Phil 4.10-20

Satisfied partners

(Philippians 4.10-20)

Jason Procopio

As you can see, a lot of people in our church are off at the church weekend. We got there Friday night, stayed all day yesterday, and they’re still there this morning; it’s been a great weekend. Yesterday we even had the pleasure of baptizing Myriam—our first baptism to take place outside of the church at rue de Sèvres. Myriam, a former Muslim, shared her incredible testimony, which you should ask her about next week when she comes back.

The theme for this weekend was how we deal with our resources—particularly our money. It was a theme suggested by our guest speaker, Etienne Koning from the church at Saint-Lazare, and as most of you know it’s a theme that’s right on track with what’s been happening in the life of the church over the last year. So we decided that since we knew I’d be coming back here for the service, we can still stay together as a church and talk about the same topic today.

What I don’t want to do is only talk about why you should give to the church. I’m comfortable talking about giving, but I don’t want to do it for that reason: I don’t want to talk about giving because the church needs it. The church does need it; but there’s much more at stake here than the church’s financial situation. Our health as Christians—our maturity in God—is what is at stake, and it is for that reason that even if the church was doing great financially, I’d want to talk about this. First of all, because the Bible talks about it—a lot—and secondly, because we need to know what the Bible says on the subject.

I preached on this topic just a few months ago, our of 2 Corinthians 8, so instead of going back there, we’re going to take a completely different approach, and head to Paul’s letter to the Philippians, in chapter 4, verses 10 to 20.

Paul’s letter to the Philippians is peculiar, because it’s the only one of Paul’s letters that doesn’t seem to address a problem in the church he’s writing to—on the contrary, he has nothing but good things to say about them. They have been faithful partners in his work, and he’s writing them just to give them news and to encourage them.

And one of the ways he wants to encourage them is by talking about the way they have already partnered with him, in their giving to his ministry.  Their partnership with him is marked by liberal generosity to the work of gospel ministry. (It’s not generosity in general he’s talking about here, but specifically generosity in giving to the work of ministry.) So he’s going to tell us three things: he’s going to tell us what is the goal of generosity for those who give; what is the fruit of generosity for those to whom they give; and what is the assurance that makes generosity not just possible, but a good, wonderful, joyful thing for those who give.

The Goal of Generosity (v. 10-13)

So we need to do a bit of review to see what he’s going to get at here. Paul planted the church in Philippi with a handful of believers, and remained there with them from some time, along with his co-workers. And one woman in particular—Lydia, a local merchant who was wealthy—housed Paul and his companions at least part of the time during their stay in Philippi. Then once they left, the church in Philippi regularly contributed to Paul’s ministry. And lest we imagine that everyone in the church was as wealthy as Lydia was, remember that the other two people in Philippi we meet in Acts 16 is a slave girl and a prison guard—neither of whom would have had piles of money to draw from. Lydia was wealthy, but she did not give alone to Paul’s ministry: the entire church came together to provide for his needs.

And their generosity carried over in the long term: apparently there was a time where they gave a little less, and then they started giving again. v. 10:

10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me.

And Paul even tells us why the break in their giving happened, in the second half of v. 10: You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. So they had apparently run upon some financial difficulties which made it difficult or impossible for them to give, but the moment they were able to contribute once again, they did so.

So Paul expresses his gratitude to God for renewing the contribution of the Philippian church, but he is quick to specify something that is of the utmost importance in v. 11:

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.

He says what he says for several reasons. First of all, he wants the Philippians to know that they needn’t feel guilty about being unable to give for a time: Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. He’s saying, “Don’t hear me wrong: I’m okay, and I was okay even when you weren’t able to give.” But he doesn’t stop there—he’s not just saying they shouldn’t beat themselves up about hitting hard times.

He also wants them to know why they needn’t feel guilty. 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. It may be hard for us to hear this in our modern translations, but in these verses Paul is borrowing language from the Greek Stoics. He says that he has learned to endure hardship; he has learned to endure hunger; he has learned to endure need. But he does something really interesting with the language: he “Christianizes” it. He tells the Philippians that it’s not a philosophy or a human teacher that has taught him how to endure lack of basic resources; but rather, it is Jesus Christ himself: I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Paul is describing what William Taylor calls a dependent independence. We all want to be independent—most of our adults lives are spent trying to become as independent as possible. We hate the idea of being dependent on anyone—on our parents, on our spouses, on our employers—and so we set up safeguards to protect us. We put in place pre-nuptial agreements, or just avoid marriage altogether. And if we’re married, we have separate bank accounts. We even pass laws allowing people to have some of the benefits of being married without the strict legal ties to the other person. We put a lot of thought into our savings accounts, so that we won’t have to depend on anyone else if we fall on hard times. Not all of these things are bad (some of it, like savings accounts, is just basic common sense and good stewardship); but all too often these choices are motivated by the fear of being dependent on anyone else.

But Paul says here that there is a better way. Complete independence is an illusion: eventually, we will all depend on someone or something else. So Paul has decided to depend on the one person who is entirely dependable, so that he can be free from any other kind of dependence: I can do all things through [Christ] who strengthens me.

Dependance on the sovereign King of the universe takes all the menace out of those things that used to frighten us. Paul says a little earlier in the letter, in 4.6, that we needn’t be anxious about anything; that we can always be rejoicing; that we can always be thankful; because we know that we belong to a God who cares for our every need, and who often responds to our needs better than we could imagine—he doesn’t always give us what we want, but he always gives us what we truly need. Which means that if I am ever hungry; if I am ever lacking; if I am ever brought low, it’s because God has something even better for me than the basic fulfillment of that need. In that moment, Christ gives me strength.

Paul presents himself here as the model pastor: as one who can only fulfill his ministry through the financial support of others, and who still feels no dependence on that financial support, because ultimately he knows that God will provide for all of his needs. Taylor writes, “Of course the model church ought to provide for his keep [the keep of their pastor] and we shall see Paul spell that out in just a moment. But when Paul is working amongst people who do not yet know their gospel responsibilities, or who are unwilling or unable to meet them, that does not stop him doing the work of the gospel… If any church he is working in stops providing for his keep, he’ll just go and make tents with his hands in order to keep on preaching the gospel!”

He presents himself as the model pastor so that the Philippians will learn from his example (as he said previously in v. 9). As he has learned to be brought low, and how to abound, to face plenty and hunger, abundance and need, he desires that the Philippians learn these same things through their generosity to  him. So he says what he says to the Philippians not only to encourage them (that they might not feel guilty about being unable to do more), but so that they might learn from him, that they might not be afraid to give. The goal of generosity is dependent independence, and that is far better than storing up wealth for one’s own personal protection.

The Fruit of Generosity (v. 14-16)

After setting himself up as an example of the model pastor, he then praises the Philippians by setting them up as a model church.

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.

This is incredibly significant. Think of all the apostle Paul has contributed to Christianity—he wrote the bulk of the books in our New Testament; he explained and exposed the meaning of the gospel in unprecedented ways; he was by far the most significant influence for the spread of the Christian faith in the first century. Not only did the people he ministered to, and the churches he planted, benefit from his work, but we still benefit from it today, every day! Through the apostle Paul, God has blessed his people beyond anything we could have imagined.

But practically, as he ministered, as he worked, he had to live. He had to eat; he had to find shelter; he had to provide for his basic needs. Paul was able to do what he did because his needs were met; at least most of the time during his ministry, he didn’t need to work a full-time job on the side, which freed him up to devote himself entirely to the work of the gospel. And for that, we can thank the Philippians. 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.

Now the Philippians weren’t aware of just how far Paul’s influence would reach; they couldn’t see the long-lasting effects of Paul’s ministry throughout the whole world; they couldn’t know that their contributions to Paul’s ministry enabled him to minister so effectively that we, today in Église Connexion, would be blessed by his labors. But they gave to him anyway, and their contributions to his ministry meant that Paul had time to serve others in gospel ministry; that he had provision for his service to others. Their participation in Paul’s ministry had a practical impact they never could have imagined: they were not only serving him; they were serving us. WE are, in many ways, the fruit of their generosity.

The Assurance of Generosity (v. 17-20)

Now after saying that, Paul lays a couple of foundations to encourage them in what they have been doing. Firstly he says that other people have been able to know Christ thanks to their giving to Paul (v. 17):

17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to YOUR credit.

In Paul’s mind, these people who have come to know Christ through his ministry don’t have only him to thank, but the Philippians also: even though they may not have been physically present, they were intimately involved.

Secondly, he says that their generosity to him are in fact a beautiful display of worship to God (v. 18):

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.

Under the Mosaic law, Jews could give offerings to simply express their gratitude towards God—often it would be in the form of herbs or spices that were burned or waved before God; the pleasant aroma would represent their worship given to him. And Paul says that their generosity to his needs serve this same goal: they express through their generosity the fact that they love God, that they are thankful for his grace to them in Christ.

Lastly, he encourages them by telling them that they can keep being generous, because they serve the same God he does (v. 19-20):

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.

He has learned how to be content in need because he has the assurance that no matter what it looks like on the outside, God is providing for his needs. He can give up everything to serve God, because God will never withhold from him what is best for him. And the Philippians serve the same God, who will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. God is not a poor God, who is unable to provide for his children; he is a rich and gracious Father who owns all the resources in heaven and on earth. He is a God who can provide for his children, and who wants to.

So the Philippians can keep giving, because they have this assurance. They can keep giving because their generosity is bearing fruit. They can keep giving because their generosity is a beautiful display of worship to God. And they can keep giving, even if they give out of what they need, because they serve a God who will always supply every need they may have.

Satisfaction through Generosity

It’s easy to talk about generosity in giving to the work of gospel ministry, as long as it’s in the context of what Paul was saying to the Philippians—it’s easy as long as we keep our distance. But if we believe (as we do as Christians) that the Holy Spirit inspired the writings of Scripture to be applied to all of Christian life, for all Christians, we must believe that when Paul teaches the Philippians, he is teaching us. And this makes us uncomfortable, because the kind of generosity that Paul has been lauding in this passage is something most of us have never experienced.

Now we may balk at that, because we can say, “Well I gave X number of euros last year! This doesn’t apply to me!” But Paul’s not talking about amounts here, is he? He never states how much the Philippians gave, and he never insists on a certain amount of support. He’s getting to the heart of our generosity, by helping us to get perspective on what’s most important to us. Clearly what was most important to Paul was that the gospel go forward—this is why he gave up his whole life. This is how he learned to be brought low, how to face hunger, how to face need.

How many of us have ever been willing to go hungry so that the gospel can go forward—not forced to, but willing to? How many of us have ever said, “If it’s a choice between eating quality food and serving the gospel, I’ll choose to serve the gospel”? For that matter, how many of us have said, “If it’s a choice between vacation, and serving the gospel, I’ll choose to serve the gospel”? Most of us have never had to make that call, but would we? Which is more important to us? Do we think that Paul would hesitate for one second as to which was more important?

Of course he wouldn’t. So why do we? Sometimes we hesitate because we’re afraid, and for legitimate reasons. We’re afraid that if we give to the ministry of the gospel, we won’t have enough money left over to buy groceries. This isn’t an illegitimate concern—Paul himself recognized that the Philippians were at a certain point unable to give. But we need to search our hearts carefully to make sure this really is the case, because all too often what we see as “need” is not truly need, but preference—we want what the world wants, and can’t imagine living any other way. So God encourages us by reminding us that we needn’t worry about not having what we need, because he will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Sometimes we hesitate because we’re distrustful. We’ve seen what the church has done historically, and we’re not entirely sure that our gifts will be put to good use, that they will really bear fruit for the gospel. But God encourages us by reminding us where our hope lies—the Philippians didn’t give because they had faith in Paul’s effectiveness as an apostle, but in the God whom they worshiped through their giving. The fruit that increases to our credit doesn’t come from the ministry we give to, but from the God who is ultimately in charge of that ministry.

And lastly, sometimes we hesitate because we don’t truly believe that dependent independence is better. We hesitate because we want to be free to make our own decisions and do the things we want to do, and we’re afraid that if we give, we’ll be less able to do the things that we want. But God encourages us through the testimonies of men like Paul, who display joy we can barely comprehend in the midst of suffering we can barely imagine. He encourages us to see that Paul’s way is not just holy, but better for us.How did he learn this?

We had to take Zadie to the ER on Friday night, and they had to do a blood test. Zadie doesn’t like doctors, and she definitely doesn’t like needles. So they gave her just a tiny bit of gas. They put the mask over her face and had her breathe deeply, and in a few seconds, she wasn’t spaced out, but she was definitely relaxed—relaxed enough so she didn’t even notice that they were poking her hands with a needle.

Having more than our basic needs met does this to us. It’s a lie to say that wealth can’t buy happiness—of course it can. But it’s the kind of happiness that anesthetizes us, that keeps us relaxed enough that we forget two simple facts: the happiness money can buy is cheap happiness, and it won’t last. Sooner or later a problem’s going to come down the pike that money can’t solve. And even if that never happens—even if you never get the cancer diagnosis, even if your kids never break your heart, even if the one person you thought you could count on never betrays you—even if everything in your life goes perfectly, one day you’re going to stand before God, unprepared to experience actual joy, because you spent your whole life partially satisfied with cheap happiness.

Real joy, real satisfaction, is eternal, and it came at the price of the life of the Son of God. Philippians 2.5-8:

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

We can see Paul modeling Christ in his own ministry. Chapter 3, v. 7-8:

7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.

And having gained Christ, he can say—with absolutely no hesitation or manipulation necessary—a little earlier in this chapter, in 4.4-7:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This is how Paul learned contentment—by emptying himself, by not trying to anesthetize himself with cheap happiness, but giving up everything in order to gain what will fill him, and what will last.

I hope you can see the grace of God in the way he tells us to give. He does not give us a dictatorial order—“Give, just because I say so!” He could do that. But he doesn’t—he encourages us by showing us what’s really important, by showing us that supporting the work of the gospel isn’t only for his glory, but also for our joy. Can you imagine how liberating it would be to not just know intellectually, but to have experienced that in all situations, in abundance and in want, we actually have all that we need?

Brothers and sisters, God calls every Christian to a radical reorientation of their priorities. And his call applies to us both individually and collectively. Paul is an individual speaking to individuals, encouraging them in their generosity. In this text, God is calling us to be the kind of model ministers and model Christians Paul sets forth, Christians who can give because we are dependent on God and thus free from all other concerns.

But we mustn’t see the call of this text as merely an individual call—Paul is not just an individual speaking to individuals, but an individual speaking to a family of individuals. In this text, God is calling us to be not just these kinds of Christians, but this kind of church. A church that is so gospel-centered that it looks beyond its borders to invest in other ministers, serving in other places. A church that sees and responds to the need to plant churches, to invest in those parts of the world where Christ has not yet been named, to the glory of God.

The Philippians had no idea how far the reach of their contribution would extend—but now, 2,000 years later, we are being blessed by their very practical, very material contribution to the ministry of one man. God calls us as a body of believers to emulate the Christians in Philippi. Part of the vision of Eglise Connexion is to be of practical support to other church planters and other ministers and ministries outside our walls; and who knows what God will do with the support we offer them? Who knows who will continue to be blessed by our very practical, material support, 2,000 years from now?

You see, the goal is much bigger than any one of us. But like any movement that changes the world, it starts with one person (and then another, and then another). Though we are united, though we are together, each one of us involved has to stand up and decide where our priorities lie. We cannot wait to be caught up in a wave; we cannot wait for others to make the hard decisions for us. This is what each of us should be saying to ourselves: “In this text, God is calling ME to learn how to be brought low, and how to abound, how to face plenty and hunger, abundance and need. He is calling me to learn these things by giving me the firm assurance that I truly can do all things through him who strengthens me.” So let us respond to God’s call and be generous, for his glory, forever and ever. Amen.