I Can Do All Things!

Good morning. Just a couple of announcements:

Annual Business Meeting on Sunday, May 19.

On Tuesday, May 14th & 28th at 6 pm, we will be having small group at my home. Do you best to make it out to one of these groups. They will be taking the place of Wednesday evening services over the Summer.

(All on the May calendar in the back).

Last week we finished up chapter 2 of Romans. Instead of beginning a new chapter this week, we are going to be turning over to another of Paul’s letter…the book of Philippians. We will be picking up Romans again after our Summer series on Luke-Acts.

PRAY

As I mentioned, today we are going to be looking at the book of Philippians…more specifically, chapter 4, and even more specifically than that....verses 10-23. Can anyone tell me the well known passage found within our text today?

It is

Philippians 4:13 “I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Before we dive into that particular verse, let’s take a look at what led Paul to declaring such a bold statement, and what he means by “I am able to do all things through Him.” First, in your handout I have included an outline of the passages and how we will be covering them today. Let’s take a look at that.

Letter Closing: Final Thanksgiving and Greetings (4:10–23)

I. Thanksgiving for Gospel Partnership (4:10–20)

A. First Thank You (4:10–13)

1. Acknowledgment (4:10a)

2. Explanation (4:10b)

3. Qualifier (4:11–13)

B. Second Thank You (4:14–17)

1. Acknowledgment (4:14)

2. Explanation (4:15–16)

3. Qualifier (4:17)

C. Third Thank You (4:18–20)

1. Acknowledgment (4:18)

2. Explanation (4:19)

3. Doxology (4:20)

Let’s start out by reading this section in its entirety, so we can get the full picture…then we will go back, do some context, and thentackle each section, according to our outline. As a side note, if you really want to understand God’s word within its proper context, one of the best tools you can use is an outline. It gives you a snapshot of a large porttion of scripture and puts everything into its proper place. Creating your own outline is a great way to gain a better understanding of scripture.

Philippians 4:10–23 (CSB) I rejoiced in the Lord greatly because once again you renewed your care for me. You were, in fact, concerned about me but lacked the opportunity to show it. I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me. Still, you did well by partnering with me in my hardship. And you Philippians know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone. For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account. But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you greetings. All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

That was a bit lengthy, but it’s important we understand what Paul is communicating. If you imagine the book of Philippians as a continuous sermon, then this final portion of chapter 4 would be the conclusion, or closing…where Paul is wrapping up and restating the main idea that he wants to get across. How did the book of Philippians come to be? That is a great question, and I’m so glad you asked it.

As with any book in the Bible, it is important that we understand as much as we can about the author, the audience, and why the author wrote the letter. The book of Philippians is a much more personal letter. We do not see the same “chains of reasoning” that we see in Paul’s other letters. In other words, Paul does not go into long speeches, where he introduces and idea then spends an entire chapter or two explaining the reasoning behind the idea. For example, in the book of Romans, in chapter 1, Paul introduces the concept of Jews and Gentiles being equal in God’s sight…Paul then spends the next 2 chapter explaining why that is the case…that is “chains of reasoning.” We do not see that as much in this letter. The reason for that is because of the relationship Paul had with the people in Philippi.

Unlike the church in Rome, where we have no information on how it started or when it started. The church in Philippi was started shortly after the Apostle Paul visited the city on his second missionary journey. It was during his visit to Philippi that he met Lydia (a wealthy woman who hosted the Philippian church at her home, as well as the Philippian Jailer, both of these people, and their families (the Bible says) came to know Christ through the ministry of Paul. What makes Philippi so special is that it was the home to many retired Roman soldiers who had given their hearts to the Lord....again, through the ministry of Paul. Because of this unique situation, Paul talks about topics like citizenship, which was a big deal in Rome. The Romans put great stock in their citizenship…not only that, but the Roman soldiers were typically very loyal to Cesar. It doesn’t take a genius to see how this could cause issues, as the early church was greatly persecuted by Rome. So, when we read

Philippians 3:20 “Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

When we understand who was hearing this letter, we can better understand the intent behind Paul’s words. 2 more quick mentions; after the church in Philippi was formed, and began growing, they learned that Paul had been arrested in Rome. Because of this, the church sent a guy by the name of Epaphroditus to bring Paul some support…probably financial support, as He was unable to get out and work. Paul was especially grateful for the support. Turns out though, Epaphroditus ends up getting very ill, and almost died. However, he recovered, so Paul decided to write a letter to the Philippian church and send it back with Epaphroditus…thanking them for their support and addressing some issues that were causing some problems. That is how Philippians came to be.

Now, with that out of the way, let’s dig in to our passages and look at Paul’s first “thank you.”

A. First Thank You (4:10–13)

1. Acknowledgment (4:10a)

2. Explanation (4:10b)

Philippians 4:10 “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly because once again you renewed your care for me. You were, in fact, concerned about me but lacked the opportunity to show it.”

In Paul’s first “thank you” in this section, Paul says that he rejoices in the Lord. He uses this term 3 times throughout chapter 3 and 4. Remember, Paul had been arrested and put on house confinement. Paul couldn’t earn any money by his normal work, which, besides being a missionary, he was a tent maker. Paul is grateful for the support of the Philippian church and its people. In fact, the people in Philippi were one of the only ones who would consistently support The Philippian support for Paul highlights one of the core principles that made the early church so successful. The early believers did not draw a line of separation between their material goods and their faith. Now, this sermon isn’t about stewardship, so I will not belabor the point, but the book of Acts tells us that the early church was willing to put literally everything on the line for their faith.

Acts 2:44–47 “Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”

Now, to be fair, the early church lived in (what is called) a collective society…where the individual was less important than the collective, or the group. That said, there was still greed and selfishness. We know this because it was one of Jesus’ main accusations against the Pharisees. More than that though, Jewish culture was very insular…meaning, they did not associate with “outsiders.” If you were not Jewish, then you were not worthy of their help or time. Anyway, Paul rejoiced, as the Philippians were willing to aid him. Paul then adds the reason he is great-full for their help in verses 11-13.

3. Qualifier (4:11–13)

Philippians 4:11–13 “I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Here is where we come to the famous…and often times infamous passage Ph. 4:13…I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me. Clearly, Paul is talking about the Lord empowering him to win a football game, or to get an A on a test, or even not to not sin or become a better Christian…because, as Paul said…I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Of course, these are not the things that Paul is referring to in verse 13. We will talk more about that in a moment…but first, Paul wants to assure the church in Philippi that, although he very much values their gift and support, even if he never received a penny from them, that he has been taught a very valuable lesson by the Lord. In verse 11, Paul says “I have learned.” The actual phrase here is:

memyēmai: I have learned the secret!

It has to do with learning a secret…something that is not common knowledge. There is more than one person to suggest that Paul uses this phrase, that is only used one time in all of scripture to push back against the popular secret initiation rites of certain cults back then…to be a part of the group, the person had to undergo a number of difficult tests…if they passed those tests, they would then be given the secret knowledge that only the cult had. We know these things from various 1st Century writers, like Josephus, which wrote about these secret cults being popular. Paul could have used the phrase he normally uses for learning, but he chose something very unique in this instance. Paul is suggesting here, that the secret to being content lies with the Lord, not with our circumstances.

Naturally, Paul is grateful for the support...as we all would be in such a situation, but Paul has learned the valuable secret of contentment. I really appreciate what one person had to say about verse 13:

He has learned the secret of deep peace based on detachment from his outward circumstances. In whatever conditions of life he finds himself, he discovers the will of God for his situation.

This is a great explanation of what the actual meaning of what “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” actually means. Regardless of his current situation, Paul will not engage in self pity or victim hood. Even more specific than general contentment, Paul is referring to his financial or material needs. Whether materially blessed or in need, Paul can do all things through Him, who gives strength....He can live with abundance or with lack…he can do all things through Christ.

B. Second Thank You (4:14–17)

1. Acknowledgment (4:14)

Philippians 4:14 “Still, you did well by partnering with me in my hardship.”

Verse 14 begins the second “Thank you.” The church in Philippi was a good partner in the gospel. Not everyone has the opportunity to uproot their lives and travel all over creation in order to tell people about Jesus, nor does God call everyone to uproot and travel. The kingdom of God takes all manner of people to operate. The Lord set the Church up to operate in a specific manner. Paul refers to this Ephesians 4. But in that chapter, Paul is referring specifically to leadership

Ephesians 4:11 “And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,”

Beyond those positions, the Church needs a diverse group of people in order to function. I’ve talked about his before, but we are all called to sacrifice either our time, or talent or our treasure. Some are called to go, some are called to study and teach, some are called to sacrifice financially, some are called to pray, or to serve, and, I truly believe, some are called to endure hardship for the sake of the gospel. All of these people have a unique space within the Church. One of the things Paul was called to do was to suffer hardship for the gospel. Not too many people want this one…we would rather pray, or well, just about anything other than sacrificial giving or suffering hardship. Paul is grateful that his partner in the gospel has been there by his side, supporting him, while he fulfilled God’s call on his life.

2. Explanation (4:15–16)

Philippians 4:15–16 “And you Philippians know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone. For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times.”

Paul Paul explains that he is grateful because the Philippian church has always been there for him, from the very beginning. Through the good times and the rough times. Paul remarks that even before the church in Philippi was started, some of the people who were at the church in Thessalonica were supporting him in a private manner, rather than through the church. The truth is, Paul would not have been able to do what God called him to do, had it not been for those who are called to be sacrificial givers. Compare what Paul says to the Philippian church, compared to the church in Corinth. This passage is about Paul offering to come to them and preach to them for free…without expecting anything in return.

2 Corinthians 11:7–9 “Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches by taking pay from them to minister to you. When I was present with you and in need, I did not burden anyone, since the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have kept myself, and will keep myself, from burdening you in any way.”

On one hand, Paul is thanking the people in Philippi for being generous givers, but he is telling the church in Corinth that he purposely did not take anything from them, nor will he take anything from them in the future. Quite a bit difference between the two. Last verse in this section is verse 17

3. Qualifier (4:17)

Philippians 4:17 “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account.”

In grammar, a qualifier is a word, or even a phrase that limits the scope of something said previously. I realize that is probably confusing, now that I said it…it didn’t sound that way when I wrote it thought. I can think of no better example than something i dealt with this week. For school, I had to write a book review on a book called:

9 Lies that Will Destroy Your Marriage: And the Truths That Will Save It and Set It Free

By Robert Paul & Greg Smalley

Guess what the book is about? Not exactly a subtle title, is it. The little blurb that summarizes the book says:

Lies about marriage are rampant in our culture and the church. They’re killing marriages. But the corresponding truths can strengthen marriages and even save the most troubled relationships. In this book, marriage experts Greg Smalley and Robert Paul identify the lies, explain how they work to destroy marriages, and reveal the truths that not only can improve marriages, but rescue those that are floundering. The book is by Christian authors, and is OK. It’s not something I would have bought on my own though. Each chapter details 1 one of the 9 lies that people can bring in to their marriage or relationship that can cause issues over the long term. Just to give you an example,

Love Lie #1: And They Lived Happily Ever After

Love Lie #2: 1 + 1 = 1

Love Lie #3: All You Need Is Love

Then comes Love Lies number 5:

Love Lie #5: You Must Meet Each Other’s Needs

When I read a self-help book, my bologna meter is already at a 5 out of 10…meaning, I am automatic suspicious and leery of self-help books, even Christian ones, as they are inherently very self-centered…all about “ME.” When I read love lie number 5, my bologna meter maxed out at 10. My first thought was…the authors better offer up a lot of qualifiers to that statement…in other words, they better offer up some serious exceptions to that very broad statement. Now, to be fair, in the chapter, what the authors had to say was actually true…they were talking strictly about how we are complete in Christ, and it’s not up to our partner to “complete” us or meet our spiritual needs. Fair enough, right? Except, that is not what the lie sounds like. The problem, even though the authors made some good points, they did not include any qualifiers…they didn’t explain that in many areas married couples are called to meet each other’s needs....a qualifier would limit the meaning or scope of the phrase.

That was a very long explanation for a relatively minor point…Anyway,

In verses 15 and 16, Paul is explaining that he is thankful for the generosity of the Philippian church....then Paul ads a qualifier in verse 17

Philippians 4:17 “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account.”

In other words…thank you so much for always supporting me, not that I was seeking your support, but I know that God blesses a generous giver. Paul offers these qualifiers in all 3 of this “Thank you’s.” This has led many reputable scholars to believe that some people may have had an issue with the gift that Epaphroditus brought to Paul, only for their friend to almost die from getting sick. If you have ever been in the position of having to rely of others for help, it can be awkward sometimes, especially if the person who is helping you ends up in a bad way. Paul was human, just like the rest of us, and although Paul did not care at all what others thought of him personally, Paul did care, a great deal, about how his words and actions affected the gospel of Christ. Sometimes we can loose sight of Paul’s humanity, as we rightly view his words as divinely inspired…which they are, but he was also human. It doesn’t take a bible scholar to see the times where Paul becomes angry, or even defensive (for a good reason).

The phrase “I seek the profit that is increasing to your account” is a phrase having to do with finances. Depending on where you look, it can mean different things. For example,here are some different translations:

NIV: what I desire is that more be credited to your account.

GW: I’m looking for your resources to increase.

ESV: I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.

NASB: I seek the [a]profit which increases to your account.

Kind of confusing, in some of these it sounds like Paul wants to give them something, but in others, it sounds like Paul is seeking something from them....kind of a big difference. The God’s honest truth is, we aren’t 100% sure what Paul is saying…but the best explanation I found explains it in terms of banking and earned interest. If I go to the bank and open an account, certain bank accounts will give you interest. Interest is what is earned simply by making your money available to the bank. For example, let’s say I deposit $10,000 into the bank and they offer 5% annual interest. As long as that account does not dip below 10,000 dollars, in enough time, that 10,000 will become 10,500....and it will continue to build interest until I take the money out…once I do, I will have earned that extra money. What Paul is suggesting here is that he made a spiritual deposit into their bank....in turn, he seeks the interest that his deposit has made. The deposit was the Gospel of Christ, the profit, or the interest is God’s blessing and reward…that is what Paul is seeking from the Philippians…that in turn for depositing the gospel of Christ into their lives, he seeks the interest of God’s blessing and favor.

Let’s go ahead and look at the last couple of passages, and the third “Thank you.”

C. Third Thank You (4:18–20)

1. Acknowledgment (4:18)

Philippians 4:18 “But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.”

Here in verse 18, Paul’s third thank you is for the material goods that the church sent him. After the qualifier in verse 17, Paul wants to make sure that the people in Philippi know....even though he is content in all situations, he is abundantly grateful for the generous gift…which Paul compares to the O.T. tradition of offering up a sweet smelling sacrifice to the Lord. Paul also uses this language in the book of Ephesians

Ephesians 5:2 “and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.”

Paul says that Christ offered himself up as a fragrant sacrifice to the Lord, on our behalf. In a similar manner, Paul is saying that the people in Philippi, by willingly offering up their own material goods, they are making a similar type of sacrifice to that of Christ…meaning, they are giving up something willingling, so another person can be blessed…that is entire idea behind giving sacrificially in the N.T. So, Paul is grateful.

Next Paul offers up another very famous passages that is often taken out of context for selfish reasons.

2. Explanation (4:19)

Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Paul explains to the people in Philippi, that the Lord will graciously supply everything they need…but there is an important qualifier that Paul already mentioned in the previous verse...-because the people in Philippi are willing to sacrifice on behalf of someone else, God will then bless them…notice, the people of Philippi were not giving of their own things in order to get something back…that was not their motive…they were partners with Paul in spreading the Gospel of Christ. They were willing to do the part that God called them to do, by being a blessing to Paul…and it is because of this, God will supply all of their needs. It is for sure that we like to claim the blessing, but we aren’t so keen on the qualifier. I will also tell you, these passages also suggest that the people in Philippi were not simply giving out of their abundance…meaning, what was merely left over after they already have everything they want…I’m not just talking about money here either....our time can be just as precious as our treasure.

Our last passage is Paul’s goodbye

3. Doxology (4:20)

Philippians 4:20 “Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Paul’s ending statement is merely an exclamation point on the previous few passages, in which Paul is giving thanks for the generosity of the Philippian church. Many times is his letters Paul talks about how the only thing in which he will boast or brag, is the cross of Christ.

Galatians 6:14 “But as for me, I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world has been crucified to me through the cross, and I to the world.”

Furthermore, all of the generosity of the Philippian church, his work as a missionary and teacher, all of his suffering for the sake of the gospel…all of that is done for one reason…so that God can receive the glory and honor. In other words, everything that is going on in and around Paul is for the glory of God…Paul caps it all by saying AMEN....or SO BE IT…let everything be done to the Glory of God.

I’ve already mentioned a number of things that can apply to us in our passages....but to close today, I want to reiterate a couple of important points that I believe are especially fitting for us today, and they happen to be the main ideas touched upon by Paul. In fact, I would argue, these two principles are woven through all of Paul’s letters.

Living a Life of Contentment & Thanksgiving

Philippians 4:11–13 “I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.”

I submit to you, it is not possible to have one of these without the other. Either our lives are marked by contentment and thanksgiving or they are marked by discontent and unappreciation. To be fair, we all go through times of being discontent and unappreciative, that is for sure. The question though, what do we display more often than not: contentment and thanksgiving or discontent and unappreciation? Notice what Paul says in verse 11…that he has learned…meaning, at one time he was different. Our churches today are filled with Christians who are discontent and who lack appreciation for their lot in life. They are discontent and lack appreciation in and for their marriages and spouses, they are discontent and lack appreciation with and in their church, they are discontent and lack appreciation with most things in their lives. As a result, they consider themselves a perpetual victim of circumstance and can never seem to break out of their discontent. Unfortunately, the only person who is unable to see their lack of appreciation and discontent is themselves. I realize that this is some pretty hard stuff here, but if we want to grow in the Lord, we MUST look in the mirror from time to time to take stock in what we see…that spiritual mirror is the only way that most of us can grow…because the only alternative to the mirror is someone else pointing out your flaws…when is the last time you thanked someone for pointing out a flaw…regardless of how it was done? This is why I tell you that looking in the mirror is the only way that the Holy Spirit can reveal that discontent and unappreciative attitude.

The Bible is full of passages that talk about living a life of contentment and thanksgiving. Paul serves as a great example to us, as does Christ, of course. In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells us how to live a life of contentment and thanksgiving

Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

Jesus uses the example of our hunger and thirst a few times in scripture to talk about contentment and thanksgiving. The reason is because our hunger and thirst are never quenched…even if we are momentarily content, that will pass, and it’s only a matter of time until we are discontent. In the same manner, when we are hungry, how likely is it that you are going to be thankful for not having any food or water when you are thirsty? This is why Jesus tells the woman at the well to drink from the Living Water, so she will never again thirst. Our hunger and thirst are unquenchable, they never fully go away until we die....so, there is no better example of what kind of contentment and thanksgiving that the Lord offers us through His word…that if we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we might be able to declare: I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances come my way…that is what Paul learned, this is the secret.

True contentment and thanksgiving can only come from the original source…and that is the Lord. Outside of Him we will only find discontent…because even if we find something that sates our hunger for a while, it’s only a matter of time before it comes roaring back. When our lives are lived in such a way where we find our contentment in anything, other than the Lord, it will never, ever satisfy. By extension, when we are constantly discontent and striving to find false contentment, it is impossible to have an attitude of thanksgiving. There are countless things that we can rely on for contentment other than the Lord…financial stability, trying to be happy, relationships, our children, the opinions of others…and numerous other things. Unfortunately, the more discontent we become, the more we will lack appreciation…becoming more and more we become a victim, which in turn leads to extreme selfishness.

My challenge this morning is to think about the last time you held up that spiritual mirror took a long look. When you do that 1 of three things can happen, and only one of them are healthy.

Looking in the spiritual mirror!

You see nothing wrong.

Everything you see is wrong.

You see, in part, areas of discontent and a lack of thanksgiving.

If every time you look in that mirror you either see nothing wrong or you see everything as wrong, all at once, there is a problem friends. When the Lord reveals things to us, he does not use our deficiencies to crush our spirit, but he also doesn’t just tell you how great you are all of the time either. Just as Paul had to learn to live a life of contentment and thanksgiving, we must do the same thing. This is something I’ve learned long ago…and it is a really good marker for where yo are in this area…when is the last time you said “I am sorry” or I was wrong to someone? If the answer is a very long time, chances are, you have become discontent and lack gratitude in your life…and I don’t have time to explain why that is, but it is. Also, if all you ever do is apologize for your behavior and think you are always wrong, the same applies…you are struggling with discontent, you just handle it differently. The Lord desires to lift that burden from you, regardless of how it may manifest in your life.

PRAY.