GENEROSITY: AN ACT OF WORSHIP

PHILIPPIANS 4:10-20

INTRODUCTION

          A tramp was looking for a handout one day in a picturesque old English village. Hungry almost to the point of fainting, he stopped by a pub bearing the classic name, Inn of St. George and the Dragon. “Please, ma’am, could you spare me a bite to eat?” he asked the lady who answered his knock at the kitchen door.

          “A bite to eat?” she growled. For a sorry, no-good bum—a foul-smelling beggar? No!” she snapped as she almost slammed the door on his hand.

          Halfway down the lane the tramp stopped, turned around and eyed the words, St. George and the Dragon. He went back and knocked again on the kitchen door.

          “Now what do you want?” the woman asked angrily. “Well, ma’am, if St. George is in, may I speak with him this time?” If we say we are Christians, we should realize that we represent Christ in a wicked and non-caring world. Therefore, we must always be careful with our attitude towards others, especially when there is a need that we can meet. On the basis of this, I would like to share with you this morning on the subject, Generosity: An Act of Worship.

I.                  THE OVERRULING PROVIDENCE OF GOD V. 10

          As the Apostle Paul was about to conclude his correspondence to the Philippian church, he expresses his joy over the contribution the church had made to him in the form of money. This is Paul’s way of saying “thank you to the brothers and sisters in the church of Philippi.” It is likely that this is not the first time Paul is expressing his gratitude to this community of believers. The Lord used the Apostle Paul to establish the church in Philippi (Acts 16). At the time of writing the Epistle to the Philippians, Paul is in prison. He is in prison not because he has committed any crime, or done anything wrong. He is prison simply for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is why I always caution you not to use the Christian life as an escape route from difficulties. Christians too go through difficulties and troubles, but the difference is that the exalted Christ walks with us in our afflictions.

          When the Philippians heard of Paul’s imprisonment, they did everything to help him. The generosity of the Philippian church for the promotion of the Gospel left a lasting memory in the heart and mind of the Apostle Paul. Paul says, “You have revived or renewed your concern for me.” It is not because the church had no concern for Paul previously, but that they lacked opportunity. You see, Paul’s day was not like today where we have advanced in science and technology. Today we have various means of communicating with friends and loved ones who are separated from us thousands of miles away. We call this information highway.  We have several ways of sending money to a family member of friend. Thanks to science and technology. In the days of Paul, they did not have Post Offices, Western Union, Money Gram, Bank transfers, and Forex Bureaus as we have them today. Messages and gifts were carried by people on a horseback, donkey, ship, boat, or simply by walking on foot. Paul knew that the church had not forgotten him. As soon as the church found Paul’s whereabouts, they sent their gifts to Paul through one of their members. This help did not come to Paul by accident. The help came due to the providence of God. The providence of God is His hand ruling and overruling in the affairs of life. God in His providence had caused the church at Philippi to become concerned about Paul’s need, and it came at the very time Paul needed their love most! The Philippians had been concerned, but they lacked opportunity to help. Many Christians today have the opportunities, but they lack the concern!

          Life is not a series of accidents; it is a series of appointments. “I will guide you with My eye” (Psalm 32:8). Abraham called God, “Jehovah-Jireh,” meaning, “the Lord will see to it,” the Lord will provide (Gen. 22:14). This is the providence of God, a wonderful source of contentment.

II.   THE UNFAILING POWER OF GOD VV. 11-13

          Paul is quick to let his friends know that he is not complaining! His happiness does not depend on circumstances or things; rather his joy comes from something deeper, something apart from either poverty or prosperity. Obviously, Paul had needs but his primary concern for the Philippians was not the relief of his personal need. Paul had learned to be content with what God provided regardless of his circumstances. Most of us have learned how to “be abased,” because when difficulties come we immediately run to the Lord! However, a few believers have learned how “to abound.” Prosperity had done more damage to believers than has adversity. “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing” (Rev. 3:17). That was the problem of the spiritually dead Laodicean church. How I wish Christians will learn the secret of contentment!

          Contentment is not idleness; it is not indolence. Contentment is not complacency, nor is it a false peace based on ignorance. The complacent believer is unconcerned about others, while the contented Christian wants to share his/her blessings. Contentment is not escape from the battle, but rather an abiding peace and confidence in the midst of the battle. That is why Paul could say, “For I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” Two words in this verse are very important—“learned” and “content.”  The verb “learned’ means, “learned by experience.” Paul’s spiritual contentment was not something he had immediately after the Christ saved him. He had to go through many difficult experiences of life in order to learn how to be content. The word “content” actually means, “contained.” It is a description of the man whose resources are within him so that he does not have to depend on substitutes without. The Greek word means “self-sufficient” and was a favorite word of the Stoic philosophers Nevertheless, the Christian is not sufficient in himself/herself; he/she is sufficient in Christ. Contentment is the ability to live without being controlled by things or circumstances. Because Christ lives within us, we are adequate for the demands of life.

          The word “learned” in verse 12 is not the same as “learned” in verse 11. The word “learned” in verse 12 is the same as “instructed.” It means “initiated into the secret.” It was used by the pagan religions with reference to their “inner secrets.” Through trials and testing, Paul was “initiated” into the wonderful secret of contentment in spite of poverty or prosperity: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (v. 13). It was the power of Christ within him that gave Paul his spiritual contentment. A contented person is the one who finds his/her sufficiency not in money, not in things, but in Jesus Christ. Sad is the person who finds his significance only in his position, work, education, money, or material things. It is not what we do that makes us significant but rather who we are in Christ. Until you have learned this secret, you will not find contentment, and you will always have a problem with low self-esteem. For if your significance is found in your work, what about if you lose the work or you can no longer do the work? If your significance is found in the accumulation of money what would happen if you lost the money? If your significance is limited to what you do, what would happen if you could no longer do what you do? Paul has found the secret to contentment, which many Christians are trying to find in all the wrong places. Paul is saying, “I know the secret; circumstances can never again touch me.” Thus contentment is the mark of a mature believer, and an objective to be cultivated by all believers who want to grow in Christ, who had “nowhere to lay His head” (Luke 9:58). The secret to contentment is the sufficiency of Christ.

          In Our Daily Bread, Philip Parham tells the story of a rich industrialist who was disturbed to find a fisherman sitting lazily beside his boat. “Why aren’t you out there fishing?” he asked. “Because I’ve caught enough fish for today,” said the fisherman. “Why don’t you catch more fish than you need?” the rich man asked. “What would I do with them?”

          “You could earn more money,” came the impatient reply, “and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish. You could purchase nylon nets, catch even more fish, and make more money. Soon you will have a fleet of boats and be rich like me.” The fisherman asked, “Then what would I do?” “You could sit down and enjoy life,” said the industrialist. What do you think I am doing now?” the fisherman replied.

          All of nature depends on hidden resources. The great trees send their roots down into the earth to draw up water and minerals. Rivers have their sources in the snow-capped mountains. The most important part of a tree is the part you cannot see, the root system, and the most important part of the Christian’s life is the part that only God sees. Unless we draw upon the deep resources of God by faith, we fail against the pressures of life. Paul depended on the power of Christ at work in his life (cf. 1:6, 21; 2:12-13; 3:10).

          The Living Bible, which is a paraphrase puts verse 13 this way, “I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me strength and power.” The Amplified Bible states, “I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency.” Jesus teaches this same lesson in the sermon on the vine and branches in John 15. The branch does not bear fruit through its own self-effort, but by drawing upon the life of the Vine. Jesus said, “Without Me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5). As you maintain your communion with Christ, the power of God is there to see you through.

          The overruling providence of God and the unfailing power of God are two spiritual resources upon which we can draw that we might be adequate for the tasks of life. But there is a third resource.

III.           THE UNCHANGING PROMISE OF GOD VV. 14-20

          Paul thanks the church at Philippi for their generous gift. He compares their giving to three familiar things.

1.     A Budding Tree (v. 10)

          The word “renewed” or “revived” means “flourished,” which carries the idea of a flower or tree budding or blossoming. Often in life we go through “winter season” spiritually, but then the spring arrives and there is new life and blessing. The tree itself is not picked up and moved; the circumstances are not changed. The difference is the new life within.

2.     An Investment (vv. 14-17)

          Paul looked upon their missionary gifts as an investment that would pay them rich spiritual dividends. Here the apostle Paul uses business or accounting terminology. Paul says, “I regard such demonstration of selfless giving as interest credited to your account. The account is deposited in the bank of heaven where Jesus keeps the records. Where do you save? Where is your bank? Is it Bank One, Bank of America, Chase Bank, Commerce Bank, or Summit Bank? Every Christian should have two banks: the bank on earth and the bank in heaven, but we are to invest more in the bank of heaven because the bank of heaven is eternally secure. Nothing bad can happen to your accounts there. Have you invested in the bank of heaven?

          The church gave materially to Paul, and received spiritually from the Lord. The church that fails to share materially with others is spiritually poor. True generosity is experienced through identifying with the need of another, showing interest, then getting involved in meeting that need.

3.     A Sacrifice (v. 18)

          Paul looked at their gift as a spiritual sacrifice, laid on the altar to the glory of God. There are such things as “spiritual sacrifices” in the Christian life (1 Peter 2:5). We are to yield our bodies as spiritual sacrifices (Rom. 12:1-2), as well as the praise of our lips (Heb. 13:15). That is why I encourage the youth to be involved in praising the Lord with your lips when you come to church. When you praise the Lord with your lips, you are offering spiritual sacrifice to Him and God is pleased with that. Good works are a sacrifice to the Lord (Heb. 13:16, and so are the lost souls that we are privileged to win to Christ (Rom. 15:16). Here Paul sees the Philippian believers as priests, giving their offering as a sacrifice to the Lord. In light of Malachi 1:6-14, we need to present the very finest that we have to the Lord. However, Paul does not see this gift as simply coming from Philippi. He sees it as the supply of his need from heaven. Sharing in true generosity is not prompted by personal inclination or applied pressure, but by the grace of God. Generous sharing is a response of loving obedience motivated by the goodness of God.

          There is an interesting contrast between verse 18 and verse 19. If we were to paraphrase Paul we would state it, “You met my need, and God is going to meet your need. You met one need that I have, but my God will meet all of your needs. You gave out of your poverty, but God will supply your needs out of His riches in glory!” God has not promised to supply our greed, but our needs; He has not promised to supply our wants but our needs. You should be able to distinguish your needs from your wants. Let me illustrate. Maybe you are in desperate need of a dependable car and you are praying to God for a car. That is a legitimate prayer. Then, God makes it possible for you to Nissan, but you would rather want a Lexus. God has not promised to give you a Lexus because the Lexus is your want, but God sees that the Nissan can meet your need. Here is another profound truth: God has promised to supply all your needs, not solve all your problems. God always supplies according to His riches. There is a difference between “according to” and “out of.” Let me clarify: The billionaire who gives a $1000.00 gift is giving “out of” his wealth, not “according to” it. God, however, always acts in a way that is compatible with His nature. (A testimony about our church in the area of giving).

          Contentment comes from adequate resources. Our resources are the providence of God. These resources made Paul sufficient for every demand of life, and they can make us sufficient, too. The Apostle Paul is so moved by these truths that he exclaims, “To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” This is the bottom line: True generosity in our stewardship is intended for God’s glory.