Paul Thanks the Church @ Philippi for their Generosity
to him Part 1
Philippians
4:10-11 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of
me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked
opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in
whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. KJVPaul seemingly did always try and heed his own exhortations to others in his own actions as we see here him ending his letter with earnest thanksgiving and gratitude to the believers @ Philippi for their generous help they provided for him while he was a prisoner in Rome. It was not the money or other goods they provided him (although he surely needed what they gave), but it was more the knowledge that they cared greatly for the man that was responsible for bringing them the Gospel of their salvation in Christ Jesus our Lord. The Romans were at the time in history ruling most of the known world with an iron fist and Christians (Paul being most sought after) were one of the top targets of Rome and their many false gods, which were no gods at all, only the devil and his principalities and powers. Paul had an understanding heart toward these believers in Philippi seeing that they had earlier greatly aided him by sending Epaphroditus to them when he was sorely needed as Paul acknowledged earlier on in this same letter to them with these words, “Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need” (Philippians 2:25) (NKJV). It appears by what Paul now says here at the close of his letter that perhaps because of Epaphroditus’s illness or persecution or other circumstances that the Philippians financial care or support of Paul came to a halt for some period of time as Paul says this now, “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.” (Philippians 4:10) (KJV).
Paul used the English phrase “hath flourished again” which is translated by one Greek word anathallo (the only time it is used in the New Testament) meaning to revive or restore from a depressed, inactive, or unused state or condition. In other words, Paul’s rejoicing was in the fact that just as many flowers go dormant for the winter and sprout or flourish once again in the spring time, so here the believers @ Philippi for perhaps one of the reason stated earlier were not able to come to Paul as they had done before. We don’t know if this lasted a week, a month, a year, or even longer, but whatever the cause and time period, Paul acknowledges his joy that they have resurrected their care for him, surely it came at an opportune time for Paul and that he had heard from those believers after a long period of silence. There is perhaps a bit of a mystery here in that Paul did not mention any care for him by the Church @ Rome. It was clear at the time of his letter to that Church that Paul had never actually physically been to the Church @ Rome, but he planned to go to them as he wrote in this manner in his letter to them, “For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you. But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you, whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while. But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints.” (Romans 15:22-25) (NKJV).
This Church @ Rome was perhaps under tremendous persecution by the non-converted Roman citizens and the Government of Rome more so and this is why they were not mentioned here in this letter to the Church @ Philippi as having ministered to the needs of the Apostle Paul, not that they did not have the desire but they were hindered, for Paul had two dear saints there Priscilla and Aquila who he acknowledged at the close of his letter to the Church @ Rome with these words, “Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ.” (Romans 16:4-5) (NKJV), they were certainly not afraid to suffer for Christ sake as Paul’s words clearly declare. The Philippian believers being a good distance away from the City of Rome (even though they were under Roman rule) were unable to serve Paul’s needs for a while, even though they wanted to do so, this was the same mind-set of the Church @ Rome. Note: “Often times circumstances out of our hands cause us to not help other believers that we desire to do to the plots, schemes, and wiles of our enemy the devil as happened to Paul himself many times.” Paul wanted them to know that it was not just his want or need that was the driving force behind these words, but he wanted communion with them more than the money or goods they would send to him as he declares with these words, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” (Philippians 4:11) (KJV). Paul had been enrolled into the School of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ as is every redeemed, regenerated, and resurrected believer.
In Christ School one of the things Paul learned over the years (through many trials) as he disclosed some of them in these words written to the Corinthian believers speaking of the things that he experienced serving our Lord Jesus Christ, “From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting’s often, in cold and nakedness” (2 Corinthians 11:24-27) (NKJV), sounds nothing remotely resembling the prosperity gospel at all. Paul learned contentment even in these miserable circumstances and conditions, because his happiness and joy was in our Lord Jesus Christ and not outward circumstances and conditions. Paul was not a machine or a robot, when he was cut he bled real blood just as we do and he acknowledged his perplexity with the way he and the other Apostles were treated in the world everywhere they went to these same Corinthian believers with these words, “For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the off-scouring of all things until now.” (1 Corinthians 4:9-13) (NKJV).
These very words and even worse one’s can be said of many true believers today all over this world for becoming a follower of Jesus Christ, most such situations occur in other countries like Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, Colombia, Sudan, Sri Lanka, China, and Southeast Asia. Following Christ in the United States has not yet reached this level of harassment, hostility, and hatred. Contentment under such conditions can only be learned from God the Father and can only be felt in the inner man by God the Holy Spirit. To be joyfully and thankfully patient under such situations can only be taught by God to His children like those children in Nigeria and Colombia whose parents were murdered only because they are Christians, as well as the Christians being targeted by ISIS and beheaded live on the internet. These days today around the world are even worse than what we have just read the great Apostle speak concerning himself. The English word content is translated by the Greek word autarkes (used this one time only in the New Testament) which means self-complacent. This self-complacency Paul speaks of concerning himself is not what we think of as one being satisfied with oneself or one’s actions; not looking to improve, but he means his satisfaction, soundness, and sufficiency is in the redeeming Blood of Christ that has been applied to his sinful soul as he declared again to the Corinthian believers with these words, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:5-6) (NKJV).
“I am so satisfied with the wise providence and goodness of God, that I know whatever He determines is the best; and therefore I am perfectly contented that He should govern the world in that way which seems best to His godly wisdom. How true is the proverb, A contented mind is a continual feast! What do we get by murmuring and complaining?” Adam Clarke
“The considerations by which he had been taught this, he does not state; but they were probably such as the following: that it is wrong to complain at the allotments of Providence; that a spirit of impatience does no good, remedies no evil, and supplies no want; that God could provide for him in a way which he could not foresee, and that the Savior was able abundantly to sustain him. A contented mind is an invaluable blessing, and is one of the fruits of Christ in the soul. It arises from the belief that God is right in all His ways. Why should we be impatient, restless, discontented? What evil will be remedied by it? what want supplied? what calamity removed? ‘He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast’ Proverbs 15:15; and one of the secrets of happiness is to have a mind satisfied with all the allotments of Providence. The members of the Episcopal Church beautifully pray, every day: ‘Give us minds always contented with our present condition.’ No prayer can be offered which will enter more deeply into all our happiness on earth.” Albert Barnes
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely in Christ,
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
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