Content in All Things
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This is the end of Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. In this passage we encounter one of Paul’s most quoted (and sometimes misquoted) verses of all time.
Are you content?
I rejoiced in the Lord greatly because once again you renewed your care for me. You were, in fact, concerned about me but lacked the opportunity to show it.
I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself.
I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.
I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.
Still, you did well by partnering with me in my hardship.
And you Philippians know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone.
For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times.
Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account.
But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you greetings.
All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Caring for One Another in Christ
Caring for One Another in Christ
I rejoiced in the Lord greatly because once again you renewed your care for me. You were, in fact, concerned about me but lacked the opportunity to show it.
Still, you did well by partnering with me in my hardship.
And you Philippians know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone.
For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times.
Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account.
But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
Paul Starts this closing by acknowledging their gifts, and thanking them for their concern for Him.
This is actually Paul’s main point in this passage. He is thanking them for their support of Him and his ministry.
They were there for Him from the beginning of his ministry (and were the only ones concerned).
Paul makes it clear that he does not do this for the money.
Says that their gift is “profit ever increasing to your account.” We will discuss this further later.
What we can learn from this is that we should selflessly support the cause of Christ. With our time and money.
Those who are missionaries.
The local church.
Other areas where people are actively working on behalf of God.
As a church, we actively support missions all the time.
As Southern Baptists we support the Cooperative Program that funds missionaries at home and abroad, the training of new pastors and church leaders, and other Gospel initiatives.
Every time you give, you not only support the work of this church, but this work as well.
Annie Armstrong and Lottie Moon are other great ways to support missions.
There is also a precedent here to care for others in the church as they have need.
The Philippians cared for Paul why? Because he had need!
If there are Christian brothers and sisters around us who have needs, we would do well to care for them.
Paul takes an aside from this thankfulness for the Philippians gifts to make one of the most famous interjections of advice ever given.
Content in Everything in Christ
Content in Everything in Christ
I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself.
I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.
What does it mean to be content?
“In a state of peaceful happiness”
How do we find such contentment?
Paul says he has found the secret of being content. We will come back to that, but we will examine it for a moment.
I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.
When Christ is our desire and our prize, There is nothing that can shake our happiness and peace.
This is what we saw very clearly in Chapter 3. When the goal, is Christ and the eternal prize we have, through Him we can have this kind of contentment.
Last week we saw the command not to be anxious, but to go to God in prayer. This is natural, if this is our goal.
This is why this correct understanding of what our goal is matters so immensely.
We will not have this contentment and peace if we have something we are seeking for fulfilment other than Christ.
This world and this culture in particular that we are living in is constantly telling us to look forward to the next thing. This was even one popular companies ad strategy “the next big thing.”
Implying that if you just will get this thing, then you will have it all.
But that isn’t true is it?
Every day you will face things that you will remind you that: You don’t look like this person, you aren’t as smart as that person, you don’t have as much money as this person, your relationship isn’t as good as this person’s, you don’t parent as well as this person, and I could go on forever.
There will always be an unrealistic idealistic portrayal of what you are not, that the world will tell you “if you could just be like that, then you will be happy.”
The rat race. The American Dream.
The quote attributed to Teddy Roosevelt says it well. “Comparison is the thief of Joy.”
If your contentment is dependent on anything other than Christ, you will not have it.
Any goal that you chase in this life is fleeting.
Even those that achieve the pinnacle, only can hold it for a short period of time.
Picture of homes in Detroit. .
You must learn to be content right where you are.
Contentment in Christ is dependent on Christ. Not what we will do or where we will be, but what Christ has done.
God loves you just as you are, and you need to be able to rest in him, in that.
You also need to be willing and able to allow Him to work in your life to take you to where He would have you to be.
God loves you just as you are, but he loves you too much to leave you there.
HOWEVER, your contentment in Him, is does not and should not wait until that time.
If you cannot be content in Christ because of what He has done now, what makes you think you will be content then?
That is just trading the rat race for a holy rat race.
There should not be a situation in which we unable to be content in Christ.
Paul said he has found the secret to being content in any and every situation. That secrete is that he is able to do all things through him (Christ) who strengthens me.
Capable of All Things in Christ
Capable of All Things in Christ
I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.
Paul said he has found the secret to being content in any and every situation. That secrete is that he is able to do all things through him (Christ) who strengthens me.
What does this really mean?
It certainly does not mean that God will grant any wish and ability that we desire.
This is reminiscent of the story of Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8:9-25.
He was a man who practiced sorcery and amazed the Samaritan people, claiming to be someone great. He was known as “the Great Power of God.”
Philip preached the Gospel to them, and even Simon believed following Philip everywhere.
He saw that when Peter and John prayed and laid hands on the new believers, they recieved the Holy Spirit.
He offered them money so that he could also have this power to give people the Holy Spirit.
They rebuked him as not being right with God and told him to repent so that he would not continue to be poisoned by bitterness and bound by wickedness.
Contextually “all things” does not refer to any arbitrary task that we might have or want to do.
We don’t decide “I am going to run a marathon” or “I am going to climb Everest” why? Because I can do all things in Christ!
What does it mean in context? Context determines meaning!
Let’s remember what our goal is.
This means that in the pursuit of that goal, there is not anything that we will not be able to overcome.
When enemies surround us, when friends and family abandon us, when people betray us, when everything seems lost, we remember “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.”
This does not mean that it will be easy, but it means that in all circumstances you can endure and overcome. You can be content in all things because Christ is with you.
When we are pursuing Christ. When we are living our life for him, there is not anything we will face, or any situation we will come to that we can not overcome, and be content through.
We must remain focused on what we are pursuing. It is in this pursuit that we can overcome anything that we might face.
What happens if we get distracted?
This assurance and conquering is within the will of God. We should not seek our own things and expect the same results.
When we are soley focused on God and living for Him, we can be confident that God will supply our needs.
Completely Supplied in Christ
Completely Supplied in Christ
And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Paul continually mentioned to them that their aid they provided him was increasing to their account.
Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account.
But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
Paul’s view of their gift is as though they have really given to God, rather to Him.
This is a proper view of this act. The Philippians are submitting their money to God, and supporting one who is doing the Gospel work throughout the world.
This is an act of obedience to God.
How this has been twisted - the prosperity Gospel.
There are many who have twisted this.
They seek to profit for themselves from the Gospel.
This is an egregious thing to do.
Paul says that God will supply their needs in Christ Jesus.
This echoes what Christ says in Matthew 6:31-33
So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’
For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
The promise here is that if we are faithfully following Christ, God will meet our needs in Christ Jesus.
We can trust this.
We should believe this.
But before we talk about how God can and does do this, let us first understand some things:
God will supply our needs in Christ Jesus
We must ask: What are needs?
This can be convoluted in the world that we have already talked about that pushes us into further and further consumerism.
Essential Things: Food, Water, Shelter, Clothes, Transportation.
We should submit all we are and have as good stewards in Christ.
We should consider if the reason our needs are in danger of not being met is because we spend what we have poorly.
This is NOT a “name it and claim it”
We don’t name and claim things we want.
What does it look like when God supplies our needs?
Most often, this should be a function of His church.
If people are faithfully following God, we should be active in faithfully supporting them.
When people of the church fall on hard times, it is the duty of the body of Christ to care for those at that time.
Now all the believers were together and held all things in common.
They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need.
His Divine Providence
Let us remember that it is divine providence that prompts his church to be generous.
But we should also remember that our God is living and active.
God can and does intervene in our lives in such a way to make sure that our needs are met in Christ Jesus.
Through this we should remember the greatest thing that God has provided for us, which is His salvation.