Ecclesiastes 1:3-8 “What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun? One generation passes away, and another generation comes; but the earth abides forever. The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it arose. The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, and comes again on its circuit…”

Ecclesiastes 1:3-8 “…All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; To the place from which the rivers come, there they return again. All things are full of labor; man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing” (NKJV).

Contentment I. Jesus’ Contentment. A. Jesus taught, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15).

Contentment I. Jesus’ Contentment. B. Of Himself He said, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Matt. 8:20).

Contentment I. Jesus’ Contentment. C. He challenges us to realized, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?” (Luke 9:25).

Contentment I. Jesus’ Contentment. D.Yet, He was also discontent with some things (John 2:13-17).

Contentment II. Paul’s Contentment. A.Paul taught, “what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ” (Phil. 3:7).

Contentment II. Paul’s Contentment. B.He said further, “…indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Phil. 3:8).

Contentment II. Paul’s Contentment. C.Paul learned to be content in all things (Phil. 4:11-13). D.Yet, there were also times when he was not content (Gal. 1:6-9; 2:11-14).

Contentment III. Discontent when we should be content. A.“If only…then…”s. 1.Christians should be content with what we have (Heb. 13:5-6). 2.We can be content with basic needs (1 Tim. 6:6-10). 3.We should not put confidence in material things (Job 31:24-28).

Contentment III. Discontent when we should be content. B.Things we cannot change. 1.Many things are out of our control (John 7:24).

Contentment III. Discontent when we should be content. B.Things we cannot change. 2.“Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7).

Contentment III. Discontent when we should be content. B.Things we cannot change. 3.Relationships: Parents, Children, Spouses (Col. 3:18-23).

Contentment III. Discontent when we should be content. C.The church, when we are inactive. 1.We must take responsibility (I Cor. 12:4-6; 12; 23-27).

Contentment III. Discontent when we should be content. C.The church, when we are inactive. 2.We are to grow up in all things into Him, “…who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Eph. 4:15-16).

Contentment IV. Content when we should be discontent. A.Weak faith. 1.We must not stay content to be weak (Heb. 5:12-14). 2.We must not stay content to be disinterested in things of the Lord (Ps. 1:1-6).

Contentment IV. Content when we should be discontent. A.Weak faith. 3. “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:26).

Contentment IV. Content when we should be discontent. B.Unfruitful relationships. 1.Family relationship that are not what they ought to be (Eph. 5:22-25; 28; 33; 6:1-4).

Contentment IV. Content when we should be discontent. B.Unfruitful relationships. 2.Relationships with Christians that are not what they ought to be (Mark 11:25-26).

Contentment IV. Content when we should be discontent. B.Unfruitful relationships. 3.Relationships with non-Christians that provide the wrong influence (2 Cor. 6:14-18).

Contentment IV. Content when we should be discontent. C.False Doctrine. 1.Christians are to withdraw from falsehood (1 Tim. 6:3-5). 2.Christians are to “test” things (1 John 4:1-6).