SERMON TEXT

“Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” (Philippians 4:14–23 ESV)

Our trust in the infinitely good God who provides all we need will be revealed in our sacrificial generosity in gospel partnership locally and globally.

(1) Christian Generosity flows from the Heart

“Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.” (Philippians 4:14–16 ESV)

(2) The Result of Generous Partnership

“Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.” (Philippians 4:17–18 ESV)

(3) The Promise of Generous Partnership

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Philippians 4:19–20 ESV)

To give sacrificially, as the Philippians did, means that we may be in danger of impoverishing ourselves. And Paul had some words of encouragement: their needs will be supplied, in turn, by the Lord, according to his riches in glory. He is reminding them of the principle, illustrated frequently throughout scripture, but powerfully enunciated by Jesus himself: whatever we yield up to him we will regain again and again (Luke 18:28-30). All the riches of Christ’s heavenly resources are available to us. He is never in debt to any of his children. The Philippians were seeking to put the Kingdom of God and its advanced first in their lives; that was why they gave so lovingly to Paul. Paul was assuring them, on the basis of Jesus teaching and also out of his own experience, that everything they needed would be provided (Matthew 6:33). (Sinclair Ferguson)

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER...

1. Are you truly concerned for the welfare of those who serve the Lord and his people locally and globally?

   NOTE FROM SERMON: I understand that this may seem self-serving, but I’m speaking to myself as well here. I am not first and foremost a recipient of your generosity but a partner in the gospel myself and called upon by the Lord to be truly concerned in my heart for the real welfare of people like Cale and Jackie and Mark and Becca and the ministry they are involved in. How concerned are we for the welfare of those who are serving full-time?

2. Do you regard your Christian stewardship as a partnership that does indeed produce fruit that increases to your credit and is pleasing to the Lord? 

3. Do you really believe that God will supply what you need if you give sacrificially?

APPLICATION

• What might God be calling you to change in your life regarding generous partnership? Take time to pray with those in your house and ask the Lord what he would have you do.
  
  
• Consider increasing your giving to one of the funds at SGC Dayton.
  
  
• Consider supporting our workers overseas. You can do so on a one-time, or monthly, basis. Click here to do so.

Whether through the ministry of our local church or the global reach of this local church through our workers overseas, may we really want to love genuinely and give sacrificially, pray dependently and share richly with one another. May we do so in such a way that glory will be seen to come to our God and father by the way his people love each other, support each other, and depend on the Lord's provision together so that it becomes clear that the power and the glory are his and not ours.

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