“FRUIT THAT ABOUNDS TO YOUR ACCOUNT” – Philippians 4:14-17
Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on October 21, 2012 under 2012 |
Preached Sunday, October 21, 2012 from Philippians 4:14-17
Theme: Paul shows us how to receive the service of others in such a way as to add to their eternal account.
(Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version; copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc.)
Paul’s New Testament letter to the Philippians was, in part, a “thank you” note. And over the past few weeks, we’ve been studying the section in which he clearly says “thank you” to his believing friends in Philippi.
In verse 10-13 of chapter 4, he lets them know how grateful he was for the very large financial gift they sent to meet his needs while he was in prison. He assured them, however, that he didn’t “speak in regard to need” (v. 11); and that he was content in Christ while suffering his imprisonment—affirming to them, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
But he then goes on to speak very highly of their gift; and to tell them;
Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities (vv. 14-16).
And please pay special attention to what he says in verses 17;
Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account (v. 17).
In this morning’s message, I want to focus in on this passage—and primarily on the thing that is emphasized verse 17.
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Now; you should know that the message that I hope to share with you is one that’s nearly twenty years in the making.
About twenty years ago—very near the beginning of my minister here as your pastor—I was meeting regularly with a dear old man named Carl. He was the father of one of our beloved church family members. Carl was 92 years old. He was one of the sharpest, most good-humored, most sweet-natured old men I’ve had the privilege of knowing. And he truly loved the Lord.
There were two meetings I had with Carl that really stand out in my memory. The first one was when he called me up and said, “Hey; come on over, Pastor! I just got my cataracts taken out!” How could I say no to that? So I drove on over first chance I had. And when I walked in the door, he greeted me—and then got this really disgusted look on his face. “Awwwhh . . .!” he said with disappointment. “So that’s what you look like!”
The other meeting was when he was beginning to grow frailer. We were sitting in the living room chatting; and every once in a while, his daughter would walk in to take care of some need that he had. I could tell that he was deeply frustrated by this; and I asked him what was wrong. “Oh, Pastor”, he said; “I just don’t like it that she has to take care of me so much. I’m such a bother.” I tried to assure him that he wasn’t a bother; and that she cared for him because she loved him. But it was still very hard for this dear old man to accept being taken care of by her.
And then, something came to me. I’m supposing that the Lord put it in my mind. “But Carl,” I said; “maybe you should think differently about his. Aren’t you really serving her by letting her serve you?”
He looked at me a little funny and asked what I meant by that. I said, “Well; let’s face it. You can’t really get up and do anything for her in return. And so, if she serves you, it has to be out of love for you and out of love for the Lord Jesus. And since you can never do anything in return for for all that she’s doing for you, it’ll have to be the Lord Jesus Himself that repays her. Isn’t that right?” “Yeah,” he said; “That’s definitely true.”
“And if it’s the Lord Jesus that repays her for serving you,” I said, “wouldn’t the way that He rewards her be eternal?—and glorious?—and far greater in heavenly terms than anything you could ever do for her on earth?” He said, “Yes; that’s true too.”
“In fact”, I said, “you are performing a greater service to her in letting her serve you out of love for the Lord Jesus—and in a way that only He could reward her for—than you could ever perform by not having a need that she would have to serve in the first place!”
He rubbed his forehead; and said, “Can you say all that again?” I wasn’t sure I could; but I tried. And as I did, I could see his face lighting up. “You know something?” he said. “You’re right!” We prayed about it afterward. And to the best of my knowledge, he never complained again about being served by his daughter.
Now; when I got back in the car and started to drive home, I began to think about what a great way this was of looking at the service of others. And I knew that it couldn’t be something that I came up with on my own. I knew that there just had to be a Bible passage somewhere that taught what I had just said to Carl! (I hope you know—by the way—that that’s not exactly the best way to be ‘biblical’.) And by the time I got home, this passage had come to my mind—and where Paul expressed his thanks to the Philippians for their service to Him; and told them , “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.”
Later that week, I had lunch with a friend of mine who was also a pastor. I explained to him what I had told Carl—and about the words from the apostle Paul’s letter that seemed to support it. We both concluded that this was a pretty lofty idea—but was the right way to think about what happens when we let someone else serve us in our times of need. We must learn to think beyond the immediate circumstances of the needs around us; and be gripped by the greatness of the rewards the Lord gives for those who faithfully meet them. We need not think only of the earthly the “gift” or “service” that is given, but about seeking “the fruit that abounds” to the heavenly account of the one who gives it. It’s a horrible thing to refuse to be helped in our time of need—and thus ultimately rob someone of the eternal blessing that the Lord would give them for serving us.
My pastor friend said it well: “We’d better remember this. We’re probably going to need to remember it one day.”
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Now; perhaps you are someone who—by nature—has a hard time being on the receiving end of someone else’s service. You may prefer to think of yourself as someone who serves others. You may have a hard time allowing yourself to be the one in “need” that others serve.
I think that Paul might have been that kind of person by nature as well. He certainly wasn’t in ministry for what he could get out of it. In fact, there are places in the Bible when he made it very clear that he purposely avoided allowing the people he served to meet his needs. When he preached the gospel to the Corinthians, for example, he also took on a side-job—so that he wouldn’t be a financial burden to them. He and his co-workers had a right to expect to be supported by those they served; but he wrote, “Nevertheless, we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ” (1 Corinthians 9:12).
He did the same thing as he ministered in Thessalonica. In 2 Thessalonians 3:7-10, he wrote;
For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat (2 Thessalonians 3:7-10).
It just wasn’t in his nature to be a ‘needy’ person. And yet, he exhibited humility and a reverent spirit toward God in allowing himself to be served by others in the body of Christ—and to have his genuine needs met by them; because he wanted them to be able to enjoy the eternal rewards for their faithful service that only the Lord Jesus could give them.
You know; sometimes people think that they’re being humble by refusing to allow people to serve them. “Oh, don’t make a fuss about me.” But there’s nothing really very humble about refusing to be served if it’s the Lord who generously rewards the server! In fact, when you think about it, it’s a terribly selfish thing to do—to rob someone else of the eternal blessings of service because we don’t want to be ‘needy’. We really need to change our attitude about this. And in this morning’s passage, Paul shows us the kind of humble and reverent attitudes we should have that add to the eternal account of others.
I hope, dear brothers and sisters, that we will all pay careful attention to what Paul tells us in this passage. We’re all going to need to remember it someday. Perhaps some of us are needing to remember it right now!
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So, what attitudes did Paul exhibit? First, notice that he had . . .
1. AN ETERNAL VIEW OF WHAT WAS DONE FOR HIM (v. 14).
Look back at what he had said in verses 10-13. When he had received this gift from the Philippians, he told them,
But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (vv. 10-13).
He valued the gift that was given to him—but not for the sake of the gift itself. If a gift like that had never come his way at all—and if he would have had to remain in a continual state of need—he would have been absolutely content in his spirit anyway. His contentment didn’t rest in the things that he had, but in the Lord who had him.
But he didn’t want his brothers and sisters to misunderstand. He certainly wasn’t being ungrateful. He wasn’t saying that he didn’t value the thing they had done for him. In verse 14, he tells them, “Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress” (v. 14). The word that he used for “well” refers to something done ‘rightly’ or ‘fittingly’. It was absolutely appropriate for them to have responded to the impulse that the Lord had laid upon their heart to help Paul in his need. It was something that they did in the name of the Lord—and therefore, as far as Paul was concerned, was something very sacred.
Would you like to know what Paul thought of the giving-attitude of the Philippians? He speaks of it in 2 Corinthians 8:1-5. Philippi was a chief city of Macedonia; and he wrote,
Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God (2 Corinthians 8:1-5).
When someone gives to you in that way—and with that kind of fervency toward the Lord Himself—you’d better respect it! It’s a true sacrifice of worship—one that the Lord Himself certainly values! As it says in Hebrews 6:10;
For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister (Hebrews 6:10).
So; when Paul says, “Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress”, he wasn’t paying them a casual compliment. He was affirming that, before God, they did what was right and good and appropriate! They served Jesus Christ in the service they performed for him—a service that, in verse 18, he calls “a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.” What a horrible thing it would be to disregard such a holy act!
May God teach us to have a truly ‘eternal’ view of the service that others render to us in Jesus’ name—and respect their service accordingly!
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Now; Paul—who had been the recipient of this wonderful gift from the Philippians—was a preacher of the gospel. In fact, he was in prison precisely because he had been preaching that gospel! The gift that the people of Philippi sent him was certainly given out of love and concern for him; and it certainly relieved his need. But more than that—it was given to the support and spread of the kingdom of Jesus Christ!
That, anyway, was Paul’s attitude about it. He received the gift warmly and gratefully because he had an attitude—along with his Philippian brethren—of . . .
2. A GRATEFUL PARTNERSHIP IN THE GOSPEL (vv. 15-16).
The story behind what Paul says in this passage is found in Acts 17:1-15. We’re told that after Paul and Silas had left Philippi, and were working their way through the regions of Macedonia, they came to the city of Thessalonica. They had preached the gospel in the synagogues for only three weeks; but in that short amount of time, the gospel had a tremendous impact. Many of the prominent people of the city had responded powerfully to the gospel, and were dramatically turning away from idols to serve the living God!
But the Jewish opponents to the gospel gathered a mob in the city square. They dragged a man named Jason before the authorities; because Jason was hosting Paul and Silas during their ministry. The uproar that Paul’s preached had caused was so great that the city officials held Jason and others of Paul’s supporters in custody until bail could be posted.
After they got Jason and the others released, Paul and Silas went by night to the next city—Berea; and once again, they went to the synagogue and began to preach. We’re told that these Bereans were “more fair minded” than the people of Thessalonica. They searched the Scriptures to see if what Paul was telling them was so. Many more prominent people came to Christ. But once again, the Jewish opponents to the gospel came down from Thessalonica, and stirred up another mob in Berea. And so, to avoid another disaster, the believers in Berea sent Paul away by sea to go to Athens; but they kept Silas and Timothy in the city to keep on ministering.
Well; these kinds of trials—so often involved in the hard work of spreading the gospel—cost the apostle Paul much in time, energy and resources. At by the time he wrote this letter, it had also cost him his liberty. But look at what Paul tells the Philippians;
Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities (vv. 15-16).
Why did they do this? It was because they viewed themselves as partners together with Paul in the great cause of the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And Paul viewed them as partners as well—and recognized their giving in the light of that partnership. He told them at the beginning of this letter;
just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace (Philippians 1:7).
Paul didn’t see the service that the Philippians rendered to his need as simply being for himself. It did benefit and relieve him; but he had a much higher view of it than just that. He saw it as a sacrifice rendered by them in the common cause of the spread of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Because of their faithful service to him, the work could go on and others could hear about the Lord Jesus.
May God teach us to receive the services that others render to us in the light of the greater cause of our partnership together in the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ—and to regard one another’s service accordingly!
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Finally, notice how—in all of this—Paul exhibited . . .
3. A DESIRE FOR JESUS TO REWARD THE SERVICE OF OTHERS (v. 17).
Paul summed it up in those wonderful words, “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account” (v. 17). He willingly, gladly, warmly, humbly received their sacrifice of service to him because he was looking ahead to the blessing that the Lord Jesus would pour out upon them.
Do you remember what the Lord Jesus said would happen on the great Day of Judgment? The righteous would be gathered at the right hand of the King; and He would turn to them and say,
‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me’ (Matthew 25:34-40).
Dear brothers and sisters; let’s think rightly about this! If it would mean the eternal blessings of the kingdom—from the very hand of Jesus Himself—being poured out on the faithful ones who serve us in our need, then it is a very honorable thing indeed to be hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison! We truly render an eternal service of love to others in humbly letting them serve us in the name of Jesus!
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Now obviously, this isn’t about taking advantage of people. I hope none of us will ever think we can bless other people by hypocritically presenting ourselves as perpetually needy. God would not honor that.
But when the need is truly there, and when God sends another brother or sister to lovingly meet that need in the name of Jesus, then let’s make sure we’re think of it rightly! In the light of eternity, our need is a gift. Let’s have an eternal view of the service rendered to meet it, and learn to esteem it accordingly. Let’s view it gratefully as an act of partnership in the greater cause of Christ in this world—something that God uses to expand the cause of His kingdom. And let’s receive that act of service with a genuine desire to see Jesus eternally reward the one who serves us.
Have those attitudes when others serve you in Christ, and you’ll be performing an even greater and more eternal act of service toward them then they perform to you!
