The Joy of Giving
Philippians 4:14-19
Introduction:
Anytime you teach or preach on money, it can get touchy.
Jesus talked about money more than any other subject, so don’t get upset with me for talking about it today.
It is the next text in our series on Philippians so I am just following the progression.
16 of the 38 parables Jesus taught were about money or possessions.
1 out of every 10 verses in the Gospels deals with money.
Why did Jesus talk about money so much? Because He knew that our hearts are bound to our wallets. Jesus doesn’t want our money. He wants our hearts, but he knows our hearts are attached to our money.
Giving is not God’s way of raising funds. It is His way of raising His children. He wants us to love Him with all our hearts and giving is how we learn to do that.
You can say you love Jesus, but if you are not giving to Jesus in some capacity, our words don’t mean much.
Like someone has said, “You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving.”
It all has to do with our heart. God wants us to give not because we have to but because we want to. He wants us to give joyfully. That is the overarching theme of the book of Philippians - rejoice in the Lord. We are to rejoice even as we give!
Transition - As we come to the end of our study of Philippians, Paul is thanking the church for their financial offering to him. He is rejoicing knowing that they are thinking about him and wanting to help him. In the text, we learn some things about giving.
Scripture -
When we give, we are partnering. (vs. 14-16). “Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15 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. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.”
Paul has already referenced this partnership in 1:3-5, “Philippians 1:3–5 (ESV): I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”
Paul said they “shared” and were in “partnership” with him. They were participating in Paul’s ministry by giving.
Romans 12:13 says we are to “contribute” to the needs of the saints. That is the same Greek word we find in Philippians 4:14,15. It means “share”, “partner” “contribute. We are to share in their burdens by giving.
Galatians 6:6 says “let the one who is taught the word “share” all good things with him who teaches.” When we give, we are sharing in the load of gospel ministry.
We are to do it gladly and not out of duty. 2 Cor. 9:7 says “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
You might ask “How much should I give?” I would encourage you to give at least 10 percent. Some are able to give more than that. But if everyone gave 10 percent of their income, I don’t think we would have any shortage of resources for doing God’s work.
I am not saying that the tithe is required for a Christian. It was a requirement under the Law for the Jews. There were actually three tithes for the Jews. There was the tithe that was given to the Levites who could not own land and so they lived off the tithes of the people. Then there was a tithe given to the poor. Then there was a tithe for the feasts. That was basically a savings account to participate in the Jewish feasts. Then there was a tithe for the poor that was given every three years. So Jews had to give 23% of their income. Now we are no longer under the Law and we are not Jews. We are the church.
However, giving 10% is a good measure. Before the Law was instituted, we see Abraham giving a tithe. We should tithe because we want to not because we have to. The people in the Old Testament had to. We don’t have to but we should because we want to. Jesus has died for our sins and made us children of God by His grace. We should have a different attitude about giving than those under the Law. I think 10% is a good measure. If you are in a financial position where you cannot tithe, start giving something. If it is 2%, do that. And then, pray and ask God to help you get in a position to do more.
Again, this is not a command. 2 Cor. 9:7 says each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give. So come to a decision with God’s help as to how much you should give. But give joyfully and willingly, not grudgingly.
I also want to encourage you to give to Missions. The tithe is for the local church to help us do ministry in our community. Missions is to spread the Gospel around the world. We partner with missionaries who preach the Gospel. Some of you could give $10 or $20 or even $100 a week to missions to make it possible to support these mission works.
When everyone is contributing, sharing, and participating, it makes the load lighter on everyone. In a recent poll, only 5% of Christians polled said they give as much as a tithe. 80% said they give 2% or less. Of households that made at least $75,000, only 1% of them tithed. All of us are to partner with our local church and we do that through our giving.
So when we give, we are partnering.
When we give, we are planting. (vs. 17, 19). “17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.” 19 “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Paul said he was not desiring a gift from them, but he was desiring fruit that increases to their credit.
He wanted them to experience the blessings of God that would result from their giving. A gift is like a seed. When we give, we are planting. There will be a harvest.
It is kind of like putting your money in a bank. It accumulates interest over time. You get more out than you put in. The word “increases” in verse 17 is a financial word that describes the accumulation of interest.
So Paul is saying that when we give, the recipient is not the one who benefits most. It is the giver. We are planting a seed.
Read 2 Cor. 9:6-10. We will reap what we sow in giving. “The point is this. Whoever sows (planting term) sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.”
That is why Paul said “God will supply your needs” in verse 19.
Jesus taught this concept in Luke 6:38. “Give, and it will be given to you. God measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured to you again.”
We see it again in Proverbs 11:24, 25 which is a principle not a promise. But it emphasizes the principle of sowing and reaping. “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. 25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”
I am not saying that if you give, God will make you rich. I am saying that God will reward your giving. He may bless you with finances or He may choose to bless you some other way. He may bless you now or later. But He will bless you.
Jesus taught in Matthew 6:19-21 that the best place to invest our money is in Heaven’s bank. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
So, when we give, we are partnering and planting.
When we give, we are praising. (vs. 18, 20). “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.” “20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Paul said the gifts they sent were “a fragrant offering, a sacrifice and pleasing to God.”
This is a picture from the Old Testament where the people would offer either a grain offering or an animal on the altar and it would create an aroma that pleased God.
Ephesians 5:2 says when Christ gave His life for us that was a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
When we give, we are responding to Christ’s gift of His life on the Cross for us. We are saying, “Thank you, Jesus, for dying for me and paying my sin debt.” That is the Gospel - the Good news that though we are all sinners, Christ died for us and he rose from the dead to give us hope beyond the grave. Giving is a way for us to say “thank you” to Jesus for the Gospel.
When we give, we are not giving to a church or a pastor. We are giving to Jesus, the one who gave everything for us. Our offering is only pleasing to God when our heart is right. God sees our hearts when we give. He knows if we are giving out of duty or out of love. He knows if our motives are right.
In the Old Testament, believers in God offered animal sacrifices, but today, believers offer the sacrifice of praise and giving.
Hebrews 13:15, 16 says “Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of our lips that acknowledge His name. And do not neglect to do good and to share what you have for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
That is why I like to sing when we collect the offering. That way we can be offering two sacrifices at once - praise and giving. Singing and sharing.
Did you know the Bible teaches that we really don’t own anything. God owns everything. We don’t even own ourselves as Christians. 1 Corinthians 6:20 says we are bought with a price. The price was the blood of Jesus. God owns us. He is the one who gives us the ability to make money. In the doxology we sing, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” That means we acknowledge that all our blessings come from God. God has made us managers of His resources. So we are to manage his resources wisely. Use what you need to live but also give to His work.
So when we give, we are partnering, we are planting, and we are praising.
Call
I want to encourage you to be a giver. When you give, you are partnering in the work of God. You are planting a seed that will bring blessing into your life. You are praising God who has given so much for you. Don’t just give your money. Give your time. Volunteer to serve in the church in some capacity. When we give our time, the same principles apply. We are partnering, we are planting, and we are praising. When you give your time, also give it joyfully. Don’t do it out of duty, but do it as a response to what Jesus has done for you!
