Sermon Tone Analysis

one; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.

Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.

But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

​ NASB95But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.

You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.

Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.

But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Introduction:We are constantly in need.

We need food and water.

Air to breathe.

Shelter.

Money to pay bills.

We need companionship, we were not built to be alone.

We see that when Adam was created.

“It is not good for man to be alone.”

We need people around us.

When we are isolated from people our mind will start play tricks on us.

We will see and hear things that are not there.

We go crazy.

What is amazing though, is the people who drive us crazy, actually keep us from being that way.

When I think of being needy, I think of a small child who needs everything.

As we grow up we still have needs, we always have needs.

The good news is, god has promised to supply them all.

It is important, however, that we understand what He actually promises us. is one of those promises.

​ NASB95And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

This Supply has a Context

We have to look at this promise in light of the verses before it.

Paul is thankful that God has used the Philippian people to meet his needs.

Apparently they wanted to help him but did not have the opportunity originally.Paul acknowledges he has needs, but he has trusted God to meet them.

And he had learned to be content, no matter what the situation was.

This is a lesson we all need to learn.

Are we content in what we have?

We will always have needs

but this does not mean we cannot be content in our present state.

We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with people telling us what we need.

We need a perfect body, perfect teeth.

A big house, two cars (or trucks if you are from Texas.)

We need the latest fashion trend, the newest Jordan sneakers.

One of our toughest challenges is to be content with what we have.

(wanting a new truck, nothing wrong with the one I have.

not a need, but a want) Paul was not begging for money to do God’s work.

He placed the need before the people and then trusted God to meet it.

God had placed him there to do His work.

God will provide.

We talked about this last week as we looked at the journey of the Israelites in the wilderness.

God bring them there just to watch them fail.

He didn’t put Paul in ministry just to watch him fail.

God would take care of him.

Paul knew this.

We all have ups and downs.

Look at v 12.

​ NASB95I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

We are reminded Paul is human.

Ministry was hard.

Sometimes there was a lot and other times there was very little.

Sometimes his stomach was full and others it was empty.

We understand this, don’t we?

There have been times in our lives we didn’t know where the next meal would come from and other times when we had more food than we knew what to do with.

You have had times when you didn’t know how you were going to pay the light bill, but you did.

I believe Paul is on the same page as Jesus, when Jesus tells us not to worry.

This isn’t a flippant attitude of ‘I don’t care.”

It is a calm that comes from trusting in God and believing He truly wants what is best for us.

Worry doesn’t change anything,

it only adds to the stress.

Paul understood this.

He trusted God.

This leads us to one of the most popular and, I believe, most misused verses in the Bible:

​ NASB95I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Whatever life throws at him, he can handle.

Good, bad, little or a lot.

What does this, “I can do all things, mean?”

I can run the 100 meter dash in 8.8 seconds?

I can lift 1000 lbs?

This verse does not magically give me powers to do anything.

Whatever we are capable of doing, it is because God provides the ability to do it.

What can life throw at you that you cannot handle?

Well, almost everything!

That is not the question.

The real question is, “What can life throw at you that you, together with God, cannot handle?”

I believe this is where Paul is going with this.

Paul was living for God and as he followed the God path, God would meet his needs.

This is important to us.

If we are living for God, following the God path, he will meet our needs.

If we are out there doing our own thing, with no involvement of God, we cannot expect Him to bless us and meet all our needs.

God enables us to bless others.

The Philippian church was the only church that provided monetary support for Paul.

They sent help to him no matter where he was.

When he left Macedonia, they supported him.

When he was in Thessalonica they sent money there.

They sent Epaphroditus to deliver money to him.

The real blessing was for the giver.

​ NASB95Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.

Don’t make any mistake about this.

Paul could use the support.