Rejoice Always 08 - Contentment and Generosity

Reading: Philippians 4:10-23
Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. Philippians 4:17 (NIV)

I.   The Secret of contentment

     A.  Paul knows Need and Plenty (12)

           1.  He’s had a wide range of life-experiences

                 a.  And who hasn’t?

                 b.  Good Christians sometime suffer too!

But godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Ti 6:6)

           2.  He is in jail, but not needy ?! (11)

                 a.  A Roman jail didn’t even have TV!

                 b.  When did any ministry have enough money?

     B.  His Insider’s advantage (12-13)

           1.  He can be content with little

                 a.  Needy=humble or under restrictions

But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. (1Tim 6:8)

                 b.  Not just lack of money, but lack of choices

                 c.  Contentment w/ little requires faith

           2.  He can be content with much

                 a.  Not everyone can!

                 b.  With much comes much to be robbed

                 c.  With much comes much temptation

           3.  His secret: Jesus empowers him!

                 a.  I am strong in the One empowering me

                 b.  He is not strong on his own (no stoic hero)

                 c.  He is only as strong as Jesus empowers

     C.  He Gracefully receives anyway

           1.  It isn’t easy to eat the bread of charity

                 a.  Or the bread given sacrificially

                 b.  I know. I have too.

                 c.  It is very humbling/humiliating

           2.  Paul’s pride is overcome by his joy in them

                 a.  He doesn’t seem to be happy for Paul!

                 b.  He’s happy in their giving spirit! (10 14)

           3.  He gets a material, they a spiritual blessing

                 a.  He’s interested in their blessing (17)

                 b.  This giving pays spiritual dividends!

                 c.  Paul receives their gift as a favor to them!

II.  Giving is an act of Love

     A.  They give Without being asked

           1.  They were the only ones who gave (v.15).

                 a.  The Philippians were alone in this

                 b.  They gave because they wanted to.

           2.  Paul wasn’t looking/asking for a gift (v.17)

                 a.  He didn’t lay out for them the necessity of giving, or lay a guilt trip on them.

                 b.  He didn’t even expect them to give.

     B.  They give Generously

           1.  Paul acknowledges that he did not have a need for them to give (v.11)

                 a.  The beauty of their gift was in part because it wasn’t necessary.

                 b.  They gave because they wanted to give, not because Paul needed to have.

           2.  They give when Paul serving others (16)

                 a.  Thessalonica (16) Corinth (read 2Cor 11:9)

                 b.  They don’t give to get something back.

                 c.  They gave to share their blessing

           3.  They give More than was needed (v.18)

                 a.  They often gave beyond the expected

                       (1)      Read 2 Co 8:1-5

                 b.  These gifts were to help & encourage

                 c.  It worked! (10, 18)

     C.  They give to Share in Paul’s ministry (14; 1:15)

           1.  They shared in Paul’s troubles (v.14)

                 a.  They took on his troubles as their own.

                 b.  A certain sign of friendship and love is sharing not only joys, but troubles.

           2.  This was a sharing in Paul’s ministry (v.14)

                 a.  They were partners with Paul (1:5)

because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, (Php 1:5)

                 b.  Giving is 1 way of partnering with him

           3.  In sharing in Paul’s ministry they share in God’s work in the world.

                 a.  Our greatest privilege is to share in God’s great mission on Earth!

III. Giving is an act of Worship

     A.  These gifts are an Offering to God

           1.  Giving is like an altar sacrifice.

                 a.  Sacrifice isn’t primarily about giving something up, but of handing it over.

                 b.  Thought their gifts were to Paul, their offering was to God.

           2.  Giving is an act of personal devotion.

                 a.  We give in the context of worship, because giving is an act of worship

                 b.  Out of gratitude for all God has given us

                 c.  We give to advance of God’s Kingdom

     B.  These gifts Please God

           1.  It is no small thing for us to be able to do something that pleases God.

                 a.  It is difficult to accomplish things for God — if not impossible.

                 b.  But we can offer our Thanks to God in the form of gifts for His use.

and find out what pleases the Lord. (Eph 5:10)

           2.  These gifts please God because they were given with a sincere heart.

                 a.  The Philippians felt compelled to give and listened to God’s voice within them
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Cor. 9:7)

                 b.  God promises to bless givers too (v.19)!

     C.  These gifts Glorify God

           1.  Paul ends his thank-you note w/ doxology

                 a.  Paul’s response to this is to praise God!

           2.  Giving glorifies God when giving is motivated by God’s Spirit at work within

                 a.  Not when our motive is guilt/self-interest

                 b.  What God motivates in us glorifies Him!

           3.  Giving glorifies God when those gifts are used to advance His Kingdom

                 a.  More & more people begin to praise God

                 b.  Give generously, give wisely

The Bottom Line:

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