God's Promise to Givers

Will moving along in November, which is missions month at beacon come today to the second half of Paul's inspired thank you note that was written to the church at Philippi. Having examined the first-half last Lords day and in that first part. Paul thanked the Philippian church for resuming their financial partnership with them, but made it clear that his gratitude was not predicated upon a sense of need for Paul had learned the secret of contentment. He was equally content with scarcity or abundance, poverty or wealth, because Christ had enabled him to do so I can do all of these things through Christ which strengthens me.

And yet Paul wants the Philippians to know that he considers their gift to him to be a good work that God is pleased with what they have done so now we come to the last half of this communication of thanks for taking up verses 15 through 20. And there are four keywords that will guide us through this part of the passage in word number one is commendation. Paul begins this part with a strong word of commendation. Verses 15 and 16 now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel. When I departed for Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving. But you only for even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.

Paul is commending them is commending them for their immediate concern for their independent concern and for their faithful performance. He is impressed abide there sense of immediacy in regard to his needs and their partnership with him and their part in the work of missions that Paul was carrying out as an ambassador of Christ, and he says you demonstrated that concern in the beginning of the gospel. Clearly they went around the gospel was first given what Paul means is so shortly after your conversion so immediately after the establishment of the church in Philippi. You show this concern far more quickly than most other churches have done in the beginning of the gospel. You communicated your love and concern to me in a tangible way by your financial gifts pauses they shared with him. No church shared with me concerning giving and receiving. But you only no other church partnered with me. No other church fellowship with me that's the Greek word that Rich Greek word coined a new yacht that has so many wonderful connotations that sparkle in beauty, and so many different directions. That's the word that Paul uses here you fellowship with me in the gospel you partnered with me in the gospel. You shared with me out of your material resources, and he says you shared with me concerning giving and receiving, which is clear enough to us in the English but the Greek is quite quiet. Even more interesting. I think in that it is something like this. You shared with me in regard to payments and receipts. This whole passage is filled with commercial language a bit business language with accounting language you shared with me in regard to payments and receipts you sent the payments I sent the receipts to acknowledge that the payments had been received.

One commentator put it this way, they opened an account of expenditures and receipts.

They opened an account with Paul think of Paul as a bank or think of Paul as a window to the heavenly bank here. They are understanding the wonderful opportunity to lay up treasures in heaven, not on earth but how are they going to do that they need opportunities and they recognize that Paul was such an opportunity.

He was a blank into which deposits could be given that would accrue credit in their account in the Kevin and so they opened an account with Paul to be able to deposit investments in heaven that would last for all eternity and support commends them for their immediate concern for him and for the needs of the gospel and Paul commends them for their independent concern. No other church shared with me concerning giving and receiving. But you only the Philippians response was not determined by what others did. If it had, it wouldn't of would've happened. They didn't say will wait and see what the other churches do. Will wait and see what other people do will will follow their lead.

If they do this, then maybe will partake will will love get involved as well.

And if they don't then will consider it must not be all that important, but they did consider that they didn't way that they didn't even inquire about that. They just saw the need and they realized that this was an opportunity of this was something that they ought to be involved in the wanted to help in and so they got involved, nor the church. He did, at least not at the beginning eventually along the way others did begin to pick up this practice with no other church. No other church partnered with me and giving and receiving. But you only, but you didn't. Paul is commending them for their independent concern.

They in this way became leaders, not followers. In this way, they became examples to others not not waiting upon the example of others.

They led the way they showed others the way they showed other churches how to do it, how it ought to be done.

And Paul says thank you for that.

Thank you, not only for your immediate concern. But for the independence you have shown the leadership you have shown in this matter. And thirdly, Paul commends them for their faithful performance because they gave repeatedly and regularly. Paul starts by mentioning that they gave after he left Macedonia chronologically, the first giving was when he was in Thessalonica. He picks that up. Second, will look at it, reverse order, but all readings again. As Paul wrote it. Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel. When I departed for Macedonia. Gotta get the geography of mine. Macedonia's northern Greece.

Macedonia is were Philippi in Thessalonica and Berea were first three churches that were established in European soil. Macedonia's were Paul went to when he left Asia minor and saw that vision of the man for Macedonia beckoning on to him and say come over here and help us. Macedonia was a territory. It was a province in the Roman Empire in the northern part of the Greek peninsula and eventually after quite a few months of labor. Paul left Macedonia and went south to Acadia down to Athens and eventually to Corinth and he spent a lot of time in Corinth and Acadia is another province, Macedonia, the province of the North Acadia the province in the South pauses. Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel. When I departed for Macedonia. When I left his northern province and went down to the southern province on the Greek peninsula. No church shared with me concerning giving and receiving.

But you only for even in Thessalonica when I was still in Macedonia get the picture here Macedonia.

Thessalonica is in Macedonia Macedonia.

As far as we know had three churches that may been others of course, informed later by three that we know about from the accountant acts one Philippi number two Thessalonica number three Brea buses. When I left Macedonia and went down to Corinth you ministered to me financially.

Then, but even verse 16 in Thessalonica, you sent aid once and again for my necessities more than once. They sent financial help when Paul was in Thessalonica so that's what the text says now let's put it in chronological order, the first giving was when he was in Thessalonica and in that location.

He tells us they gave more than once, twice, at the least, and possibly more. You gave once and again you gave more than once in Thessalonica, Thessalonica is 95 miles south of Philippi along the nation way. The way ran north and south. The east and west. The nation way ran north and south and so 95 miles south of Philippi on the nation way you'll come to Thessalonica. Now the interesting thing is that when you read the account of the book of acts, and I don't think I'll take kind to read that, but there's about 2010 verses that are given in the historical account in acts to Paul's ministry and Thessalonica and when you read that account. It would seem like Paul was there only a matter of maybe three or four weeks talks about them going there preaching three Sabbath days in the synagogue trouble ensued. A riot was fomented among the Jews and others who could be persuaded to take part and shortly thereafter, Paul was basically run out of town and then went down to Berea also still open Macedonia and that's where we read that the premiums were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they studied the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. The Jews in Thessalonica closed minds. They wouldn't even look at the Scriptures, their minds were made up. The gospel brought by Paul. They were already determined to reject without examining it and they did.

But in Brea they were more noble searched the Scriptures daily. Could this be true. Can this be possible. Could this Jesus that Paul is talking about really be the Messiah promised in our Scriptures and they searched the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. But the point is that in the account in acts sounds like Paul was only in Thessalonica until he was forced out to go down to Berea but that really leaves one wondering how was he able to leave an established church behind after ministering only about three weeks.

That sounds impossible.

We recognize that Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ, and everywhere he went. The Holy Spirit accompanied him with great power and he did generally accomplish more in a shorter period of time than most of us are able to accomplish but three weeks to establish a church but wait a minute. When I was in Thessalonica, you sent once and again to my necessities. They didn't drop it in the mailbox they had to send a courier 95 miles down the nation way to deliver it personally, it doesn't seem possible that he was there for only three weeks. Surely he was there for at least a few months. This helps us to put the chronology together we get this bit of information and asked that we get this bit of information here in the book of Philippians and as we put these things together. We realized that he was three weeks in the synagogue, but he was he was there longer before the riot actually was organized against him. It wasn't organized immediately after the third week in the synagogue that now becomes clear because you ministered to me once and again in Thessalonica and then after I went to Berea and then he would've been there for some time and then after I left Brea I went down to Acadia ensure enough you showed up again with more help. We read about that in second Corinthians chapter 11 Paul says to the Corinthians in I commit sin and humbling myself that you might be exalted because I preach the gospel of God to you free of charge.

I robbed other church is so other churches are getting involved in this supportive Paul in missionary work. He doesn't say. I robbed another church. Philippi, the only one in the beginning they were the only one, but by the time Paul is writing in Corinthians, there's more but he says I robbed other churches taking waitress from them to minister to you and when I was present with you down and Acadia in Corinth and in need. You know it's interesting guy. I chuckle because Paul said, I assure you I I'm not in need. When you set this gift to Rome. It's not because I have need to get two or three other times he talks about his needs. So he's kind of like us. He doesn't even have a clear clear clear definition of a fund for the line is crossed between the desire and need. And he says that here that I had needs.

When I was present with you in Corinth and in need. I was a burden to no one for what I lacked. Listen the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied there's another testimony to what Paul is saying here in Philippians when I left Macedonia. You were the only church at the beginning to minister to me and in Thessalonica you ministered once and again to my needs, but this would indicate that messengers came from Macedonia more than once because the first time they were the only ones the Philippians this time and I are in the in Corinth. There were he was taking waitress from other churches is plural so other churches were getting on board. Other churches were following the example of Philippi Philippi clearly has sprung into action first and set a good example here, but what Paul is thanking them for an addition to their immediate concern and their independent concern is their faithful performance is clear that they had established a pattern of regular giving. I don't know how often they sent it would seem unlikely that they sent monthly, but maybe they did were they sending quarterly that would certainly not be beyond reasonable possibility did they even have a regular system of given a regular regular schedule of their giving. But there are so many things in this passage that make it look like a business arrangement and business transactions and business scheduling that it almost sounds like and I'll get to some more evidence for this later.

It almost sounds like the Philippians said were going to support you. X number of whatever the unit of money was they were using at that time X number of dollars every month or every quarter were going to get it to you and so they sent couriers down the nation way a couple of times to Thessalonica.

They sent couriers all the way down I meant to check out how many miles this was and I forgot to do it, but all the way down to Corinth that would've been several hundred miles. They did that more than once.

It really sounds so similar to what we do today. Sometimes we think that will what we've done today is a good, sensible, logical way to carry out missions. We have a budget we send X number of dollars per month to our missionaries, but that's really the root there really is in any biblical requirement that we do it that way and the deed.

There isn't just sort of a logical thing.

But the more that I study the Scriptures, I realized this seems to be the same pattern that they were following failed were doing were not doing something that's that's just logical and reasonable and works for us, but was entirely different from what they did. This seems to be basically the same thing they were doing. You said once and again in Thessalonica. You sent once and again in Corinth, you are sending it regularly to support me in the work of the gospel and so I thank you not only for your immediate concern in your independent concern, but for your faithful performance you gave faithfully and regularly for a period of time. I will take a moment to note Paul's principle of support as a missionary before I move on to number two, our first word is commendation. In our second word is clarification. But before we get the clarification. Here's what we've seen so far. We see this other places as well, but I think we've seen enough in today's passage and in the one in Corinth. Corinthians to indicate the following. Paul's principle was to receive no support from churches that he was presently establishing when he was a missionary establishing the church.

He didn't take support from those people. He didn't take any financial support from Philippi when he was in Philippi establishing the church. Likewise, Thessalonica, Brea, and so forth. But Paul didn't take support from established churches after he left and was well welcome them to help him in his next venture. If they would help him with Philippi would help him support a church in Thessalonica that was perfectly in accord with his principles of missionary conduct, and if Philippi and Thessalonica, perhaps Brea would join together and help all equities establishing the church in Corinth that also fits in to the principles that he followed his in his finances as a missionary and that too is a similar pattern to what we follow today. There's a number of reasons why many times we we expect missionaries not to take support financially from the churches there establishing sometimes there in Third World countries that are so poor they basically don't have anything, and even the churches gave generously of what they were able to do the missionary would still starve without additional support from somewhere else, but I mean how how long can you live on a couple of chickens a week for your support. The website, so there other reasons, but there's actually just more basic principle, it's better not to take finances from the church when it's not yet established because that seems to become a hindrance to the gospel. It sounds like the reason you're doing this is to get our money when people are unconverted or newly converted. They don't have a very good understanding of this yet, but once they mature was the churches established.

Once the missionary has moved on. Now they've got their own pastors to support that got now they've got a new principal. It's not a missionary. In the midst of pastors in their midst and they have instructions to support the pastors but also to get involved in missions by sending regular support to missionaries who were establishing churches and other areas again doing what we do today. Here it is 2000 years ago when I moved from commendation to clarifications.

Verse 17 not that I seek the gift but I seek the fruit that abounds the account Apollo saying is, your gifts are not the main issue, your welfare is the main issue. Your gifts are not the main issue in this giving in my thanking you for your given similar to what he said in verse 11. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content my thanking you is not because I was in desperate need until your gift arrived and I could be content without it says the same thing. Here again, your gifts, not the main issue not that I see the gift. Paul expressed gratitude for their commendable giving.

It was a great encouragement to him and yes it was a substantial help to him. It was significant strategic to the ongoing work of the gospel. While Paul was in Rome and the house under house arrest.

He was still very much involved in the work of the gospel as I read to you from the last two verses of the of the book of acts last week but Paul's primary focus was not upon what their gifts did for him that was secondary.

The primary focus is upon what their gifts did for them. Your gifts are not the main issue but your welfare is the main issue not that I seek the gift but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Now let's pick out some of the words in verse 17 fruit.

The fruit that abounds to your account that word fruit could be translated profit. That sounds like a nasty word to some people and incense I capitalism profit. The prophet that abounds to your account or could be translated interest when you put money in the blanket in the account the kind of language, Paul is using here.

What do you learn you earn money on that account. When we call that we call that interest. I'm not so much interested in what your gift means to me what it means to you the fruit.

The prophet that interest that abounds a word that means increases or multiplies. Again, it sounds like interest even compound interest.

It's being added to their account.

The account they opened with Paul and your account is a word that means ledger the credit on your ledger, or it could mean an investment account. Most people somewhere along the way open a savings account in a bank and you gotta allege that you have some way of tracking that nowadays it may be online as much as anything but still you go there, look at that account. See what the balances see how much you earned last month. Some of you have other investment accounts and you'll get an envelope in the mail may be every month that will show you what has been added to that account since the last month.

If your monies in primarily in stocks and mutual funds that it may go up. It may go down it doesn't always go up if it's in the CDs and municipal bonds. Then we will go up as fast when the good months that the stock markets doing good goes up faster, but the nice thing about those art doesn't go down either.

It's always goes up a little bit every month you always earning similar interests of more interest in you can see that your ledger can can show that to you. And that's the language Paul is using here your gifts he says are an investment paying rich dividends because Paul is convinced that the Bible is true when it tells us that the right kind of giving always enriches the giver more than it does the receiver that when Jesus said is more blessed to give than to receive the right kind of giving for the right reasons. Right heart motive always always enriches the giver more than the receiver and right giving always enriches the giver. Proverbs 1125 says the generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself say I don't believe that's always the case till God you don't believe you. That's what it boils down to the New Testament like I couldn't. I could cite probably a score of similar verses but I'll just stop with the second one New Testament. Second Corinthians 96 but this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully talking about your giving hold to chapters here. Chapters 8 and nine are about financial giving.

So this is what Paul is saying is telling them that the main issue is not what your gift did for me the main issue is what your gift has done and is continuing to do for you the gift. In other words, itself, is not as important as what it represents about two the condition of your heart and what it accomplishes in you in developing you and folk site. I want you to understand that really is also the main focus of our faith promise missions program.

Really it is. That's not just a gimmick. It is true that in the world in which we live as God designed it.

It takes money to fulfill the great commission gospel workers need to be supported financially.

It takes money to do that. It is also true that our giving creates a partnership with those who go to the ends of the earth. And so it helps us to be partakers with them in fulfilling the great commission, we All go out into other parts of the world that we can form partnerships with those who do and that is a wonderful way to be involved in the great commission, but the main issue is not about us, it's about you, your welfare, your spiritual health. Your perspective with her to heavenly perspective and earthbound perspective. And yes you are material welfare in this world, which is tied to your obedience or disobedience to God in your giving as we will see as we move along. So that brings us to the third word confirmation were number one commendation were number two clarification were number three confirmation verse 18. Indeed, I have all and abound I am full, having received from up Aphrodite's the things sent from you a sweet smelling aroma and acceptable sacrifice well pleasing to God. Confirmation was pulsing in verse 18. These things number one, your gift has been received.

Number two. My needs are fully supplied number three your project is been successful number for your worship has been approved. Gift has been received.

Indeed, I have all and abound I am full. Having received from up Aphrodite's paid in full. I have received this literally. This is my receipt. This note, this part of the Philippian epistle that I'm writing to you that actually by the supervision of the Holy Spirit of God becomes part of the New Testament of sacred Scriptures. This this thank you note that I'm writing to you is my receipt to you for what you sent. You have paid in full. You have discharge your obligation to get that's another place in the intersection. This suggests a previous commitment now fulfilled. It sounds to me like Paul is saying you. Philippians committed yourself pledged yourself promised. Whatever word you want to use that you are going to support my work as a is a traveling apostles and visionary, to the extent of X number of dollars you started out doing that well giving regularly in Thessalonica and Acadia and then we lost touch. He said the first part. I'm thankful that your care of me has flourished again though it wasn't that you were concerned but you didn't have opportunity. We lost contact. He did know where I was you didn't know how to get help to me so the result of that was the commitment you made was never fully realized. But now it has been. I write this receive paint and fall, your obligation has been entirely discharged. Your commitment has now been fulfilled. You have said everything that I expected you to send. In fact, probably by nopal wasn't even expecting it so much time with God. But since the they had stopped giving regularly out of the circumstances that the force that Paul said, oh, what a blessing to know that you have now fulfilled after a period of time that which you previously committed your gift has been received and here's a receipt is therefore my needs are fully supplied and he indicates that with words like abound and fall on the bounding with your help I'm full to overflowing with what you have sent earlier project is been successful.

Having received from up Aphrodite as the things sent from you up Aphrodite.

This was their courier, a member of their church that they sent now along the appealing way all the way from Philippi to grow much longer way they needed to know that he made it safely. He didn't get sick along the way. He wasn't robbed along the way he made it there project, which was a whole lot harder and that day that it is in our day has been successful. Your courier a trusted member of your church has arrived with your gift. He has successfully delivered your gift, I'm communicating that to you. In fact, he's sending this communication back by up Aphrodite's the messenger from their church to return this information to them.

But he said more important than any of that. Here's the main thing your worship has been approved and now he changes the language from business to worship the things sent from you a sweet smelling aroma and acceptable sacrifice well pleasing to God.

A sweet smelling aroma. This is this is a phrase it's used a number of times in the Old Testament of various offerings. The animals were brought upon the offerings and they were a sweet smelling aroma to God. The first one was the offering that Noah gave Noah involved himself in what he got off the ark and were told that that offering that animal on the altar was a fragrant offering was a sweet smelling aroma to God. Fragrant offering acceptable sacrifice in the New Testament we don't bring Anna's to offer to God anymore. But there are three things in the New Testament that are said to be our sacrifices to God, not the animals that we bring, but what number one the fruit of our lips. I praise that's a sacrifice well well pleasing to God acceptable to him.

Number two, our bodies present your bodies a living sacrifice we give ourselves to God that's in the place of the animals of the Old Testament we give ourselves to God our lives are beings to God as an acceptable sacrifice and number three. Your giving irradiance the giving you sent to me from through up Aphrodite us the this financial support is an act of worship. Well pleasing to God. The gifts that the church of Philippi gave to Paul were actually gifts that they gave to God is clear this was a sacrifice. A sweet smell. A gift as well pleasing to God.

Nothing could be cleared. The right kind of giving is an act of worship is part of our worship. Our church offerings are worship. We have various elements that we want to include in our worship because we find these elements prescribed for us in the New Testament.

The New Testament prescribes that we shall sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs in our worship so we do. The New Testament prescribes that we shall have public prayer in our worship so we do. The New Testament prescribes that we shall preach the word of God will be gathered together for worship so we do with this element that sometimes overlooked the New Testament indicates that our financial offerings are also part of our worship and that ought to be included in our worship so we include that as well. There comes a time just like there's a time to saying that the time to pray is a time to preach the time to give and all of that is worship as part of our worship to God.

Number four confidence word number four what we had number one commendation number two clarification number three confirmation number four confidence verses 19 and 20 and my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus, now to God to our God and father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Confidence in God's promise supply verse 19 confidence in God's unfailing goodness. Verse 20 the doxology. First of all confidence in God's promise supply and my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. There is that other verse in this the last half of this chapter that gets often quoted but seldom is considered in the context, and therefore is very often the subject person we saw last week, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. What is that mean in context, I can be content with poverty, as will as wealth. I can be content with scarcity as well as abundance I am with the help and grace of Jesus Christ and see only way it's possible I can do all of these things, Christ which strengthens me. That's what the text is saying don't apply it in an un-biblical way, and likewise hear my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Is that a blanket promise for everyone know is that a blanket promise for every Christian unnecessarily God being kind and gracious many times does go beyond what he promises to do and therefore even takes care of stingy Christians but done promise to this is a promise for givers, not for keepers in context. That's what Paul is saying, my God will supply your needs. Because of your giving your generous giving God's promise supply is for things. According to this text. Number one, it's reciprocal God reciprocates to those who have given in worship to him. God supply number two is attested. My God said Paul shall supply all your needs. Wasn't he there God to of course he was, why does he say my God, it's the God who has supplied my needs for all of these decades I can attest to it. I can witness to it. I have seen it, I can tell you that it's true. This is what God has done for me and I can attest that he will do the same for you. If you are faithful in worshiping him in your giving. It is attested.

Number three. It is assured.

My God shall supply not. We hope he will my God shall supply it's a promise number for its abundant said well he only promises to supply our needs. Nothing beyond again that were need can be slippery. You can get can move a lot of directions may be that God promises only to supply our needs and anything beyond that, we should consider to be something even beyond the confines of this promise, but he does promise to supply our needs in such a glorious way according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. This is the way he's going to supply our needs. That sounds abundant in the glorious manner, in a manner that is proportionate to God's own resources and abilities while that sounds like a lot to me sounds like a lot to me. You can take it anywhere you want to, but that's our confidence in God's promise supply and gain confidence in God's failing unfailing goodness. And so we break out in doxology at the end.

Now quickly enclosing three lessons number one same lesson I had last week that I come back with it again. Number one, a lesson about the misuse of Scripture verse 19 is not a blanket promise. It is in context a promise to those who give don't misuse Scripture in verse 19 any more than you misuse Scripture in verse 13 lesson number two about giving what should we learn we should view giving primarily as an act of worship.

That's what it is.

That's why we should give regularly because we worship regularly. We don't say well I worshiped II did that I did that last year I did that there before I worshiped. We worship and we worship we continue to worship. We worship God in our prayers we worship God in our prayers we worship God in listening to his word and we worship God and are giving us regular matter. We give regularly. We give generously. We give increasingly because our faith in God grows in our our ability to worship him better grows. We give reciprocally if it's a cycle we give to God and God reciprocates by giving back to us abundance and return, and it's not always in the same way in and I have to be careful.

I know some of these things almost sound like a health and wealth preacher, but you can't completely cut these out of the Bible there. There they just must be carefully understood and not misused. But there there.

These are the promises of God and when we give to him with a right heart attitude. God always returns to us more abundantly than we gave because God's a lot bigger than we offer and cuts get a lot more than we have God's got a lot more resources than we have and then what we do in return we reciprocate by worshiping him with greater gifts goes around and around and around doesn't that's a lesson about faith boils down to whether or not we believe the word of God boils down to whether or not we trust God to supply our needs when we give to him when he doesn't look like we can do we do anyways an active of worship because we believe him.

We believe he'll take care of us will believe he'll meet our needs. He said he will and that, dear friends, is what our faith promise program is designed to do to train us to teach us to stimulate us to grow in the grace of giving to grow in the worship of giving to grow in our faith in God and his promises and the side benefits are.

We help missionaries and we are involved in the work of the great commission, shall we pray father, thank you for your word teaches guides and directs us. Help us to hear it and apply it.

We pray in Jesus name, amen