The Spirit of Giving
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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.
Introduction:
Introduction:
At the end of Philippians, Paul thanks the church for their giving spirit. Starting in verse 10, Paul begins to express his gratefulness for the church’s care of him and for giving financially to aid him in the Lord’s work.
As we give to the work of the Lord through our tithes and offerings we should give out of a spirit of love.
When we finally understand how to give out of a heart of love and happiness we will understand what contentment really is!
Let’s look at what a spirit of giving really looks like! First we see
1. A Spirit of Care (v10)
1. A Spirit of Care (v10)
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.
Paul begins this verse by stating that he rejoices greatly in the Lord. As we examine this verse we see he is happy about two things.
A. First a revived care.
Here he says he is happy that their care for him was revived! This gives the Idea that their care was revived, it shoot up again, it sprouted afresh! Paul was rejoicing in the Lord because he had once again put afresh the concern of giving to the needs of Paul and the ministry!
Someone once said “Let me see your bank statement and I will show you where your heart is.”
You will give to where your heart is and we can see where the heart of the church at Philippi was because of what they gave towards.
Where is your heart? what are you giving to? are you waisting you time and treasure on this world or are you giving to the ministry of the Lord?
Notice the second thing Paul was happy about!
B. A faithful care.
The church had become a faithful supporter of Paul both in agreement with what he was doing, evangelizing and church planting, and in financial support.
Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.
Warren Wiersbe said “Ministry takes place when divine resources flow through human channels to the glory of God.”
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
The Christians at Philippi did not get tired in giving to support Paul; in fact, they continued to flourish.
A sign of a wayward heart is when we do not give our best. The Israelites got tired of bringing their offerings to the Lord and began to give the torn, lame, and sickly rather than their best. Let us not give God the leftovers either in service or giving.
But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord.
Notice secondly with me. In verses 11-12 we see...
2. A Spirit of Contentment (vv11-12)
2. A Spirit of Contentment (vv11-12)
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 see two things about contentment that we can learn from Paul here in these verses.
A. First, Paul was content regardless of the conditions he found himself in.
G.K. Chesterton said “True contentment is the power learning all you can from any situation your in.”
There were several things Paul found his contentment in. they were:
No matter what earthly circumstances he experienced, he would always have his salvation!
which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.
Also, no matter what situation he was in, the Lord would never forsake him.
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.” So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”
Someone once said “I had no shoes and often complained until I met a man who had no feet.”
lastly, no matter how good or how bad his circumstances were, the best of this world or worst of this world could never compare to the joy and glory of Heaven.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
The second thing about contentment we can learn from Paul is:
B. His flexibility.
Now, I’m not referring to his physical flexibility. However, I’m sure that was tested from time to time in his life.
We see here that Paul learned the secret of contentment because he knew what it was to have a lot and have nothing at all, to be full and to hunger.
The story is told of a little boy who wanted $100 dollars very much and prayed to God for an entire week. So, he decided to write God a letter requesting the $100. When the post office got the letter addressed to God the forwarded it to the White House. The President was very impressed, touched and amused so in instructed his aid to send the boy $5. He thought $5 would be a lot to the little boy.
The little boy was, indeed, delighted by the money. he sat down to write a thank you letter, which read; Dear God,, thank you very much for sending the money. However, I noticed that for some reason you had to send it through Washington and, as usual, they kept most of it.
Over the life of Paul he was imprisoned, beaten, stoned, and persecuted. However, at other times he was protected and cared for by the saints. Sometimes he was alone, other times there were many friends with him. In every situation, he learned to be content!
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.
Someone once said: “The richest person is not the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least.”
Are you content with the situation God has you in right now? because if you have your salvation then the Lord will never leave you and nothing this world can offer compares to what God has prepared for you in Heaven!
Notice last with me in verses 13-16 we see...
3. A Spirit of Confidence (vv13-16)
3. A Spirit of Confidence (vv13-16)
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.
I think that verse 13 is one of the top verses in the bible taken out of context and used the wrong way.
I hear sports players use this verse all the time. They say “the other team is strong but I believe I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
God doesn’t care about some dumb sports game. He doesn’t care if you win or lose! what he does care about is not taking his word our of context! so lets take a look at verses 13-16 and see what they actually teach us!
Paul just got done saying that he had learned that no matter the circumstance he was in to be content. Why? because
A. he was confident in the strength of God (v13).
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
In every area of life and very situation (good or bad), we can do all things- through Christ! Because Jesus gives us the strength.
The word strength means “to endure with power.” and according to this verse we get that power from Christ!
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;
Our strength and sufficiency should not and cannot be found in ourselves, but rather it is found in Christ alone!
Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,
In verse 14 we see Paul second secret to contentment.
B. Continuing in the work of the Lord.
Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.
The Philippians continued to help Paul in the work of the lord, and Paul expressed his appreciation for it.
Are you continuing to help in the work of the Lord or are you still living for self?
Notice in verses 15-16
C. The communicating with their gifts.
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.
First, when he left Macedonia after establishing the church there at Philippi, they were the only church that entered into a financial partnership with him. (v15)
Second, even when Paul went to Thessalonica, the Philippian church sent to his financial aid! (v16)
As we mentioned last week that God loves a cheerful giver and blesses them abundantly, I honestly believe this is why this church continued to flourish in the blessings of God. They gave out of a cheerful heart.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
How is your spirit of giving? Do you give with a spirit of happiness to give or do you do it out love for God and wanting to see his ministry advanced so others will hear the gospel?
If you look back on the history of Israel when they went back from the seventy year captivity, they started to rebuild the temple, but it stopped for a period of time. The prophet Haggai admonished the people to finish the rebuilding of the temple.
In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest: “Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.
Giving to the work of God is directly connected to the state of our heart. When we give, we increase our love for the work of the Lord; and when we increase our love for his work, we continue to give.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Next week we will look at “the supply of giving” verses 16-20.
Lets pray:
Father, we want to thank you for the opportunity to give to your work. We know that you work through us to give to support the ministry. It is by many giving a little that we can do lot! May we give of our time, talent, and treasure to further your ministry! We give you all the honor and Glory. in the name of Jesus, amen.