“401k”
(Phil. 4:14-19)
Dr. Richard S. Koole
Chapel Pointe
March 22, 2009
I. Introduction
A. Dr. Harry Ironside
1. Out of money in Fresno
Early in his ministry that great Bible teacher Dr. Harry Ironside had an experience that perfectly illustrates this provision. On one occasion he had acted on faith, as he often did, to preach for two weeks in Fresno, California. And the time came, surprisingly to him, when he was entirely out of money. He had begun with a small amount, but this was used up. And he now had no funds with which to eat. He was even forced to check out of his hotel room and leave his suitcase at a drugstore to be picked up later. There was some complaining and bitterness, according to Ironside. And when the thought of Philippians 4:19 crossed his mind—
“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
But, his spirit rebelled. “Why then doesn’t He do it?” he questioned. It seemed that God had promised, but that He was no longer keeping His word.
2. That night
That night, as he settled down under a tree on the lawn of the Court House in Fresno, God spoke to Ironside concerning many things about which he said he had grown careless. And in his prayer and meditation he experienced a great spiritual awakening. From that time on the work went better. Old friends appeared, first to invite him to lunch and later to provide accommodations. And the church to which he was ministering took a collection at last to help him out on his return journey.
3. The letter from dad
At the end he went to the post office and found a letter from his father, much to his surprise. He opened it. And there staring him in the face was a postscript that said,
“God spoke to me through Philippians 4:19 today. He has promised to supply all our need. Some day He may see that I need a starving! If He does, He will supply that.”
4. Ironside says,
“Oh, how real it all seemed then! I saw that God had been putting me through that test in order to bring me closer to Himself, and to bring me face-to-face with things that I had been neglecting.”
B. As we face uncertain times
The God of Philippians 4:19… is the God who called Abraham out of Mesopotamia when he was an idol worshiper like all of his contemporaries and who sent him on his way to a new land promising that he would be blessed and that there would be greater blessing to all men through his descendants.
The God of Philippians 4:19… is the God who called Israel out of Egypt, who took her through the Red Sea, who preserved her for forty years in the wilderness, and who finally enabled her to conquer the land of Canaan.
The God of Philippians 4:19… is the God of David, of Elijah, of Jeremiah, of Daniel, and of all the prophets.
The God of Philippians 4:19… is the God who has preserved his people the Jews against monsters like Hitler and Stalin; and against the pressing threat of a hostile Muslim world
The God of Philippians 4:19… is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who watched as Christ died for our salvation and then triumphed over the tomb.
The God of Philippians 4:19… is the God who stands behind His promises.
The God of Philippians 4:19… has deep enough pockets to get you through a recession…or a depression.
C. Putting your trust in 4:19 vs. 401k
1. That’s what these verses are talking about
2. Could not be more timely
II. Text….Phil. 4:14-19
A. Background
1. Paul’s Imprisonment
2. Letter to favorite church
3. Their kindness through the years
4. Their recent gift of money
B. Paul’s “Thank You Letter”
1. Thanks them for their sacrificial gift
2. They had sent a gift of money
a. A collection from the people of the church
b. This is Paul’s “thank you” note
3. Paul says it was good that they sent it
4. They were “sharing in his troubles”
a. Literally…. they were investing in his ministry
b. The giver becomes a partner with the server
III. Application
#1 Christian giving is an investment in people
Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. (Phil. 4:14)
1. When you drop a check into the offering bucket
a. More than helping to pay the bills
2. You share in the blessing of world missions
a. 20% of giving goes to missions
b. You share in their struggles….and their blessings
1. Around the globe
c. You’re investing in: (slide #1)
1. Native Americans (Curtis’s)
2. Brazil (Santos and Clarks)
3. Ecuador (Jenkins)
4. The unborn (Alpha Women’s Center)
5. The homeless & hungry (Mel Trotter)
6. The mentally handicapped (Shepherds)
7. Needy in our area (Love Inc)
8. Bible translation and distribution (Bibles International.)
d. Added in recent years (slide #2)
1. England (Stevens)
2. Uganda (Davis’)
3. Australia (Harpers)
4 Missions trips (Neills)
5. The Middle East (Nancy Berends)
6. Truck drivers (Johnsons)
7. Croatia (Sterkens)
d. Surprises in heaven
3. The ministries you help support at home
a. Children
1. Passing the torch to the next generation
b. Youth
c. Adult ministries
4. My vision
#2 Christian giving is a secure investment
1. You are investing for eternal dividends
a. Far better return than your 401k
1. Or the value of your home
2. Bill Gates and Warren Buffet lost 40 billion between them this past year
b. Placing your treasures where moth and rust and recession will not devalue
c. Matthew 6:19-20
(19) Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. (20) But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. (21) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
2. Why I’m speaking on giving
a. Verse-by-verse
3. This is not a “beat down” because you have failed
a. God has supplied
4. But oh what he could do if everybody did as they should
a. Are you holding back the blessing of God?
b. On your family, and this church?
#3 Christian giving begins with your local church
1. Corinthians 16:1-2
(1) Now about the collection for God’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. (2) On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made
a. “set aside”
b. They would have understood it to mean the local church
2. Okay to give to other ministries
a. But a person’s local church should come first
b. Established by God as his primary tool
3. The advantages of giving to the church
a. I couldn’t keep a missionary on the field by my giving
b. Building buildings
c. Paying staff
d. Special needs (I don’t always know!)
#4 Your giving should be regular and systematic (Phil. 4:15-16)
(15) Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; (16) for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need.
1. He thanks the church in Philippi for the faithfulness through the years
a. The one group he could always count on
2. The importance of regular giving
a. I Corinthians 16:1-2
(1) Now about the collection for God’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. (2) On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made
3. The importance of regular giving to Chapel Pointe
a. Our testimony….God’s testimony
b. Faithful in the tough times
4. Tithe envelopes
a. We’ll be okay if….
b. But we want more than “okay”
c. Our vision
#5 Each of us is expected to give something (I Cor. 16:2)
(2) On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made (I Corinthians 16:2)
2. “each one of you”….I Cor. 16:2
3. All Christians are instructed to give to God’s work
4. The power of 100% participation
5. The size of gifts may vary greatly
#6 Our giving should be in proportion to our income (I Cor. 16:2)
(2) On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made
1. How much….I Cor. 16
a. “in keeping with his income”
b. …or NKJV…..“As God has prospered him”
2. For those with very little
a. The widow’s mite (worth 1/8 of .01)
b. “If you have anything, you have something to give”
3. The child’s gift
a. Her two pennies
4. (II Cor. 8:2)—“…their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.”
5. Expectation for those with a lot
a. The poor man who gave all that he had
1. Lectured on giving
2. Got rich
3. “Could you give all now?”
b. Be faithful in little….or a lot
#7 God is able to provide unexpected blessings
1 The example of Barnabas (Acts 4:32-37)
(32) All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. (33) With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. (34) There were no needy persons among them for from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales (35) and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. (36) Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement, (37) sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
2. Ask God to surprise you
a. How he does it
3. As many lose their jobs
a. Less they can give
b. Others may have to step up their giving
4. What is God asking you to do?
a. This is a test
#8 Our giving is to be sacrificial (Phil. 4:16)
(16) for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need.
1. “Even in Thessalonica”
a. Paul was there when he wrote to Corinthians
2. The church in Phillipi gave despite their poverty!!!
a. II Cor. 8:1-4—“Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the
grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2 that in
a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their
deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. 3 For I
bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, 4 imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.”
3. The example of Barnabas (Acts 5:34-37)
a. A former Levite
b. Couldn’t own land
c. Newly acquired with life’s savings
d. Gave sacrificially
4. The Old Testament standard
a. The 10%
b. Yet 10% can be a sin or a sacrifice
5. The key is a willing heart
a. “God loves a cheerful giver”
6. Giving is like planting corn
a. Let’s plant a lot of seed!
#9 You will receive the greater gift (Phil. 4:17-18)
(17) Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. (18) I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
1. Why was Paul so happy over the gift?
a. “Not that I am looking for a gift”
1. He could live without it
2. Already had food and shelter
b. “but I am looking for what may be credited to your account”
a. “credited to their account”
b. THEY would benefit
2. Why I’m pleading for you to give
a. …that it might be credited to your account
3. How we benefit from giving—
a. Proverbs 11:25
“The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.”
b. Proverbs 10:17
“He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and he will pay back what he has given.”
c. Luke 6:38
“Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
d. II Corinthians 9:6-8
“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, have an abundance for every good work.”
4. I want “God’s abundance” for Chapel Pointe
a. Abundance in the face of a recession
b. So people will marvel at what our God has done
c. Vision
#10 God is able to supply beyond our imagination (Phil. 4:19)
(19) And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
a. It will not deplete GOD’S resources
1. “And my God”
· Remember who we are dealing with!!!
2. “will meet all your needs”
· ALL means ALL!!!
· A promise!
3. “According to his glorious riches”
a. When I used to tip (cheap)
b. John D. Rockefeller’s wealth in today’s dollars
1. 10 times the size of the wealthiest today
c. Rockefeller’s tips
1. Not out of his wealth…but according to his wealth
4. “according to his glorious riches”
5. His riches in glory
6. “his glorious riches in Christ Jesus”
a. Salvation
IV. Summary
A. Challenge to our people
1. Test the promises of God
2. Make a commitment
a. You will be the greatest recipient
3. Pick up envelopes
4. Start where you think you can
a. And see how far God can take you
b. The key is for each of us to do our part
5. This is a spiritual test
a. Easy to give when you have extra
b. How about right now?
B. If you want more corn—plant more seed
1. Luke 6:39
“Give, and it will be given to you. good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”