Getting God’s Attention

We often have a concern and then settle back into a status quo. We’re concerned when a tragedy first happens, for instance, but then we slip back into neglect too easily. We get on the bandwagon when the issue is plastered on the front pages of the newspaper (or when the current algorithm keeps populating our social media feed with the latest justice issue), but we forget it when the next big story comes along. We’re concerned when a friend or acquaintance loses a loved one, but two weeks later, our lives go back to normal, and our concern gets set aside.

It happened to the Philippian church: “I [Paul] rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me” (Philippians 4:10a).

We’re quick to forget.

The same thing happens with the work of God–through Paul, or, to bring it down to our day, the work of the church. So many different things are vying for our attention. We get bored. We get overly familiar. We take our local church for granted. We think that something big and unique out there somewhere is more important.

Also, we have our own needs that sometimes take our attention away from something we started with good intentions. We have circumstances that rob us of the opportunity to do what is deep in our hearts to do. Sometimes the concern is there, but it gets set aside because of circumstances. As Paul continues, “Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it” (Philippians 4:10b).

Sometimes you need a reminder.

We pastors often let church members forget the needs and the significance of giving to our local church because we don’t want to be accused of only being concerned about the people’s money. We too easily fail to give the church an opportunity to express the concern God has put in the hearts of his people. A pastor friend told me he tells his church: “My job is to get you to do what you don’t want to do.” My take on this is: My job is to get you to do what you really want to do. If you are a spiritual leader, your job is not to get people to do what they don’t want to do. Your job as a spiritual leader is to get people to do what God has put in their hearts to do, even if they do not yet know what that is.

Recognize that as a follower of Christ, God has put his concern in you already. You just need to get in touch with it. Giving is a grace given to us by God (see 2 Cor. 8:7, which says, “See that you excel in this grace of giving.”) Receive God’s grace and act on it. God has put this in you.

So for whatever reason, the Philippian church slacked off in their concern, and Paul is grateful that their concern has been renewed.

It’s not always about a need.

Paul doesn’t want the Philippians’ giving to be all about his needs:

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know 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. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13

We want our giving to meet a need. When we see a need, giving is entirely appropriate. Failing to give is wrong (Jesus, James, and John affirm that). Paul wants the church to know, however, that ultimately their giving is about God’s purposes, not Paul’s needs. The Philippians’ giving supported Paul, but it was not centered on Paul. It is the same with your giving to your local church. It may support staff salaries and utilities for the building, but primarily it’s about God’s purposes, not a particular need. 

Paul is also setting them an example of learning to find contentment in God rather than in circumstances. It is a good lesson for us as believers: our contentment doesn’t come from what we have, and lack cannot steal our contentment when we learn to be content in the Lord. 

Still, it’s good for us to recognize a need and fill it. It’s the caring thing to do, so Paul says, in verse 14: “Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.” Giving is caring. As Rick Warren says, “You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving.” Even someone as great and content in God as the Apostle Paul could use a little kindness and love. But he goes right back into his unselfish motivations:

When you give to God’s purposes, it gets credited to your account.

Paul says, “I desire that more be credited to your account” (v. 17). Three years ago, we at Victory Church had tremendous needs that required us to present those needs and the vision that God had given us to the congregation. And they responded amazingly. There is nothing wrong with presenting needs so the church can respond with the generosity that makes the dream become a reality. I have to admit, though, that I would much rather preach about giving at a time when it’s not just about our need as a church. It’s much more fun to preach when we can say we are “amply supplied” (v. 18). Paul’s motivation becomes more of a factor in a time like now: We are not looking for more money; we are looking for more to be credited to your account.

This may sound a little bit like giving to get, but your account is not necessarily your account at Wells Fargo. Jesus says you have an account in heaven. Your earthly giving has an impact on your eternal wellbeing. Your giving is spiritual.

Giving gets God’s attention.

Again, the Philippian church wasn’t just giving to Paul when they supported and amply supplied Paul. They were giving to God. I heard someone crack a joke about TV evangelists who would say, “Send your money to God. Use my address.” I do think that’s humorous, but the reality is, you send God your money by using a human address. There’s really no other way to give financially to God except to use some human address. I heard a story of three men talking about their giving.

One man said, “I draw a circle on the floor, toss my money up, and whatever lands in the circle goes to God. I keep whatever lands outside the circle.” The second man said, “I draw a circle, toss my money in the air, and whatever lands outside the circle goes to God. I keep whatever lands in the circle.” The third man said, “I toss all my money in the air. Whatever God wants, he keeps. Whatever falls to the ground, I keep!” Obviously, there’s no real way to give our cash directly to God. One of the best ways to give to God, then, is to give to his church. And when you do, it gets God’s attention.

Paul says about the Philippians’ gifts: “They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God” (verse 18). Giving is an act of worship to God. It’s as much an act of worship as a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of our lips giving thanks. Giving is on the same order as our prayers to God, which are described as incense, a fragrant offering to God. In Acts 10 we have the story of the angel visiting the Gentile Cornelius. The angel’s message was that Cornelius’s prayer and gifts to the poor had come before God. They had garnered God’s attention. Your gifts are also worship. Your gifts please God. Your gifts get God’s attention, too. As a result, Paul says to the Philippians, “My God will meet all your needs” (verse 19).

God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory.  

Yes, God is interested in your earthly, material needs. Your giving to God is spiritual. It is credited to your heavenly account. It is a fragrant offering to God. It is worship. Your giving impacts your spiritual life powerfully. But your giving does not impact your spiritual life only; your giving impacts your material life, too. To the church that had supported Paul and shown concern for him and his ministry, Paul makes this promise: “My God will meet all your needs.” 

Notice also that Paul doesn’t just say, “My God will meet all your needs.” He says, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (vv. 19-20).  

God’s supply is unlimited. God’s glory is “for ever and ever.” It’s eternal. God’s glory is unmatched. And God’s generosity, his ability to meet the needs of the Philippians, his ability to meet your needs, matches God’s glorious riches. God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory. 

Like Paul, the Philippian church knew about needs. In 2 Corinthians Paul talks about the Philippian church: 

In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 2 Corinthians 8:2

Paul mentions a couple of pairs here that don’t go together! They had a severe trial that was met with overflowing joy! They faced extreme poverty that welled up in rich generosity. Trials and joy don’t go together. Poverty and generosity don’t go together! But with the Philippian, or Macedonian, church they did. And to these generous people Paul promises: My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Don’t misunderstand me.

As an Evangelical pastor who wants to make sure you don’t misunderstand me or the Scriptures, now is the time when I explain that you don’t want to put too much stock in Paul’s promise that God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory. You have to understand that God has promised to meet your needs, not your greeds, right? You can’t really expect God to do too much for you, right?

I have to let you know that this passage has been terribly abused to appeal to the materialism of Christians, and to enrich prosperity preachers. I have to inform you that this kind of teaching doesn’t work in poor parts of the world–only here in America, where we are already so prosperous. I’m supposed to make sure you read this and walk away with a reasonable understanding of this passage. I’m supposed to make sure you don’t go overboard in either generosity or in expecting something from God. That’s what Paul is aiming at here, right? Wrong! 

Can you imagine the leader of the Philippian church reading Paul’s letter, a letter that wraps up with this glorious promise, and then taking the time to explain it away? That would be unconscionable! Yet, we preachers are so afraid of being misunderstood, so afraid of being labeled as prosperity preachers, that we rob this passage of its power all the time. That’s unconscionable! 

Aside from a final greeting, this is how Paul ends this thank you letter to the Philippian church. It’s worth quoting again: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

What do you think Paul wanted the Philippian church to be thinking and feeling as he wrapped up? He wanted them to be thinking about the greatness and glory of God, and how God would meet them right at their point of need, at a level in keeping with his glory. God’s glory is unmatched and eternal, and God’s generosity lines up with his glory. We are content in all circumstances, whether in need or with plenty, but when it comes to expecting God to meet our needs, we ought to think about God’s greatness, his unlimited supply, his grace, his goodness to us in Jesus Christ, his riches, his glory. Anything less just doesn’t line up with Paul’s intentions or God’s glory.

Pastor Ed’s Notes:

Photo by Ivana Cajina on Unsplash.