All American Idols Series
Title: More Stuff!
Text: Philippians 4:10-13
Thesis: When we are driven by the want of more we live contrary to a life of contentment and trust.
Context
When Paul wrote the Book of Philippians he was in prison in Rome awaiting trial… the end of which would result in his execution. The Roman authorities were favorably disposed toward Paul but the Jewish authorities were not so as something of a compromise Paul was under house arrest. The bible says he was in his own rented house but chained and under guard for two years... but at his own expense. (Acts 28:16 and 30)
Knowing he was in prison, his Christian friends back in Philippi sent one of their church members, Epaphroditus, to deliver a gift of money to Paul to help with his support while in prison. Apparently Epaphroditus had also intended to stay and help Paul but he became very ill and nearly died so Paul sent him back to Philippi. In one sense the Book of Philippians is a big thank you note to the church in Philippi for their generosity.
In our text today, Paul is wrapping up a letter to the Christians in the city of Philippi… “I am writing to all God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Jesus Christ, including the elders and deacons.” Philippians 1:1
The Philippians, despite their own poverty, were very generous people and had regularly supported Paul in his work.
If we read beyond our stated text we see in:
4:15 – The Philippians were the only ones who supported him while in Philippi and in his missionary journey to Macedonia
4:16- When he was in Thessalonica they had sent him monetary support again and again, i.e., more than once
4:17 – Paul wished the Philippians would receive a reward for their kindness
4:18 – Paul tells the Philippians that he is generously supplied by their gifts
4:19 – Paul assures the Philippians that the same God who supplies all his needs will supply theirs as well
So it is the context of Paul having once again experienced the kindness and generosity of his friends form Philippi that he talks about having learned to be content whether he was struggling to make ends meet or in walking in high clover.
Introduction –Culturally we Practice Outsized Consumption and Accumulation
When I speak of “More Stuff” I am really taking a look at two closely related things that affect us all.
1. Consumerism in the sense that consuming is a preoccupation or inclination toward buying and consuming more goods (and services).
2. Accumulation in the sense that that accumulating is a preoccupation or inclination toward attaining more material things.
I read about a man in Dallas, Texas who had a Starbuck’s Loyalty Card that entitled him to one free drink. He proceeded to order a so-called Sexagintuple Vanilla Bean Mocha Frappuccino which included 60 shots of espresso, required a 128 ounce glass to hold it and cost $54.75. That is outsized and excessive consumerism.
It’s fun to pick on the excesses of others isn’t it… especially the rich?
Earlier this year reality – TV star Kevin O’Leary, AKA Mr. Wonderful of The Shark Tank, responded to the Oxfam Report on Global Inequality that cited the fact that the combined wealth of the 85 richest people of the world is equal to the combined wealth of the poorest 3.5 billion people of the world by saying, “It’s fantastic.” He went on to say, “This is a great thing because it inspires everybody, gets them motivation to look up to the 1% and say, ‘I want to become one of those people. I’m going to fight hard to get to the top.’ This is fantastic news, and of course I applaud it. What can be wrong with this?”
O’Leary speaking of his belief that poor people need look up to the rich as models and get to work on becoming rich and successful themselves said, “This isn’t a Robin Hood society.” The rich have no responsibility toward the poor… It would seem that in the pursuit of more we become heartless and when we become heartless we cannot or will not show compassion.”
Such an attitude toward hard work and the accumulation of wealth runs totally contrary to the clear teaching of Scripture: Tell the rich of this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous toward those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing so they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so they may experience true life. I Timothy 6:19
One of the most interesting aspects of The Shark Tank is the creativity of the entrepreneurs who surrender 5% of their business or 2% of their profits to the network simply for the privilege of appearing on the Tank. They all have an invention or a product for which they wish to obtain financial backing so they can produce, market and sell their product to we consumers who eagerly wait for the latest doodad, doohickey, thingamajig, whatchamacallit, shiny bobble or gadget to hit the shelves.
It isn’t just about getting more and more money… it’s about the silly ways we go about acquiring more and more stuff. When I was a boy my grandparents had a little nick-knack shelf in their dining room… it was a pretty cool shelf for a kid. There were lots of things cluttering the shelves but I remember a ceramic skunk salt and pepper shaker set and a little mule with a bobbing head. The other night I was thinking about that shelf and that mule and wondered if there was still such a thing… just Google Bobbing Head Mule or Donkey and you will be surprised how many places there are that have them ready to satisfy your consumer need for bobbing head mules for $6.99 and up plus shipping. I thought, “How cool is that? For just $28 plus shipping I could be a good American consumer and get one for myself and one for each of my brothers… who undoubtedly would just love to have a bobbing head mule like was on Grandpa and Grandma Newton’s shelf. I was actually thinking about ordering 4 bobbing head mules online as well as one of those Billy Bass Singing Sensation fish that when activated waves it tail as Creedance Clearwater Revival sings, “Proud Mary – Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ down a river.
It’s easy to pick on rich people… I read in Time Magazine this week that Kim Kardasian and Kanye West’s recent wedding cost $2.8 million. (Briefing, Time, 6/9/14) That is waaaaay outsized consumption. However the average wedding here in the United States, including reception is $28,427. In Santa Barbara the average wedding cost is $42,000 and in Manhattan it is $77,000. Some spend on a wedding the equivalent of a year’s tuition at college or what the average American makes in an entire year. That is some major consumption of goods and services. But how can you put a price on love?
I just read that 44% of new homes being constructed have 4 bedrooms or more and most have at least 3 bathrooms. The average American household is a grand total of 2.54 people which means the average new home has more bedrooms and bathrooms than people living there. (You run across all kinds of interesting things when you poke around enough. There was recently a neighborhood uprising among residents in Greenwich Village, NY when a wealthy Russian billionaire’s wife tried to build a 21,000 square foot mansion with 26 bathrooms. (When I was a kid we had one bathroom and you had to go outside and walk down a path to get to it.)
We live in a culture of outsized consumption and accumulation in which, as I said last week, when you grow accustomed to the way things are, you no longer see things for what they are… idols that affect the way we think and live.
Our primary text today provides us with two biblical examples of how we may think about consuming and accumulating things and money.
Let me say first of all that:
I. Wealth… as neutral… it may be used for good or abused or selfishly withheld
Tell the rich of this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous toward those in need, always being ready to share with others. I Timothy 6:18-19
A. The danger of having money is that we place our trust and security in this life in our money.
B. The opportunity we have when we have money is to use it to do good for others..
When we understand money is for taking care of ourselves and helping others and not for just getting and getting and getting… it is neutral. But when we want it and will not share it… it is no longer neutral and we have a problem. Money then becomes an idol. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew 6:24
The way to look at our means or our money is with detachment.
II. Wealth… viewed with detachment
Wealth should be viewed with detachment.
A. The Philippians were detached from their money – they gave!
At the moment I have all I need – and more! I am generously supplied by the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. Philippians 4:15-18
When I began this morning I cited in reference to how the Philippians, who despite their own poverty, were very generous people and had regularly supported Paul in his work.
This is not the only time Paul spoke of contentment. In his letter to Timothy he urged him to remind people that, “We brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.” I Timothy 6:7-8
He went on to say that “people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith…” I Timothy 6:9-10
The people to whom these words were originally intended lived in the city of Ephesus. Ephesus was a very wealthy city and the people who lived there lived in affluence. They were doing okay but they had a thing for money and the love of money is a problem, and especially so, when you cannot detach from it.
Unfortunately I am a little too detached from money… that’s why I don’t have any. But that is sometimes a good thing. When Pastor Trevor was serving here as Youth Pastor we received a letter from the City of Denver. Enclosed was a photo of Trevor driving our old church van and a speeding ticket. He had been caught on camera in a radar trap. When I called him in and gave him the ticket he had the look of one sick puppy. Now what should I do? We can’t have our church van speeding around the city of Denver can we? When you speed and get a ticket you need to learn your lesson… pay your fine. Serve your time. You made your bed, now sleep in it. Or was this a good time for Monty to pony up and pay his fine? Believe me, I would not mind being filthy rich but I’m not. Buy if I have $50 and cannot detach myself from it to help out a friend… I am way too attached to my money.
Paul was saying to them and to all who read Scripture that “contentment” is the good and godly goal… not wealth. If a person cannot be content without a boat-load of money that person has placed an outsized value on his money.
Paul was detached in a different way.
B. Paul was detached from their gift
I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation. Philippians 4:11-12
The word “content” means to be entirely self-sufficient.
There is a difference between the way a Stoic approaches contentment and the way Paul approached contentment.. The Stoic believes that he, by an act of his own will, can be content. A stoically minded person believes he or she is entirely independent of all things and people… the Stoic has taught himself he does not need anything or anyone. Things are as they are and they are as they are because the gods wish them to be as they are and there is nothing you can do about it. The Stoic does not care. Everything is God’s will. It is useless to struggle against it so accept it. The Stoic decides by an act of the will to be content.
That is likely what the people at Philippi initially heard Paul say but that was not what Paul was saying.
Paul was saying I have learned to be content, not because I have a great deal of self-sufficiency but because I have learned about God-sufficiency. I don’t know if Paul really meant for this to sound like this but essentially Paul was saying, “Thanks for the gift but I was just fine without it.
Paul believed the secret to contentment is in Christ’s enabling. “I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13
Paul was saying I have learned to be detached from money because I am attached to and trusting God.
In I Timothy 6:6 the bible says, “True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.”
That is the real point Paul wants to make with us today.
III. Wealth… as a matter of trust and need
This same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches which have been given us in Christ. Philippians 4:19 (Matthew 6:25-33)
There is some disagreement about what verse 19 means.
1. Does Paul mean that God will supply all your material needs?
2. Does Paul mean that God will supply all your spiritual needs, that being the ability to face all circumstances through Christ who gives us strength?
I believe it is both.
The bible asks, “If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion – how can God live in that person?” I John 3:17 James wrote, “Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, ‘Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well’ but don’t help that person… what good does that do?” James 2:15-16
I share those passages to illustrate that God is not a God who thinks a lack of compassion and a lack of action in behalf of others in need is acceptable. So I assume that God cares for both body and spirit. We can trust God to supply our needs for both body and spirit.
Conclusion
One closing thought about consumption:
I recently read about a chocolate lab dog named Wilson. His owner noticed he was acting a little under par so he took Wilson to the vet. The vet x-rayed Wilson and found that the dog had 7 golf balls in his stomach… so the vet performed a golfballectomy. They say chocolate labs are incredibly greedy dogs and apparently they are big into consumption.
Lesson: Just because there is stuff out there gobble up and everything out there has a little sign on it saying, “Buy Me!” doesn’t mean we have to consume things we don’t need.
Second, a closing thought about accumulation:
I read a statistic some time ago from New York Times Magazine about the self-storage business.
The U.S. now has 2.3 billion square feet of self-storage space… that’s 7 square feet for every man, woman and child. If someone decided to build a 2.3 billion square foot self-storage facility somewhere in some wide open space, it is physically possible for every American to stand in the middle of his or her 7 square feet of covered storage-space at one time. That would be one large storage shed.
There are 7 times more self-storage facilities in the U.S. than there are Starbucks.
50 % of the stuff renters of self-storage space store is stuff that won’t fit in their homes… even though the average home today is 50% larger than homes were 50 years ago.
15% of all the stuff in self-storage units is stuff no longer needed or wanted.
Lesson: We only need what we need. We do not need to accumulate and accumulate just because we can.
Three application questions:
1. Do you think you are outsized in any areas as a consumer or an accumulator?
2. Do you think you are undersized in the areas of generosity and trust?
3. What is the biggest barrier to contentment in your life?
We end today… with the thought with which we began: When we are driven by the want of more we live contrary to a life of contentment and trust.
