Today we wrap up our series on Philippians with some unexpected results. In the end of the book Paul gives his blueprint for living as a result of the monetary gift sent to him by the Philippian church.
Paul’s personal situation was tough. But he is not the victim of circumstances but the victor over circumstances:
I can accept all things (Phil. 4:11);
“I can do all things” (Phil. 4:13);
I have all things (Phil. 4:18).
Paul did not have to be pampered to be content; he found his contentment in the spiritual resources abundantly provided by Christ.
Contentment is not escape from the battle, but rather an abiding peace and confidence in the midst of the battle.
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (Phil. 4:11).
Two words in that verse are vitally important—“learned” and “content.”
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (Phil. 4:11).
Two words in that verse are vitally important—“learned” and “content.”
The verb “learned” means “learned by experience.” Paul’s spiritual contentment was not something he had immediately after he was saved. He had to go through many difficult experiences of life in order to learn how to be content.
The word “content” actually means “contained.” It is a description of the man whose resources are within him so that he does not have to depend on substitutes without. The Greek word means “self-sufficient” and was a favourite word of the stoic philosophers.
But the Christian is not sufficient in himself; he is sufficient in Christ. Because Christ lives within us, we are adequate for the demands of life.
Philippians 4:10-20: I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. 14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. 17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
There is power in giving. Here we find the Philippian church has sent gift - apparently after not sending anything for a considerable amount of time. They had neglected their gift-giving to the cause of the gospel.
The Providence of God
10: I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.Providence is from two latin words. Pro, meaning “before” and video, meaning “to see”.
- It means God sees the need before we see it.
- It means God acts in ways to meet that need before we perceive it.
- It means we see things sometimes in hindsight.
- It also means that God is directing the life of the Christian even if the Christian is not aware of it at the time. Sometimes we can feel spiritually inadequate, we hear people say, “God sent me here, God told me that, God said to me, “Say that””.
Paul sees that this gift is part of the providence God. It’s not a word we hear a lot of. We speak of coincidence or, in Christian terms , “God-incidence”. Life is not a series of accidents; it is a series of appointments!
Psalm 32:8:I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;.
Psalm 32:8:I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;.
Genesis 22:14: Abraham called God “Jehovah-Jireh,” meaning “the Lord will provide”.
John 10:4: When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
John 10:4: When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
God goes before us and every situation becomes an appointment not a coincidence.
But Paul did not see this gift as simply coming from Philippi. He saw it as the supply of his need from heaven. Paul’s trust was in the Lord.
There is an interesting contrast between Philippians 4:18 and 19.
18-19:I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
There is an interesting contrast between Philippians 4:18 and 19.
18-19:I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
We might state it this way if we were to paraphrase Paul:
They had been concerned, but they had lacked the opportunity to help. Many Christians today have the opportunities, but they lack the concern!
Paul was quick to let his friends know that he was not complaining! His happiness did not depend on circumstances or things; his joy came from something deeper, something apart from either poverty or prosperity.
- “You met my need, and God is going to meet your need.
- You met one need that I have, but my God will meet all of your needs.
- You gave out of your poverty, but God will supply your needs out of His riches in glory!”
They had been concerned, but they had lacked the opportunity to help. Many Christians today have the opportunities, but they lack the concern!
The Power of God
12-13: I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.Paul was quick to let his friends know that he was not complaining! His happiness did not depend on circumstances or things; his joy came from something deeper, something apart from either poverty or prosperity.
Few people ever learn to be content in their situations. They feel that if they are not amassing more, not going ‘somewhere’ in life, not seen to be getting more blessings than those around them, that there is something wrong with them.
My friends, that kind of thinking is a Western theology, not a Christian or biblical stance. Sometimes we will suffer! Sometimes we will have mountaintop existences. It is only when we go through tough times that we understand what our faith is built on!
1 Peter 4:12-13: Dear friends, don’t be surprised by the terrible things happening to you. The trouble you are having has come to test you. So don’t feel as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be joyful that you are taking part in Christ’s sufferings. Then you will have even more joy when Christ returns in glory.
A faith not built upon the suffering of Jesus on the cross, that seems to move away from suffering in our lives based on a ‘prosperity mentality’, is not in harmony with the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
1 Peter 4:12-13: Dear friends, don’t be surprised by the terrible things happening to you. The trouble you are having has come to test you. So don’t feel as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be joyful that you are taking part in Christ’s sufferings. Then you will have even more joy when Christ returns in glory.
A faith not built upon the suffering of Jesus on the cross, that seems to move away from suffering in our lives based on a ‘prosperity mentality’, is not in harmony with the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
We have to learn that we are prospering all the time, even if the bank account is low. Why? Because no matter what is happening the soul of the Christian, the inner person, is prospering.
1 John 3: 1-2: 1 The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.
Paul’s soul in Philippians 4 is prosperous - he is content with little or much.
It’s this knowledge that leads Paul to say one of his most quoted - often misquoted - statements:
4:13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (NIV has this right).
My friends, this is not a verse that speaks about your natural ability that you add Jesus to and so perform some task.
It is not saying you can meet every problem head on and overcome every adversity!
If is not saying you need mental fortitude or a positive attitude .
Such things come undone when people face tough times and discover that actually they cannot do anything and everything!
It’s this knowledge that leads Paul to say one of his most quoted - often misquoted - statements:
4:13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (NIV has this right).
My friends, this is not a verse that speaks about your natural ability that you add Jesus to and so perform some task.
It is not saying you can meet every problem head on and overcome every adversity!
If is not saying you need mental fortitude or a positive attitude .
Such things come undone when people face tough times and discover that actually they cannot do anything and everything!
Did Paul really believe that there was nothing he could not do? Remember, this is the context of contentment - having much, having little, having freedom, being under house arrest chained to a Roman soldier.
The answer is this: When the Apostle Paul said that he could do all things, he meant all things which were God’s will for him to do.
He had learned that the Lord’s commands are the Lord’s enablements.
He knew that God would never call on him to accomplish some task without giving the necessary grace.
“All things” probably applies not so much to great feats of daring as to grace to do God’s will in difficult circumstances (Believer’s Bible Commentary, Philippians 4:13).
He had learned that the Lord’s commands are the Lord’s enablements.
He knew that God would never call on him to accomplish some task without giving the necessary grace.
“All things” probably applies not so much to great feats of daring as to grace to do God’s will in difficult circumstances (Believer’s Bible Commentary, Philippians 4:13).
4:13 for I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power. (The Living Bible).
Sorry to burst that bubble!
Sorry to burst that bubble!
The Partnership with God
14-20: Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. 17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.By giving, the Philippian church was partnering in the gospel of God.
Money was going to Paul for his needs, but money was going where the givers could not.
Paul viewed their gift in three ways:
Good
Money was going to Paul for his needs, but money was going where the givers could not.
Paul viewed their gift in three ways:
Good
14: Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles
Sometimes the gift we is good on three levels:
15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only
Sometimes the gift we is good on three levels:
- It does the recipient good (Philippians 4:14).
- It helps spread the gospel, which is good (Philippians 1:5).
- It does our spirit good, for generosity is a good thing (2 Corinthians 9:6-8).
15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only
Paul looked on their missionary gift as an investment that would pay them rich spiritual dividends. The word “acquaintance” is our familiar word “fellowship”.
The church entered into an arrangement of “giving and receiving”; the church gave materially to Paul and received spiritually from the Lord.
The Lord keeps the accounts and will never fail to pay one spiritual dividend!
The church entered into an arrangement of “giving and receiving”; the church gave materially to Paul and received spiritually from the Lord.
The Lord keeps the accounts and will never fail to pay one spiritual dividend!
A poor church is one that fails to share materially with others.
A sacrificial offering
18: I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
Paul looked on their gift as a spiritual sacrifice. These are common in the New Testament:
Be generous to unleash the Power of God,
Be generous to Partner with God.
18: I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
Paul looked on their gift as a spiritual sacrifice. These are common in the New Testament:
- Spiritual sacrifices in the Christian life: 1 Peter 2:5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
- We are to surrender our bodies as spiritual sacrifices: Romans 12:1–2: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
- We are to surrender our mouths as a spiritual sacrifice: Hebrews 13:15: Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
- We are to do good works as a spiritual sacrifice: Hebrews 13:16: And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
- Winning souls is a spiritual sacrifice, an offering: Romans 15:16b: …He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
Wrapping this up:
Be generous to participate in the Providence of God,Be generous to unleash the Power of God,
Be generous to Partner with God.
Comments
Post a Comment