IN ALL THINGS CONTENTTimeless Wisdom for Today’s Christians:

An Introduction to the Puritans

THOMAS WATSON“THE ART OF DIVINE CONTENTMENT” Born 1620 (year the Pilgrims

landed) Married and had 7 children,

4 of whom died as children Imprisoned at one point

over faith Then also barred from

preaching in 1662 (Act of Uniformity)

Preached in barns, etc. thereafter

Died in private prayer http://www.ccel.org/ccel/

watson/contentment.html

JEREMIAH BURROUGHS“THE RARE JEWEL OF CHRISTIAN CONTENTMENT”

1600-1646 Minister Delegate at Westminster

Assembly Independent, peacemaker Stood against Book of

Sports, etc. Punished for that Died after fall from horse

Though some say due to his grief over church struggles

http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/contentment.html

TEXT FOR BOTH BOOKS

Philippians 4:11 I have learned, in

whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

BASICS OF CONTENTMENT

BASICS OF CONTENTMENT

Burroughs’ definition: “Christian contentment is that sweet, inward,

quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition”

Clearly builds on the doctrine of providence that we covered last week

It prefers the God of peace to the peace of God

BASICS OF CONTENTMENT

God is content in himself, so should we be, too

“A gracious spirit is a contented spirit.” (Watson)

It is LEARNED Devils in heaven

lacked it In paradise, Adam

and Eve did And even Mordecai,

because of Haman

BASICS OF CONTENTMENT

It is TRUST in God’s providence “[Excessive] care

when it is …either distrustful or distracting, is very dishonorable to God; it takes away his providence, as if he sat in heaven and minded not what became of things here below” (Watson)

BASICS OF CONTENTMENT

It is WORSHIP “In active obedience

we worship God by doing what pleases God, but by passive obedience we do as well worship God by being pleased with what God does” (Burroughs)

BASICS OF CONTENTMENT It is achieved in the

HERE AND NOW It is achieved by

performing our work in our circumstance, rather than trying to compensate for the lacks in our circumstances

Burroughs: “A carnal heart thinks, I must have my wants made up or else it is impossible that I should be content. But a gracious heart says, ‘What is the duty of the circumstances God has put me into?’”

BASICS OF CONTENTMENT

It is found INSIDE, not out in the world somewhere

Watson: “the way to be comfortable, is not by having our barns filled, but our minds quiet.”

Burroughs: “It is not the water without the ship, but the water that gets within the leak, which drowns it; it is not outward affliction that can make the life of a Christian sad; a contented mind would sail above these waters, -- but when there’s a leak of discontent open, and trouble gets in the heart, then it is disquieted and sinks.

ROOTS OF DISCONTENTOur greatest want is contentment. The following are lower wants which we may use to rationalize our discontent

A LITTLE CONTEXT

Remember, for the Puritans there was much struggle and persecution Not only against the “world” but against nominal

Christians who resented their wholehearted devotion to Christ

And today: We face an even more secular world that should

be distasteful to true Christians But still many nominal Christians who flow with

the secular stream But maybe many other Christians seeking to

follow Christ but struggle to find their bearings in all of this We may seek secular values more than we might think

MODERN CULTURAL ROOTS OF DISCONTENT Wrong goals

Money Material gains Prestige Self-esteem Health (to an extreme) Appearance

Wrong strategies God exists to help me

toward MY goals Rather than I live to serve

Him Being discontent, distract

oneself Addiction to entertainment

THE BASIC PROBLEM

Watson: “There is no sin, but labours either to hide itself under some mask; or, if it cannot be concealed, then to vindicate itself by some apology”

Discontent has very sophisticated apologies…

“Discontent is a sin” Therefore, we need to expose our excuses for

being discontent

ROOTS OF DISCONTENT

Loss of estate Lam. 3: 24 “The Lord

is my portion” 1 Thess 5:18: “In

everything give thanks.”

We confuse money and blessing

Watson: “Outward comforts often quench inward heat.”

Augustine: “Earthly riches are full of poverty”

Ambrose: “Even poverty itself is riches to holy men”

Loss of friends Prov. 18:24: “There

is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”

ROOTS OF DISCONTENT

We don’t get the respect of others Watson: “It is better

that God approve, than man applaud.”

We easily assume approval follows doing right

We WILL meet disapproval if we speak truth

We want comfort Yet we should anticipate

suffering for truth “Your sufferings are not

so great as your sins” (Watson)

Compare the martyrs And Muslims today!

“What should we be content to suffer, to make the truth victorious” (Watson)

By seeking our comfort, we compromise the Gospel!

ROOTS OF DISCONTENT

Others might include Feeling we have been treated unfairly We are in bad relationships We aren’t as gifted as others

Grace, not gifts, is what God values Discouragement with the times

Though times are tough, is God not still in charge? Our sins

…but they are not stronger than God’s mercy

DIAGNOSING DISCONTENT We complain (both to ourselves and to others)

A contented spirit is silent We lack joy

Discontent is marked by anger and grief Can be a form of pride and ingratitude Watson: “A gracious heart spies out mercy in every

condition.” Replace with a thankful heart

We’ll sin to ease troubles Will argue with others Cheat on finances Justify indulgences because we have a bad day

We overreact to adversity, rather than see God’s hand in it Recall last week how God can use adversity

APPLYING WHAT WE’VE LEARNED

TAKING ACTION

How to learn contentment Learn self-denial

Watson: “A man who is little in his own eyes will account every affliction as little, and every mercy as great”

Consider the vanity of those without Christ Earthly pleasures we

seek don’t please anyway!

Be a pilgrim in this world (be heavenly minded)

Motives to contentment It cures care Prevents sin

Watson: “Our murmuring is the devil’s music”

Accepts God’s answer to our prayer that his will be done

We have Christ, all that we need

It is victory over ourselves

TAKING ACTION

Remember our trouble here is all the hell we shall have

Consider the evils of discontent Freely submit to taking pleasure in God’s

disposal What are YOUR excuses for discontent? What is one thing you can change in your

thinking to be more content? What is one thing you can change in your

behavior to be more content? NEXT WEEK: The Puritans on marriage and

family