Christ is God’s deepest Joy and Therefore the deepest satisfaction we can ever have

Philippians 2:1-11, Mark 8:34-9:13

I am easily discontented, which has a direct reflection on my humility. Humility flows from and is a product of rightly understanding who God is and therefore, who I am.

It is an inward attitude of the heart flowing from the joy of the knowledge of God almighty, administered and revealed by the Spirit of God: The more I see of Christ lifted up, the less I hold on to my life as a result in humility….even the good things in life. Satisfaction in Jesus, is everything (even good things) properly reoriented around His worth to God and therefore to us here on earth (Mark 8:34-9:13).

The gift of God, given by the Spirit, is the satisfaction that God finds in His Son Jesus Christ. Christ himself becomes my contentment, and God shares this with us.  Faith is found in Christ. This is a gift.

This what Paul meant in Philippians 4:10-13 when he wrote, “I have learned that whatever situation I am to be content….I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me”.

The common denominator in all Paul’s situations (and ours) is the glorious King Christ Jesus.

The grace of God and the glory of Christ are stronger enough to withstand the exacting wrath of God.  For Paul, God had a firm grip on his heart’s satisfaction in Christ. The ups and downs of Paul’s situations (which would put our easy life to shame) did not endanger his love and joy in Christ. For Paul and us, all the glory and power of God stays the same to us in Christ no matter what. Christ never loses His satisfying power for Paul and for us since we have the same Jesus Christ. This is a revelation of the Spirit, and this is faith.

Through the Spirit, Christ puts everything in its proper place (me, my spouse, my purpose, my success, comfort, money, love). The greatest gift anyone can ever have is Christ, for it is in Christ that we get to have what the Father enjoys: His glorious Son Jesus Christ. To walk in discontentment, self-pity is to pridefully say to God, “You owe me something other than Christ”.

This is foolish, dangerous and the root of apostasy. I have felt this discontentment and self-pity rise up in myself and seen it in others. By God’s grace and His love alone, I was kept from shipwrecking my faith. For this I am forever grateful to my Lord, for the world, my flesh and the devil are no small enemies and the cross tells us so. 

Jesus truly does save sinners from the wrath of almighty God by sending His Son to wear our pride and self-pity, as though He Himself had been the one to violently repudiate and attempt a treasonous siege upon God’s throne. 

Jesus never complained about his job, and His job was was to die in our place.

What will separate each human being will be their response to Christ. Seen this way, Hell is the right and fitting place for sinners like me to go, and Heaven is the fitting place for Jesus Christ to be glorified in all those who have loved and trusted in Christ as their sole meaning and purpose in life.

The world is a wasteland of hatred toward God, and God is a God of Holy love and mercy to vile sinners in Christ. There is no greater gift God could have given to us to be satisfied in, than His glorious Son.

Prayer: We love you our Lord, would you please purify us and prepare us for your Kingdom no matter what. Thank God for Jesus Christ. He is just so worthy.

Be encouraged Church, God’s love for His Son, is His love for us. The strength of our salvation is the worthiness of Jesus Christ.