This is the final sermon in the series.

Philippians 4:10-23

God’s provision to Paul

The entire epistle to the Philippians is one of JOY. Repeated throughout the epistle is the reminder to rejoice, exclamations of rejoicing, and reasons to rejoice. One of those reasons is given here when Paul tells the Philippians that he rejoices in their financial support. They have finally been able to once again send gifts to aid in the support of Paul and his mission. For a while they had no opportunity. If you turn back to chapter 2, in verses 25 and on, you will see that Paul is sending back Epaphroditus to the Philippian church. Epaphroditus had brought messages and provisions to Paul from the Philippians, along the way he apparently became ill and nearly dead, and the Philippians were concerned about him. Epaphroditus was the messenger between Paul and the Philippians. The love and concern for Epaphroditus by both the Philippians and Paul is very evident. The fact of his recovery from a great illness was cause for much rejoicing.

Paul does rejoice in their provision, more so for their spiritual need than for his own physical needs. Matthew 6:19-21 states, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be, also.” Where is your treasure? The act of giving by the Philippians is actually a form of worship pleasing to God. In Hebrews 13, verse 16 it says, “ Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” The importance of sharing cannot be ignored. The tendency of natural man is to hoard, to keep, to hide their treasures from others, to make sure they have what they need. To “look out for number one”, as it were.

This desire to hoard, to keep and not share, is a direct result of not believing in God. When you are confident in God, when you know he is there for you, when your faith is strong, then it is easy to share. In fact, most Christians do not even have to think about it, they share naturally, as part of their lifestyle. Think back for a minute to some times you were presented with an opportunity to share your abundance with another. It may have been inviting someone to lunch at your home, tithing to your church, a missionary appeal, the bell ringer at the store during Christmas, helping the person in front of you in the line who needs an extra dollar to purchase his food, the list goes on. What is your motivation? What causes you to give of yourself without looking for something in return? Anyone?

Some could say Christian Charity, others might say a demonstration of love, but I say that it is a demonstration of your belief in God. You know that God is there for you, God provides for you, God will see to all your needs. This belief counteracts the natural desire to hoard it and keep it for yourself. You are in God’s hands and he will provide.

Matthew 6 says “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” God will provide.

Verse 19 of our text says that God will provide every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. In other words, God has a storehouse already provisioned, filled to the brim, waiting for you. It is all provided free of charge, though the grace of his Son, Jesus.

In Matthew 7 God says “Ask and it shall be given you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be open. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish will give him a snake? If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him?” God has good thing prepared for you, God will supply all your needs. Share your life and your goods with others.

Now, back to the beginning of our text. Paul says in verse 11 that he isn’t in need, but that he has learned to be content whatever the circumstances. Whatever God will provide to him, he is content to have. He rejoices in the provision of God.

How many of us can say that we are content? How many of us go through life without complaint? How many of us can’t go an hour without complaining? It’s too cold, it’s too hot, I don’t have a thing to wear, there’s nothing on TV, this food is terrible, I wish I had a better car, my lawn is more weeds than grass, I wish I made more money, how come I can’t win the Lotto, and so on and so on. Are we content? Should we be content? Should we be rejoicing and praising God for what he has provided for us, or should we be dissatisfied and complaining about what we don’t have? Should we sing “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” Or “How come he has more stuff than me?”

Paul says that he knows hunger and plenty, abundance and need, and has learned to be content. He says “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Earlier, in chapter one, he said “For me to live is Christ…” Both are saying the same thing. Live in Christ, be content, God will give you strength for whatever your needs are.

I love action words, those words that tell a story. The one that I see here is the word “learn”. See how the word Learn is used in verses 11 and 12. I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I have learned… It isn’t something that comes easy, it isn’t something you can read in a book. It is something to experience, trial and error. To learn how to be content while in want is not an easy thing to do. Our nature is to complain when things aren’t right. Complaining is easy, contentment is not. Yet God calls for us to be content in whatever situation we are in.

However, that doesn’t mean that we just kick back and enjoy life with nothing to do. You know, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”. No, to be truly content, we need to do the work that God has set out for us to do. As Paul puts it in verse 17, that he was not necessarily seeking the gift from the Philippians, but was seeking the fruit that increased to their credit. He was thankful that they would receive joy from their work, from their sacrifice, and that they would receive their reward in heaven from their good works.

Because of their sacrifice, Paul says that the Lord will supply all their needs according to God’s riches in glory.

From the beginning of this epistle to the very end, Paul has been praising God for the work, effort, and sacrifice of the Philippians’ church. Paul is content even though he is in prison. And while he is in prison, is he sitting there complaining about the conditions? Is he grumbling about the cold, the damp, the food, the water? No, he is busy praising God in spite of his conditions. He is content. And in his contentment, he is demonstrating his faith to others. Turn to chapter 1, verses 12 and 13. Who is he reaching out to? Those who are keeping him captive, the Imperial Guard. Turn back to our text and you will see in verse 22, the household of Caesar, even those who attend to Caesar himself, have been changed because of Paul’s attitude and demeanor. They have become believers due to in part to Paul’s witness, and most likely, his contentment, also.

Have you ever had some one ask you why you are the way you are? Have you been able to witness to others because of your demeanor, you attitude, the contentment you demonstrate? Let me give you a couple of examples. In one case, my wife and I asked a neighboring family to come to church with us. They said that they weren’t interested right now. What we didn’t know is that they were watching us, seeing how we interacted with each other, and how we were treating and bringing up our daughter. When they saw that we were not always yelling at each other, that we treated each other with respect, that we took time for our daughter and did family things together, when they saw that we were for the most part content, they started coming to church with us. Anybody have an example like that?

In another instance, a guy came up to me at work and asked my why I was always smiling. He wanted to know if I was on drugs or something, because my demeanor was not normal to him. I had a chance to explain my trust in Jesus, and how God loved me so much that he sent his Son to die for my sins. I told him that since God loved me that much and my eternal life was assured by the blood of Jesus, how could I not smile?

What is your attitude at work? What example do you show to your neighbors and friends who do not know Christ? Is your life really that much different than your neighbors? How about your family? Do you complain about the meal your wife cooked you? Do you grumble about the lawn needing mowing, the doors needing paint, and the leaves in the gutters? Do you rant and yell when your child doesn’t live up to your expectations? Do you take out your frustrations on your wife, your husband, your kids, or the dog? Are you content, are you happy?

Our attitude is a direct result of our level of contentment. Paul’s statement in Verse 27 of chapter one says, “ Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.” Is your manner of life worthy of Christ, or is it worthy of man? Do you seek the things that glorify God, or do you seek those things that will make you happy for the moment? Are you a light to the world, or do you have a dark cloud following wherever you go? Do you rejoice always and in every circumstance, or does your life involve much grumbling and complaining? Are you a worrywart? Or do you make your requests be known to God and let him take care of things? Has the peace of God come upon you recently, or do you let the worries of the world direct your mind? Do you think on those things that are honorable, pure, just, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy, or do you dwell in the dungeon of sinful thoughts?

Look to the promises found in these scriptures…
Chapter 1:6 … he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus.
Chapter 2:13… it is God who works in you, both to will and work for his good pleasure.
Chapter 3:20… our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Chapter 4:7 …the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Chapter 4:9… What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me- practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Chapter 4:13… I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Chapter 4:19… my God will supply every need of your according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

How can you NOT rejoice? How can you NOT rejoice always?

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with your spirit. Amen