Sermons by Ken Trivette from the Living Word

The Book of Philippians
AN INTEREST BEARING ACCOUNT
Philippians 4:10, 14-20

1. In the closing verses of Philippians, Paul expresses his thanks to the Church at Philippi for the gifts they had sent him. In so doing, we have a wonderful example of mission giving and missionary support. 

2. A new minister had just delivered his first sermon. As one of the members was leaving she remarked to an usher, "I have nothing but praise for the new minister." The usher remembering that she had put nothing into the offering replied, "So I observed while passing the offering plate this morning."

3. When it comes to the matter of missions and missionaries, many have nothing but praise and respect. But praise and respect will not send them to a field or sustain them while on the field. It takes more than compliments. It takes cash! It requires more than praise. It takes provisions.

4. It has been said that more money is spent each year of chewing gum and dog food than what is given to missions. When asked to identify the single most important responsibility of a Christian, one survey showed that 34% of adults said that worship was the top priority; 25% said that developing relationships with other Christians was most important. Only 11% said that evangelism was the priority. This kind of attitude is often reflected in how we give to world evangelization.

5. In the final words of our Lord, Jesus have the command that everyone was to be involved in the matter of world evangelization. We read in Matthew 28:19-20, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

6. You could say that Jesus said that every believer is to be a missionary. Now, I understand that everyone cannot go to the mission field or is called to be a missionary. But everyone is to be involved in world missions. You ask how can that be? If you are not called to be a missionary and to go to a foreign field, you can be involved through your prayers and your giving.

7. Paul had been sent out by the Church at Antioch as history's first missionary. The Church at Philippi had been involved in supporting him financially. As he closes his letter to them, he thanks them for the financial support they had given him. He not only thanks them for their support, but he also gives us some great reasons for giving to God's work and some of the great results of giving to God's work. Notice:

1. THE PERSONAL EXAMPLES OF GIVING!

1. Paul give us two examples. First, we see:

A. A Thrilling Example Of Giving

1. We read in verse 10, "But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last your care of me hath flourished again." Paul speaks of their "care" of him. The word describes the act of taking thought. It speaks of their interest in him, what he was going through, and what he was doing. Their interest and the way they cared for him is revealed in the financial gifts they sent to him.

2. Paul describes their giving to him as hindered giving. He says their care of him had "flourished again." The word "flourised" means, "to sprout, blossom again." It had been a while since they had sent Paul anything, and now their giving had blossomed again.

3. Their lack of giving over a certain period of time had not been because they had ceased to care. It was as Paul described, "ye lacked opportunity." They had wanted to give, desired to give, and longed to give, but the opportunity of getting a gift to him had not been there. They had been hindered in giving to Paul as they wished.

4. What is sad, is that we have opportunity to give, but we lack the desire. We have a chance to give, but lack the concern. The believers at Philippi wanted to give, but were hindered from doing so. This was not a case where someone was saying, "If I had a million dollars, I would give such and such to God." This was a case where they wanted to give, tried to give, but were prevented from doing so. Many believers don't need a new wallet. They just need a converted wallet. Many need a heart that looks upon God's work and says, "I want to give!"

5. Paul also spoke of their giving as helpful giving. He says in verse 14, "Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction." Then in verse 16, "For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity." Time and time again they had sent gifts to Paul. Their gifts had been an act of communicating with Paul's affliction. The word "communicate" means, "to participate with someone, to become a partner or companion with." They had been a part of what Paul was going through and doing.

6. By their giving they were sharing in Paul's affliction. They were also providing for his needs in his time of affliction. As verse 16 states, they had sent to his "necessity." They had helped supply the needs Paul had in his life.

7. Here is a purpose in mission giving. We give that the needs of missionaries are met. The missionary could never get to the field, or survive on the field, if it were not for the giving of God's people. There would not be a missionary on the field if God's people didn't financially support missions. The result would be, thousands going to hell every week.

8. When David Livingstone went to Africa, a Scotch woman who had saved thirty pounds came and presented the money to him. She said, "I want you to save yourself needless toil and exposure by hiring a competent servant who will go with you wherever you go and share your sacrifices and dangers. With the money, Livingstone hired his faithful servant Sebantino. Later, in the heart of Africa, a lion attacked Livingstone crushing the bones of his left arm. It was Sebantino who at the risk of his own life, saved Livingstone. Little did that Scotch woman know, the needs she would meet in Livingstone's life through her gift. Yet, that is the purpose of our giving--to meet the needs of those who serve as missionary's.

10. We not only see a thrilling example of giving, but we also see:

B. A Troubling Example Of Giving

1. Paul said in verse 15, "Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only." It seems that the Philippian Church provided about all the financial support Paul received. Where was the Church at Antioch that had sent Paul out as a missionary? Where were the Churches at Galatia and Rome? Where were the hundreds of people that Paul had led to Christ? No Church communicated with Paul but the Philippians.

2. This is a troubling example of giving. It was no doubt disturbing to Paul and should be disturbing to us. There were times when Paul had to work mending nets just to make ends meet. It is troubling when so many Christians give so little to missions. As a pastor, I would not want to meet God having not led the Church I pastored to give to missions. I would not want to meet God as a Christian that had not given to the cause of world evangelization.

3. We not only see a personal example of giving, but also:

2. THE PROPER EVALUATION OF GIVING!

1. Paul tells us that giving is not a burden but a blessing. He speaks of giving in terms that are delightful and not distressful. He helps us to look at our giving in the right perspective. He tells us how to properly evaluate our giving. First, we see:

A. An Act Of Spiritual Accumulation

1. Notice the words "giving and receiving" in verse 15. These words were a bookkeeping term that referred to the credit and debit side of a ledger. Paul describes their giving as a debit on their material account, but a credit to their spiritual account.

2. We read in verse 17, "Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account." Paul was not the kind of person that went around begging. The word "desire" carried the idea that it was not his character or habit to beg for money.

3. When he asked for God's people to support him, he was not begging, but asking them to make a heavenly investment. The words, "that fruit may abound to your account" was a term used in the money markets to speak of interest which accumulated to an account.

4. Paul is describing our giving to missions as an interest bearing account. The fruit of his ministry was fruit that was being credited to their account. Their gift was an investment in his ministry and they were drawing spiritual interest off his fruit. Do you realize that when you give to missions that you are drawing spiritual interest off the labor and fruit of the missionaries. Every time someone gets saved through the ministry of a missionary that you have financially helped, that soul is being credited to your account.

5. Dr. A.C. Dickerson wrote:

A faithful steward would I be
And gather money all for Thee
To use it for the Christ I love
And thus grow rich in heaven above.

6.  If you are searching for an investment with the highest possible yield, giving to God's work is the best place to put your money. Secondly, we see:

B. An Act Of Spiritual Adoration

1. We read in verse 18, "But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God." Paul told them that the gift they had sent by Epaphroditus was like a sacrifice that had been offered to God. He used words that described the burnt-offering, the meal-offering, and the peace-offering. These were all voluntary offerings and were offered as an act of worship and adoration.

2. Our giving is an act of worship. It comes from a heart that says, "Lord, you gave your Son for me, and I give what I have for you." Our giving says that we love God and adore Him. Why should we give and give to missions? It shows our love for God and how much we adore Him.

3. Andrew Fuller was helping raise money to send William Carey to India. Fuller asked a friend to make a contribution. The man said, "Since it is for you, Andrew, here is five pounds." Fuller said, "If you are giving that for me, I must refuse." The giver got the point and said, "Here, take this ten pounds since it is for the Lord."

4.This is how we ought to evaluate our giving. It is an act of spiritual accumulation and spiritual adoration. Finally, we see:

3. THE PROMISED EFFECT OF GIVING!

1. We read in verse 13, "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Here is a great promise. Many a saint and servant has lived by this great promise of God. Yet, it is a promise that misused and misunderstood. Look closer at the promise. First, notice:

A. The Content Of The Promise

1. D.L. Moody called this promise, "God's Check." He described it this way:

"My God" - the name of the firm printed on the check
"Shall supply" - the promise to pay
"All your need" - the amount to be paid
"According to His riches" - the deposit in the account against which the check is drawn
"In glory" - the address of the bank
"By Christ Jesus" - the signature which appears on the check

2. In short, God has promised to meet all our needs in Christ Jesus. Furthermore, we see:

B. The Context Of The Promise

1. The context in which this promise is found indicates that God's supply is predicated on the condition of one giving to God's work. The promise is that if we give, God will give. If a person will not give to God's work, they can't rightly claim this promise. Paul was saying to the believers at Philippi, "Because you met my need, God will meet your need."

2. Do you give? Do you give to support the work of God? There are great reasons to give! Try it. I believe you will like it.