Tuesday Evening Service 16/9/25

Christian Contentment And How To Attain It - Part 2

Watch the Full Sermon HERE.

Well it’s been, it seems, a while since our last Tuesday evening. So let me just give a little heads up as to what teaching we are in, which we started back on the 19th August. Which was Jeremiah Burroughs wonderful work on contentment. He calls it ‘The Rare Jewel Of Christian Contentment.’

Which in itself is a telling title, that says it’s not as common as you think, and it is not a given, but something we need to seek and work at. As Burroughs often calls it ‘the art of contentment’ - meaning it’s labour intensive.

Burroughs’ base text in his teaching is:

Phillipians 4:11 LSB

Not that I speak from want, for I learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

Note again the word ‘learned’, not simply had, but learned. Of course it was God that was the teacher, but he had to be a student of that learning.

It’s easy to say: ‘you need to content yourself’, but that can’t be just said and simply applied, it must be learned.

And in that learning we may need to unlearn a whole lot, and deny ourself a whole lot, as Burroughs speaks of in almost every chapter. We must be willing to look intently and intentionally into our actions, and reactions.

This teaching from Burroughs does this at a wonderful depth, and insight into the human condition, from a puritan mind. Which of course we know is at a serious level.

Let me just again describe from Burroughs what he defines as Christian contentment.

It’s that sweet, inward quiet gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and Fatherly disposal in every condition

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There is much we could unpack from that. But I will simply say this about that statement at this junction: It’s a consistent, deep, joyous security that comes from complete trust and abandonment to God, and nothing outside him.

I know many Christians who are joyous but not consistently, who are secure but not consistently. Who trust but not consistently.

Paul tells the church in Philippi, that he has true contentment, and in every and any situation - and it’s consistent.

He writes in verse 12 extreme contrasting circumstances, in which he is content:

Phillipians 4:12 LSB

I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in abundance; in any and all things I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

The two most trying times in which contentment is tested is in the loss, and the plenty.

Some of the least contented times in people’s lives is not when they have nothing and are doing nothing, but have plenty and doing plenty.

The buzz becomes the substitute for true peace, the getting over-rides the having all in Christ.

Okay well last time we covered chapter one only of his work. A chapter Burroughs calls, ‘Christian Contentment Described.’ Last time we spoke on five points on that, which we won’t cover again, as the notes are freely available.

Tonight I want to share from another chapter. In fact, Burroughs writes three chapters on this subject, where he delves into the labour intensive work we must do within our hearts to develop this art of contentment.

And in the three chapters he talks about a subject that maybe we wouldn’t define as the real stumbling block to contentment. But the very fact Burroughs shares three of only eight chapters on this subject, then it’s safe to say, that Burroughs believes this is a vital part of attaining contentment, and a vital cause of its lack.

Before we go into this subject let’s again read from our Puritan prayer. And we are sticking with the prayers from the ‘Valley Of Vision’ called the subjects namesake ‘Contentment’. You will find it in the ‘Valley of Vision’ page 294  of the leather book or 163 of the paperback.

HEAVENLY FATHER, If I should suffer need, and go unclothed, and be in poverty, make my heart prize thy love, know it, be constrained by it, though I be denied all blessings. It is thy mercy to afflict and try me with wants, for by these trials I see my sins, and desire severance from them. Let me willingly accept misery, sorrows, temptations, if I can thereby feel sin as the greatest evil, and be delivered from it with gratitude to thee, acknowledging this as the highest testimony of thy love. When thy Son, Jesus, came into my soul instead of sin, he became more dear to me than sin had formerly been; his kindly rule replaced sin’s tyranny. Teach me to believe that if ever I would have any sin subdued I must not only labour to overcome it, but must invite Christ to abide in the place of it, and he must become to me more than vile lust had been; that his sweetness, power, life may be there. Thus I must seek a grace from him contrary to sin, but must not claim it apart from himself. When I am afraid of evils to come, comfort me by showing me that in myself I am a dying, condemned wretch, but in Christ I am reconciled and live; that in my self I find insufficiency and no rest, but in Christ there is satisfaction and peace; that in myself I am feeble and unable to do good, but in Christ I have ability to do all things. Though now I have his graces in part, I shall shortly have them perfectly in that state where thou wilt show thyself fully reconciled, and alone sufficient, efficient, loving me completely, with sin abolished. O Lord, hasten that day.

Okay, that subject that Burroughs speaks of in three chapters, that he believes is vital to deal with in order to attain contentment is that of a murmuring spirit and heart.

In chapter 5 he shares of ‘The Evils Of A Murmuring Spirit.’ In chapter six he shares on ‘Aggravations Of the Sin Of Murmuring’, and in chapter seven he shares on ‘The Excuses Of A Murmuring Heart’.

What do we meaning by a murmuring spirit or heart? Well what it means is that of, and this is just one definition (we will discover its true nature as we walk through our teaching) -  but from the offset:

It’s a subdued, inward, private expression, or discontent or dissatisfaction.

We could say it’s a private inward voice of dissatisfaction and discontent. Which of course is the opposite of contented.

Now let me just say: it’s not always wrong to grumble, or to murmur. Sometimes that grumble is just.

Acts 6:1 LSB

Now in those days, while the disciples were multiplying in number, there was grumbling from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.

That Greek word for murmuring is:

Γογγυσμός

(Gog-goos-mos)

And it literally means ‘a secret debate’.

Now again, in the context of the Hellenistic widows, this was an inward battle, of a situation that was justified - but it’s not a condition.

The issue that Burroughs addresses is that when that grumble becomes a condition, or a habitual heart and soul defect. Where the secret meeting and tribunals become part of your life, that it starts to make your heart and soul sicker, and no longer becomes one that is driven with a gracious, or contented spirit.

And as a result, good fruit is no longer produced. And is being replaced by a lack of love and grace, and, or most commonly its now selective, and circumstantial.

Again Burroughs quote I used the last time comes to mind.

The devil loves to fish in troubled water.

Okay, well tonight I want to, well in truth I would love to go through every point of the three chapters, but we won’t have near enough time.

So I’m going to go to chapter 5. Where Burroughs gives the greatest detail to this murmuring: ‘The Evils Of A Murmuring Heart’.

Where he says:

There is more evil in that, than you are aware of.

Burroughs then shares 13 points, and to just silence the murmurings, I’m not going to share them all. I’m only going to share 6

Point One:

The murmuring and discontentedness of yours reveals much corruption in your soul.

Burroughs writes:

As contentment argues much grace, strong grace, and beautiful grace, so murmuring argues much corruption, strong corruption, and very vile corruptions.

Contentment is way more positive towards others, its way more forgiving. It is way less selective.

Burroughs explains it like this, and takes the condition deeper.

He pens:

When an unskilled man comes and sees a large wound in the flesh, he looks upon it as a dangerous wound… but when the surgeon comes and sees a great gash he says… …this will be healed in a few days, but there is a smaller wound and inflammation and septic sore in it, and this will cost time to cure it.

Burroughs then explains, and I will paraphrase; that this is also true with the soul of man in his discontent. He does not realise how deeply its poisoning him, and making their condition, as Burroughs puts it ‘most miserable’.

He then writes, and I quote:

A murmuring spirit is the evil of evils, and the misery of misery.

Point Two:

As well as it being a brand of ungodly men, you will also find in scripture that God accounts it rebellion.

I’ve truly yet to meet a contented Christian rebel.

Dale Partridge, the guy who talked of pastors not speaking about the passing of Charlie Kirk, and recently how 100 plus people from other churches got in touch with him to say what their pastor didn’t do.

I asked the question: “how many are already discontent, how many are rebels?”

I love that James White was forthright in correcting him.

Burroughs says:

When discontent comes, it grows to murmuring.

He adds:

…and so in a while it breaks forth into sedition and rebellion.

Point Three in the evils of a murmuring spirit:

It’s a wickedness that’s greatly contrary to grace, and especially contrary to the work of God in bringing the soul home to Himself.

Instead of the soul being brought into light, the murmurings keep the soul in the dark, and hardens the heart.

In effect, the murmurings have started to find an abode for sin. Instead of seeing the work of God in our lives.

Okay…

Point Four:

Murmuring and discontent is exceedingly below a Christian.

Burroughs shares here many things that make his statement so. But I will share one:

You stand in relation to Christ not only as a spouse but as a member. You are bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh, and to name a member of Jesus Christ in such a condition of discontent is exceedingly unworthy.

He states:

Oh how beneath a Christian is a murmuring spirit.

Point Five:

There is great folly, extreme folly in a discontented murmuring heart.

Burroughs says:

 It takes away our present comfort, of what we truly have, because now you have not something you would have.

We have all the peace we need, all the contentment we need, to murmur is to go against what we have, and refuse what is ours.

Discontent says I can get something myself, it’s me that has to get it.

Burroughs says:

You can get nothing by it.

Who by worry can add? Discontent is a fear of loss, but you keep losing.

Okay last point…

Point Six:

There is much in the spirit of Satan in a murmuring spirit.

I’m simply going to read all of Burroughs’ point to close.

The Devil is the most discontented creature in the world, he is the proudest creature that is, and the most discontented creature, and the most dejected creature. Now, therefore, so much discontent as you have, so much of the spirit of Satan you have. It was the unclean spirit that went up and down and found no rest; so when a man or woman’s spirit has no reset, it is a sign that it has much of the unclean spirit, of the spirit of Satan, and you should think with yourself, Oh, Lord, have I the spirit of Satan upon me? Satan is the most discontented spirit that is, and oh! how much of his spirit have I upon me who can find no rest at all?

Amen.