On Covetousness & Contentment

Our text for today is the 10th commandment which reads:

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Coveting could be defined as “an inordinate, ungoverned, selfish desire for something.”

Someone once said that all too often, we want the wrong thing, in the wrong way, at the wrong time, and for the wrong reason, and this is what the tenth commandment rules out.

I’m really more interested in what it commends rather than what it forbids.

The Westminster Larger Catechism explains this command:

The duties required in the tenth commandment are, such a full contentment with our own condition, and such a charitable frame of the whole soul toward our neighbor, as that all our inward motions and affections touching him, tend unto, and further all that good which is his.

What are the sins forbidden in the tenth commandment? Answer: The sins forbidden in the tenth commandment are, discontentment with our own estate; envying and grieving at the good of our neighbor, together with all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his.

I want to focus on contentment for a number of reasons:

Pastorally, I know some of you need it now and all of you will need it eventually.

Culturally, we live in a world that runs on discontentment and consumerism. The media you consume is designed to stir up discontent and sell you things.

And oh my do we have enough things.

In his book “Self-Renewal,” John W. Gardner wrote that if happiness could be found in the comforts and pleasures money can buy, then “the large number of Americans who have been able to indulge their whims on a scale unprecedented in history would be deliriously happy. They would be telling one another of their unparalleled serenity and bliss instead of trading tranquilizer prescriptions.”

Textually, the story of Exodus ends with its finger on the final commandment.

Almost all of them wound up being disqualified from entering the promised land. And not for breaking the 5th or 6th or 7th commandments. But for breaking the 10th.

They were constantly grumbling and believing the worse about God. They were constantly pointing out what God hadn’t done for them.

But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD, none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it. – Numbers 14:20-24

Friends, contentment is key to finishing well.

We’re in this period of time where we see leaders dropping like flies – and it is always related to a lack of contentment.

Some men cannot be content with their own wives – and so they take on sinful relationships.
Some cannot be content to endure the disfavor of the world – so they take on false doctrines.
Some cannot be content with what they have – so they take what doesn’t belong to them.

And it isn’t just leaders. How many deconstruction stories could be summarized as:

“I used to be a faithful Christian until God did something I disagreed with. Then I freaked out, threw myself down an internet rabbit hole custom built to fan the flames of my anger with God”

God did something I disagreed with. God took something that I wanted. Or God refused to give me something I wanted.

Discontentment is exceedingly dangerous. It will take you into places you’d never thought you’d go. And may, in the end, disqualify you from receiving the promise.

Contentment is a prerequisite for finishing well.

Let’s spend the rest of our time considering Christian contentment.

It is a difficult virtue to obtain:

Turn in your bibles to Philippians 4:10-12

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 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. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

The language here shows that this was a difficult lesson. The word for learned means “initiated” or “graduated” — like he had enrolled in a school of contentment.

The word secret further emphasizes that this lesson is not one that comes easy.

When he says in vs. 12, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” — that’s not the kind of thing you say when you’ve just done something relatively easy. You don’t bend down and tie your shows successfully and say, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

It is different than other versions of contentment:

Christian contentment is not like the Buddhist version.

When you talk to adult converts to Buddhism, they will often tell you the main feature, the thing that drew them was the idea taught in Buddhism that nothing really matters.

Buddhism teaches that nothing in the universe is essential, and that everything is in a constant state of change and impermanence. This concept is called śūnyatā, and it means that all things are empty of intrinsic existence.

Buddhists believe that everything comes to an end, and that things are constantly changing. They say that human suffering is caused by our attachment to impermanent things, but that it can be freeing to know that suffering is changeable.

Those who understand impermanence detach themselves from all that exists and stop seeking anything.

That’s not Christian contentment. The same Paul who wrote, “I have learned the secret to contentment” wrote “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)

Thomas Watson writes:

A true Christian is a wonder; he is the most contented—and yet the least satisfied. He is contented with a morsel of bread, and a little water in the cruise—yet never satisfied with his grace; he pants and breathes after more.

Indeed you will not be able to grow in Christian contentment without some significant appetite for God and for growth in godliness.

The book of James tells us to count it all joy when you face various kinds of trials. Why?

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2)

Again from Watson:

“Every man complains that his estate is not better, though he seldom complains that his heart is not better.”

One way to think about contentment is to describe it as a self-conscious participation in and celebration of the accomplishment of God’s promises.

Romans 8:28 says that all things work together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose.

2 Corinthians 4 says that this light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory.

These promises are always true for the Christian. But not always evidently true or experientially felt.

Let’s think about that for a moment. Suppose we’re going through some kind of hardship. Romans 8 is happening. 2 Corinthians 4 is happening. How can we have in those moments, the feeling of improvement? How can our feelings join the facts of God’s promises?

That’s what happens when you learn contentment. You see “all things working together for good” through the eyes of faith. You know it is true. No matter the circumstances, you are aware of God’s hand working on you and working for you.

Christian contentment is not like the Stoic version.

The Stoic view of contentment is closer to the Christian one. Indeed, many of the same virtues expressed in the stoic view are present in the Christian view.

Stoics believe that people can find happiness by living a virtuous life. The four Stoic virtues are courage, justice, moderation, and wisdom.

And they could see that adversity produced these things. The main difference between the Stoic and Christian view is that Stoic is in conversation with himself.

As Marcus Aurelius wrote, “Begin each day by telling yourself: Today I shall be meeting with interference, ingratitude, insolence, disloyalty, ill-will, and selfishness – all of them due to the offenders’ ignorance of what is good or evil.”

Stoicism is comprised entirely of logical self-talk. Christian contentment is conversational. It is rooted in your relationship with the Father.

Take a look at Psalm 131:

O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.

There are some potential translation issues here.

But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.

Could mean – a child who is able to be with his mother and enjoy her without seeing her mostly through the lens of what she has to offer.

Could mean – a child who has just finished nursing and is full and satisfied.

Either way, the main thing to grasp is that David is finding contentment in the presence of God. He is with God like a small child is with his mother.

Christian contentment is highly concentrated on prayer and the presence of God.

And perhaps here we can see why the original Exodus generation never managed to attain true contentment and were in the end, disqualified by their own disquietude.

Look back at Exodus 20:17

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

18 Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

18 Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.”

When the book of Hebrews says that the old covenant was lacking in various ways, it is referring in part, to the inability of the old covenant to produce conditions where sinners could freely and joyfully commune with God.

The mountain was shaking and smoking and God is present in a thick darkness.

But when Jesus Christ gave himself for us, he cleared all the smoke and stilled the shaking mountain. He has created conditions whereby we can draw near to throne with confidence and in our drawing near, find true contentment.

The creator and sustainer of the universe is smiling upon us. It our job to cast cares, it his job to take them.

This is our Reformation Sunday celebration. 507 years ago, Martin Luther nailed the 95 theses to the door.It is a good thing that we wound up discussing contentment on the Sunday we celebrate the Protestant Reformation.

Contentment is the heartbeat of the reformation. Specifically the contentment of God. Catholicism, along with every other world religion, tells a story of a discontented God. Only by the repetition of various ceremonies, sacraments, and rites can God become temporarily satisfied and contented.

Protestantism presents a God who has been fully propitiated, fully satisfied, fully contented by the offering of Christ.

As Martin Luther put it,

Now, we are sure that Christ pleases God, that he is holy and so on. Inasmuch, then, as Christ pleases God and we are in him, we also please God and are holy.

Although sin still remains in us, and although we daily fall and offend, grace is more abundant and stronger than sin. The mercy and truth of the Lord reign over us forever. Therefore, sin cannot make us afraid or make us doubt God’s mercy in us. For Christ, that most mighty giant, has abolished the law, condemned sin, and vanquished death and all evils.

So long as he is at the right hand of God making intercession for us, we cannot doubt God’s grace and favor toward us.

Communion Prayer:

I doubt there is anyone here who has learned the secret of divine contentment as deeply as we ought. I know I Lord have much to learn. But I want to learn. I can see that the contentment presented in scripture is a great prize and a golden shield.

There are some saints here who are right now judging you by what you have withheld rather than what you have freely given.

There are some saints who mistake their circumstantial sweetness for contentment. They do not know they do not have true contentment. And I am afraid they will not learn it until they suffer – which is a terrible time to learn it. So Lord, please stir up the self-satisfied hearts and do the work only you can do.

Matthew 26:26-28:

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.