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Speaker: Jonathan Pokluda (JP)
JP believes that the creation story is literal and true. We've never seen the world before the fall.
Were Adam and Eve satisfied? It depends.
-They were in paradise and God was there.
-The enemy came and manufactured a desire for something they didn't have.
People always say that you should be satisfied in Christ, but what if you're not satisfied, i.e. You want a new job, boy/girlfriend, etc.
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalms 23:1-6
Satisfied = Not Wanting
In heaven there is no deceiver.
Why do you want? Because you don't trust your Shepard.
We need to lean into Jesus. Yes, that sounds trite, however, we think so little of a statement like that we don't actually do it.
-i.e. All followers of Christ are called to fast. The feeling of hunger is supposed to push us closer to Christ.
Dissatisfaction = Wanting (It isn't what we have or don't have.)
*God satisfies us by providing for our needs.
We only see the world through the lens of the fall.
-i.e. Living in the consequences of someone else's choice.
Why is God good?
-If you don't believe God is good it's because you've experienced something caused by the fall or God has denied you something you don't need.
-Everything that we know exists because God provided it.
Jonah had no shade, was given a vine, worms came and ate the vine, then Jonah was frustrated at the lost of something he previously never knew.
Don't trust your wants over God's provision.
Needs = What is necessary for survival.
-However, as Christians we don't need to survive because we have the promise of Christ.
The Lord meets our needs. JP has personally never anyone who has devoted their lives to Christ who have not had their needs met.
25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.
26 He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.
Psalms 37:25-26
*God satisfies us by guiding us in the right way.
Most of the problems we have we've brought upon ourselves by not trusting or listening to God.
*God satisfies us by protecting us from harm.
-The worst thing that can happen is that we die and inherit the kingdom.
+Ultimate satisfaction comes from trusting God.
-Happiness comes from not wanting. Not wanting come from Jesus.
We quit smoking because we believe it will make us happy, we get married or divorced because we think it will make us happy, we change jobs over and over again because we think it will make us happy, etc.
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."
John 10:11
-The idea that a shepherd would lay down his life for his sheep is crazy.
If you want to do something crazy, don't go bungee jumping, go share the gospel.
Life is found in Jesus and that is where we must seek it.
6 Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment,
7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.
8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
1 Timothy 6:6-9
Many teachers have done us a disservice by telling us that it's not wrong to want nice things. For most people our desire to be rich and our want for nice things is wrong because we desire them more than Jesus.
Our desire for pleasure is too small, not too big. We're like children who want to make mud pies in a slum instead of a holiday at the sea.
JP shows a clip of his daughter who only wants a balloon for her birthday.
We are offered eternal life and happiness yet we keep saying we want a six-figure job or a husband/wife.
JP reads a story about a little girl who loved a dime store necklace, but would not give it up to her father so that he could give her genuine pearls.