PHILIPPIANS 4:10-23 ARE YOU CONTENT

1. V10 –12 Paul trusted in God’s provision

Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

1Corinthians 9:24-27 Do you not know that all the runners in a stadium compete, but only one receives the prize? So run to win. 25 Each competitor must exercise self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. 26 So I do not run uncertainly or box like one who hits only air. 27 Instead I subdue my body and make it my slave, so that after preaching to others I myself will not be disqualified.

Deuteronomy 8:2-5 Remember the whole way by which he has brought you these 40 years through the desert so that he might, by humbling you, test to see whether deep within you would keep his commandments or not. 3 So he humbled you by making you hungry and feeding you with unfamiliar manna so that you might understand that mankind cannot live by food only but also by everything that comes from the LORD’s mouth. 4 Your clothing did not wear out nor did your feet swell all these 40 years. 5 Be keenly aware that just as a human being disciplines his child, the LORD your God disciplines you.

Matthew 4:1-4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After he fasted forty days and forty nights he was famished. 3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’

It was Satan who maintained that unmet needs are evil; it was our Lord who insisted that when God leads us into circumstances where we must do without, we must trust Him, rather than to meet our unmet needs.

1 Timothy 6:6-8 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

Hebrews 13:5 says, "Be content with whatever you have, for He said I will never leave you or forsake you."

V12 The secret spoke of being initiated into the mystery/ pagan religions where only they knew the secrets

"It is good for me that I have been afflicted" (119:71)?

Let you conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. Fore He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you'" (Heb. 13:5).

2. V13 Paul trusted in God’s power

This word means to pour strength into something or someone. The Lord renders Paul strong by pouring his strength into him.

Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me—so that I would not become arrogant. 8 I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. 10 Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul says when I have come to the end of my own resources, then I experience the power of Christ to sustain me.

Isaiah 40:29-31 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Eph 3:16, 20 I'm praying that He would grant you according to the riches of His glory to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man , v20 "Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory."

The Father gives strength: "And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power" (Eph. 1:19).

The Holy Spirit gives us strength, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Another passage that indicates the power of the Holy Spirit in us is Romans 15:13, "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

The Word of God gives us strength, "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:12).

The Son also gives strength, "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness" (II Cor 12. 9). Compare also II Peter 1:3.

The Christian, therefore, has four different sources of strength!

The verb "strengthens" means to surcharge with energy. The word carries the idea of "infuse strength."

Why is it, then, that some Christians seek to convince us that any unmet need in our life is the result of our lack of faith?

3. V14 – 18 Paul trusted in the Philippians Love or Paul’s thanks for the Philippians gift

2 Corinthians 8:1-5 Churches of Macedonia gave above their ability, v5 they first gave themselves to the Lord, then to us

v14 "Giving and receiving" refer to a double transaction. In the first transaction, gifts moved from the Philippians to Paul. In the next transaction, the blessings of having done that flow back to the giver. "If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?" (I Cor 9:11).

 V15 The word "shared" is a mercantile expression meaning to render to the account of. The Philippians by their contribution to Paul opened an account with God. No other church opened an account in the ministry of the apostle during this period.

These words are business terms describing the credit and debit side of the ledger. The Philippians owned much to Paul since he led them to Christ and nurtured them in the faith. Thus Paul held credits on their ledger. It is only natural that they would honor that credit. The Philippians formed a partnership with Paul in the gospel. They opened a co-account. That account holds both a debit and credit ledger. This is the giving and receiving.

No local church at this time shared their finances with Paul except the Philippians. They were in a class apart. Other churches could have shared with him but they chose not to do so. They had the opportunity. They knew of his need but they couldn't care less. There is a big difference between churches. Some care about the lost, others do not. Some churches are evangelistic oriented, others not.

V16 The words "once" and "again" emphasize repetition in the Greek. They sent money on more than one occasion. This is an acknowledgment of Paul's warm reception of their gifts.

This is remarkable since he was in Thessalonica for only a brief time. They were aggressive in their giving! They kept track of the needs of their missionary.

V17 "Abounds" was used in the money markets in Paul's day for accumulation of interest. The word "accumulating" may be a good translation for "abounds." This word is a business or commercial term. The word is in the present tense -- this fruit currently accumulates to their account.

V18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, This statement is their receipt marked "paid in full."

Having received from The two words "from" and epaphroditus indicate appreciation for the kindness of both Epaphroditus and the church.

You will remember that Paul wrote about the falsely religious in chapter 3. Isn’t Paul doing just the opposite here when he responds as he does to their gift?

PRINCIPLE: Giving is a barometer of our spiritual condition.

Their gift smells sweet to God. It has the fragrance of perfume to God. This is an offering that pleases God. There were two types of sacrifices in the Old Testament: 1. Sacrifice for sin. 2. Sacrifices that bring worship. The second usage (worship) is the idea in this passage.

We have an idiom in the English language that says, "Something does not smell right here." That is a negative image. "Sweet-smelling aroma" has a positive connotation. This offering smelled good to Paul and to God.

PRINCIPLE: Giving is an act of worship.

In the Old Testament this word was used of animal sacrifices. Their gift was a sacrifice (II Cor. 8:1-5). They gave out of poverty. Here it is a money sacrifice that is acceptable to God.

PRINCIPLE: When we give, we give not only to God's servants but to God himself. It is a sacrifice to God. Monetary sacrifice praises God. God puts a premium on giving that comes from love.

Matthew 6:19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Hebrews 13:15-16 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. 16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

4. V19 -20 Paul trusted in God’s promise

v19 The context of God meeting our financial needs is in the environment of our meeting the needs of others. In verse 18 the Philippians gave an acceptable sacrifice that was a sweet smelling aroma to God. If everything is flowing out and nothing flowing in, the Philippians will themselves be put in jeopardy financially. God will not allow those who give sacrificially to go in want. We cannot out give God. He has a bigger shovel.

The promise here is that God will supply "all" the needs of the Philippians, not just some of them. God's supply is comprehensive of every type of need. Whether our need is temporal or spiritual, God will meet it.

Luke 6:38, Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.

Psalm 37:25, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.

Prov. 3:9, 10, Honor the Lord with our possession, And with the first fruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

PRINCIPLE: God supplies our need when we meet someone else's need.

God's commemorative giving does not apply to every believer. It only applies to those who have given sacrificially.

Note the contrasts in this passage: "You met Paul's need; I will bless you according to my riches. You supplied one of my needs; I will supply all of your needs. You supply out of poverty; I will dispense out of my riches in glory. You supplied by the hand of Epaphroditus; I will supply by Christ."

God administers his supply to the giver through Jesus Christ.

Mt. 6:25 Cares for birds of air, will take care of us

1Corinthians 10:31 “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God”

James 4:1-3 1 Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from? Is it not from this, from your passions that battle inside you? 2 You desire and you do not have; you murder and envy and you cannot obtain; you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask; 3 you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, so you can spend it on your passions

2 Corinthians 9:6-11 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9 as it is written, "He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, his righteousness endures forever." 10 Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; 11 you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God

2 Corinthians 8:10-12 So here is my opinion on this matter: it is to your advantage, since you made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give, 11 to finish what you started, so that just as you wanted to do it eagerly, you can also complete it according to your means. 12 For if the eagerness is present, the gift itself is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have

In the Old Testament, God promised to prosper His people. This was not so that they could “build bigger barns” (see Luke 12:13-21), it was so that they would have the means to minister to those in need.

Acts 20:32-35 And now I entrust you to God and to the message of his grace. This message is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have desired no one’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine provided for my needs and the needs of those who were with me. 35 By all these things, I have shown you that by working in this way we must help the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Luke 16:10-13 “The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you haven’t been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches? 12 And if you haven’t been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money”

William Dalton identified four elements common in both the prologue (1:3-26) and the epilogue (4:10-20). Paul's return to these ideas in the epilogue ties the book together and gives it unity. ". . . We seem to have evidence of an inclusion which binds the whole letter into one unit. First of all, the idea of partnership is strongly expressed at the beginning and the end. Thus in 1:5 Paul is 'thankful for your partnership (koinonia) in the gospel'; and in 4:15 he records that 'no church entered into partnership in giving and receiving except you only.' This partnership is reiterated in another parallel: in 1:7 the Philippians are sharers (sugkoinonous) of grace with Paul; in 4:13 they are sharers (sugkoinonesantes) with him in his trouble. At both beginning and end we have the same idea expressed in different ways: the long-standing partnership of the Philippians with Paul: 'from the first day until now' (1:5), and 'in the beginning of the gospel' (4:15). And finally the reciprocal attitude of sympathy between Paul and the Philippians is expressed in the same phrase; in 1:7 he says 'it is right for me to feel this about you' (touto phronein huper panton humon), and in 4:10, 'You have revived your concern for me' (to huper emoi phronein)."

Are we a thermometer or a thermostat?  We either influence or we are being influenced

5. V21 - 23 Paul’s final greetings to the Philippians

Saints of Caesar’s household

Acts 9:13-15 But Ananias replied, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel.

Peace is the result of right living … This Do and the God of peace will be with you

Just as Contentment is the result of right living  Story about the lady taking the flowers to the cemetery