Financial Fellowship | Philippians 4:15-20

Scripture

• Philippians 4:15–20

About this sermon

Introduction: Through the years I’ve heard a lot of talk about fellowship. Quite frankly, most of the talk that we hear about fellowship misses the point of the biblical teaching. When most people talk about fellowship, they are talking about friendship. Friendship EXISTS in fellowship, but fellowship is larger than friendship. Fellowship is about WHAT WE HAVE IN COMMON. Fellowship is about SHARING IN SOMETHING TOGETHER. Fellowship is PARTNERSHIP. Something we almost NEVER hear when people are discussing fellowship, is the matter of giving — and yet that is what is on display in our verses. I have yet to hear someone say that they want more fellowship and by that mean that they wanted to participate more in the offerings. Here Paul is thanking the Philippians and praising them for their financial gift. HE DISCUSSES THIS IN TERMS OF FELLOWSHIP. HE ALSO DISCUSSES THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF CONTENMENT. Contentment allows, encourages, promotes, the fellowship of giving and receiving. We will see that in our verses tonight. Tonight, we will think about SIX CHARACTERISTICS OF FINANCIAL FELLOWSHIP. And as we do, we remember that this exists where contentment exists. • FINANCIAL FELLOWSHIP MANIFESTS GENUINE FAITH (vs.15-16) The apostle is communicating with great care. As we said this morning, he is doing more than simply giving thanks, he is serving as a teacher at the same time. On the one hand he is expressing his sincere thanks for their gift. On the other hand, he wants to be very clear about his contentment, about his true concern, and about his reason for rejoicing when it comes to the fellowship that they enjoy through giving and receiving. Twice he uses words for fellowship in these verses. In verse 14 he says that the Philippians are SHARING in his tribulation or affliction. THE WORD IS FELLOWSHIP. They are entering into his afflictions with him. They do this by contributing to his needs. They fellowship with Paul, they have a share in his sufferings, by their financial support of him while he is in prison. In verse 15, he looks back to when he left Macedonia. He had a very difficult time in Philippi (Acts 16). And then he had trouble in Thessalonica. And he makes the point that no church entered into giving and receiving with him but the Philippians. HE CALLS IT A PARTNERSHIP, BUT AGAIN IS THE WORD FOR FELLOWSHIP. Now, why does Paul do this? Why does he compare the support of the Philippians with the support of other churches? • PAUL POINTS TO THE UNIQUENESS OF THE RELATIONSHIP THAT HE HAS WITH THIS CHURCH This is a way of saying thank you. IT IS GOOD AND RIGHT THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIPS. They had given to him “once and twice,” which is an idiom that means “once and again.” It indicates that they certainly gave to him more than once and may have given to him many times. • PAUL POINTS TO SOMETHING LACKING IN THE OTHER CHURCHES This is a subtle point, and it doesn’t require seeing the other churches as failing in a way that is final, but it does point to a real CONTRAST. Paul didn’t ask the Philippians for support. Their giving was spontaneous. They were grateful for the gospel. They were grateful for the man who brought them the gospel. Without any prompting they gave to meet his needs, and they did it more than once. THE IMPLICATION, BY MENTIONING GIVING AND RECEIVING, IS THAT OTHER CHURCHES RECEIVED BUT DIDN’T GIVE. Paul had been used by God to bring the gospel throughout that entire region of the world, and yet no other church had helped him. QUESTION: ARE YOU A RECEIVER BUT NOT A GIVER? WHAT DOES IT SAY WHEN SOMEONE RECEIVES GOSPEL MINISTRY BUT FEELS NO COMPULSION TO CONTRIBUTE TO GOSPEL MINISTRY? It says something about the value you see in gospel ministry. People who understand the true value of gospel ministry see their financial support of that ministry as a SMALL return on what they have received. ESV 1 Corinthians 9:11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? THAT CLEARLY INDICATES THAT SPIRITUAL THINGS ARE FAR MORE VALUABLE THAN MATERIAL THINGS. • PAUL POINTS TO SOMETHING BEING MANIFESTED IN THE PHILIPPIANS The contrast is AN ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THEM. They are manifesting something by their attitude about financial things and spiritual things. They are manifesting a true and living faith in Jesus Christ, and therefore a true and accurate view of the value of gospel ministry. This is how Paul had begun the letter.

Topics

• Money & Stewardship
• Church & Fellowship
• Relationships