Well, this weekend is the fourth weekend in a teaching series that is four parts. Week one was the resource. God is the resource. Week two, the responsibility. Whatever he places in our hands, it is our responsibility to manage it well as faithful stewards.

Week three, we looked at the response. Very specifically what is a godly biblical response regarding stewardship and financial giving to the Lord in a way that is honoring to him. And today we look at the reward. The passage that we are going to be in today is Philippians 4:10–20. If you have a Bible, I want to challenge you to open up your Bible to Philippians chapter 4.

If you need a Bible, we have a prayer room right here. If you need prayer, come to the prayer room after the gathering. But we also have Bibles in there. It will be at no cost to you. The church has purchased them so that everyone can have a copy of God’s word.

We want you to have a copy of God’s word for you to be able to read on your own. Philippians 4 verse 10. 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. Not that I’m speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound in any and every circumstance. I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 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, receiving, except you only.

Even in Thessalonica, you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I’ve 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. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus.

To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. The book of Philippians is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to a group of people that he had ministered to. And in this letter, we find out in incredibly important information about who Jesus Christ is and what he has done for us. At the end of the letter at length here during these 11 verses, Paul describes how this group of people has been helpful to him.

In verse 10, he says,”I rejoiced in the Lord greatly.” A question I think we need to ask is, “Why does the Apostle Paul experience enhanced joy?” He says, “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly.” If he figured out how to have enhanced joy, we should probably find out why. Do you know something that I have never heard?

I have never heard anyone tell me that they regret experiencing too much joy in their life. But working at a church for 22 years, do you know I have a pretty long list of things I have heard people tell me that they regret in their life. But not one time ever has someone told me that they regret having too much joy in their life. If the Apostle Paul has figured out how to rejoice in the Lord greatly, it’s probably something that we can learn from him. Why does the Apostle Paul experience enhanced joy?

Well, he answers the question in the same verse. I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. Why does the Apostle Paul experienced enhanced joy? The answer is because of the ways the Philippian church supported ministry.

The Philippian church supported ministry. Now at length you have revived your concern for me and that is why he was experienced enhanced joy. I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. So if we want to experience this joy that is increasing, then we probably need to learn what are the ways that this church supported ministry so that we can enter into rejoicing in the Lord greatly as well. So way number one, they looked for an opportunity to express their concern.

That is the first way that the Philippian church supported ministry. They looked for an opportunity to express their concern. In verse 10, you were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. They had concern, but they did not recognize an opportunity. But they did not quit seeing that there was no opportunity.

They pushed past that and they found an opportunity. They did not give up when it looked like there was no opportunity. They pressed forward until they discovered what the opportunity was. This is a water bottle. That’s probably obvious to you.

When I see a water bottle, I don’t recognize an opportunity because when I think of a water bottle, I think there’s going to come a moment I’m going to get thirsty and then I’m going to open up the water bottle and I’m going to have some water. But there is a man in our church who sees a water bottle as an opportunity. And every day his daily ministry is he goes and buys a case of water bottles. And then he goes and he hunts people down in our community who are thirsty.

And he has one rule, one water bottle for one person. And he’s gotten very good at finding people who are thirsty because now he knows where to look. And his daily ministry. He has concern, but he actually has to go find the opportunities.

He has the water bottles, but he goes and he hunts the people down who are thirsty. That is what it means to look for an opportunity. There are people in our church who actively keep their ears open and their eyes open to needs that are presented and they’re ready and they’re waiting to know what the opportunity is so that they can show concern. There are countless stories of how people who are in small group ministry together become aware of the concerns of one another and they meet each other’s needs as the opportunities arise because they know each other’s life. You were indeed concerned for me but you had no opportunity.

The first thing they did is they looked for an opportunity to express their concern. So a question I think that we need to ask is what is my current opportunity to express concern for another person? That is a question we can all ask. It’s also a question we can all answer. The way we can answer it is who is the person?

What’s the concern? And how can we step into that opportunity? Who’s the person? What’s the concern? And how can we step into that opportunity? So what is my current opportunity to express concern for another person?

Well, he goes on in this moment and now in the next three verses, he’s just going to talk about his own experience before he goes on to share more about the ways that the Philippian church has helped him. In verse 11, not that I’m speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound in any and every circumstance. I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

You know, this verse is extremely famous in our world. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. And what I find that’s very interesting about this verse is that the reason that this verse is very famous in our world is because athletes like it. Athletes like this verse. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

And all you need to do is spend some time watching some professional sports and you will see that there are athletes who write this verse reference or they write parts of this verse on their gear, on their equipment. If you go down to the sports store in our town, you can actually buy a shirt that says, “I can do all things.” It is from this verse. But this verse is not talking about professional athletes. This verse is talking about the context of a church that is supporting ministry and a person in ministry who says this.

I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. How has he learned to be content? Because I can do all things through him who strengthens me. That verse is actually explaining how it’s possible that he can experience contentment through Jesus Christ. It is possible for you to experience complete contentment.

Full contentment is available to you in Jesus Christ. I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content because I can do all things through him who strengthens me. He says, I found it. I found the secret. It doesn’t matter what is happening.

I found the secret and the secret is Jesus Christ. Way number two, they kindly took a share of someone else’s trouble. They kindly took a share of someone else’s trouble. We tend to have a very interesting relationship with trouble. What tends to be our common experience is we see trouble and then we turn around and we walk away from it.

We see trouble and we avoid trouble. But this group of people did something different. They saw trouble and they decided they wanted to share in it. They kindly took a share of someone else’s trouble. Verse 14.

Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. They didn’t walk away. They didn’t avoid it. They moved towards the trouble. I want you to know for Sarah and I, when we found ourselves in really significant trouble, it was amazing that God sent people to us to help share our trouble because we were in trouble.

And we needed people to share our trouble. And God decided to express his kindness to us. And he sent people. He sent people to us to share our trouble. And he’s saying, “It was so kind of you that you saw I had trouble and you moved towards me and you decided that you wanted to share my trouble with me.”

So a question that we need to ask is this. How can I kindly share in someone else’s trouble? How can I kindly share in someone else’s trouble? And I want to challenge you with this. When you see someone in trouble, you might be their answer to prayer, but you will not know that you are their answer to prayer until you share their trouble.

And when you share their trouble, you will discover you are their answer to prayer. How can I kindly share in someone else’s trouble? Way number three, they entered gospel partnership by giving and receiving. They entered gospel partnership by giving and receiving. Verse 15.

And you Philippians know yourselves, you 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. The Apostle Paul’s ministry is defined by church planting. He would go into a community. He would share the gospel of Jesus Christ with unbelievers who were Gentiles. He would bring them to faith and he would disciple them.

And he would establish a church, establish leadership in that church, and then he would move to a new location and repeat it and end up coming back around to visit the places that he had gone. And he’s telling this group of people, you know that when this thing got started, when we started bringing the gospel to the Gentiles, you know, at the beginning, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving except you only. For eternity, a group of believers called the Philippians for eternity are going to be known as the one church who helped him. That is recorded in God’s word for eternity. This is thousands of years ago and we’re talking about it right now.

It will never be forgotten that these believers, the Philippians, that they were the one church that helped at the beginning. That is incredible to consider. A question that we can ask is this. Where can I enter into gospel partnership in both giving and receiving? And that’s what it means to be in partnership.

Partnership is a two-way street. It requires giving and receiving. So for any of us to be in gospel partnership, it will require for us to both give and to receive. And gospel partnership is for all of us. Which means all of us are engaged in giving and all of us are engaged in receiving because that’s what it means to be in partnership.

It’s a two-way street. So where can I enter into gospel partnership in both giving and receiving? Way number four, they gave again when new needs became known. They gave again when new needs became known. One of the things that is common to all of our experience is that we can have this attitude.

I gave once. Check. I fulfilled the commitment. I gave one time. Done.

That’s all I need to do. But that is not the attitude of this group of people because they gave again when new needs became known. In verse 16, even in Thessalonica, you sent me help for my needs once and again. So he goes to a new area and he brings the gospel to new people and is discipling new believers and establishing new churches and they find out about it and they want to help him. They want to help.

They’ve already helped him, but they want to help him again. You sent me help for my needs once and again. Multiple gifts, a repeated effort to support. It was just about two weeks ago that my wife and I discovered that a young missionary that we are supporting this summer is still just a little bit short of the financial need that they have to fulfill their commitment for the mission that they’re on. And my wife and I, my wife and I have a very special heart for young people who go on mission.

We think it’s incredibly inspiring that a young person would decide to sacrifice and to go on a mission for God. That is incredible and we want to be a part of encouraging that. There were young people on the stage at the beginning of this gathering. They’re going to Africa. That is inspiring to me.

It’s instructive to us. And so my wife and I see that this young missionary that we’re supporting this summer is not quite there. And we have already supported. But it stirred us up to say, “Yeah, we’ve already supported, but we want to support again because we want to be a part of the solution to get this young missionary fully funded for their mission this summer because we believe she is supposed to be on mission for God. And we’re excited.

My wife and I are excited to be a part of the solution for her being on mission for God. So a question, how can I continue to generously give again to meet new needs? How can I continue to generously give again to meet new needs? Now he takes a break here from a moment of the ways that they had helped him. And he shares something very very significant in verse 17.

He says, “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.” He’s saying, “I’m not gift hunting. That’s not what I’m doing. I’m not I’m not trying to take things from you. What I do have is an interest in your spiritual life that you would bear spiritual fruit, that your life would be mature and that you would have fruit that increases in your life and it will be to your credit.

It will be accounted to you. There is a direct relationship between financial giving in worship to the Lord that supports the gospel ministry and spiritual rewards. There is a direct connection. He says, “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.” And if you would like some help in understanding how what we do in this life impacts our spiritual rewards, then I want to help you by sharing some things out of Matthew 6.

In Matthew 6, Jesus is in the sermon on the mount. And I’m going to share with you one, two, three, four, five, six examples from Matthew 6 where we can see what we’re doing for the Lord right now has a direct impact regarding spiritual rewards. In the issue of giving in verse three and four, but when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. In the issue of prayer, verse six, but when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your father who is in secret. And your father who sees in secret will reward you.

In the issue of fasting, and fasting is abstaining from food for a time for the purpose of spiritual growth. Verse 17 and 18. But when you fast, and this is not talking about how you drove to church today, but when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others, but by your father who is in secret. And your father who sees in secret will reward you. In the issue of treasure in verses 19- 21, do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be. Also in the issue of who is in control of our life and who is our master in verse 24, no one can serve two masters for either you will hate one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money in relation to our need for clothing, food, and drink in verses 30 through 33. But if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is alive, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, oh you of little faith? Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, “What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or what shall we wear?”

For the Gentiles seek after all these things. And your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things, clothing, food, drink, all these things will be added to you. There’s a direct connection. There’s a direct relationship between our financial giving to the Lord in worship to support the gospel ministry and spiritual rewards. He says, “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.”

Now, we look at the last way. Way number five. Again, we’re looking at the ways that the Philippian church supported ministry. They gave a sacrifice as an offering in worship to God. They gave a sacrifice as an offering and worship to God.

That word sacrifice is a very important word. It’s a very interesting word. In verse 18, we read this. 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. A sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. A question that is helpful for us to ask is, “What sacrifice am I making to give an offering and worship to God?” What sacrifice am I making? It’s really important that we identify the sacrifice.

Here’s some ways to help you identify a sacrifice. Ask questions like this. What am I willing not to have? What am I willing to go without? What am I willing not to do?

What am I willing to release? What am I willing to let go of control? And I want to be really clear about something. When my wife Sarah and I when we discuss sacrifice in our home, it is because we make the sacrifice as an act of worship to God. Practically speaking, we use the online recurring giving feature at bigvalleygrace.org.

Our gift comes through the local church, Big Valley Grace Community Church. But church family, make no mistake, when my wife and I give, we give in worship to God. It comes through the local church, but we are giving in worship to God. And that is the heart that fuels our desire to want to sacrifice because we sacrifice as an act of worship to God. Verses 19 and 20 should be a great encouragement to all of us.

It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or you’re poor. These two verses should greatly encourage you. It doesn’t matter if you’re new in Christ or you’re old in Christ. These two verses should encourage you. It doesn’t matter if today’s the best day of your life or today is the worst day of your life.

These two verses should encourage you. Verse 19. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

My God will supply every need of yours. It doesn’t say that God’s going to supply all of your wants. Says, “My God will supply every need of yours.” How can he do that? According to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus, he has all the supply and that should cause us to worship him.

To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Praise God that he knows what our needs are. Praise God that he can supply. We serve a big old God who can do anything he wants and he never runs out.

We serve a big old God who can do anything he wants and he never runs out. Whatever your trouble is, see God as bigger. Whatever your obstacle is, see God as bigger. Whatever the problem is, the mountain is that you face, see God as bigger. Because we serve a big old God who can do whatever he wants and he never runs out. You might be wondering, okay, how do I get started?

Well, I want to share with you a very simple action plan. This is my action plan to become a godly steward in financial giving. I actually shared this last week, but I’m sharing it again because I don’t really see the need to reinvent the wheel here. And it was good and it was clear last week and I think it will be good and I think it’ll be clear this week.

So, I’m just going to share it again. This is my action plan to become a godly steward in financial giving. Number one, if I have never brought a financial gift to the Lord, then my first step is to start. It is that simple.

If I have never brought a financial gift to the Lord, then my first step is to start. Number two, if I have never decided the amount that I will choose to bring as a financial gift to the Lord, then my next step is to identify a part. God has given whatever the whole is that he’s put in your hands. God’s given that to you. Whatever the whole is that he’s put in your hands for you for you to be responsible for.

But if you’ve never decided the amount that you will choose to bring as a financial gift to the Lord, then your next step is to identify a part of the whole. To identify a part of the whole and bring that as a gift to the Lord. Number three, if I’m desiring to grow as a godly steward in the spiritual act of bringing a financial gift to the Lord, then I need to ask God to increase my heart. If I want to grow in spiritual maturity in the area of discipleship, in my financial resources being used as a good steward for the glory of God in worship to him by bringing a gift, then I need to ask God to make my heart bigger. I need to ask him to grow my heart for him because as God increases my heart, my gift will increase also.

So, I need to ask God to increase my heart. If you need some help on practically how to determine a gift to bring for your household, there is a proportionate giving chart that we introduced to our church family last weekend. These are available on our website or they’re available at the information counter. It’s very simple. It just shows here’s here’s possibilities of what households might have as income.

Here’s possibilities of what it looks like to have a percentage. Here’s what that would look like as a weekly gift. If a tool like that is helpful for you, then I would say take advantage of it. That tool is available to you. If a tool like that might help you in understanding like how to do this, how to come up with an amount and I would encourage you to use it.

I want to close with this. There’s something happening in my neighborhood. It’s happening all over my neighborhood. It’s garage sales. And the thing about a garage sale that is wild is at a garage sale, you can buy things for 1% of their purchase price.

So an item costs $100. Someone had it in their home for a while, but then at some moment they decided to take their $100 item out of the inside of their house and bring it to their front curb and to sell it for $1. You can buy a $100 item for $1, 1% of the purchase price. But that’s not the only thing that’s happening in my neighborhood because there’s also estate sales. And you know what the difference between a garage sale and an estate sale is?

Is that the estate sale, the people aren’t there to sell the stuff? I want to ask you a question. Five minutes after you die, what investment is going to matter? Five minutes after you die, what investment is going to matter? What location of treasure is going to matter?

Is it going to be a garage sale? Is it going to be an estate sale? Or is it going to be in heaven? Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust will destroy, and where thieves will not break in and steal, and where there’s no garage sales. Because there’s nothing in heaven that is being brought out from the inside of the house and being brought to the curb and sold for 1% of the purchase price. Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.

Father God, Lord, thank you for your word. Your word is crystal clear, and I’m thankful that it instructs me of how I can learn to follow you. And so, God, I honor you for your word.

And though there may be people who dishonor you for your word, Lord, I honor you for your word. May your word continue to be the voice that is the loudest voice in this church. And may this church stay committed to preaching and teaching the holy word of God that you might be exalted and you might be seen as the one who holds truth with a capital T. And so God, we honor you for your word and we worship you and would you use it in our lives, Lord. Would you use it in our lives to change us?

We all need change. We all need growth. And so God, thank you. Thank you for drawing us close to you and thank you for helping us enter in to things that have eternal value. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ and all of God’s family said,