You Can Do It

Cole Edwards • August 31, 2022

From Pastor Lance Shumake's message on Philippians 4:10-13.


Sometimes when we say something we end up spending more time explaining what it is that we aren’t saying than what we are. You might say something like “You look nice today,” and then you realize that it might be a good idea to offer more explanation clarifying that you are not offering a back-handed compliment. It seems like Paul does something similar in today’s text; we see him spending a lot of time clarifying what he is not saying. 


For context, Paul planted the church in Philippi ten years before this letter was written. And this church was a faithful source of support for Paul. But as time passed, for some reason, the church at Philippi stopped providing financial support to Paul. But as Paul is writing this letter ten years later, he is doing so under house arrest. And Acts 28:30 tells us that Paul is paying his own rent, while under house arrest, “He [Paul] lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him.”


And it is in this context that the church at Philippi is sending a gift to Paul through Epaphroditus. Paul is expressing his gratitude to the Philippians in this letter; it’s essentially the world’s longest “Thank you” note. And at Chapter 4, verse 10 Paul says “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me…” It looks like Paul is basically saying “Finally, you’re showing concern for me again.” But then we see Paul walk that statement back a bit as he begins to clarify what he is saying. In the same verse Paul continues, “You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.” 


Paul indicates that that he is not faulting them, but rather assuming the best, saying that they “had no opportunity.” Paul gives them the benefit of the doubt and that is a good example for us to follow.  Paul continues his explanation by affirming his gratitude and his contentment. The rest of this passage explores the idea of Biblical contentment. 


Contentment was originally a political term that referred to a country that was so self-sufficient, it had no need of foreign imports. So when Paul is using the word content it is with this meaning in mind – a country that has no need for help from another, it has its own water, food, resources, everything it needed to thrive and survive. A content country had no need to place its hope in a territory outside of itself.


So we see Paul in prison and we would think he would be asking someone to help him, but Paul is saying, “No. I have everything I need right here, because Jesus is enough.” That is Biblical contentment. 


Steve Lawson said it this way, “This speaks of a calm acceptance of his present lot in life. To be discontent would mean that Paul wants to be somewhere else than where the sovereign hand of God has placed him, and to have more than the sovereign hand of God has chosen to give him. To be content is to have a peaceful acceptance of where God has providentially placed him.” 


Contentment is the idea that ultimately, regardless of the circumstances, I will be okay. I may not be happy about it, I may long for something better, but I will be okay, because Jesus is enough. Not only that, but I will be free to thrive and invest in others in any situation I find myself in. That is actually what Paul is talking about in verse 13. 


Philippians 4:13 (I can do all things through Him who strengthens me) often gets taken out of context. You see it often in athletic events where someone will claim victory over an opponent because they can do all things in Jesus. But that is not the context of this verse. Philippians 4:13 is not talking about conquering, but contentment. In fact, it would be more appropriate to reference Philippians 4:13 after a heartbreaking loss rather than a pre-game rallying cry. 


We’re going to examine three points of Biblical contentment.


Biblical contentment is being okay if everything changes, being okay if nothing changes, and it is attainable. 



Being okay if everything changes (loss/disaster)


Imagine great loss that comes in the future. Biblical contentment says that no matter what comes in the future, no matter how bad things may be, I will be okay because I have Jesus.

We can spend a lot of our lives fearing the future. Sometimes we are afraid of failure, but contentment frees us from that fear. But Paul is not talking about idleness. Biblical contentment allows us to take a risk, it removes the fear of failure as we rest in Jesus.


Contentment also frees us from fear of disaster. We might trust in our own plans, our own preparations, rather than trusting in our Lord. Our hope can become placed in things that moth and rust can destroy. The real disaster that we should fear is not political or natural, but rather in investing our lives in chasing the things of this world. 


When these fears come up, one of the things that can help is to ask the question, “What is the worst thing that can happen?” Death? Biblical contentment is living in the reality that “To live is Christ, to die is gain.” 




Being okay if nothing changes (plateauing)


Biblical contentment means being okay if everything changes, but it also means being okay if nothing changes. If today is the best it will ever be, contentment means Jesus is enough even in that. Even if you never get to do your favorite thing again, like riding a pony, or eat your favorite food, like ice cream, or if you never get drafted by the NBA, being content means Jesus is enough even then. Jesus is that good!


What if three generations from now, no one remembers who you are? What if that is the lot that God has for you? What if you are single and you want to be married? If that never happens, will Jesus be enough for you? 


John Calvin said it this way, “If a man knows to make sure of present abundance in a sober and temperate manner, with thanksgiving, prepared to part with everything whenever it may be the good pleasure of the Lord, giving also a share to his brother, according to the measure of his ability, and is also not puffed up, that man has learned to excel, and to abound.” 


Whatever situation you find yourself in, whether you have a lot or a little, being okay if your circumstances never change, that is the contentment attainable in Jesus. If nothing comes in from the outside, if nothing changes, I’ll be okay because Jesus is enough.




Attainable


Lastly, Biblical containment is attainable. That’s why the sermon is titled “You Can Do It!” Paul is saying that whatever comes my way I can do it, through Christ, who strengthens. Contentment is something we lay hold of by being aware of the goodness of Jesus, by being aware of the Gospel. Paul challenges us in Philippians 2: 5-11 to consider and remember what Jesus has done. Doing that propels us towards contentment. 


[Phl 2:5-11 ESV] 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.




When you know someone did for you what Jesus did, and that Jesus is yours and you are His. That is enough. When you understand what Jesus has done, that is enough! Those other things just don’t seem to matter when you are living in the awareness of who Jesus is and what He has done. The more we understand God, the more we praise Him, the more we will learn to be content in whatever situation we find ourselves. Jesus is good, and no matter what else happens He is not going anywhere. In Him lies true contentment.

Arm Yourselves

June 11, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, June 8, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 4:1-6 Prepare to suffer Is. 50:6-8a I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. 7 But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. 8 He who vindicates me is near. The martial language indicates that discipline and grit are needed to live the Christian life, particularly in view of the suffering believers encounter. -Thomas R. Schreiner Some people won’t like you if you follow Jesus When a culture abandons biblical standards, when extramarital sex, cohabitation, and birth outside of marriage become normal, people attack the church for its moral snobbery and judgmentalism. Peter warns us that if we do take a stand, we need to expect slander, not applause. -Daniel M. Dorian This is one of the hardest things a new Christian has to face. Your friends liked you because you shared in “the same flood of debauchery.” It seemed great fun at times, but then you came to embrace Christ… But your friends have not… They will be surprised when you say “No.” -Juan Sanchez. Keep an eternal perspective Our outcome is glorious Suffering is good for us Let’s remember that suffering accomplishes God’s purposes. It exposes what or whom we are trusting (1 Peter 1:6–7). - Juan Sanchez Ecc. 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Discipleship Questions: Verse 1 tell us to arm ourselves by thinking as Christ did about suffering. How did Christ arm himself for and against sufferings? What does it look like for us to do that? Have you ever lost friendships (or had them change) because you were following Jesus? Do you fear that we (or our kids) will experience greater persecution in the future? If yes, how should we handle that fear?

I Believe That We Will Win

June 3, 2025
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, June 1, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:18-22 Jesus suffered and died in order to bring us to God Jesus conquered death by his resurrection “A wonderful text is this, and a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the New Testament, so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means.” —Martin Luther Problem #1 - he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison —Jesus preached through Noah to those who lived at that time (1 Peter 1:10–12) —Jesus proclaimed His victory to evil angels (see Genesis 6:1-4) Problem #2 - baptism now saves you —Scripture is clear - we are saved by grace not works —baptism pictures our salvation from God’s judgment through the resurrection of Christ “The waters of baptism, like the waters of the flood, demonstrate that destruction is at hand, but believers are rescued from these waters in that they are baptized with Christ, who has also emerged from the waters of death through his resurrection. Just as Noah was delivered through the stormy waters of the flood, believers have been saved through the stormy waters of baptism by virtue of Christ’s triumph over death.” —Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude —in baptism we are appealing to God for a good conscience "This appeal is an act of the heart looking away from itself and from all human instruments and calling on God, appealing to God, for grace to save.” —John Piper —in baptism we are pledging to God to live in a manner worthy of the gospel Jesus ascended to heaven and now reigns over everything “We can face suffering as Christians with confidence rather than panic, and hope rather than despair, because the road marked with Christian suffering is, no matter what its twists and turns are, the road to vindication and glory. The God who vindicated Jesus will vindicate you, and he will sustain your faith until that day.” –Juan R. Sanchez, 1 Peter For You Discipleship Questions: How does Jesus’ death and resurrection encourage us when we suffer? Why did we need Jesus to suffer and die to bring us to God? How does Jesus’ victory over death give us eternal hope? What are your thoughts regarding some of the problems in this passage? How does what Peter says about baptism elevate the importance of baptism? When were you baptized and how does this passage inform your understanding of baptism? How does knowing our victory is secured help us with all the things this life throws at us?

Who Can Be Against Us?

May 27, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:13-17 Nobody can (truly) hurt Christians Psalm 118:6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? Rom. 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? The train of thought is as follows: “No one will be able to harm believers on the future day if they are zealous for good” (v. 13). Indeed, even present suffering is not a sign of punishment but of blessing both now and especially in the future, on the day when God rewards his people with eternal life. -Thomas R. Schreiner Honoring Christ Erases Fear Share your faith with strength and gentleness Embrace balance Be prepared to share The truth of the gospel is a public truth that can be defended in the public arena. This does not mean, of course, that every Christian is to be a highly skilled apologist for the faith. It does mean that every believer should grasp the essentials of the faith and should have the ability to explain to others why they think the Christian faith is true. -Thomas R. Schreiner Be prepared to suffer “I’ve spent a number of years in India and Africa where I found much righteous endeavor undertaken by Christians of all denominations; but I never, as it happens, came across a hospital or orphanage run by the Fabian Society [a British socialist organization], or a humanist leper colony.” -Malcolm Muggeridge Be bold! We will likely suffer as Christians in this world, but that suffering is slight and temporary compared to the eternal inheritance that awaits us. The worst thing that can happen to us is that we die and receive our promised inheritance. Can you imagine how emboldened Christians would be if we only believed what Peter is saying? -Juan R. Sanchez Discipleship Questions: Does the fact that nobody can (truly) harm us comfort you? What would change if we lived like we really believe that? Are you a more confident person as someone who knows Christ? Does your security in Christ embolden you to take some risks in life, knowing that the worst that could happen is death? How equipped / prepared are you to give a reason for the hope that you have? What would grow your confidence and competence in that? Have you considered joining Michael Clark one day for evangelism at the harbor? Well….you should….
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