Church, the Lord is a great blessing to His people, and the Lord is a great blessing through His people.
I have something today to remind me of the blessing of God’s people. I have a cowboy boot that belonged to my friend, Dwight Brower. Dwight and I had a connection. He was a husband. He was a father. He was an outdoorsman. He was a pastor. Dwight was also always very kind to me. His lovely bride, Ginger, offered this pair of boots to me after he passed. Apparently, we also had our shoe size in common. I brought this boot today to remember the blessing of Dwight and Ginger Brower.
Today, as we conclude the Book of Philippians, we’re going to learn about the blessings of God and His people.
The Lord is a great blessing to His people and through His people.
Join me in prayer as we prepare to dive into this passage.
(prayer)
As we look at this passage today, let’s notice three ways that we see the blessings of God and His people.
First, . . .
I. The secret of gratitude.
Gratitude is being grateful for what you have.
Are you grateful to God for everything that He’s given you?
Some of us are so focused on what we don’t have that it causes us to not be grateful for what we do have.
Gratitude is realizing that God has already blessed you in many ways, and that you thank God for those blessings.
Look at Philippians 4:10-15:
10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly because once again you renewed your care for me. You were, in fact, concerned about me but lacked the opportunity to show it. 11 I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. 12 I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. 13 I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me. 14 Still, you did well by partnering with me in my hardship.
Notice that Paul mentions rejoicing again. This theme keeps coming up again and again and again in Philippians.
This time, Paul is rejoicing. Why? He’s rejoicing because the Philippians renewed their care for him.
The care that the Philippians showed Paul was helping take care of his needs through their generosity.
Remember, Paul was jailed. While he was jailed, supporters like the Philippians helped take care of him by providing for His needs.
Notice in verse 11 that Paul is not trying to draw attention to this topic because he wants to get more from them.
Paul is not portraying a message of pity.
Instead, Paul is portraying a message of gratitude.
He is grateful for the care of the Philippians.
What’s more, Paul is not only grateful to the Philippians; he is also grateful to the Lord.
Paul rejoices so much in the Lord, and he is so grateful to the Lord, that he has learned to be content in all things.
To be content means to be satisfied with what you have.
Paul is grateful, and he is content.
Are you grateful to God for all that He has given you?
Are you satisfied with all that God has given you? Paul said in verse 12:
“I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.”
Notice how Paul refers to contentment. He refers to it as a secret.
You see, gratitude doesn’t come easily. Contentment doesn’t come easily.
However, when you learn the secret to being grateful and satisfied, no matter your circumstances, well, then you’ve learned something special.
Paul goes on to say in verse 13:
“I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.”
This verse is very famous. In fact, it’s probably most famous for the verse that Tim Tebow wore on his eyeblack when he played football at the University of Florida.
Philippians 4:13 is often associated with doing great acts of courage or difficulty, which is actually not the context of this verse.
By the way, God can help you with those things. However, the context of this verse is contentment.
Being content in any circumstance is hard.
However, you can do all things through Him who gives you strength.
Through the power of God, you can learn the secret of contentment. Through the power of God, you can learn the difficulty of gratitude in any situation.
Then, in verse 14, Paul commends the Philippians again for partnering with him. It was good for them to do so. More on that in a moment.
First, we see the secret of gratitude.
Second, we see . . .
II. The sacrifice of generosity.
Look at verses 15-19:
15 And you Philippians know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone. 16 For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit, that is increasing to your account. 18 But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Paul speaks more about the generosity of the Philippians. However, this time he doesn’t only speak about how their generosity is a blessing to him; he also speaks about how it is a blessing to them.
In verse 17, Paul says:
“Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit, that is increasing to your account.”
Did you catch that? When the Philippians gave, it was a profit to them.
Well, how did it bless Christians when they bless others, such as what the Philippians did for Paul?
First, when we give, it blesses us because when we sacrifice to bless others, we are like Jesus.
Jesus was the ultimate example of someone who sacrificed to bless others.
When we sacrifice to be generous to others, we experience what it is like to be like Jesus. That is a blessing!
Second, it is a blessing to bless others because God sees our generosity and will not forget our sacrifice.
Paul says as much directly in verse 19, when he says, “And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Brothers and sisters, God sees your sacrifice. God sees your generosity. He will not forget about you. He will supply all of your needs.
What’s more, He has blessings waiting for you in heaven that are far more abundantly wonderful than anything this world has to offer.
Pay attention also to what Paul says in verse 18. Paul refers to the gifts of the Philippians as a sacrifice and an offering.
Well, to whom is this an offering or sacrifice?
Of course, Paul would have never permitted anyone to make a sacrifice or offering to him. This sacrifice and offering were to God.
Church, when you give to God’s people and God’s work, it’s like giving to God Himself.
When you sacrifice for the mission of God, you’re making a fragrant offering to God.
God will not forget your offering. God will not forget your sacrifice. God will not forget your generosity.
Finally, we see . . .
III. The sharing of graciousness.
Let’s read Paul’s final words in the Book of Philippians. Look at verses 20-23:
20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you greetings. 22 All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household. 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Do you remember what Paul said earlier in Philippians 4 about graciousness?
Paul said in Philippians 4:5:
“Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.”
Remember, to be gracious means to be kind, loving, and grace-filled to others.
Now, Paul is here at the end of Philippians, showering blessings all the way around.
He directs glory to God the Father above.
He directs greetings to the saints in Philippi.
He sends greetings from the others who are with him.
He longs for the grace of God to be with the spirit of the Church in Philippi.
Paul wants the heart of the church to be fueled by the grace of Jesus Christ.
Paul wants graciousness to be shared among all.
Think about how awesome it is, Church, when we receive the graciousness of God. What an incredible experience.
Then we can respond to God with a gracious attitude. Then we can share graciousness with one another in the church. Then, we can share graciousness with others outside of the church.
It’s like a big graciousness party: Every one of us soaking in and sharing Holy Spirit-provided love, kindness, and grace to one another.
What a wonderful picture that would be.
That’s kind of the main point of this second half of Philippians 4.
As a matter of fact, here’s a great bottom line for this passage, and really the entire Book of Philippians:
Bottom Line: God’s blessings to His people lead to God’s blessings through His people.
When we give our lives to Jesus, we are changed by and filled with the blessings of God.
When we are filled with the blessings of God, we can be a blessing to our brothers and sisters in Jesus.
When we are filled with the blessings of God, we can be a blessing to those who need to know Jesus.
Because of God’s love through Jesus, we can be united, we can be selfless, we can be sacrificial, we can be generous, we can be gracious, we can be kind, and so much more.
Because of God’s love through Jesus, we can be like Jesus to others.
God’s blessings to His people lead to God’s blessings through His people.
Challenge yourself this week in this one way:
Weekly Challenge: Seek to be a blessing.
Has God blessed you? Seek to be a blessing to someone else this week.
Think right now for a moment.
Split this up into two mini-challenges:
How can I be a blessing to one of my brothers and sisters in Jesus?
How can I be a blessing to someone who does not follow Jesus?
Seek to be a blessing.
(Gospel presentation)
(closing prayer)
(Benediction)
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