Deep Joy: The Message of Philippians #11: "The Joy of Faithful Stewardship" (Phil 4:10-23) AUDIO

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Philippians chapter 4 verses 10 to 23 if you grabbed one of those red Bibles we give away that should be page 1042 page 1042
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Philippians chapter 4 from verse 10 through to 23 and if you're able can
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I invite you to stand one last time in this series as we read from this wonderful letter
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Philippians chapter 4 reading from verse 10 through to verse 23
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God's Word says 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
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I don't say this out of need for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances
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I find myself I know how to make do with little and I know how to make do with a lot
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I any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content whether well -fed or hungry whether in abundance or in need still excuse me
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I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me still you did well by partnering with me in my hardship and you
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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 free for even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times not that I seek the gift but I seek the profits that is increasing to your account but I have received everything in full and I have an abundance
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I am fully supplied having received from Epaphroditus what you provided a fragrant offering an acceptable service pleasing to God and my
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God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus now to our
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God and Father be glory forever and ever amen greet every saint in Christ Jesus the brothers who are with me send you greetings all the
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Saints send you greetings especially those who belong to Caesars household the grace of the
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Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirits the gospel is the flower fades but the word of our
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God will abide forever join with me as I pray ask for the spirits help and then we launch into this final section of this great letter let's pray together
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Heavenly Father we thank you for your word we thank you for all that you have taught us as we have marched our way through this letter over the course of the summer and father
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I also as we come to this final section which deals with the topic that in some ways can be uncomfortable and in some ways can hit home father
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I also your spirit would do a work in all of our hearts in my heart that I would not hold back from anything this text says and in the heart of your people that they would hear that the adversary who works so hard to distract us in the hearing of God's Word that his works and his effects would be held back that we would fully hear all that you have for us from your word father
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I take a moment to pray for all the brothers who will fill the pulpit in my absence in the month of September father we thank you that you are indeed at work raising up men who love you and love your word and love your people men who have given their lives to seeing the body of Christ built up as a father
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I pray for Tommy and for Lucas for Fred and for Doug who will fill this pulpit
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Lord may they be every bit a blessing to this body as I know they have been to me personally as friends father may your word go forth both to comfort and to encourage and to strengthen and to convict and to challenge and to call us higher and father above all may
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Christ be seen in all that is said from this pulpit in the month of September father
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I pray that for the month ahead and I pray that for the sermon that we're about to hear even now asking these things in Jesus name and for his sake amen please be seated well hopefully you've got the study guide on the way and you'll see them from that that the title of this message this final message 11 of 11 in this series in Philippians I've titled it the joy of faithful stewardship the joy of faithful stewardship if there is any subject that makes preachers uncomfortable including the one standing in front of you if there is any subject that makes us uncomfortable
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I would venture to say that in the top three things for preachers to talk about that make us makes us uncomfortable money is somewhere in that top three and if you're me it's the top one it just makes me so uncomfortable to talk about the subject and I'm not the only one who feels that discomfort
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I told some of my friends I've got a group of friends that each week we talk about what we're gonna be preaching and I said
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I'm preaching this and one of the guys said I'll doubly be praying for you he's like man that I just like this is why we do
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Bible exposition because it makes us deal with subjects we would naturally run from and to be fair I mean anything can become uncomfortable in the pulpit if you try hard enough but this seems to be something about this subject that I've noticed with my friends who have the privilege of getting to open up God's Word and minister to God's people that there's something about this subject that makes preachers uncomfortable
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I mean we all recognize that we all work hard for the financial resources we have and I think there's a part of us that feels as though any sort of talking to people about what they do with their resources kind of grates on people especially
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Western folks if you know the statistics I think the numbers are that for we who lived in the West we are among the richest 3 % in the world in fact
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I thought I had to go back and look at this in almost three years of preaching here at Redeemer I've only preached on money once long time folks remember
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I preached a message from Galatians chapter 6 way back when when I preached Galatians which dealt with the subject of money
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I mean there's that discomfort but then of course lurking in the background is the movement that came around really in the 50s 60s and 70s actually known as the prosperity gospel some of you have heard of that no doubt that came along and with its teaching that you know if you give me if basically preacher said if you give me money
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God will bless you well that comes along and after a while people start to realize wait a minute that's not biblical and that doesn't make sense but what it did unfortunately in my opinion is it created this assumption the assumption being any preacher who talks about money wants to benefit themselves as one of my friends put it people think only a pimp preacher talks about money now when you have that bubbling in the background even in our circles where we would say we don't believe in that it still doesn't make that discomfort get any better and then of course as we are prone to do as human beings an overreaction kicks in so people see that you know these preachers with their lavish cars and private jets and thousand -dollar suits and all of that we look at that and say good that's ugly
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I want no part in that so of course what happens the pendulum swings right the other way and in the last few years a number of folks have talked about this idea of what's been called a poverty gospel so we have the prosperity gospel and now we have the poverty gospel this idea that eventually essentially says
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God doesn't like riches God doesn't like wealth he doesn't want that for a Christian and the more spiritual you are the less money you'll have now on the surface that might sound good but here's the problem with that it's an overreaction actually the
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Bible has a positively about money in fact Paul will say in 1
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Timothy chapter 6 that God gives us all things freely to enjoy that includes money so while I absolutely can't stand the prosperity gospel and I'll come back to that later on in this message
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I can't go down the route of the poverty gospel either because that doesn't make much sense and also can
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I just pause and say anytime you have to put a adjective in front of the word gospel that's always a problem the
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Bible is very clear there is one gospel one gospel alone the message of salvation full and free found in Jesus in Jesus alone that's the gospel message the minute you start adding other labels to it that becomes a problem but I say all of that to say that we can't allow the excesses on either side of the discussion to make us worried to talk about money and I say that because as we come to this section this final set of verses in Philippians chapter 4 we're coming to a thank -you note and it's a thank -you note from Paul for financial support from the church at Philippi remember
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Paul is on house arrest he's in Rome and during this imprisonment he writes this letter and as he writes this letter he's writing it really to say thank you because they had partnered with him in the gospel and he's gonna make it very clear that that partnership included finances well of course
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Paul is doing much more than just writing a thank -you note because Paul doesn't just write things for writing things sake you see more than the thank -you note what we're really getting here in these verses is a very summarized but very real theology of stewardship we're really getting a theology of what
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God wants us to do with the resources he gives us now I use the word stewardship on purpose because beloved when we look at the
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Word of God the Word of God is very clear to us that we are not owners of anything think about that we are not owners of anything
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God is the owner of everything and we are stewards managers caretakers of what
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God gives the question is not whether you are a steward or not that's not the issue the question is what kind of steward are you are you a faithful steward or an unfaithful one are you a good manager of the resources
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God has given you or are you a bad manager of those resources really what
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Paul is gonna lay out in these verses is how we can use our resources in the kind of ways that reflect
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God's values not the values of the world around us I mean let's think about this for a moment what are the values of the world around us when it comes to money for the most part is usually get as much as you can keep as much as you can and basically make your life as comfortable as possible now in and of itself is it wrong to make money no in fact
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God tells his Old Testament people if you're taking notes Deuteronomy 818 that they were to remember Yahweh their
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God why because it is he who gives you the power to get wealth not just money wealth now granted that's
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Old Testament Israel and that's a very different situation to where we find ourselves but the principle is generally true
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God enables us as we work to get wealth so having money is not the problem keeping money is not even a problem the
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Proverbs will talk a lot about the value of saving and being wise with the money we have so that's not a problem is it wrong to be comfortable not necessarily if the
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Lord provides for you to be able to live comfortably do so the question is when that become or the problem
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I should say is when that becomes the pursuit when that becomes the thing you crave more than anything else when that becomes the governing value for your stewardship that's what makes a bad steward a bad steward and not a good one and what
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Paul's gonna teach us in these verses is essentially how we can use the resources that God gives us in the kind of way that reflect his values and not the values of the world around us so I guess the big question for this afternoon is how does
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God want us to view the resources he graciously gives us as his children how does
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God want us to steward those resources if they are his and he gives them to us to steward to manage to take care of well how does
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God want us to manage steward take care of those resources he graciously gives us as his children well here's my big idea for this message my big idea for this message is this the wise use of our resources ought to deepen our dependence on God further his mission and serve others you say that again the wise use of our resources ought to deepen our dependence on God further his mission and serve others
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I'm say one more time for those of you taking notes the wise use of our resources will deepen our dependence on God further his mission and serve others that's really the heart of what faithful stewardship is and I think as we look at this passage and we kind of pull out the principles that Paul gives us in this passage we're going to learn how to be better stewards managers caretakers of that which
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God has graciously given us now I want to be transparent as I was studying this week very rarely do
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I like the outlines I read from other people I tend to like making my own but as I was studying this week
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I could not improve on an outline I saw from Pastor Tony Morita he's actually a seminary professor he teaches preaching and he wrote a commentary on this letter it's called exalting exalting
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Christ in Philippians make sure I get that right exalting Christ in Philippians it's an excellent commentary it's been a really faithful guide for me as I've walked through this letter and so as I read his outline
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I thought mmm this is good so I reached out through a friend of a friend who actually goes to his church in North Carolina and he graciously said fine so the outline is his the content is 100 % mine but I borrowed his outline and tweaked it a little bit to make it a bit more like me but I want to share with you for the rest of our time six principles that we can learn from Paul's thank -you note six principles principles that will help us to be better stewards of God's resources six principles some of some of them
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I will move through quickly some I will take some time on depending on the level of importance but six principles from Paul's thank -you note principles that will help us to be better stewards of God's resources well if we are going to be better stewards managers caretakers of God's resources then it has to start with point number one gratitude gratitude point number one gratitude gratitude essentially says
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I thank God for his provision gratitude I thank God for his provision so look with me at verse 10 see how this starts
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Paul says I rejoice 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 so Paul begins with will be now his fourth expression of joy in the
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Lord in this letters for time he's uses language of him rejoicing but this time he's rejoicing because of the care and concern of the
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Philippians but maybe you caught it when we read it together did you catch something as you read verse 10 did you notice that Paul doesn't actually thank the
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Philippians I mean look at that passage again says I rejoice in the Lord greatly because once again you renewed your care for me who is he rejoicing in it's in the
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Lord he doesn't say he rejoices because the Philippians renewed their care now that might seem a little impolite like Paul typically when someone does something for you you say thank you come on Paul you know better than this is that what
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Paul's doing is he being impolite is he just not thanking them because he doesn't think they need to be thanked
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I'm being a little tongue -in -cheek because of course Paul is not being ungrateful of course he recognizes he should thank them but the way in which he does it itself is pretty instructive for us you see by directing his thanks not to the
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Philippians directly but to the Lord for the Philippians Paul actually wards off three potential dangers you see there are three dangers that could happen if Paul were to be more direct for one thing the three dangers number one there's the danger of manipulation the danger of manipulation what do you mean well again
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Tony Reader said this quote Paul doesn't want his thank his Thanksgiving to be interpreted as a request for more money sometimes nonprofits can come off this way thanks for the check but you haven't sent anything recently do you really hate orphans then write us another check now some nonprofits
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I should say not all of them are like this so let me not throw stones at nonprofits they do great work but he goes on and says the letters don't actually say it like that but the message may contain a guilt -driven request
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Paul doesn't want his thankfulness to be portrayed as a clever way of asking for more so he avoids manipulation but secondly he avoids flattery he avoids flattery this is in a sense the danger that comes with compliments compliments are good in their place please do not hear me saying compliments are a bad thing but I mean don't we have a saying in the
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English language flattery will get you everywhere sometimes people's over effusive thanks can be a way of flattery as a means of getting more so Paul avoids manipulation he avoids flattery but he also avoids silence one of my good friends
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Laura's had the chance to meet him he lives in Scotland his name's Stephen Talas the very first time we met I was getting to know him a little bit better so I asked him what he did for a living and he's a graphic designer a very gifted one and he said you know
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I'm so you know the majority of what I do I do for the church and you know church folks don't always pay very well which sadly is a bad reputation the church has and he said you know
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Kofi you've heard the saying right I was like you haven't told me the saying yet and he said you know
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Lord will keep him poor you keep him humble and sometimes we can do that with gratitude you know if I overly thank this person they're gonna become kind of arrogant so you know what let me withdraw that you know they're supposed to do that anyway so I'm not gonna say thank you for them doing that because they're supposed to do that and so we sin by our silence but Paul avoids all three of those he avoids manipulation by reminding them of why he is happy he's not happy just because they gave him a gift but he rightly recognizes that the gift they gave was an expression of their care so he avoids manipulation that way he avoids flattery by thanking the
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Lord he doesn't pile on or go over the top to the Philippians but he does thank the one who is the true giver of all good gifts and he avoids silence because he thanks the
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Lord within earshot of the Philippians yes he rejoices in the Lord but of course the Philippians are gonna read this and so his joy in the
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Lord would encourage and further enable the Christians at Philippi you see there's a way to express gratitude that builds others up that doesn't make them the focus but if it's rightly done it will sow the seeds for their continued growth in the
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Lord can I give you a practical way to do this the next time
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I believe it or something kind for you instead of just saying well thank you or thanks or whatever you generally say can
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I go do you take it up a notch say something like this you know what thank you it's encouraging to see the way the
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Lord is working in your life in this whatever way is yes express thankfulness but express thankfulness to the
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Lord who is at work in that person and really stewardship begins here it begins with gratitude we whatever we have received we have indeed received it's a gift and for that we turn thanks and praise to the
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Lord and we thank the Lord for the means by which he provides for us and the reality is you'll have a much healthier view of your possessions and your resources when you remember the source and then respond with faith fueled gratitude so if we're going to be good stewards managers caretakers of the resources
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God gives us it starts with gratitude that's the first principle we need to get down but there's a second principle we need to get down and here let me warn you
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I'm gonna take a little more time not only do we need to understand the principle of gratitude but secondly point number two we need to understand the principle of contentment the principle of contentment if gratitude says
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I thank the Lord for his position I for his provision I thank God for his provision contentment says
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I have enough because I have Christ contentment says
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I have enough because I have Christ I wouldn't legitimately need eight sermons to unpack the subject of contentment
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I don't pull the number eight from nowhere I say no I say eight because actually one of the greatest books ever written on this subject in my opinion started life as eight sermons so some of you will have heard of a book called the rare jewel of Christian contentment
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Puritan author Jeremiah Burroughs passed it in my neck of the woods Stepney Green East London preached eight sermons he then expanded those eight sermons enact those eight sermons became a book that book is still in print to this day if I recommend it in the study guide this week the rare jewel of Christian contentment about ten years ago or so a pastor out in Pennsylvania basically modernized and simplified the book some so if you want a simpler read there's another book called the secret of contentment by William Barclay which essentially takes the best of Burroughs thought condenses it and modernizes it
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I actually do recommend both books what's interesting is that when Jeremiah Burroughs wrote his book his book started as a series of messages on this passage these are that verses verses 11 to 13 and right at the beginning like the
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Puritans were prone to do he starts with a definition of contentment and it's such a good definition
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I just put it in this week's study guide so you have it in front of you how did he define contentment he said content
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Christian contentment and he's very careful to explain later in the book why it is Christian contentment he says
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Christian contentment is that sweet inward quiet gracious frame of spirit which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition
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Christian contentment is that why sweet inward gracious sweet sweet inward quiet gracious frame of spirit which freely submits to God and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition
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I think that's a great definition of what contentment is that it's first first of all it is a frame of spirit contentment is not something that we'll see this in just a moment comes from the outside no contentment is a frame of spirit within it's a frame of spirit that submits to God's providence that's that language there of wise and fatherly disposal that God is providentially ruling over all things that he gives to one and doesn't give to another and contentment says
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I'm willing to submit to that and contentment says I respect that in every condition
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I want to break that down someone point them out from point out from this passage can
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I highlight real quickly three truths about contentment from verses 11 to 13 by the way each of these are gonna build on each other three truths about contentment first of all let's say there in your study guide contentment is not connected to your circumstances contentment is not connected to your circumstances so look at verses 11 and 12 again what does he say
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I don't say this out of need but I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself verse 12
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I know how to make do with little and I know how to do make do with a lot in any and all circumstances
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I have learned the secret of being content I'll come back to those phrases again in just a moment but he goes on and says whether well -fed or hungry whether in abundance or in need
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I like that borrowers use that language of Christian contentment because there is a kind of contentment
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I like to call it full contentment FAUX false contentment that the world kind of teaches the world's version of contentment is essentially
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I don't have what I want right now but if I work really hard to use the term that's become popular in modern parlance if I get my hustle on and get to a point where I have achieved enough then
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I will be content because I have everything I need now again is it wrong to work hard no is it wrong to have goals no
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Bible commends both of those but if you're waiting to you get everything you need to be content think about if contentment comes from having exactly what you want exactly when you want it exactly how you want it then the reality is think about this you'll never actually be content will you because what happens it's like the finish line that just keeps on moving you'll get close to be like you know what
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I could want a little more oh I could want a little more I could and you just keep moving that line but true contentment isn't contentment because I have the stuff
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I want when I want it exactly how I want it no actually contentment isn't connected to your circumstances contentment isn't contentment just because you have what you want not because notice that Paul says here
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I've learned how to make do with little I've learned how to make do with a lot in what if I he's in any and all circumstances there's any circumstance you can imagine
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I have learned the secret of being content you see contentment is contentment because contentment is not connected to circumstances but there's a second truth we need to build on top of that so not only is contentment can not connected to your circumstances secondly contentment is a learned virtue contentment is a learned virtue again we're gonna look at verses 11 and 12 you see contentment isn't natural to the human heart when you think back to a couple of weeks ago we were in Exodus 32 idolatry that default setting in all of our hearts human heart idol factory all of that stuff one of the results of that idolatry of our hearts one of the results of that excuse me continual search for more is it breeds discontentment the reality of the human heart is not naturally content and so if we're going to grow in contentment it will not start with us it has to be taught to us so again look at verses 11 and 12 the carpool says it
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I don't say this out of need for I have learned how to be content verse 12 in any in all circumstances
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I have learned the secret of being content what's interesting is that in these two verses
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Paul uses two different ways to describe how we learn contentment two different ways firstly he says contentment is something we must be discipled in contentment is something we must be discipled in coffee where'd you get that from well in verse 11 where he says
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I have learned the word there that's translated I have learned is connected to the word for a disciple is the verb form of disciple is where we got word mathematics from Paul you could translate it
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I have been discipled in whatever situation I have to be content but here's the thing this is not a discipleship that men do no this is a discipleship that only
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God can grant contentment beloved contentment is a school to which
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God alone gives admission and it's a school in only which God gives instruction there's no sense in which we can say you know
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I'm gonna work hard to be more content no that's something that God has to graciously give through the work of his spirit yes personal experience might play a role the experience and testimonies of God's people might share something that helps us in that pursuit books and resources might explain it but to live in it
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Oh beloved that's that's a grace that only God can give only God can deliver on that but this discipleship that the
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Spirit of God does in contentment isn't just theoretical Paul uses another term in verse 12 do you see there in verse 12 verse 12 he says
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I have learned the secret that's a different word that whole phrase I have learned the secret is one word because not only is discipleship something we must be discipled in but Paul presents it as something we must be initiated into something we must be initiated into it might surprise you that this one word that's translated as a whole phrase in the original language is one word of four letters
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I usually don't use Greek words in the pulpit because I try to make my preaching as accessible as possible but this is one time
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I'm gonna break my own rule it's the word me oh me oh em if you try and translating
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English it works out something like em you but they use kind of a long e so em you e
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W me oh the word was used for somebody in the ancient world they had these religions they were called mystery religions they were kind of like the precursor to our modern
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Freemason movement these religions where there was certain knowledge that you only got as you went deeper into the religion and so what happened was the person who was joining who was called the initiate would start by learning some truth and when they had learned enough to a point they could now be initiated into the religion as a devotee and when someone joined one of these what they were called mystery religions we call them cults today when they joined these groups they came into possession of something called the mystery in fact the word that's using
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Greek is where we get our word mystery from this word that Paul uses here in Philippians 4 for learning the secret is basically the verb form of coming into the mystery really simple way to put this it's almost though the person receives insider information you see contentment doesn't come naturally to us
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God by his spirit has to do a work of as as it were giving us this knowledge that is alien to us and bringing us into the mindset of contentment but then that begs the question if this is a mystery that I must be initiated into if this is a discipleship that only
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God can give well how do I start then if this is not unnatural to me if this is a learned virtue how do
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I learn this well that's let us see there in your study guide yes contentment is not connected to your circumstances it's a learned virtue but thirdly contentment flows from our union with Christ contentment flows from our union with Christ so what is
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Philippians 4 13 says it says I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me
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I have to admit for years
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Philippians 4 13 was something of a mystery to me because you read it
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Paul's talking about how he's content all the rest of it and then he kind of has what sounds like this pep talk phrase in the middle of nowhere
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I can do all things through him some translations will say through Christ who strengthens me if you're like me who is a sports fanatic how many athletes do we know who have taken this verse and dragged it kicking and screaming against its will did when
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Paul wrote this was Paul saying you know kick returner gets a ball instead of calling it a fair ball he makes it 90 -yard kick return he celebrates like everyone goes crazy because you just did 90 yards which isn't insane after the game he's like you know
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I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me is this the verse that you should put on your eye black if you're a quarterback like a rather famous quarterback in this country did at one point
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I don't fault the man he seems like a wonderful Christian guy is that what Pullman the pool mean you should quote this verse when like you hit a logo three in a basketball game
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I had a meme
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I was gonna show you I can't so I apologize I don't usually show memes in the pulpit but this one I couldn't help but show some of you maybe have seen it's a meme of it's supposed to be the
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Apostle Paul yeah it's supposed to be the Apostle Paul and he is if I remember haunting Creflo dollar in his sleep
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Creflo dollars a prosperity preacher and I'm trying my best to describe this thing Creflo dollars asleep and he's a woken by the
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Apostle Paul and the Apostle Paul's like you used Philippians 4 funny enough you use
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Philippians 4 13 and 19 that we'll look at in a few minutes to preach a prosperity message you told people that I was a living example of this and Creflo's like the memes like what and then he wakes up it's like wait you weren't living a prosperous life and they're like Paul's meant to be yelling in the final panel
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I was in prison no what
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Paul is saying here is this that whatever happened whatever the circumstance he could do all things do what be both comforted and discomfited he could be supplied and lacking in supply he could be full he could be empty he could do all of that because of his union with Christ through him who strengthens me
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Paul had learned this secret to contentment precisely because he realized his identity wasn't in himself but it was in Christ and it's not the good news of the gospel isn't a good news of the gospel that we no longer have an identity that is rooted and grounded in ourselves but we have an identity that is rooted in one who is greater and bigger and more glorious than us that we have been joined to Christ by the
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Spirit of God that all that Christ possesses is ours by faith in him and yes circumstances happen and yes they're not always pleasant but in our ultimate sense we're able to look at our circumstances and say yeah that's not pleasant but that's not the ultimate reality they don't determine who we are that's
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Paul's point they don't determine who we are Christ determines who we are ultimately our contentment doesn't flow from us it flows from the fact that we have been connected to Christ who is more than enough and sure there will be moments where contentment is difficult there will be moments where contentment is tough there'll be moments where it's easier said than done but here's the reality because of what when we talked about his language of initiation here's the beautiful thing you know how we get initiated into this secret of contentment by our union with Christ oh you had nothing to do with your union with Christ that was all
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God's work and if we're going to use the resource our resources in the kinds of way that will make us to be so stewards managers caretakers it starts with gratitude it's fueled by contentment principle number three and we'll start moving a little more quickly here principle number three partnership we'll view our resources in the spirit of partnership partnership says
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I get to share my resources for the Gospels sake
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I get to share my resources for the
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Gospels sake to know what
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Paul says in verse 14 verse 14 after saying that he is content often saying that God by his spirit had gracious he's done a work of bringing him into the secret of contentment he says verse 14 still you did well by partnering with me in my heart in my hardship and you
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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 for even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times yes
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Paul had learned to be content with nothing but he was far from ungrateful when support actually came because again remember he's learned to be content when it comes and when it doesn't but what
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I find interesting in these verses why I gave this the or why Tony Morita and I agree with him gives this the title partnership do you know what he says twice once in 14 once in 15 he says still you did well by partnering with me in my hardship verse 15 he says no church shared with me and by the way that's the same term they're both the words for partnership the same word we saw back in chapter 1 no church partnered with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone
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Paul didn't view their giving as a business you know he's receiving cash money for services rendered
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Paul didn't view his ministry as a producer -consumer kind of deal you know what I mean when I say that you know the idea of you're the producer you do something and hey we will give you some money so you can keep on producing that's not the sense that Paul had and it's very clear it's not the sense the
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Philippians had instead he viewed any and all financial help he received as partnership in the gospel years ago
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Minneapolis pastor John Piper wrote a helpful book called brothers we are not professionals I think that book is required reading not just for pastors but for any
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Christian and one of the things about that book and I've read it several times and found a lot of comfort in its pages but one of the things that he addressed
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I believe is in his introduction is the fact that unfortunately many of us in the West and he can say this as a pastor who passed it in Minneapolis for almost 40 years he says that one of the things about the church in the
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West that he lamented was the fact that the church in the West has a very professionalized view of ministry that we have a group of people they do the ministry and we all in various ways receive from that group of people doing the ministry and we maybe wouldn't put it quite so crassly but essentially it boils down to we give you money and you be that solo pastor on elder team you meet our needs but Paul doesn't seem to have that kind of understanding he recognizes that whatever gift they gave was a partnership it was a sharing together in ministry why because every
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Christian is in the ministry I don't fault those traditions where they call their pastors and leaders ministers but I think it sometimes sends a misleading impression if you will he's the minister no no
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I'm going to a New Testament called New Testament all of us are ministers and for some of us our ministry may be public and visible but for every
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Christian every Christians a minister every Christian is serving every Christian and giving is one way we partner it's not the only way
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I might could argue it's not even the most important way but it is a way and if we view our resources that way that we get the privilege of being able to partner in the
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Lord's work financially with the resources that God gives us that changes the way we view our resources
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I grew up in the church I mean there was a lot going for it in a lot of ways we're very kind people they're very godly but as I got older I used to kind of wince a little bit whenever it came time for us to collect an offering because you would tell people it's now time to pay your some of you've heard this language maybe it's time for you to pay your tithes and offerings almost like the
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IRS have come calling except that the IRS comes calling every Sunday and in this case like cough up it's time for you to pay that's not this isn't the
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Bible doesn't use that language the Bible uses the language of giving and partnership why because it's something in which we all get to share in the ministry and if we're going to put our resources in the kind of ways that in the kind of way if we're going to use our resources or put them to work in the kind of way that makes us better stewards it begins with gratitude it's grounded in contentment if you it has to view giving as an act of partnership number four number four investment investment investment says
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I get I get to lay up blessing in heaven
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I get to lay up blessing in heaven verse 17 so the couple says about 17 after thanking them for their partnership and noting that in the early days of the gospel the
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Philippines were the only ones to partner with him verse 17 not that I seek the gift by the way this is the second time
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Paul has basically said this is not about the money it's almost as though Paul feels an awkwardness about this which makes me comfortable because like okay
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I'm not the first preachers to feel awkward about talking about money now
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Paul basically this is not me trying to finesse more money from you guys far from it Paul says you see this is not that I seek the gift but I seek the profits that is increasing to your translations will say the fruit
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Paul says this that's what the term fruit means it carries idea of profit it was actually a commercial term
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Paul says this isn't about me just getting a gift from you guys it's also about you profiting but then that begs the question which profit now
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I know where if you've been around church for enough time especially in our circles I probably know where you're gonna go with this oh he means spiritually and I agree so remember what
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Jesus said Matthew chapter 6 19 to 21 don't store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves don't break in and steal for where your treasure is there your heart will be also
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Luke chapter 12 32 to 34 don't be afraid little flock because your father delights to give you the kingdom sell your possessions and give to the poor make money bags for yourselves that won't grow old an inexhaustible treasure in heaven where no thief comes near and no moth destroys for where your treasure is there your heart will be also again
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I don't dispute a single one of those verses because they're true spiritually speaking what we do with our money is a reflection of what we value the most what we invest in is an indicator of what we most value and so the question comes the things we invest in is it us our wants our needs our dreams our mission or is it what matters most to God so yes spiritually absolutely so far so pretty much straightforward but here's where here's where I might get a little controversial the question really becomes is there a material as in actual physical profit or is there a temporal profit as in in this time in this life does
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God promise to give bless our giving temporarily in this life now the over remember
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I talked about an overreaction earlier the overreaction at times can be well no God doesn't do that why because that's what the prosperity people say so no
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God doesn't do that at all far from it and I want to say slow down slow down you're doing 16 to 30 let's slow down for a moment because I do think there's a biblical case to be made that God does bless our giving temporally
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I'm gonna read something and then we're gonna play a little game together from guess who said it let me read it and then
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I'm up just ask you out loud guess who said it here's the quote there's a long one quote the principle that those who give generously will be blessed is taught repeatedly in Scripture Solomon wrote there is one who scatters and yet increases all the more and there is one who withholds what is justly due and yet it results only in more want the generous man will be prosperous and he who waters will himself be watered
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Proverbs 11 24 and 25 later in Proverbs he added one who is gracious to the poor to a poor man lends to the
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Lord and he the Lord will repay him for his good deed Proverbs 19 17 Proverbs 22 9 he who is generous will be blessed and Proverbs 28 27 he who gives to the poor will never want in Luke 6 38
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Jesus said give and it will be given to you they will pour into your lap a good measure press down shaking together and running over for by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return to the
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Corinthians Paul wrote now I say now this I say excuse me second Corinthians 9 6 he who so sparingly will also reap sparingly and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully right any guesses who said that so I said
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Bill Gates okay someone says virgin someone said
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Calvin and he take us on Calvin going once going twice how about John MacArthur yeah anti -charismatic anti -prosperity
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John MacArthur this is from his commentary on Philippians you see while we rightly should reject the lies of the prosperity message let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater the you can't reject the principle that says that God blesses those who give of their resources to the priorities of the kingdom remember what
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Jesus said Matthew 6 33 seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness did
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Jesus stop there no well you know it say what does he say after that and all these other things will be added to you what's the other things in context it was what were you aware what you were you gonna eat we're gonna drink and what you're gonna wear now here's where I think the prosperity gospel for many reasons gets it wrong we cannot say in a sort of cold mechanical fashion if you give
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God X God will give you why that that's missing the point entirely in fact if anybody tells you if you give me
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X I've seen people do this give me $1 ,000 and this is literally like I grew up hearing this all the time if you saw a thousand was back in the
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UK a thousand pounds it will break the back of poverty well first of all if I'm poor
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I don't have a thousand to give so where you expect me to get a thousand to give more importantly than that it's turning
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God basically into a holy ATM you put in whatever money is and outcomes financial prosperity that's not what
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I'm saying but I do believe the
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Bible gives us a principle that is if we honor God and make him the priority even in the use of our resources he will bless us with more so that we can bless others with the resources he gives
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I believe was my mother who said that God does not give food to a selfish man and that's not to say of course if people are poor because they don't give please don't hear me saying that far from it
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I'm not into poverty shaming and I'm not about to start now but I think the general point holds true that God does bless those who invest if you will in his priorities that's what
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Paul can say I'm not looking for a gift for me I'm looking for the profit that would increase to you both spiritually and materially gratitude contentment partnership investment
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I will keep moving number five number five worship worship worship says
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I give as a sacrifice to God worship
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I give as a sacrifice to God this is gonna be a relatively short point but just look at verse 18 so Paul goes on he says
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I have received everything in full and I have an abundance I am fully supplied having received from Epaphroditus remember him from back in chapter 2 having received from Epaphroditus what you provided a fragrant offering an acceptable sacrifice pleasing to God Epaphroditus had been the delivery man from the church in Philippi and he had delivered this gift
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Paul was well taken care of he's already made that kind of obvious but why I want to do is to draw attention to the way he describes what they gave it's the end of us 18 those three phrases a fragrant offering an acceptable sacrifice and pleasing to God if you know your
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Old Testament those phrases should all be pretty familiar because those were the language that's the language that God uses in the
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Old Testament for the sacrifices that his people would give you see
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Paul doesn't view giving as merely horizontal you know I mean when I say that that he doesn't just view giving as you're giving to meet people's financial need yes they were giving to meet
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Paul's financial needs as a minister of the gospel rightfully so but Paul doesn't view their giving is purely horizontal just a transaction between the
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Philippians and Paul no Paul recognize that there's a horizontal there's a vertical aspect to our giving there's a vertical aspect to what we do with our money and as we give we demonstrate sacrifice to the
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Lord that language of pleasing to God I think is so important sacrificial giving pleases
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God now let's be clear not in a sacrificial sense if you know the story of the Reformation that was really how the
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Reformation got started if you know the story Rome was basically asking give us money to build this thing in Rome and if you do that we'll give you an indulgence essentially pay -to -play
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Salvation Edition and the reformer said no no no no no no no you salvation is not a pay -to -play scheme so we're
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I'm not saying that when I say self self sacrificial excuse me giving pleases God not in a sack salvific sense not all only only
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Christ's blood will please God in that way but no it pleases God because catch this it's a response to God's work of grace in our lives this is
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Paul's point in 2nd Corinthians chapters 8 & 9 which I wish we had more time to look at in 2nd Corinthians 8 & 9
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Paul's point is very simple why do you God's people give one of my favorite verses for you know the grace of our
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Lord Jesus Christ how when he was rich he made himself poor so that you through his poverty and the poverty there's referring to the incarnation that he had all the glory of heaven he traded that in for humanity that you by his being but by his poverty
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Paul says you might be rich that's why we give we give because we are people who have experienced lavish grace and if God was willing to give us his best what is holding us back from giving our best to him and so giving is a sacrifice we get it's worship we get to give sacrificially to God as a response to his work of grace in our lives
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I'm almost there gratitude contentment partnership investment worship number six faith faith faith says
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I trust God to meet my needs very simple faith I trust
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God to meet my needs so Paul concludes this thank -you note with a very simple promise in verses 19 and 20 again probably one of the most familiar verses in this letter
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Philippians 4 19 and my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus now to our
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God and father be glory forever and ever amen it may come off somewhat cliche and I apologize in advance but this passage really does teach that God will not necessarily meet our wants but he will meet our needs
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I mean in a sense if you think about it this way it might cost us and it more likely does cost us to give to the
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Lord that's money we could be using for something else it costs us to give to the Lord but we give to the
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Lord for whom it costs nothing for him to give you ever thought about that the the
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God that we give to like we give and it costs us something but in a real sense it doesn't really cost him anything for him to bless us as his children because he doesn't lose anything does he he's perfectly self -sufficient all the time he never increases and he definitely never diminishes you see ultimately what we do with our money and our resources is not just a reflection of our hearts but it's also a reflection of our faith in the promises of God really he's asking us the question that do we believe what the
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Lord's prayer while I was raised being taught it was called the pattern prayer back in the UK because it was a pattern for our prayers do we believe what the pattern prayer tells us
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Matthew 6 11 when we pray that we ask God to give us today our daily bread if we do then we'll view our stewardship as a matter of faith and again that doesn't mean we won't make wise decisions that won't mean that we don't think carefully about our stewardship but what it does mean is this that how we use our resources ultimately becomes a matter of faith not a matter of guilt and I'll admit sometimes the church and I say church with a big
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C I'm talking about our church in particular just the church at large has at times been guilty of turning what should be a gracious and faith fuel thing into a legalistic and works based thing but ultimately giving and stewardship and the use of our resources all of these things are a matter of faith and when you put all that together gratitude contentment partnership investment worship and faith these are the attitudes that lead to a healthy joy -filled stewardship of the resources that God has given us if it was appropriate here given that I'm off for a month and last week we had a financial update they didn't get to say this last week but I will say it now can
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I thank those of you who financially supported the Lord's work here at last year from my heart thank you
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I genuinely want to thank all of us who have partnered in that particular way
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I'll admit because I don't like talking about money it often is very hard for me to thank people for giving their hard earned money and I appreciate our church is small but in this area
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I think about this our church is four years old we've never been in the red once I thank
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God for that my father was a church planter I know what it is for church to be in debt but God has been incredibly gracious to us we've never had that problem and yeah we spend way too much on stuff breaking
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I mean we spent money this week it still didn't work stuff happens but you know what the Lord keeps providing and he keeps providing through you so from the bottom of my heart thank you because you didn't have to do that thank you because it shows that God is at work in those of you who give faithfully to the
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Lord's work here and that's not to shame those of you who don't again we don't force people to do that far from it but for those of you who have what a demonstration of God's grace at work in the hearts and minds of his people well with that I'm pretty much done in this series in Philippians but it felt kind of weird to end the sermon there especially since the letter doesn't end there this has been 11 messages was going to be 12 we had some stuff happen 12 became 11 and here we are
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I don't know how this letter was impacted you in the last 11 weeks that we spent in it let's be honest for me as I've studied this passage it's this book really it's been challenging it's been encouraging it's been convicting if you wonder what was your favorite part of this chapter one that picture of this church that had gospel partnership gospel advance and gospel progress gave me a vision for what
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I believe the Lord is willing to do here and as we close out the letter hopefully you've been inspired by what
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I hope this letter does it gives us a glorious vision of what it is to be God's people a glorious vision of the
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Christian life one that transcends the mundane and the average the normal that we've been told is normal and I think even in these closing verses we get some helpful pointers for the message of this letter not just being something we heard that was great file that away in the archive of sermons we've heard can
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I leave you with four thoughts I put them in the study guide just so you'd have them as we pursue this kind of supernatural delight in the person plans promises and people of God what we've caught define joy as in this series four thoughts first of all remember your identity in Christ please note that verse 21 he says remember greet each saint every saint in Christ Jesus you're a saint a set -apart one that's who you are so remember your identity in Christ remember that you need the body of Christ remember this is a letter not written to an individual there are some of those in the
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Bible but this is written to a church and so he says the brothers who are with me send you greetings poor needy people around him and he says all the
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Saints send you greetings we need each other remember your identity in Christ remember you need the body of Christ third remember that the gospel is always advancing even when we don't see it's advancing because look what he says at the end of verse 22 love this he says all the
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Saints greet send you greetings especially those who belong to Caesars household the gospel had made its way all the way to the corridors of power so even when you don't see because think about Paul's in Paul's in Rome it doesn't look very good but actually the gospel was hard at work remember your identity in Christ remember you need the body of Christ remember the gospel is always advancing and finally remember the grace of God and how much you need it so look at verse 23 the grace of the
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Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit in that great way to end this study in the lesson to the
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Philippians that as we've heard God's Word speak to us it's challenged us it's convicted us it's encouraged us it strengthened us what does
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God leave us with he leaves us with his grace and Heavenly Father thank you so much for this study in the letter to the
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Philippians I thank you that all summer long you have been teaching us by your spirit what it is to pursue true joy deep joy what it is to find supernatural delight in your person your plans your purposes and in your pursuits and father