God Meets Needs

“Standard of living to plunge, says Bank of England Governor” was the news headline last Wednesday, following Mervyn King’s speech here in Newcastle, reacting to the news that the British economy was shrinking.

And it maybe that we’ll need to cut back what we spend on ourselves. But what about our giving to God? The Bible makes it clear that we’re to be generous, cheerful and willing givers in response to God’s indescribable gift – the gift of his Son. The hard-up Macedonian church gave even beyond their ability to give. (2 Corinthians 8&9). The poor widow in Mark 12 gave all she had. Jesus notices not the amount we give but what we keep for ourselves. You see, what do we want? What do we want for our children and grandchildren? Things? Or for God’s church and kingdom to grow now and in the future? To grow in our independence? Or in our dependence on and trust in God and to know the blessings of giving?

The church at Philippi, though by no means wealthy, gave to support Paul’s gospel ministry when many others did not (v14-16). And what does Paul say to them apart from thank you? He says (v19):

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus".

Do you believe God’s Word? That even in your giving you can live by faith in God?

The 2011 faith target for JPC is £980 per every man, woman and child or £85 per person per month or £20 per person per week, with some able to give much, much more and some able to give less.

Paul knew that his Lord wouldn’t fail to give him what was necessary and to strengthen him to face every situation. He had learned that he could depend on God in any and every situation (v11-13).

And he wants the Philippians and so you and me and we as a church to learn and to continue to learn this too (v19). You see the Lord is no-one’s debtor. The measure of God’s giving is infinitely greater than that of any human giving. God’s promise is to supply all that he sees we need, and not only out of but according to or ‘in the measure of’ his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

I began to learn this in matters of giving and receiving 25 years ago when I was invited to go and train with an American Christian ministry. All I needed to raise was the money for two return flights to Dallas. I decided to trust God. One day an envelope arrived through my door. It contained an anonymous building society cheque to cover the cost of the flights. When I arrived in Dallas I learned that a cheque had arrived the day before for $10,000 to specifically cover the cost of my internship at a time when the ministry had no funds.

As a church we learn year on year that God meets needs and miraculously so in terms of 3 Osborne Rd and HTG. JPC has no reserves. We live by faith.

Hudson Taylor, the missionary to China, said that God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.

So how does God meet needs? How do we grow in our dependence on him in this area and therefore in our giving and know the blessings of giving? He meets needs from his infinite resources, according to his glorious riches in Christ, and financially, often through his people. So first


1) CHRISTIAN GENEROSITY

William Colgate, the founder of what is now Colgate Palmolive, arrived in New York with nothing. He put his faith in Christ. The first thing he did with the first dollar he earned was to give 10% of it to the Lord’s work. From that point on, he considered 10% of every dollar as sacred to the Lord. In fact he soon began giving 20% of his income to God, then 30%, then 40 and 50%. Later in life he’d become so successful that he devoted the whole of his yearly income – 100% of it to God.

Henry Crowell, the founder of the Quaker Oats company, gave much of his wealth to the Moody Bible Institute, which helped to train many missionaries. He received Christ as his Saviour and wanted to honour God in his giving. He gave 60% of his income to the Lord’s work for 40 years. Crowell said, “I’ve never gotten ahead of God. He’s always been ahead of me in giving.”

They didn’t give to get but gave in response to God and for his glory. They remembered where their money ultimately came from as we were reminded from Deuteronomy 8. So as you brush your teeth with Colgate toothpaste, wash your face and eat your porridge made from Quaker Oats (I don’t know if you’re allowed product placement on clayton.tv!) you and I need to remember the same whether we have much or a little, whether we’re earning plenty or whether we’re not. Sure giving doesn’t get you a place in heaven. But it can show where your heart really is and it can help the gospel spread just as the Philippians’ giving supported Paul and therefore helped others come to know the Lord.

One example from here today is the Newcastle Chinese Christian Church. I thank God for their partnership in the gospel, as Paul puts it in Philippians chapter 1. They are giving so generously to the Christianity Explored Taster Sessions by providing all the food last week and this week Monday – Friday free of charge. That’s enough food for 1200 people. Let’s not let it go to waste this week. Yes it is God who gives the growth to his church, but we have a part to play, a part which often involves giving both in terms of time and money.

For example, in terms of time more leaders are still needed for the new Christianity Explored courses starting a week on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday – the week beginning 7th February. Can you help? So far 80 people have signed up to take the course.

But Christian generosity also involves giving financially. The church at Philippi had been generous and willing to share with Paul to support his preaching and church planting ministry. And this letter is a thank you letter from Paul to them. He thanks them for their sharing in his troubles (4:14) and for their sharing in the matter of giving and receiving, sending him aid again and again (v15&16).

And God doesn’t want us to stop giving and growing as a church – for the sake of the gospel, for the sake of this needy region and world, for future generations and for his glory. The materially poor church at Philippi shared with Paul in the spreading of the gospel again and again (v16). Will we? Will we continue to be generous and willing to share? One Christian couple I know trust God and give 1% more of their income away each year. Now the Philippians, says Paul in v10, have been concerned for him and his gospel ministry but recently have had no opportunity to show it until now. Perhaps some of you who are relatively new to JPC are still waiting for the collection plate to come round, still waiting for that opportunity to show your concern financially for the work here at JPC. Well don't keep on waiting for that collection plate! Here the collection plate only comes round during Communion services as extra support for World Mission. Instead show your concern by taking this opportunity to give regularly and generously to the work here and overseas by filling in the response form that came with your giving literature, the gift aid form if you're a taxpayer and the standing order form. The vision God has given us is to be a church of 5000 with another 5000 in church plants over the next generation and to see this region and nation turned upside down for the Lord Jesus Christ. It is costly both financially and in terms of time but as we’ll see from v17-20 there are many blessings too. So will we be like the Philippians – generous and willing - or like the other churches which did not share in Paul’s needs and ministry? Look at v15:

“…when I set out from Macedonia not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only…”

Now before we look at the blessings of giving we need to understand the importance of Christian contentment, otherwise we’ll always be struggling to be growing in our dependence on God and in our generosity. So secondly


2) THE IMPORTANCE OF CHRISTIAN CONTENTMENT

Have you learned the secret of being content in any and every situation? Apparently, last Monday – 24 January - was the day when the people of Britain would have been the least contented. The reason? Well take a look at this: [W+(D-d)] x TQM x NA! W stands for ghastly weather, D-d for the gap between your Christmas shopping credit card debts and your next pay cheque, T for the time since you were enjoying Christmas, Q for the broken New Year’s Resolutions, M for the lack of motivation and NA for that nagging feeling that you need to do some thing about all this.

The world says that one of the secrets of being content lies in having more things; that things make you happy and content. The adverts tell us that we need to go to the Metro Centre for some ‘retail therapy’. But that secret is ultimately a lie. You can collect all the things you’ve ever wanted and still feel desperately empty. The Apostle Paul learned that the secret of being content was not things but rather a relationship with Jesus Christ. V11&12:

“11…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need and what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

What is the secret he has learned? What is the secret of being content we are to learn? That (v13):

“I can do everything through him [through Christ] who gives me strength.”

He can, in other words, meet all circumstances with contentment through Christ. Who needs to hear and learn that? You’re a Christian but life is not easy. Well you can do everything through Christ who gives you strength. In fact that is what God wants you to learn through the situation you are facing. Perhaps you’re not yet a believer. You know you don’t have true contentment. Well why not trust Jesus Christ this evening and begin to learn the secret of being content in him in any and every situation.

You see another myth that the world puts out is that all you need is within yourself. But Paul is clear. We are not self-sufficient but Christ-sufficient. No matter what challenges lie ahead, Jesus Christ is big enough to meet them. To be content in need or in plenty, in whatever situation we face is not the product of human skill. The secret isn’t us, it is Jesus in us! The strength that Christ gives is sufficient for anything we face in life. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

In Christ Paul also had discipline of self to be content with what he had and a deep trust in God to provide what he really needed. Note that Paul says he had learned to be content. Christian contentment is not something we have overnight. He had learned the secret test by test. Contentment does not come easily. It takes discipline. For example, we must decide not to covet - like Paul in v 11&17 who didn't covet the Philippians' gifts. Covetousness had been a problem for him but in Christ his heart was weaned away from 'things' and became wholly God's. In fact the opposite of contentment is covetousness. But the person who has Christ has everything.

Paul had also learned to be content because he had learned to trust God. He was contented because God is trustworthy.

I can do all things in him who strengthens me".

In Christ we too can meet all circumstances with contentment.

My God, [says Paul] will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

He will meet our need to the full. And his supply will not be limited to the size of our need but according to his riches in Christ. Indeed one of the factors which makes for Christian contentment is the generosity of others as the Lord uses the resources of one to meet the needs of another. But Christian contentment also leads to generous giving and sharing, and so to my third and final point:


3) THE BLESSINGS OF CHRISTIAN GIVING

You may never have thought about it in this way before but Christian giving and sharing brings blessing to others, to the givers and it blesses God.

First, these verses clearly tell us that the Lord uses generous Christians to help to meet the needs of others and of his work. Christian giving is a blessing to others. Paul writes (v10):

“I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me.”

Secondly Christian sharing also brings blessing to those who share. Now of course as I’ve already said we can’t earn our salvation. That comes only through faith in Jesus Christ. Everything received is a gift of God’s grace. But consistent, generous and sacrificial giving lays up treasure in heaven. Generous giving is not all about meeting the needs of others and of JPC but also about the spiritual growth of the givers and the spiritual interest that will be credited to their account. Look at what Paul writes in v.17:

“Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account.”

You see Paul was chiefly concerned with how their gift would affect them spiritually. He sees their gift as an investment that would pay them rich spiritual dividends. It’s a deposit in the bank of heaven that will multiply at compound interest to their advantage. The Lord keeps the books and will never fail to pay one spiritual dividend unlike the fluctuating stock market.

The generosity of the Philippians was an indicator of their spiritual health. So how is our spiritual health? Are you laying up treasure in heaven or on earth? Spurgeon said “Giving to God is no loss; it’s putting your substance into the best bank. Giving is true having, as the old gravestone said of the dead man, “What I spent I had, what I saved I lost, what I gave I have.” And giving is a Christian habit that is good to start as soon as possible. John D Rockefeller Senior, the American oil magnate, said, “I have tithed every dollar God has entrusted to me. And I want to say, if I had not tithed the first dollar I made, I wouldn’t have tithed the first million dollars I made.”

Thirdly generous Christian sharing is a gift to God as well. It blesses God. Look at v18. Paul abandons the language of accounting and takes up the language of worship. The Philippians gifts are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. In the Bible the fragrant offering or burnt offering expresses obedient consecration to God, and God delights in his people dedicated to himself. So Paul teaches here that when Christians take note of Christian needs and generously sacrifice to meet them, it is, for God, the burnt offering all over again, and he delights to accept it.

And finally, v19, what the Philippians have given to God will be amply repaid by him from the limitless resource of his riches in Christ Jesus.

“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

Paul says you met my need and God is going to meet your needs. You met the one need that I have but God will meet all your needs according to his riches in Christ.

Through the Philippians Paul's need had been met by God. And now Paul says that God will meet all their needs. Note needs not ‘greeds’. And look very carefully - God will meet them according to, or as befits his glorious riches in Christ Jesus, not merely out of his riches. Do you see the difference? A millionaire may donate £1000 to charity out of his riches, but compared to his total wealth it is small. God's giving is in proportion to his infinite resources, it is according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. We need not be in any way afraid of giving generously and proportionately to God’s work here at JPC and to world mission, whatever our income. We can trust God. We can’t out give God. He is no man’s debtor. God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Glory be to our God and Father forever and ever.