WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.720 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet 00:00:08.720 --> 00:00:14.640 ! Especially those of Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. 00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:22.960 ! So why am I preaching about contentment? Because Seth divvied out the verses and he thought, 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:29.839 who's the most content person I know? Is that why it's that? No? No, that wasn't why. This is something the 00:00:29.839 --> 00:00:38.880 Lord is dealing with me about. And I have a wanter that gets stuck open sometimes. The throttle just 00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:47.120 gets. I just want, want, want, want. And I have a hard time trusting that the Lord is going to give 00:00:47.120 --> 00:00:56.799 me everything I need. If you ask me, I'd know better in my head. But just my reflex is to want and to look 00:00:56.799 --> 00:01:05.840 into, into grasp, like, just feel like, I use the analogy of a flying spaghetti monster, which is 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:10.879 this thing the new atheists made up about. It's their mockery, but it's us. Like, there's this thing. 00:01:12.399 --> 00:01:17.359 It just wants and it reaches for everything. Just wants to grab onto anything to fill, 00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:27.680 to fill the voids, to make ourselves feel satisfied and content. And it doesn't work. 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:31.600 No, because there's only one, one place that that can be found. 00:01:33.520 --> 00:01:39.280 And Paul gives us, gives us a little bit of that secret. So the vision of God as provider 00:01:39.280 --> 00:01:46.719 in union with Christ, that vision that gives Paul an unshakable confidence and contentedness in any and 00:01:46.719 --> 00:01:53.200 every circumstance. So verse 10, I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length, you have revived your 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:57.600 concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 00:02:01.120 --> 00:02:07.840 So Paul just rejoices so much throughout this whole letter to the Philippians. He loves these guys. 00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:13.920 Whether he was in prison and needed their support or encouragement, doesn't say where he was, but 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:26.239 it's clear he was in chains. And Paul, you don't find any smack of self-pity or discontentedness in any of 00:02:26.239 --> 00:02:32.239 this letter. It's just an overflowing affection. It's a love letter to this church that are like his 00:02:32.239 --> 00:02:33.919 children. He loves them like family. 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:41.519 Yeah, when Paul is engulfed in need, he rejoices that his children are on his side. 00:02:42.079 --> 00:02:48.879 And just thinking about, parents can probably relate, when you see your kids doing something 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:54.399 and they don't need to be doing it, like they're doing it on their own. Like just what a joy that gives to your 00:02:54.399 --> 00:02:59.679 heart when they're obeying from the heart. And especially if they don't know that you're watching, that you're 00:02:59.680 --> 00:03:06.719 observing. Like there's a sweetness to that, that is unique. 00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:15.920 Reminded me of 3 John 1, where Paul is talking about, or no, this is John, sorry. John was rejoicing. 00:03:15.920 --> 00:03:20.560 He said, For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to the truth, as indeed you are 00:03:20.560 --> 00:03:25.439 walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:32.479 And Paul has received some gifts from Epaphroditus. And he's getting a good report about the 00:03:33.039 --> 00:03:38.159 Philippian church. He's getting support from them again and again and again. Sounds like this is 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:45.520 maybe the third time that he's received support from them. And Paul rejoices that his Philippian 00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:52.639 children have a disposition towards him to be helpful to him and to be about the work of the gospel. 00:03:52.639 --> 00:04:03.439 As often as occasion rises. And now that he's in prison, it's arisen once more. And lo and behold, 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:11.599 Epaphroditus is sent to Paul by the Philippians. And there were certain comforts that you could afford 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:18.959 if you had provisions in a Roman jail. Not like a television, but I don't know what they had. 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:24.639 But Paul rejoices over their generosity because it is good for them to be generous. So he doesn't only 00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:31.839 like to receive the gifts, but he loves to see his children in the faith being generous, 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:41.039 having that sweet, generous disposition. So that when a need arises, they jump to it. When they see him 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:50.879 hurting, hurting, they feel the hurt, and they go to fill that need. So it makes me think about something 00:04:50.879 --> 00:05:00.160 that is very common in a lot of the church culture, especially up north where I'm from, 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:04.080 the Scandinavians. They don't like to receive help. They don't like to let people in 00:05:04.079 --> 00:05:17.039 to be helped. And they think it's a mercy to not let people be burdened by their troubles. 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:22.799 And I want to say it is no mercy to a Philippian kind of people who love to help. 00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:26.959 It's no mercy to that kind of a person to deny them the opportunity. 00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:34.319 And if you want to pretend to be self-sufficient, if you tell yourself that you don't want to be a 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:40.319 burden to anybody, you're not sparing anybody the trouble. You're not sparing the Philippian-type 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:47.439 person the trouble, but you're robbing the body of opportunities for their own glory. 00:05:49.039 --> 00:05:53.599 And we'll see this clearly in verse 17, when we get there, where Paul used the language, 00:05:53.600 --> 00:05:57.520 speaking of their gift to him in terms of the fruit that increases to their credit. 00:06:00.160 --> 00:06:06.960 Let's think back to Philippians chapter 1, verse 7. He's talking to the Philippians here. He says, 00:06:06.960 --> 00:06:10.400 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart. 00:06:11.040 --> 00:06:16.800 For you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and 00:06:16.800 --> 00:06:22.640 confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:30.959 Jesus. But they're partakers with him of grace, both in his imprisonment and into the defense 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:36.879 and confirmation of the gospel. So there's something about them sending him help and being 00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:43.360 with him in the fight that makes them partakers with him of that same grace. And they get part of 00:06:43.360 --> 00:06:48.959 the credit, the fruit that accrues to their credit. All the fruit that Paul's seeing in his ministry, 00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:54.000 that we're enjoying in our letter to the Philippians. Like, it's part of that fruit. 00:06:56.399 --> 00:07:00.319 We'll see it again, his letter to the, his ministry to the Corinthians. 00:07:02.560 --> 00:07:08.079 These Philippians, it says in chapter 1, verse 7, that they were partakers with him of the grace, 00:07:09.839 --> 00:07:12.879 both in his imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 00:07:12.879 --> 00:07:18.719 All right, let's go to verse 11. Not that I am speaking of being in need, 00:07:19.360 --> 00:07:22.480 for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 00:07:27.120 --> 00:07:27.519 All right. 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:38.639 So compare that with 2 Corinthians 9, 8, the idea of contentment, that in all things at all times, 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:46.000 having all that you need, you will abound in every good word. And then 1 Timothy 6, 6, we'll get to 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:54.719 here in a little bit. But there's this idea of contentment. Socrates, when he was asked who was the 00:07:54.719 --> 00:08:02.479 wealthiest, he replied, he that is content with least, for contentment is nature's wealth. And there is this 00:08:02.480 --> 00:08:11.840 idea in the Greek mind, especially the Stoics, that laid a huge emphasis on contentment as a virtue. 00:08:11.840 --> 00:08:18.960 And it is a virtue, but there's different ways you can get at it. And the Greeks tended to do it by the 00:08:18.960 --> 00:08:28.720 strength of their own will, especially the Stoics. They would try to, they perfected contentness to 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:38.560 discipline. And I don't know that it ever produced the fruit that God was after. It did it the way 00:08:38.560 --> 00:08:44.960 that they did it. Because they would go about it through the power of the flesh. But there's a reason 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:48.879 that Paul is not talking about being in need. It's not that I'm speaking of being in need, 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:56.080 for I've learned in whatever situation I am to be content. Paul doesn't speak about his own need, 00:08:56.080 --> 00:09:04.800 because he knows who his provider is. Paul doesn't speak of his need. He doesn't go on and on making 00:09:04.800 --> 00:09:14.480 his own needs known to them, because he knows that he's going to be provided for. He doesn't know how 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:20.000 he's going to be provided for, know from where it'll come, but he simply knows that his needs will be 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:26.960 provided for, because he knows who. And Paul's who has a perfect track record with providing for him. 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:34.000 And Paul has seen this Philippian church come through before, as they are coming through now, 00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:42.320 for him this time as well. Look at 1 Timothy 6, verses 6-10. I'm going to read a little passage here. 00:09:42.320 --> 00:09:47.440 And this is another passage about contentment. It says, 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:55.600 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot 00:09:55.600 --> 00:10:02.240 take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 00:10:03.280 --> 00:10:11.040 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:17.199 that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. 00:10:18.319 --> 00:10:23.679 It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. 00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:31.519 When Paul was in Corinth, 00:10:31.519 --> 00:10:43.439 He had needs, but he felt in the spirit not to allow Corinthians to fulfill his needs. 00:10:44.720 --> 00:10:49.600 It's something about the relational dynamic there, and the way that they attach themselves to different 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:58.559 teachers and pay other teachers to give them the new hot teaching of the day. 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:08.719 Paul just knew that he couldn't enter into that fray. And so he did everything in Corinth for free. 00:11:08.719 --> 00:11:15.359 But it wasn't for free because he had provisional needs. But it was this Philippian church that 00:11:15.359 --> 00:11:22.239 provided for his needs, tying them again. And now he's in the lead again, and they're coming back through for 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:29.600 him. And it's really sweet. And he really appreciates it. He's excited for them that they're so helpful. 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:33.200 In 2 Corinthians 11 9, he says, 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:55.120 Okay, we're back to 00:11:55.120 --> 00:12:19.840 So back to that Socrates quote. I think 00:12:19.840 --> 00:12:27.360 G.K. Chesterton said it in a little more of a biting, wittier way, as was his custom. He said, 00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:35.759 There are two ways to get enough. One is to continue to accumulate more and more. And the other is to desire less. 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:41.759 So I think Paul, that's kind of simplistic. I think Paul had a third way 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:50.080 to realize that in Christ Jesus, all things are yours, that God is the provider, and that everything 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:53.600 that is needful for you is in Christ. It's in him. 00:12:56.080 --> 00:13:01.439 That's more than a natural way of desiring less. It doesn't quite encompass it. 00:13:01.440 --> 00:13:08.400 More than the Stoics exercise of will worship. But desiring only what God has for you, knowing that every 00:13:08.400 --> 00:13:12.480 good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of heavenly lights, who never changes. 00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:14.480 He says, 00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:18.480 There's a stanza in William Cooper poem. He goes, 00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:27.840 Trials must and will befall, but with humble faith to see love inscribed upon them all, this is happiness to me. 00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:36.639 So receiving everything as from the Lord, even trials, but seeing love inscribed upon them all, 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:40.639 with the eyes of faith, seeing that God is working all things together for good, 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:44.399 for those who love him and who are called according to his purpose, that nothing can touch your life 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:51.919 that he hasn't allowed, and that he's not causing to work good in you and to bring you into conformance 00:13:52.559 --> 00:14:01.600 with Jesus, with the likeness of Christ. Trials must and will befall, but with humble eyes to see 00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:08.240 love inscribed upon them all, this is happiness to me. This is contentment. So you take, once you get 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:15.120 trials down, once you learn how to handle those with eyes of faith and thankfulness in a content way, 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:23.600 that's more than half the battle. There is another half the battle about abounding. We'll get to that, too. 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:32.399 But this is what Jeremiah Burroughs called subtraction. So he wrote a book, he's an old Puritan writer. 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:39.679 His most famous work is called The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. And he had this concept of 00:14:40.559 --> 00:14:48.159 subtraction, where you desire less, where you delete your wants, just things that you know, 00:14:48.159 --> 00:14:53.279 all right, that's not coming from me, that's not from the Lord's hand, that doesn't have love inscribed upon it, 00:14:53.279 --> 00:15:00.959 that's not a necessary need. I'm gonna subtract that. Subtraction. I'm gonna cut it off. I'm gonna cut off my 00:15:00.959 --> 00:15:11.519 designer, my need, my felt appetite for that thing. So until we get to the point that we can echo Paul, 00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:18.000 that if we have food and clothing, we will be content. We still have work to do in this contentment 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:26.159 arena. I'm not there yet. Nancy Wilson, Doug Wilson's wife, wrote an extended meditation on Burroughs, 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:32.159 Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. Remember what's it called? Learning Contentment. 00:15:32.799 --> 00:15:39.840 And it doesn't use any puritanical language, unless she's quoting him. It's really sweet. We'll listen to 00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:45.679 some excerpts from it. Kira's listening to it these last few weeks. But in it, she remarked that even 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:55.679 Eve in God's perfect garden, married to an unfallen husbandman, was enticed with discontentment. She 00:15:55.679 --> 00:16:04.239 listened to the enemy. She took the enemy's framing and gave ear to the accuser and was allowed to, 00:16:04.239 --> 00:16:11.679 allowed herself to have discontentment stoked in her heart in the garden. When God used to walk with 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:16.559 her in the cool of the day, it's unthinkable. And it's very thinkable, if you know yourself at all. 00:16:19.359 --> 00:16:26.239 And she also made a point about every sin she thought could maybe be traced back to 00:16:27.199 --> 00:16:32.479 an element of discontentment in the Lord. And of course, if you were perfectly content in the Lord, 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:40.320 what handle would the enemy have on you to prod it and to pull? Like, obviously, you know, like, that's, 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:46.159 we'll get there when we're full, when we know that we're fully known, even as we are, when we know as we 00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:52.159 are fully known. We'll get there. But we can make progress in it here on this side by the power of the 00:16:52.159 --> 00:17:00.399 Spirit. Yeah, how many lives has the enemy baked into the cultures, everything that we see, everything 00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:06.240 we encounter, every piece of media that we encounter, every social interaction in the world? 00:17:08.639 --> 00:17:11.759 How much has he baked into our culture that tells us that we have, 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:20.879 we have more need than we have provision? Or just that, that subtly sows the sea of disintent. It tells us, 00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:27.200 not really that well provided before. The Lord could be doing better, really, you know? 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:34.720 And it's a lie about our provider. And how much of the flappings of our own flesh 00:17:35.680 --> 00:17:37.759 are due to our giving ear to these subtle lies? 00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:43.519 And how much of the faith has, I'm asking the Lord to put his finger on some of those in my heart. 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:53.119 And I encourage you guys to think, okay. So we live in 2025. I mean, this part of the way, 00:17:53.119 --> 00:17:59.839 we've got historically, we're the richest. I mean, we could go to certain neighborhoods and 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:05.920 wouldn't feel like we wouldn't stack up very well, you know, socio-economically. But, 00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:12.480 I mean, you could go anywhere in the world and see that you're doing really well. The Lord's a really 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:21.279 faithful provider. And we're very rich. And then you think about across history. And 00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:29.759 it's unthinkable, the riches that we enjoy and that we take for granted, and that we still allow that 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:40.559 thing in our heart to latch on to discontent and to suckle it and to nourish it and cherish it and grow 00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:48.799 it. And man, it's just the enemies, it's the enemies work. And it's the flesh, the flesh loves to be at 00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:55.759 work with the enemy on them. But God loves to destroy that in his children and get glory from a contented 00:18:55.759 --> 00:19:00.559 people that look like they are really satisfied in him. Because they are really satisfied in him. 00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:06.640 What does Pipers say at the end of every sermon or at the beginning? Because God is most glorified in 00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:13.440 us, but we are most satisfied in him. It's their announcer on all the Piper sermons. But it's true. 00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:20.319 Like, God gets more glory or looks more glorious to an onlooking world. And we are satisfied in our 00:19:20.319 --> 00:19:24.960 provider. Makes him look like a really good provider. And he is a really good provider, in fact. 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:32.400 And woe to us if we want to lie about that to the world, to ourselves, to our family, to whoever. 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:38.559 All right. So, Paul knew how to be brought low, and he knew how to abound. 00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:45.359 In any and every circumstance, he learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:50.959 Is God putting his finger on anything? 00:19:50.959 --> 00:19:55.759 In your heart? He's been doing it for me these last couple of weeks a lot. 00:19:55.759 --> 00:20:04.799 And still got the wanter. But he's shutting it up. And he's going to help me to mature. 00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:11.200 Okay. Here's a little quote from the New Covenant commentary on Philippians. 00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:13.840 It says, 00:20:13.840 --> 00:20:26.240 This word secret in the Greek, it's a technical term for the initiation into sacred mystery religions. 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:33.519 So, there's all sorts of cults here in ancient Greece and the Greco-Roman world at the time that 00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:38.079 people just clamored for. And the secret religion. Oh, we have to figure out. 00:20:39.039 --> 00:20:45.759 Think of Luke Skywalker wanting to get the secret that this dark side has, you know, and like, 00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:50.799 could it even raise the dead? You know, it's just this, this thought, you know, that they could tap 00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:57.759 into some mystery, some, some secret, some hidden knowledge. And this is the only time that this word, 00:20:58.720 --> 00:21:05.119 memmiami, is used in the New Testament. And I think Paul is directly, explicitly poking fun at these 00:21:05.119 --> 00:21:15.279 mystery religions. And their fascination with hidden things, hidden secrets. So, there were the, 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:20.639 I'll just list four of them. There were Eleusinian mysteries, that was a cult. The Dionysian mystery 00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:28.399 cult. The Orphic, named after Orpheus. And the cult of Isis out of Egypt. So, those were, those were 00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:36.320 all mystery religions. They were kind of dying out at this time. We're still around. And Paul's using 00:21:36.320 --> 00:21:44.240 this, this word secret. And he's using it in kind of the same construction to, to teach his own people 00:21:44.240 --> 00:21:52.080 the actual secret, which is an open secret. It's no mystery. And it's very simple. It doesn't, let's see. 00:21:52.079 --> 00:22:01.439 Oh, some of these, um, divine or mystery religions kind of live on in secret societies of our own day, 00:22:01.439 --> 00:22:06.960 like the Shriners and the Freemasons. Like there, there's a, there's a big element of that that's 00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:15.759 still at work, um, down to this very day. But, um, instead of God hiding the kernel of wisdom 00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:22.720 behind some elaborate and secretive drug-addled process of cultic initiation, Paul, rather, 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:29.759 boldly lays the secret bare in broad daylight. It is just this. I can do all things in Christ, 00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:38.240 in Christ. Union with Christ. Fellowship with the very Godhead, and the indwelling spirit of the living 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:45.599 God in you. Um, that's a pretty big secret. Like, that's, that's a pretty big mystery. Like, 00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:52.079 you could plumb that mystery for the rest of your life. I encourage you to do it. And you won't reach 00:22:52.079 --> 00:23:01.920 the bottom. It's, it's limitless. It's unfathomable. Although he tells it to us plainly. I can do all 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:08.560 things in Christ. I can do all things through him who strengthens me, um, verse 13. So that's the one 00:23:08.560 --> 00:23:14.160 that we write on our basketball shoes. I had to throw that in there. Every sermon I hear about this, 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:22.160 they talk about the basketball shoes. Um, but there's, there's more to it than that. Um, that I, I think 00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:31.279 there's, there is a way that we can give God glory and do all things in a Christ-like way in any arena. 00:23:31.279 --> 00:23:35.359 So I think there's something to the, doing it on the basketball court and on the football field. 00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:40.000 You know, that's where we tend to think of it. Um, but that's not really what's at, 00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:45.759 under the purview of Paul. He was talking about being brought low, you know, how to bomb, 00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:51.759 was talking about learning how to suffer, suffer well, facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 00:23:52.480 --> 00:23:58.079 Um, and it's in that context that says, I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 00:23:58.079 --> 00:24:07.839 And I was looking for, um, all the in Christ, in Christ verses in this passage. And in the first 00:24:07.839 --> 00:24:14.000 verse, I rejoiced in the Lord. Okay. And then verse 13, I can do all things through him. Actually, 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:22.000 in Greek, you can translate that Greek word, and as through, but most normally it's translated as in. 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:30.400 So I can do all things in Christ. Um, it's a perfectly, it's the more, more natural, um, reading of it, 00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:37.599 but it's not the way that we see it most frequently in our English translations. And then in verse 19, 00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:44.160 we'll see it again. Um, my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:54.480 Um, 2 Corinthians 12, 9 to 10 says, but he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you for my power is 00:24:54.480 --> 00:25:02.400 made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the 00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:08.720 power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then I am content with weaknesses, 00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:19.039 insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I'm strong. Um, because I 00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:27.279 can do all things through him who strengthens me. Um, Colossians 1 11 says it a little differently. 00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:34.400 It says, being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might for all endurance and patience 00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:39.759 with joy, giving thanks to the father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the 00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:52.880 saints in light. Okay. This, this should make a big difference, um, in our, in our lives. 00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:58.240 Verse 14 says, yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 00:25:58.240 --> 00:26:06.480 And sharing in this context has a connotation of being connected or participating with, as in 00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:13.359 having fellowship with the word has the word, um, coinonia. I should've written it down. 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:19.519 The word for fellowship in Greek is a coinonia. Is that it? Um, so it's sin coin 00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:25.039 no, yeah, or something like that. Um, but that's the sharing in his troubles. So like there's a, 00:26:25.039 --> 00:26:32.079 there's an element of having fellowship, sharing with, um, having sympathy. Um, 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:38.000 Lightfoot in his commentary said it was not the actual pecuniary relief, not the money so much, 00:26:38.639 --> 00:26:43.440 as the sympathy and companionship in his sorrow that this apostle wanted. 00:26:46.879 --> 00:26:51.359 And he rejoiced, he rejoiced in it. And he said, it's kind of you to share my troubles. 00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:54.240 And it was kind of you. It was thoughtful. It was really sweet. 00:26:55.839 --> 00:27:01.680 Um, Hebrews 10 33 is a nice parallel passage here. It says, 00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:07.200 whether it was Paul or not, I think it was, but it doesn't need to be Paul. Still the Bible. 00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:11.359 Um, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, 00:27:11.920 --> 00:27:15.920 and sometimes being partners with those so treated. So think about partnering. 00:27:17.519 --> 00:27:19.519 Sometimes being partners with those so treated. 00:27:20.319 --> 00:27:25.759 For you had compassion on those in prison and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, 00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:31.440 since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. So it's just, 00:27:31.440 --> 00:27:36.160 there's a different way of looking at joining with people and partnering with people, um, 00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:37.680 partnering the gospel. 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:42.799 And these Philippians did a really good job of that. 00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:46.639 And, uh, let's go to verse 15. 00:27:46.639 --> 00:27:49.599 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, 00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:54.639 when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, 00:27:54.639 --> 00:27:55.599 except you only. 00:27:55.599 --> 00:28:02.319 And, uh, if you recall from the first chapter of Philippians, uh, verse five, he said, 00:28:02.319 --> 00:28:06.240 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 00:28:07.279 --> 00:28:11.359 and I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion 00:28:11.359 --> 00:28:12.240 at the day of Christ. 00:28:13.519 --> 00:28:18.079 Um, it is right for me to feel this way about you all because I hold you in my heart 00:28:18.079 --> 00:28:20.879 for you are all partakers with me of grace, 00:28:20.880 --> 00:28:26.560 in my imprisonment and the, in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:29.920 And Paul's just beaming with the light, 00:28:31.280 --> 00:28:33.840 a healthy godly pride in his people. 00:28:35.040 --> 00:28:35.760 They're with him. 00:28:35.760 --> 00:28:38.880 They're in it with him in his defense and confirmation of the gospel. 00:28:38.880 --> 00:28:41.040 Even when he's in shame, it's like, they're there. 00:28:41.760 --> 00:28:43.040 And we're like family. 00:28:43.920 --> 00:28:46.480 They send, they treat his own pain. 00:28:46.480 --> 00:28:49.440 They take his concern into their own concern. 00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:54.080 Um, love is taking the good of another into your, as your own good. 00:28:54.080 --> 00:28:55.360 And they did that. 00:28:55.360 --> 00:28:55.920 They loved him. 00:28:57.600 --> 00:29:00.000 Even in Thessalonica, verse 16, 00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:03.120 you sent me help for my needs once and again. 00:29:03.120 --> 00:29:05.600 So even previously, when he was in Thessalonica, 00:29:05.600 --> 00:29:08.080 they sent him needs not once, but again. 00:29:08.080 --> 00:29:10.320 And there's maybe again and again. 00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:15.039 So these Philippians were notorious for their generosity and partnership in the gospel 00:29:15.039 --> 00:29:15.920 alongside Paul. 00:29:16.800 --> 00:29:19.680 He really needed them and he genuinely appreciated their contributions, 00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:25.200 which enabled him to be all the more effective and publish the gospel that much further and faster. 00:29:26.080 --> 00:29:32.000 And then we'll look at this passage from 2 Corinthians 11, 9, 00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:35.680 where he's going to talk about the, the Corinthian situation and the Philippians, 00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:37.279 um, 00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:40.799 Philippians share in it. 00:29:44.799 --> 00:29:46.000 Said to the Corinthians, 00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:49.039 and when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone. 00:29:49.039 --> 00:29:50.240 So we read this verse before, 00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:53.440 but the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. 00:29:53.440 --> 00:29:57.360 So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. 00:29:58.160 --> 00:29:59.840 As the truth of Christ is in me, 00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:05.120 this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. 00:30:05.120 --> 00:30:05.920 And why? 00:30:05.920 --> 00:30:06.960 Because I do not love you? 00:30:07.440 --> 00:30:08.240 God knows I do. 00:30:09.039 --> 00:30:09.759 What am I doing? 00:30:10.400 --> 00:30:14.320 And what I am doing, I will continue to do in order to undermine the claim of those 00:30:14.880 --> 00:30:17.039 who would like to claim that in their boasted mission, 00:30:17.599 --> 00:30:19.359 they work on the same terms as we do. 00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:21.519 So these other, um, 00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:23.440 super apostles, 00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:27.759 it just took the rug right out from under them. 00:30:27.759 --> 00:30:28.720 And Paul said, 00:30:28.720 --> 00:30:29.920 I'm not doing this for money. 00:30:29.920 --> 00:30:30.720 You can't even pay me. 00:30:30.720 --> 00:30:31.440 I'm not going to take any pain. 00:30:31.440 --> 00:30:34.319 I'm actually robbing other churches to serve you. 00:30:35.279 --> 00:30:37.200 And like these super apostles, 00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:38.960 how could they compete with that? 00:30:38.960 --> 00:30:39.759 What these Corinthians, 00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:41.119 you know, it was a money game. 00:30:41.119 --> 00:30:42.720 It was oratory. 00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:43.759 They were getting paid for it. 00:30:43.759 --> 00:30:44.399 You know, it was like, 00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:47.600 they were higher ones. 00:30:47.600 --> 00:30:50.400 And when Paul entered that into the equation, 00:30:51.440 --> 00:30:56.880 it really undercut the standing that those super apostles had. 00:30:56.880 --> 00:31:01.120 And they, I guess, dried up pretty quick when the money got cut off. 00:31:01.120 --> 00:31:04.240 Because Paul showed himself the true apostle, 00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:07.759 doing it out of love and as a father to them, 00:31:07.759 --> 00:31:13.600 not as, well, not as an employee of them. 00:31:14.400 --> 00:31:15.519 And then, 00:31:15.519 --> 00:31:22.400 yeah, just what a difference that is from the Philippian heart. 00:31:22.400 --> 00:31:23.920 So the Corinthian heart, 00:31:24.720 --> 00:31:26.560 like they're not bought in with Paul. 00:31:26.560 --> 00:31:27.840 Like he was having to, 00:31:28.480 --> 00:31:30.320 it's, it's a very different way of 00:31:31.920 --> 00:31:34.880 relating to the teaching, 00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:38.000 into the gospel, to his message. 00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:39.280 It's very different. 00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:41.839 And Corinthians had a lot of problems. 00:31:41.839 --> 00:31:43.039 And that was, that was normal. 00:31:43.039 --> 00:31:45.200 But there's something sweet about the 00:31:47.359 --> 00:31:50.399 way the Philippians related to Paul in that. 00:31:51.279 --> 00:31:51.759 All right. 00:31:51.759 --> 00:31:54.000 And then verse 17, 00:31:54.799 --> 00:31:58.480 not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. 00:31:58.480 --> 00:31:59.039 Yeah. 00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:07.839 Paul was just as excited about the Philippians having a share in his ministry, 00:32:08.400 --> 00:32:12.000 in the fruit, the spiritual eternal fruit of the ministry, 00:32:12.000 --> 00:32:15.279 that we're enjoying doing a study in Philippians, 00:32:15.279 --> 00:32:16.720 and I'm preaching through it. 00:32:19.200 --> 00:32:22.399 He's, he's, he's stoked at that gift. 00:32:23.359 --> 00:32:24.319 And he's stoked, 00:32:24.559 --> 00:32:28.480 it seems even more that he's seeking the fruit that increases to their credit. 00:32:30.639 --> 00:32:31.359 Says I have, 00:32:31.359 --> 00:32:32.319 in verse 18, he says, 00:32:32.319 --> 00:32:34.000 I have received full payment and more. 00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:35.039 I am well supplied. 00:32:35.680 --> 00:32:38.000 Having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, 00:32:38.000 --> 00:32:39.200 a fragrant offering, 00:32:39.200 --> 00:32:41.279 a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 00:32:41.279 --> 00:32:46.480 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches, 00:32:47.200 --> 00:32:49.359 in glory, in Christ Jesus. 00:32:49.359 --> 00:32:52.160 So, I mean, he's just hitting it over and over again. 00:32:53.440 --> 00:32:54.720 God is your provider. 00:32:54.720 --> 00:32:57.200 This is the song we sing, Jehovah Jireh, my provider. 00:32:59.200 --> 00:33:01.440 My God will supply every need of yours, 00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:05.519 according to his riches and glory, in Christ Jesus. 00:33:05.519 --> 00:33:09.039 I wish that would fit in the meat of the song, in Christ Jesus. 00:33:09.039 --> 00:33:11.680 I don't know. 00:33:11.680 --> 00:33:14.960 Because that's, that's really the heart of, of it all. 00:33:16.559 --> 00:33:18.319 God will supply every need of yours, 00:33:19.119 --> 00:33:22.319 according to his riches, in glory, in Christ Jesus. 00:33:22.799 --> 00:33:24.319 I read one, they said, 00:33:24.319 --> 00:33:25.920 it didn't say out of his riches, 00:33:25.920 --> 00:33:27.519 it said according to his riches, 00:33:27.519 --> 00:33:28.960 like in like measure, 00:33:28.960 --> 00:33:31.599 with the riches of God, how rich God is. 00:33:31.599 --> 00:33:33.759 That's how he supplies the needs of his kids. 00:33:33.759 --> 00:33:41.920 And we have all of eternity to enjoy and bask and glory in those riches. 00:33:43.200 --> 00:33:45.039 And God will supply every need of yours, 00:33:45.039 --> 00:33:47.920 according to his riches, in glory, in Christ Jesus. 00:33:51.279 --> 00:33:54.720 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. 00:33:55.920 --> 00:33:56.240 All right. 00:33:56.240 --> 00:33:57.599 And then he greets the saints. 00:33:59.519 --> 00:34:00.720 I'm closing up here. 00:34:01.519 --> 00:34:02.319 But I wanted to 00:34:05.359 --> 00:34:12.880 just encourage us all to think about discontent in our heart 00:34:12.880 --> 00:34:19.280 and to really feel the, the betrayal of that against our provider. 00:34:19.920 --> 00:34:25.200 And just how, what it's saying about the kind of God that we serve, 00:34:25.200 --> 00:34:30.640 when we live in discontent, when we give ear and nurture and suckle, 00:34:30.639 --> 00:34:37.519 that kind of a spirit, that kind of a accusatory tone, or just that, 00:34:38.400 --> 00:34:40.239 that slips into the pity part of you. 00:34:40.239 --> 00:34:43.359 And that thinks, all right, I'm deserved, I'm owed more than this. 00:34:43.359 --> 00:34:44.239 I'm owed better than this. 00:34:44.799 --> 00:34:46.239 God's not really providing. 00:34:48.879 --> 00:34:52.480 My God will supply every need of yours, according to his rituals, 00:34:52.480 --> 00:34:54.159 in glory, in Christ Jesus. 00:34:54.960 --> 00:34:55.920 And it's promised. 00:34:55.920 --> 00:34:56.559 He does it. 00:34:57.119 --> 00:34:58.400 And he's faithful.