Gospel Work Requires Sacrificial Giving – Philippians 4:10-23

This blog is based on a sermon from Philippians. You can listen to it here.

So far in Philippians, we’ve seen that Paul is concerned about two main things:

• External opposition (Phil 1:27-30; 3:1-2)
• Internal division (Phil 2:1-4)

Paul has told the Philippians that because of the gospel, they can overcome these challenges. Despite these challenges, they can have unity, humility, and joy because of Christ and the gospel.

In my last post, we saw that we can have contentment in any circumstance through the power of Christ within us.

Today, we finish the book of Philippians by looking at the importance of giving sacrificially to gospel work.

I told my church that I had no axe to grind and was not after their money. This is one reason why I preach through books of the Bible. You can preach on difficult topics and church members don’t have to wonder who I’m preaching to.

Sermon Text: Phil 4:10, 14-23

BIG IDEA: We should give sacrificially to gospel work as we trust God to meet our needs.

When I use the term gospel work, I’m referring to any work that advances the gospel of Jesus Christ. The first thing I want us to see is that we should provide for the needs of gospel workers.

We should provide for the needs of gospel workers (14-16, 18a)

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

The Philippians had partnered with Paul to advance the gospel (Phil 1:5). Gospel workers should get their living from the gospel. Sometimes we think that pastors and missionaries should get “real jobs.” There were times when Paul made tents to support his work. However, the clear teaching of Scripture is that we are to provide for the needs of those who help meet our spiritual needs.

1 Cor 9:9-14

9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10 Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. 11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

This is why our church partners with Southern Baptist mission work. Just as Paul was advancing the gospel in his time, we have NAMB and IMB missionaries doing the same thing today.^[1]I’m aware of the problems within the SBC and am definitely concerned about a lack of transparency and accountability. The focus of this post is more about giving to gospel work than debating … Continue reading

I am thankful that our church gives to missions and we should continue to do so. If the church ever gets to a point where we can’t give to missions, then we should just close our doors, because at that point we will have forgotten what it means to be a church.

But I know there are some of you that come to church and never give or perhaps you give a token gift to ease your conscience. This passage implies that if someone isn’t giving then they aren’t partners. They are customers or consumers. I implore you, don’t be a consumer. Instead, be a faithful giver to God’s kingdom work through our church and beyond.

Tony Merida writes, “When a person is receiving sound instruction, which leads to life and godliness, and when a person is receiving pastoral care, they have the privilege and the responsibility of giving to support the mission of the church.” ^[2]Tony Merida, Christ-Centered Exposition: Philippians, 193

Gospel workers rejoice when they are cared for (10, 14)

10 – I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.

Paul doesn’t say why the Philippians had not given. Perhaps it was due to their poverty or because they simply didn’t know where Paul was. Paul says that though they lacked opportunity, they never lacked concern.

Missionaries need to know that they are not alone. Today, we can communicate instantly via technology. We should be faithful to pray for, communicate with, and support missionaries and other gospel workers.

14 – “Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.”

We are called to bear one another’s burdens and the burdens of gospel workers are often great. Let us lift them up in prayer. Let us care for them well.

Sacrificial giving reaps eternal rewards (17)

17 – Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.

I love this verse because Paul wants the Philippians to know that he’s not trying to get rich. Rather, he is happy because he is seeing the fruits of the Philippians’ faith. The same is true for me. I would love for everyone in my local church to give generously but I don’t want them to do that just so the church has a lot of money in the bank. Rather, I get more excited about a generous heart, because this is the fruit of a person who is growing in spiritual maturity. That is the main goal!

A generous heart is the fruit of a person who is growing in spiritual maturity.

Are you bearing fruit in this area? Are you giving sacrificially?

An additional benefit to generous giving is that those who give to gospel work are storing up heavenly treasures (“the fruit that increases to your credit”).

How awesome is that? Not only do we get to give to gospel work and see it bear fruit, but we are storing up heavenly treasures when we do! When we give sacrificially, we are laying up treasures in heaven.

Look at Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:19-21:

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

While it’s surely a good idea to have an IRA (individual retirement account), it’s even better to have an IEA (individual eternal account). If you have an IRA, you may have it set up for automatic contributions. You probably know around how much is in it.

What if I were to ask you about your individual eternal account? How much have you given? Do you prioritize kingdom giving? When was your last contribution?

In December, our church will be collecting money for the International Mission Board’s Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Every dollar that we give goes straight to funding international missions. What does it say about our priorities if we buy hundreds or even thousands of dollars of Christmas presents and give little to nothing to international missions? It says that we treasure material goods over human souls.

Material things will pass away, but can you imagine the joy you will experience in heaven when you meet someone that came to Christ because you gave to missions?

Sacrificial giving is an act of worship (18b)

18 – “I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.”

When we give sacrificially, with the right motive, it is a fragrant offering and an acceptable sacrifice that is pleasing to the Lord (Rom 12:1).

We give sacrificially because Jesus sacrificially gave His life for us!

We give sacrificially because Jesus sacrificially gave His life for us!

Do you want to please the Lord? One way to do that is to give sacrificially.

As we give, God will continue to provide for us (19)

19 – And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Many of the Philippians were not rich people like us. And yes, we are rich. We live in the most prosperous nation in the history of the world. If you make $25,000 per year, you are in the top 23% of income earners in the world. If you make 50,000 per year, you are in the top 10%. If you make $75,000 per year, you are in the top 6% of income earners in the world.^[3]You can see those numbers at https://howrichami.givingwhatwecan.org/. They were current as of August 11, 2022.

Look at this passage where Paul describes the Philippians’ giving:

2 Corinthians 8:1-5

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia [the churches of Macedonia were in cities such as Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea], 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.

When we give, Paul says, “God will supply every need of yours, according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus”.

You’ll never give sacrificially if you don’t trust that God will provide for your needs.

The aim of sacrificial giving and gospel work is God’s glory (20)

20 – To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Through Paul’s ministry, God had done a work in the heart of the Philippian church (Phil 1:6; 2 Cor 8:5). When you become a Christian, the Bible says you are a new creation. Only then will you live for God’s glory and have a desire to make a difference through sacrificial giving.

We share a common bond with other Christians (21-23)

21-23 – Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

In verse 22, Paul mentions the saints “from Caesar’s household.” This probably refers to those who served in various ways in Caesar’s home. This reference reminds us of the power of the gospel. Even those in the most powerful household in the world were coming to faith through the powerful gospel (Rom 1:16). This must have been encouraging for the Philippians as they were encountering opposition from local authorities and the Judaizers.

Friends, God is at work in our church, our community, our state, our nation, and our world. Let’s thank Him for the good gospel work that is being done in our community and around the world.