Exodus 20:1 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. . . . 17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”A wise professor says, “The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.”[2] He’s right.
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. [1]
A man renounces the Christian faith, but only after cherishing in his heart a way of life forbidden to a disciple of Christ. A murderer robs a woman of her life, the culmination of his heart rage. Only after lust overtook his heart long ago does an adulterer take another man’s wife. The thief’s work begins not by taking, but by fixing his heart on what belongs to another.
“The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart,” and the tenth commandment takes aim at the heart of the matter. Coveting begins in the sinful human heart.
What does it mean to covet? Noah Webster defines, “To desire that which it is unlawful to obtain or possess.”[3] Says one writer, “wrong desires enthrone in the heart what God has forbidden.”[4] Therefore, the Lord thunders, “you shall not covet.”
The commandment begins, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.” The word “house” does not mean just “dwelling place,” but a man’s family and possessions.[5]
The commandment continues by spelling out details. A man’s house includes his family, and especially his wife. Domestic happiness and godliness depend upon a man’s faithfulness to his wife, and a wife’s faithfulness to her husband. Therefore, “you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.”
A man’s house includes his possessions, and especially those essential for economic success, namely, his servants and work animals. An Israelite mustn’t crave in his heart what belongs to his more affluent neighbor.
The final words of the tenth commandment spell out the radical heart holiness God commands: “you shall not covet . . . anything that is your neighbor’s.”
Were it possible to banish covetousness from the heart, the desire to sin would end. Our lives would be marked by satisfaction – satisfaction with God and his commands, his provision, and his gifts – this would mark the life of the Christian man or woman. We call that satisfaction contentment, and a contented heart is the sole cure for covetousness.
Sadly, perfect contentment can’t be ours this morning. True, we’re redeemed, but we’re redeemed sinners. Our perfection – and that includes our perfect contentment - awaits Christ’s second advent. But here’s the good news - a considerable measure of contentment can be yours right now. Why? Contentment can be learned. Does Paul not say as much when he writes: “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Philippians 4:11)?
Contentment is learned. No one has to learn how to be discontented. You and I know too well how to stoke the fires of bitterness and complaining. Human misery begins with discontentment. Our first parents are placed in a perfect environment. Yet, the serpent comes to Eve and insinuates that God’s not really so good. He offers her a “better deal.”[6]
Think about your discontentment: never enough money, your spouse never measures up (and neither do your children); you complain about your church, you complain about your job, and when unexpected gifts come your way, you wonder why you didn’t get more and sooner. Hardship comes and past kindnesses are quickly forgotten. Complaining, grumbling, worry, and bitterness mark the life of the discontented man. No one had to teach him how to be discontented.
But how do we learn contentment? That’s the question of the hour.
Contentment means, first, learning to live by faith in Christ.
Consider this morning’s New Testament lesson from Philippians, a prison letter. Paul, under arrest in Rome, writes without self-pity. Instead, he bids Christians to do what he does: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). Paul’s joy is non-circumstantial, that is, his joy doesn’t depend on his geographical location. After all, God ordained Paul to serve him in a prison, not a choice assignment by anyone’s standard.
But what counts is not where Paul is, but where Jesus is - risen from the dead, ascended into heaven and seated at God’s right hand. Wherever Paul is, he knows that he is in the Lord. Justified by faith, he has peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. He rejoices in the Lord.
Right now, believer, you are in Christ; you are “in the Lord.” Justified by faith in Christ, your sins are forgiven. Rejoice in the Lord!
Contentment means learning to live by faith in Christ.
Contentment also means learning to trust our heavenly Father’s provision.
Focus on Philippians 4:13, one of the most misused and abused verses in the entire Bible. Paul writes: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” I have heard people, especially youth leaders and motivational speakers, claim this verse as the basis for the conviction that you can overcome any problems that you face if you just have enough faith. Have faith and all obstacles will fall before you, like a line of dominoes. It’s not true.
If you believe that faith will vanquish every obstacle in your path, you’ll one day be disheartened. There is no promise of this kind here, or anywhere else in Scripture. The promise is that when mountains on every side hem you in, God will neither leave you nor forsake you. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” says David, “I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). Wherever God places you, he provides; his care and comforts are at hand.
You may find yourself in intractable situations - circumstances that won’t change. A chronic illness – a rebellious child – an uncaring spouse – a difficult job you can’t leave. Most Christians find themselves at one time or another in painful circumstances impervious to change. When you do, go ahead, pray for God to change the situations; he may well do it – his mercy and compassion are great. But for his glory, and the good of his kingdom and your own good, he may say “no.” Whether yes or no, he provides, and contentment can be ours.
Don’t you feel Paul’s confidence in God’s provision? “I can do all things through him who strengthens me?” Still in prison; nevertheless, content.
No trace of coveting appears in these verses. Paul doesn’t resent the freedom of others, as if their liberty came at his expense. No grudges against those enjoying the comforts of life while he faces the hardships of prison. His joy doesn’t depend on the family and possessions of his neighbor. He’s content in his heavenly Father’s provision.
Listen to his testimony. “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.” (Philippians 4:11-12)
How remarkable!
Godly contentment must be learned in times of want. “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low . . . I have learned the secret of facing . . . hunger . . . and need.” When there is little or no money - when a relationship seems irreparably broken - when our life circumstances weigh us down - when we pray and nothing changes – that’s when we must learn contentment.
Learning contentment in times of hardship doesn’t mean we don’t try to improve our circumstances, but it does mean we will not complain. We choose to trust God. And if circumstances do change for the better, we fervently pray that the lessons of contentment learned by suffering will not be forgotten.
Trusting and complaining don’t go together. We can either trust God or complain against his provision. It’s either one or the other. Times of want reveal just how much we trust.
But just as remarkable is the other half of Paul’s testimony. Godly contentment must be learned in times of plenty. “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. . . . I know how to abound. . . . I have learned the secret of facing plenty [and] abundance.” Wealth and health do not make a heart content. No matter how favorable our circumstances, we can always complain that things aren’t better. Remember the famous financier who was asked, “How much money is enough?” He replied, “One more dollar than I have.” Our appetites, unless controlled, will always exceed our capacity to fulfill them. Truly, “the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.”
Contentment can be learned, and it is learned as we live by faith in Christ, and trust in our heavenly Father’s provision. Next, contentment is learned by submission to God’s sovereign will.
The Bible assures us that God ordains whatever comes to pass, that he “works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Ephesians 1:11). When God’s obedient people find themselves in hard places, they can count on one truth: the situation is no accident; it is the good will of their heavenly Father who works in all things for his glory, the good of his church, and the good of his people. For his glory and your good and the good of God’s church, he may speedily deliver you from your trial, in a seemingly miraculous way. Praise him for your deliverance!
Or, he may choose to leave you where you are and as you are, but again for his glory, and the good of the church and our good. Praise him for his sustaining grace!
Think about Paul in prison. In his hardship, he rejoices in Christ. A dark place is turned into an arena of God’s grace. Paul learns that Christ is sufficient, and those who watch him see Christ’s sufficiency too. There is evangelistic power in godly contentment. How many Christians have turned their hospital rooms or difficult marriages or chronically poor health into an occasion for powerful Christian testimony?
My Aunt Martha struggled with poor health for the fifty years I knew her. I never heard her complain. A teacher, the time came when she could not spend an entire day in the classroom. So, she found work as a part-time GED instructor, helping poor dropouts obtain the equivalent of a high school diploma.
Eventually, the government could not longer fund her position. She met with her supervisor, and told him she would continue to teach without pay – if she could invite the students to come an hour earlier for a voluntary meal and Bible study. He agreed and students came. When her health required her to leave her position, some of her students continued to come to her home for tutoring. My Aunt Martha turned every setback into an opportunity to witness - something contented people do instinctively.
As we wrap things up this morning, two words to keep in mind as you learn contentment”
First, adversity – expect it. “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). We are delivered through tribulation, not from it.
No small part of the discontentment pervasive in modern America emerges from our conviction that we are entitled to a trouble-free life. David Wells puts it like this:
In the older world we left behind, people thought of adversity as inevitable. Adversity was a consequence of the fall for those of a Christian outlook. But even for non-Christians it was never seen as an unexpected intruder in life. It was never thought that life should be without pain. Pain, disease, setbacks, disappointments, and wrong done to us were all seen as part of our life in this world, part of its texture, a thread woven with all the other threads through the fabric of our daily experience. Adversity was seen, even, as a necessary component in life. Today we resent adversity as an interruption in our pleasure seeking, a rude disruption of our opportunities and our sense of calm. It is a gross injustice. Why should bad things happen to good people? Where is the justice of that? We are entitled to better. Indeed, we are demanding better! Adversity of any kind is unacceptable.[7]Unless we acknowledge – even embrace – adversity, we cannot be content. We have no reason to expect that it won’t be our constant companion.
In adversity, we’re tested. When the pressure’s on - when the pain is intense – that’s when we put our faith to work. Things get tight, and we choose to entrust ourselves to God in Christ, convinced that he is at work in us and through us.
Jeremiah Burroughs writes, “Exercise faith, not only in the promise that all shall work together for good to them that fear God, but likewise exercise faith in God himself; as well as in his Word, in the attributes of God . . . What can you do by your faith? I can do this: I can in all states cast my care upon God, cast my burden upon God, I can commit my way to God in peace: faith can do this.”[8]
Two words to keep in mind as you learn contentment. First, adversity. Next, envy – don’t envy the good that comes to your neighbor. Our catechism reminds us that the tenth commandment forbids “the envying or grieving at the good of our neighbor.”[9] How easy it is to become bitter when we see others receive what we desperately want.
Make no compromises with envy; slay it before it rules your heart. And the best way of slaying it is by rejoicing with others. “Rejoice with those who rejoice” (Romans 12:12). Are you struggling to find employment? Rejoice with those who find work. Do you have a rebellious child? Then rejoice with other parents whose children are godly and mature. The remedy for envy is celebrating the joy of others.
Are you hurting because you’re childless? Don’t be ashamed of the hurt; take your cares before the Lord in prayer. But by all means – rejoice at the birth of every child; celebrate with happy parents. The remedy for envy is celebrating the joy of others.
Are you sad because you’ve wanted to marry, but the years have gone by, and it hasn’t happened? You be sure to rejoice with your friends as they marry. The remedy for envy is celebrating the joy of others.
Embracing adversity and repudiating envy are indispensable in winning the war against covetousness.
Three and a half centuries ago a Puritan pastor, Jeremiah Burroughs, wrote The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. It was rare then and it is rare now. But by God’s grace may it be found more and more in our congregation as we learn the great secret of godly contentment. Only contentment drives covetousness from the human heart. And it’s the heart that counts, for now as always, “the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.”
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[1] All Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
[2] Dr. Henry Krabbendam of Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, Georgia.
[3] Noah Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Retrieved on December 6, 2011 at http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,covet
[4] John L. Mackay, Exodus (Mentor: 2001), 355.
[5] Mackay, 354.
[6] I’m certain I owe this observation to someone else, but I’m not able to identify the source.
[7] David F. Wells, The Courage to Be Protestant: Truth-lovers, Marketers, and Emergents in the Postmodern World (Eerdmans, 2008), 161.
[8] Jeremiah Burroughs, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth), first published 1648, reprinted by Banner of Truth 1992), p. 219]
[9] Westminster Shorter Catechism, answer 81.
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