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Philippians

Shared Troubles. Shared Rejoicing.

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February 19, 2023
Philippians 4:14-23
Tom Boyer

Friendship & Community

Suffering & Trials

Gratitude

Transcript

0:17Well, good morning. As has been said, my name is Tom. I am neither a pastor nor a member here yet. It is an honor to to bring God's word before you this morning my wife and I we were here for four years as members of the church while I was completing my degree at Bethlehem Seminary. And during that time I was able to serve on staff which was a joy and gave me the opportunity to get to know so many of you here. So it's good to see you guys again this morning. Please come say hi in between the break here. Now the last time I was here would have been June 13th of 2020. There are about 15 other people here, but that was when we were commissioned and sent off to go and lead a church planning effort in White Bear Lake and praise God Emmaus church is pushing now three years of age and God has been a very kind and gracious to us in that time.

1:18So Stephen, he asked me to serve to offer a few updates about how things are going in White Bear, which I really am quite eager to do. the first thing that I want to say though is this We would not exist as a church without your help and that's 100% true. Emmaus Church would not be where we are probably exist at all. If it was not for you guys. So we are grateful for Bethlehem North the North Church for the way that you guys have generously helped us in taking care of expenses. The way that church leadership vary graciously encourage people to join us as we planted in White Bear grateful for the way many leaders here have served as a soundboard to us in our times of need. We're just so grateful for the partnership we have with you.

2:13So we had our first service in June of 2020 and for three months. We we met outside. We were an outside Church in the middle of 2020 and that that gave us some interesting experiences. I remember one Sunday. I preached in a dog ran through the the service in the midst of the sermon. The sun was always a bit of a problem. There was one rainy day which created a few technical issues and the wind believe it or not. The wind might have been our biggest adversary. We had this wonderful big like a canvas backdrop and you just never knew if the wind was going to throw that down on your skull in the midst of a sermon so it always kept you a bit on edge. So that was our first three months and in God's kindness pretty quickly after that. We were able to buy a dilapidated church building which has for the last two plus years now become a wonderful home for us.

3:10We are very grateful for that place and glad that we can call it home. And yet we now kind of enter this strange season of seeing that it's it's filling up pretty regularly. So I encourage you join us in prayer as we ask God. What's next as we think about future facility endeavors. Last year, we were able to celebrate 12 baptisms as a church, which was a joy. One of them was my daughter which is an even Greater Joy, but all 12 were Joy. We welcomed somewhere about 25 new members into the church. And we celebrated the birth of 13 babies, which is Quite a feat because there's only about 40 member households. So that's a lot of babies.

3:58Some some I decided to have twins. So that was a high efficiency option there. So that many joys there we've also had this great experience recently of seeing a lot of neighbors our church. It's located just in the middle of a residential area and we're seeing more more Neighbors come and visit people that are locals in White Bear Lake that haven't been a church for years are coming and considering their faith again, which is a really sweet thing for us to see and now we're about three years in and it's pretty amazing to see some of the maturity and growth of some of these members that have been with us since the beginning such an encouragement to leaders of the church to see hey people are growing and maturing in the faith here so so much to be encouraged by and so much that I am grateful to God for And as I said earlier.

4:52We wouldn't be here without your partnership. So I'm grateful to you. So with all that in mind, I now want you to consider this question with me. When Stephen Pastor Steven asked me to preach. This morning. How strange would it have been for me to say? No. With all that you have done for us. Was I in any way obligated to come and preach this morning?

5:24Now I think I can say no. I was not obligated. But wouldn't have been just a little bit strange just a little bit strange. Maybe even a little bit rude and a bit unfitting. If I just flat out said don't have time for it. No interest at all. You know, obviously there might be an appropriate reason for me to decline the offer. But but in general, I think we would say there is something appropriate. In me accepting this offer with joy to come and preach. Maybe let's think about this in more more general terms. Gifts can at times hold a strange expectation with them whether they're Financial gifts or Gifts of time and service how many of you have received an unexpected Christmas gift from someone.

6:18And you were ill prepared ill prepared to make an exchange here. Now that might not have been expected. But let's be honest. I I think we've all at some point had this kind of awkward moment of oh, how am I to reciprocate In This Moment? I have a good friend from the church who has probably helped me with about a dozen home projects. Over the last few years and he he's a single guy. He's got a lot of time and he does not own a home. So I not once not a single time have I helped him with a home project? Let's just consider if he were to buy a home in the next year and he asked me to come help him with a project.

7:02Would it be appropriate for me to accept that offer and go and help him? Would I be obligated? to do so Again, I think not formally not formally so there's no contract. But might there be some social expectation. That it would be the proper thing for me to say. Yes. There's been a lot of studies recently on the topic of gifts. and one fact that emerges in these discussions is that we modern Western people. We have an idealized understanding of the concept of gift. We we think of this thing a pure gift. As something that's given without any self-interest at all. Something that's given with zero obligations without zero was zero expectations of reciprocation.

8:00Something that's entirely detached from everything else. It's pure altruism. There's a lot of questions about the reality of such a pure gift is such thing even possible. Even questions about whether such an understanding is healthy or right? But for our purposes this morning, I simply want to point this out. That way of thinking of gifts as a pure gift. That is a very modern a very new understanding of gifts. The idea that a gift can come with zero obligations purely disinterested again. That's a very very new idea. It would not at all have been customary thinking for the Apostle Paul and his contemporaries again. Not not at all.

8:52You've maybe heard this term before patronage patronage at that term you may hear. So in the Greco-Roman world of Paul's time gifts were connected to relationships. And there were certain expectations certain obligations that were attached to the giving and receiving of gifts. Giving a gift could potentially establish a relationship. If in response, that gift was then received. and then reciprocated upon then a lasting relationship might be formed. The act of receiving a gift in a real sense obligated the receiver to reciprocate either in deed or in Word.

9:43Again, that's quite different from our social expectations today. But hopefully this is making some sense. This was in many ways the social structure of the Apostle Paul's day. how one gave and how one received created this relative status among friends and trading parties. and to grow in status one had to grow in giving now in the midst of the structure You also have people that are lower class populations. They're unable to reciprocate on equal terms. So you can Envision this scenario. You've got a gentleman. He's a wealthy semi-powerful man, that will call Mr. Moneybags. All right, so Mr. Money bags.

10:34He gives gifts to his less wealthy Neighbors. And in doing so Mr. Moneybags knows that he's never going to receive a gift in kind. They're never going to be able to pay him back in the same way. but the gift of Mr. Money bag still has strings attached. They're still obligations. There are still social expectations behind the gift. He gave and it was expected. That his neighbors would receive the gift and would give back to Mr. Moneybags in the form of Honor. Mr. Money bags was investing. in a power Market and that was a major power structure within the ancient world. Benefactors are patrons might give money or other costly gifts and in return receive honor.

11:31Allegiance and thus Social Power that comes with those gifts. So again, that's a very important Dynamic for us to keep in mind as we consider. Paul's letter to the Philippians. The social expectations that are associated with gift-giving. So we have that in mind. So now let's just quickly recall Paul's particular situation. We remember that as he's riding this letter. He's where he's a prisoner. and while he's in prison A Christian Community in the city of Philippi. Will they come together and they say hey. We want to help this man out. Let's send him a gift. That's a good idea. So what does the church do well?

12:18They raise a substantial some of money and then they send a man name a pathroditus across the known world to deliver this gift to Paul. Epaphroditus he completes his mission. Paul receives the gift and he is clearly very very grateful for the gift. So he's received the gift. And he is grateful. But how is he going to respond? How is he going to respond? How is he going to reciprocate and respond to this? Well, maybe you'd recommend. A thank you note. Thank you card. It's a good idea. I think that matches at least our cultural understanding and in a way, that's actually what Paul is doing with this letter many scholars. Consider Paul's letter to the Philippians as primarily a letter addressing their gift.

13:16Now again, Paul, he is fully aware of the system and Customs concerning gifts. He lived and breathed in that world. So this leads to a natural question. Do the Philippians have strings attached with their gift? Do the Philippians expect some Apostolic favor? in return from Paul now we might hear that we might think wow. That sounds somewhat malicious. This clearly isn't a genuine gift that they've offered. But that's not an entirely Fair analysis because again such expectations would have been entirely normal entirely customary gifts like this were laced with the strings of expectation. So hopefully you're feeling a little bit of this tension.

14:10Paul has a dilemma on his hands. On one hand. Yes. He is grateful for the gift. But at the same time by accepting the gift, he does not want to imply that he owes the Philippians anything in return. Similarly, he doesn't want to imply that the power structure has changed that the relationship between Paul and the Philippian church has changed. Because Paul does not work for the Philippians. He works for God. And he needs to make that clear Apostolic friendship cannot be bought. It is a gift. But again at the same time. He is genuinely thankful for this gift, and he wants to make that clear. So how's he going to go about doing this? How was he going to thread the needle here saying? Thank you.

15:03without saying expect a gift in return for me. Well, here's what Paul does. He reframes this entire situation in light of Jesus Christ and the Christian Mission. Paul makes clear that this is no standard patronage system. No standard patronous situation. This is instead Mutual Christian partnership, and it looks very different. from what the world might expect So now let's consider how Paul goes about saying this. So we recall from last week. Paul's words, he says flat out in verse 11 that he was not in need. No, no. Paul says he had everything he needed. He was content. So before he even directly addresses the gift, he makes this subtle point to the Philippians.

16:03He didn't need anything from them. He didn't need anything. Their gift was joyously superfluous. God had already provided sufficiently. Yet we see here in verse 14. That Paul was glad to see how the Philippians responded to a situation. Paul was in an uncomfortable and painful situation and thus it was good. It was good for the Philippians to try to lift him out of this plight. It was good and right of them to bring a to Paul. Their response it was proper. It was fitting. Christians ought to lovingly care for brothers and sisters when they are in lowly situations like Paul was even though we didn't need it.

16:56Even though he didn't need it. The action was right. And that's a significant reality for us, isn't it? Just because help isn't needed doesn't mean we ought not give it. just because a family dealing with job loss and financial strain says No, no, it's it's going to be a tight season, but we'll make it. It doesn't mean it's not right to show up at their home with a meal and offer them help. Just because a family and a new mother says no, I don't think we need a meal Train. We're gonna be fine. It doesn't mean it's not right for us to show up with diapers and a meal anyway. Paul didn't need the help.

17:40But he was glad for it and it was good and right and proper for the Philippians to give it. But here's what's most most profound about what Paul says here. by giving this gift by sending epaphroditus to care for Paul by doing all of this. The Philippians were in some sense entering into Paul's hardship. They are vicariously participating in his suffering. They are sharing as Paul says in his trouble. That's not how we tend to think is it? If we were to ask the Philippians why they sent the gift. How do we think they might have responded? Now we can't know for sure but we might guess something along this line.

18:32Well, we gave to Paul because we desired. to alleviate his suffering consider this why might you send funds to an organization that's serving an area in crisis. Is it because you're hoping to alleviate the pain and the Brokenness of the situation? Or do you long to participate in the suffering? Of those who are in the midst of it. We generally want to alleviate pain. We want to stop suffering and that's good. That's a good thing. But here Paul connects the gift with sharing in his trouble. And that's also a good thing. That's an appropriate reality. I think for us to be aware of for us to be conscious of as you support a global partner.

19:28You're not just helping them pay the bills you are doing that that's necessary and that's good, but you're doing more. You are entering into their Ministry with them you are sharing in their troubles. As you give your offering to this church again, you're not just helping keep this door the doors open. You're not just helping with the physical facilities. No, you are entering in a real way to the partnership and the ministry of this church. You are sharing in the joys. and even the sufferings of this ministry So Paul, he's immediately reframing the situation. Isn't he? This isn't a customary gifting situation.

20:12No, this is a sign of gospel partnership. So Paul he is now heartened by the actions of the Philippians and why is he so heartened? Because he knows that in a real sense. The Philippians are sharing in his troubles. They are partnering with him in the Gospel Mission. But that's not all. He is also heartened by their maturity. the Philippians they have been a help to Paul throughout his ministry and now As he has received their help yet again. He rejoices not just at the gift that they give. But in the evidence of faithfulness that their gift displays. He says in verse 17. Not that I seek the gift.

21:02But I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. We just need to notice this. Paul makes the financial gift secondary. It is a secondary thing. What's more important? the faithfulness of the Philippians to give a few years ago in the midst of Seminary my furnace was kind of on its last leg and I recall my wife and I having this discussion after talking with a mechanic in HVAC guy and we're wondering what do we do? How are we gonna pay? for this job Is this something we should do now? This is something we should wait on. we're talking this through and we're we're considering around our options are.

21:49Well in the midst of this discussion. In walks my daughter with a lot of cash from her piggy bank in hand and these radiating eyes glowing with the desire to help. She clearly overheard our conversation and she saw an ability to step in and she was moved to do so. Now a cold-hearted accountant might laugh at this and say how is that meager sum going to affect this situation at all? But a warm blooded parent is going to be moved to tears and think it's not the gift we sought but the generous motivation behind the gesture. in Paul's case He's experiencing the maturity of the Philippians. And he receives this meaningful gift and he properly sees that the fruit of faith is greater than the gift itself.

22:49Well Paul does next is again quite interesting. We can say accurately that from a flat perspective. From a very flapper perspective that Paul is clearly the primary receiver of the gift, right? I mean think about it the money went from the Philippians directly to the hands of Paul. He is the primary recipient. Yet here Paul encourages the Philippians and us along with them. To consider the gift from a Transcendent perspective. Ultimately Paul says The gift is not too Paul. but to God it serves as a fragrant offering. It is a sacrifice. He says acceptable and pleasing to God himself. You might notice.

23:42This is old Covenant sacrificial language here. Paul is comparing the gift of the Philippians to an old Covenant sacrifice. Seems striking, doesn't it? But there's more in Ephesians 5 Paul uses this language. To the Ephesians. He says Walk In Love. As Christ loved us and gave himself for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Let's not miss that. Paul is using the same language to connect Christ's sacrificial death. with the sacrificial gift of the Philippians now first blush this almost sounds sacrilegious, doesn't it? Aren't these different gifts both in kind and in function. Well, yes.

24:35And Paul is by no means calling the generosity of the Philippians salvific. Instead he is connecting their gift. To the sacrifice of Christ. They are related but not identical. the generosity of the Philippians corresponds to the generosity of Christ The sacrifice of Christ is the primary and ultimate sacrifice. That actually gives meaning to the sacrifice of the Philippians. by generously giving the Philippians are not taking the place of Christ. No. But they are in their own way mimicking Christ. Which is exactly what Paul has been telling the Philippians to do throughout this letter, isn't it?

25:26Have the very mind of Jesus. have the Same Love the same humility the same manner of acting thinking and feeling Paul has been saying be like Christ. And here he confirms that in their sacrificial giving what have they been doing. been displaying a Christ likeness and because of this Paul proceeds now to Proclaim God Will Supply Every need of yours according to his riches in Christ Jesus. Now, let's just notice how Paul has now fully transformed and reframed this entire gift exchange. Think about this with me. Paul has received the gift. Yet ultimately. Paul says the gift is a sacrifice of the Philippians to God.

26:26And Paul says here at the Philippians will be repaid. But not according to Roman custom. No Paul is not indebted to them. He's not going to repay them. He's not going to pay them back as they might expect instead who is God Will Supply notice that not Paul God Paul again, he is not indebted to the Philippians because of their gift. He has no obligation hanging over his head the relationship he has with the church has not been altered at all as custom would have assumed But why not? Because God ultimately is The Giver of gifts. He will repay. Now let's try to consider this. With an image so consider a circle right? Consider a circle with me.

27:22Over here you have the Philippians. And on the southern end you have Paul. and everything that's making up the circle in between is a reciprocating expectation of gift giving Philippians, they send a gift to Paul Paul receives it and appropriately he reciprocates and the circle carries on two parties back and forth in the system of expectation. But Paul jumps in and he adds something to this picture. God God is now in the very center of it. gifts ultimately flow to him God himself even the gift that's to Paul is ultimately primarily a sacrifice to God. It goes to the middle before it goes to Paul.

28:13the old Circle It's now gone. Because God the true Gift Giver has subsumed it. Paul in the Philippians are not functioning in the old world relationship. No, they are partners. Who are both participating in the mission of God together? That frees them from Old World expectations. Paul is free to give I'm sorry. He's free to receive without burden. and the Philippians are free to give without expectation as one Theologian rightly says now Christian givers impose. No debts. Christian recipients acknowledge, no debts, except to love That is the primary emphasis behind Paul's words here. That God will supply all their needs.

29:10But many ask what exactly does Paul mean. When he says that God will supply every need in Christ Jesus. What does he referencing here? Is that a spiritual reality? Is that a physical reality? It's important just to note here. That Paul doesn't care to answer that question with precision and detail. It is main point. Is that God? Not Paul is the one who repays. So we need to be careful not to get too caught up in the unnecessary details. But the question is still an interesting one. What might Paul mean? By saying God Will Supply every need in Christ Jesus. So let's just consider that for a second.

30:00We can only consider the question that when we properly frame it. So here are a few things to consider. Here's what we know. We know that Paul is in prison as he's writing this letter, right? We also know based on another letter that Paul's written second Corinthians 8. That the church in Philippi is not wealthy. They are an extreme poverty. So from these two facts, we can say that Paul surely isn't implying some type of Prosperity Gospel here. He's not saying give generously. And you will then receive Wealth Beyond measure. We know based on the circumstances that that's not what he's getting at.

30:43But we know a few other facts I think are very important to consider here. consider Jesus's words in The Sermon on the Mount he says which one of you if his son asks him for bread. Will give him a stone. Or if you ask for a fish will give him a serpent. If you then who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him. Well that tells us something about the character of God, doesn't it? John Calvin offers a related train of thought he points us to Nature and creation. He points us to the idea of food. And Calvin points out that food.

31:27Is made to nourish? But God also made food for us to Delight in. Most needful is the nourishment but there's more behind it. There's Delight in the taste. Think about clothing. There's something necessary about clothing for the sake of modesty. But Calvin says but there's more behind clothing. It adorns Us in Beauty. What about trees and herbs and plants? Well, again, they have a function of nourishing but there's more they offer delightful scent. They offer us something beautiful to look at. So what's his point in all this? What's this? God is a good Gift Giver. He gives Beyond needs he gives Beyond expectations. He gives generously.

32:17He gives more than we need an exactly what we need simultaneously. He's not looking for some opt-out clause for how we can give as little as possible. He is generous Beyond bounds. So we need to really be careful here as we qualify what Paul is preaching. He's not promising Porsches. But we must say that he is indeed promising something wonderful because the one behind the promise is a generous God.

32:51Now on Thursday, I visited a church member in the ICU. And I was able to tell him this friend with great confidence that I had no idea how long he'd have to stay in the hospital. Again with great confidence. I had no idea how much pain he'd be forced to endure. And my confidence was still just as high when I said I have no idea. If you might be required to go through another surgery. But what I could tell him with actual confidence was this your God and Father is generous. He will indeed Supply every need of yours in Christ Jesus.

33:33So again with these words Paul does not offer us a scientific explanation behind his statement because that's not his point. But we know what Paul says here is good news for the Philippians. And good news for others who share in the same gospel partnership God Will Supply every need of yours according to his riches which are found. Where in Christ Jesus.

34:00How does God supply for these needs? Well those final three words of the answer. In Christ Jesus in Christ. Jesus is where the riches of God are made available and experienced by his people. Jesus Christ is the primary great gift. He is the prototypical gift to all Humanity. He is the source of all glory and goodness and through him flow the gifts of God to humanity all other gifts that are good and right are just participating in his goodness. These are gifts to everyone gifts to Jews. Gifts to Gentiles and as Paul can't help but point out here. even Gentiles in Caesar's house The gift of Christ is being received and cherished by all people in all places in the most unexpected households.

35:00So friends, this might not seem like a major thing. But in this letter Paul is subverting long practice customs of gift-giving. He was shifting power dynamics of the ancient world. He was in effect. Turning the world upside down. removing the need to reciprocate as custom demands removing the need to Bow before patrons removing the need to demand honor from those below us removing the need for us to demand recompense for the gifts that we give. Instead Paul invites us to reconsider our giving and are receiving in Christ Jesus. Paul invites us to look to God look to him the one who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all look to him and consider. Will he not also give us all things with Christ?

35:59There is no greater gift. Than the one God has already bestowed to us in Christ Jesus. So stop demanding repayment. And Trust the goodness of God. North Church Thank you for your partnership in the gospel. I am truly grateful that you have shared in the Troubles of Emmaus Church. And I am all the more grateful. That together we share in The Riches of the great gift. That is Christ Jesus. I close us with Paul's glorious words here. to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

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Philippians 4:14-23

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