PAUL’S POWERFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PHILIPPIAN CHURCH
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.
For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account. – Philippians 4:15-17
Main Theme: The book of Philippians emphasizes the importance of maintaining joy in the Lord even amidst suffering, while advancing the gospel through partnership.
Three key aspects of Paul’s powerful partnership with the Philippian church:
1. God Provides Through Partnership (Philippians 1:3-5):
I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. – Philippians 1:3-5
Partnership = κοινωνία
Koinonía- partnership, that is, (literally) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary/involving money) benefaction: – (to) communicate (-ation), communion, (contri-), distribution, fellowship.
- Paul expresses his gratitude for the Philippian church’s partnership (koinonia) in the gospel.
- Koinonia is a multifaceted term encompassing participation, fellowship, and financial support.
- This partnership signifies their shared commitment to spreading the gospel message.
2. Continued Care and Commitment (Philippians 4:10-11, 4:14-16):
! 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. I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. – Philippians 4:10-11
Still, you did well by partnering with me in my hardship. 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. For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times. – Philippians 4:14-16
- Paul highlights the church’s continued support and commitment to the partnership, even when opportunities to express it were limited.
- He mentions his contentment in all circumstances, emphasizing a complete trust in the Lord and the ability to refrain from complaining about material needs. Paul makes it clear that making needs known is ok, but complaining about our circumstances is not.
- However, he acknowledges their partnership in his hardship and their unique financial support throughout his ministry, making them an exception among other churches.
3. Promise of Provision (Philippians 4:17-19):
Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account. 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. And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:17-19
- Though Paul is grateful for their gifts, he emphasizes that his main concern isn’t his own well-being, but rather the Philippians’ spiritual growth. His words about their generosity and unwavering support echo the language used to describe sacrifices in the Old Testament, offerings pleasing to God.
- He acknowledges their full support for his needs and expresses his abundance thanks to their gifts.
- Lastly, Paul links their partnership to a divine promise: God will supply for all their needs based on His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
This is just a bird’s eye view of a few wonderful truths found in Philippians. In this unique little book, we find an excellent biblical model for missions that we should strive for. The book reveals a remarkable partnership between Paul and the Philippian church. They shared a common goal of spreading the gospel, and this partnership manifested through mutual support, commitment, and financial contributions. Paul highlights God’s provision through their partnership, not just for himself but for them as well, promising that God will meet all their needs. This partnership serves as an example of the power of collaboration and generosity of God’s people in advancing the gospel message while maintaining joy and contentment in challenging circumstances.
With such wonderful promises, a clear command and a biblical pattern to follow, we must ask ourselves..
What else hinders us from doing the Lord’s work the Lord’s way? What are we waiting for?
“God’s work, done God’s way, will never lack God’s supply.” – Hudson Taylor
Written by Antonio Salgado
Please pray for our BCMS workers serving faithfully in hard places. May the Gospel continue to go forth, to God be the glory.
“I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” – Philippians 1:3-5
If the Lord so lies on your heart to give back to Him by supporting this ministry, you can easily donate online through PayPal. Click the donate button below to send support of any amount directly to the ministry. This is the fastest option to get funds to the mission field.
Also,
CENTRAL MISSIONARY CLEARINGHOUSE
P.O. Box 219228
Houston, Texas 77218-9228
1-800-CMC-PRAY (1-800-262-7729)
Office: 281-599-7411
Fax: 281-599-7511
You may begin sending your support to BCMS/Antonio Salgado at any time at the address above. (Checks should be made payable to Central Missionary Clearinghouse or C.M.C.)
You can also now give to the ministry online through the new giving solution called “click and give” at the CMC website. To get started, you just need to click on the link below and register the first time. Just a simple click on the donate button on their page (see link below), and then click the “click and give icon/button”.
https://www.cmcmissions.org/donate
For tax exemption, you must send your donation through Central Missionary Clearinghouse (CMC) at the address above. PayPal option is the fastest way to get funds directly to the field in case of emergencies. We do not use a sending agency that gets a percentage of the money donated, so you can be sure that your gift goes directly to the mission field. Whatever you decide, thank you so much for praying for us. Grace and peace.