Philippians 4: 10 - 23
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Some key points to review.
V2 - would you rather have your lifes work be memorialized like Euodia and Syntyche or like Clement?
Obviously, we want to leave a heritage of Godliness to all people.
When a man’s ways please the LORD,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Think about it, your name is in the Book of Life! What is the Book of Life?
�� Phl 4:3
And[fn] I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.
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“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
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All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
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“The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.[fn]
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And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God,[fn] and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
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And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
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But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes[fn] an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
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and if anyone takes away from the words of the book ofthis prophecy, God shall take away[fn] his part from the Book[fn] of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Vs 4 & 5 - two keys to getting along with people. Rejoice in the Lord and be Gentle to all.
The word for Gentleness in Greek can also mean: equitable, fair, mild, gentle.
ESV - reasonableness
NLT - considerate
NASB - gentle spirit
Vs 6 - the cure for anxiety. Often we don’t receive because we don’t ask. Don’t forget to be thankful. You can’t whine when you are thankful.
Vs 8 -9 Paul again addresses our thought life.
Vs 10 - 20, Giving and Contentment
Vs 10 - 20, Giving and Contentment
Your care for me has flourished again: This refers to the financial support brought by Epaphroditus (). Paul didn’t want to imply that the Philippians didn’t care before, only that before they lacked opportunity. When they had the opportunity, then their care for Paul flourished again.
Not that I speak in regard to need: Paul reminded the Philippians that his thankfulness for the Philippians’ giving wasn’t because he was needy (though he was in fact in need), but because it was good for them to be givers.
At Calvary we don’t often talk about giving. But giving is a barometer of your spiritual maturity. It has been said that our “heart strings” are connected to our “purse strings”.
Giving is the only subject where God asks us to test Him.
“Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say,
‘In what way have we robbed You?’
In tithes and offerings.
You are cursed with a curse,
For you have robbed Me,
Even this whole nation.
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
“And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”
Says the Lord of hosts;
- 11
Giving is a matter of faith and without faith it is impossible to please God.
Vs 11b Paul continues, I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: This was how Paul could say that his thankfulness was not based upon his own need. Even though Paul was in need, he was content where he was at – even in his Roman imprisonment.
We might ask how can Paul do that, be always content? Well Paul had to learn to be content. Just like you or me.
Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Learning Contentment
I am so concerned about my present comfort. God, however, is concerned about my eternal state. I pant after ministry or material things, fame or satisfaction. God, however, says, “I want you to be full and happy and useful and blessed for the next zillion years. Therefore, I will allow you to go through difficulties and challenges not because I’m being mean, but because I’m doing a deep work in you that you will never regret for all eternity.”
If I invited people to come up after the service so I could slug them in the arm, there wouldn’t be many takers. But if I invited people to come up after the service so I could slug them in the arm—after which they would receive a check for ten million dollars, people would be rushing to get in line.
So, too, God is saying, “Yes, you’re going to take some hits. Yes, there will be some hurts, some setbacks, some disappointments. But, there’s ten zillion dollars, so to speak, around the bend. And I have allowed you to be in the situation you’re in because it’s preparing you for what’s to come. Will you trust Me? Will you not murmur about your condition? Will you not be always looking for some better situation? Will you learn to be content where you are right now?”
Vs 12 - 14 Paul continues: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress.
Is it easier to be abased or to abound?
They both have their challenges. In -9
7 Two things I request of You
(Deprive me not before I die):
8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me;
Give me neither poverty nor riches—
Feed me with the food allotted to me;
9 Lest I be full and deny You,
And say, “Who is the LORD?”
Or lest I be poor and steal,
And profane the name of my God.
Vs 13 Probably one of the most commonly quoted scriptures in the bible.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me: This refers to Paul’s ability to be content in all things. To achieve this contentment, he needed the strength of Jesus Christ.
Unfortunately, many people take this verse out of context and use it to reinforce a “triumphalist” or “super-Christian” mentality, instead of seeing that the strength of Jesus in Paul’s life was evident in his ability to be content when he did suffer need.
We must always also put this precious statement of faith in connection with : for without Me you can do nothing. With Jesus we can do all things, without Him we can’t do anything.
Vs 14 -19
Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. 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. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. 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.
Vs 15 No church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only
The Philippians were the only ones to support Paul during this particular period. Paul especially remembered how they supported him when he was in Thessalonica.
Vs 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account: Paul wasn’t so much interested in the gift on his own behalf, but in the fruit that abounds to your account. Their giving increased the fruit in their account before God.
As pastors our heart is that you would learn the joy of giving. Whether you give or not will not stop God’s work. But by trusting God with your finances you will learn to walk by faith.
This reflects one of the most important principles regarding giving in the Scriptures: that we are never the poorer for having given. God will never be our debtor, and we can never out-give God.
Vs 19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Our God is the wealthiest person in the universe. He promises to supply all your needs (not wants)
His supply is according to His Riches in glory. That’s a bunch!
Share a time when God supernaturally supplied your need?
Vs 20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Amen - means so be it. I like to say amen. It identifies you as a person of faith.
Vs 21 - 23
Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. 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.
Chuck Smith - Paul was able to lead many in Caesar’s household to Jesus Christ. Writings in the early church history state that to famous Romans, Seneca and Lucian, were both converted by Paul there in Caesars’s household, as well as the empress. Josephus write that she was a believer in the true God. It is interesting that many of Nero’s personal servants had become Christians.