Well

Philippians 4: 15 "Now ye Philippians know also, that hin the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from iMacedonia, kno church communicated with me as concerning lgiving and receiving, but ye only." [1]

I.   Well Doing

     A. Support 

     B. Supply

II. Well Pleasing

     A. For

     B. From

III. Well Being

     A. Yours

     B. Ours

Introduction: The outline on the back of the bulletin this morning includes only Philippians 4:15 which we will discuss first.  From verse fourteen to the end of the letter will be covered in the main message.  I especially wanted to bring your attention to this one particular verse first to encourage us to remember our purpose to support other missions.  Itinerant preachers are those who assist in the interim periods when the congregation is searching for a pastor to fill that role.  Sometimes the itinerant pastor is there to help a church to begin its life as a church.  As one who filled the role of itinerant pastor I remember all the churches where they called me to preach.  Since my ministry started when other ministers are thinking of retirement, my thought was to always be the one who fills the need in a pulpit where the pastor would later be.  Praise God for His will.  I cherish the many churches where we served and now for now, Rachael and I are home.  We praise God that He had a different idea. 

Paul was an itinerant preacher who spent more time in some places than others.  That means that he had many memories that he carried for the rest of his eternity.  To talk with any preacher that has served more than one church is to learn that there are many memories made in each place of service.  It would be amazing to hear all the stories that Norman might share in all his places that God has led him.

Why this letter?  Why Philippi?  Why was this letter to the Philippians so uplifting while others of Paul’s letter were sometimes more instructive and even critical.  To learn more let’s hear from Acts 16:1-5.  Paul met a certain young man named Timotheus in Lystra. We know that this Timothy would be the one that Paul would consider as his spiritual son.  Paul had wonderful memories there.  They went through the cities there and delivered decrees they received from the ordained apostles and elders in Jerusalem.  Everything seemed well.

Later in his journey he was prevented from even entering some cities.  In Acts 16:6-9 we learn that God had a different plan.  READ…  When we are prevented from doing the next thing we consider as the next natural thing remember this, God does not need to consider nature.  God created nature.  When you give up your life to His will, He will take you where His will says to go.  Follow as we read on from Acts 16:10-15.

Lydia and her whole family were baptized because God sent a vision to Paul and he went.  In the verse included with the outline, Paul was telling those Philippians that at one point in his ministry, they were the only ones who supported him.  God gives certain people the privilege to serve those who serve Him.  If nobody else serves, it’s not about who doesn’t serve, it’s about who does serve.  Paul was not telling his church family in Philippi to feel sorry for him because of his lack of support; Paul was praising God for the support he received from them in Philippi because Paul was grateful for their obedience.  The ability to serve others is God’s blessing.

Scripture:  Today’s scripture is Philippians 4:14-23.  When you have found it please rise to your feet for the reading of God’s written word.

Prayer: Please be seated

Message:  Notwithstanding, never the less, saying all that let me say this; these are all different ways of saying since we have made that important point perfectly clear, now let me tell you this which is another important point.  You have done well!  You have always had my well doing in mind as you remember me in the sicknesses that I have been through.  You’ve got my back.

To say you communicated doesn’t only mean talking.  Paul says further that they were the only church that communicated or supported his ministry through their giving and his receiving as he ministered to others and supplied the needs of them that he ministered to.  One hand washing the other so to speak.

The Philippians even took it upon themselves to supply Paul’s needs directly by sending to him while he was ministering to other churches.   As we read back in the book of Acts, Paul’s arrival in Thessalonica was not with the same welcome as in Philippi.  When the Philippians heard that Paul had a need, they supplied his need even though he was with another group in another place.  This was a blessing for the Philippians that we are still hearing about today.

Well pleasing!  Not because Paul had a need; Paul’s knowledge that their love for others was his proof of their fruitfulness.  Paul didn’t need an affirmation of his faith.  Paul was blessed to know about their fruitful faith of providing for others.

It reminds me of a time when Jesus received something that He didn’t require.  Matthew 26:6-13 says this, “6 eNow when Jesus was in fBethany, in the house of Simon the leper, 7 There came unto him a woman having gan alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on hhis head, as he sat at meat. 8 But when ihis disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? 9 For this ointment might have been sold for jmuch, and given to the poor. 10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. 11 For kye have the poor always with you; but lme ye have not always. 12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my mburial. 13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told nfor a memorial of her.” [2]

Paul received the gifts and the news of the faith in Philippi from his companion Epaphroditus; an odour of a sweet smell, said Paul.  Well pleasing to God as the sacrifice of perfume in the alabaster jar had been for Jesus.  The blessing is for the one who gives the gift.  Well pleasing to God is the giver from whom the gift came for the blessing of others.

Paul told them that their desire to give was more valuable to him than anything else that they might supply.  Over and over again throughout the Bible are accounts of people who have little yet they gave from what they had and received more than they could imagine.  Selflessness is love.  Selfishness is lust.  When you think you might run out of stuff yet you give another in need; that will not be overlooked.  The lady with Elijah said she would starve if she fed him.  When she stretched her faith she had plenty.  The people in Philippi were not thinking of receiving their stuff back yet what they received was a blessing from God that we are still hearing about today. 

In verse nineteen is the true dilemma.  “19 But my God wshall supply all your nneed xaccording to his riches yin glory by Christ Jesus.” [3]  How can we supply the needs of others when it is God who actually supplies all of our needs?  God gave His Only Begotten Son for us to be well.  This world is sick and it’s getting sicker every day.  God wants us to be well.  He wants to have a relationship with us so much that He gave the greatest gift that He could give.

There are no riches without God.  There is nothing without God.  To have a right relationship with God is for our wellbeing.  He has all the riches of the universe.  While Paul appreciated that the Philippians supplied his needs, knowing that their hearts’ desire was to be well pleasing to God was the greater gift for Paul.

When we are truly His church and we supply the needs of others who are serving where we cannot be there is no yours and ours, there is only His.  To give to others as we see a need is a well pleasing fragrance to God.  Be well!

Prayer:

Invitation:  We are living through a time of selfishness the likes that I have never seen in my short time.  People have always inherently decided that as long as someone else is worse or worse off than me then I’m going to be OK.  People have always wanted to know that what they got for Christmas was going to be as good as or better than the thing that they give to someone else.

Times are different now though.  Today it seems that if a person decides that someone else is standing in their way of doing what they want or having what they want then it’s OK to get that person out of their way; including the babies that will be prevented from being born.  Paul was so happy to even know the people in Philippi who cared for others so much that they were willing to send things without a receipt.

I have enjoyed these weeks we have spent together with Paul and the Philippians.  The invitation and my prayer today is that we understand that wanting others to have a right relationship with God should be our purpose.  My invitation is that we pray for Merry Oaks Baptist Church to pray for the relationship we have with those who serve away from us and we never forget them.

As we sing our hymn of invitation this morning, may we ask the Holy Spirit to make us a sweet fragrance in this foreign land that we find ourselves in.  Let us pray as we sing…

h ch. 1:5.
i See Acts 16:12.
k Comp. 2 Cor. 11:8, 9.
l Ecclus. 42:3. James 1:17 (Gk.).
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Php 4:15). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
e To ver. 13, Mark 14:3–9. To ver. 11, John 12:1–8. Comp. Luke 7:36–50.
f See ch. 21:17.
g Mark 14:3. Luke 7:37.
h Comp. John 12:3. So Luke 7:38.
i Comp. John 12:4.
j Comp. Mark 14:5. John 12:5.
k Deut. 15:11.
l See John 13:33.
m John 19:40. So Mark 14:8. John 12:7. All better as Gen. 50:2(Heb. & Gk.).
n Acts 10:4.
[2] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Mt 26:6–13). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
w So Ps. 23:1. 2 Cor. 9:8.
n ver. 19 (Gk.). Acts 6:3 (Gk.). & 20:34. Rom. 12:13. Eph. 4:29 (Gk.)? Tit. 3:14 (Gk.).
x See Eph. 3:16.
y See 2 Cor. 8:19.
[3] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Php 4:19). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.