For a great many people, there are three little sentences which are very hard to say out loud. They are just eight little words, broken down into three short phrases, but some find them difficult. The first is, “I love you!” Between spouses may be easy, but beyond that perhaps not so much. There are probably people whom you love, to whom you have never verbalized your affection. This is especially true among the brethren; because there is a feared stigma hidden there. Much worse is the difficulty some people have telling God that they love Him. The second short sentence is, “I am sorry!” There are undoubtedly some relationships that could use some repair, and this is a verbal tool which could get that started. Not only are these words difficult… But it is also possible to say “I’m sorry” in such a way we make the hearer feel guilty that we’ve said it.
A third problem phrase is, “Thank you!” For many people this is most difficult of the three. The words aren’t necessarily hard to speak, but they require a humility which some find hard to find. And it may imply some sort of obligation or relationship which we aren’t willing to acknowledge. It is these last little words that our scripture raises this evening. And it might be that even Paul had difficulty spitting them out, because we don’t actually hear him say it.
Most likely I will subdivide this scripture, looking into some really memorable and memorizable statements later. But tonight, let’s consider a general overview. Verse 10 – “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now… your care of me hath flourished.” Verse 14 – “Ye have done well, that ye did communicate with my affliction…” Verse 15 – “No church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.”
Twice Paul used the word “communicate,” but it wasn’t in the same way that we usually use it. Whereas we think of “communication” as talking, the word speaks of fellowship, sharing and partaking. The Greeks didn’t just share “words,” they shared love and goods – they shared food and finances. And in the case of the early Christians, their lives often depended on the “communication” of their goods. Acts 2 – “And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.” Acts 4 – “Neither was there any among them that lacked; for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and led them down at the apostles’ feet; and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.” In that early day, many of those people were in need, because they were declared Christians. They lost their families, or they lost their jobs and income because they identified with Christ. They were in need because of their faith and their profession, not because of any sin or neglect.
Before I get to thankfulness, let me point out some related troublesome points. There are many people who are too proud to admit they have a need. And have you ever noticed that sometimes it is difficult to give people things without hurting them? Sometimes when we give it, we cause a bit of embarrassment. It might be an embarrassment to the recipient, and sometimes even to the giver. The gift, or the way it is given, can make the recipient feel inferior to the giver. Sometimes the recipient feels compelled to lie, saying that he doesn’t really need any help. And some people kind of deny that the gift was ever given – they just take it and run.
Paul, here, shows us how delicate he could be with a subject that can be a tough one. He acknowledges his debt and his gratitude in regard to the gifts which had been given. And although he doesn’t really ask for more of the Philippians’ kind assistance, it is implied. And then he suggests this thankfulness. We can hear his sincerity. But he doesn’t cross the line by exaggerating, or embarrassing, or puffing up his benefactors.
Let’s remember that Paul was in prison when he writes these words, so he is limited in many ways. Earlier he often visited cities preaching the Word of God carrying with him very little financial support. So he would, circumstances permitting, go to work at a secular job, to support himself. He appears to have been a skilled tent-maker and perhaps worked with leather in other ways. But as he writes this letter, he is under house arrest and unable to earn any extra cash. There were few churches which sent supplies, encouragement and money to help him in his time of need. But the Philippians had recently sent Paul some money through their member, Epaphroditus.
In this paragraph Paul acknowledges the gift, and he gives us some autobiographical goodies in the process.
First we notice that Paul acknowledged the Lord in the gifts that were sent.
“I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again.” I wonder if anyone wanted to be acknowledged as coming up with the plan to send this money. Were there donors who were upset that their names were not mentioned in this letter? For the sake of argument, let’s assume that Philippi was a perfect church, with near perfect members. In such a case, those who conceived the idea of this gift would not want to be named here. And those who gave of their wealth, or their penury, had no desire to be acknowledged either.
The true saint of God should be quick to acknowledge that it was all of the Lord anyway. Paul saw the Lord in their gifts and encouragement. The wealthy man who gave much to help Paul, was wealthy only by the grace of God. He had the ability to give, because the Lord had blessed his labors, his works, his mind and his health. And the poor man who was able to contribute only a little, gave because he knew that the Lord would give him what he needed to make it through another week with just a little bit less than he had first had. And from where did the idea of this sacrificial gift originate? It was from the still small voice of God. Sure, it was some member in Philippi who uttered it, but ultimately it came from the Lord
Paul uses an interesting metaphor in this passage: “Your care of me once again hath FLOURISHED.” “Flourished” is a word used only here, but it is related to the idea of rejuvenation. The idea is that something revived after a few months of hibernation. It might be illustrated by a fruit tree – perhaps a fig tree, an orange or an apple tree. For months, during the winter of Paul’s troubles, there was no fruit, and he was near starvation. But in the spring, the weather began to warm, and buds appeared. Then along came an abundance of wonderful blossoms, so filled with perfume that the atmosphere was delightful, filled with bugs and bees, pollinating those flowers. And finally, the blossoms fell apart, and the once barren tree was overburdened with life-giving fruit. “I am FULL, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.” “Brethren, I rejoiced in the Lord, when I saw my friend Epaphroditus coming for a visit. And then I saw that his arms were full of fruit. Unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever.” “Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say, Rejoice.”
Paul was not one to suggest that the human instruments in the work of God are nothing but puppets.
No, rather than stressing their obedience to the will of Lord, he stressed the size of the spirit in their hearts. Even when Paul was in Thessalonica, these people in Philippi had been sending gifts to help the ministry. These people were givers. How often do you think that Epaphroditus and others in Philippi had to exhort their people to give? How many missionary sermons were preached? How many “Faith Promise” meetings were held? Did they have a yearly missions conference to pump the people up, or to prime the pump for money? I sincerely doubt it.
Throughout the years, our church treasury has been full and then empty, full and then empty. There have been times when we had lots of money to send to our evangelists, and at other times it was hard to keep our promises to them. That may be a problem for every church once in a while. Do you think that this was ever a problem for the church in Philippi? Those who love the Lord and appreciate their own salvation, also appreciate the work that missionaries and evangelists are doing at home and abroad. They appreciate and love people, like Paul, and they want to not only help him, but also to help those to whom he is ministering.
Those people in Philippi had a heart and willingness to give. And Paul not only praised God for that willingness, but he gave praise to them as well.
Then Paul assured them of the Lord’s reward.
Verse 17 – “Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.” Have you ever had a garden into which you put a lot of toil and expense? You tilled the ground and opened it up for the seed or the seedlings that you bought. You broke the sod by the sweat of your brow, and you paid good money for the seed. You planted, then watered, moving the hose a hundred times during the summer. You cultivated and weeded, again and again, and again you pulled up those pesky weeds. Soon there were shoots and stalks, and buds and flowers. Soon you were looking forward to a great harvest, and there was nothing making you doubt the outcome. But then inexplicably there was a disease, or a bug, a slug, or a frost, or a hail storm. All the labor that you put into your garden was wasted in a day or in an hour. There was nothing that you could do to stop the disaster. Your labor was in vain in the field.
In contrast to that, Paul implies here, and openly avows in other places, that our labour for the Lord will NOT be in vain – NEVER. The energy that we expend in the work of the Lord will not go unrecognized and unrewarded. The money we invest in the Lord’s work will be multiplied and well invested. God has the best accountants in Creation, and the fruit of your service will be accredited to your account.
Working as the office manager at the mall part of my responsibility was to collect the rent from all the stores. Every rent check had a specified amount which was supposed to go to each of several categories. And additionally, throughout the month that store might have had to pay for the use of the fax machine or the copier. They may have rented time on the reader board, or they may have rented tables for a special sale. And every dime that they brought to the office had to be applied to the proper account – that was a big part of my job.
Do you suppose that the Lord has separate accounts into which we are laying up treasures? One account might be titled: “attendance in the house of the Lord,” and a second might be “time in prayer.” Do you suppose the Lord might split up our giving into “tithes” and then “offerings” for missions, and then another simply for “gifts of love?” The Lord might have an account dedicated to your personal efforts at evangelism. There might be another involving the service that you perform in care of the church building. In fact there could be a hundred different accounts in which your service is applied and recorded. But then again, the omniscient Judge may see everything as one thing.
Here you are being faithful to the House of God on the Wednesday evening of March 25, 2026. But are there other areas of responsibility where you haven’t been as faithful as you should have been? Yes, the books will record that you’ve come to church this evening. But while you brought your body, did you entice your heart to come as well? Have ye done well in your communication; or has it been limited to merely what was expected? Oh, and you put money in the offering box, but did you do it with joy or out of a sense of necessity? When the books are opened, will there be receipts in every one of the Lord’s categories? Will there be notes only in the accounts in which we delight?
Paul, as the ambassador of God, said “Thank you” to his friends in Philippi. We, too, will one day be thanked, even though we might not hear that word here on earth. At the Judgment Seat of Christ, there may be a: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter now into the joy of thy Lord.” But for how many of us will there be more emphasis on: “Thou hast been faithful ONLY in a few things?”