Two friends were walking near Times Square in Manhattan. It was during the noon lunch hour and the streets were filled with people. Cars were honking their horns, taxis were squealing around corners, sirens were wailing and the sounds of the city were almost deafening. Suddenly, one of them said, “What an interesting place to hear a cricket.” His friend said, “You must be crazy. You couldn’t possibly hear a cricket in all of this noise!” “No, I’m sure of it,” his friend said, “I hear a cricket.” That’s crazy,” said his friend. The man, who had heard the cricket, listened carefully for a moment and then walked across the street to a big, cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches, and sure enough, he located a small cricket. His friend was utterly amazed. “That’s incredible,” said his friend. “You must have superhuman ears!” “No,” said the man who heard the cricket. “My ears are no different from yours. It all depends on what you’re listening for.” “But that can’t be!” said the friend. “I could never hear a cricket in this noise.” “Yes, it’s true,” came the reply. “It depends on what is really important to you. Here, let me show you.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and discreetly dropped them on the sidewalk. And then, with the noise of the crowded street still blaring in their ears, they noticed every head within twenty feet turn and look to see if the money that tinkled on the pavement was theirs. “See what I mean?” asked the man who had heard the cricket. “It all depends on what’s important to you.”
In this letter, the Apostle Paul encouraged the Philippian believers to discover how to live, work and worship together. Paul personally wrote to them sharing how he learned that joy and peace are the result of “Christ living in Me.” (see Philippians 1:21-22, Galatians 2:20) He focused the believer’s minds on Christ, Christ’s unity with the Father and His attitudes of humility, joy and peace. Then, Paul charged the believers to imitate Christ and serve others.
Last week in our study of verses 11-13, we learned that believers can live for Christ in any situation. Paul recognized that contentment is a result of faithfulness to Christ. Instead of frantically seeking contentment, you and I need to pursue our love relationship with Christ and His people. When we pursue Christ’ we can find contentment.
Contentment in Christ is vital because throughout our lives we will go through ups and downs. Now, in Paul’s conclusion to this epistle, we learn the first of two principles of sacrificially giving.
- Our Contentment in Christ Effects our Giving (4:14–19).
A person who knows true contentment can easily convert material resources into spiritual blessings because our contentment is not in our possessions but in a possession, Christ and His kingdom. Let’s look at verses 14-16
Philippians 4:14–16 “Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. 15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. 16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.”
Paul commends the Philippians for their generosity. In 4:14, he says that they shared with him in his suffering through their giving.
Last Wednesday evening a question was asked during the bible study time. How do we share in one another’s suffering? Well, this is one example; give monetarily.
The spiritual partnership of Paul and the believers in Philippi is recorded back in 1:5, 7 “for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now…just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.”
In chapter one verse 5 Paul stated that “from the first day until now” they continued to give to help meet his needs.
In chapter 4 verse 15 it wasn’t that other churches or believers did not give. Paul was stating in verse 15 that “they alone” were constantly remembering him and giving.
Let me help you with Paul’s thought! Please think back to one of your birthdays. It’s encouraging to be remembered on your birthday. However, have you ever had a birthday where only one person remembered? Since you are a content person, your focus is not on those people who forgot or ignored your birthday; instead, you were overwhelmed with gratitude for the one person who remembered.
Here, Paul is especially grateful for the Philippians continuous, generous giving.
Yet, in 4:17, Paul includes a phrase that is the key to this entire passage and one of the main reasons for giving.
Philippians 4:17“Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the “fruit” which increases to your account.”
Twice in this verse, Paul says, “I seek” (Greek ἐπιζητέω epizētéō). This Greek word is a strong term that means “to be seriously interested in or have a strong desire for.” In this case Paul seeks the “eternal estate” of the believers not their gift!
Paul is actively and intentionally seeking their eternal good. Paul’s concern is for their spiritual and eternal fruit that abounds to their credit through their resources.
Think about it? It’s their way of demonstrating their contentment in Christ and the gospel. Who benefits most from a gift to God’s work? You might say, “Well, that’s obvious. The recipient does.” Paul says that the primary beneficiary of their faithful giving is for themselves. Paul calls this their “fruit.”
The truth behind these words is that whenever we invest our time, treasure, and talent in God’s kingdom, that means there will be fruit (Greek καρπός karpós) in heaven. The question is what is this fruit? I think it could be any of these three: fruit, good works – Matthew 13:23, Mark 4:20, Luke 8:15, Romans 7:4, Colossians 1:10, James 2:14-15, Galatians 5:22. Fruit; redeemed human life – Matthew 21:33-44, Luke 20:9-19. Fruit; people – Romans 13:1. Its complex to nail down what this “fruit” in chapter 4 reward really is. I base my position from the context of the whole letter that Paul is talking about people based on his words in chapter 1:22 “But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor.” (see Romans 8:12-13)
So, what does all this mean when we give? The benefactors are others and us. We will gain one of our great eternal rewards that we can store up in heaven is the joy of seeing other people there.
The believers understood that they were a partner with Paul with their support. Even though the Philippians were 800 miles away from Paul, they supported Paul, and through Paul’s work, they also get credit for his fruit!
In 4:18, Paul states three times that he has been given enough. When they gave, notice it was not motivated by need, but by love for God, God’s word, God’s work and God’s people.
Philippians 4:18 “Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.”
Epaphroditus had delivered to Paul in Rome an ample supply of funds. Yes, their gifts continued in order for Paul to carry out his ministry. There are two factors that are important in the Philippians commitment to God and the gospel.
First, Paul was encouraged by the maturity developed among the Philippians as they gave freely to support the cause. Their self-sacrificial giving was a clear example of the Christ-like love shown towards Paul and others.
Secondly, these funds that Paul received was an act of their worship and devotion to Christ. Notice how he used the language of temple sacrifices to God. Paul draws upon the Old Testament where they would take an offering and lay it on the altar.
Giving generously and graciously is a practice of a faithful believer. (see 2Corinthains 9:7)
Giving is an act of worship just as much as singing, fellowship, and the hearing of God’s Word. The public act of giving as part of worship is emphasized in the whole Bible. In fact, one of the top subjects Jesus taught about was how people used money because it tested their trust in God.
The point is that givers shouldn’t be motivated to give by any other message than the grace that God has already given to each believer. That means giving should not be seasonal based, or an emotional response or be motivated by any statements or causes. It should be 24/7 from the heart and is a normal part of a believer’s desire to honor God and accomplish His will from the moment of salvation. And that is what the Philippian believers did.
Now we come to another misunderstood verse in the Bible:
Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
This is an unconditional promise from God. Yet, it is connected to the sacrificial giving of the believers in verses 17 and 18. God’s promise is to supply every believer’s need, so in the context of faithful, generous, even sacrificial giving, believers are to be found as good givers too.
Note carefully though, God promises to meet our need, not our greed. Every believer should sense that God’s abundance of grace is to be shared not stockpiled.
The intention of these words in chapter 4:15-19 is that we should serve as faithful conduits of God’s generosity, because God will continue to supply what we need- and we get to participate in His kingdom on earth and bless others. Our giving should be stimulated by God’s grace and in return our giving to others shows humility and gratitude.
The second principle of Paul’s concluding thoughts in the letter to the Philippians…
- Our Contentment in Christ brings Glory to God. (4:20-23)
Now, Paul closes out the letter of Philippians with the following benediction:
Philippians 4:20-23 “Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. 21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. 22 All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”
This is the result of believers that invest their lives and resources in God’s kingdom, it brings God glory [WORSHIP] (4:20). Ultimately, God alone- who supplies all our need, deserves all the praise and all the glory.
Paul then concludes his letter with a personal acknowledgement to all “the saints” in Philippi. He does this without mentioning each by name, and yet his words encourage every believer, reminding them of their status as being set apart from the world [the root meaning to saint] and for the service and worship of Jesus Christ.
After his personal acknowledgement, Paul extends a farewell from “the brethren” (4:21), probably referring to his co-laborers, including Timothy, Epaphroditus and others.
Beyond these co-workers are “all the saints,” including the believers in Caesar’s household (4:22).
“Caesar’s household” meant all the persons in the house, slaves and freemen alike, and includes guards in his palace on the Palatine Hill at Rome who are watch over Paul. (biblestudytools.com)
Just to mention the praetorium guard consists of 9000 soldiers. These are elite troops were housed in the emperor’s palace. They are a specialized, handpicked, military group. They were Caesar’s own personal bodyguards—strong, courageous, brilliant, sophisticated, young men—kind of a mixture of West Point and the Secret Service.
A normal duty for these guards was to protect Caesar and guard the prisoners, who, like Paul, had appealed to him. After many of them retired or completed their service and duty, they would often transition into other influential careers. Some went on to be the commanding generals of large forces. Others went into public office and became senators or ambassadors to other countries. Still others advanced into the top echelons of business and industry. Importantly, as a group, these guards were the movers and shakers of the future, opinion leaders of the next generation. They were a powerful and strategic group of young men. If you wanted to influence the Roman Empire, you couldn’t pick a better situation or group of people to start with.
Since we talked about [the fruit] that abounds to the Philippians believers account in 4:17, this fruit would likely would have also included many of the names recorded in Romans chapter 16.
Andronicus and Junias, Amplias 16:7, Urbanus, Stachys 16:9, Aristobulus, Apelles 16:10, Narcissus 16:11, Tryphena and Tryphosa, Persis 16:12; Rufus 16:13; Asyncritus, Phiegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes 16:14; Philologus and Julia, Nereus, Olympas 16:15; and many others.
In these final words, Paul reminded the Philippian believers that they were part of something much bigger than themselves. Though believers are separated on earth, they would gather into the same kingdom under the same Lord for all eternity.
It is fitting that Paul concludes with: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” Paul was focused on Christ and the eternal return on the Philippians’ financial investment. This letter reminded them that is they’re occasion for Christ-centered, spirit-empowered joy!