Sermon Tone Analysis

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Anger
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Anger
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INTRODUCTION
Someone wrote a poem about the discontent of humanity.
It says...
God supplies us with contentment
As a rule, Man’s a fool.
When it’s hot, he wants it cool.
And when it’s cool, he wants it hot; Always wanting what is not.
God supplies us with joy
When
That poem describes us all pretty well.
We’re not happy with what we have so we want something.
We’re convinced that that something will make us happy.
Then we get it and we’re not happy.
Then the cycle of discontentment begins all over again.
[INTER] Is there any way to escape this?
Is there any way we can be truly happy; truly content while we live on this earth?
In fact, there is only one way.
[CONTEXT]
The Apostle Paul was under house arrest while he waited to stand trial in Rome for preaching Jesus.
Paul was able to have visitors and he was able to continue to minister as he shared the gospel with his guards and wrote letters to individual Christians and to churches.
But Paul had needs.
While under house arrest, he had to pay the rent and feed himself.
The Roman government wasn’t going to help, and Paul couldn’t work his usual side-job making and selling tents, so what would he do?
The answer came in the hands of a Philippian Christian named Epaphroditus who risked (and very nearly lost) his life to bring Paul support from the church that he helped to plant in the Macedonian city of Philippi.
[CIT]
In Paul closed his letter by rejoicing in the Lord; grateful for the gift from and partnership with the Philippian church while at the same time giving them in himself a prime example of contentment in the Lord.
[PROP]
If we humble ourselves before this passage this morning, I believe it will move us toward greater generosity, which is directly connected to our gratefulness to the Lord and contentment in the Lord.
[TS]
In order to get there, let’s talk about Paul’s contentment in three PARTS...
MAJOR IDEAS
Part #1: Paul was content with the gift (vv.
18-19).
[Exp] Ministry requires resources.
Even in the ancient world in which Paul lived ministry required resources.
[Exp] Ministry requires resources.
Even in the ancient world in which Paul lived ministry required resources.
Ministry required energy and Paul had plenty of that.
Although he was the last Apostle called, he “worked harder than any of them” although, as he said, it was the grace of God working through him, ().
Ministry required people.
Not just a crowed to preach to but a team to serve with.
Paul was always surrounded by co-laborers in the ministry; people like Timothy, Titus, and even Epaphroditus.
But what Paul needed was time and money.
Like any ministry, Paul’s ministry required time and Paul would have more time if he didn’t have to make a living by making and selling his tents (which, being in chains, wasn’t an option for him while under house arrest in Rome).
In fact, when Paul was in Corinth, he was in need but didn’t want to say anything to the Corinthian believers because someone there had accused him of being in ministry for the money, ().
However, suggests that Paul was able to be “occupied with the word” in Corinth because brothers in Christ came from Macedonia, the region of the Philippian church, to supply his need.
But for awhile the Philippian had “no opportunity” to support Paul as they had in the past, ().
We don’t know the specific reason why they didn’t have opportunity, but it isn’t hard for us to imagine as to why that may have been.
Perhaps they didn’t know where he was.
Communication in the ancient world was difficult and to keep track of people even more so; especially if they traveled like Paul did.
How grateful we should be to be able to keep up with those serving the Lord just by sending them an email.
Maybe they didn’t have the money to support Paul.
There is some thought that the Philippian church may have been a wealthy one, but Paul spoke of the churches in the region as very poor.
How grateful we should be when we have the money to support those serving the Lord.
But perhaps they had the money, but maybe they didn’t have a way to get Paul the support he needed until someone like Epaphroditus was willing to carry it to him.
How grateful we should be to just write a check or click a button on a computer and support those who serve the Lord.
Or it could have been that they had “no opportunity” because Paul didn’t have need for support.
But now, under house arrest in Rome, sharing Christ with guards and visitors, Paul had need and the Philippians had the money and a way to get it to him.
This meant that Paul could be once again occupied with the word and focused on sharing Christ!
He didn’t have to worry about finding a way to make and sell tents while he wearing shackles!
He had “received full payment;” He was “well supplied,” ().
But Paul also knew two things about the gift the Philippians had sent to him: (1) It was pleasing to God, and (2) it was a costly gift.
In v. 18 Paul described their gift to him as a “fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.”
In the OT, every offering or sacrifice was to be acceptable and a “pleasing aroma to the Lord” because it was to be given with the right attitude - the attitude of thanksgiving.
The Philippians didn’t think they were buying salvation or blessing from God by sending this gift to Paul.
It was an expression of their gratefulness to God for having been saved and blessed by God.
God saved so they gave as an offering of thanksgiving.
God saved so they gave to Paul because they had been saved and sanctified through his ministry.
God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor.
(9:7), one who gives with thanksgiving in the heart.
God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor.
(9:7), one who gives with thanksgiving in the heart.
It pleased God that these Philippian Christians gave so cheerfully because they were so thankful.
Paul knew their gift pleased God, but he also knew it was costly.
Paul reassured them that God would supply whatever need they may have resulting from the gift they gave to him.
Specifically, Paul said that God would supply “every need of (theirs) according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus,” ().
Specifically, Paul said that God would supply “every need of (theirs) according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus,” ().
“Every need” in v. 19 refers to both physical and spiritual needs.
Paul encouraged the Philippians with this truth: God knows your need, what you need, when you need it, and he will supply it.
He will supply it, in fact, “according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus,” ().
The true treasure that God gives to the church is his Son, Jesus, who will satisfy all our real needs and all our righteous wants in his presence in Heaven.
If God “did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
Paul assured the Philippians that he would.
Paul was content with the gift God provided through the Philippians...
...because his needs were abundantly met.
...because the Philippian gift was pleasing to God.
...because his needs were abundantly met.
...because knew that God would supply the needs of the Philippians as well.
And he knew that he would do it through Jesus.
...because the Philippian gift was pleasing to God.
...because he knew that God would supply the needs of the Philippians as well.
And he knew that he would do it through Jesus.
[App] Are we satisfied with the gift God has given us in Christ?
Are we satisfied with the gift God has given us in Christ?
Do we see him as the greatest treasure given by God to the church?
Do we give trusting that our God will meet all our needs in Christ Jesus?
Do we believe that this promise is for us, brothers and sisters?
The promise is not made to those who don’t believe but only to you and me as Christians!
Our God will supply all our needs in Christ Jesus!
He knows what we need, when we need it, and he will supply it!
[Illus] If you have any experience with children, you know they easily confuse “need” with “want.”
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