Today's Sermon:

“The Art of Divine Contentment”

I. Definition of Contentment

Contentment is a “Sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit”

-Jeremiah Burroughs, “The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment,”

II. Circumstances in Which We May be Content

III. Power to be Content in All Circumstances

IV. Pursuit of Contentment in All Circumstances

“Is there no rescue? Must it be thus to the end- constant conflict and, instead of victory, too often defeat? How can I preach with sincerity that to those who receive Jesus, ‘to them He gave the power to become sons of God,’ when it is not my own experience?” He wrote, “I felt assured that there was in Christ all I needed, but the practical question was how to get it out.”-Hudson Taylor

“As I thought of the vine and the branches, what light the blessed Spirit poured into my soul! How great seemed my mistake in having wished to get the sap, the fulness out of Him. I saw not only that Jesus would never leave me, but that I was a member of His body, of His flesh and bones. The vine now I see, is not the root merely, but all…ten thousand times more than we have ever dreamed, wished for, or needed. Oh the joy of seeing this truth!...Christ dwelling in the heart by faith is power indeed, is life indeed. And Christ and sin will not dwell together; nor can we have His presence with love of the world, or concern about ‘many things.’”-Hudson Taylor

“Contentment is a sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit which flows out of our inner sufficiency and satisfaction in Christ as we abide in Him.”

“Many, many thanks for your loving sympathy in my bereavement- I cannot properly say loss. I feel it an inexpressible gain. She is not lost. She does not love me less now, nor do I love her less, or less rejoice in her. And I do from day to day and every day so delight in the love of Jesus, satisfy my thirsty heart when most desolate from His fullness, feed and rest in green pastures…Never does He leave me…His own rest, His own peace, His own joy He gives me. He kisses me with kisses of love, which are better than wine…In His presence there is fullness of joy.”-Hudson Taylor

“Ah! My dear brother, what a wonderful expression is that, ‘In Christ Jesus.’ And what a wonderful fact is our being in Christ Jesus and He is us…so all-sufficient. It is like playing in the shallows of a boundless ocean- Oh the unsearchable riches of His fullness! And all is ours- for He is ours and we are His.”-Hudson Taylor