The Lord’s Gracious Provision (Philippians 4:10–23)

Sermon for MHBC (21 November 2021). You can listen on Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, or our website. Live at 11:00am on Sundays. Also available as a podcast here or by searching “Monument Heights Baptist Church” in your favorite podcast app.

This is our last part in an eleven-week series on Philippians. I want to remind you of something I said in the first sermon of the series and also something Jon repeated when he preached from chapter two:

The whole letter to the Philippians centers around this idea of rejoicing in what Christ has done. The letter emphasizes the joy of the gospel as it provides grounding and confidence for suffering and service. Christ’s action produces deep gratitude and confidence, which enables the believer to follow in the cruciform way of humility and self-denial.

That’s something that we see in every part of the book, and I wanted to remind you of it as we close out this series. It’s also relevant because our text this morning focuses on Paul’s contentment regardless of his circumstances. The secret to his contentment is Christ. It’s also the motivating factor behind the generosity of the Philippians.

Sometimes these closing sections of letters don’t strike us as significant, but I hope we will see the richness of this final section in Philippians this morning. These final verses are all about the Lord’s gracious provision. He provides supernaturally—in a non-material way. He provides materially. And He provides relationally. All of this is rooted in the gospel. And the advance of the gospel that Paul talked about in chapter one brings glory to the God of grace. Let’s take a look at the first section.

1. Paul’s secret of contentment (vv. 10–13)

In vv. 10–13, Paul describes the supernatural provision of the Lord. Look at v. 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. Here he’s expressing his gratitude for the concern and generosity of the Philippian believers. And notice he rejoices in the Lord greatly for that generosity. We will see more of this later in the passage. For now, note that he didn’t view his lack as a problem.

Verse 11: Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. He says, “I’m not talking about being in need.” Why? “Because I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”                                              

He goes on in v. 12: 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. Notice what he says. “In any and every circumstance.” And he has these contrasts—brought low and abounding; plenty and hunger; abundance and need. This is a rhetorical device that takes two extremes so as to include everything in between. Paul is content without and with and everything in between.

Look at the phrase “I have learned the secret.” This is an interesting word in the original. The translation captures the sense pretty well. It has this idea of being let in on a mystery or a secret. Paul has learned something that isn’t common knowledge. What has he learned?

That’s v. 13: I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Many of you probably know this verse in its more common form: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” The word Christ isn’t in the original text, but this certainly seems to be who Paul is referring to. He just said in v. 10 that he rejoices in the Lord. He also talked at length about being found in Christ and striving after Him.

In my baseball hats I always wrote Philippians 4:13. The reference has been seen on the eye black of many professional athletes. But this verse has nothing to do with winning football games or hitting baseballs. Paul is talking about the secret of his contentment, which isn’t contingent on his circumstances. He speaks of it as an inner tranquility that is active in spite of plenty or lack. And the secret to his contentment is Christ. There is One working in Paul that gives him a supernatural ability to find contentment regardless of the circumstances.

This is the power of Christ, and it is possible for each of us. We can commune with Christ in such a way that we can be transformed. God offers this supernatural gift to His people. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is active in the life of every believer. That’s the reality. The only question is whether we press into that reality. As we do, we can learn this secret that Paul and thousands of other Christians have known.

Christ has enabled Paul to give up everything, to dismiss all his worldly success, and to find peace in every situation. And we see that the Philippians are able to hold their possessions loosely as well.

2. The Philippians’s God-exalting generosity (vv. 14–20)

The Lord has provided for Paul through His people as well. The Philippians have supported Paul even when nobody else did. Even though it wasn’t necessary for his survival, their support has comforted him. But more importantly, the generosity of the Philippians brings glory to the Lord.

Look at vv. 14–17:

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 and 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.

So the Philippians have stood out among all the rest. They have supported Paul even when nobody else did. This means they have a unique and special relationship. And they haven’t just done this once. They’ve done it consistently. This shows their generosity and more significantly it shows that the Lord is at work in their lives. Notice what Paul says at the end of v. 17. “I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.” Their generosity brings glory to God. It is a product of the Spirit of Christ who is working within them. It is evidence of their salvation. And it is immensely valuable. It can never be taken away.

He goes on in v. 18: 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. They haven’t been stingy. They’ve been abundantly generous, supplying Paul with more than he needs, but then notice his descriptions. He refers to their gifts as (1) a fragrant offering and (2) an acceptable and pleasing sacrifice to God. These gifts aren’t really about Paul. They are God exalting. They are offerings ultimately to the Lord. He is exalted by them. He is pleased by them.

Have you ever considered that our generosity isn’t really about practical matters or a sense of obligation? It’s really about exalting God. The Lord is pleased by this type of support. This is real partnership—which we see in v. 15. This is gospel partnership. It is all about Christ.

I do have to commend you. Monument Heights is a remarkably generous congregation. Let me encourage you to maintain that generosity in light of the gospel. Partner with those who labor in the gospel. Continue to focus on exalting the Lord through your generosity.

And Paul tells the Philippians that the Lord will continue to provide for them in Christ Jesus. Verse 19: And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Let this final part sink in: “according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” The sheer magnitude of what God offers us in Christ is incomprehensible.

Notice how both Paul’s contentment and the Philippians’s generosity means holding things loosely. Neither Paul nor the Philippians are clinging to the goods of this world—what the Puritans notably referred to as creature comforts. Why aren’t they clinging to those things? Because they know there’s something better for them in Christ—something they can never lose and something that surpasses everything else in all the universe.

What we need is just a little bit of distance. This is why prayer and Scripture and worship and silence and meditation are so important. They create distance from the things that compete for our attention. We need the separation so that we can bask in the glorious riches of Christ Jesus.

As always, everything is about the glory of our God. Verse 20: To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

And in the final movement of the letter, we see God providing through relationships and also advancing the gospel of grace according to His plan.

3. The communion of saints (vv. 21–23)

Look at v. 21 with me: Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. Notice what makes them saints. They are in Christ Jesus. That is their identity, and it is a special identity, which is why Paul makes a point to say greet them.

He says that these brothers (and sisters) greet them. Then he goes on in v. 22 to include this encouraging bit of news: All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household. Did you catch it? “Especially those of Caesar’s household.” Remember what he said in chapter one. He told the Philippians that his imprisonment was really a good thing because the gospel was advancing and had become known among the whole praetorium guard, which is most likely a special government contingent. Now he says that there are saints in Caesar’s household. How? Because Paul is in prison, and he is preaching the gospel. He’s letting the Philippians know once more that God is providing. God is extending His grace into the heart of the Roman empire. This is remarkable.

Then the letter closes with v. 23, which really sums everything up: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. This whole letter has been about the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s all about gratitude for the gospel of grace. Everything is changed by what Christ has done. The world is changed. The entire future is changed. And everyone who is in Christ is changed. Paul abandoned all of his prestige for the sake of Christ. The Philippians share their possessions to support the advance of the gospel. So when Paul closes by mentioning the grace of the Lord being with them, that captures the whole letter. The grace of the Lord sustains Paul in prison, and it will sustain the Philippians and it will sustain you and me. Our only task is to remain grounded in the gospel, to not lose sight of it even when distractions are everywhere, to ensure that the main thing is the main thing. Then we will experience the Lord’s gracious provision.