Prayer: Heavenly Father, You have given us all we need and more, but because of sin , our hearts are restless and dissatisfied. Only You can bring peace to us. Please bring us peace this morning, through Your precious Word, Your Word is truth, Amen.
What do you need to be happy? What do you need to be content?
Paul tells us in 1 Timothy,
"If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." He goes on to say,
"people who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
Note that Paul doesn't say 'people who want to get rich are in danger of falling into temptation and a trap' but they are already there. They are in the grip of 'many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.' So, 'who wants to be a millionaire?'?! (Note: alluding to a popular TV quiz show). This command gets under our skin. It puts a spotlight onto our desires. It exposes our values and questions our faith.
"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."You cannot serve two masters. Jesus said this.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 warns us: "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income."
The love of money can ruin families. How many relationships have been ruined by disagreements over money and property? Why are wills contested? Only God can see our true motives. But sometimes underneath the claim, "I only want what I have a right to" is simply greed. Greed destroys lives when it takes over. Addictions to gambling, or to drink or to drugs or to sex are all fed by greed. The desire to have more, more for myself. More money, more things, more pleasure. Have we indulged? Is there greed in our hearts? Have we worshipped the god of Mammon, thinking that it could satisfy us?
We are very clever at dressing up greed. Things that were luxuries not too many years ago we now think are necessities. Do you realise that for thousands of years, people have existed quite well without electricity, cars, computers and VCRs? Certainly we have many things today that make our lives easier. In some ways. But are we better? Are we satisfied? ... If there is any greed in our hearts, we cannot know peace. Greed is a hunger, a restless desire. Greed drives envy, which, as Proverbs 14:30 says, 'makes the bones rot.' 'A heart at peace', however, 'gives life to the body.'
Have you wandered from the faith through greed? You're here [in Church], which indicates you probably are still in the faith, but I want to ask you, is your faith 'off the boil'? Do you love the LORD more now than as a child, or a confirmee? Are you sure, in your hearts, that you are serving the Lord, and not mammon?
It is fine to own things. But God doesn't want our things to own us.
There is a legitimate desire to improve one's situation. To be more comfortable is not wrong in itself. But what is happening in our hearts? What is driving us?
God wants us to have peace. To be satisfied. He knows where we will find true satisfaction.
It's not in Mammon.
It's not in things: It's in Him.
Are you content? Do you have a heart at peace?
I once gave a poster to my younger brother for his birthday, at a time when he seemed restless. It showed a kitten asleep in a flower pot, the pot being a little smaller than the kitten, but it looked very comfortable, with a paw hanging down, eyes closed tight and nose in the air. The words on the poster said: "When your heart is as peace, anyplace is home"
God offers us the gift of peace in this command. He wants us to feel secure because He is in control of our lives. He is in control of time and eternity. He knows us, and understands all our desires, and all our needs. Jesus reminds us to look at the birds of the air and the flowers of the field. God takes care of them. And He loves us more!
Underneath greed is fear. Fear that we will miss out. Fear that we won't get the joy and love and peace we crave most. So we try to grab things to meet these needs. But only God can give us joy, love and peace.
How can we be content?
Jesus brought calm to a restless, stormy sea, simply by commanding it, "Be still!"
Our Lord will bring calmness to our restless hearts also by His Word. His Word says,
"Be still and know that I am God." He says, "Here I am. I stand at your door and knock. If anyone hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20 Are you willing to sit down with the Lord, so to speak, and open your heart to him?
"Take heart, my child," he says. "Your sins are forgiven." The sin of greedily wanting what others have. The sin of coveting. This sin was taken by the Lord, too, into His bitter suffering and death on the cross. Let us open our hearts, and confess all our sins to him, the sins of greed and selfish desires. He stilled the stormy seas, but his real purpose is to still the stormy seas of sinfulness in the human heart. After his death, he returned to life and appeared to his disciples with the words, "Peace!".
"Peace!", is his word also to you, this morning. It is spoken by the living God, who is with you constantly. Your loving Father, Your Saviour, Your Comforter, Who knows you, and all that you need. He calls you now to embrace as a free gift, contentment. You have all you need to be truly happy and at peace: You have God Himself! His love is wealth worth having, more than anything! Serving Him brings joy and purpose far beyond anything that miserable master called mammon can offer. Our God is a gracious God, a loving God, a God who today holds out a gift to you: peace, which is yours to enjoy, simply by believing. Amen.
First command (God) | Second command (God's Name) | Third command-a (Sabbath, part 1) | Third command-b (Sabbath, part 2) | Fourth command (authority) | Fifth command (Life) | Sixth command (sexuality) | Seventh command (property) | Ninth command (wanting things)| Tenth command (wanting people)| command against idolatry| 'What does God say of all these commands?'