"A Sweet Aroma in Every Place"
Philippians 4:15-23

May 13, 2007
by C.W. Powell

15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.
16 For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.
17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.
18 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
20 Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
21 Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you.
22 All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household.
23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

The Mind of a Christian: Rejoicing; Moderation; Careful for nothing; peace of God.

Introduction: The great apostle is teaching us how to think as a Christian. It is one thing to be a Christian; it is another thing indeed to think as a Christian. Our minds are to be brought captive to Christ so that the furniture of our minds is arranged after the beauty of Christ.

1. A person is a Christian because of faith in Jesus Christ. It is indeed true that the seeds of the mind of Christ are planted and rooted in this faith and grow from it, as we saw in the 1st chapter of 2Peter [See my Tract of “Abundant Christianity].

2. But there are Christians who do not think as Christians because their thoughts are conformed to the world and not after Christ. This is the reason that Paul writes in Romans “Be not conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of god.”

3. There are also some who are not Christians, who because of their upbringing and training, or perhaps the environment in which they grew up, think like Christians in some respects. That was true in the early days of this country, in which the Christian culture and thought was so pervasive that men who actually denied Christ, like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, had their thought processes largely directed by the pervasive culture.

4. Paul has a few things to say yet to the church at Philippi and to us even to day: things that have to do with giving and receiving.

I. First of all let us look at the words themselves: verse 15-23

15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. When the Gospel first came to Philippi, this church was the only church that assisted Paul in his work. This seems very strange to us, but human nature is the same in every age. Men seek their own things, and not the things of Christ. More to say on this later.

16 For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Why hadn’t the Thessalonians contributed?

17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. Paul’s motivation in even bringing this up was their benefit, not his. Their offerings and support of his work made it possible for him to bring forth the fruit of the Gospel, in which they would share. “Well done, thou good and faithful servant,” would not only be Paul’s reward before the Lord, but their reward also, in contributing to his work.”

18 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. Their offerings were offerings to God, a sweet smell, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. In such things, we do not give to men, but to God. The altars upon which we offer these sacrifices are men: the ministry, the missionary, the poor and the needy. As we saw last week, Paul’s contentment did not depend upon men or circumstances, for he had learned in whatsoever state he was to be content. Their gifts were late, but Paul’s peace was not overthrown by that. It was through no fault of theirs that the money was late.

19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Paul knew who his God was, and he knew that God’s riches far exceed anything we could ask or think, and the men at Philippi would lack nothing because they sent support for the ministry of Paul. You cannot outgive the Lord.

20 Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. This is one of the tests of who your God is. Who gets the glory? Who gets the praise and thanksgiving for all things.

21 Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you. Paul did not forget those who labored with him. It is a Christian duty to greet and be friendly to all the people of God. “Every saint.” Not just of your denomination. Jesus said we are not only to salute [greet, say hello] our friends and brethren, but also all men. Say hello, be friendly. Parents should teach their children to be friendly, to be polite, say hello and be thankful for favors.

22 All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household. There is an only myth that the philosopher Cicero had become a Christian and that Paul included him in this greeting. Isn’t so, for there is no evidence that Cicero was ever a Christian or that he was of Caesar’s household. Some are so anxious to make some of the pagan philosophers Christians that they become pagan themselves.

23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. As I said before, this is one of the best attested of all Paul’s epistles.

II. Now let us look at the matter of giving and receiving.

A. It is God’s will that those who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. “1Corinthians 9:

1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
4 Have we not power to eat and to drink? 5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and [as] the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
10 Or saith he [it] altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, [this] is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, [is it] a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
12 If others be partakers of [this] power over you, [are] not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live [of the things] of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

B. Those who give are to give as unto the Lord, an offering to God, not to men. A sweet smelling savor. This is a clear reference to the offerings of the Old Testament.

1. Gen 8: Noah offered sacrifices after the flood, and the Lord smelled a sweet smells. It was pleasing and acceptable to the Lord.

2. Ex. 29: The daily sacrifices and offerings dedicating the priests and the worship were sweet smells before the Lord.

3. Lev. 26:31 “I will not smell your sweet odors”

4. Not only odors, but all the other senses are used as figures of spiritual life and awareness. If a man does not exercise any of this five sense, we will probably assume that he is dead or shortly will be. If he cannot see, feel, hear, smell, or taste anything he is in bad shape. This is also true of a person spiritually. If he cannot see the kingdom of God; if he has not tasted that the Lord is gracious; if he has not heard the word of God or felt after the Lord to find Him; if he has not smelled the savor of life unto life, as Paul puts it, then he is probably dead indeed.

C. The value that the church receives from the preaching of the Gospel is to be esteemed far above carnal treasures. There is giving and receiving on both sides. The minister gives; the church receives the treasures of the Scripture and the life of Christ; the congregation gives, the minister receives carnal or earthly things to provide for his earthly things. Neither is to be stingy in these things. How many bibles classes; how many sermons; how many exhortations must a minister give. There is not limit, for he is to be instant in season, out of season: he must reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

D. How much is enough? What should you give? The Old Testament required about 22%, if we consider all the offerings and the tithes, but this included civil government and welfare and vacation time, depending on the reckoning. Would to God our taxes were only that much!!! For church and state. But the New Testament puts another rule: “Upon the first [day] of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as [God] hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” (1Co 16:2 AV). “As God has prospered him” --both in body and in soul. What value will you put upon the care of souls? This means that the wealthy should give more than the poor, but that all should give. The OT rule of 10% for the worship of the Lord is certainly a starting place, but no one should put a limit on their gratitude to the Lord. We are to consider ourselves as living sacrifices, not belonging to ourselves, but belonging to Jesus Christ our Lord and our Savior.

E. Will a man rob God? What a horrible thing to think of committing burglary against the Lord! Will you climb into heaven and steal from God. Yes. There is a way that men rob from God. Malachi:

Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept [them]. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

9 Ye [are] cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, [even] this whole nation.

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it].

11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts. 13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken [so much] against thee?

14 Ye have said, It [is] vain to serve God: and what profit [is it] that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?

15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, [they that] tempt God are even delivered.

16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard [it], and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD,and that thought upon his name.

17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.” (Mal 3:7-18 AV)

F. Yes, there are differences between the righteous and the wicked, between those who think like Christians and those who do not.

1. The righteous do not despise the worship of the Lord, but are present when the church meets and worships. They do no despise the worship of the Lord and think that it is optional or can be dispensed with without serious consequences.

2. The righteous do not consider their wealth their own, but they hold it in trust from God who is the giver of all things. They do not withhold the tithe and offering; nor do they give it to that which is not God. It is to be brought and laid before the Lord; its administration passes to the elders and deacons to use in the ministry of the word of God. This does not end the responsibility of the righteous for they are to remember the poor and the needy and not shut their ears to the cry of those who suffer. This is to be done without fanfare and publicity as Jesus said, for we are not to let our right hand know what our left hand is doing.

3. Giving is to be without grudging. “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, [so let him give]; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” (2Co 9:7 AV)

G. My God shall supply all your need.

1. Malachi: “I will open windows in heaven….” There is no want of resources. Economic goods are not scarce. It is our faith that is weak. If gasoline goes to $4.00 a gallon, it will still be cheaper than it was when I was a kid. Do not fool yourselves.

2. Do what thy hand finds to do, and God will supply your needs. Do not make excuses. The key is obedience and worship. But this is enough for today.

Amen and Amen