Philippians 4:18; Fragrant and Acceptable

PastorRodney’s Weblog

10/20 Philippians 4:18; Fragrant and Acceptable; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20241020_philippians-4_18.mp3

Toward the end of his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul uses the opportunity of a financial gift from them to teach on the Christian understanding of money. He acknowledges their gift, he takes time to explain what he means, and he qualifies what he says by clarifying what he does not mean. He does this three times.

In 4:10 he acknowledged that their thoughtfulness had blossomed into a tangible expression of financial and practical support for him in prison – this care for him brought him great joy in the Lord. He clarifies his own confidence in their constant concern for him, but is aware that they lacked opportunity. And then he qualifies that although he was experiencing lack, he was not speaking out of that lack, as if his joy was dependent on their giving. He had learned the secret of contentment in any and every circumstance; even in humiliation, hunger, and need. His contentment is in the surpassing worth of knowing Christ, not in having plenty and being full.

In verse 14 he acknowledges the goodness and rightness of their fellowship in his affliction. The sufficiency of Jesus does not make it wrong for him to rejoice in the Lord in response to their gift, and it doesn’t make it wrong for them to partner with him in his need. It was a beautiful kindness to him.

He affirms them in their unique history of giving and receiving – from the first day he brought the gospel to them, Lydia took them into her home, then the jailer took them into his home, fed them and cared for their wounds. In the very next Macedonian town of Thessalonica they partnered with him as he experienced persecution there. When he traveled to Corinth in Achaia they supported him there. They were the only church to fellowship financially with him in advancing the gospel beyond them.

Not Greedy For Gain

But he qualifies in verse 17 that he is not after their money.

Philippians 4:17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.

Paul’s greatest treasure is knowing Jesus, so he guards against the misunderstanding that his celebration of their support of him is an indication that his heart has shifted to a pursuit of financial gain. Not so! He warns Timothy against those who imagine that godliness is a means of gain.

1 Timothy 6:5 …imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.

Paul has learned the secret of contentment. Godliness with contentment is great gain. He will be content with food and clothing. He finds contentment even in lack of the basic necessities.

1 Timothy 6:9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. 11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

And then he addresses those who have been blessed abundantly:

1 Timothy 6:17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

It is not wrong to be rich. Remember, he is writing this to us; everyone in this room is likely somewhere in the top 5% of wealthiest people on the planet. God has blessed us. It matters what we do with our wealth. Do not be proud. Do not set your hope on the uncertainty of riches. Do good, be rich in good works. Be generous. Be ready to share. Your life does not consist in what you have. By your generosity store up eternal treasure and take hold of that which is truly life.

Store Up Treasure in the Heavens

Paul says he is not seeking the gift; he is seeking the fruit that abounds to your account. By their generosity they are storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, and treasuring Jesus, who is truly life.

Jesus taught the same;

Luke 12:15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

And he told a story about a person who was blessed by God but laid up for himself treasures on earth;

Luke 12:20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Jesus instructed his followers:

Luke 12:29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. 32 ​“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 ​Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 ​For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

According to Jesus, the one who doesn’t pursue wealth, but rather seeks to advance the kingdom of God, who is generous toward others, is providing for himself treasure in the heavens. Paul tells the Philippians that what he seeks is not the gift, but the fruit that abounds to your account. Fruit is evidence of root, and what you do with your money is evidence of what you treasure most. What you invest in gives evidence of what is most important to you. Paul prayed for the Philippians at the beginning of this letter:

Philippians 1:9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

One fruit of their relationship with Jesus was their love toward others, their financial partnership in advancing the gospel from the very first day. Paul is confident that this fruit is increasing to their credit. It is entered in the books; it is on record in heaven. This is what Paul is pursuing; not the gift, but the fruit that increases to their account.

Received All and Abound

In verse 18 Paul again acknowledges their gift;

Philippians 4:18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, …

In verse 12 he said he knows how to be humbled and how to abound; here he tells them that he has received all and is abounding. Some think we ought to keep ministers of the gospel poor and underpaid so that we know they are not in it for the money; and there may be some wisdom to that. But a genuine follower of Jesus with character and integrity will find contentment in Jesus whether in plenty or in want. Paul acknowledges here that the gift he received from them through Epaphroditus has fully filled him up. He is well supplied and has more than enough.

Fragrant Offering

What Paul says next is startling. He calls their tangible and financial gifts to him “a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.” This is Old Testament sacrificial language.

‘Fragrant offering’ goes all the way back to Noah;

Genesis 8:20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma [ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας], the LORD said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.

The daily sacrifices of Exodus and Leviticus that were burnt on the altar were said to be a pleasing aroma to the Lord. They were called sacrifices because the worshiper took a perfectly good and valuable animal (often with grain and oil and wine; Ex.29:38-43) and killed it and it went up in smoke on the altar in the tabernacle or later in the temple. It was a sacrifice because it was a significant cost to the one who offered it.

Sacrifice Acceptable

There were very specific and clear regulations on what kind of animal was acceptable as a sacrifice; it must be the best, not sick or lame or blemished in any way.

Leviticus 1:3 “If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD. 4 He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

Leviticus 22:20 You shall not offer anything that has a blemish, for it will not be acceptable for you.

The LORD rebuked his people for offering substandard animals;

Malachi 1:8 When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts.

God says to his disobedient people who rejected his word:

Jeremiah 6:20 ​What use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.

God is more interested in the heart than in outward sacrifices. David says:

Psalm 51:16 ​For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

In the New Testament this sacrificial imagery comes to be applied to spiritual sacrifices; Peter pictures us as living stones in a spiritual temple offering spiritual sacrifices:

1 Peter 2:5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

What are these spiritual sacrifices?

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Proclaim the excellencies of him. Hebrews, after outlining how all the Old Testament sacrifices were incomplete and insufficient, and pointing to Jesus as the once for all more perfect and eternal sacrifice, says;

Hebrews 13:15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Sacrifice of praise; acknowledge his name; do good and share what you have, for this is a sacrifice pleasing or acceptable to God.

Well-Pleasing

Hebrews tells us how imperfect sinners like us can possibly offer anything acceptable to God;

Hebrews 13:20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Human efforts fall short. God equips us; through Jesus Christ God works in us that which is pleasing in his sight. Paul exhorted us:

Philippians 2:12 …work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

We work because God is working in us. God’s work in us creates both the desire and ability to please him.

Because of the gospel, Paul appeals to us in Romans

Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

To God

Here’s the most amazing thing that Paul says about the Philippians’ gifts; who were the gifts for? Paul said

Philippians 4:10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me… …14 Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15 … partnership with me in giving and receiving… 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. … 18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent,

The gifts were for Paul. The Philippian church took up a collection. They selected a man who was willing to go and care for Paul in prison, and carry their gift to him. They gave to Paul. But he uses all this sacrificial imagery of “a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.” This gift was a sacrificial offering to God, and God received it and was well-pleased with it. When you give, who do you give to?

Here’s what’s happening: Jesus looks to the day

Matthew 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. …34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 ​I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

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Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org