The Unexplainable Advance of the Gospel

Introduction

Legacy Planner

NY accent

Observations of this morning and being here with Pastor Monte and you

Background

Philippian church going thru times of extreme poverty, persecution, conflict in church.

Paul is writing this letter expressing his joy in their growth in the Lord as evident by their gifts.

Questions to Answer on Philippians 4:10-20

How does the Unimaginable Advance of the Gospel occur ?

What is the significance to Philippians and to you?

Why does the Unexplainable occur?

Ask to stand and read

Philippians 4:10–20 ESV

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

pray

Paul writing from prison in Roman summed up by F.B. Meyer

“Deprived of every comfort, and cast as a lonely man on the shores of the great strange metropolis with every moment of his hand clanking a fetter and nothing before him but the lion's mouth or sword” F.B Meyer

Philippians 4:10 ESV

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.

9x in Phil only once word greatly mega is greek root for greatly like megaphone

Think of a friend who mentored you years ago when you were a young Christian and you have not heard back anything for years, then one day he calls surprising you, this is this type of profound surprise and joy Paul feels

Paul why rejoice greatly its been 10 years since they sent you a gift?

Philippians 1:3–6 ESV

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

(Passion of the Gospel)

Philippians 4:11 ESV

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

1 Timothy 6:6–8 ESV

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.

Hebrews 13:5 ESV

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

( Contentment being satisfied with little in this life and anticipating more later)

Being content is both a command and virtue, 1 Tim. 6:6-8, Heb. 13:5

“Whatever situation” -what experiences is Paul referring to- he had to wait at on line at the grocery store an extra 20 minutes, his close friends were abandoning him

Philippians 4:12 ESV

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

physical and food needs (plenty and hunger)

learned the secret - being initiated into a mysterious religion

Paul takes this expression to refer instead to uncovering the marvel of contentment- by experience. here are some of those experiences

2 Cor 11:24-25

English Standard Version Chapter 11

Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;

How could be content while his life sounds like a surreal movie like the survivalist?

2 Cor 4:17 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are see are transient, but the things that are unseen and eternal

Traps the world lays for us even in the form of Christian financial advisors.

Situation- Mom leaves an inheritance to me - now a Christian for close to 5 years, listening to Crown Ministries Radio and Howard Dayton every day working in a stewardship position, i cant wait to apply what i have learned. So i know to give sacrificially because of the love Jesus first had for me but how and where do i invest

Action-select a Christian Financial advisor

Result- the question “how much is enough ?” haunted me for years because who knows how much is enough- i can come up with all types of scenarios to develop a wide range of needs- bottom line- this is a loaded question because i will never have enough. Then a few years back listening to one of our Alliance pastors quote Tozer

Before the judgment seat of Christ my service will be judged not by how much I have done but by how much I could have done!... In God’s sight, my giving is measured not by how much I have given but how much I have left after I made my gift… Not by its size is my gift judged, but by how much of me there is in it. No man gives at all until he has given all! No man gives anything acceptable to God until he has first given himself in love and sacrifice” 

Personally I like Tozer’s question better- how much i have left after i made my gift and by how much of me there is in it.

Paul labored day and night in order to support himself and preach, while the uncertainties of his work and travel meant days of hunger and thirst. Despite all this greatest anxiety he gave up himself in love and sacrifice for the health of the churches

How did the unexplainable advance of the Gospel occur?

Christ Sufficient Phil 4:13

English Standard Version Chapter 4

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

That why Paul can say in

Philippians 1:21 ESV

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Contrast this to how many are living today:

For me to live is money and to die is to leave it all behind

For me to live is fame and to die ie to be quickly forgotten

For me to live is possessions and to die is depart with nothing in hand

Paul is saying even without food for awhile, clothes, comfort,warmth, freedom, endure pain, danger threats

End of striving for worldly fame and property is the beginning of Christ Jesus, Phil 4:13

You see as followers of Jesus Christ you and I have the Holy Spirit that mean...

Ephesians 3:16 ESV

that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

How does a pacemaker work in our heart and what is the Christian’s pacemaker?

It only kicks in when your heart doesn’t work right? It’s a sustaining power. As long as the heart functions properly, you don’t need the pacemaker. If the heart doesn’t function properly, the pacemaker takes over. There’s a sense in which we have this resource, this reservoir of spiritual power that moves into action when we have come to the end of our own resources. This reservoir of spiritual power is the Holy Spirit when we surrender the co-pilot seat and say Lord you can have both the pilot seat and the co-pilot seat in this Christian journey

Many times the Lord uses adversity to make us realize we have no control over events but what if you are now in a season without adversity?

Everything is going well but rather than go for a routine physical you ask for a physical that shows root diseases. I did this back in December. I was all ready to skip my physical - physically I felt great. But this advanced physical found serious disease lurking in my heart and carotid arteries in my neck- continue doing routine physicals - i end up in non elective surgery for life threatening disease. The same truth of disease hiding under the surface of “feeling great” is addressed spiritually thru praying for instance ......

Psalm 139:23 ESV

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!

God can only work with a clean vessel-

And that is what we will be looking at next clean vessels the saints of the Philippian church

Philippians 4:14–16 ESV

Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.

Paul is saying that despite the sovereign God's providence ordering all the events for care of his life you Philippians have done a noble thing, they are giving to God's work in the world

Young church ten years ago they alone gave repeatedly - their generosity with Paul's hard work allowed him to minister free of charge in Thessalonica and Corinth

Giving and receiving financial terms-like expenditures and receipts, but don’t overlook this giving and receiving as a marker of a genuine friendship. The Greco-Roman culture used giving and receiving so one can play one-up-manship. Paul used the term to designate their roles as both slaves of Christ as in the introduction to this letter.

One of the key principles in estate planning is that

People are more important than dollars.

Gorden Fee’s commentary on these 2 verses echoes this principle of people being more important than dollars by say:

Paul’s Letter to the Philippians 2. Their Gift as Partnership in the Gospel (4:14–17)

First, he reminds them of their past “partnership with him in the gospel”; but, second, that reminder is couched in the language of friendship, indeed of the primary expression of friendship in Greco-Roman antiquity, “partnership in the matter of giving and receiving.”

Because of this partnership which was three way with Jesus Christ at the head, the Philippians more than once sent church members 95 miles to Thessalonica to assist with Paul’s material needs.

Let me share an example of how this might look today

Situation: Working with a couple -now two close friends- in partnership of the Gospel. It started out financial. They had significant property worth millions which they wanted to donate to C&MA and other ministries. The very start of our relationship the language and information shared was all financial how they could save close to $1M in taxes while get income for life and their charities get most if not all proceeds from the property sale. However as we went beyond the financial language 8 months into the relationship- a partnership started to develop.

Action: Blog posts, Stones of Remembrance bible study discussions, sharing of emails, checking in with each other, praying for him and his family, proved that my mission was not about charitable planning tools- these were tools only- my mission was identical to his- advancement of the Gospel and unity with the saints of Jesus Christ church.

Outcome: He introduces me to his family as a partner in missions who works for the C&MA. And he treats me as a partner as he flew into John Wayne Airport to spend one full day with me because of my travel restrictions from health complications. We are not only growing our friendship- but our partnership. Giving is an outflow of service - which is motivated by Jesus love. This is what Paul is getting to in these verses- a partnership that started out financially but now has become a close friendship with Christ as the head giving and receiving of Christ love.

Let’s face it our partnership is being built under incredibly different circumstances than the Philippian church. To get some background, let’s go to 2 Cor. 8:2-5

2 Corinthians 8:2–5 ESV

for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.

severe test of affliction - could be

Poverty as Paul said extreme poverty-low income class most of them merchants and artisans barely making enough to meet family needs- their poverty resulted in Romans seeing them as dishonest

Persecution after ad 60- following Jesus not Caesar made Philippians haters of humanity

What is significance of their gift to Paul- build more churches, make Paul happy?

Philippians 4:17 ESV

Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.

Paul's focus is not the money they give.

Rather the account from which they are accruing dividends in a compounding effect.

Using financial terms increases to your credit is saying you know those gifts you sent to me more than once?

They are being deposited into an eternal bank account for you.

Have any doubts ?Read the Parable of the Talents and how each one of us will give an accounting to our Lord for our faithfulness in growing what He has entrusted us and using it to advance His kingdom. Dont have time now to read this but there is a contrast between the two servants who are faithful and the one who is unfaithful. The two faithful servants enter the joy of their Master Jesus Christ, the unfaithful servant is thrown. he cast the unfaithful servant into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth- implying the unfaithful servant never really knew Jesus Christ.

Significance has to do with our eternal bank account opened for us. Those who are faithful and experience a compounding effect, they will hear Well done, my good and faithful servant.

This gets to our last question..

Why does the Unexplainable Occur

Philippians 4:18–20 ESV

I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Our personal sacrifice comes from not only Christ’s love but also from our trusting God.

Sweet smelling aroma , an acceptable sacrifice to God-referencing OT language of sacrifices recalling the very first sacrifice by Noah (Gen. 8:21) in when the Lord first smelled the pleasing aroma releasing his curse on the ground and every living creature.

Paul is saying you really didn’t give to me, you gave to God recall earlier 2 Cor 8:5- that they first gave themselves to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Spiritually & eternally you really didn’t give to Community Alliance Church you gave to God.

In human terms the word surrender is weakness. Surrender to God and you experience freedom, peace, hope

This parallels the vision here at this church

Once you know and live like Christ is sufficient

You experience freedom from worldly desires enslaving you.

Focus on eternal matters.

Purpose here at CAC is clear to others.

Making Christ Known.

The mention of Epaphroditus takes us to another key estate planning principle

The motivation behind any personal transfer is Christ’s love

If you want to wire money you send it via Western Union maybe or back then you might send a messenger desperate for money with no family or ties. The Philippian church do just the opposite. We know little of this man Epaphroditus other than what Paul tells us in

Philippians 2:25 ESV

I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need,

Paul is saying because Epaphroditus got ill, he is sending him back. But look at how Paul describes him

brother

fellow worker

fellow soldier

minister to my need and then messenger

A messenger was not enough. They sent one of their most spiritually mature,loved by his church, maybe he had a family (we dont know) who goes to Rome to do more than deliver - minister right alongside Paul- knowing he may face the same penalty for being a Christian that Paul will- the sword or the Lion. What compels one to this - Christ’s love. What compels your Pastor, his wife, church leadership and you to offer of yourself sacrificially- Christ’s love. That why in any estate planning which has generational consequences, we stress the Gospel and eternal inheritance over material. People over dollars toward a ministry of reconciling any existing or potential differences. There are too many divisions in families because passing on an inheritance was not spiritual first- rather it was all about the legal- get it done.

My God will supply all your needs - often taken out of context.

Luke 6:38 ESV

give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

God will supply all your needs according to His riches- like you have the reservoir of the Holy Spirit- God owns everything and can supply whatever whenever He wants to meet your and my needs- when we are focused on visions like the one here at CAC. The context of this supplying needs is all about making Christ known.

Paul ends this focusing on

Bringing Glory to God forever and ever- Paul never lost sight of life beyond earth where you and I someday in the future. Though we anticipate the future with great hope, we dont fret on the past or fear the future such as will Social Security last, what if i end up in a nursing home or l lose my job.

Our God’s name is the Great I am

Here is a quote from Helen Mallicoat avid writer who moved from Il to Wikenburg, AZ in 1947

This quote was part of many of her writings and one of the legacies she left behind in the Wickenburg Sun Obituaries, on Wednesday, December 22, 2004

My name is IAM

When you live in the past

With its mistakes and its regrets

It is hard. I am not there

My name is not It was

When you live in the future

With its problems and fears

It is hard. I am not there

My name is not I will be

When you live in the moment

It is not hard

I am here

My name is Iam