Content to Give Away

Today is the final sermon in the series on the church. It's been about two months that we've been working through the idea, the theology behind the church. What is the church? What's the purpose of the church? Why has God given the world the church?

And this morning, we're going to wrap up this series by looking at the topic of generosity. Now, you might think that that is a strange concept to finish on, but soon we'll see that our call as Christians to be the church is so tied up in this understanding of sacrifice out of a generous heart that really it all makes sense as part of that ethic in our Christian life. This morning, we're going to deal with the passage found in Philippians 2:19-30. And you'll probably notice that it's a bit of a strange passage because it's kind of administrative for Paul. Paul is giving some instructions to the Philippian church about why he's sending two people in particular, Timothy and Epaphroditus to them.

But we're going to look at this passage also in light of what Paul more famously has said in chapter four about his contentment. We'll see that what he writes in chapter two here comes out of a spirit of contentment, cheerfulness, happiness that he himself has experienced, and therefore his behaviour and what he does in sending Timothy and Epaphroditus is driven by that clearer theology in Philippians 4:10 onwards, that is the heart behind what he does here. So anyway, it'll make more sense. Let's turn to Philippians 2:19. Paul writes to the church in Philippi, "I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.

For I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy's proven worth. How as a son with a father, he has served with me in the gospel. I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me."

"And I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also. I have thought it necessary to send you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier and your messenger and minister to my need. For he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed, he was ill, near to death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him, but also on me, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I am the more eager to send him therefore that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious.

So receive him in the Lord with all joy and honour such men. For he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me." This is the word of the Lord. Now, like I said, over the past couple of months, we've looked at some of the things that God calls us to as Christians. We've been called into this precious church and we are expected to live with one another as brothers and sisters, to love each other deeply.

We are called to serve and love this church with our gifts. We commit ourselves to attend church every Sunday. We willingly spend time with fellow believers during our Sabbath rest. This morning, from places like 2 Corinthians 9, we are even commanded to give financial gifts to the work of the church by God. Now all of this can be regarded as very costly expectations.

All of those things, costly things that we must give. They require our time. They require our effort. And yes, they will require our finances.

So how do we as Christians in the church bring ourselves to be consistently generous with those things? How do we bring ourselves to give away so much of our time in the week to the church, to other Christians? How do we give away our effort? How do we give away our money? Well, in our passage this morning, we find Paul, like I said, doing a bit of admin.

Now, at first glance, you might wonder why this part of Philippians has been included in God's word. We said this is the word of the Lord. It's been inspired by God. But here, it seems Paul is just organising two blokes to be messengers to the Philippians. He may as well have just pulled out his Microsoft Outlook, sent an email.

"I'm sending these two guys and they're gonna bring you some stuff. They're gonna give you a message." But there is so much that is being said here and so much that is being communicated by Paul's actions, most notably his contentment as he's sitting in a Roman jail, or at least in a Roman house under Roman house arrest. Now, this contentment sprouts, we know, if we understand the whole Philippian letter, from joy. The Philippian letter is Paul's most happy letter.

He bursts with joy. And yet it is surprising that Paul could have so much joy since he's sitting awaiting trial for something that might cost him his life. Paul explains in his letter it's a joy that he can have that exists in all situations, a resilient joy where he can be happy and content, whether he has a lot or very little, whether he experiences hunger or great abundance.

He can have that joy, he says in chapter four as he wraps up, because it is based on a rock solid foundation, the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. As we read this passage of scripture, I want us to focus on this statement and we're gonna be working through it. Contentment gives away precious things because it's focused on the excitement of God's mission in the church, sourced from the life changing power of Jesus Christ. And that's a long sentence. We're gonna break it down.

Firstly, contentment gives away precious things. Like I said, you could be forgiven in thinking if Paul had a laptop, he would have just been shooting this quick email that "I'm gonna send these guys, they're gonna pop over quickly and just bring you some some news about me. They're gonna do a bit of ministry with you." But there's more to that, because we read in these words the affection that Paul has for these two men as well.

They aren't just lackeys. They're not monkeys doing his work. They are precious friends. In Timothy's case, he says in verse 22 that he is as precious to Paul as a son. Verse 22: "You know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father, he has served with me in the gospel."

And here is Timothy and here's Epaphroditus. Epaphroditus having originally been sent by the Philippians to Paul to see him while he's in prison to bring Paul a financial gift. And Paul says that they've been an incredible comfort to him in his situation. People in Paul's day in prison weren't entitled to the things prisoners are entitled to today. They had no guarantee of food and water.

They had no guarantee of basic sanitary requirements. There were no checks and balances for guards treating them correctly. And here is Timothy and Epaphroditus visiting Paul in prison, and yet Paul is sending them away. Why? Because Paul says, "I am content, supremely satisfied even in this situation here."

In the few verses just before our passage, verses 17 and 18, we catch a glimpse of this peaceful state. He says, "Even if I'm to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise, you also should be glad and rejoice with me." Paul is saying, "Even if I'm to die here for the role I've played in your faith, I am thankful. I am glad and joyful."

Paul is filled with contentment, and he writes that beautifully in verse 11 of chapter four: "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I've learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need." But what we see in Paul's decision here is a wonderful display of his theology in action. His contentment gives away. Now, this seems so counterintuitive to what we think about contentment.

The world says contentment comes with accumulation. Contentment comes when you're sitting on a big pile of things. You find contentment when you hold on to your stuff. But true contentment is always a condition of the heart despite the circumstances. In fact, surprisingly, generosity often produces even more contentment in the heart.

Giving away stuff can produce even more contentment. Why? Because contentment with your lot in life has to do with a feeling of being filled. Contentment has to do with a feeling of being satisfied, and that is all tied with joy. That's not actually tied with a certain bank account balance at the end of the month.

It's not tied with the size of your TV screen. In fact, it is entirely possible to have no contentment by keeping all the things that you have. In fact, we are often most content when we are simply grateful for having enough. We are content when we are satisfied with what we make. We are content when we can be open handed with those we love.

Paul, out of joyful contentment, gives away to the Philippian church Timothy and Epaphroditus. Why? Because contentment leads to letting go of precious things. To test this principle, I think you can think about the opposite. If this principle is true, if generosity flows out of contentment, then the opposite is also true, that we can be miserable the tighter we hold on to the things that we've been given.

So the first point: contentment gives away precious things. Now someone might say, "I don't know, KJ, I feel pretty content when I'm barbecuing my $150 Tomahawk steak. I feel pretty content watching the footy on my impressive media room. Surely I wouldn't be more contented by having less of those things." Let me try to explain what motivates this generosity.

Contentment gives away precious things, secondly, because it is focused on the excitement of God's mission in the church. I don't know how many motivational speakers will say that contentment is found by being excited about the mission of the church. Why is Paul sending Timothy and Epaphroditus away? Well, he writes in verse 20 that he is sending Timothy because "I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare."

He's sending him away because I have no one like him, and then there's this veiled statement about other possible preachers of the gospel, perhaps even in Rome where Paul was, who wouldn't be willing to go to the Philippians. Why? Verse 21: "For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ." In other words, some people might say that they are concerned for the Philippian church, but it's only Timothy who's really willing to go.

There are people who preach Christ in Rome, but it seems that they are only looking out for themselves, not actually for the interest of the church. Likewise, Paul is sending Epaphroditus because verse 26: "He has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill." He is distressed because people are worried about him being sick. Hands up, the men, the husbands in this church who get distressed when their wives fawn over them with lemon sips and hot soups when they're sick. Who gets distressed about that?

I don't. I love it. I feel I deserve it. I'm sick. Epaphroditus is distressed by the Philippian Christians being distressed about him being sick.

That's the type of guy you want in ministry. But see the common thread between these three men of faith, Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus. They are consumed by their love for the church. They are willing to go to all sorts of lengths to serve the bigger cause, the upbuilding and the expansion of God's mission through the church. Can I tell you a secret?

That is the heart of contentment. I promise you, that is the heart of your greatest contentment. Contentment is found when we are lifted out of our self focus, and our hearts and our minds are locked onto something far greater than ourselves. Think back on all of your greatest Christian experiences. Isn't it true that when you are focused on the bigger cause of God's mission, it is surprising how much joy was instantly injected into your life?

Isn't it true that when you've been focused on God's mission, you've rejoiced at other people's successes? Isn't it true that you can have such incredible moments of fellowship with God and with others when you are celebrating what God has done in the lives of other Christians? When we do this, our focus is taken off of ourselves and we experience the liberating experience of self forgetfulness. The truth is we find freedom and genuine contentment when we are able to work towards things greater than ourselves. And this is how Paul is able to give away the precious care of Timothy and Epaphroditus because his heart, indeed, all three of their hearts are set on the mission of God through the church of Jesus Christ.

This is why Paul in chapter four can say to the Philippians, "I rejoice greatly that you revived your concern for me." That's that crazy logic. I rejoiced because you were concerned about me. Why? Verse 14, chapter four: "Because you have shared in my trouble."

It's because you have entered into partnership with me in the gospel. And it's because Paul, having received a financial gift via Epaphroditus, he can conclude by saying that he rejoices not in the gift so much, but in the heavenly dividend that the Philippian church will receive because of their concern for Paul. He says, "That gift, concern is a fruit that increases to your credit, a fragrant offering acceptable and pleasing to God." So the truth is, and we shouldn't be shy about it, we are chasing the good life. We are, and we should chase contentment. We would all love to say with Paul, wouldn't we, "I rejoice greatly in my life."

Who doesn't want to rejoice greatly? But here is the secret to true joy, to contentment that comes from that joy. The good life comes to us when we stop obsessively prioritising our own lives over the purposes, the good purposes of God through the church. This is the truth we might need to learn and relearn many times.

You and I don't need something new in our garage to be content. You and I need a mission greater than ourselves. I honestly believe that the people in our church who are going to be the most content, the most joyful on the weekend of August, in a few weeks' time, are those sitting at church camp on top of their mountain. Why? Because they are spending their precious limited hours, energy and money sharing stories of God's goodness.

Learning again about God's grace to believers, becoming closer friends with those around them than those who aren't there. And that is not a guilt trip. That is just the reality. And I know that there are all sorts of opportunity costs in our lives and things we just have to do and things we just have to miss out on, but here's the point. When you allow yourself, when you allow your life to be tied to the excitement of God's mission on earth, worked out in the church, there is no greater joy.

There is no greater contentment than you can experience in this world. Let it not be said of anyone at Open House what Paul said of certain Christians in Rome: they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. And then we finally come to this last phrase in our statement. The statement says contentment gives away precious things because it's focused on the bigger cause of God's mission, or it's excited about the bigger cause of God's mission. Thirdly, when it is sourced from the life changing power of Jesus Christ.

In order for our hearts to be excited about God's bigger mission, we must first deeply understand the bigger picture of our own need. And of course, we know that that was the need of Jesus Christ. This is what Paul was also very aware of as he sent his two precious sons in the faith to the Philippian church. He could only let go of those precious friends because he trusted the one who had given them to him in the first place. I'm not sure if you noticed the repetition in our passage, but Paul uses the little phrase "in the Lord" three times.

It's a phrase that Paul actually uses nine times throughout the entire letter, but it's significant that he does that here. It's not incidental, it's important. Take a look where Paul uses it. In verse 19: "I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon." Then verse 24: "I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come to you also."

And then verse 29, the command to receive Epaphroditus in the Lord when he gets to them. What does Paul mean when he uses that phrase "in the Lord"? Well, notice the verbs that they sit next to. Firstly, to hope in the Lord, verse 19, and then verse 24, to trust in the Lord. And here are two instances of finding in Jesus Christ the source and the power of all the things that he is about to do.

When Paul is sending these men, and as he was hoping to visit the Philippians one day, he knew that none of it was possible without the power of Jesus behind it. For Paul, this isn't some throwaway line. You know, sometimes we can say "Lord willing." It's not a throwaway line. It's not an abstract theology like Jesus is God and therefore nothing can exist or nothing can happen without His will.

No. For Paul, his contentment and his hope in life is set in the deeply personal relationship that he has with Jesus. But notice that this "in the Lord" relationship isn't just his personal relationship, it is corporate. There's a corporate church element involved here. Verse 29 brings us out.

Paul comes to say that the Philippians are to receive Epaphroditus in the Lord. To receive him in the Lord is to welcome him back as though he was a limb that was missing from them. It's the intensity and the unity of Christian fellowship. And Paul is pointing out that it is second to none because we are all in the Lord. As Christians, we don't belong anywhere else like we belong to one another.

Not because we're all like minded individuals, not because we all dress the same and look the same and support the same footy team. No. It's because we have a unity in Jesus Christ that is second to none. Paul is saying, "I hope and I trust in my union with the Lord, in my relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ to allow these things to happen because I trust in Him and His love to have these things happen." And because I know that He knows me, and because I know that I'm a part of the mission that He is busy with, I have great hope and great confidence that these things will happen.

And this is why Paul can famously say in chapter four again: "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Because even in the unpredictable swings of his life, knowing hunger and plenty, knowing abundance, knowing need, Paul is able to learn contentment when he rested in the work of Jesus Christ who has already met his greatest need. Far from being Christianese throwaway line, the statement "I hope, I trust in the Lord" is the awareness that you are living and breathing and behaving only because you have an ongoing union with Christ. We now do everything as Christians in the Lord because through the cross, we are united with Jesus in a relationship that cannot be broken, and we are tied to His mission which cannot fail. We are tied to Jesus in a relationship that cannot be broken and to a mission that cannot fail.

Out of that knowledge comes true contentment. But coming back to our statement this morning: true contentment leads us to give away precious things because it is focused on the excitement of God's mission in the church sourced from the life changing power of Jesus Christ. What that means is that as a Christian, you can live with great generosity of your time, of your effort, and of your finances in your life in this church. You can give generously to your church, you can give generously to missionaries, you can give generously to charities, you can invest your time, your effort into group, church groups and activities, you can sacrifice entire weekends for church camps. Why?

Because you have learned the secret of contentment: that through Christ, whether you have plenty or not much, you have the joy of knowing that you are loved by God and you're a part of something greater than yourself and that makes all the difference. May you and I find the joy that is available in knowing that. Let's pray. Lord, I look forward to seeing Your power at work in us to give us opportunities of service, of sacrifice, of generosity that marks us out as being Your church. That marks us out as being ones who have truly come to understand the secret of contentment which is found only in the assurance that we are loved and accepted by You in Jesus Christ.

In a union, in a relationship that can never be broken, taken away from us, lost even by us, and that we are now part of a mission that cannot and will not fail. Help us, Lord, to have the priority right. Help us to know what a joy it is to give ourselves to the things that are greater than ourselves. These things we pray through the power of Jesus Christ working in us. Amen.