Are you struggling to find contentment in your life? Do you feel like you are always chasing after the next thing, but never truly satisfied? In a world that is constantly telling us we need more to be happy, it can be difficult to find true contentment. In this message we will look at what Jesus and the Apostle Paul teach about contentment, possessions and success.
Sometimes during the season of Lent, people will give up something. They might give up chocolate, caffeine, foul language, bad feelings, or something else that seems to be holding them back from spiritual growth. Sometimes these items are minor, and sometimes they are enormous sacrifices. In John 10:17-22, Jesus asked a man to give up something sacrificial. The man walks away, knowing he cannot do what Jesus requests. In some ways, we might feel sorry for the man. A lot has been asked of him. But if we are focusing on the sacrifice, maybe we have missed the offered opportunity.
We accumulate. Once we have that new item we go on to the next thing. We buy the iPhone 12 and then think about the new features that are in the upcoming iPhone 13 that will go on sale soon. The desire for stuff can direct our actions. We can still be unhappy after having a lot of stuff. If life doesn’t consist in the abundance of possessions, where do we find a meaningful life? Fortunately Jesus told us He came so we might have life abundantly.
Sermon preached at Gold Canyon United Methodist Church in Gold Canyon, Arizona on October 16, 2016 by Rev. Fred Steinberg