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HEBREWS 13: 5, 6

"CONTENTMENT"

I. WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO MAKE YOU CONTENT?
        A. The majority would answer with something.
                1. New home, car, carpet, husband.
                2. Advertising designed to create covetousness, to make you
                   discontent.
                        a. The subtle suggestion that those who use the particular
                           product have found key to life.
                                1. Beautiful people in happy situations.
                                       a. I would like to be beautiful.
                                       b. I want to be happy.
                        b. The fallacy is once you have purchased the produce you
                           still feel and look the same.
        B. Contentment cannot come with outer possessions but with inner
           possessions.
                1. Alexander the Great conquered the world but was never content.
                2. Jesus Christ never owned as much as a bed, much less an
                   orthopedic mattress with percale sheets an:! an electric blanket
                   with dual controls, yet the picture of contentment.
        C. Covetousness related in text to discontent.
                1. You begin to desire something different.
                2. Suddenly that which you possess becomes so inadequate.
                3. Say you desire a new car.
                        a. Your present car still runs well doesn't it? Well yes, but it
                           can't beat the Corvette in the shalom test.
                        b. It's dependable though, oh yes, but I need new tires and
                           there are a lot of scratches so I should have a new paint job,
                           and if I go to all that expense for $8,000 more I can get a
                           new car.

ll. BE CONTENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE.
        A. What do you have? The ever continual abiding presence of Jesus.
                1. So many of the things we desire we hope will give us a better
                   acceptance.
                2. I want people to admire me and accept me, and if I am truly
                   honest I want them to envy me.
                3. I want to dress sharp, drive a nice car, look well groomed so
                   people will accept me.
                        a. What were the hippies trying to tell us? Accept me for me.
                        b. You can be a well dressed well groomed jerk driving
                           Mazaratti.
        B. Jesus loves you just as you are.
                1. Bad breath, dull smile is not going to drive Him away.
                2. Some people spend their lifetime berating themselves because of
                   some chronic problem.
                3. Jesus loves me! I am so glad. "Wonderful things in the Bible I see,
                   this is the dearest that..."
        C. He will never leave you or forsake you.
                1. If you begin to slow down and get gray hair, even if you lose your
                   hair, He will not forsake you.
                        a. Though earthly friends fail you.
                        b. He will never fail you.
                        c. Though even your children do not understand you, He
                           understands.
                        d. What a friend we have in Jesus!

Ill. I MAY BOLDLY SAY, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER."
        A. His help and presence is not conditioned by my goodness or sweetness.
                1. It is conditioned by His unconditional love and my simply
                   believing.
        B. How would you like to have a friend that would never leave you or
           forsake you, always by your side, always understanding, always ready to
           help. Jesus desires to be such a friend to you.