Thursday most American families will gather and celebrate Thanksgiving. Most will at best, be thankful for a day off work.

That differs a great deal from a man named Paul who was in prison when he wrote to his friends in Philippi. Consider thankfulness from his prision letter to the Philippians in our sermon verse for today

Philippian Thankful Verses

I thank my God every time I remember you. —Philippians 1:3 NET
For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. —Philippians 1:21 NET
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, —Philippians 2:14 NET
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! —Philippians 4:4 NET

Here is a man who has found the secret of real thanksgiving—contentment and JOY.

How can he be this way? Well Paul reveals his content to us and that is what we will explore in our sermon today. NOTES 3 points

1) LEARN TO BE CONTENT (v. 11)

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. —Philippians 4:11 ESV

Have you noticed how easy it is to be discontent? But Paul says here, I have learned to be content. He had once been on top of the world as a Roman citizen and Jewish Pharisee.

But when he met Jesus on the Damascus road, his life changed forever. He had to learn a new way of life, of contentment. How do you practice contentment?

Maybe you’re ready to learn to be content, learn to be thankful, even when things don’t go your way, even if people fail you or disappoint you.

This proverb agrees with you and say it this way

Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God. —Proverbs 30:8-9 ESV

This addresses “false appearances of happiness, every vain expectations.” Our discontment usually restes in our false or unrealistic expections. If you’re willing to learn to be content, you will discover the secret of Thanksgiving. Once you’re ready to learn contentment.

2) LEARN TO BE CONTENT NO MATTER WHAT’S PUT ON YOUR PLATE

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 4:12 ESV

Consider children who have something on their plate they don’t like. Sure you can sometimes get them to eat it, but we cannot make them be satisfied with it.

LEARNING and CONTENTMENT are different than our EMTIONS and FEELINGS!

Put more plainly, it’s a decision that I’m not going to let what happens to me rob me of my happiness. Listen to Paul’s example to the Corinthian church:

Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. —2 Corinthians 11:24-27 ESV

Here is a man who knows what it is to hurt, to suffer, to feast on a table full of food and to listen to his stomach growl with hunger.

And yet many of us can count all of those blessings, and still not be content, still not truly be thankful.

There’s one more element of true contentment that is the secret of real thanksgiving, and that is you must

3) LEARN TO BE CONTENT IN CHRIST

BECAUSE CHRIST IS ENOUGH

Paul proved the truth of this statement with his life.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. —Philippians 4:13 ESV

Paul is saying if Jesus Christ is Lord of your life, you have everything you need to be content. You can do all things, endure all things with contentment and thanksgiving, because you have Jesus.

Professor Tim Brown Story

Jesus is enough… right now!

If you know Jesus, you have a God who hears you, the power of love behind you, the Holy Spirit within you, and all of heaven ahead of you.

If you have Jesus, you have grace for every sin, direction for every turn, and an anchor for every storm. And because you can’t fast forward through the bad parts You can learn Jesus is in all the frames, AMEN?!?!

Do you have Jesus today?

Won’t you discover the truth of thanksgiving today?
Won’t you come and discover that when you have Jesus, you have enough?