Phil 4:10-23

If I have done my maths right, when some of you when you were little, you didn’t have Bluey, but instead you grew up in your preschool years under Pepppa Pig. In their epidiods called “George’s Ballon”, Peppa points out that there are “up balloons” and “down balloons”, and if you let going of an “up balloon” it goes all the way to the moon.

My kids used to love ballons, and who doesn’t love an “up balloons” but even if you get a “down balloon” there is still lots of fun in playing keepy uppty, where you try and keep the baloon off the ground, by wacking it up.

Sometimes with Christianity, people play this game too. They try to live a certain way by just trying harder. They try not to swear, remember to say their please and thankyous, they don’t watch violent TV shows or listen to music with swearing. They may even come to Youth or Church to make them feel like they are doing something good.

Doing all those things to try and make God happy with you is kinda like keeping the balloon off the ground. You do this thing here, you put effort there but eventually, the balloon comes back down and you try again to please God all over again. Some people even obey lists thinking that if they do them, then God owes them something in return. But with an “up balloon”, something fundamental has changed inside the balloon that means it will be kept off the ground by itself. When you become a Christian you don’t have to try and do good to please God. God comes and dwells inside you, changes your heart, desires, interests and motives. You don’t have to try harder, you just naturally want to do good for God and others[1].

This talk is going to say be content and share with others. Thats it, thats the talk. But it important to remember the rest of Philipians where this bit comes from, that we are not doing these things to earn God’s favour, but we are doing this things now because, if we are a Christian, God already favours us.

We are content and share with others, because of who we are now and where our citizenship lies. My family is going overseas next week, and when we get to England, we won’t have to act Australian, we are Australian. We don’t act like we are from Canberra, we are from Canberra. That is who we are. Likewise, we don’t act like Christians, we are Christian, our citizenship is in heaven.

Contentment (4:10-13)

So as Paul starts to round off this letter, he talks again about his joy that he has in his friendship with the Philippians and thanks them for the gift that they sent him. And, Paul is careful in navigating this relationship. He doesn’t want them to think, at all, that their relationship is simply transactional; but instead it is more of a partership, a sharing of troubles and of joy, for they, and him, are together in the Lord. Paul thanks them for their concern and then says:

Philippians 4:11 NIV

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

This is one of the main reason why Paul wrote this letter, he wanted to assure the Philippians that he was doing ok, even though he was in prison.

Paul says he was fine because he has learned how to be content in all things. Paul’s contentment comes from learning through some real-life experience and from God who gives him strength. Once Paul becaus a Christian he didn’t have the easiest of life, and yet in the face of physical attacks and whips and shipwrecks and general danger, Paul was content.

Paul dosen't consider physical containment in prison a disaster, nor physical comfort a sign of success. He wasn’t going to let the externals affect his contentment.

Paul isn’t just gritting his teeth and maning up and enduring all that he is going through. Paul doesn’t find the resources for his contentment in himself, it is through the Lord he can face all things. It is God who gives him the strength.

His contentment comes from a history of knowing that God is using him, that Jesus is the true King and there is nothing they can do about it. Paul knew that his standing before God is based on Jesus, which is rock solid, and not based on anything he can do. Paul’s identity and whole being is wrapped up with Jesus, causing him to live entirely for Him.

What is your life wrapped up in? How do you primarily identify yourself? When life takes a turn for the worst, will you still have peace, contentment and joy in the Lord? Do you have something that can not be taken away from you, regardless of circumstances?

If you are a Christian you can say “absolutely”. Regardless of your feelings, or situation, if you are a Christian, you are adopted into God’s family and that cannot be taken away from you by anyone. So rejoice! I’ll say it again rejoice. Your standing before God is perfect, not because you are, but because Jesus was, and He took your place. Hopefully, this Christ centred mindset will encourage you to go deeper with the Father who loves you, to focus on the Son who saved you and to trust in the Spirit who guides you and gives you new desires and motivations to put your faith into practice.

The gift of giving (4:14-20)

So Paul is thankful, to both God and for the Philippians who gave him gifts.

Paul is firstly thankful because their gifts given shows their heart and care for him. Paul’s circumtances gave the Philippians an oppunity to show their concern for him. Their willingness to help, shows their heart, it show they are willing to give, to be scraficial, to be like Christ.

This is not a one off thing either. The Philippians have done this time and time again. When Paul first went to Thessalonica some 150kms away, they supported him and sent him gifts, more than once, with no internet banking.

The Philippians loved to give to Paul. They saw it as a privilege to share in sending the Gospel out to the world. They put their money where they mouth was in getting the Gosple out and it showed their heart, which Paul was thankful for.

Giving is good for your own spirtual development. Giving from joy shows that God is at work in you, and that money doesn’t have any power over you. Money can be a controlling force. Money is the main topic that drives elections, its what your parents may worry about, and the more we have the more we feel powerful and selfsufficent.

I like how this French guy, Jacques Ellul puts it: “There is one act par excellence which profanes money by going directly against the law of money, an act for which money is not made. This act is giving.” (Philippians Contemporary Significance)

Giving money away is not it’s intented use. And in this subversive act we can show we are not under the power of money so that we can use money and not let it use us. The antidote to it’s power and hold over us is to give. In doing this we can learn to be content in plenty and in want.

If you have just started working, you should get on this subversive, rebellious act of giving your money away. It is harder to start a habit like this later in life. Giving money to help the Gospel shows your heart, and that the power of money has no hold on you. It says you are not self sufficent but rely on Jesus who is Lord over you and everything else.

Paul calls their gifts something that is pleasing to God. It was a lovely sacrifice, showing their heart and partnership with him, and Paul is confident that, in verse 19

Philippians 4:19 NIV

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

This is not about God meeting all their wants, but all their needs. God, in Christ is rich towards His people. This may not mean materal wealth, although in Australia we are rich here. But our God is rich in mercy, who made us alive in Him (Eph 2:4-5). That is what we need most, life with God.

Closing remarks (4:21-23)

Paul then closes off his letter with a little line that I like.

Philippians 4:22 NIV

All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.

Even those in Ceaser’s houshold send their greetings. Even in prison, under Caesar, the gospel is going into Ceasers household. This message has infiltrated, and while it may take 300 years, the Empire will eventually identify as Christian. So here, like a mustard seed, it is starting out small and it will grow.

Paul ends on a note of grace, which is how this letter started in verse 2.

So to wrap up, this letter to the Philippians, is all of grace and joy. It is all about Jesus, and a call for us to be like Him.

I think Christanity is punk. It is rebelling against the world, and not conforming to its pattens. It is an alternative lifestyle. The world is mad and so to rebell is to go back to sanity, to obey God. Teenagers think, talking back to parents, being tought and cool, underage drinking and sleeping with your girlfriend is rebellious, but everybody does that. Its overrated and overdone. If you want to be a rebel, be a virgin on your wedding day and read the Bible.

When Paul was in prision, the goverment thought he was a threath because he said Jesus and not Ceaser was Lord. And he writes this letter to a Roman conoly, and says be humble like Jesus, put Christ first and other second, forget your past achivements, and rest in God who has brought you into a new kingdom, under a different king.

Today money drives everything, but we don’t have to let money rule over us, we now live under our loving Father. We can be content in all circumstances, and we can pray and be thankful for what we have, for we have a God of peace, who will transform our hearts and minds, who will meet our needs. Even if we are in a prison.

So give and be content with what you have, for you have everything in Christ.

May

Philippians 4:23 NIV

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