Philippians 4:10-19
Paul's Close
Phil 1 - Paul’s Heart
Phil 2 - The Mind of Christ
Phil 3:1-14 - Paul’s Quests
Phil 3:15-4:9 - Paul’s Exhortations
Phil 4:10-23 - Paul’s Close
The book of Philippians is a small book as far as epistles go, but it is really
a large book when you consider it is a thank you note. This church had
supported and cared for the Apostle Paul for years; but apparently, probably due
to his arrest, they had lost track of him. Now they have found him again and
have sent something to him to aid him.
We can see that Paul liked to make plans about his trips. In Acts, we see him
making plans.
Acts 19:21 After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he
had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have
been there, I must also see Rome.
Paul liked to keep his churches informed about where he would be.
Romans 15:25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.
Romans 15:28 When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this
fruit, I will come by you into Spain.
2 Corinthians 1:15 And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before,
that ye might have a second benefit;
16 And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto
you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judaea.
1 Thessalonians 2:18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once
and again; but Satan hindered us.
However, when things didn’t go as Paul planned, you can see how difficult it
would be for his friends to locate Paul, especially if he was a few thousand
miles away from where he had planned on being!
The topic of these verses is Paul’s need and God’s provision. Let’s look at it
through three thoughts.
I. God’s Care
A. This is a conversation that is about NEED. If we are going to talk
about need, we must talk about God’s supply.
Phil 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in
glory by Christ Jesus.
B. This verse gives us several truths:
1. It reminds us that we are in the need business.
a. Do we need a reminder?
b. What can we do without God? Can we work? move? breathe? think?
co-exist? recuperate from sickness? conceive children?
2. God is in the supply business.
a. If you need it, God has it.
b. If God doesn’t have it, you don’t need it.
3. We never have a need met that God does not supply it.
a. The verse says He supplies ALL YOUR NEED.
b. We are the needy, and God is the Need-Meeter.
c. Whether you are saved, whether you asked for it, whether you
you deserved it, God is the One who meets all of your needs.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh
down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow
of turning.
d. You never get anything good that God doesn’t give you!
e. By the same token, I will say that you never experience any-
thing bad that God does not allow.
(1) If God is one, He must also be the other.
(2) There is no conflict in my theology to acknowledge that
God is trying to get people’s attention and will use
whatever means at His disposal to do it.
C. In addition, I believe there is something which is inferred this
text.
1. This is a lesson I have learned in life.
2. If we have what we perceive to be a need that God is not
supplying, it must not be as great a need as we think.
a. There is no doubt that some good people have what seems to
be needs that are not being meet.
b. Some solid and faithful Christians do not have a job, may not
have money to pay their bills, may not have food or even a
roof over their heads.
c. I and my family have been in all of these situations.
(1) Those were some very humbling experiences.
(2) I needed to be humbled.
(3) I probably need it again.
3. When you experience such things as this, you must come to one of
two conclusions:
a. Either God is a liar who does not meet the needs of His people.
b. Or some things that we consider to be very important needs are
not as important in God’s plan for our lives as we may think.
4. I have chosen to believe two things:
a. I have chosen to believe that the things we sometimes think
are essential, are not.
b. I also have chosen to believe that God makes better decisions
than I do in these matters, and I will just trust Him.
II. The Philippians Aid
A. While God is the One who meets our needs, He often does that though
others.
1. \\#Phil 4:10\\ Paul is thankful that the Philippians CARE for
him is growing again.
a. Paul clarifies that statement by saying that he knew their
CARE or CONCERN had never waned.
(1) CARE is the thing that is most often missing.
(2) If a person cares enough, he will find an opportunity to
serve.
(a) If a person is concerned about their church….
(b) If a person is concerned about lost souls….
(c) If a person is concerned about missions….
(d) If a person is concerned about a sick friend….
(3) Care is in contrast to complacency and personal
contentment. (Out of sight, out of mind….)
(4) Too often our care either does not exist or it does not
exists for very long.
b. The Philippians had lacked the OPPORTUNITY to help since
Paul had been arrested and whisked off to Rome.
(1) I note the diligence of these Philippians.
(a) It took work for these people to keep up with Paul.
(b) To have resources to share with Paul, the
Philippians had to collect them.
(c) To get it to Paul, these people had to SEND
someone. (There was no Western Union.)
(d) Now, they have heard that Paul was carried to Rome.
They again SENT someone to see and, if true, to
minister to him.
(2) To find opportunities like those. You make them.
2. \\#Phil 4:15-16\\ Paul testifies of the Philippians’ past help.
a. The Philippian church had supported Paul from the first.
b. \\#15\\ As Paul moved south toward Greece, this church
probably sent men and money to help him.
c. It is strange since by the time Paul arrived at Philippi,
he was about half way through his second missionary
journey; yet Paul says this church alone sent to him.
d. \\#16\\ Thessalonica was one of the cities near Philippi.
e. While there, Philippi ministered to him repeatedly.
3. \\#Phil 4:18\\ Paul testifies of the Philippians’ present help.
a. \\#Phil 2:25-30\\ We remember Epaphroditus from earlier.
(1) He came from Philippi with news and aid.
(2) While with Paul, he had gotten deathly sick but now was
recovered.
(3) He would be the one to take Paul’s letter back to
Philippi.
b. \\#18\\ Makes it clear Epaphroditus has brought somethings
with him for Paul, but the text does not say what it was.
(1) There terms Paul uses to describe them are all reminiscent
of a sacrifice.
(2) Whatever it was, Paul needed it and was very thankful.
B. \\#Phil 4:19\\ Paul encourages the Philippians that their willing
and generous spirit will be rewarded.
1. Notice the context for this verse.
2. The Philippians have gone out of their way to seek and to help
Paul, the servant of God, with their love and their resources.
3. Paul uses the personal pronoun YOUR.
a. Paul’s intent is not to give a principal but a personal
promise.
b. There is no doubt that God does supply all the needs of His
people.
c. However, this is Paul, who knows God pretty well, saying that
because God had looked after his needs, God would look after
theirs.
d. Taking care of the people of God is probably the best way to
get God to take care of you!
III. Paul’s Contentment
A. If you miss this, you miss an important element of the text.
1. Paul does have needs, but he is not talking about them.
a. In fact, what he says is just the opposite.
Phil 4:18 But I have all, and abound: I am full….
b. Paul’s contentment is not just related to what he has but to
what happens to him as well.
Phil 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where
and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to
abound and to suffer need.
2. Paul does receive from the Philippians.
a. He is grateful but not so much for what it means to him, but
for what it means to THEM.
Phil 4:17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to
your account.
b. Belief it or not, giving helps the giver as much as the
receiver.
(1) This is another of those spiritual paradoxes.
(2) As you follow God in your giving, you gain in God’s
pleasure and blessings.
2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also
sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also
bountifully.
3. Paul is not preaching about GIVING here. He only mentions it.
B. \\#Phil 4:11-13\\ Paul had learned to be content.
1. Contentment is not natural to anyone.
a. \\#11\\ It is a LEARNED behavior.
(1) The word LEARNED means LEARNED.
(2) To be taught, to increase one’s knowledge or ability.
b. The world we live in IS NOT GEARED TO TEACH CONTENTMENT.
(1) Everyone wants the newest, the biggest, and the best.
(2) I watch in dismay as people line up for 24 hours to spend
money they don’t have on the newest cell phone.
(a) Kid who don’t even need a phone are the worst.
(b) Folks, its a phone!
(c) 99.9% of the information they pass is useless.
(3) We want bigger houses, newer cars, sleeker electronics,
exotic trips, and the most expensive cloths and foods.
2. Those who feed that kind of diet will have problems.
a. They will never be happy. As long as new things are out
there, you will never be satisfied.
b. Because you are never happy, you will warp your spirit, your
psyche, and your life.
c. Sooner or later, you will walk away from God.
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If
any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and
love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye
cannot serve God and mammon.
d. Sooner or later, you will lose everything. God will take all
all of your treasures away, but before then, you will likely
give away all of your real valuables.
(1) I’ve seen people through away their families, their
health, and their ministry for a worldly trinket.
(2) All that glitters is not gold and that is precious does
not glitter.
C. Here is the million dollar question. How do you learn contentment?
1. \\#Phil 4:13\\ Paul learned it through the strength of Jesus
Christ.
a. This is a mind transforming process.
(1) Like learning to pray not worry…
(2) learning to love not lust…
(3) learning to give not get…
(4) learning to serve not sit.
b. All of the things we learn come by Christ working in us and
giving us the strength to change.
2. However, you can also help yourself.
a. Quit looking at every new thing that comes out.
b. Don’t hang with the people who are discontent.
c. Get involved with helping the needy.
(1) A discontented person should consider that they have an
automatic calling to minister to people with nothing.
(2) You say, "That is not the kind of people I feel
comfortable around."
(3) Exactly. You need to live in world of others so that you
can appreciate the world you live in.
(4) Unfortunately, because of pride and rebellion, you will
probably bolt before God can remake your heart, but it
is what you need.
d. Love your Jesus more than you love your self.
(1) Jesus had it all and deserved it all, but He left it all
so that He could share it all with all of us.
(2) We have far too much, deserve nothing but hell and
damnation; but want everything.
Our time is up so we must quit. Paul, sitting in jail under the threat of
losing his life, has written of joy, contentment, and Jesus. He will send the
letter back to the Philippians by the hand of Epaphroditus and wait to see what
God does with him. Oh that God would make us like Paul who was like Jesus!
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