Good Morning My Beloved,
Welcome to worship this Lord's Day.
We're so glad to have all of our brothers and sisters both near and far joining us today.
We are living in an age of decreasing support for missions and interest in the
Gospel altogether. Many churches who once were very supportive of the
Gospel have decreased, or even suspended their support. We will not be
accountable for what others do, but we remain accountable for our
actions. I pray we will continue to support the work of the Lord, even
if others choose to abandon their efforts.
I am grateful for those of you who have remained faithful to the work of the gospel and your faithfulness in giving. Fellowship has always viewed missions as a priority, and I believe that we must
continue to do so. We can never develop an attitude that we have given
too much, or even enough, and take a view the work is no longer important or has become unnecessary. I pray we too
will continue to give time and again in support of the gospel.
Let us bow our heads in prayer.
Heavenly Father,
Father, we thank You for Your Word again today. Thank You for Your sovereign providence. Thank You for giving us loving concern for others rather than just ourselves. A concern for others shows up in how we give. Thank You for revealing to us that contentment is not obtained through selfish gain but our contentment is directly related to unselfishness and willingness to give. Help us to abandon trying to make everything in our lives about us, but help us to live as You have called us, to live doing what will bless others in Your name, that You would alone receive the glory. Thank You for such a precious gift.
In Jesus' name
Amen
Today's Message: Together Blessed in Christ
How do I know if I’m content in Christ or not? Here is one very good
way to tell. Are you satisfied enough with what you have that you are
able to spend time meeting the needs of others? Paul doesn’t want the
Philippians to think that he was ungrateful for the gift they sent him.
So he again thanks them for it and also thanks them for their help in
times past. Now notice verse 17: Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the
fruit that increases to your credit.
Even as he was grateful for their help, he viewed their gift as an offering to God which furthered their maturity in Christ. Paul knew, and taught elsewhere, that God loves a cheerful giver; that you reap what you sow. Yes, he benefited from the gift they sent; but he knew that they benefited far more. Because God was pleased with their obedience to use their resources for the kingdom.
Open your Bibles with me to the book of Philippians chapter 4, verses 14 through 19. I would like to encourage you to follow along with me as I read to set this in our minds. Philippians 4:14-19.
"Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the
first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared
with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
Though Paul stated that he had fully learned the lesson of contentment in all conditions,
and could bear poverty and want without complaining, yet he
assures them here, that they did well in sending such supplies to him in
prison by Epaphroditus, and by
their Christian compassion, they shared with him in his
afflictions and sufferings for Christ.
"Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction."
Verse 14 begins with the word "nevertheless." Which is actually a very important transition, because what Paul has said up to now might send the wrong message to the Philippians. Paul, a prisoner of Rome, chained to a Roman guard, Paul is obviously in a very difficult situation physically. While we don’t know what all of his physical needs were, we can certainly understand the basics needs of life. Kalos, you did something that was beautiful in its character, you did the right thing. If you remember, back in II Corinthians chapter 8, they gave liberally to Paul out of their deep poverty. They were poor.
I am certain Paul received monetary contributions that were a blessing
to him, but Paul was likely thinking of their prayers and spiritual support as
well. Many tend to believe the church is only interested in financial
contributions from its members.
While those are necessary in order to maintain
our ministries, they are not the only contributions needed today. I am
thankful for the opportunity to give of what the Lord has blessed me
with, but I am also aware of the need for spiritual contributions as
well. Every believer is gifted of the Lord and provided an opportunity
to invest their gifts in the lives of others.
Again we find for ourselves a beautiful picture of what the New Testament church should
look. As we come together, united by faith in Christ, we share and
receive with one another. We all benefit from our fellowship in the
Gospel. As we stand united in faith, individual needs are met, and the
body is strengthened. Such unity of purpose and strength offers blessing
to all. Blessed together in Christ.
In verse 15, Paul says "You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone."
As a footnote, it's very interesting that Paul calls it a "matter of giving and receiving", those are business terms. What he is saying is in this whole accounting business of receipts and expenditures you were the only ones who shared with me when I left Macedonia, you also sent me more than once gifts in Thessalonica. I believe this indicates that Paul was a very careful steward and that he kept accounts of receipts and expenditures in order to maintain accountability to the churches that supported him. Paul was very grateful, kind and generous way in which these beloved Philippians expressed their love and concern for him.
Verse 16, "for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs." Paul could preach the gospel to them and work and toil with his own hands, as he says in I Corinthians 4:12, then, receive enough support from Philippi to sustain himself. Their faithfulness had produced fruit which enabled Paul to be content,
even while bound in Rome. He wanted the church to know that he was not
disappointed in their efforts or accusing them of neglect. Their
commitment had allowed him to rejoice, being full and abounding in the
Lord.
We, of course, have no way of knowing the amount of fruit our commitment to the
Gospel will produce. Your contributions, regardless of size, have the
potential of generating much fruit in Christ. The smallest of gifts can
generate the greatest of blessings to others. We have the opportunity to
be a blessing to others, helping them to abound in the faith through
our cooperation in ministry.
Then Paul says in verse 17, Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.
Why is Paul rejoicing? Look back at verse 10, "But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity."
Paul rejoiced in their faithfulness, knowing it would produce fruit
that would be added to their account. God would honor their sacrificial
giving and bless them accordingly.Paul is saying it isn't that I want the material benefit in my account, it is that I want the spiritual benefit in your account. They may not have seen the full
benefit of it in their lifetime, but Paul knew God was keeping a record.
As they stand before Christ at the Bema Seat, their faithfulness will
be remembered and rewarded.
This is one of the great joys and benefits of partnering with others in ministry. Often we give, and never know exactly how that money was used for kingdom work. While we may never know, God always does. That is not why we give, but we can rest assured that as we partner with others in ministry, fruit from the joint-effort is being added to our account. Matthew 10:42 says "And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward. Matthew 25:40, "The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me." Hebrews 6:10 says "For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints."
Paul says in verse 18, "But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God."
Here Paul spoke of the aspects of their fruit, referring back to the Old
Testament principle in giving unto the Lord. He viewed these as a New
Testament equivalent of the former offerings. Their giving had allowed Paul to live a life of abundance, receiving
their support from Epaphroditus. We can assist others, and help them
live a life of fullness and contentment.
Their support of Paul provided a sweet smelling fragrance unto the Lord
and bore witness of His faithfulness to others, both inside and outside
the faith. Their support of Paul was acceptable to God and well pleasing to Him. He received their sacrificial giving as an act of worship.
Having experienced fullness in Christ, Paul sought to encourage the church to receive the fullness available through Him. Paul wanted them to rest in the provision of God, knowing He was able to
supply all their need. He had more than enough to provide whatever need
they had. While Philippi knew what it was to deal with limited resources, facing
poverty at times, such was never the case with the Lord. He has the
riches of glory at His disposal. A believer will never encounter a need
that God doesn’t have the necessary resources to provide. He is not in
danger of bankruptcy. All of the power and resources of heaven are at
His disposal.
In verse 19, Paul says "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Paul finds yet another opportunity to remind the
church that every blessing they enjoy, and every need that is met, is
the result of their relationship with Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Without Christ, we would not enjoy the blessings we receive! He is saying here "You have sent me more than I needed, I have abundance. It's the word perisseu, it means to abound in surplus. I have received everything in full," a term meaning to receive a sum and give a receipt for it.
In other words, I have an abundance, you have more than I could ask for, I am overwhelmed. Paul overwhelming satisfaction isn't in what he received, but because of their loving sacrificial generosity which will be applied to their spiritual account. That's why Paul is rejoicing. That's what overwhelmed his heart with tremendous joy. You didn't give it to me, you gave it to God, and it was a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
In Closing....
There can be little doubt that Paul and the Philippian church mutually benefited from each other. He had invested much in them spiritually and they had in turn supported him in the work of ministry. The church was operating as the Lord intended. They were blessed of each other through their faithfulness to the Lord.
Paul then includes a promise to them. God would supply all their needs. Paul would
never be able to repay them, but his God would. It’s as if he’s saying
this: "All of my needs are met by Christ whether I’m poor or rich
because I live in his strength. And I can see by the gift that you gave
me that you have the same understanding of true wealth. So I know that
God will supply all of your needs just as He does mine."
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all and always.
May it be so...
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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