper he wants to bring you through this time I think about his help he has helped to us because he is present with us he is omnipresent he can be with me and he can be with believers in the Philippines and Korea and London and Germany all at the same time the Bible says in Titus chapter three and verse number five that he would never leave us the Bible says that he would save us Titus 3 not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to His mercy he has saved us by the washing of regeneration by the renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ you see when you became a Christian this spirit of the Living God took up residence in your life and he says I'll be with you he says lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world he says I will be with you and so he is omnipresent he is all-powerful the Bible says in Psalm 61 in verse 2 from the end of the earth will I cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the rock that is higher than me for thou has been a shelter for me and a strong tower from the enemy o friend right when we're trusting in our savings they can fall away right when we're trusting in our job it can fail away but Jesus is the rock that is higher he will never forsake us oh how we thank God that he is with us he is with us in this present moment and he will protect us as we go along through 2020 a year that was not like we had planned but God will be with us every step of the way I love what it says here in verse 6 I will not fear what man will do unto me that comes a place in your life when you got to stop worrying about what people say what people think or the threats that may come and just trust in the Lord I think of Romans chapter 8 in verse 31 what shall we say then to these things if God be for us who can be against us he that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also give us all things freely you see God is with us and he is for us today and we must never forget that Psalm 37 in verse 1 fret not thyself because of evildoers neither be thou envious against the wicked workers of iniquity for they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the herb in the field trust in the Lord and do good so shalt thou dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed you see the Lord will provide for you God comes to us this morning in the midst of kovat 19 he says be careful of covetousness resist that idea of thinking I wish I had or I wish I lived or I wish this or that resist covet remain content be content he tells us in knowing that he is with us rest in Christ he is our helper he will never leave us and he will never forsake us there may be someone watching today and and you say but I struggle with contentment I'm worried all the time I'm anxious all the time I don't know that I have a shepherd to walk with me to help me through this time well I want you to know that Jesus loves you and that Jesus came down to this earth so that you could know the love of God so that you would no longer have to live your life in worry but that you could live your life in rest you no longer have to live a life of covetousness you can live a life of provision from God who will never leave you nor forsake you if you don't know God in that way I want to remind you that all of us can know him even though we are sinners even though we fall short of his glory yet he reaches down to us in fact he tells us the wages of our sin is death you see wherever sin abounds death abounds the wages of our sin is separation from God but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord Jesus Christ came to this world he lived a perfectly sinless life he shed his blood on the cross of Calvary and after he shed that blood he said it is finished no one took his life He gave His life on the cross of Calvary and three days later up from the grave he arose with a mighty triumph for his foes Christ arose now friend if you will understand today that Jesus Christ God's Son died for your sin and if you will turn to the Lord Jesus Christ and if you will say Lord Jesus as a sinner I come to you and I trust in you to take my sin away to wash that sin by your shed blood and Lord to give me a home in heaven then you today can receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior he can forgive your sin bring rest to your soul even today if you had but call upon the name of the Lord he that has the son has life and he that has not the Son of God has not life and the life that Jesus gives it's a different life it's a restful life it's a life of his blessed presence and he wants you to know that presence so if you've never accepted Christ as your Savior right now I want to encourage you to pray a simple prayer like this dear Lord Jesus I confess to you that I am a sinner and I ask you to come into my life forgive my sin and be my Savior I pray this in Jesus name Amen and if you prayed that prayer just now I want you to text us at the number here on the screen or send us an email and let me know that you have accepted Christ because we want to send some information to you and rejoice with you if today you're turning to Christ with your sin and trusting Christ as your Savior and finally Christian friend if you say I've already accepted Christ then may I remind you don't seek your contentment out in this world Jude said keep yourself in the love of God he has everything you need everything you need today and tomorrow and for all of eternity only Jesus can provide you with the contentment you seek it's not found in a new relationship a new location a new job it's only Jesus that can provide you with the contentment you need

Channel: Lancaster Baptist Church

Views: 2,055

Rating: 4.8666668 out of 5

Keywords: preaching, sermon, Christian, God, Jesus, Lancaster Baptist Church, Lancaster Baptist, Pastor Paul Chappell, Paul Chappell, contentment, Hebrews 13

Id: 8wYWVZBscwE

Length: 30min 41sec (1841 seconds)

Published: Sun May 24 2020