Sermon Series: Jesus-Everything We Need 

Have You Learned the "Secret"? 

Philippians 4:10-13 

CBC Bishop, August 31, 2003

In a nutshell: The secret to contentment and peace in the midst of difficult circumstances involves: What we have, isn't who we are; Circumstances don't rule-God does; and Rely on the power of God that's in you.

I. Introduction

A. Story of Horatio Spafford

Horatio Spafford-no, he's not the guy on the CSI: Miami TV show. The Horatio I'm talking about was born in 1828 and grew up in New York. After he completed his education, he moved to Chicago and eventually became a successful lawyer and businessman. Spafford was a follower of Jesus Christ who was active in his church as a Sunday School teacher and volunteer leader, as well as in discipling young men through the local the YMCA.

Beginning in the 1870s, Spafford's faith was tested by a series of tragic events. -In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed real estate that he owned that was located along the shores of Lake Michigan. That real estate made up a tremendous portion of the Spafford's investments. -In 1873, a doctor told Horatio that he'd better take his family on a vacation for Mrs. Spafford's health and the family's well-being. Knowing that a dear friend, Dwight L. Moody would be preaching at a series of evangelistic meetings in England, the Spaffords decided to take their vacation in England and meet up with Mr. Moody. -But just before they were to leave by ship, there was a blip in one of Horatio's business ventures that required he stay in the United States for a few more weeks. -So, he packed up his family-which included his wife, Anna and his four daughters: Maggie, Tanetta, Annie, and Bessie, and took them to New York where they boarded an American ship named the S.S. Ville du Havre.

On November 22, 1873, during it's voyage to England, was sailing off the coast of Newfoundland, and was struck in the bow by an English ship, the Lochearn. The Ville du Havre sank in twelve minutes. Two hundred and twenty-six lives were lost, including the Spaffords' four daughters.

After hours of floating in the turbulent waters, Mrs. Spafford was rescued by some of the crew members of the Lochearn. She was taken to a hospital in Wales. When she arrived, she sent a telegram to Horatio, with the message, "Saved alone."

Upon receiving this horrifying news, Spafford left immediately to join his wife on board the first ship he could get on that was sailing out of New York. As the ship set sail, Horatio asked the captain to let him know when they approached the approximate area where the Ville du Havre went down.

When the captain let him know, Spafford went up on the deck and peered out into the waters and prayed-thanking God for the time he had been given with his four girls, and that his wife had been spared. Then he went down to his cabin, and began writing the words of the hymn we just sang this morning...

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, "It is well, it is well with my soul."

Thou Satan should buffet, tho' trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin... O, the bliss of this glorious thought, My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll, The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend, "Even so" - it is well with my soul. It is well with my soul It is well, it is well with my soul.

B. Transition to text

What was it that allowed Horatio Spafford to write those powerful words of hope and faith in the midst of business failures, personal tragedy, and catastrophic circumstances? What was his secret?

Friends, everyone of us in this room and every person we know would love to find peace in the middle of the hard times of life. Every human being wants to find a place where he or she can breathe a sigh of relief and relax. Is there such a place? Is peace in the midst of tough times, possible? Is there some great secret to all this?

The answer is, "Yes". Horatio Spafford discovered it, and the apostle Paul wrote about it in the verses that we're going to look at this morning. So, if you have your Bibles, would you please turn with me to Philippians 4. And today we'll be looking at verses 10-13…

As you turn there, let me say that Paul is going to show us three truths that we must believe in order to have peace and contentment in the middle of difficult times. These 3 truths make up "the secret" that Paul discovered while he was in prison, writing this letter to the Philippian Christians; and "the secret" that Horatio Spafford discovered during that difficult time in his life when he lost most of his possessions and most of his family.

Philippians 4:10-13 10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

II. Three Truths that make up the "Secret"

Three important truths you need to hold on to in order to find peace and contentment in the midst of the tough times.

A. What we have isn't who we are

Here's the first truth …we must learn that what we have is not who we are.

In the first part of verse 12, Paul says,

Philippians 4:12a 12a I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.

So many people today think that their self-worth is defined by what they have. They believe that the more they have, the more they're worth. Now, that may be true financially, but it's not true in reality. You see, when we talk about reality, we're talking about who you really are…you're character.

Look at these words from Jesus…

Luke 12:15 15 …"Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

What you possess and who you are, are two different things. In fact, sometimes those things that you think you own, may end up owning you. That's why Jesus warns us to be on our guard against greed. Money can be very seductive.

Illustration: There is a great line from the movie, Wall Street, in which an older broker is giving advice to a younger broker, Bud Fox. Bud is willing to do whatever it takes to make "the big money". And the older broker says to Bud, "Bud, be careful. Money will make you do things you don't want to do." Boy, that is so true. Money is not the problem, our hearts are the problem.

We need to know that we are not someone special because we have material things. We are special because we are created in the image of God. And we have all been blessed with more than we deserve. Look at what Paul wrote to the young pastor, Timothy…

1 Timothy 6:6-8 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

He is simply saying to young Timothy that he needs to remember what's really important in this life. Nothing we have is permanent. We didn't bring anything into the world, and we can take anything out of it. If we have the basics, we are fortunate. If we have food and clothing, we have more than many people in this world have right now. We must realize that our possessions are not who we are. As we learned last week, God cares most about your thoughts and your actions. That's what forms your character. That's what counts. That's the true you.

B. Circumstances Don't Rule-God Does

A second truth that both Paul and Horatio Spafford learned that formed the secret to their contentment was that circumstances don't rule-God does.

Life is about change. Nothing stays the same. And if you expect it to stay the same, then you'll always be frustrated. Because of this, don't let circumstances rule your life.

But, you know, circumstances do control a lot of people. -When things are going well, they're happy. -When things are going poorly, they're unhappy, even depressed. Circumstances control their emotions. It's like they're on a roller coaster ride-up and down, up and down.

Look again at what Paul said in verses 11 and 12…

Philippians 4:11-12 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

Illustration: Some of your translations might translate verse 11 as saying, "I have learned that in whatever state I'm in, to be content." When I graduated from seminary, I desperately wanted to serve God at a church in California. So, what did God do? He said, "Not yet." Instead, He called me to a church in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Now, I grew up in Chicago all my life, and I wanted to get away from the 5-month-long snow and slush and cold winter season that typically takes place every year in Chicago. But God had other plans. He kept in the Chicago area for 7 more years. One of the things the first pastor I served under used to say to me jokingly was, "Tom, Paul said in Philippians that you should be content in whatever state you're in…and that includes Illinois."

And that's somewhat true. Paul was saying that whatever the circumstances, whatever the situation, whatever the place…he had learned to be content. How did he do that? Did he just remain oblivious to what was going on around him? After all, he was in prison, with little human hope of getting out, he had been beaten, shipwrecked, left for dead, stoned, snake bit, tortured, falsely accused. Wasn't he paying attention?

Yes he was paying attention. But he intentionally looked at more than just the circumstances of his life. In fact, he looked through the circumstances. Paul knew that God was sovereign, and that God was in control. He knew that God loved him unconditionally, and because of that Paul knew he could trust God, no matter what happened. He knew that God was at work in the midst of even the most trying circumstances to bring about His purposes through Paul's life.

When you look at the circumstances of your life, what do you see? Some circumstances are good. Some are bad. Nowhere does the Bible teach that everything that happens to you is going to be good. But what it does teach is that God is at work in every situation-good or bad-to bring about His good purposes. In other words, He can take even a bad situation and build some good thing into our lives through it.

So, before you label something good or bad, ask yourself some more basic questions. -Ask yourself what is God doing in that circumstance? -Ask yourself what is God trying to teach me through this circumstance? -Ask how could God use you in other people's lives through this circumstance?

So many things are out of our control. But how we respond to those things is in our control.

Illustration: When the Jewish psychiatrist Victor Frankl was arrested by the Nazis in World War II, he was stripped of everything-his property, his family, and his possessions. Even a book that he had spent years researching and writing was taken away.

He later wrote, "I had to undergo and overcome the loss of my book-my spiritual child. Now it seemed as if nothing and no one would survive me; neither a physical nor a spiritual child of my own! I found myself confronted with the question of whether under such circumstances my life was ultimately void of any meaning."

He was still wrestling with that question a few days later when the Nazis forced the him and all the other new prisoners to give up their clothes. "I had to surrender my clothes and in turn inherited the worn out rags of an inmate who had been sent to the gas chamber." Frankl wrote.

In one of the pockets of his newly acquired coat, he found a single page torn out of a Hebrew prayer book, which contained the main Jewish prayer, "Shema Yisrael" (Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one God. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.)

That caused him to write, "How should I have interpreted such a 'coincidence' other than as a challenge to 'live' my thoughts instead of merely putting them on paper?"

Later, as Frankl reflected on his ordeal, he wrote in his book Man's Search for Meaning, the words that I put on the front of your worship folders this morning, "There is nothing in the world that would so effectively help one to survive even the worst conditions, as the knowledge that there is a meaning in one's life. ... He who has a 'why' to live for can bear almost any 'how'."

Friends, we can choose to sing the blues, or we can choose to trust God's love and His perfect plan as our "why". The choice is ours. We don't have to let our circumstances control us. God is at work in each and every circumstance for our good and His glory.

C. Rely on the power of God that's in you

So, I hope you're tracking with what Paul is saying so far. Do you want to know the secret to contentment and peace, no matter what happens to you? -It starts with realizing that what you have isn't who you are; -then it's knowing that circumstances don't rule-God does. -And if you understand those two things, you're ready for the last part of the "secret". And it's this…rely on the power of God that's in you.

Look again at verse 13…

Philippians 4:13 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

In this verse, Paul is talking about dealing with the difficulties of life. What he's saying is that he can deal with any situation through the power of Christ. There is no trouble, or conflict, or difficulty that cannot be overcome by the power of Jesus Christ in a Christian's life. I love what Paul wrote in the book of Galatians…

Galatians 2:20 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

In his commentary on Philippians, John McArthur writes… We should be praying for enough distress in our life, for enough difficulty in our life to cast us on Christ, that we might see His power explode on our behalf and therein to be content."

Our challenge, in difficult times, is to focus on Jesus, rather than our problems.

Illustration: Vance Havner, a Southern Baptist evangelist and preacher from North Carolina, once told a story about a pastor who was meeting with his deacons. They were trying to find the solution to some problem in the church, and the pastor suggested that they stop and take time to pray about it. At that suggestion, one of the older deacons responded by saying, "Has it come to that!"

Vance Havner then said, "It ought to begin with that! God ought not to be our last resort. He ought to be our first thought-- our first consideration."

We need to understand that we have already been given all we need in Jesus Christ. Listen to what Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus:

Ephesians 3:14-21

14 When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. 17 And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

20 Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. 21 May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen. (NLT)

Think about this…through faith we can tap into the very power of God and be filled with His power in our inner being so that we can live above and live beyond the circumstances of our lives. We can't do that in our own power. I know, because I've tried. It takes the power of God to rise above circumstances. And the good news is that we have been given that power-that power is already in you if you have a relationship with Jesus Christ where He is the forgiver of your sins and the leader of your life.

III. Conclusion

A. Paul and Horatio learned

Friends, the bottom line is that Jesus Christ is the key to all of this. -He is the key to our contentment. -He is the key to our peace. -and He is the key to our being able to weather the storms of life without being swept away by its winds and waves.

Paul had learned the secret of making this a reality. -He knew that what he had, wasn't who he was; -He knew that circumstances don't rule-God does; and -He knew to rely on the power of God that was in him.

Illustration: Horatio and Anna Spafford had learned that same secret. When they later met up with their friend, the great evangelist Dwight L. Moody, in England. Moody sat down with them and asked how they were doing. And Horatio Spafford spoke for both himself and his wife when he said, "God's will be done."

Friends, there are no surprises to God. He is prepared for everything and anything that has or will ever happen in your life. And He will be with you every step of the way in that process. Even when you can't see the next step, He will be your guide. Jesus is everything you need.

B. If you don't know Him

And if you don't know Jesus, but would like that same calm assurance in your life that the apostle Paul and Horatio Spafford, and so many in this church have found in the middle of difficult times-there's no secret to this-it all starts with a relationship with Jesus Christ, where you ask Him to be the forgiver of your sins and the leader of your life.

It starts with a sincere response to Him in prayer that says…

Jesus I know I am a sinner and I need your forgiveness. I believe that when you died on the cross and rose from the dead, You did those things for me. I accept the exchange of my sin for your righteousness. And from this day on, I want to follow you as the leader of my life.