[Sermon Archive]

This Week's Sermon NATIONAL DAY of THANKSGIVING 26 November 2008 "Learning to Be Content" Philippians 4:6-20 LSB Series A Pastor Philip G. Meyer Soli Deo Gloria!

Our National Day of Thanksgiving stands in sharp contrast to many Thanksgivings past because even six months ago few could have anticipated the economic problems we face today. Listening to interviews of people asked what they have to be thankful for this year has been interesting. Many seemed to search for things for which to be thankful; not everyone, but many did. The home loan debacle that began it all has reached far into the economic structure of our nation. It seems that no one really has a good answer. People are frustrated that their lifestyles have changed. Blame is being passed around more often than the mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving dinner!

In spite of it all, we Americans still have more of this world's material wealth than the vast majority of nations. Nobody in this nation is starving to death-far from it! We are, perhaps, the most obese nation on the face of the earth!-and yet, people are filled with discontent about their material circumstances. It is good that we hear God speak to us on this national holiday as we think a bit more about our blessings.

We expect more and more and more of this world's material wealth and we expect to get it more easily than ever before. When we lose something or don't get what we think we deserve we become discontented. We grumble, complain, get angry. We sin against God because he is the Giver of all that sustains our lives.

Near the end of his letter to the Philippians Paul expresses gratitude for the gift which the Philippian Christians have sent him. Paul's words seem out of place in our society.

"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 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. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:11-13, ESV)

Martin Franzmann said that the reason that we are so slow in thanking God for whatever we have is "lurking paganism" [Ha! Ha! Among the Trumpets, p. 87] The unbeliever, or pagan, believes in a capricious God, that is, a God who seems to act completely at random without regard for his creatures' needs. In other words, this kind of God cannot be trusted to take care of his creatures. Man has to look out for himself.

When Adam and Eve sinned they did not become atheists, they became idolaters. They began worshiping someone or something else. And to this day man is guilty of idolatry. Few are guilty of the gross idolatry of Israel, bowing down to gods of wood or metal, but there can be no doubt that idolatry dogs Christians, too. In the "Meditation on the Ten Commandments," that blue booklet that lies on the table in the narthex and which is put out for use at private confession, there are a series of questions on each of the Commandments. In the First Commandment, which forbids idolatry, some of the questions for self-examination are these:

Have I committed idolatry by seeking comfort, good, and delight from my own efforts rather than from God himself?
Do I look to my heavenly Father for all love, good, and joy? Is everything measured by what pleases me? In all things am I self-centered and selfish?
Do I complain about the troubles, people, work, and suffering which God lays on me? Do I love the things God gives me more than I love him? And do I cling to what God takes away, even though he gives me himself?
That last one really stands out these days, doesn't it?
And do I cling to what God takes away, even though he gives me himself?

And when you get to the last two Commandments which deal with coveting you must ask yourself:

Have I lived in grudging discontent with whatever God has given me, restless about what I do not have and neglectful of thankful generosity with what I do have?

Before our group of pastors traveled to Germany we received an interesting article about the city of Wittenberg written by Gottfried Krüger in 1933, recently translated by Pr. Holger Sonntag, for our Synod's Board of World Relief. It is entitled, "How Did the Town of Wittenberg Look at the Time of Luther?" Those who have been to Wittenberg can readily tell you it is no paradise. Our German host, Pr. Wilhelm Torgerson, called it "the armpit of Germany." And he currently lives there! Very few people liked Wittenberg, not even Luther himself. Listen to what he had to say about it:

"Here in Wittenberg there's no more than a miserable corpse; we sit here in Wittenberg as if it were a miserable place."

Krüger continues:

He must have been very angry when he wrote this; for at another time he speaks more mildly: "Our land is quite sandy and has nothing but rocks, for the soil is not very fertile;" then he continues: "Nonetheless God gives us out of these rocks good wine and delicious grains, but because the miracle happens daily, we despise it."

You see, even a Luther could be guilty of despising the gifts of God and being discontented with where he lived. Yet, we today think of Wittenberg as this wonderful, romantic place! Eighteen years ago when we first went to Wittenberg, as the Communists were thrown out of power, Wittenberg looked even more desolate than today. As we toured the city, Pr. Torgerson told us how, in Luther's day, the streets were not paved and people threw their waste out of the second story windows down onto the street, oblivious to whomever was walking by. It was a complaint by faculty and students at the university that they lived in such a God-forsaken place. Yet, great things took place there. Many daily miracles happened there. The work of God happened there that changed the world.

Think of the Apostle Paul. Listen to the way he describes his life to the Corinthians as an Apostle:

"Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one-I am talking like a madman-with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?" (2 Corinthians 11:22-29, ESV)

And then he writes these words of our Second Reading, "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." How is this possible? Very simply because Paul knew and trusted in God who did not withhold his most precious possession, his only Son, from the world. Paul trusted a God who deals in grace and mercy.

Paul confesses the faith when he writes:

"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19, ESV)

God will supply your needs in Christ Jesus. Note well that he does not promise to supply all your wants, only your needs! Yet, so many trust that the government is going to supply both needs and wants. Trusting the government is a form of idolatry. Governments come and governments go. They are made up of sinful people who constantly err. The old Lutheran hymn says it best:

2 Trust not in rulers; they are but mortal;
Earthborn they are and soon decay.
Vain are their counsels at life's last portal,
When the dark grave engulfs its prey.
Since mortals can no help afford,
Place all your trust in Christ, our Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia!

Text and Music: Public domain
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

God is the true supplier. While his gifts may come through human agency, it is not the human agency you are to trust. You are to trust God who will supply every need of yours regardless of who is in power. Without God there are no guarantees, no bailouts, nothing. God is the One who supplies your every need. He can be trusted because he has given you his only-begotten Son.

Only the Christian can know true contentment. Paul shows us how that works because he points to God as the true Giver who can be trusted to keep his promises. The proof lies there on the cross. If God does that for you, will he not also certainly give you everything you need? [Romans 8.31-39]. Then find your contentment with God's creaturely gifts this year especially. Be content, even if God takes something away from you because you know that he will give your something better! He does nothing that is not for your ultimate good. Do not despise the daily miracle that he continues to clothe, feed, and shelter you. Learn to be content because you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you! [v. 13].