Happiness Through Giving
Jeffery Anselmi / General
Be Happy / Giving / Philippians 4:10–20
Give generously to God and his purposes. We gain happiness by giving if our heart is right.
INTRODUCTION
• Can you believe that Thanksgiving is almost here? I must say that as with everything that takes place in 2020, this Thanksgiving holiday will be much different for many than it usually is.
• Today we will conclude our Be Happy series, and I cannot think of a more appropriate time to conclude this series than now.
• Being thankful is obviously one of the ways we can be happy, and of course, that is PART of what Thanksgiving is all about.
• However, the other part of the equation and holiday is GIVING.
• When we go back to the first Thanksgiving in November of 1621, we find that the Pilgrims were thankful and the Native Americans were giving.
• The first meal was a sharing of food between the Pilgrims and the Natives.
• A thankful person is a giving person, so today we are going to focus on the giving aspect of thanksgiving.
• You will find that one of the ways you can be happy in life is by being a giving person.
• Today we will examine three things one must do so that one can be a giving person.
• The context of the passage deals specifically with how the Philippian Church was able to help Paul, and how much joy it brought Paul to receive their gifts.
• Today our BIG IDEA IS “Give generously and cheerfully. Give generously to God and his purposes because being a cheerful giver will bring you happiness because by being a giver, you are contributing to the happiness of others, and in the case of giving to the Lord’s work, you are an important part of something larger than yourself.
Philippians 4:10–12 CSB
10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly because once again you renewed your care for me. You were, in fact, concerned about me but lacked the opportunity to show it.
11 I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself.
12 I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.
SERMON
› For one to be a joyful generous giver one must…
I. Learn the art of contentment.
• The passage we are looking at now is a great one, because, within this, you will find a key to freedom and happiness for your life.
• Paul was in a tough spot most of the time, at this point, he was in jail. Apparently, the Philippian church hit a spot where they could not give to help Paul.
• Paul wanted the folks to know that he was not upset.
• Something changed that allowed the church to once again help Paul financially.
• In many places Paul served, because of the level of poverty, he did not take a salary, he worked while he served the Lord for these churches.
• Now let’s look at one of the secrets to being a joyful giver.
• You will notice that it is actually the RECEIVER of the gift who will exhibit the virtue of contentment.
• Look at verse 11 with me.
Philippians 4:11 CSB
11 I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself.
The word rendered “content” (a?t?????, autarkes) is only here in the New Testament, though words related to it are found in 1 Cor 9:8 and 1 Tim 6:6. Philosophers used the word to describe the independence wisdom brought. Paul changed the idea into an independence of dependence—on Christ. Ash, A. L. (1994). Philippians, Colossians & Philemon (Php 4:11). Joplin, MO: College Press.
• How many of us can say we are content with our circumstances, no matter what they may be?
• The word CONTENT denotes sufficiency in oneself; however, as stated, Paul adds the fact that contentment deals with sufficiency in Christ!
• Look at verse 12 again.
Philippians 4:12 CSB
12 I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.
• How can one possibly feel sufficient in times of little, or in times of hunger?
• The word KNOW in verse 12 means to gain by experience.
• In verse 11 Paul states, I HAVE LEARNED, now in verse 12 there is a shift to I KNOW. This knowing comes from what Paul learned through experience.
• Paul uses the word SECRET in verse 12, when he states he has learned the secret to being content.
• The word secret was a word that was used to speak if initiation ceremonies in the Greek mystery religions.
• Paul has been THOROUGHLY initiated into the life situations which he speaks of that called for him to learn contentment.
• No matter what his situation was, Paul had learned to rely on Christ!
• IF we are not content, we will not be a giver because we always will rely on ourselves to take care of everything in life.
• We will think that if we give, what we give will keep us from having what we need.
• In general, the churches that supported Paul were not overly wealthy, yet they were excited to give toward his ministry.
• One of the great blessings we have seen with COVID at FCC is the fact that our giving has been better than ever.
• In one sense I am amazed, on another I am not surprised by this because we have such a loving, giving church family who knows Jesus as their Lord!
• When we learn to be content, we will be one who is able to give. Lack of contentment is a sign of a deeper issue.
Most of us walk around in a perpetual state of dehydration. Although we may not feel thirsty, our bodies are longing for some much-needed water. An interesting and often overlooked sign of dehydration is hunger.
When we are dehydrated our appetite increases. Rather than satisfying the true need of our body with water, we chase away the symptom with unnecessary food. The spiritual correlation with this physical phenomenon is easy to understand.
Jesus offers us living water, yet most of us are frequently spiritually dehydrated. As a result, we feel hungry for something to satisfy our souls and usually reach for an inadequate solution.
Paul noted contentment is something we must learn (Philippians 4:11). In seeking to discover true contentment, we must learn to discern which hunger pains are legitimate, and which ones are simply reminding us it is time to get another drink from the well of living water.
USA Weekend, 7/16/0
“What makes the Dead Sea dead? Because it is all the time receiving, never giving out anything. Why is it that many Christians are cold? Because they are all the time receiving, never giving out anything” D.L. Moody, Anecdotes and Illustrations of D. L. Moody, ed. J. B. McClure [1878], 79
Philippians 4:13–14 CSB
13 I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.
14 Still, you did well by partnering with me in my hardship.
› For one to be a joyful generous giver one must…
II. Understand who provides for your needs.
• Verse 13 is a little misused by folks at times.
• Sometimes this verse is used in the setting, I CAN DO ANYTHING I SET MY MIND TO DO IN CHRIST.
• I could never dunk a basketball on a regulation-sized goal, even after I became a Christian. The best I could do was halfway up the net when I weighed about 150 lbs. :)
• So we can see the real meaning of the passage we have to consider the context.
• Paul has just told us that he has LEARNED the art of contentment in all circumstances, good and bad, full or hungry, rich or poor.
How could a man whose stomach was pinched from hunger and who suffered other deprivations exude joy, rather than whining complaint? It was because of inner power, here expressed in one of the favorite devotional texts of the New Testament.
He took no credit for a bright attitude but gave God the glory in “any and every” situation. (College Press Commentary Series)
• The phrase I CAN DO is a synonym for POWER. Paul is saying that he has the power.
• This phrase calls attention to an inner power out forth or exerted.
• This power is not an inherent power, but rather, one given to him.
• All things does not refer to walking on water, but rather to the inner strength through His dependence on God to be able to find contentment in all situations.
• We must see that Paul spoke here of the secret of contentment.
• Whenever the gift is utilized, even in the grimmest circumstances, it is by divine strength.
• This was no humanistic “feel good, regardless” philosophy. It was the power of God working through him!
• The word STRENGTHEN in verse 13 is another synonym for POWER.
• This word reveals the source of the power, the power which comes to be manifested in I CAN DO ALL THINGS.
• The focus is on the one who strengthens me, not on myself!
• Paul knows where his strength comes from, and since he knows that God provides that strength, he can do all things, (not get swallowed up by circumstances).
• Where does your strength come from? When it is you, you will fail, when it is from God, you can get through anything with Him!
• If you know who provides your power, and if you know who provides all you have, it becomes easier to be a giver because you know that God supplies all your needs, all your power, all you need to be able to victorious in life!
• This leads to a final thought found mainly in verse 19.
Philippians 4:15–19 CSB
15 And you Philippians know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone.
16 For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times.
17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account.
18 But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
19 And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
› For one to be a joyful generous giver one must…
III. Trust in the one who provides.
• In this last section Paul goes through some history of how the church provided for his needs, and this was at great cost.
• When you know who provides for you, what could keep one from being a joyful giver?
• Lack of trust.
• I said earlier that one thing that COVID has reinforced for me is the strength and faith of this Church.
• There are many who are hurting in a bad way, some are even closing their doors, yet her we stand together, as strong as ever!
• If I do not trust my provider, I will not give because I think I have to take care of myself. With that said, we are called to be wise with our giving; however, if we trust God, it is easier to give.
• Look at verse 19 again.
Philippians 4:19 CSB
19 And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
• Paul knows who provides, and he knows that God ill make sure the Philippian church has what it needs because they were generously giving to support God’s work.
• This goes back to the simple question, HOW BIG IS YOUR GOD?
• DO you trust him, even when times are lean?
CONCLUSION
• Our application for today is this: When we give generously to God, He will not only take care of your needs but will also take care of others through you.
• God provided for the Philippian Church, which in turn, allowed them to provide for the needs of Paul, who in turn, provided for the spiritual needs of all those who were touched by his ministry.
• When we are one who receives and then gives, it keeps us happy and it keeps us from becoming like the Dead Sea.
