Grace Comes Full Circle

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” (Philippians 4:23).

All great stories finish where they started. The end of the movie or book wraps up with a strong connection to the opening scene. Everything that’s happened to the main character in the beginning has a whole new meaning in light of all that’s occurred. Think about Rosebud in “Citizen Cane”. There’s the box of chocolates in “Forrest Gump”. How about the opening and closing cemetery scenes in “Saving Private Ryan”? 

Our man Paul loves ending his letters in the same place he starts them. Philippians is certainly no exception. Once again, he bookends his note with God’s amazing grace. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” (v23). The very last verse mirrors the opening lines. “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:3).  Bookends of grace. That only makes sense. God’s glorious Gospel starts with grace and it ends with grace. The apostle wants us to know that Jesus’ grace always comes full circle. What goes around comes around.

Paul kicks off every single letter with greetings of grace. And he ends each one with more of the same. Every. Single. One. Don’t believe me? Let’s take a quick tour just to be sure. 

Romans 1:7 and 16:20. 

1 Corinthians 1:3 and 16:23. 

2 Corinthians 1:2 and 13:14.

Galatians 1:3 and 6:18.

Ephesians 1:2 and 6:24.

Colossians 1:2 and 4:18.

Philippians 1:2 and 4:23.

1 Thessalonians 1:1 and 5:28.

2 Thessalonians 1:2 and 3:18.

1 Timothy 1:2 and 6:21.

2 Timothy 1:2 and 4:22.

Titus 1:4 and 3:15.

Philemon 3 and 25.

Be sure this is no quick cut-and-paste. The apostle isn’t wasting his time with some generic throw-away filler. One reason is that each and every word of Scripture is inspired by God’s Spirit (2Tim 3:16). Second, you didn’t just swing by Office Max for a pack of the papyrus used by authors like Paul in the first century. He’s not just scribbling randomly. There’s no waste when it comes to grace.

So just what is this grace that he talks so much about? The Greek word is charis, which means undeserved kindness, goodwill, and favor. The best way to try and wrap your brain around it is as a totally unexpected gift. It’s God’s blessing from the blindside. Grace is so surprising because we’re so rebellious. It all started when our first parents fell for the lie of a satanic snake (Gen 3:1-7). We continued our terrorist campaign against God’s kingdom throughout the centuries (Rom 5:10; Col 1:21). That’s when the craziest thing happened. Instead of dropping His divine hammer and putting a stop to this ridiculous revolt, He sent His sinless Son to rescue us and bring us into His family (Jn 3:16; Rom 5:8). We did nothing to deserve to be saved. As a matter of fact, someone once said the only thing we bring to our salvation is the sin that makes it necessary. A great definition of grace is God’s descending one-way love. 

Yeah, so grace is a big deal. A VERY big deal. Paul wants us to never forget where we would be without God’s overwhelming and undeserved goodness headed in our direction. But notice the subtle difference from the apostle’s grace greeting at the beginning of this letter (and others) with what he writes here at the close. The epistle lifts off with “grace TO you” (Phil 1:2) and lands with “grace…WITH your spirit” (v23). Grace comes TO us. Grace stays WITH us. And that’s EXACTLY how it works in every one of Paul’s letters. Grace TO you. Grace WITH you. Feel free to check those verses I listed above. I’ll wait right here.

The apostle opens each letter by personally delivering the grace of Jesus. Then he signs off reminding us of the overwhelming goodness from God to us in Christ that never ends. Grace TO us. Grace WITH us. It’s this mind-bending benevolence that rescues us in the first place. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9). Once God overwhelms us with His grace and uses His kindness to turn us back to Him (Rom 2:4), all we do is place our trust in who Jesus is and what He’s done for us. He lived the perfect life of obedience to God’s Law we failed to live. He died the death for our sin we should have died. He rose to new life we don’t deserve. By placing our faith in Jesus, we embrace His grace. 

Christ’s grace is to “be with your spirit” (v23). The Greek word here (Gr. pneuma) basically means breath or wind. Think pneumatic. More specifically, Paul is talking about our very life spirit and the immaterial part of our human personality (Lk 8:55; Acts 18:25; 1Cor 5:3; 2Cor 7:1). Remember that God created us in His image (Gen 2) and He Himself is spirit (Jn 4:24). In a letter to the church in Rome, the apostle says our own soul/spirit connects with the indwelling Spirit of God in such a way that we know without a shadow of a doubt that we’re God’s very own kids (Rom 8:16). In other words, God’s grace goes deep inside us and touches us in a powerful way. Jesus doesn’t apply it topically. Or as the Message so wonderfully crafts this verse, “Receive and experience the amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, deep, deep within yourselves” (v23 The Message).

Everything starts with grace. It ends with grace. Just like it does in Paul’s letters, God’s goodness bookends our lives. It goes deep into your very soul and impacts every aspect of your life. Because of His grace, I love because I’ve been loved. Because of His grace, I give because I’ve been given. Because of His grace, I serve because I’ve been served. It starts with grace. It ends with grace. Once the goodness of Jesus pours into my life, it has to flow out. You see, grace always comes full circle. What goes around comes around.

Making Father God Famous Forever

“To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen” (Philippians 4:20).

The latest Hollywood blockbuster is about to premiere. The next hot project from your favorite artist is about to drop. These are times when the PR blitz really gets rolling. Folks involved do everything they can to get the word out. TV interviews. Media tours. Talk show appearances. Email blasts. Social media campaigns. For a few days or weeks, it’s everywhere. You can’t avoid it. But suddenly, it’s over and becomes yesterday’s news. The fame fizzles. 

God has a completely different kind of media campaign. According to Paul, God’s glory never stops. Near the end of his letter to the church back in Philippi, the apostle lets us know God’s push for prominence has legs. It’s long lasting. His fame goes on and on and on and on. “To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen” (v20). You can’t stop it. You can’t even hope to contain it. Why doesn’t His fame ever fade? Because He’s the only One truly worthy of the spotlight. He’s the only One who truly deserves the applause. He’s the only One truly worthy of the standing O. Giving Him glory means making God the Father famous forever. Period.

After thanking God for His overwhelming fire hose of grace (Phil 4:19), Paul can’t write another word without celebrating. He doesn’t want anyone to misunderstand the source of this lavish love. The result is this direct response to His jaw-dropping goodness. The apostle’s words here are what smart dudes in seminaries call a doxology. When I was a kid growing up in a Southern Baptist church, the doxology was the song everybody sang from memory when the ushers carried those plates full of cash back to the pastor. But it’s a whole lot more than a 20-second tune after the offering. 

Doxology literally means “glory words.” We see them all throughout Scripture (Lk 2:14; Rom 11:36; 16:27; Gal 1:4-5; 1Tim 1:17; 1Pet 4:11; Jude 25; Rev 1:6; Rev 7:12). When Paul cuts loose with these words of glory about the goodness of God, it’s nothing like the drone I heard in church as a child. He’s so excited about what Christ is doing, he can’t contain himself. This little letter his friends in Philippi is all about his joy in Jesus. According to Bengel, “The doxology flows out of the joy of the whole epistle.” The man from Tarsus may have spent the past five years behind bars, but that can’t rip the joy of Jesus from his heart. As a matter of fact, it’s this joy of the Lord that gives him the strength to endure no matter his situation (Neh 8:9; Phil 4:11-13).

So just what is this glory Paul’s so excited about? Let’s dig into the original language. “Glory” is the Greek word doxa. which means splendor, brightness, brilliance, magnificence, excellence, splendor, or grandeur. It’s what puts the doxa in our doxology! You can be sure the apostle doesn’t throw this term around willy nilly. And why would he? He’s a eyewitness of Jesus’ glory. He’ll never forget the day he was blindsided by the resurrected Rabbi/Carpenter just outside of Damascus. Christ’s appearance was so dazzling that “I could not see because of the brightness (Gr. doxa) of the light” (Acts 22:11). That’s what happens when you catch a glimpse of God’s glory. It’s like looking into a spotlight. 

We read about this supernatural shimmering just about every time God pulls back the curtain of heaven. Just ask the shepherds outside Bethlehem the night Jesus was born (Lk 2:9). How about the time Christ took His inner circle up to the mountain? Not only does Jesus suddenly start to glow, but Moses and Elijah “appeared in glory (Gr. doxa)” (Lk 9:29-32). Jesus tells His posse that the world won’t miss His spectacular return because of His glittering glory.(Mt 24:30; 25:31; Mk 8:38; 13:26; Lk 9:26; 21:27). 

But the glory of God isn’t just about what we see, it’s about what we feel. The Hebrew word in the OT for “glory” is kavod. It carries the idea of weight or heaviness. To experience the glory of God is feel the weight and importance of God. To know His glory is to be under His heaviness. Jonathan Edwards writes that God’s glory is the weight of all He is. C.S. Lewis’ book “The Weight of Glory” goes into great detail about our response to the load of God’s incredible love for us. His grace has gravitas.

Paul doesn’t want us to miss the fact that God the Father’s glory goes on “forever and ever” (v20). He uses the little Greek word aion not once but twice. It’s a time term that means era, age, or eternity. We get our English word eon (or aeon) from it. For geologists, this is the longest continual measure of time. Astronomers define one billion years as an eon. But these scientists still don’t have a clock that will last long enough to count God’s glory. The era of God’s glory is forever. And ever. And ever. And ever. His publicity blitz never ends.

The apostle ends this never-ending doxology with “amen” (v20). For the longest time, I this was simply the way to sign off our prayers. Basically the divine equivalent to “over and out” on a walkie talkie. But this incredibly underrated word has rich implications. “Amen” means truly, so be it, certainly, let it be, this is indeed true, or that’s the way it should be. Today we might say things like “You got that right!” or “Dang straight!” or “Word!” Paul wants his friends back in Philippi to know that giving Father God all the applause for all time is the way things should be. The resurrected Jesus describes Himself as the ultimate “Amen” (Rev 3:14). When you say “Jesus,” you’ve said it all. “Amen” is a first century mic drop.

So what’s the point? What does this have to do with me? Am I supposed to do something with all this? Paul wants us to know that God the Father is forever famous. The question isn’t whether we’ll make Him famous. He’s going to get His glory. The only question is how we do it. Here’s the deal. Everything single stinking in the universe shines the spotlight on His goodness. Will I make God famous through my worship of Him? Or will I make Him look awesome through my sin and disobedience? Just in case you don’t think that’s possible just take a quick look back a Calvary. Father God took the murder of His sinless Son and transformed it into the most glorious moment in the history of the universe. He’s going to get the glory. And He’s going to get it forever. Period.

Here’s where the rubber meets the road for Jesus’ followers. When we give God the glory, it’s a good thing for us. We’re blessed that whatever brings God glory also brings us the most good. R.C. Sproul says, “Because you and I are in Christ Jesus, His glory and our good are linked together. Because we are united with Christ, whatever is for His glory is also for our good. And whatever is for our good is for His glory.” According to John Piper, we’ll find the ultimate satisfaction and happiness when we’re making God famous and finding our total satisfaction in Him. “The pursuit of our interest and happiness is never above God’s, but always in God’s. The most precious truth in the Bible is that God’s greatest interest is to glorify the wealth of His grace by making sinners happy in Him—in Him!” Piper drops the bottom line. “Our interest and His glory are one.” 

So if you and want to experience the overflowing and abundant life that Jesus talks about (Jn 10:10), let’s hop on the bandwagon and give God the glory He rightly deserves. His glory=our good. His fame rolls on and on and on. It’s not some short term publicity campaign that’s gone in a few weeks. The Message really sums up this idea. “Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity. Yes” (v20 The Message). He’s the only One truly worthy of the spotlight. He’s the only One who truly deserves the applause. He’s the only One truly worthy of the standing O. Giving Him glory means making God the Father famous forever. Period.

God's Fire Hose of Grace

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

Too many times my prayers sound like Oliver Twist begging for more gruel. “Please, sir. I want some more.” I’m willing to ask God but for some stupid reason I picture Him as a stingy Mr. Bumble from Charles Dickens’ classic novel. Where did I get this horrible picture of my amazingly generous Heavenly Dad?!? He’s a far cry from some heavenly tightwad who only dolls out room temperature porridge by the thimbleful. 

Here in the closing verses of his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul paints a picture of God’s overwhelming grace to His kids. “And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (v19). This isn’t some kind of twisted fundraising letter from some prosperity gospel televangelist promising you a six-figure salary if you just send him a check for his new private jet. Far from it. This is a letter from a prisoner in Rome (Phil 1:7, 13) to one of the most broke congregations around (2Cor 8:1-2). 

Now read this verse one more time. God won’t just give you a little bit here and there. He’ll “supply EVERY need” (v19 emphasis added). And He’s not looking at a limited budget during financial crisis. He’ll make it happen “according to His RICHES in glory” (v19 emphasis added). It’s just another stunning example of one of the Bible’s mega-themes. Paul desperately wants us to know and experience God’s mind-blowing generosity. When we rely on God, buckle up. He’ll blow us away with His fire hose of grace.

Every. Single. Time.

The man from Tarsus starts off this jaw-dropping idea by pointing back to his intimate and personal relationship with Almighty God. The one behind all this is “my God” (v19). He doesn’t just know a guy. He’s got the Creator of the universe on speed dial. When he writes to his various recipients, Paul always thanks “my God” for his friends and for how the Lord is  working in and through them (Rom 1:8; 1Cor 1:4; Phil 1:3, Phm 4). He’s already made it clear that pursuing anything other than a deeper relationship with Jesus is total waste of time (Phil 3:7-11). For the apostle, He’s “my God” (v19). Are you able to make the same claim? Is Christ your God too? 

Paul’s God is the ultimate source who “will supply every need of yours” (v19). When he talks about this supernatural provision, he’s NOT talking about God dolling out a few bread crumbs or making minimum payments. When we see “supply” in the ESV, the apostle uses the Greek verb plero’o. It means to fill up completely, cause something to become full, and provide the complete amount. We’re talking fill to the top. Supply liberally. Gorge. Stuff. Fill full. To the brim. Overflowing. God is ready and waiting to provide an endless supply. He loves it when His kids belly up to His divine all-you-can-eat buffet.

We’ve just read the very same word in the previous verse. Paul tells his friends back in Philippi “I am well supplied (Gr. plero’o) having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent” (Phil 4:18). Back in the opening moments of this letter, Paul prays that his friends in Philippi will be absolutely “filled (Gr. plero’o) with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:11). He also encourages them to fill his joy to the rim by being united in the Gospel (Phil 2:2). Check out a few other appearances of this fill-it-to-the-brim-and-overflowing verb. Jesus says God’s kingdom is like a net so full of fish it’s about to break (Mt 13:48). When our Savior first pours out His Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the jet engine roar completely filled every corner of the house (Acts 2:2). Sometimes when you go to a wine or beer tasting the amount in your glass barely gets your tongue wet. When God does the pouring, He doesn’t hold anything back. Talk about a generous pour!

One reason for God’s lavishness is His unlimited goodness. He’s able to do this “according to His riches in glory in Jesus Christ” (v18). You see, it’s not up to Paul. And it’s not up to the Philippians. It’s not based on what’s in their checking account or their 401k. The source of this over-the-top supply is God’s glorious riches. If you’ve not been paying attention, let’s take a quick look at His divine portfolio. He owns the universe. Take a look around. If you see it, it’s His. Cattle on a thousand hills, check (Ps 50:10). As a matter of fact, He owns the hill the herd is standing on (Lev 25:23). He also holds the minerals rights to His creation (Hag 2:8). Just in case you something might slip through the divine cracks, King David wrote a hit song about God’s total ownership (Ps 24:1). And if you’re a follower of Jesus, He paid a high price for you too (1Cor 6:19-20). So it’s not like He’s running out of grace. Jesus isn’t worried about having too much month left at the end of His money. There’s no budget crisis when it comes to Christ. And He’s ready to share. He wants to make His endless resources available to you and me.

This verse is STRONGLY related to Paul’s earlier statement about how he’s learned the secret of surviving and thriving in any and all situations (Phil 4:11-12). By finding his satisfaction in his Savior, the apostle is like an ATV of contentment. “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). He desperately wants the folks back in Philippi to realize the very same truth. Our incredibly gracious and liberally generous God will absolutely blow our socks off when we find our contentment in Christ.

Maybe you’ve still got your doubts about God’s totally reckless generosity. I get it. I’ve been there. But just check out what His Word has to say. The whole deal starts with one of the most over-the-top acts of grace in history. Creation (Gen 1-2). The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are completely and totally satisfied relationally in the Trinity. God certainly didn’t create the universe and humanity in His image because He was bored and lonely. He did it out of His amazing grace.

His radical goodness starts on the opening pages of Scripture and rolls like a tsunami of generosity. David sings, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want…My cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Ps 23:1, 5-6). Later the same king cranks up another rock anthem about the party at God’s house. “They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your delights” (Ps 36:8).

God’s one-way love we call grace keeps flowing into the New Testament with the gift of His Son on our behalf (Jn 3:16). Jesus told His followers that if you really want to see His Dad get crazy with His goodness, start being generous yourself. “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put in your lap” (Lk 6:38). Our Savior didn’t come to put us on a tight budget of limited resources. “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10).

This is all part of God’s incredibly promiscuous plan to save you and me. Almighty God doesn’t use threats to soften our rebel hearts. It’s His incredible kindness that leads you and me to repentance (Rom 2:4). Once our Heavenly Dad entices us back into relationship with Him through His Son, He doesn’t suddenly cut us off. “He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?” (Rom 8:32). And His grace just keeps on coming. “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2Cor 9:8). At one point, Paul seems to give up trying to write about God’s overwhelming grace because he can’t wrap his feeble brain around it. “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the work within us” (Eph 3:20). 

Paul wants us to know God is anything but Mr. Bumble. He’s NOT greedy. He’s NOT stingy. As a matter of fact, He’s anything but!! You see, when we rely on God, buckle up. He’ll blow us away with His fire hose of grace.

Every. Single. Time.

The Sweet Smell of Sacrifice

“I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18).

Men have a strange and wonderful relationship with cologne. It all started back when they were teenagers. Sometime around middle school, they actually want to be around girls and not keep them out of the treehouse. That’s also when they start using cologne for the first time. It usually starts with a quick splash of Dad’s Old Spice. But things escalate quickly. Before you know it, we buy our first bottle of Brut. That’s also when we guys buy into the lie that if a little smells good then a lot oughta be GREAT! (Hopefully, you’re not a middle age man and just hearing this for the first time!) The result is their aroma arrives about five minutes before we do. We also have a radioactive afterlife of almost an hour. Our aroma may be fragrant. But it is neither acceptable or pleasing.

In chapter four of his letter to his friends back in Philippi, Paul lets them know exactly what sort of fragrance God loves. “I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God” (v18). No, the Philippians didn’t send him a bottle of Drakkar Noir or Axe Body Spray. They’ve dug deep in order to provide their founding pastor some practical help during his time behind bars. The result is a beautiful aroma that rises all the way to God’s nostrils in heaven. And He absolutely loves it. You see, there’s no sweeter smell to Jesus than when we sacrifice for others. What's that cologne you're wearing? Is that "Acceptable Offering"?

In many ways, this book is actually Paul’s thank you note to a little church he started a few years back. When he and his crew first rolled into this Macedonian seaport and began telling everyone about Jesus, things got crazy very quickly. His personal physician Dr. Luke writes all about it (Acts 16:12-40). The story includes a fashionista named Lydia, a demon-possessed girl who’s a victim of human trafficking, and a brutal prison guard. Throw in a citywide riot, a little torture, a dungeon, some midnight worship in the cellblock, an violent earthquake, a prison break, and a suicide attempt. I’m telling you, you REALLY need to read your Bible! There’s some whacky stuff in there!! When you Google “how to start a church,” this probably wouldn’t be the model you’d follow. But God uses the apostle to plant the first fellowship in Europe. 

When these Philippian believers get wind that Paul’s doing time in Caesar’s Supermax, they send their man Epaphroditus to Rome with a care package. He writes and thanks them, “I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus fate gifts you sent” (v18). Earlier in this letter, the apostle expresses his sincere appreciation for sending the Big E to his side. Now it’s time for him to go home. “I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need” (Phil 2:25). The Philippians didn’t just sacrifice to send this man to Paul, it almost cost him his life! “He nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me” (Phil 2:29). Now that Epaphroditus’ has recovered, the apostle stuffs this note of thanks into his pocket and sends him home.

A quick read of verse 18 might lead you to believe the Philippians gave Paul a bottle of Polo. He talks about how they’ve sent him “a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God” (v18). The original Greek language here centers on the sense of smell. “Fragrant” is osme, which means odor, fragrance, and a sweet-smelling scent. Remember Mary’s extravagant act of worship for Jesus? She took a bottle of designer fragrance she had been saving and dumped it all over Christ. She “anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance (Gr. osme) of the perfume” (Jn 12:3). Imagine the beautiful bouquet in that house! 

Next the ESV translators use “offering,” but it’s actually another word (Gr. euodia) that makes you want to take a whiff of a sweet aroma. Interestingly, the other times we see this term in the NT, it’s always associated with a sacrificial act of worship. In his note to the Ephesian church, Paul says that Jesus’ love for us by offering Himself in our place is “a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Eph 5:2). And we see how God spreads the scent of our Savior everywhere we go. “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance (Gr. osme) of the knowledge of Him everywhere. For we are the aroma (Gr. euodia) of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance (Gr. osme) from death to death, to the other a fragrance (Gr. osme) from life to life” (2Cor 2:14-16). The next time someone asks you what cologne you’re wearing, just say “Jesus.”

Unlike a teenage boy headed to a date, this particular aroma won’t choke a mule. It’s “a sacrifice acceptable to God” (v18). He actually LOVES the smell of the Philippians’ gift to Paul. When we give a present to someone, we always hope that it’s appropriate. We go out of our way to make sure it’s the right size and right color. Well, when we give sacrificially to help others, it’s always an appropriate gift to God. Giving to others is actually an act of worship. By giving to others, we actually are giving to God. Don’t believe me? Jesus told His posse that when we reach out and do something for those on the fringes of society, we’re actually doing it for Him even when we don’t realize it (Mt 25:35-40).

The Old Testament is full of sacrifices that smell great to God (Gen 8:20-21; Ex 29:18; Lev 1:9, 13, 17). The prophet Micah makes it clear that the Lord’s not looking for a barbecue grill full of steaks and burnt offerings (Mic 6:6-7). “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Mic 6:8). Doing justice and loving kindness means doing for those who need help. On this side of the cross, we’re able to offer spiritual sacrifices that please God because of who Jesus is and what He’s done (1Pet 2:5). As a matter of fact, the writer of Hebrews directly connects many of the big ideas in the OT with Jesus and His followers. He says NT believers offer sacrifices similar to those at the temple. “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God” (Heb 13:16). He just loves the sweet smell of sacrifice.

Grown men learn to go easy on the cologne (hopefully). Paul says we don’t have to worry about putting on too much when it comes to a pleasing aroma to God. We can splash on all the sacrifice or giving we’ve got. Our Savior offered Himself for you and me. His Dad absolutely LOVED it! Feel free to splash on as much as you want. Go crazy. Our Heavenly Father can’t get enough of the sweet smell of sacrifice. What's that cologne you're wearing? Is that "Acceptable Offering"?

The Blessing Blocker

“Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit” (Philippians 4:17).

Ever known somebody who doesn’t get it? No, I don’t mean a person who doesn’t understand your dazzling wit or how to work the cable remote. I’m talking about somebody who simply refuses to receive something offered. A friend wants to help them out but instead of accepting their offer, they give it a stiff arm that would make the Heisman Trophy proud. They don’t get it because they won’t get it.

Accepting assistance can be hard. Nobody likes admitting they need help. We like to show the world just how tough and self-sufficient we are. When sucker punched by circumstances, there’s this weird game we play where we act like we’re some bizarre combo of Bear Grylls, MacGyver, and Rocky Balboa. I’ll show everyone how I can survive all on my own. I’m sure I can disarm this nuclear warhead with a thumbtack and drier lint. I believe I can go the distance if Mickey will just cut my eyes. I don’t need help. I got this. 

If anybody had the right to refuse help it was the Apostle Paul. The guy is an absolute spiritual stud. We’re talking about the person that God used to write most of the New Testament. Have you read his bio (2Cor 11:23-28)? Scourged by the religious police not once, but FIVE times. Beaten with rods three different times. Nearly rocked to sleep with real rocks. A three-time shipwreck survivor. Spent more nights behind bars than he can count. I’m telling you, the dude is nails. 

If that doesn’t convince you he doesn’t need your help, Paul tells his friends back in Philippi that he’s figured out the secret of satisfaction in every situation. Thanks to his trust in Jesus, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). Sure sounds like a guy who doesn’t need a cotton pickin’ thing from anyone. Not from you. Not from me. Not from the Philippians. Not so fast.

Despite the apostle’s contentment in Christ, he readily accepts the care package delivered from the Philippians when Epaphroditus came to visit him in a Roman prison (Phil 2:25; 4:18). As a matter of fact, they have a long-running relationship of supporting the man from Tarsus as he tours the Mediterranean Rim telling folks about Jesus (Phil 4:15-16). Here in chapter four, Paul tells us that one of big reasons he readily receives support from the Philippians is for the blessing the givers are going to get from giving. “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit” (v17). It’s not being selfish but being selfless. God does crazy stuff when we’re crazy generous. He loves to bless the one doing the blessing.

Paul makes it clear he wasn’t dropping hints to the folks of the Philippian church for help. “Not that I seek the gift” (v17). No passive aggressive ploys from the apostle. You know exactly what I’m talking about, don’t you? I’m pretty sure I would give anyone who would listen all sorts of not-so-subtle messages. “Do I need anything? No, I’m fine. Really. I’ve really come to enjoy my cold, dark dungeon. All the long, lonely months have given me time to catch up on writing the Bible. Some folks might be upset about the total lack of food. Not me. I’m back to my high school playing weight! I may be cold, lonely, and hungry, but I’m fine. Really, I’m fine.” I’m sure you’ve never resorted to such disgusting manipulation. Yeah, I didn’t think so.

You see, this isn’t about what Paul can get the Philippians. It’s all about what the Philippians will get from God. “But I seek the fruit that increases to your credit” (v17). The word translated as “fruit” (Gr. karpos) can actually just as easily be read as “profit.” The apostle talks like a certified financial planner to his client about building up their 401k. Instead of piling up cash for retirement, he’s all about helping his friends pile up God’s blessings. And the key to growing the Philippians’ profit is through the Philippians’ own generosity. Could Paul turn down their gift? Sure, he could. But he would be standing in the way God’s blessing to the funky church back in Macedonia.

So just how big a blessing are we talking about here? The apostle is looking for a supernatural windfall for his friends. He’s all about a profit “that increases your credit” (v17). Paul uses a Greek verb (Gr. pleonazo) that means to be more than enough, greatly abound, or overflow. In a letter to another Macedonian church just down the road in Thessalonica, he’s incredibly thankful to God at how “your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing (Gr. pleonazo)” (2Th 1:3). This isn’t a microscopic increase. You don’t have to squint to see the growth. It’s over the top and overflowing profit. It’s been super sized. God has decided to “go large” in His blessing to the Philippians because of their generosity. 

Paul wants us to see that God’s economy turns everything upside down. It’s not about being selfish, but selfless. This is not about what I can get. It’s about what I can get…for YOU. By receiving the generous gift from the Philippians, whether he truly needs it or not, the apostle understands he’s playing a key role in building their spiritual account (Prov 11:24-25; 19:17; Lk 6:38; 2Cor 9:6). Jesus calls this storing up “treasures in heaven” (Mt 6:20). It’s the gift of receiving. When the giver gives generously and the receiver receives gratefully, the Lord flips it around by turning His firehose of grace back on the ones who gave in the first place. Paul may not have asked for this gift, but he’s certainly not blocking their blessing. 

It’s just one more demonstration of how the Gospel does some absolutely whacky stuff for you and me. It’s a reminder of our spiritual condition before Jesus came to the rescue. We try to do it alone. We try to save ourselves. We spend our lives working our tails off to try and follow the rules to earn God’s approval. But we can’t. He demands perfection. That’s where Christ comes in. He lives the perfect life we failed to live. He dies the death for our sin we should have died. He rises to new life we don’t deserve.  Only when we humbly receive what Jesus has done for us do we gain entry into God’s kingdom. 

As a Pharisee, Paul spent his early life trying to dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s of the Old Testament’s rules and regs. Eventually he came to the difficult realization that his religious resume was no better than a big steaming pile (Phil 3:8). He came to learn the only thing to do is admit we all need a Savior and position ourselves under the waterfall of His grace. It’s only when he accepted outside help from Jesus that he received God’s ultimate blessing.

So how about you? Do you see yourself as you a stud of self-sufficiency? Do you continually turn down offers of help because you’re determined to relationally live off the grid? Have you ever considered how you’re impacting the lives of those around us? When we accept assistance, God allows us to play a critical part in His blessing of the giver. Whether we need it or not. Take a lesson from Paul. Don’t be a blessing blocker. 

Philippian Philanthropy

“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 needs once and again” (Philippians 4:15-16).

Sometimes help comes from the most unexpected places. Somebody who would never imagine comes through in just the right way and at just the right time. Paul knows all about that. The Roman colonial seaport of Philippi may be in his rearview mirror, but the support of the local believers continues to drop in his lap. These brand new followers of Jesus aren’t exactly rolling in cash. Despite their poverty, they bankroll the apostle’s Good News road trip. Call it Philippian philanthropy. They give so much because they’ve been given so much. 

Paul begins by flipping back through the scrapbook and remembering those crazy days when he first rolled into Philippi. “And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the Gospel” (v15). This was during his second Mediterranean tour and the first time anyone in Europe ever hears about Jesus. Breaking news! The God of Israel is now throwing the doors open to His kingdom to the entire world, not just the Jewish people. Dr. Luke wrote all about how the time Jesus used the Gospel to turn Philippi upside down in his sequel we call the book of Acts (Acts 16:12-40).

Think about the Gospel Paul brought to Macedonia for just a minute. God makes salvation available to anyone and everyone by placing your trust in the resurrected Rabbi/Carpenter from the boondocks of Galilee. Jesus lived the perfect life of obedience to God’s commandments that we failed to live. He died the brutal death for our sin we should have died. He rose to jaw-dropping new life we don’t deserve. The risen Christ gives us what we could never ever dream of getting for ourselves. That’s the “beginning of the Gospel” and 2,000 years later, it hasn’t stopped. 

Yeah, it was a whole scene in Philippi. Conversions. Riots. Public flogging. A supernatural prison break. Even a bizarre confrontation between Paul and city officials where the apostle demanded public ceremony as his team left town. But Paul’s connection to the Philippian church didn’t end the day he packed up and hit the road. “When I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you” (v15). You see, the goofy little church in Philippi had Paul’s back like no other.

They give. They receive. By writing “giving (Gr. doseus) and receiving (Gr. lempseus)” (v15), the apostle uses financial terminology. He’s describing debit and credit. He’ll use that same language a little later in verse 17. Think QuickBooks. Picture a spreadsheet. Dave Ramsey would be proud. If the apostle was keeping a profit-and-loss statement for churches who provided financial support, he only had to keep one at this point. They do it out of gratitude. They do it out of love. Paul says this is the only kind of debt we should have. “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law” (Rom 13:8). The fellowship at Philippi stood alone. Later, the Thessalonians and Bereans also gave significant cash to the cause (2Cor 11:8-9).

Their financial support continued to flow “even in Thessalonica” (v16). This was Paul’s next church-planting stop after leaving Philippi (Acts 17:1-10). Apparently things blew up after just three weeks of telling Thessalonian Jews that Jesus is indeed the Messiah they’ve been waiting for. Some believed, including many Gentiles as well as a significant number of powerful women. However numerous Thessalonian Jews didn’t buy what he was selling. Think Ferguson. Think Baltimore. As a result, the city erupted in mob violence and rioting with vigilante Jews going house to house, hunting down Jesus’ followers. Thessalonian believers were able to slip the apostle out of town one night down the road to Berea. 

During the those dangerous days in Thessalonica riots, the little Philippian church provided significant financial support to Paul. They “sent me help for my needs once and again” (v16). The money flowed from Philippi to their founding pastor not once, but twice. The apostle kept moving. The Gospel kept spreading. The money kept flowing. During his legendary stop in Athens and his amazing message on Mars Hill, the Philippians had his back. During his 18 months in Corinth, the Philippians had his back. And it’s not like they’re rolling in the cash. Their support for the apostle and his road trip was a huge sacrifice. In one of his letters to the Corinthians, he describes how the Macedonian churches’ poverty didn’t stop their generosity (2Cor 8:1-3). 

Macedonian tour stops include places like Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. Jesus uses Paul and his posse to plant churches in each of these cities. After that, the apostle headed south on the Grecian Peninsula to the Athens and eventually Corinth (Acts 17:6-18:18). While the names of the cities continue to change as the Gospel tsunami washes across the Mediterranean Rim, there’s one constant. God’s love and support for Paul through the Philippians. And nobody saw the philanthropy of the Philippians coming. 

The Philippians give because God has given so much to them. Our incredibly giving God has placed them under the waterfall of His grace and they know it. He gave us His Son (Jn 3:16). His Son gave us His life (1Jn 3:16). He gave us His Spirit (Jn 14:16-18, 26; 15:26; 1Jn 4:13). God is remaking us in His image. There is no great Giver in the history of the universe. He’s making each one of us into overflowing givers too. 

The Philippians get that. How about you? Stop and think for just a moment just how amazingly generous God has been to you. As the old hymn says, “Count your blessings, name them one by one.” Do a little accounting of God’s goodness in your life. Family. Job. Health. Home. Church. I don’t know about you, but it sure seems like I’ve been on the receiving end of the firehose of His grace. I can’t help but give because I’ve been given SO much! That’s what it means to be a giver. I’m to be generous with my money. I’m to be generous with my time. I’m to be generous with my talents. And if you knew me a few years back, you would have never seen that coming. Talk about help from an unexpected source.

The Philippian Rickroll

“Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble” (Philippians 4:14).

Nobody likes to be under pressure. Oh, there are a few people who perform well when the chips are down. Let’s be honest, there’s not a person on the planet who has a smile on their face when they suffering is inevitable. We’ve given it a variety of names. Oppression. Affliction. Distress. Misery. Hardship. No matter what we call it, it’s still unwelcome and unwanted. 

Yet here’s the deal when we’re in the meat grinder of life. It reveals who are true friends are. It sorts out who’s really standing by our side. Remember the words of Ulysses Everett McGill in “O Brother Where Art Thou?”. “I guess hard times flush the chumps.” Let’s face facts. Life is anything but rainbows, unicorns, and an endless supply of Skittles. It’s hard. Sometimes VERY hard. When you get the crap kicked out of you, who’s there to pick you back up? 

Paul knows about pressure. He writes his letter to the church in Philippi from a cellblock of Caesar’s Supermax in Rome (Phil 1:7, 17). All indications are that he’s been locked up for about five years. He tells his friends how he’s uncovered the secret of satisfaction no matter his situation (Phil 4:11-12). Because he has everything he’ll ever need in Jesus, no one can ever take away his contentment (Phil 4:13). Because the Philippians have gone out of their to help their brother out (Phil 2:25; 4:18), the apostle wants them to know he’s INCREDIBLY grateful for all they’ve done. “Yet it was very kind of you to share my trouble” (v4). When people put the squeeze on the former Pharisee, he found out quickly that his friends back in Philippi wouldn’t ditch him. They are partners under pressure.

The apostle points out how he didn’t have to do his prison bid all alone. Despite being 800 miles away from their founding pastor, the Philippians “share” in his situation. He uses the Greek verb sugkoinoneo, a compound word that we can literally translate as teammates together. It describes how we participate together in something or take part in a joint activity. This term paints a picture of faithful partnership and sympathetic attitude. 

Think of a football team. When the opposing receiver beats the cornerback on a deep ball for a touchdown, the entire defense gives up the points. You win as a team. You lose as a team. That’s exactly how Paul sees his relationship with his brothers and sisters back in Macedonia. They win together. They lose together. They are his teammates in spreading the amazing story of Jesus to everyone who will listen. 

The apostle thanks the Philippians for standing strong by his side in “my trouble” (v14). I’m sorry, but “trouble” seems to be a serious understatement of his situation. The Greek word here (Gr. thlipsis) describes intense pressure. This is suffering brought about by outward circumstances. We’re talking affliction, oppression, distress, suffering, and hard times. Remember, Paul is behind bars. We do know that for part of his two years in Rome, he lived under house arrest but was chained to a prison guard (Acts 28:16, 30). But Paul’s still a prisoner who’s feeling the pressure. 

It was just a few years back that Paul was known as Saul and was personally putting the squeeze on the followers of Jesus. The up and coming Jewish superstar from Tarsus ran the coat check table at Stephen’s stoning (Acts 7:58-8:1). He then became a one-man wrecking crew against the Way (Acts 8:3). Dr. Luke uses the very same word when describing “the persecution (Gr. thlipsis) that arose over Stephen” (Acts 11:19). At one point, Saul applies the pressure. It won’t be long before Paul is feeling the pressure. 

But a funny thing happens to the apostle. He comes to understand that God won’t waste one bit of the stress and strain of these hard times on His children. “We rejoice in our sufferings (Gr. thlipsis), knowing that the suffering (Gr. thlipsis) produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom 5:3-5). And a big part of that is because we don’t face it alone. We have partners under pressure.

Long before Rick Astley musically pledged his faithfulness, Paul’s spiritual family showed their love and support over the long haul. “Never gonna give you up. Never gonna let you down. Never gonna run around and desert you. Never gonna make you cry. Never gonna say goodbye. Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you.” Call it the Philippian Rickroll. 

Who’s always there for you and stays there with you? Who’s that friend you always find at your side not just when the bottom falls out but stays out for a long, long time? Turn it around. Are you the one who hangs in there for the long haul? When a buddy finds himself between a rock and a hard place, do you crawl in there with him and stay awhile? 

We do this because Jesus promises to never ditch us or turn His back on us (Mt 28:20). Our Savior didn’t just swing by for a quick drive-by rescue. He’s Immanuel, the God who is with us right here, right now (Mt 1:23). He’s right by our side when we “walk through the valley of the shadow of death” (Ps 23:4). Christ is never gonna give you up. He’s never gonna let you down. Never gonna run around and desert you. He’s your Partner under pressure.

Call it the Philippian Rickroll.

License to Chill

“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” (Philippians 4:12).

James Bond is always trying to get his hands on highly classified files. Jason Bourne is on a one-man mission to find out the mystery of his own identity. Ethan Hunt has accepted the impossible mission of stealing confidential intel from America’s enemies. A secret formula. Launch codes. Blueprints to a covert superweapon. The clock is ticking as these secret agents seek to save the world.

But these covert operatives have nothing on Paul. Forget the Man from U.N.C.L.E. Meet the man from Tarsus. From his prison cell in Caesar’s Supermax, the apostle tells his friends back in Philippi that he’s has the secret they’ve all been looking for. “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” (v12). Forget the microfiche. It’s not on a hard drive. The file isn’t stamped “for your eyes only.” But he’s discovered top secret information that can save every person on the planet.

Like so many spies, Paul finds himself behind bars. You see, once he started spreading the previously classified data about Jesus of Nazareth to everyone who would listen, folks in power tried to shut him up and shut him down. Who he knows and what he knows makes Julian Assange and WikiLeaks look like passing notes in study hall. He’s spent about five years in the slammer waiting to have his appeal heard by Caesar himself. The funny thing is that God has used the apostle’s hard time to share the Good News of the resurrected Rabbi/Carpenter with every corrections officer working in the prison (Phil 1:12-13). As long as he has access to people, Paul is stoked to tell them all about Christ and His amazing grace. 

You may be thinking to yourself that this comparison to covert ops and a first century missionary blown WAY out of proportion. Well, you’re going to have to take that up with Paul. Here in this letter to the Philippian church, he writes about how he’s “learned the secret” (v12). This is actually one itty bitty Greek word (Gr. mueo). It means to learn hidden information through personal experience. The verb actually comes from the same root as musterion that means something hidden or secret. The apostle wants his fellow believers back in Macedonia to know he’s unwrapped the mystery. He now has this critical top secret in his possession. 

This intel is huge. What Paul has isn’t simply a combination to a specific lock to a specific safe. It can be used anytime and anywhere to unlock any situation. “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” (v12). Look at the scope of what the apostle’s found out. It works when he’s in poverty. It works when he’s got more than he can ever use. No matter where you are. No matter what you face. No matter when it is. Whether you have unlimited resources. Whether all you have less than MacGyver’s patented paper clip and chewing gum. Now THAT’S a powerful secret!!

So just what is this highly classified information? Is it some computer code or algorithm that allows you to hack past the firewalls at the NSA? Believe it or not, it’s better than that. The apostle has uncovered the mystery of contentment in Christ. In the previous verse, he made it clear, “For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Phil 4:11). When we find our total satisfaction in our Savior, we can face anything this jacked up and broken world throws our way. And when I say anything, I’m taking Paul at his word. “In any and every circumstance” (v12). That includes downsizing at work. Bankruptcy. Car accident. Loss of a spouse. Even the death of a child. I’m not saying any one of these is not gut-wrenching and heartbreaking. But we don’t have to walk through Death Valley by ourselves because Christ is right there with us (Ps 23:4).

That all sounds nice for Paul but what does he really know about hard times? Oh, I’m SO very glad you asked. First of all, remember that he’s currently writing this letter in lock up. In another correspondence with the church over in Corinth, he gives a long list of what he’s faced (2Cor 11:23-28). Prison. Beatings. Near death experiences. Five floggings. Three canings. Nearly stoned to death. Three shipwrecks. Lost at sea. Do I need to go on? I didn’t think so. And no matter what the situation or circumstance, the apostle had the key to facing it all. Jesus. Nobody could take Him away. Nothing could pry him out of His Savior’s hands. Because of Christ, he could handle anything. Agent 007 may have a license to kill. Paul has a license to chill.

Do you see why this is such critical information to get out to the world? By placing our trust in who Jesus is, what He’s done, and what He’s going to do, we can stand strong and satisfied when the world tosses everything including kitchen sink our way. Let’s face it. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31). There’s absolutely nothing that can keep God’s love from us (Rom 8:37-39). If you’re scoring along at home, that includes death, life, angels, rulers, present circumstances, or future situations. Without Him, we don’t stand a snow ball’s chance. With Him, victory is assured. 

Again, this doesn’t mean life is going to be an endless series of rainbows, unicorns, and butterflies. We live in a broken world. And we’re the ones who broke it. There’s pain all around. There’s suffering around every corner. Disease and death will continue to be all too familiar. But we have the very same secret Paul discovered. We now have access to highly classified information. And now it’s time to share it with the entire world. 

The Ultimate ATV of Contentment

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Philippians 4:11).

Certain vehicles are made for specific situations. A formula one racer rips through the streets of Monaco. Tanks are beasts on the battlefield. The minivan is king of the carpool lane. But there are some vehicles like SUVs and ATVs that are at home no matter where they are. They’re designed to tackle any terrain. 

Human beings are similar. Some folks do very well in specific situations. You may know folks who love living in the lap of luxury (and who wouldn’t?!?). There are others who are right at home with only the most basic of necessities. But there are those special people that thrive no matter what’s in their checking account or 401k.  No matter if they’re living in the ‘burbs or the projects. Whether they’re dining at fine restaurant or hitting the drive-thru. 

Our man Paul is one of those who can not only handle any circumstance life throws his way. “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (v11). You might think that’s easy for some super spiritual preacher man to say. Hey dude, take a spin in my life for a day and see how you like it! Before we throw the apostle under the bus, let’s pump our brakes and take a peak in the rearview mirror for a look at just exactly the life he lived for the Lord. Paul writes this little ditty from prison in Rome. His passion for telling people the awesome news of Jesus got him thrown behind bars about five years before we pick up the action here in this letter. 

He’s not exactly writing to his friends back in Philippi while enjoying a relaxing weekend at the Cove. He’s in the slammer. But because of Jesus, he’s got a supernatural joy in the joint. His relationship with the resurrected Messiah from Nazareth has given him the strength to handle whatever our jacked up world throws his way. Whatever the conditions, whatever the situation, whatever the environment, finds his total satisfaction in Christ. Paul is the ultimate ATV of contentment. He’s satisfied wherever he rolls.

Interestingly, the man from Tarsus is in the middle of writing a thank you note to the Philippian church. They’ve never stopped putting the apostle at the top of their prayer list and waiting to pounce on the opportunity to do something practical for their founding pastor (Phil 1:19; 4:10). They’ve been his teammates in spreading the Good News since the day he met them (Phil 1:5). They’ve been swimming in the deep end of God’s grace pool with him despite being locked up in Caesar’s Supermax (Phil 1:6). A while back, the folks in Philippi sent some cat named Epaphroditus with a care package for their friend in the big house (Phil 2:25). The dude got sick and nearly died (Phil 2:26-30)! Yeah, I think a quick note of thanks is probably in order.

While Paul is incredibly grateful for the practical outpouring of love and support, he wants his readers to know Jesus gives him everything thing he really needs to handle any situation. “Not that I am speaking of being in need” (v11). When the translators of the ESV give us the phrase “being in need,” the original Greek has just one word:  husterisis. It means poverty or lacking in basic essentials. The term literally describes falling short of the leader in a race, being left way behind, or late to the finish line. 

This word only appears one other time in the entire New Testament. Back when Jesus pointed out to His posse a particular woman at the temple who had come to worship. All the rich and famous walked the red carpet for the photo opp of dropping off their offering. Kinda like how you see those goofy ceremonies where someone gets handed the giant check for winning a golf tournament or donating to a telethon. Do they actually sign the back of that massive piece cardboard and cash it at the bank? If so, how do they get it through the drive-thru window? But I digress. In the background of all that look-at-me craziness of the temple offering, Jesus wants His disciples to see a nondescript widow giving God a handful of change. “For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty (Gr. husterisis) has put in everything she had, all she had to live on” (Mk 12:44). She may have fallen behind in the rat race of society, but this woman’s sacrifice has blown away anything brought by the filthy rich (Mk 12:43).   

The apostle wants his readers to know he might be in the pen but he’s not in poverty. “For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (v11). When he says he’s “learned,” Paul drops a word here (Gr. manthano) that means to be taught through practice, discover by experience, or apply what you’ve come to understand. So just what has God brought him through to give him the ability to navigate any terrain like human humvee of contentment? Over in one of his letters to the Corinthian church, he goes into some detail of all potholes he’s faced as he’s told the world about Jesus (2Cor 11:23-29). Prison. Beatings. Near death experiences. Scourged with a cat-o-nine tails five times…if you’re counting (and I WOULD be counting!). Whacked by rods three times. Stoned (with rocks not weed). Shipwrecked not once, not twice, but THREE times. Lost at sea. Constantly in danger. Often without sleep, food, or water. Cold. Homeless. Paul learned to be content in Christ in the school of hard knocks. Because of all that Jesus has done for him, he’s an SUV of satisfaction. He just keeps rolling no matter the road conditions. As a matter of fact, he keeps rolling even when there is NO road!

The author goes out of his way to tell the Philippian church that he’s “content” (v11). When he does, he uses a Greek term (Gr. autarkes) which only shows up once in the Bible. He’s talking about a happy state of mind with what you have. Being satisfied in your circumstances. Having enough. It literally means being self-sufficient. Ancient writers outside the Bible used this word to describe a nation that supplied itself and was independent of importing goods and services. It’s not that Paul didn’t want help. He had a deep appreciation for everything his friends had sacrificed to show them their love and concern. He wants them to know that because of who Jesus is, what He’s done, and what He’s going to do, he’s good to go. 

Life may be a highway, but road conditions are too often smooth and straight. Work zones. Ruts. Rain. Snow. Ice. Debris. If that’s not bad enough, we get t-boned by stuff like death, divorce, diagnosis, and downsizing. There’s only one thing that can handle that kind of terrain. Or I should say one PERSON. That’s the Son of God. Faith in Him allows us to travel the rocky road ahead. He doesn’t magically transport me to some super spiritual superhighway. The way is still impossible and impassible. I can’t do it alone. But with Him I can. As Paul tells his boy Tim, “Godliness with contentment (Gr. autarkeia) is great gain” (1Tim 6:6). The road conditions may be awful but we actually make GREAT time because of our relationship with God.

Here in Philippians 4:11, the apostle gives us the 411 of satisfaction in Jesus. Paul is the ultimate ATV of contentment. He’s satisfied wherever he rolls.

Coming through in the Clutch

“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” (Philippians 4:10).

There are a handful of legendary athletes who’ve earned a rep for coming through in the clutch. When their team needs a big bucket, a big hit, or a big play, they always seem to deliver. Michael Jordan drained one game-winner after another. John Elway had a stranglehold on fourth quarter comebacks. They didn’t call Reggie Jackson “Mr. October” because he loved Halloween. Timing is everything. Big players come through in big moments. 

Paul is absolutely stoked at the clutch performance by the Philippians. “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” (v10). The apostle’s been in the slammer for about five years. He’s not sure when he’s getting out. Things were looking grim. With everything on the line, Jesus uses His church in Philippi to come through in a big way. When the opportunity to help Paul knocked, they answered. They came through in crunch time. You see, timing is everything. Big players come through in big moments.

If you’re just joining us, Paul’s joy in the joint might seem more than a bit bizarre. He drops a baker’s dozen of delight in this letter (Phil 1:3, 18 [twice], 1:25; 2:17, 18, 28, 29; 3:1; 4:1, 4 [twice], 10). The apostle’s pen oozes with joy and it happens one last time here. “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly” (v10). He may be behind bars and behind the eight ball, but he certainly hasn’t given up. In this last mention of his happiness in God, he amps it to the max by using the Greek word megalos. Sounds a lot like some sort of giant creature that attacked Tokyo in a bad sci-fi flick, doesn’t it? It actually means intensely, abundantly, and describes the upper range of the extent. You can literally translate this phrase as “I’m mega-joyful in the Lord” (v10). His joy is maxed out. Or in the words the boys of Spinal Tap, his joy goes to 11. 

What’s got Paul’s joy so jacked? It’s because Jesus has used his funky little church in Philippi to come through for him in the clutch. “Now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had not opportunity” (v10). Don’t make the mistake of thinking his friends forgot all about him for a while and suddenly remembered to give him a shout. Oh my gosh! We’ve really dropped the ball with Paul!! He probably thinks he’s fallen off our radar! Couldn’t be farther from the truth. They’ve never stopped praying for him (Phil 1:19). They’ve never stopped thinking about him (Phil 1:7). They’ve never stopped looking for ways to do something for him.

But because the Philippians are locked and loaded to help Paul, they pull the trigger when given the chance. He describes their concern for him as “revived” (v10). This is the Greek word anathallo, which means to become active again, flourish once more, bloom again. The term literally describes how plants sprout and grow quickly in the springtime. Your garden goes dormant in winter but it doesn’t die. The plants wait for warmer weather and the opportunity to turn green and blossom. Same with the Philippians intense attention on the one God used to originally plant their church. They waited and waited for the right time, wanting to do something for the apostle, like an athlete looking to make a big play in crunch time.

So what exactly have the Philippians done in the clutch to help Paul in prison? Have they helped him cook up an elaborate escape plan to spring him from the slammer? Has somebody baked him a cake with a file in it? No, instead of trying to bust him out, they’ve sent their boy Epaphroditus to be with him (Phil 2:25). The Big E didn’t arrive empty handed. He brought an important care package that Paul calls “a fragrant offering, a sacrifice accepted and pleasing to God” (Phil 4:18). It’s not like Epaphroditus could catch the next Southwest flight from Philippi to Rome either. This trip is 700 miles if going by boat and almost 1,200 miles on land. Just getting there is an adventure. That might explain why the fellow from Philippi got sick and nearly died (Phil 2:27-30)! Throw in the fact that first century prisons are nothing like correctional institutions in 21st century America. No libraries. No weightlifting. Not even any meals. Just a dungeon. If you expect to survive for any length of time, you desperately need outside help. Apparently, this help in the form of Epaphroditus arrived at just the right time. 

You may be wondering what some ancient prison visit has to do with you and me. Oh, I am SO glad you asked! Who’s on your heart? Who needs your help? Who has God placed in your life and put on your mind who’s desperate for an act of grace? Maybe they’ve just been downsized in their career. Maybe their spouse has just ditched them for a newer model. Has bankruptcy blindsided a buddy? They could be standing over the fresh grave of a lost loved one. Is someone close to you aching for a conversation with their estranged child? I may think I’m totally unqualified for Jesus to use me to help. But I would be wrong. In one of his letters to the church in Corinth, Paul writes that God helps us through our mess so that we can pass along that same help to others in their mess (2Cor 1:3-5). 

Maybe you’re not in a position to make the big play right now. In sports, someone who’s not in the game can’t hit the shot or carry the ball. First of all, you’ve got to get in the game! Following Jesus isn’t a spectator sport. Get out of the luxury box and onto the field. God doesn’t need you but your family, friends, and neighbors do. Secondly, even once your in the game, you may not immediately have the chance to make the big play. For instance, you can’t knock down the game-winning bucket if you don’t have the ball. You can’t get the clutch hit when you’re not at the plate. Until then, be ready. Look for your chance. 

The timing has to be right. When opportunity does knock, make a big play. God made THE greatest clutch play of all-time when He sent His Son to save you and me in “the fullness of time” (Gal 4:4). Talk about coming through in crunch time! He did for us what we could never do for ourselves. At the end of the game, Jesus pointed to the scoreboard. “It is finished!” (Jn 19:30). He wins it for you and me in a walk off. Now we have the honor and privilege of being used by Christ in crunch time. Big players come through in big moments.