Discontent is a misallocation of effort and desire.
In Luke 12 Jesus is talking about what is going
to happen after his death. He says that they
should not live as the Pharisees, the religious
leaders of the day, but they should live a life
free of hypocrisy as everything that is done
in secret will be revealed. He also says that
they should not make decisions about their conduct
out of fear of death by the Pharisees, but they
should live in such a way as to please God, who
unlike the Pharisees, who could only judge them
and bring physical death, God could judge them
and bring spiritual death. He goes on to share
that God cares for the birds and He cares for
us who are more valuable. so valuable even that
the hairs on her heads are numbered. It seems
like in the middle of this serious conversation
about how disciples should live their lives in
view of eternity, a man says, hey, I have this
problem. Would you help me? Jesus is frustrated
by the question and was like, that is not my
job. The question launches him into a different
direction. He is trying to get people to live
with eternity in mind and this guy can't get
past today. The question is can you help me because
my brother got more stuff than me. Let's read
this. Luke 12 verse 1 says, Beware ye of the
leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
For there is nothing covered that shall not be
revealed, neither hid that shall not be known.
Wherefore, whatsoever you have spoken in darkness
shall be heard in the light, and that which you
have spoken in the ear, in closet, shall be proclaimed
upon the housetops. And I say unto you, my friends,
be not afraid of them that kill the body, and
after that have no more that they can do. But
I will forewarn you whom you shall fear. Fear
him, which after he hath killed, hath power to
cast into hell. Yea, I say unto you, fear him.
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings,
and not one of them is forgotten before God?
But even the very hairs of your head are all
numbered. Fear not, therefore, ye are more value
than many sparrows. Also, I say unto you, Whosoever
shall confess me before men, him shall the Son
of Man also confess before the angels of God.
But he that denieth me before men shall be denied
before the angels of God. And whosoever shall
speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall
be forgiven him. But unto him that blasphemeth
against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven.
And when they bring you into the synagogues and
unto magistrates and powers, take you no thought
how or what thing you shall answer or what you
shall say, for the Holy Ghost shall teach you
in that same hour what you ought to say. And
one of the company said unto him, Master, speak
to my brother that he divide the inheritance
with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made
me a judge or a divider over you? And he said
unto them, Take heed and beware of covetousness,
for a man's life consists not in the abundance
of things which he possesseth. Jesus identifies
the request as rooted in covetousness, wanting
something he didn't have, wanting something that
someone else has, being content with what was
given. Because discontent is a misallocation
of effort and desire and we can see this in the
man's request Jesus is talking about eternal
things but this man's eyes are on what his brother
has what he perceives to be an injustice and
things and He spake a parable unto them saying
the ground of a certain rich man brought forth
plentifully and he thought within himself saying
What shall I do? Because I have no room where
to bestow my fruits. And he said, This will I
do. I will pull down my barns and build greater,
and there will I bestow all my fruits and my
goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou
hast much goods laid up for many years. Take
thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God
said unto him, Thou fool! This night thy soul
shall be required of thee. Then whose shall those
things be which thou hast provided? So is he
that layeth up treasure for himself and is not
rich toward God. Jesus is always trying to get
us to live for eternity. He wants us to live
with God in mind. We are always getting sidetracked
trying to make heaven right here. I think that
is particularly true for us as Americans. We
have this thing called the American dream. We
spend our lives building our ideal here and forget
our true destination is heaven. And so we are
working to make more money or spend more time
or build more of this or that because we're looking
to build that perfect life. Live for the weekend.
Live for retirement. It is a misallocation of
time and resources. This man's time and resources
were focused on being comfortable and getting
to the point where he could relax. But God wanted
him to use his time and resources for the kingdom
of God. This man would have made his decisions
differently if he knew he was going to die that
night. He would have done something else than
build a barn and plan for retirement. Our decisions
are based on a false premise. I will be content
if I will be happy when God calls this foolish
he says this is the wrong goal and he said unto
his disciples therefore I say unto you take no
thought for your life what you shall eat neither
for the body what you shall put on the life is
more than meat and the body is more than raiment
consider the ravens for they neither sow nor
reap which neither have storehouse nor barn and
God feedeth them How much more are you better
than the fowls? And which of you, with taking
thought, can add to a stature one cubit? If you,
then, be not able to do the thing which is least,
why take you thought for the rest? Consider the
lilies how they grow. they toil not, they spin
not, and yet I say unto you that Solomon in all
his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
If then God so clothed the grass, which is today
in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven,
how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little
faith? and seek not what you shall eat or what
you shall drink neither be ye of a doubtful mind
for all these things do the nations of the world
seek after and your father knoweth that you need
of these things but rather seek the kingdom of
God and all these things shall be added unto
you fear not little flock for it's your father's
good pleasure to give you the kingdom what is
he saying he's saying Use your time and resources
for the kingdom from a place of contentment or
a place that is happy within the boundary of
the eternal. God knows all the stuff, but he
wants us to use our time and resources for his
kingdom. It's his responsibility to provide for
our needs. He continues, sell what you have and
give alms. Provide yourselves bags which wax
not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth
not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth
corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there
will your heart be also. Jesus says God knows
what we need and we will make sure we get it.
He says the nations of the world seek after material
things in this world that will satisfy. Let me
just jump off here and say we see thousands of
ads every day. Each ad is there to bring you
discontentment because if you're content you
don't need what they are selling. Each ad says
I have what will make you happy. Your life isn't
good because you don't have... You need this
and your life will be easier when you buy it.
You will be satisfied if you get this thing.
Think of how many ads have someone sitting with
a satisfied smile on their face. This is all
what the nations of the world seek. But Jesus
has a better plan. His plan is to give us the
kingdom of God. His plan is to give us a treasure
that will not fail, be stolen, or rot. We just
need to make sure we use our time and resources
the right way We need to use them from a place
of contentment. We need to make our decisions
with eternity in view