Philippians 4
14 Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress.
15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.
16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.
17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.
18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you.
22 All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar's household.
23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
In the final words from the book of Philippians, the Apostle Paul teaches us about generosity. The generosity that he writes about is a generosity that is not based on a sense of obligation or compulsion. Let me remind you of what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians.
2 Corinthians 9:7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
As we look at what Paul writes about generosity I don’t want you to see this as manipulation to take up an offering this morning. Let’s look at genuine, true, sincere generosity.
Generosity…the real deal
1. Generosity is always the right thing
Philippians 4:14 Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress.
Paul let them know that what they did was the right thing to do…and a generous act is always the right thing!
Listen to Jesus’ response to a generous act.
Matthew 26
6 And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper,
7 a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table.
8 But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste?
9 For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor."
10 But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me.”
Listen to the way the New International Version translates this:
“Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.” -NIV
Paul commends them for doing the right thing. There are some times that things are in our heart, but we don’t have the opportunity to do. Listen to something Solomon said:
2 Chronicles 6:8 “But the LORD said to my father David, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well in that it was in your heart.”
Even though David didn’t get to build the temple, he still did a generous act.
1 Chronicles 29
1 Furthermore King David said to all the assembly: "My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced; and the work is great, because the temple is not for man but for the LORD God.
2 Now for the house of my God I have prepared with all my might: gold for things to be made of gold, silver for things of silver, bronze for things of bronze, iron for things of iron, wood for things of wood, onyx stones, stones to be set, glistening stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and marble slabs in abundance.
3 Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, my own special treasure of gold and silver:
4 three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses;
5 the gold for things of gold and the silver for things of silver, and for all kinds of work to be done by the hands of craftsmen.
Listen to what was written later
1 Kings 7:51 So all the work that King Solomon had done for the house of the LORD was finished; and Solomon brought in the things which his father David had dedicated: the silver and the gold and the furnishings. He put them in the treasuries of the house of the LORD.
A generous act is always the right act.
Generosity…the real deal
2. Generosity seeks opportunities
Philippians 4:15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.
When Paul wrote to Timothy, he spoke to him about how to speak to those who are rich.
1 Timothy 6
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,
19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
There were a couple of key words there “be rich in good works/ready to give/willing to share. They are able, now they need to be ready and willing! What made the church in Philippi so unique was the fact that they sought opportunity to be generous with Paul and they asked him about giving and receiving. Listen to how Paul commended the church at Philippi to the church at Corinth.
2 Corinthians 11:9 And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied.
Their generosity enabled Paul to minister freely to others. Generosity seeks opportunity.
Generosity…the real deal
3. Generosity never stops
Philippians 4:16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.
Generosity is not one and done. It is not a matter of doing something once and you will never do it again. The writer of Hebrews speaks of continuing in generosity.
Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Solomon gave us some advice about continuing in generosity.
Proverbs 11
24 There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty.
25 The generous soul will be made rich,
And he who waters will also be watered himself.
Even though you may not see immediate results, keep doing!
Ecclesiastes 11:1
Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.
Listen to Paul’s words from Galatians 6.
Galatians 6
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Never stop being generous!
Generosity…the real deal
4. Generosity will be rewarded
Philippians 4:17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.
God’s word tells us that you will be greatly blessed for being generous!
Proverbs 3
9 Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
God will give you an overflowing abundance!
Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.
Don’t constantly be looking over your shoulder expecting something terrible to happen to you.
Proverbs 19:17 He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, and He will pay back what he has given.
When you give you are lending to the Lord.
Proverbs 22:9 He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor.
You can count on God blessing your for your generosity.
Generosity…the real deal
5. Generosity is pleasing in God’s sight
Philippians 4:18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus
Paul spoke about us being a fragrance to God in 2 Corinthians
2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
We want to do things that are pleasing to God.
1 Peter 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
The generous sacrifices we make are pleasing to the Father.
Hebrews 13:16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Generosity…the real deal
6. Generosity opens the door to heaven’s supply
Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
When you are generous, God will provide for you personally. I love the description of God’s provision for the Israelites.
Deuteronomy 8
2 And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
3 So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.
4 Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years.
God provided for all of the needs of the Israelites. He protected and provided for them every day. This is why David could begin Psalm 23 with the words:
The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want. -Psalms 23:1
God is able to give you plenty, regardless of economic condition!
2 Corinthians 9
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
Your generosity opens the door to heaven’s supply.
Paul concludes his letter with these words:
20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you.
22 All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar's household. (Caesar Nero was probably the most evil and wicked of all those who ruled the Roman Empire, but it sounds like there were those around him who were true believers)
23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Paul began this letter by speaking to them of grace, and he concludes it with the same thought.
Let’s look one more time at what we learned about generosity
Generosity…the real deal
1. Generosity is always the right thing
2. Generosity seeks opportunities
3. Generosity never stops
4. Generosity will be rewarded
5. Generosity is pleasing in God’s sight
6. Generosity opens the door to heaven’s supply