WEBVTT 00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:10.779 The thing I find most difficult and challenging about preaching is frequently there are themes 00:00:10.779 --> 00:00:18.359 that I have to speak on and there are themes that I find so personally difficult and challenging 00:00:18.359 --> 00:00:24.760 myself. And I often find myself, who am I to stand up and talk about this particular subject 00:00:24.760 --> 00:00:29.339 when it's something that I find myself caught up with and wrestling so deeply and so personally. 00:00:30.679 --> 00:00:35.740 And I want to start this morning by saying if ever there was a time when I actually feel like that, it's right now. 00:00:37.240 --> 00:00:43.579 Because I'm going to ask a question in just a moment and I almost didn't put this bit in but I decided to do so. 00:00:44.920 --> 00:00:50.719 And the reason why I found it's a difficult question to ask is because it's so deeply challenging. 00:00:52.379 --> 00:00:59.600 It's quite personal and quite confrontational to the extent that it could even cause offence. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:02.439 But I'm going to include it anyway. 00:01:03.380 --> 00:01:06.920 I'm not going to ask you to talk to anyone else about it. 00:01:07.099 --> 00:01:11.219 This is just for your heart and mind only to take away. 00:01:11.219 --> 00:01:22.680 But if it helps, both the question and everything else that follows is targeted at myself as much as it is anybody else. 00:01:23.640 --> 00:01:24.579 Here's the question. 00:01:24.579 --> 00:01:36.500 If you were asked what stands between you and happiness and joy, what would it be? 00:01:37.459 --> 00:01:39.900 Look, let me phrase it a different way. 00:01:39.900 --> 00:01:47.280 If you had to fill in the gap in this following sentence, I will be happy when... 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:50.960 What would you put in that gap? 00:01:52.380 --> 00:01:53.500 Now just think about that for a moment. 00:01:53.580 --> 00:01:55.500 That's not actually the difficult question. 00:01:56.680 --> 00:01:58.340 The sting is in the next one. 00:01:58.340 --> 00:02:02.880 I will be happy when... 00:02:02.880 --> 00:02:05.480 I'm going to give you a few moments to think about that. 00:02:07.320 --> 00:02:10.759 It might be something to do with relationships. 00:02:12.900 --> 00:02:16.780 It might be to do with health, either your own or somebody else's. 00:02:18.860 --> 00:02:21.620 Perhaps it might be to do with financial security. 00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:24.819 Promotion at work. 00:02:24.819 --> 00:02:28.359 I'll be happy when... 00:02:28.359 --> 00:02:31.620 What would it be? 00:02:35.639 --> 00:02:36.719 Now here's the sting. 00:02:38.680 --> 00:02:40.400 I want to ask you this question. 00:02:42.159 --> 00:02:45.780 If that thing that you've just thought about, that thing you're thinking about right now, 00:02:47.780 --> 00:02:49.419 if that never happens, 00:02:50.620 --> 00:02:53.219 if that ship never comes in, 00:02:53.219 --> 00:02:56.620 could you ever be happy? 00:03:05.079 --> 00:03:06.500 I want to suggest that 00:03:06.500 --> 00:03:09.020 if our answer to that question is 00:03:09.020 --> 00:03:11.039 no or we're not sure, 00:03:12.199 --> 00:03:15.819 then to some extent we're living in the jaws 00:03:15.819 --> 00:03:19.000 of discontentment. 00:03:19.000 --> 00:03:22.939 And it's to that place 00:03:22.939 --> 00:03:24.319 that these words of Paul 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:26.419 are addressed. 00:03:28.979 --> 00:03:29.419 Paul says, 00:03:29.539 --> 00:03:31.520 I have learned to be content 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:32.879 whatever the circumstances. 00:03:34.460 --> 00:03:35.500 Now if what I've just said 00:03:35.500 --> 00:03:36.759 sounds quite harsh, 00:03:37.300 --> 00:03:38.719 let's just break down 00:03:38.719 --> 00:03:39.520 what Paul says. 00:03:40.740 --> 00:03:41.879 Firstly, he says 00:03:41.879 --> 00:03:44.039 that he's learned to be content 00:03:44.039 --> 00:03:45.879 in all circumstances. 00:03:45.879 --> 00:03:49.780 He's talking out of that own experience 00:03:49.780 --> 00:03:50.719 in all circumstances, 00:03:51.659 --> 00:03:53.199 including those where disappointment 00:03:53.199 --> 00:03:55.099 would seem to have the upper hand. 00:03:56.460 --> 00:03:57.840 That's the context. 00:03:58.259 --> 00:03:59.259 That's the place 00:03:59.259 --> 00:04:01.780 that he's talking about. 00:04:03.460 --> 00:04:04.500 But secondly, 00:04:05.560 --> 00:04:06.939 notice that he said 00:04:06.939 --> 00:04:09.479 that he's had to learn 00:04:09.479 --> 00:04:10.539 to be content. 00:04:10.539 --> 00:04:12.739 It's not something 00:04:12.739 --> 00:04:14.219 that has just come easily. 00:04:15.780 --> 00:04:17.019 It's something that 00:04:17.019 --> 00:04:17.480 in fact, 00:04:17.659 --> 00:04:18.319 very often, 00:04:18.759 --> 00:04:19.539 most of the time, 00:04:19.639 --> 00:04:20.779 is counterintuitive. 00:04:22.219 --> 00:04:23.519 Sometimes we've got to dig 00:04:23.519 --> 00:04:24.399 really deep 00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:25.159 to find out 00:04:25.159 --> 00:04:26.060 what it is 00:04:26.060 --> 00:04:26.899 to be content. 00:04:28.180 --> 00:04:28.939 It's something 00:04:28.939 --> 00:04:30.279 that we have to wrestle with 00:04:30.279 --> 00:04:31.759 and we have to work on 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:33.759 to learn 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:34.539 to be content. 00:04:36.139 --> 00:04:37.120 That was certainly 00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:37.920 Paul's reality 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:39.879 and I suggest 00:04:39.879 --> 00:04:41.240 it's probably ours too. 00:04:43.520 --> 00:04:44.040 Certainly, 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:44.819 it was the reality 00:04:44.819 --> 00:04:45.500 for somebody 00:04:45.500 --> 00:04:46.699 called Doug McKnight. 00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:50.240 Doug was 32 years old 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:51.120 when he was diagnosed 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:53.720 with a degenerative disease. 00:04:54.280 --> 00:04:55.920 Over the next 16 years, 00:04:56.120 --> 00:04:57.000 that condition 00:04:57.000 --> 00:04:57.819 cost him 00:04:57.819 --> 00:04:58.920 his career, 00:04:59.500 --> 00:05:00.139 his mobility 00:05:00.139 --> 00:05:01.100 and eventually 00:05:01.100 --> 00:05:01.860 his life. 00:05:03.460 --> 00:05:04.580 And in that time, 00:05:06.060 --> 00:05:07.200 he gradually weakened 00:05:07.199 --> 00:05:08.500 to the extent 00:05:08.500 --> 00:05:09.680 that he could neither walk 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:11.300 nor feed himself. 00:05:12.219 --> 00:05:13.219 He battled 00:05:13.219 --> 00:05:14.240 with depression 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:15.639 profoundly. 00:05:17.420 --> 00:05:18.039 Towards the end 00:05:18.039 --> 00:05:18.539 of his life, 00:05:18.599 --> 00:05:19.079 he was asked 00:05:19.079 --> 00:05:19.699 by some friends 00:05:19.699 --> 00:05:20.159 from church, 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:20.860 could you compile 00:05:20.860 --> 00:05:21.360 a list 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:22.459 of prayer points 00:05:22.459 --> 00:05:23.079 for us? 00:05:24.019 --> 00:05:24.839 He thought about it 00:05:24.839 --> 00:05:25.860 and he then gave them 00:05:25.860 --> 00:05:26.419 a list 00:05:26.419 --> 00:05:29.079 of 24 points. 00:05:30.659 --> 00:05:31.740 On that list, 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:33.039 18 of them 00:05:33.039 --> 00:05:34.539 were blessings 00:05:34.539 --> 00:05:35.379 that he wanted 00:05:35.379 --> 00:05:36.659 others to join 00:05:36.659 --> 00:05:37.019 with him 00:05:37.019 --> 00:05:37.879 in giving thanks 00:05:37.879 --> 00:05:38.180 for. 00:05:39.639 --> 00:05:41.300 Six were concerns. 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:45.759 The first thing 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:46.719 that came to his mind 00:05:46.719 --> 00:05:47.219 were those 00:05:47.219 --> 00:05:48.699 three times 00:05:48.699 --> 00:05:49.740 as many things 00:05:49.740 --> 00:05:50.899 that he knew 00:05:50.899 --> 00:05:51.800 he had to be thankful 00:05:51.800 --> 00:05:52.259 for. 00:05:53.639 --> 00:05:54.779 He was learning 00:05:54.779 --> 00:05:56.699 to be content. 00:05:59.759 --> 00:06:00.819 Learning to be content 00:06:00.819 --> 00:06:02.240 was also the experience 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:04.540 that was described 00:06:04.540 --> 00:06:05.460 by a missionary 00:06:05.460 --> 00:06:06.259 in Tobago 00:06:06.259 --> 00:06:07.300 many years ago 00:06:07.300 --> 00:06:08.160 or rather after 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:09.139 they came back 00:06:09.139 --> 00:06:10.540 from that experience 00:06:10.540 --> 00:06:11.740 of working in Tobago 00:06:11.740 --> 00:06:14.000 among a community 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:14.519 of people 00:06:14.519 --> 00:06:15.340 with leprosy. 00:06:16.660 --> 00:06:17.600 And they were describing 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:18.720 how one day 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:19.319 they were leading 00:06:19.319 --> 00:06:20.180 an act of worship 00:06:20.180 --> 00:06:21.079 at a church. 00:06:22.460 --> 00:06:23.220 Most of the people 00:06:23.220 --> 00:06:24.060 in the congregation 00:06:24.060 --> 00:06:25.480 had leprosy. 00:06:26.840 --> 00:06:27.980 And a part in the service 00:06:27.980 --> 00:06:28.519 they said, 00:06:28.840 --> 00:06:30.400 would anybody 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:31.459 like to choose 00:06:31.459 --> 00:06:32.019 a song 00:06:32.019 --> 00:06:32.500 what we're going 00:06:32.500 --> 00:06:33.259 to sing next? 00:06:35.139 --> 00:06:35.959 Somebody put up 00:06:35.959 --> 00:06:36.479 their hand. 00:06:38.439 --> 00:06:39.239 They were so 00:06:39.239 --> 00:06:40.399 deformed from leprosy 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:41.719 they had no ears 00:06:41.719 --> 00:06:42.719 no nose 00:06:42.719 --> 00:06:43.439 and no lips. 00:06:44.159 --> 00:06:44.639 The arm 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:45.319 that they raised 00:06:45.319 --> 00:06:45.879 had a hand 00:06:45.879 --> 00:06:46.519 but it had no 00:06:46.519 --> 00:06:47.199 fingers on it. 00:06:49.739 --> 00:06:50.459 They said, 00:06:50.839 --> 00:06:52.099 can we sing 00:06:52.099 --> 00:06:53.859 count your blessings? 00:06:53.860 --> 00:06:57.360 As the missionary 00:06:57.360 --> 00:07:00.240 was telling this story 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:00.980 years later 00:07:00.980 --> 00:07:01.780 to a friend 00:07:01.780 --> 00:07:02.420 the friend said 00:07:02.420 --> 00:07:03.540 I suppose you'll never 00:07:03.540 --> 00:07:05.300 be able to sing 00:07:05.300 --> 00:07:06.879 that song again. 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:09.040 The missionary said 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:10.120 oh, I'll sing it 00:07:10.120 --> 00:07:10.860 again and again 00:07:10.860 --> 00:07:12.600 but just never 00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:13.860 in quite the same way. 00:07:15.939 --> 00:07:16.620 Learning 00:07:16.620 --> 00:07:19.540 ever so hard 00:07:19.540 --> 00:07:20.460 though it can be 00:07:20.460 --> 00:07:23.480 learning to be content 00:07:23.480 --> 00:07:24.840 whatever the 00:07:24.840 --> 00:07:25.640 circumstances 00:07:25.640 --> 00:07:26.740 is the challenge 00:07:26.740 --> 00:07:28.000 that we face. 00:07:29.540 --> 00:07:30.420 It's not something 00:07:30.420 --> 00:07:31.300 that is readily 00:07:31.300 --> 00:07:32.259 encouraged in 00:07:32.259 --> 00:07:33.200 western culture. 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:33.960 How often 00:07:33.960 --> 00:07:34.860 do you buy a 00:07:34.860 --> 00:07:35.360 product? 00:07:35.540 --> 00:07:35.900 And maybe 00:07:35.900 --> 00:07:36.580 let's say it's 00:07:36.580 --> 00:07:37.040 something that's 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:37.900 a fairly expensive 00:07:37.900 --> 00:07:38.720 thing and so 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:39.580 you do your 00:07:39.580 --> 00:07:40.060 research. 00:07:40.140 --> 00:07:40.540 You want to make 00:07:40.540 --> 00:07:41.140 sure that you're 00:07:41.140 --> 00:07:41.660 making the right 00:07:41.660 --> 00:07:42.060 decision. 00:07:43.140 --> 00:07:43.640 You kind of 00:07:43.640 --> 00:07:44.800 go online maybe 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:46.060 and you work out 00:07:46.060 --> 00:07:46.640 or maybe it's based 00:07:46.640 --> 00:07:47.280 on recommendation 00:07:47.280 --> 00:07:47.819 or whatever 00:07:47.819 --> 00:07:48.500 but you're pretty 00:07:48.500 --> 00:07:49.600 satisfied that the 00:07:49.600 --> 00:07:50.439 thing that you're 00:07:50.439 --> 00:07:51.420 about to buy 00:07:51.420 --> 00:07:52.080 is going to 00:07:52.080 --> 00:07:53.319 service every single 00:07:53.319 --> 00:07:54.180 requirement that 00:07:54.180 --> 00:07:54.939 you need it to. 00:07:55.480 --> 00:07:55.839 And everything 00:07:55.839 --> 00:07:56.819 you read about it 00:07:56.819 --> 00:07:57.579 certainly the person 00:07:57.579 --> 00:07:58.300 trying to sell it 00:07:58.300 --> 00:07:59.120 to you, the company 00:07:59.120 --> 00:07:59.699 trying to sell it 00:07:59.699 --> 00:08:00.800 to you, reassures 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:01.480 you that this is 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:02.199 the very best of 00:08:02.199 --> 00:08:02.699 the best of the 00:08:02.699 --> 00:08:02.980 best. 00:08:04.079 --> 00:08:04.779 So you buy it. 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:06.719 What pops up as 00:08:06.719 --> 00:08:07.480 soon as you click 00:08:07.480 --> 00:08:08.399 on that purchase? 00:08:10.680 --> 00:08:11.639 To complement your 00:08:11.639 --> 00:08:12.500 purchase, you might 00:08:12.500 --> 00:08:13.399 also like 00:08:13.399 --> 00:08:16.959 sometimes the email 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:17.920 comes a week later 00:08:17.920 --> 00:08:18.620 and says that 00:08:18.620 --> 00:08:19.819 others who bought 00:08:19.819 --> 00:08:20.899 this also bought 00:08:20.899 --> 00:08:21.299 that. 00:08:22.359 --> 00:08:23.120 Hang on, a 00:08:23.120 --> 00:08:23.560 moment ago you 00:08:23.560 --> 00:08:24.039 were telling me 00:08:24.039 --> 00:08:24.779 that this item 00:08:24.779 --> 00:08:26.099 would meet every 00:08:26.099 --> 00:08:26.839 single need. 00:08:28.699 --> 00:08:29.120 You see it's not 00:08:29.120 --> 00:08:30.479 helped perhaps by 00:08:30.479 --> 00:08:31.139 the way in which 00:08:31.139 --> 00:08:31.779 when we look around 00:08:31.779 --> 00:08:32.399 and we compare 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:34.720 ourselves with 00:08:34.720 --> 00:08:36.840 others and we 00:08:36.840 --> 00:08:37.340 see what they 00:08:37.340 --> 00:08:37.980 have and we see 00:08:37.980 --> 00:08:38.559 what we don't 00:08:38.559 --> 00:08:38.919 have. 00:08:39.579 --> 00:08:40.139 There's a really 00:08:40.139 --> 00:08:41.299 old story about 00:08:41.299 --> 00:08:43.299 a boy who all 00:08:43.299 --> 00:08:44.159 he wanted for his 00:08:44.159 --> 00:08:45.519 birthday was this 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:46.600 Swiss army knife. 00:08:46.840 --> 00:08:47.819 It was the latest 00:08:47.819 --> 00:08:47.960 one. 00:08:48.019 --> 00:08:48.379 It had all the 00:08:48.379 --> 00:08:49.120 get every single 00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:49.919 blade attachment 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:50.759 you could possibly 00:08:50.759 --> 00:08:52.039 imagine on this 00:08:52.039 --> 00:08:52.860 Swiss army knife. 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:53.659 He desperately 00:08:53.659 --> 00:08:54.340 wanted it and his 00:08:54.340 --> 00:08:55.019 parents knew it and 00:08:55.019 --> 00:08:55.740 they got it for him. 00:08:56.320 --> 00:08:57.080 He loved it. 00:08:57.159 --> 00:08:58.019 He just took it 00:08:58.019 --> 00:08:58.899 with him everywhere. 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:00.439 He was never to be 00:09:00.439 --> 00:09:02.039 seen without this 00:09:02.039 --> 00:09:03.600 tool. 00:09:04.259 --> 00:09:04.639 He was always 00:09:04.639 --> 00:09:05.299 bringing it out and 00:09:05.299 --> 00:09:06.379 any excuse to use 00:09:06.379 --> 00:09:06.759 one of the 00:09:06.759 --> 00:09:07.600 attachments, he was 00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:08.220 there with it. 00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:08.919 He just loved this 00:09:08.919 --> 00:09:09.159 thing. 00:09:10.820 --> 00:09:11.519 Several months 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:12.779 later his mum 00:09:12.779 --> 00:09:13.740 found him and he 00:09:13.740 --> 00:09:14.580 was in floods of 00:09:14.580 --> 00:09:15.019 tears. 00:09:15.700 --> 00:09:16.340 She couldn't get 00:09:16.340 --> 00:09:16.840 out of him what 00:09:16.840 --> 00:09:17.320 was wrong. 00:09:17.320 --> 00:09:17.860 He said, something 00:09:17.860 --> 00:09:18.560 happened at school? 00:09:18.700 --> 00:09:18.920 No. 00:09:19.220 --> 00:09:19.700 Something happened 00:09:19.700 --> 00:09:20.080 at home? 00:09:20.140 --> 00:09:20.420 No. 00:09:21.680 --> 00:09:22.260 She said, what is 00:09:22.260 --> 00:09:22.420 it? 00:09:22.460 --> 00:09:23.580 Then she noticed 00:09:23.580 --> 00:09:24.700 he didn't seem to 00:09:24.700 --> 00:09:26.360 have his knife 00:09:26.360 --> 00:09:27.440 right by his 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:27.760 side. 00:09:27.879 --> 00:09:29.220 She said, has 00:09:29.220 --> 00:09:29.840 something happened 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:30.940 to your pen 00:09:30.940 --> 00:09:31.260 knife? 00:09:32.800 --> 00:09:33.480 Is it something 00:09:33.480 --> 00:09:34.280 to do with that? 00:09:34.560 --> 00:09:35.100 He said, well, 00:09:35.340 --> 00:09:35.940 yes. 00:09:36.220 --> 00:09:36.720 She said, well, 00:09:37.180 --> 00:09:39.340 have you lost it? 00:09:39.740 --> 00:09:40.280 He said, no. 00:09:41.020 --> 00:09:41.920 Have you broken 00:09:41.920 --> 00:09:42.180 it? 00:09:42.380 --> 00:09:42.700 No. 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:44.640 Eventually the 00:09:44.640 --> 00:09:45.400 truth came out. 00:09:45.399 --> 00:09:47.539 He'd been with 00:09:47.539 --> 00:09:49.399 his friend who'd 00:09:49.399 --> 00:09:50.039 also just had a 00:09:50.039 --> 00:09:51.720 birthday, who'd 00:09:51.720 --> 00:09:52.360 also just been 00:09:52.360 --> 00:09:54.919 given what was 00:09:54.919 --> 00:09:55.899 almost exactly the 00:09:55.899 --> 00:09:57.220 same Swiss army 00:09:57.220 --> 00:09:57.620 knife. 00:09:58.959 --> 00:10:00.179 Say almost, because 00:10:00.179 --> 00:10:01.139 it had one extra 00:10:01.139 --> 00:10:01.679 attachment. 00:10:04.319 --> 00:10:05.480 And that Swiss army 00:10:05.480 --> 00:10:06.740 knife principle, if I 00:10:06.740 --> 00:10:07.899 may refer to it, is 00:10:07.899 --> 00:10:08.399 something that 00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:09.500 actually subconsciously 00:10:09.500 --> 00:10:10.419 can stay with us 00:10:10.419 --> 00:10:10.980 throughout our whole 00:10:10.980 --> 00:10:11.340 lives. 00:10:11.720 --> 00:10:12.779 We look to see not 00:10:12.779 --> 00:10:13.600 so much what we 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:15.659 have, but what 00:10:15.659 --> 00:10:16.559 others have, or 00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:17.360 rather what we 00:10:17.360 --> 00:10:18.059 don't have. 00:10:19.100 --> 00:10:19.779 And we draw those 00:10:19.779 --> 00:10:20.299 comparisons. 00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:21.199 And rather than 00:10:21.199 --> 00:10:21.919 reflecting and 00:10:21.919 --> 00:10:22.959 focusing on the 00:10:22.959 --> 00:10:23.759 things that we do 00:10:23.759 --> 00:10:25.339 have that make us 00:10:25.339 --> 00:10:25.839 feel good and 00:10:25.839 --> 00:10:27.019 positive about life, 00:10:27.839 --> 00:10:28.679 actually we see 00:10:28.679 --> 00:10:29.360 that gap. 00:10:30.860 --> 00:10:31.839 Comparisons never, 00:10:32.059 --> 00:10:32.480 ever help. 00:10:32.779 --> 00:10:33.759 So what does 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:35.679 contentment look like 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:36.279 practically? 00:10:36.720 --> 00:10:37.659 Well, two things 00:10:37.659 --> 00:10:38.179 come to mind. 00:10:38.299 --> 00:10:39.699 First, I think 00:10:39.699 --> 00:10:40.919 contentment has to 00:10:40.919 --> 00:10:41.959 have something to 00:10:41.959 --> 00:10:44.000 do with knowing 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:45.979 and loving what 00:10:45.979 --> 00:10:47.019 we've already got. 00:10:49.299 --> 00:10:49.919 Again, there's a 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:50.899 story that goes 00:10:50.899 --> 00:10:51.399 back quite a few 00:10:51.399 --> 00:10:51.899 years ago. 00:10:52.519 --> 00:10:53.039 There was a man 00:10:53.039 --> 00:10:53.459 who was thinking 00:10:53.459 --> 00:10:54.279 about moving 00:10:54.279 --> 00:10:55.620 house, putting his 00:10:55.620 --> 00:10:56.019 house on the 00:10:56.019 --> 00:10:56.319 market. 00:10:56.839 --> 00:10:57.259 He had a number 00:10:57.259 --> 00:10:57.599 of different 00:10:57.599 --> 00:10:59.120 reasons, but this 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:00.120 was the days before 00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:00.819 right move. 00:11:00.979 --> 00:11:01.719 So he walked 00:11:01.719 --> 00:11:03.279 into his estate 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:04.980 agent, explained 00:11:04.980 --> 00:11:05.620 to him that he 00:11:05.620 --> 00:11:06.339 wanted to move, 00:11:06.399 --> 00:11:06.740 and they said, 00:11:06.779 --> 00:11:07.500 oh, that's great, 00:11:07.620 --> 00:11:08.219 we can help you 00:11:08.219 --> 00:11:08.379 there. 00:11:08.459 --> 00:11:09.019 We'd like you to 00:11:09.019 --> 00:11:09.699 do two things. 00:11:09.819 --> 00:11:10.419 Firstly, we'll 00:11:10.419 --> 00:11:10.919 arrange for 00:11:10.919 --> 00:11:11.240 someone to 00:11:11.240 --> 00:11:11.599 come around, 00:11:11.659 --> 00:11:11.959 take some 00:11:11.959 --> 00:11:12.620 photos of the 00:11:12.620 --> 00:11:13.120 house, and we'll 00:11:13.120 --> 00:11:13.799 take details and 00:11:13.799 --> 00:11:13.959 everything. 00:11:14.779 --> 00:11:15.299 That happened. 00:11:15.559 --> 00:11:16.079 He said, secondly, 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:16.939 we'd like you to 00:11:16.939 --> 00:11:17.439 go home and 00:11:17.439 --> 00:11:17.939 actually fill out 00:11:17.939 --> 00:11:18.479 this form and 00:11:18.479 --> 00:11:19.819 make a list of 00:11:19.819 --> 00:11:21.979 everything that 00:11:21.979 --> 00:11:22.360 would go to 00:11:22.360 --> 00:11:22.860 make up a 00:11:22.860 --> 00:11:23.659 perfect house 00:11:23.659 --> 00:11:24.279 where you want 00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:24.679 to live. 00:11:25.759 --> 00:11:26.079 Location, 00:11:26.699 --> 00:11:27.259 number of 00:11:27.259 --> 00:11:28.079 rooms, garden, 00:11:28.199 --> 00:11:28.539 everything. 00:11:28.679 --> 00:11:29.240 Just try and be 00:11:29.240 --> 00:11:30.059 as detailed as 00:11:30.059 --> 00:11:30.839 you possibly can. 00:11:31.159 --> 00:11:31.500 So the man 00:11:31.500 --> 00:11:32.000 went home and 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:32.240 did this. 00:11:32.279 --> 00:11:32.679 He got quite 00:11:32.679 --> 00:11:33.479 excited as he 00:11:33.479 --> 00:11:33.979 wrote an 00:11:33.979 --> 00:11:34.819 extensive list. 00:11:35.059 --> 00:11:35.579 He more than 00:11:35.579 --> 00:11:36.139 filled out the 00:11:36.139 --> 00:11:36.319 form. 00:11:36.399 --> 00:11:36.939 He needed extra 00:11:36.939 --> 00:11:37.500 bits of paper 00:11:37.500 --> 00:11:38.079 to write down 00:11:38.079 --> 00:11:39.079 everything that he 00:11:39.079 --> 00:11:39.779 was looking for 00:11:39.779 --> 00:11:40.319 that would make 00:11:40.319 --> 00:11:41.100 the perfect 00:11:41.100 --> 00:11:41.699 home. 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:43.220 Put it in an 00:11:43.220 --> 00:11:43.759 envelope, took it 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:44.279 into the estate 00:11:44.279 --> 00:11:44.600 agent. 00:11:45.639 --> 00:11:46.059 When he went to 00:11:46.059 --> 00:11:47.980 the estate agent, 00:11:48.079 --> 00:11:48.860 it was a different 00:11:48.860 --> 00:11:50.059 person serving him 00:11:50.059 --> 00:11:50.459 this time. 00:11:50.699 --> 00:11:51.399 He handed over 00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:53.120 his envelope and 00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:54.199 the estate agent 00:11:54.199 --> 00:11:56.000 took the envelope 00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:56.699 out, had a quick 00:11:56.699 --> 00:11:57.159 look at it and 00:11:57.159 --> 00:11:57.740 said, actually, 00:11:58.579 --> 00:11:59.159 I've got something 00:11:59.159 --> 00:12:00.179 that I think you 00:12:00.179 --> 00:12:01.019 might be interested 00:12:01.019 --> 00:12:01.279 in. 00:12:01.379 --> 00:12:02.079 He went to get a 00:12:02.079 --> 00:12:02.419 file. 00:12:02.740 --> 00:12:03.459 He said it matches 00:12:03.459 --> 00:12:04.120 the description 00:12:04.120 --> 00:12:04.740 pretty well. 00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:05.399 He said, I'll tell 00:12:05.399 --> 00:12:06.279 you what, take 00:12:06.279 --> 00:12:07.339 this home with 00:12:07.339 --> 00:12:07.539 you. 00:12:07.539 --> 00:12:09.159 I was really 00:12:09.159 --> 00:12:09.980 quite excited to 00:12:09.980 --> 00:12:10.620 have found what 00:12:10.620 --> 00:12:11.939 possibly might be 00:12:11.939 --> 00:12:13.259 the answer to 00:12:13.259 --> 00:12:14.019 everything he was 00:12:14.019 --> 00:12:14.939 looking for. 00:12:15.740 --> 00:12:16.539 He got home, he 00:12:16.539 --> 00:12:17.120 opened up the 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:18.719 envelope, read the 00:12:18.719 --> 00:12:19.939 description of this 00:12:19.939 --> 00:12:20.579 place that was just 00:12:20.579 --> 00:12:21.139 about to come onto 00:12:21.139 --> 00:12:21.519 the market. 00:12:21.620 --> 00:12:21.959 There were no 00:12:21.959 --> 00:12:22.699 photos yet. 00:12:23.259 --> 00:12:23.879 Didn't even say the 00:12:23.879 --> 00:12:24.439 address, but he 00:12:24.439 --> 00:12:24.939 thought, this is 00:12:24.939 --> 00:12:25.980 absolutely amazing. 00:12:27.019 --> 00:12:27.860 Gone on the phone, 00:12:28.120 --> 00:12:28.939 phoned, you can see 00:12:28.939 --> 00:12:29.419 what's coming, 00:12:29.539 --> 00:12:29.779 can't you? 00:12:30.360 --> 00:12:31.120 Phoned the estate 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:31.939 agent and yes, 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:32.419 they said, it's 00:12:32.419 --> 00:12:33.099 your house. 00:12:39.179 --> 00:12:39.779 Perhaps the 00:12:39.779 --> 00:12:40.740 most important 00:12:40.740 --> 00:12:41.599 things to us are 00:12:41.599 --> 00:12:42.179 things that are 00:12:42.179 --> 00:12:45.379 already there, and 00:12:45.379 --> 00:12:45.979 yet we just don't 00:12:45.979 --> 00:12:46.399 see it. 00:12:48.360 --> 00:12:49.419 Perhaps learning to 00:12:49.419 --> 00:12:51.479 be content involves 00:12:51.479 --> 00:12:54.240 seeing the obvious, 00:12:54.479 --> 00:12:56.039 which perhaps is not 00:12:56.039 --> 00:12:56.779 always obvious. 00:12:59.379 --> 00:13:00.059 But the other 00:13:00.059 --> 00:13:00.639 thing, and I think 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:01.219 this is at the 00:13:01.220 --> 00:13:01.840 core of the 00:13:01.840 --> 00:13:02.560 challenge facing 00:13:02.560 --> 00:13:03.220 us as followers 00:13:03.220 --> 00:13:05.779 of Jesus, is 00:13:05.779 --> 00:13:07.399 that the daily 00:13:07.399 --> 00:13:08.960 challenge of 00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:09.759 learning to be 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:12.519 content means 00:13:12.519 --> 00:13:15.019 knowing, really 00:13:15.019 --> 00:13:17.720 knowing that 00:13:17.720 --> 00:13:18.620 Jesus is enough. 00:13:21.100 --> 00:13:21.800 The late John 00:13:21.800 --> 00:13:22.779 Stott, that great 00:13:22.779 --> 00:13:24.980 evangelical Anglican 00:13:24.980 --> 00:13:27.560 theologian, wrote 00:13:27.560 --> 00:13:30.680 this, contentment 00:13:30.679 --> 00:13:32.099 is the secret of 00:13:32.099 --> 00:13:33.019 inward peace. 00:13:34.179 --> 00:13:35.359 It remembers the 00:13:35.359 --> 00:13:36.379 stark truth that 00:13:36.379 --> 00:13:37.219 we brought nothing 00:13:37.219 --> 00:13:39.579 into the world, and 00:13:39.579 --> 00:13:40.359 we can take nothing 00:13:40.359 --> 00:13:40.939 out of it. 00:13:42.439 --> 00:13:43.939 Life, in fact, is a 00:13:43.939 --> 00:13:45.979 pilgrimage from one 00:13:45.979 --> 00:13:47.139 moment of nakedness 00:13:47.139 --> 00:13:47.779 to another. 00:13:49.319 --> 00:13:51.519 So we should travel 00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:53.039 light and live 00:13:53.039 --> 00:13:53.579 simply. 00:13:54.620 --> 00:13:55.659 Our battle cry is 00:13:55.659 --> 00:13:58.839 not nothing, but 00:13:58.840 --> 00:13:59.280 enough. 00:14:01.620 --> 00:14:02.420 Paul wrote, I 00:14:02.420 --> 00:14:03.340 can do everything 00:14:03.340 --> 00:14:04.540 through Christ who 00:14:04.540 --> 00:14:05.360 strengthens me. 00:14:05.980 --> 00:14:06.259 Now when 00:14:06.259 --> 00:14:08.019 Paul said that, 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:08.639 that you can do 00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:09.780 anything through 00:14:09.780 --> 00:14:10.920 Christ, he's not 00:14:10.920 --> 00:14:11.420 talking about some 00:14:11.420 --> 00:14:12.120 kind of mystical, 00:14:12.340 --> 00:14:13.379 magical powers that 00:14:13.379 --> 00:14:13.980 when you become a 00:14:13.980 --> 00:14:14.720 believer you suddenly 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:15.100 have. 00:14:15.320 --> 00:14:15.879 It's not like you 00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:17.060 believe in Jesus and 00:14:17.060 --> 00:14:17.800 suddenly you can 00:14:17.800 --> 00:14:18.960 teach cows how to 00:14:18.960 --> 00:14:19.759 milk themselves or 00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:20.960 make things explode by 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:21.440 wiggling your 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:21.920 eyebrows. 00:14:23.180 --> 00:14:24.000 It doesn't work 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:24.420 like that. 00:14:24.419 --> 00:14:27.979 simply means that 00:14:27.979 --> 00:14:31.419 Jesus is enough. 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:34.659 Jesus is enough. 00:14:37.860 --> 00:14:38.879 Contentment has 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:41.039 learned and is 00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:43.919 about learning that 00:14:43.919 --> 00:14:45.319 Jesus is enough. 00:14:45.320 --> 00:14:48.780 if you know Jesus, 00:14:49.560 --> 00:14:52.060 you have a God who 00:14:52.060 --> 00:14:52.640 hears you. 00:14:54.379 --> 00:14:55.700 You have the power of 00:14:55.700 --> 00:14:56.600 love behind you. 00:14:58.280 --> 00:14:59.420 You have the Holy 00:14:59.420 --> 00:15:01.300 Spirit within you and 00:15:01.300 --> 00:15:02.160 you have all of heaven 00:15:02.160 --> 00:15:02.879 ahead of you. 00:15:05.260 --> 00:15:06.660 If you have Jesus, 00:15:07.660 --> 00:15:09.080 you have grace for 00:15:09.080 --> 00:15:09.760 every sin. 00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:12.740 You have direction for 00:15:12.740 --> 00:15:13.460 every turn. 00:15:15.139 --> 00:15:16.440 You have a candle for 00:15:16.440 --> 00:15:18.220 every corner and an 00:15:18.220 --> 00:15:20.279 anchor for everything 00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:20.779 you need. 00:15:23.139 --> 00:15:24.159 Let's learn to be 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:24.399 content. 00:15:25.879 --> 00:15:26.560 Let's pray. 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:34.580 In our prayers, let's 00:15:34.580 --> 00:15:35.519 just revisit that 00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:36.759 question that started 00:15:36.759 --> 00:15:37.120 with. 00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:39.440 Where we were each 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:40.799 invited to just bring 00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:41.840 to our minds and to 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:42.519 our hearts. 00:15:42.740 --> 00:15:44.120 that thing that we 00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:45.700 feel would bring us 00:15:45.700 --> 00:15:46.120 happiness. 00:15:51.659 --> 00:15:52.600 Lord, you know 00:15:52.600 --> 00:15:53.740 those things that 00:15:53.740 --> 00:15:55.500 we pursue, those 00:15:55.500 --> 00:15:56.440 things that mean so 00:15:56.440 --> 00:15:57.320 much to us. 00:15:59.379 --> 00:16:00.399 And those things 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:01.159 that would stand, 00:16:01.460 --> 00:16:02.860 we think, stand 00:16:02.860 --> 00:16:04.159 between us and 00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:04.600 happiness. 00:16:09.820 --> 00:16:11.200 Lord, reality may 00:16:11.200 --> 00:16:11.740 tell a different 00:16:11.740 --> 00:16:12.320 story. 00:16:12.740 --> 00:16:17.759 help us, whether we 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:18.740 have much or whether 00:16:18.740 --> 00:16:19.480 we have little. 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:23.080 Whether we reach 00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:23.820 those things and 00:16:23.820 --> 00:16:24.720 receive those things 00:16:24.720 --> 00:16:25.580 that we've thought 00:16:25.580 --> 00:16:25.879 of. 00:16:26.539 --> 00:16:27.759 Help us, regardless 00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:30.799 or not, to know 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:32.159 that with you that 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:32.680 is enough. 00:16:34.080 --> 00:16:35.039 Help us in that 00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:36.120 daily challenge to 00:16:36.120 --> 00:16:37.240 learn to be 00:16:37.240 --> 00:16:37.740 content. 00:16:37.740 --> 00:16:41.100 and so to respond 00:16:41.100 --> 00:16:42.259 with lives of 00:16:42.259 --> 00:16:42.759 gratitude. 00:16:44.919 --> 00:16:46.039 In Jesus' name 00:16:46.039 --> 00:16:46.560 we pray. 00:16:48.120 --> 00:16:48.680 Amen. 00:16:48.679 --> 00:16:48.819 Amen.