A Gospel Partner's Farewell

Intro:

Good morning and welcome again to this gathering of Hope Bible Fellowship. I am so glad you decided to worship with us today. I invite you to open your Bibles or devices to Philippians 4, verses 10 through 23 where we will be camped out. Next week we are going to dip into a short series on Stewardship and Money which promises to be really exciting. In fact, as I prepared for this passage I realized that they really dovetail.

Today is the final sermon in our series through this letter from the Apostle Paul to the Christians who comprised the church at Philippi. In this passage we see Paul’s thankfulness for the concern and support that the dear brothers and sisters at Philippi had shown him and were continuing to show him. From his final greetings and gracious words about their relationship to him, we can see some principals for how we as gospel partners should interact with one another and with the larger kingdom of God as well. We also see Paul speaking pretty clearly about contentment in Christ.

READ:

Philippians 4:10–23 ESV

10 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. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 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. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 14 Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15 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. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. 18 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. 19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. 21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. 22 All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household. 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

This is the Word of the Lord. Let’s pray and ask God to help our hearts understand and apply this word.

PRAY

In the beginning they were his only partners.

They sent gifts with Epaphroditus. He had gotten sick but would be coming back to them. They had been concerned about him because they had heard of his sickness. This guy almost died in order to deliver their help to Paul. It’s incredible. We won‘t even come to church to worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ if we are too tired and here was this dude traveling a hard journey and almost dying in the process. Yet he did it.

Gospel Partners

In the remaining time of this message, I want to say a few words about Gospel Partners and then talk about contentment before leaving you with some challenges at the end.

Paul rejoiced over the partnership he had had with the Philippians in the gospel.

Paul cared deeply for the Philippians. His rejoicing over their gift was not due to them sending him money. His joy was because he saw their growth of faith as evidienced by the fruit of generosity that they exhibited. He avoids dropping into flattery by rejoicing in the Lord for them. He’s not spending paragraph after paragraph talking about them but praises the Lord for their faithfulness.

Paul cared deeply for the spiritual lives of the Philippians. He spent the previous chapters dealing with their spiritual lives and how it played out in their daily lives.

When we partner with others we need to care for their spiritual needs. In doing so, we should be careful to put the praise where the praise belongs: with the Lord. We should recognize and commend those who serve well and have supported us but rejoice in the Lord for the faithfulness that without Him would not have been there.

Gospel partners care for the material/physical needs of each other.

Here is where Paul really gives us a lot from this passage. Last week we talked about Paul addressing anxiousness with those in the church and commending prayer to them instead of anxiety. Paul was not anxious about his material needs. He trusted God that they would be met. He saw them met by God through the God-honoring generosity of the Philippian church.

Throughout the New Testament we see the inseparable relationship between gospel partnership and financial giving. Partners give. Consumers don’t. Paul views the Philippians as co-laborers. They have skin in the game. They gave sacrificially to see the job done. They gave cheerfully to support the mission. They were not content to receive the benefit of Paul’s ministry and not give towards it in return. It’s beautiful. And Paul is clear about saying he’s not seeking the gift. Again, he is seeking the fruit of faithfulness that is evident in their continued support.

Gospel partners continue to care for each other.

They shared in his trouble. They were concerned for him but had no opportunity to express it. They had been supporting Paul‘s ministry all along and now had sent Epaphroditus with help.

Gospel partners’ gifts are sacrifices that are acceptable and pleasing to God.

This sounds like similar language to that found in:

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

They were providing for the advancement of the gospel in supporting the mission and church planting work of Paul and it was pleasing to God. It was a sacrifice. Are you giving to the gospel in a sacrificial way? It’s good. It’s acceptable and pleasing to God.

Paul had learned the secret to being content with whatever his situation was.

Philippians 4:13 ESV

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

This verse gets used for all sorts of things. People get it tattooed on themselves to show they can do anything they set their minds to in Christ. It gets put on coffee mugs and paintings. It’s used by athletes to help them visualize accomplishing their dreams. …. But here’s the big problem. That’s not the meaning of that verse in the context of the passage where that verse is found. You can not just pick a verse out of scripture that says something that you like or makes you feel good and then build an entire theology or life practice around it. But that is what many have done. So let’s look at verse 13 according to the context around it. It’s a beautiful verse. But it does not mean that you can do anything you want in Christ. It doesn’t mean you can win a race or football game or get the job you want or any of that.

Plainly put, verse thirteen is Paul telling them and us that the secret to facing having plenty or having not enough is Christ. Paul’s source of satisfaction is in Christ Jesus and not in having enough food or not enough food. Having less doesn’t steal his satisfaction in Christ and having more than enough doesn’t override his satisfaction in Christ. The focus is not on Paul and it’s not on the Philippians that had been supporting him financially. The focus is on Christ. So many people who misapply this verse are focusing on themselves, their dreams, and what they want to accomplish and not on Christ and being content in Him, no matter your financial situation.

Jesus is the source of Paul’s satisfaction and strength. Jesus is the source of Paul’s contentment.

Our enjoyment of God should not be dependent upon our financial status. Paul’s was not.

Contentment is unconnected to our circumstances. You can be content in Christ whatever your circumstances.

The Poem, Present Tense by Lehman might feel familiar to you:

"It was spring, but it was summer I wanted,

The warm days, and the great outdoors.

It was summer, but it was fall I wanted,

The colorful leaves, and the cool, dry air.

It was fall, but it was winter I wanted,

The beautiful snow, and the joy of the holiday season.

It was now winter, but it was spring I wanted,

The warmth, and the blossoming of nature.

I was a child, but it was adulthood I wanted,

The freedom, and the respect.

I was 20, but it was 30 I wanted,

To be mature, and sophisticated.

I was middle-aged, but it was 20 I wanted,

The youth, and the free spirit.

I was retired, but it was middle age that I wanted,

The presence of mind, without limitations.

My life was over, but I never got what I wanted.

(Lehman, “Present Tense”)"

Contentment does not come naturally. It’s learned.

Paul says he learned to be content.

He had lived with both abundance and been in need. Some have said that it might be harder to be content in abundance than in need.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 ESV

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.

1 Timothy 6:17–19 ESV

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

Don’t fall into the ditch on either side. Both prosperity and poverty contain many tests. The test of greed hits both. Those who have nothing are tempted to want more and more and take what is not theirs. Those who have plenty are tempted with greed to collect more and more and not be generous. Generosity is a topic we will touch on more in the coming weeks.

Contentment in the scriptures is held up as a desirable thing to aspire to.

Proverbs 30:7–9 ESV

Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

So where is your contentment found? Are you always wanting more or worrying about how much you have or don’t have?

The cure for anxiety is contentment in the Lord Jesus Christ. Are you worried about money? Be satisfied in Christ!

The problem is not that we don’t have enough or that we have too much. The problem is that we aren’t finding our satisfaction in Christ. We aren’t enjoying and being satisfied in Him.

Contentment flows from our union with Christ and our reliance on Him. That’s it. That’s the secret. Paul tells us right there in verse 13 that we take and use for other things. This verse is so glorious and contains such a sweet truth and when it’s misapplied we miss out on it. That’s tragic. Christ gives us the strength to meet any circumstance we face.

I read an author who asked this question, “Are you preoccupied with your circumstances or with your Savior?”

Jeff Gordon, the NASCAR driver said this: “Either you focus, or you end up hitting something really hard!”

Focus on Christ. Learn contentment by focusing on Him and not all of the noise around you.

When you are content, you’re adaptable. You can meet whatever comes so long as your focus is fixed on Christ where your strength will come from.

Two final notes on this passage before we call for you to respond to God’s Word.

V. 19 - God will meet the needs of the Philippians just as He met the needs of Paul.

Paul trusted that God would not let these sacrificially giving gospel partners go unsupplied. Paul trusted that just as God met his needs, He would meet the needs of the Philippians as well.

v. 20 - God uses his power to glorify himself.

Paul’s thankfulness for their support leads to worship.

Our ultimate goal and the best thing for us is that God gets the glory. Does God get worshipped because of your faithfulness? Does your obedience to God’s calling in the Word drive others to worship Him?

Conclusion and Call for Response:

We are designed for partnership. We are not designed for life outside of community. We as a church are partnered together for the advancement of the gospel and our sanctification. We are partnered with one another in the gospel. We also have gospel partners in other areas of the country and the world.

How are you going to meet the spiritual needs of each other?

How are we as a church going to partner to meet the spiritual needs of the community around us and see the gospel advance?

How are you going to continue to care for others and not simply stop?

How are you going to sacrifice to advance the gospel?