Care For One Another

What an interesting series this has been

We have seen Paul exhorted the church at Philippi to stand firm and then go through in what ways they are to stand firm

Three in the Lord statements

Stand Firm in the Lord

Live in Harmony in the Lord

Rejoice in the Lord

4 Commands

Rejoice in the Lord

Again Rejoice

Don’t be anxious

Let your gentleness be known to all

Paul is their example in living a Christ centered teaching

4 adjectives - receive, learn, hear, see

This is how we are to get instruction

In following Paul’s example last week we learned to be content in any circumstance

Philippians 4:13 NASB 2020

13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

The context of this passage is the strength to live content in any circumstance

Today Paul will tie everything together and close in verses 15-23

Chair Bible page 787

Philippians 4:15–23 (NASB 2020)

Are you ready for the message God has for us today?

Cool, let’s dig in!

A Church’s Concern

So many churches today lack a deep heart felt concern for one another.

Its all about what I can get out of it

There is little to no connection, no fellowship outside of worship on Sunday mornings

You can see it their anger toward one another! Love gets totally lost!

One thing we have learned in this series is a church’s concern for each other and for an apostle

The church at Philippi appears very concerned for the well being of Paul

This is something that Paul was very aware of and appreciated about this church

Along with this they felt a partnership with Paul in the sharing of the gospel and the work Paul was doing in other cities.

What we see here is something quite beautiful the blending of their love for Paul and serving the cause of the gospel.

In regards to their gift it is not that he isn’t grateful but the gift is secondary to their relationship

In speaking about their gift Paul puts it in terms of being partners with him in his affliction and connects it to participation in Christ’s sufferings.

We saw this also earlier in Philippians 1:29-30

In this relationship Paul and the Philippians understood what each was going through in regards to sufferings.

Also Paul reminds them that Christ first suffered, then they too have a share spiritually because they are now suffering for the cause of Christ.

Brethren, as our days are entering a time where being a Christian can bring ridicule and suffering of various kinds, let these words of Paul bring comfort.

We are not the first nor will we be the last to suffer for the cause of the gospel.

Giving and Receiving

Paul uses some technical language known to the audience in the church of Philippi to develop even more the meaning of the financial gift they sent to him.

Metaphorically Paul uses the commercial language of the day in this crucial matter that has long been recognized

This language was uses well before the apostle Paul.

In fact we can see it used by philosophers to express the reciprocal benefits of true friendship.

Remember this letter is a friendship and exhortation letter.

So this friendship language used in society is expected.

Paul is showing that in true friendship there is a matter of giving and receiving and the relationship of Paul and Philippi is an example of the matter.

In the Greco-Roman world one could not understand genuine friendship without friends benefiting one another, thus goodwill included mutual benefits.

In this culture benefits simply meant that friends could be counted on to help each other out, often at some degree of personal sacrifice, like caring for family, or coming to one’s aid in a time of crisis, or embarking on activities that were of mutual benefit.

You see this was language that was borrowed from the world of commerce and business which is what Paul is now picking up.

He uses this technical language in conjunction with their common fellowship in this matter implying a friendship agreement that both have intentionally entered into.

A relationship of giving and receiving that alone Paul shares with Philippi and no other, because no other church helped Paul.

This expresses the kind of relationship they had.

This was a relationship that Paul says goes back to the beginning.

Man, how long and beautiful that relationship was a relationship of 10 to 11 years

Their example still speaks to us today.

Divine Recognition

Now Paul moves from a metaphor about their gift to the benefit it affords him and the divine recognition of the gift by God.

Paul says I have received full payment and it is credited to their account.

This reflects the final use of the commercial friendship metaphor.

Paul indicates that receipt of the gift puts the obligation of friendship back on his side.

Then adds that with the coming of Epaphroditus he has more than enough.

Their gift, which has met Paul’s material needs, has by that very fact pleased God.

Thus God becomes the focus of the rest of the passage.

Here is the beauty of this passage:

The mention of God at the end of verse 18 leads to something truly wonderful

The obligation in this friendship is now on Paul’s shoulders

However, Paul is in prison and cannot reciprocate directly

Paul then assures them that God will assume the responsibility of reciprocity.

Clearly from this point of view they have the better of it!

Paul promises that God will cover every need

Their material needs as the context demands

Also every other kind of need as the language demands

I cannot think of a better way to conclude this matter.

Philippians 4:20 NASB 2020

20 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

The Official Closing of Paul’s Letter

We note another imperative in the closing as Paul commands them to greet every saint.

This can also be translated another way, “Give my greetings to” which the NLT does.

So Paul is commanding them to give his greetings to all the saints in Christ Jesus.

What Paul is doing is giving a greeting to whole churched not lumped together but to every individual of the community.

Then notice again that there are others who send their greetings to Philippi.

In fact from two sets of believers

First the brothers who are with him - We do not know in this letter who is with Paul at the time of the writing.

Second all the saints

Then Paul adds and intriguing greeting: “especially those of Caesar’s household.”

Look at how far reaching the gospel was in Rome.

Household would have included slaves as well as family members.

Nero was the Caesar at the time of this letter.

Two matters are noteworthy:

First, this little phrase joins with mention of the Praetorian Guard in Philippians 1:13

Philippians 1:13 NASB 2020

13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the praetorian guard and to everyone else,

This is a clear indication that Paul was in Rome when he wrote this letter

Second the import of this greeting could hardly be lost on the Philippian believers, whose opponents in part stems from the Philippi was a Roman colony.

Paul and the Philippians have a common source of opposition.

Being they suffer at the hands of Roman citizens loyal to Caesar and Paul as an actual prisoner of Caesar.

Imagine, Paul has either found or has made disciples of the Lord among members of the imperial household, who are thus on the side of the Philippians struggle against those who proclaim Caesar as Lord!

I have found this so amazing and speaks to the transforming power of the gospel.

Romans 1:16 NASB 2020

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Then we have the typical closing of Paul in the majority of his letters.

Philippians 4:23 NASB 2020

23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Instead of the typical good bye found at the close of a letter in Paul’s day it is grace that Paul wishes for the Philippians.

Thus the final grace serves to bookend of a letter that began with grace and peace.

Philippians 1:2 NASB 2020

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Conclusion:

We would do well to consider carefully our passage from today.

This is the kind of relationship that I think every pastor and church should strive for.

But, also as the exhortations reveal there is to be a love in the church as well.

Far to often we hear about all the anger and frustration that brethren have with one another. What was the exhortation given to Euodia and Syntyche?

They were commanded to live in harmony in the Lord!

The world is filled with anger and division, we need a place free from those things.

A place of love and forgiveness.

We should be the one place where the world can come and find the love and forgiveness their heart longs for!

We live in the world, but we are not of the world!!!!!!!!!!

I know we strive for this in Amazing Grace!

Let all of us never take for granted the importance of our relationship.

It this loving kind of relationship that got the Philippians and Paul through very difficult persecution.

It is their love and concern that speaks volumes to churches and pastors in their relationships, as it will get us through difficult times that I see coming on the horizon.

Do you want to share in this kind of relationship?

It starts by giving your life over to Christ. Accepting Him as your savior and seeking the forgiveness offered through Christ.

That is what this letter is all about from beginning to end this letter focuses on Christ.

To miss this central focus on Christ would be to miss this letter altogether, and to miss the heart of Paul’s theology.

May we who read this letter as scripture follow in Paul’s foot steps.

We open the altars now for anyone who wants:

To give their life to Christ

Accept God’s call

Prayer to offer to God

Come to the altars!