Well, we’re getting closer to the conclusion of our study of Philippians. Next Sunday will be the final week in our look at Paul’s letter to this beloved congregation. And as with many letters, there is more of an ending needed than a simple goodbye. Paul begins the process of ending his letter in 4:10 and it takes him 13 verses to accomplish this task. We will look at the first part of Paul’s farewell address this week, and then dissect his final parting words next Sunday. And these words for us in our text here today carry with them a great deal of biblical history. In just a few short verses, we’re told of a time in Paul’s life and ministry that was pretty difficult. And Paul is telling them exactly what large part they played in sustaining him throughout some of his struggles.
Having a little bit of a better understanding of where we are in terms of history will help us to understand Paul’s sentiments here more clearly. During Paul’s first missionary journey, he entered into this city named Philippi in the region of Macedonia. At that time, there were no Christians there, and Paul began to preach and teach the words of the Old Testament to small groups of people there. As they began to understand what he was saying to them, he made sure to link what he was teaching them to the life of Jesus Christ. Those who had listened to Paul’s teachings began to profess their faith in Christ, become Christians, and establish a church there in Philippi. After the establishment of this church and its becoming functional on its own, Paul left to carry out this same task in other parts of the world.
His first stop after Philippi was Thessalonica; the same Thessalonica from 1 & 2 Thessalonians. After leaving Thessalonica, Paul went to Berea and then Athens. Throughout all of his travels, this church at Philippi continued to support the Apostle Paul. They were a church that constantly remembered Paul and cared for his needs. Throughout Scripture, churches are known and remembered for their actions. The church in Ephesus was known for its hard work. Corinth is known for its division and moral laxity. Why, there are even churches today that upon hearing their name, they are immediately associated with their work. It may be the negative descriptors like those associated with Westboro Baptist Church. It may be something positive like we think of when we hear about Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York. Well, the church a Philippi is no different. The Philippian church is remembered because it remembered. It cared for Paul and provided for his needs when no other church did so; not even those other churches that Paul worked to establish.
At the time Paul is writing this letter, many years have passed since Paul first visited Philippi and founded the church there, but the love that they had for him had only grown over time. The phrase “absence makes the heart grow fonder” very much applies to the relationship between Paul and this body of believers. Whenever they received word that Paul was in need they immediately worked at providing for that need. Even if the necessary funds weren’t readily available, they raised the money to take care of whatever Paul needed. And Paul is very well aware of this fact. In verse 18 we read, “I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied.” But this text is much more than a simple thank you to the Philippians for their continued support of Paul’s missionary ministry.
I think that the central theme of this text is found closer to the beginning. Beginning in verse 11 we read, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” After reading this, that word “content” causes me to pause. It gives me great difficulty, and it’s not so much the meaning of the word, but the application of it. Because Paul is telling us here that no matter the circumstance, that we are not to be worried and we are to trust that God will provide. And this is difficult for many of us to be okay with. The word “content” means to be satisfied and to not want more. And it’s this sentiment that many of us have a difficult time dealing with.
As your pastor, I have the responsibility of standing up here each and every Sunday and delivering God’s Word to you. In doing so, it is my responsibility to inform you as to just how that word applies to you. But you see, I have to do much more than simply tell you what the text means to you and how it impacts the way that you are to live your life. I have to let it impact my life too. In fact, part of my calling is to be an example and to literally “practice what I preach.” And that’s exactly what I plan on doing this morning. You see, I have felt this problem. I have fallen victim to not trusting in God to provide for my every need and to not being content with my situation. I want to take a minute to tell you just how this has looked in my life, at least in its most recent form. As many of you know, Amy and I had lived in Jackson, MS for quite some time before moving to Houma; 6 ½ years to be exact. And we had a nice little house; our first house together. Unfortunately, we still have that house, and it’s not as a vacation home. Each month, writing a check that goes to pay a mortgage on a house that we don’t even use irritates me. I’m not very content with this situation. I have this want to change my situation. I’m not very satisfied with still owning this particular piece of property.
Now, I don’t mean to turn this into a rant about my not being able to sell a house or a plea for help. That’s not what I’m trying to do at all, and I hope that none of you take that from what I’m saying. I’m trying to show you just how easy it is for us to not be content. Because when you look at it, what’s there to not be content about? In my particular situation, I have a beautiful wife, amazing kids, a good job, a loving church family, and so many more blessings that I can’t begin to name them all. This thing about having an unsold house is nothing more than a money thing. It’s my materialistic nature (sin) wanting me to sell this house so that quite honestly I can get more stuff. I want to sell this house so that I feel more secure in my finances, but it shouldn’t be this way. There’s nothing that I need to survive that I don’t have. There’s absolutely nothing that is a necessity that I don’t already have. It’s a problem that I deal with; the problem of wanting more and more stuff. Maybe you deal with this problem? Maybe you deal with another problem similar to this on a regular basis? What are areas of your life where you have trouble being content with your situation? Maybe it’s finances; maybe it’s relationships; maybe it’s housing situations? No matter what it is, we’re told here to be content in those situations. We’re told to trust in the Lord to provide for all we need.
When the Apostle Paul was writing this letter, and specifically these verses here, he is referencing one of the more difficult times in his ministry. The timeframe for this text is after he has endured numerous physical hardships, been put in jail, freed miraculously during an earthquake, continued his ministry elsewhere, and has been driven out of various locations by rioting and unruly mobs. Despite all these things happening to him, Paul says that he’s learned to be content no matter the situation. No matter what problems have come up in Paul’s life and ministry he is satisfied. He has learned to enjoy his life and enjoy God no matter what his situation is. And the question that we want to know is how. How did Paul learn to be content no matter what the situation?
You see, it’s not an easy task to be content. Such a simple word carries with it a very difficult reality. Being content is tough, much less being content no matter what the situation. And Paul tells us exactly how we can be content in difficult times. It’s how Paul was able to be content in all situations. “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” And the one who strengthens Paul is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Some of your Bible’s interpret this verse as “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Paul is able to be content no matter what because he wholly rests in Christ Jesus.
Years ago, my parents gave me a painting that a friend of mine had done that displays these very words that are found in Philippians 4:13. And for probably nearly 10 years, that painting has resided over my bed. Being the OCD person that I am, it has resided directly over the center of my headboard. And many times over the course of those 10 years, it was just a wall covering. The words on the canvas, were just that: words. You see, this verse is one of the most widely known verses in all of Scripture. It’s one of the most often quoted and highly printed verses from the Bible. And that’s the problem, we’ve heard it so many times that we almost dismiss it. When someone is struggling with stress and feels like the weight of the world is on their shoulders we recite these words to them and they respond with the common, “Yeah I know, but…” But nothing! These words mean everything to us. These words tell us that there is absolutely nothing whatsoever that can come our way that we can’t accomplish, overcome, and get past because we have Christ Jesus within us. When I have felt the words “I can’t do this” trying to make their way out of my mouth, I have often looked above my bed and seen the words from Philippians 4:13; all things! It doesn’t say I can do most things or all things in a particular area of life, but it says all things.
You see, there is absolutely nothing that we can’t accomplish with Jesus Christ. And as it specifically relates to our being content and our trusting in God to provide what we need, it is imperative that we understand this idea. So often, we try and take matters into our own hands and away from God. We don’t trust that God will provide for our every need. And I’m not just talking about money here. There are numerous areas of life in which we resist relinquishing control to God, but money seems to be the most popular in our society today. Many times, when this notion of trusting in God to provide for our needs comes up, people pop up with the question, “So are you telling me that God doesn’t want me to save up for retirement and the He wants me to just trust that everything will turn out alright?” Well, yes and no. I’m not saying that it’s bad to plan wisely and to anticipate a time in which you aren’t working anymore. In fact, I’m thankful for sound financial planning. Because of the fiscal planning of my grandfather, my grandmother, who is suffering through Alzheimer’s, is able to enjoy a much more comfortable level of care than she could otherwise. I’m not saying that financial planning is bad. What I am saying is that we need to not try and push God out of the way. We need to be mindful of the fact that God may be calling us to do something other than just worry about ourselves. He may cause us to give up certain things.
God calls all of us to do different things with our lives. There are those that God has called to sell everything and follow Him. There are missionaries in foreign countries that have given up a great deal in order to follow his call. There is a family living in a compound, a 900 square foot cinderblock home, in Ganthier City, Haiti as we speak. When this year started, he was a doctor and she was a dentist. Their son was a soccer star at a local high school who had just finished his junior season. God called them to move to Haiti and labor there. They left everything. They left sound financial situations. They left during their prime earning years. They left the comforts and luxuries of this country. They left a place that has a basic infrastructure, because that’s what God called them to do. But that’s not for everyone. Some of us, God calls to stay; God calls us to be the ones to labor in our everyday situations. For some of us, he calls us to labor here, and while doing so calls us to support those who He calls to give up everything. God called the Christians in Philippi not to go off, but to stay where they were and to support Paul in his ministry.
What Paul is trying to tell us in this text, is that no matter what, we are to be content. We are to as the Westminster Confession of Faith puts it, “Glorify God and enjoy Him, forever.” That’s the answer to the question of what is our primary purpose. That’s the answer to the question of how we remain content no matter what our situation. This week, I had the privilege of gathering together will all of the other Louisiana EPC pastors. It was a great time of being able to sit around and discuss what is going on in our lives both personally and professionally. As we talked about many of the things that are currently causing us each of us various amounts of stress at this time: family issues, financial issues at home and at church, membership issues, activity issues, we all begin to see that everyone has things that cause them concern. If you can think of it, someone at the table brought it up. But here’s the good news, the thing that helped and helps all of us be content regardless: Christ is alive. Christ has conquered death. There’s absolutely nothing that can’t be done with Christ. There is nothing that cannot be overcome because of the grace found in Christ Jesus. No matter whether we are in a state of plenty or a state of want, we should be content because we have already been given more than we deserve. What we deserve is nothing, absolutely nothing. But what we have been given is everything. It’s this attitude and viewpoint that Paul finally understands and it’s this attitude and viewpoint that we are to understand. No matter what things cause us to worry; no matter what our situation; we are to not only be content with things, but we are to be thankful for that fact that they are even as good as they are. All that we are and all that we have, comes from God. Everything that we claim as our own, the things that we have earned, are gifts; gifts given to us out of nothing other than grace. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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