Title: Content And Confident
Text: Philippians 4:10-13
Date: August 25, 2024
Introduction: It is obvious that we are living in a time of growing uncertainty and personal anxiety. All of us have issues that stress us out and even keep us awake late into the night. In the message for today let’s notice some words of encouragement. After all, instability is nothing new for the people of God. In every generation believers have faced moments when fear threatened to overwhelm faith. God’s Word to his people is always “Fear not.”
Years ago I remember reading that the phrase “fear not” is repeated 365 times in the Bible, once for every day in the year. No matter what happens in 2024 or in the years to come, God’s Word is the same: “Fear not.”
Our text offers some practical help as we move forward. Philippians 4:10-13 is perhaps the greatest statement in the New Testament on the subject of Christian contentment and being confident. We need to hear God’s message to us in the midst of so much public and private uncertainty. Where can we discover that contentment? How can we experience that confidence? We can gain some insight from this section. Paul begins with this word of thanksgiving to the Philippians. Notice verse 10, “I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me.” Paul had a strong bond of affection for the Philippian Christians. We can feel it all the way through this Philippian letter. However, while he is in prison, isolated from other people, Paul begins to doubt their affection. Absence does not always make the heart grow fonder. Sometimes it creates doubt and uncertainty about that love. But now, something has happened that reminds Paul of their love. Apparently, a messenger came to Paul with a gift from the Philippians. To avoid any note of criticism toward the Philippians for Paul’s question about their concern, Paul adds: “Indeed you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.”
We do not know why the Philippians lacked the opportunity to express their love to Paul. Perhaps, they could not get the money together for the gift, or they could not determine what gift to send or they had no messenger available to send it. We do not know the
exact reason for delay, but now, after a lengthy delay, they manage to prepare the gift, find the messenger, and send the gift to Paul as an expression of their affection for him. Paul therefore begins this section with an expression of thanksgiving to them.
Paul not only wants to thank the Philippians for the gift but he also wants to explain to them:
I. The Source of
II. The Source of
Larry Gipson
First Baptist Church-Oneonta