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Philippians 4:8-23 Focus On Virtuous Qualities; Imitate Paul; Learn To Be Content With What You Have; Principles Of Giving; Final Triumphant Greetings; Final Prayer
We’re at the end of this wonderful letter, written by Rabbi Paul and Timothy to the Community of Messianic Jews and Christians in Philippi. Rabbi Paul was one of the very greatest human beings who ever lived. We should pay very close attention to his writings that have been preserved for us, including these final instructions to the Philippian Community. His final instructions so far: Be resolute; quit fighting; get your happiness from God Himself; be firm but gentle; know that Messiah is near in regard to time and to space; instead of worrying, pray!
And Focus On Virtuous Qualities
We live in a fallen, damaged, dark, confusing, sad, depressing world. There is so much that’s wrong with it. It’s part of our fallen human nature to focus on the problems. Look at the content of the news. Is more good news or are more bad news, tragedies and scandals reported? It’s harder for us to focus on what is good, but we need to focus on things that are virtuous because that motivates us to become better human beings. Focusing on virtues lifts us up mentally, emotionally and spiritually, inspires us and impacts others for good.
You have heard the saying: You are what you eat? That if you eat good food, your body will be stronger and healthier, but if you have a steady diet of unhealthy things and junk food, you will damage your health? The same is true of a mental diet. You are what you think. Our thoughts, good and bad, affect our attitudes and behaviors. If we spend too much of our mental activity focusing on negatives and not positives, our mental and emotional well-being will suffer.
The story is told about the rabbi who had a reputation for always seeing something good in each situation, no matter how bad it was. A man heard about the rabbi who always had something good to say, and went to him and showed him a dead dog decaying on the side of the road. Surely, the man thought, the rabbi won’t have anything to say about the unburied, decaying carcass of an unclean animal. The rabbi, seeing the remains of the animal said: “My, what bright white teeth that dead dog has!”
We need to be aware of things that are wrong with the world, but we also need to make a determined effort to concentrate our thoughts on things that are virtuous and praiseworthy. And, there are always things in this world that can be found that are good to think about. A good God created this world, and even though it has been damaged by the Fall, there is still much good in it that reflects something of the moral excellence of the Creator. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.
If we want a good attitude and better behavior, we will meditate on things that are true, things that are based in reality, not on lies, falsehoods and deceptions. There are many liars and deceivers in the world. There are many political, economic and philosophical systems based on errors and deception and we need to be aware of them. But, we don’t want to spend too much of our mental energy thinking about them.
We want to think about things that are noble, honorable, important, not on things that are silly or unworthy of our respect and a waste of our time.
We want to think about things that are right, just, fair, not things that are unjust and unfair.
We want to think about things that are pure and holy, not unholy things that make us morally and spiritually dirty. We want to think about moral purity, purity of thought, purity of motives, purity of purpose, purity of actions.
We want to think about things that are lovely, lovable, morally and spiritually and ethically attractive and pleasing, not things that are wrong and morally repulsive.
We think about whatever is admirable, worthy, well-spoken of, that which has good reputation that is deserved, not things that have a bad reputation that is deserved.
We want focus our minds on God who is perfectly true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable.
We want to think about the inspiring words and actions of human beings. We want to listen to good music and be inspired by good art and literature.
What are you filling your mind with? What kinds of movies, TV shows are you watching? Are these virtues expressed? What kind of music are you listening? What values are being honored? What kind of art, literature, magazines are you reading? What kind of video games are you playing? What’s the moral, ethical and spiritual messages being communicated?
Paul had a lot in his life he could have complained about – his encounters with false religions and philosophies, corrupt political systems; the unfair treatments, wrong-imprisonments, beatings, stonings, whippings he received from Jews and from Gentiles; times of lack. He could have focused on the problems. But, he trained his mind to focus on what was positive and virtuous. We should follow his example.
Imitate Paul
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. I have heard it said, and I tend to agree with it, that the Rabbi from Tarsus was the greatest man who lived since the death and resurrection of the Messiah, until now. Like the Philippians, we are to learn from this great teacher. We are to receive Paul’s great wisdom. We are to imitate Paul’s spectacular life.
What do I learn from Paul’s life and teachings? That the Bible is divinely inspired; that we are to place a high priority on honoring it, studying it, practicing it and teaching it to others; that we are to know good teaching from bad teachings, truth from error; that sin is real; that Heaven and Hell are real; that God and the angels and demons are real; that Yeshua is the risen Messiah and the Son of God and the only savior of Jews and Gentiles; that we are to actively and courageously follow Him; that we are saved by grace through faith; that we are to reject the allures of a dying world; that the Three-In-One God comes first; that living for God, not a comfortable life, is our priority; that people are valuable; that Messiah’s Community is essential and we must be part of it and help build it up; that proclaiming the Good News to the Jewish people first, and also to the Gentiles, is an essential part of what we must do; that suffering is to be expected and must be endured; that God’s grace will always be sufficient for us.
Paul is a great teacher and role model. If we put into practice what we can learn from him, the God of peace will be with us. In spite of working harder than virtually everyone else, in prison more frequently, whipped more severely, and exposed to death again and again, the God of peace was with Paul. He experienced a sense of peace and well-being. Even though he received the forty lashes minus one, and was beaten with rods three times, once was pelted with stones, three times was shipwrecked, and was constantly on the move, the God of peace was with him. He felt a supernatural peace. Even though he was in danger from rivers and bandits, in danger from Jews and Gentiles and from false believers, in danger in the city, country, and at sea, the God of peace was with him. In spite of experiencing hunger and thirst and sleeplessness; cold and nakedness; in spite of feeling the daily pressure of concern for all Messiah’s communities, the God of peace was with him.
The God of peace. What a great title for God! The world and its inhabitants are broken, fractured, damaged. We lack shalom. We lack wholeness, completeness, peace. But God is not like us. He is full of peace. He is whole, complete, perfect, unbroken, everything working perfectly. The God of peace is the only source of peace. He is able to restore peace to a fractured world. He is able to bring His peace to damaged human beings – if they come to Him on His terms, end their rebellion against Him, become loyal to Him, obey Him. The closer we get to Him, the more we implement His wise principles, the more peace we will have, even in difficult situations like Paul was often in.
One of the things that robs people of peace is not being content with what they have. It’s that attitude of never being satisfied, of always wanting more. What does a man with five million want? Nothing, right? He has plenty. No, he wants another five million. If we want to have peace, we need to learn how to be content if our needs are being met, content with what we have, not discontent with what we don’t have.
Learn To Be Content With What You Have; Principles Of Giving
Paul had recently received a gift of money from the Philippians. This is his expression of appreciation. This is something that we should all learn to do – to thank people for a gift. Paul does more than thank them. He teaches them about giving. I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.
Paul wasn’t happy to receive their money because he needed it to survive. He didn’t need their money to survive. Paul was happy because the Philippians were able to express, in a tangible way, in a financial way, their love for him. And Paul was happy because he understood that giving to the right people and the right causes pleases God and accrues heavenly rewards.
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.
This world is uncertain. There may be times when we have a lot and there may be times when we don’t have much. We need to learn how to be content in times of plenty and in times of lack. What can help us be content?
Knowing that a successful life is not dependant on the amount of things we have. Knowing that our happiness is not dependant on our circumstances. Knowing that if we are close to the Almighty God, He will supply us with the strength we need to make it through all kinds of financial and economic situations. So, if stock markets crash, bond bubbles burst, currencies depreciate, and others are freaking out, we don’t need to. We might have to downsize, to live modestly, to live frugally, but we can still be content.
Paul continues expressing his appreciation for this loving, generous, exceptionally loyal group of people. Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the Good News, when I set out from Macedonia, not one community shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need.
Paul makes it clear that he didn’t need, or even desire their money. What pleased the Lord’s Representative was knowing that the Philippians’ generosity to him would be rewarded. Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. The Lord is like a Heavenly accountant who keeps a ledger. Our gifts to good causes are recorded on the ledger, later to be rewarded. That should motivate each one of us to be wise and generous givers.
Paul had given a lot to this community. He was the one who brought them the Good News. He founded the community. He loved them. He taught them. He guided them. Now, they were giving something back to Him. I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent.
Wise, generous giving pleases God. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. God does so much for us, gives so much to us. One of the reasons for the sacrificial system was to allow human beings a proper way to express appreciation to the Creator. Under the Sinai Covenant, some of the sacrifices, like the burnt offering of dedication, and the sacrifice that expressed thanks, expressed appreciation to God. Under the New Covenant, our wise and generous gifts accomplishes the same thing. They express our appreciation and they please God. Think about it. There are things that we can do that can please the great Creator God, things that give Him nachus – pleasure. I want to do those things – don’t you?
Wise, generous giving pleases the Lord and motivates Him to be generous to the giver. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Messiah Yeshua. What a marvelous promise! God knows our needs. He is committed to meet our needs – not our wants, our desires, but our needs. And because of Yeshua, God has all the resources available to meet our needs. Do you trust Him to need all your needs?
Such a good and generous Supreme Being is worthy to be honored, now and forever, isn’t He? To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever! Amen.
Final Triumphant Greetings
Paul concludes this letter written from a Roman prison with the following greetings. Greet all God’s people in Messiah Yeshua. Paul wants everyone greeted. All are important. No one is to be left out. Everyone should understand that the Lord’s Representative cares for them. And, besides Timothy, there were other followers of Messiah who were close to Paul who wanted to express their interest in the Community in Phillipi. The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings. All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household. What a triumphant ending! Paul had been arrested and imprisoned to prevent the Message from spreading. But, truth is hard to suppress and the opposite was happening. The Message about the Jewish Messiah had spread to the very heart of the mighty Roman Empire, to the family of Caesar. This should encourage us to be bold, and faithful in our proclamation of the Good News about the Messiah. I like to see this as a foretaste of the future conquest of Christianity over the Roman empire and Western Civilization, and the eventual triumph of the sons and daughters of God, in spite of opposition, over the entire world.
Final Prayer
The grace of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah be with your spirit. Amen. The goodness that freely flows from the Messiah, God’s anointed prophet, priest and king who is overflowing with the Spirit of God; the Messiah who is the Lord – full of power and authority, able to control all things, all forces, all powers – will be with their spirits, the non-material part of them, where they connect to God, strengthening their spirits, nurturing their spirits, protecting and keeping their spirits, preserving their spirits so that they will arrive safely to the destination of eternal life. And I am confident that the grace of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah be with our spirits too, now and forever. Amen? Amen.