We're going to talk about this morning out of Joshua 7. This is one of those texts you read and think wow, it's a harsh passage with a lot of hard things going on there. But mainly what we're going to talk about this morning is the resurrection life, and that's what Jesus has given those who believe, who have been united with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. Now He lives through us as we abide in Him, as we trust Him one day at a time, and we do that each day as Mark said.

So, it's our commitment here at Living Hope Church to go by verse, and we're in the book of Joshua. For the last several months, we're coming to Joshua 7 today, continuing our study. Thus far, our study has been very encouraging. We’ve seen the people of God turn to Him in faith and obedience. We've seen God work mightily through Israel to bring His promises to pass in giving them the land. He prepared them and brought them to the River Jordan; as we studied, they crossed over in an act of faith, believing and trusting God, obeying Him and His word. God stopped the waters of the river, allowing them to cross on dry land.

We saw, two weeks ago, a confirming of the covenant at Gilgal and the consecration of the people in the circumcision of those who had not been circumcised, having been born in the wilderness. God has been working. He's been preparing. He's been guiding the children of Israel. Last week in chapter 6, we saw the great victory—the conquering of Jericho. The people of God obeyed the word of God, trusted, believed Him, and did it His way, marching around the city for seven days just as He instructed. On the seventh day, on the seventh time around the city, with a great shout, the walls came tumbling down.

I want to just emphasize the application for us as we begin our study this morning. In the new covenant time in which we live, in this great and intimate relationship with our Father and with the Lord Jesus Christ living in and through us, God has clearly and explicitly instructed us in His way for us to bear fruit for His glory. He told His men in John 15 and by extension in John 17, all those who would believe through their word, that the very reason that we are disciples—God's express intention in saving, regenerating, and equipping us in this great salvation—is that we might bear much fruit that we might bear fruit that remains.

We see that God's means for producing His very life through us for His glory is based on what He has done in salvation. We died, we were buried, and we rose again to newness of life because of our union with Jesus. We died to sin, we died to the law, we died to death. We are new men with new natures, and the Holy Spirit now lives in us to empower us. Jesus lives in us, working by His life and power to produce holiness and fruit through us, and this happens as we abide in Him, as we walk by faith, as the word of Christ dwells richly in us, and we renew our minds to His word, His truth, and believe, trust, and obey Him.

In principle, it's the same as the situation before us in the book of Joshua. God accomplishes His will by His grace and power through those who believe—those who trust and obey Him, who do it His way, not their own way. 

You know in this new covenant, we could strive to keep the law. We could go through all kinds of religious ceremonies and rituals and try to produce fruit on our own. I was thinking I could wear some purple this morning, and we could swing some incense, we could ring a bell, and we could bow down and light candles—what does all that mean? I remember Pastor Krenz often used the illustration of an apple tree. You know we still have winter here in case you didn't notice. It's getting a little long now, but if you look at those apple trees on my farm right now, they are cold and barren, dead-looking branches. How can fruit be produced? Can I go out there and tie apples to those limbs? Maybe set up some sort of system externally to get some apples on that tree? Does that work? No. 

You know, it's that time of year where new life is coming. Everyone's been making syrup in our neck of the woods lately. How does that work? Well, in March or April, on a year like this, it's April—the ground begins to warm. The snow melts away from the base of the trees, the sun shines on those massive maple trees, and from the ground up, through comes the water, the nutrients, the minerals, the sugar, and it flows up through that strong base of that tree. All those sap-tappers are out there tapping those trees to catch the sap as it flows up towards the limbs and out to the branches. But pretty soon, those branches will receive those life-giving nutrients and buds will pop out on the ends of those tiny branches, and leaves of new life will come forth. 

Our brothers and sisters, this is how the Christian life works. Jesus is the vine. We are the branches. What we must do is abide in Him, receive life and power flowing through Him, living His life out through us, as we remain, abide in Him by faith one day at a time. We can't produce the fruit. We can't be holy ourselves. We can't keep the law or be Christ-like by any external means. His life must flow out through us to bear fruit that remains. But we can try to do it our way, and what we call that is sin. What we call that is unfaithfulness. We call that unbelief. 

I know what you said, God. I know the truth, but I'm going my own way, and what happens? Disaster. And that's what happens in our text in the nation of Israel. God says do it this way, and I will win the battle by my power. I will accomplish the end that I desire for my glory and for your good, and I'll give you the land and all of its bounty and its vineyards and everything you could ever want. We saw that in Jericho. We see the word, but. And that's an awful word in this context. Look at verse 27 of chapter 6: "So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout all the country." That's the end of chapter 6, that we looked at last time after the great victory in Jericho. Life is filled with fruit and purpose when we believe, and trust, and do it God's way, and see Him work His mighty power to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we could ask or think for His glory. 

But look at verse 1 of chapter 7: "But the children of Israel committed a trespass." For goodness’ sake, that "but" is an awful word here. But Achan decided to disobey God. He decided to fail to believe, to trust, and do it God's way. He didn't want just what God wanted for him; he wanted what he wanted. God had strictly forbidden the children of Israel in this mighty battle from taking the accursed things—from covetousness and selfishness and sin. But Achan decided to go his own way, to sin, to fail to believe and trust God, just like us trying to tie apples on our branches by our own efforts, our own works, our own way. The base of this is always pride. The base of this is always unbelief, and specifically, in this case, the inside sin of covetousness. God was giving them the land so mighty, powerful, and wonderful; His word laid His faithfulness. They were going to have more than they could ever have desired. But Achan had to have a garment of gold and silver. Really, this is covetousness, and in this event, we see the seriousness of sin and unbelief and what the result is when we fail to trust God and live our life the way He has intended and so graciously provided in abundance.

Let's read our story before us, Joshua 7, at verse 1: "But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah of the tribe of Judah took of the accursed things, so the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel." 

Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Avin on the east side of Bethel and spoke to them, saying, "Go up and spy out the country." So the men went up and spied out Ai. 

So Joshua doesn't know what's going on. They've had this tremendous victory at Jericho. He's ready to go take Ai now. He doesn't know about this deal with Achan, and he sent some men up, and it says they returned to Joshua and said to him, "Do not let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not weary all the people there, for the people they are a few." 

Now think about this. Would it matter if they sent one man or all their warriors? What matters is God in the battle. Is God going to fight and win the battle by His power through them? So about three thousand men went up there from the people, but they fled before the men of Ai. The men of Ai struck down about 36 men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them down at the descent. Therefore, the hearts of the people melted and became like water. 

And Joshua tore his clothes, he fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads. And Joshua said, "Alas, Lord God, why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan! Oh Lord, what shall I say when Israel turns its back before its enemies, for the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear it and surround us and cut off our name from the earth? Then what will You do for Your great name?"

But the Lord said to Joshua, "Get up! Why do you lie on your face? Israel has sinned. They have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. They have even taken of the accursed things and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. Therefore, the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies but turned their backs before their enemies because they have become doomed. I will be with you no more unless you destroy the accursed things from among you. Sanctify the people and say, 'Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow because thus says the Lord God of Israel: There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you.'" 

They did not have victory. Why? Because they disobeyed, they disbelieved God. Achan took of the cursed things, and they were unable to stand before their enemies because the Lord was not with them in the battle. And then the Lord designs by lots to the next day. They bring all the people before Him, and they bring out Achan. And Achan, in verse 19, Joshua says to Achan, "My son, I beg you, give glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession to Him and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me." 

And Achan answered Joshua and said, "Indeed, I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I have done." 

Now think about the context here—they're taking down the city of Jericho. They've done what God told them to do, and all those massive double walls fall down before them, and they're going in and taking the city and claiming victory—a tremendous time! And Achan sees some spoils. Look at verse 21: "When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, 200 shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing 50 shekels, I coveted them and took them, and there they are hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent with the silver under it." 

Culmination and victory, and they're taking the land, and they're being blessed in all these ways, and God's doing all these mighty works. And he goes, "Wow, that's really nice." It's no different for us, is it? God's doing all these mighty works. I mean, think about the opportunity to witness to someone, to tell them about Jesus, and they're responsive, and they're interested, and they want it. We have that opportunity all the time, and so many times we say, "Oh, this is nice; I'd like to have that." 

I remember years ago, it made me think. You might not understand this, but I do. Since I learned mink trapping from this guy down in Iowa; his name was Bud Hall, an old man. He used to trap about two to three hundred mink a year, so I went down to take instruction from him with a buddy of mine. Bud would say, "Use a big piece of carp for bait." He said, "Put it back in a hole and put that trap in front, because that mink can smell that." He said, "He's not hungry; he just has to have it." He just has to have it. That's what made me think of Achan—he just had to have it. 

We see things, right? We have this covetousness rise up in us, the lust of the eyes, and we just have to have it. I used to kill about a hundred mink in a week because they had to have it, right? And the devil is all the time putting things before us, telling us we have to have it, and when that sin rises up in us, we're going to talk about how to have victory and fruit in our text today.

Well, what happened? They went and found the stuff in his tent. They brought him back; they took him and everything he owned, and in the valley of Achor, they stoned him to death—everything—and piled stones on top of him. They took the accursed thing away from Israel, and then they would again have victory as they trust the Lord and obey Him.

I'm giving you four points on your outline this morning: the seriousness of sin, the inside sin, thankfulness—the antidote—and, fourth, contentment in Christ.

Well, first in our text this morning we see the seriousness of sin. In this new covenant time in Christ, we enjoy so many benefits. Our salvation is full and complete. Not only are we justified, secure in our position in Christ by our faith, but we are also regenerate, new creations, possessing all things, Peter says, that pertain to life and godliness. You know in our text today we see this very serious punishment for sin in the camp of Israel under the old covenant. It illustrates the seriousness of how we can inhibit fruitfulness and witness for the glory of God and His will and purpose in our lives.

In the new covenant, when we fail to believe, when we fail to know and reckon the Word of God, when we choose to go our own way, to disobey God and His command, to believe Jesus, to love one another, to abide in Him, to bear fruit, God doesn't command His people to stone us. But I wonder if we really understand the seriousness of sin. Sin is, in many ways, a violation for us, and we can go along with this. 

In the Old Covenant, obey and I will bless you; I will curse you. But in the New Covenant, God says, I have blessed you. Your salvation is full and complete. I have even given you a new heart. I've made your spirit alive. I have even come myself—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—to make my home. I have blessed you in so many ways. Now just believe me and trust me and obey me. 

And our motive is love. The love of God in Christ and what He has done for us and in us is an amazing motivator, compelling us to live for Him. We love Him because He first loved us. We are secure from death unto life. We have so much more in Christ now in the New Covenant, and His great love has been poured out into our hearts by His Spirit which was given to us. Our desire is to have that love flow out to other men.

Turn over to 2 Corinthians 5 with me, please. 2 Corinthians 5, verse 14, Paul explains this: "For the love of Christ compels us." The love of Christ compels us. That's our motivation. Because we judge thus, that if one died for all, then all died. And He died for all. Why? Why did He die for us? That those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. 

Therefore, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ. Look at this: "And has given to us that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation." 

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ. That's why we're here. That's why God hasn't taken us to heaven. We are ambassadors for Christ as though God were pleading through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: be reconciled to God. 

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, in order that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. The love of Christ compels. The love of Christ constrains us. We live for Him because He died for us. It is finished. It is accomplished. Our salvation was complete at the cross, and we are in Him. 

How much more serious is it when we don't believe Him, when we don't love Him, and choose to reject His way in favor of our own way, and bring reproach on the name of Christ? And this after all He has done for us, and the very potential that we have for fruit and holiness, if we will just believe Him, if we'll just abide in Him, if we yield to His life and power in us. It is a greater responsibility for a much greater revelation and fullness of salvation that we experience in this new covenant time.

And sin has a very serious effect on the cause of Christ in the church. It brings reproach on His gospel, on His name, and the life-transforming power of His grace and love in our lives. As much as an abiding fruit-bearing life can glorify God, can be a witness to men for their salvation, and profound fruit through our lives, our lukewarmness and unbelief, our failure to be faithful today, to trust, look, I'm ending in sin—ending in reproach—is damaging to God and His gospel. 

Sin in the church is a damaging thing to the cause of Christ, and it also damages the body and our fellow believers, and it invites chastening from—there's a natural consequence to our sin; we reap what we sow. But there's also the chastening hand of God in the lives of His children as a faithful Father when we go astray. Sometimes I wonder if we root the seriousness of sin in our own lives to the cause of Christ and the glory of God. 

The result of the sin of Achan was the death and defeat of the soldiers of Israel at Ai. They failed because of unbelief. The Lord was not with them in battle because they did not do it His way. Sin has serious implications, and we need to understand that. 

Next in our text, we see the inside sin of covetousness. In verse 1 of chapter 7, it says the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things. And then again in verse 21, notice Achan's testimony: "When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, 200 shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing 50 shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent with the silver under it." 

This is the inside sin of covetousness. Turn over to Romans 7 with me, please. Romans 7, at verse 7, Paul writes, "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not. On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law, for I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, 'You shall not covet.' But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law, sin was dead." 

I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 

Saul was a Pharisee, so zealous for the law of God and the religion of Judaism that he was persecuting the church, killing Christians. He says in his testimony in Philippians 3 that as to the righteousness which comes through the law, he was blameless. Just like the rich young ruler who said to Jesus that he had kept all these things since his youth. Paul was alive once without the law. He was seeking to establish his righteousness through the law. He thought that he was good by all those external standards. But then covetousness came to him—the command, "Thou shalt not covet." 

This is not like, "Do not steal," "Do not bear false witness," "Do not commit adultery." This is an inside sin. And when Paul pondered on this law, when he understood the law of covetousness, he realized the intent and the purpose of the law. He saw how sinful he actually he was, and he became dead, realizing his need for a Savior. And that's why, in Philippians 3, he said that he cast away as dung all of that self-righteousness through religion and through law-keeping, and he turned in faith to Jesus to receive His righteousness. 

My friends, we all still deal with this great inside sin—covetousness. It's so easy; it's so subtle. Just as Achan saw that garment with his eyes, and he desired it, he wanted it, he coveted it, and he took it. 

It takes a real discipline to look to Jesus, to abide in Him, to talk to Him and trust Him, and allow His power to work in us to keep us from such inside sins. We know when we're committing an outside sin, if we steal or if we lie, that inside sin creeps up on us so subtly. 

I want to talk to you this morning about the cure for covetousness, and I believe the cure for covetousness is contentment. When we were traveling down in Florida recently, we saw a lot of fancy houses, we saw a lot of big boats, fine eating establishments—money, money, money everywhere you looked. Palm trees and warm weather, and everybody's on vacation. It's easy to look at all that, especially in contrast to the snow we see here until May, and to become discontent, to become covetous—wanting that we do not have. 

This is just an example; it can take so many forms in our lives—lust, desire for money, status, power. We may think there is happiness in these things, right? If I just had this, or I just had that—we're discontent. When I was on the boat with a new friend of mine in Isla Morada, we were boating through the channel there, and there was this huge house—like a ten-million-dollar house—a massive boat on a lift in front of the house, palm trees swaying in the wind. My friend told me he knew the guy that owned that place. He said he was a pretty good friend, and he started a company. He became very successful; he sold businesses. He bought businesses. He had the same struggles of many—working all the time, not often at home with his children. 

As his son grew, he came into the business, becoming successful. My friend told me that he had recently counseled this man and said, "Why don't you just retire? You're getting old. Why don't you come spend some time down here with your family? Why don't you go fishing? Enjoy all this money you have." He said his friend kept working, kept driving, more success—his son as well. Last year, he said he got a phone call from his friend; his son had committed suicide. 

All that money, all that success—a tragedy, but clearly no contentment in his life. How many times have we heard this story? Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Robin Williams. This lie is the pursuit of riches, and most of the masses are in pursuit. They're coveting the things they don't have. But for those who get it all, there's no peace or contentment in riches. My friends, there can only be peace and contentment in this world in Jesus Christ. 

The key to covetousness, to winning the battle against covetousness, is contentment—contentment in Jesus Christ. And this, again, illustrates the new covenant life. Turn over to Philippians 4, and let's look at Paul's testimony concerning this. Philippians 4, verse 5. Paul, speaking to believers, says, "Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Look at this, verse 6. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." 

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there's any virtue, if there's anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. 

But I rejoiced, and at last your care for me has flourished again, though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need. Now look at what Paul says in verse 11: "For I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased; I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." 

Paul says, "I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content—content in Christ." Jesus is enough. He's all that we have, but my brother, my sister in Christ, He's all that we need. This, in my mind, is the hardest thing for the Western Church. It's the Laodicean Church of Revelation. We abound in ways that have not existed in history. We do here; we live better than kings did 150 years ago. All of this affluence is hard on our contentment in Christ. 

Paul says, "I've learned." This is so insightful for us. Paul learned to be abased. He learned to abound. Whether he was full or hungry, clothed or naked, he learned his contentment had to be in Christ. If we're going to avoid the sin of covetousness, we must learn contentment in Christ. 

Doug sent me a video the other day from the old Beverly Hillbillies show. It's got this great clip from one of those very first shows when they found oil on Jed's land, you know, down there in the swamps. He was talking to Cousin Pearl, asking her if she thought he should move to California. And she said, "Jed, look around! You live in this little shack! Your nearest neighbor's eight miles away! You're overrun with coyotes, skunks, and possums and bobcats! You cook with wood, and your bathroom is 50 feet from your house, and you ask me if you should move?" 

He said, "You're right, Pearl! Man, be a dang fool to leave." That's contentment, my friends! Contentment with what he had and thankful; and thankfulness is the key to contentment, the antidote to covetousness. 

It's our tendency to forget God's grace, to forget the gospel, our first love. But the truth is that if you believe Jesus, you have passed from death unto life. You have been conveyed from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the son of His love. You are secure forever in Him, and you now possess eternal life. In John 14, Jesus said to His disciples, "Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also." 

But not only do we have the promise of eternal life in heaven forever, but we also have the promise of the sufficiency of God's grace for today. Abundant, fruitful life today, even in the midst of this kind of world. In Romans 1:18, Paul goes on talking about the wrath of God revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, unrighteousness of men. It tells us that they knew God, but they would not glorify Him as God. They even knew His eternal power in Godhead. Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God. They were not thankful, and they became futile in their hearts and vain in their thinking. They did not seem to be wise; they became fools. 

Then they created religion—that's how foolish they were, and are. The mark of the man in Adam is that he's unthankful. He rejects God; he suppresses the overwhelming evidence in the creation of the truth of God and the revelation of His power, even His eternal power in Godhead. They willfully choose not to glorify Him, and they're not thankful. The mark of the believer is that he is thankful. He's thankful for everything that he draws, for all that he sees in God's creation, the mercies of God, His grace to most, the salvation He provides in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

We are thankful that we know Jesus. Think about what it would be to live in this world, to face these times without knowing the Lord. We are thankful in all things. We give thanks for eternal life and for each day of life on this earth as we await that great day. We know that Jesus is our savior. We know that Jesus is our advocate and our friend, and that He is in control of all things, regardless of what comes day or in the future. 

He is our savior. Think of Achan. God was giving to him and all Israel this amazing, fruitful, abundant land and all that was in it, and yet he saw the garment and he coveted it. He was not thankful. He wasn't like, "Thank You, Jesus! Thank you, Lord for helping us take this!" Look at what God's doing! Praise the Lord! No, he said, "Look at that!" 

He was not renewing his mind to the promises of God and all that he was doing in Israel. He was focused on the garment and his great desire to have it. The antidote for coveting the riches of this world, guys, the pride of life, is remembering the cross, is remembering the promises of God and being thankful. 

As the hymn says, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace." 

We've seen in our study today the seriousness of sin, the inside sin, thankfulness—the antidote—and I just want to reiterate contentment in Christ. We see in the 7th chapter of Joshua that Achan chose to go his own way, to choose to reject God's way, to fall victim to the desire to have the things of the promised blessing of God, and he sinned against his people, and he sinned against his God. 

The result of his sin was tremendous damage to the people of God, to the plan and purpose of God for Israel to take the land, and they suffered—defeated Ai—and men died because of his sin. In the new covenant, we see that God's way for fruit in our life is to abide in Christ, to know His word, to believe His word, and to live in obedience to His command—to believe Jesus and love one another. 

And we see that this can only happen as we look to Him, as we focus on Jesus—abiding in Him, trusting in Him to live His life. We must consider the very purpose why God has us here, why He's left us in this world. The other danger to contentment is a focus on our circumstances. Am I upset because of the trials and troubles of each day? Do my circumstances make me unthankful? 

Let me ask you this: Do you see circumstances unthankful or under circumstances as an opportunity? I was talking to Pastor Krenz yesterday, and he is, as you know, living in Wausau in a very nice apartment, in an assisted living home. He's in his 90s now; he's in this place, and you know what he told me? He started a Bible study. He has six to eight people coming. He said, "I think the Lord wants me to do this." You know what? He does! The Lord wants him to be a witness. He wants him to lead people to faith in Christ, to encourage the brethren—to focus on what Jesus has him here for in this time on this earth. 

This retirement? We don't retire from ministry, right? Ever. Pastor Krenz isn't focused on his circumstances; he's focused on what God has him here for. And he has the love of God poured out into his heart, wanting to demonstrate that to other people. 

We see this same thing in the life of Paul. Paul saw his circumstances as an opportunity. And my friends, Paul had some really tough circumstances—beaten with rods, stoned, persecuted, hungry, naked, imprisoned. Why? Because he was a faithful preacher of the gospel. Why was Paul arrested? Because he was a faithful preacher of the gospel. What did he do after they arrested him? He preached the gospel to the prison guards. 

In Philippians, he tells us that he rejoiced that the whole palace guard had heard the gospel, all along the way he preached Jesus to Agrippa and Festus, all the way to Rome. I get upset because spring won't come. I complain about the weather. Maybe I should try being thankful. Maybe I should try remembering why I am here. 

I'm not here to have pleasant circumstances. And I have way more of that than most believers in history and around the world today. But there's no promise of a comfortable, trouble-free life. Quite the contrary. There’s a promise of suffering and persecution and trouble in this cursed world. I'm here to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified, to be an ambassador for Christ, to persuade men to believe Jesus. And that I can do in any and all circumstances—rich or poor, hungry or filled, free or in prison.

There's a tremendous amount of trouble, suffering, and uncertainty in this world. It's difficult not to get caught up in all the injustices of the world, to be taken captive of the world, or even to covet the riches of the world. The answer to covetousness, the answer to the temptation to go our own way rather than depending on and needing Jesus every moment of every day, is to find contentment in Jesus. 

To learn to be content in Jesus, whether we have been blessed in so many ways, or whether we are abased in nakedness, loneliness, and fear. We must look to Jesus. We must believe Him. We must find our contentment in Him alone and the great purpose that He has for us here. 

Is there anything more important that you could do to witness for Jesus? And we must remember this great commission: to go into all the world and preach the gospel. And in this, we will find peace in this troubled world. We will find contentment in Jesus Christ. 

Let's close in prayer. Father, we're so thankful for Your Word. Your examples in the Old Testament and in the truth in the New just to guide us, to tell us who we are, to tell us who Jesus is, what He's done for us, and to tell us why You have us here. Thank You for the great privilege of being with us to remember why You have us here—what matters, what's important. 

Help us to love men as You love men. Help us just to focus on Jesus, abide in Him, look to Him, and help us to be thankful, Lord. We have so much to be thankful for. In Jesus' name, amen.