A Privileged Partnership, Part 5

Point number six, which there
is no hope of arriving at today. We began on this passage a number
of weeks ago, and I have suggested it There are a number of principles
here for the the right cultivation of a good relationship between. The church and its mission or
its missionaries, if God should bless, it was interesting, even
this past week, I was kind of. pushed a little bit, asked graciously
a series of questions about preaching and how it is I land on a passage. And and the suggestion was, as
I began to explain, that typically I preach sequentially unless
I find need to take a hiatus. But typically I will preach sequentially
and And the comment was, don’t I and don’t our people necessarily
miss out on a lot because I’m I’m not kind of in the moment
kind of preaching. Certainly one of my heroes is
Charles Spurgeon, who used to do that every week. He’d get
up on Monday morning and he would begin praying about what text
God would have him to preach and what particular issues and
problems there were in the church that he needed to address. He
would land on the text and study it out thoroughly. And then by
the end of the week, preach it. Well, I mean, that is that is
stout stuff. And I don’t discount at all Charles
Spurgeon and his ability to do that. Anybody who’s ever heard
him. He indeed was the prince of preachers. I am not. But my comment with regards to
the question and the line of questioning and don’t our people
miss out on a lot. My feeling has been time and
again, and I guess I could take a poll, but time and again, I
have sensed that we have been instructed and challenged, chided,
encouraged by passages of Scripture that we never, ever would have
dreamed possible. And that when you preach sequentially,
you will come across things that are surprising. And then if you’re
disciplined to delve into those and study those and mine out
the truths that are there and really live out what we say,
we believe that all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable
for teaching, reproof, correction, training and righteousness. Then
every passage of Scripture is going to have something for us.
Not the least of which is this passage, and I do believe that
it isn’t just a parting greeting that we can just kind of give
a casual assent to Paul here, I believe, is laying down principles
for all time for the church. And we have begun looking at
those principles over the past several weeks and their principles
for the church to employ and for the mission to employ. They
are principles really, as I suggested, for cultivating a fruitful partnership
with regards to the work of the mission. A little bit longer
explanation, perhaps, than you were prepared for, but. I called
it a consideration of the relationship between the church and the mission.
And we have begun looking at these principles and we’ll introduce
several more this morning, but I want to go back and pick up
the passage in its entirety, and then we’ll come back And
just with a brief review, if you would, beginning in verse
10 of chapter four. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly
that now at last you have revived your concern for me. Indeed,
you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that
I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever
circumstances I am. I know how to get along with
humble means and I also know how to live in prosperity. In
any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of being filled
and going hungry. Both of having abundance and
suffering need. I can do all things through Him
who strengthens me. Nevertheless, you have done well
to share with me in my affliction and you yourselves also know
Philippians that at the first preaching of the gospel after
I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the
matter of giving and receiving. But you alone. For even in Thessalonica,
you send a gift more than once for my needs, not that I seek
the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to
your account. But I have received everything
in full and have an abundance. I am amply supplied, having received
from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable
sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. And my God shall supply all your
needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. We began several weeks ago looking
at these principles with the goal of building a fruit bearing
partnership between the church and the mission. We saw, first
of all, that a fruit bearing partnership is built upon action,
not intention. I explained then and I uphold
now that there was no sin on the part of the Philippian church.
Rather, there was a disconnect with regards to communication.
They didn’t know where Paul was. And having learned where he was,
they rekindled their hearts on his behalf and redoubled their
efforts to encourage him with a monetary gift. And that’s what
essentially one of the motivating factors is here for Paul to write
the Philippian epistle, just a letter of gratitude. Paul says,
I rejoiced in the Lord greatly. That now at last you have revived
your concern for me. It isn’t that they weren’t concerned.
It’s that they didn’t even know Paul’s situation or circumstances. And having heard of them immediately,
their hearts were rekindled. The embers were glowing. All
they needed was fuel for the fire. All they needed was an
understanding of where Paul was, what his needs were, what was
his circumstance. And immediately their hearts
were one with his. Fruit bearing partnership, secondly,
is built upon godly contentment. And the fear here was, and I
hope that we dispelled it, the fear here was that there might
be those of us that sit here and say, well, the missionaries
really need to be content. Those that are abroad really
need to be content. It is Paul saying it, the missionary,
the really contentment, godly contentment is not just for the
missionaries, it’s for us as well. It’s for those of us who
support the missionaries as well. In fact, my statement was and
I stand by it, that if we were more content, we would be more
able. To more greatly support more
missionaries, Paul said, not that I speak from want for I
have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am,
and Paul recognizes the sovereignty of God immediately in that. Paul
settles into that. It says whether I have a situation
of great want or great bounty, it’s a situation that God has
placed me in. And if God has placed me in here,
I have all I need. In any and every circumstance,
whatever it is, persecution, drought, famine, abundance. A banquet, whatever the case
may be, And then he finally lets loose with the secret. The secret
is Christ. The secret, no matter what it
is, the child of God faces, the secret is Christ. It’s always
Christ. It’s the Lord Jesus Christ in
our relationship with him that enables us to face whatever it
is we’re called to. Because we know that a sovereign
God has charted out this course and we know that a loving Savior
walks with us. And God’s Spirit infuses us with
grace and we are enabled. We are enabled. I can do all
things through him. Who strengthens me? Thirdly,
a fruit bearing partnership is built upon a fellowship of means,
and this is where people begin to squirm, right? It’s where
people begin to feel their wallet in their back pocket and they’re
itchy because now we’re talking about stewardship, you know. There are those we’ve chatted
in weeks past about some of these things. There are those pastors
that regularly plan, you know, punctuate their preaching calendar
with a stewardship message that certainly wasn’t our approach.
It’s here. And just like when I was asked
about how often when I candidated in one church, how often I would
preach on the doctrine of election, I said, really, no more often
than Paul. and Peter and Jesus and the rest
of Scripture. I’ll preach what’s there. And
I don’t plan a stewardship message, but when it’s there, we’re going
to preach it. And that’s what this is about. Plainly what it’s
about. It’s a fellowship of means. Nevertheless,
you have done well, verse 14, to share with me in my affliction.
And he isn’t just talking about that fellow feeling. He isn’t
just talking about the prayers of the saints. Be warmed, be
filled, Paul. It’s not at all what he’s talking
about. Look at the legacy that they left behind in verse 15.
You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of
the gospel, when Paul first blew through town and shared with
him the gospel, the hospitality that are received from them,
bringing them into their homes and then they sending him off
with gifts. At the first preaching of the
gospel after I departed from Macedonia, no church. What a
sad report. To be put down for all time,
there was the church of Thessalonica, there was the church in Berea,
there was the church in Corinth, there was the Roman church, there
were multiple churches, many churches. And Paul here sadly
says no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving,
but you alone. No church recognized the spiritual
riches that had been imparted to them for free and thus reciprocated
with the mere pittance of earthly goods. No church, no church,
but the church in Philippi. What a legacy. And he says, even
in Thessalonica, you sent a gift more than once for my needs.
And when he says that, you’ve got to put in context what Thessalonica
was. It’s not even 90 minutes away.
The church could justly say, you know what? Look, Paul, you
just left. Why are we already having to send you money? Not
just once, but twice on several occasions, they responded to
Paul’s need. It was a legacy of generosity
on the Philippian church, and it was a fellowship of means.
It is about money. Fourthly, And for this, we have
to immediately begin to understand the context that Paul is concerned
that these comments that he’s just made regarding the Philippians
generosity could be misconstrued. How sad it is. And you see Paul
walking through here several times. He’s very careful to to
recraft his words and clarify his words. Paul’s concerned that
his comments about the Philippians generosity might be twisted or
turned by someone. How sad to always have to be
smarting under the brunt of unjust criticism of men. But such was
the case for Paul. As one wrote in his intense anxiety
to remain absolutely free from any suspicion of worldliness
in many places while maintaining the duty of believers to support
their ministers. Paul would say, look, this is
an axiom. This is a principle, a law of
God. that he would abstain personally
from asking for or receiving monetary aid, even though Paul
said, look, this is a principle of God. Paul said, look, I’m
not going to use any of it. Their hearts were right, he said,
the circumstances in which he was placed. Surrounded by virulent
opponents waiting eagerly for any opportunity of charging him
with self-seeking seemed to him to make this the right course.
In other words, there were churches that he entered into. And as
he began to sense the spiritual climate, he would say, you know
what, look. I know that this is a biblical principle that
those who preach the gospel are supposed to take their living
from the gospel. But because of these people and
their hearts, I’m not going to take a dime. How sad to the Thessalonians
who wrote, you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working
night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you. We proclaimed
to you the gospel of God, spiritual things at no charge, absolutely
no charge. Later on to the Thessalonians,
as we saw, he said, we didn’t eat anyone’s bread without paying
for it. But with labor and hardship,
we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden
to any of you. Paul would not have it that the
gospel and the effects of the gospel and the effects of his
ministry of the gospel be affected by people’s coarse attitude toward
him. Over money, and it was worse
with the Corinthian church. The Corinthian church was worse,
even still. I get the sense that the Thessalonian
church was almost clueless, they just didn’t even know they couldn’t
put two and two together. I mean, this, after all, was
a church that had their bags packed more than once for the
you know, the the rapture and on several occasions thought
that the rapture had taken place and they were left behind. This
was kind of a, you know, skittery kind of a church that. I get
the sense they did some of the basics very well, but they just
didn’t understand the idea of supporting missionaries. In the case of the Corinthians,
though, I get a sense of a hardness of heart. I get a sense of greed. After all, this was the church
where immorality and and all manner of sin was rampant and
had to constantly be corrected. And to the Corinthians, Paul
wrote, I have used none of these things. And this is after he
extols the lesson of supporting missionaries and ministers of
the gospel. He said, I have used none of
these things and I am not writing these things, so we’ll maybe
done so in my case. In other words, he says, look,
after I’m done with this sermon, don’t take up an offering on
my behalf. For it would be far better for me to die than to
have any man make my boast an empty one. Paul said, look, I
am not going to take a dime from the Corinthian church. The unfortunate
thing is the Ephesian church seems like a solid church, but
to the Ephesian elders, Paul said this in Acts chapter 20,
I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. And you say
so far so good. That much should be true of a
missionary, a minister of the gospel. But then Paul goes on
and says, you yourselves know. That these hands ministered to
my own needs and the men who were with me. Paul had to be
careful. Paul had to be watchful over
the words that he said, lest they be misconstrued. Paul wanted
to be absolutely clear that he is not esteeming, valuing the
Philippians gift only on the basis of its earthly value. Oh boy, thanks for the money.
Boy, I sure needed the money. Paul also wanted to avoid having
others draw the faulty conclusion that he expects even greater
gifts from them in the future. Paul said, look, God’s the one
that takes care of my needs. Let’s go to verse 17, if you
would. Verse 17 of Philippians chapter
4. Where Paul says, not that I seek
the gift itself. I’m not all hung up on the money.
I’m not all focusing on the money, and I want you to know my perspective
on it. The word that the word seek there
means it’s a very graphic word. It means hunting for eagerly
seeking. As if he’s desperate for it.
Look, I’m not desperate for this money. I’m thankful that you
said it. I appreciate it. But I’m not
after these kinds of gifts. I’m not writing missionary prayer
letters week in and week out trying to call out from the saints
across the globe money. I don’t that’s not what I’m looking
for. Paul cares for something beyond
just the support check. His desires are spiritual, as
we’ll see. The gift that Paul speaks of
brought joy to him, not because of the personal material benefit
that it brought to him, although it helped. He’s already acknowledged
that. But because of spiritual. Elements
in the gift, look again at verse 17, not that I seek the gift
itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. That’s fascinating stuff. That
makes those squirming on their wallets sit up, doesn’t it? Profit? Are you kidding me? Account? Where do I sign? The prophet
here, literally the fruit spoken of here, not as of literal fruit,
but it is the blessings that are brought about as fruit, as
fruitfulness. This is where I got the great
title of the message, the overall title of the message with regards
to a fruitful relationship. These blessings that he talks
about are thought of or considered as fruit, which will gather ultimately
at the great harvest, said one will come back to that very thought
in a moment. One pastor said it this way, from every such
contribution to the cause of Christ, every act of genuine
piety is like the sowing of seed, which in that day And throughout
eternity will yield rewards of grace. Turn, if you would. Turn, if
you would, to Matthew, chapter 25. Where you have an interesting image
of sowing and reaping. And if I didn’t actually explicitly
stated that point number four is a perspective of sowing and
reaping for those of you that are writing these down. Point
number four, a perspective of sowing and reaping. A fruit bearing
partnership is built upon a perspective of sowing and reaping. Look at
Matthew, chapter twenty five. Where it says, then the king
will say to those on his right, come, you who are blessed of
my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation
of the world. Here you have the reaping. You
have blessings being bestowed. And then the explanation beginning
in verse 35, for I was hungry and you gave me something to
eat. Here is the sewing. I was thirsty and you gave me
something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited
me in naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me.
I was in prison and you came to me. Here is the sowing. The
reaping is already spoken of as beginning to take place. Then
the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see you hungry
or feed you or thirsty and give you something to drink? And when
did we see you a stranger and invite you in or naked and clothed
you? When? When did we see you sick
or in prison and come to you? The king will answer and say
to them, truly, I say to you, to the extent that you did it
to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did
it to me. There is in Scripture the principle
of sowing and reaping. And Paul says that with regards
to the ministry of the gospel, That he seeks for the profit,
which increases to their account. Paul’s desire for the Philippian
church was not just that they reap. But that they so richly
and reap even more richly. It is the language of the banking
world. It is unmistakable. He speaks of interest, which
is accruing to their credit. Many of us can’t wait to read
our bank statements or maybe maybe in these days we can wait
to read our bank statements. But the interest, that little
percentage figure that gets figured in on top of what whatever it
is we have in the bank. That principle is so difficult
to teach and impart to others. That little by little. That investment grows little
by little. What Paul says is this gift that
they sent. Was actually an investment. That
ultimately would be entered into the credit side of their ledger.
The Philippians, he says, have an account. It’s almost as if
he uses that kind of language. You know what? You sent me a
gift, but it’s ultimately going to end up back in your account
with interest. That’s basically what he says.
And that principle in Scripture is replete, isn’t it? Right giving
enriches the giver. When your heart is right and
you give liberally, you will be recompensed accordingly. Proverbs
11.25, the generous man will be prosperous. He who waters
will himself be watered. Proverbs 19.17, One who is gracious
to the poor man lends ultimately to the Lord. One who is gracious
to the poor man lends to the Lord and he will repay him for
his good deed. There will be a sowing and a
reaping. Proverbs 22.9 He who is generous
will be blessed. For he gives of some of his food
to the poor. Proverbs 28.27 He who is he who
gives to the poor will never want. But he who shuts his eyes will
have many curses. Jesus echoing these same thoughts
and Luke 638 says, give and it will be given to you. You say,
well, if it’s just this giving and receiving equal amounts,
you know, maybe somebody else could give to the poor. I’ll
just keep what’s mine and we’re all even. Listen to what Jesus
says, give and it will be given to you. They will pour into your
lap a good measure. You’re going to give what you
think is liberally and you’ve heard it a thousand times, but
you can never give the Lord and the Lord in return is going to
give in good measure, press down, shaken together, running over.
Isn’t it frustrating to open a box of cereal, right? And the
thing has settled and you really bought a half a box of cereal.
You just didn’t know it. Well, this is saying exactly
that it’s look, this is shaken down and then we’re going to
fill it up again. God’s going to press it down,
shake it and fill it up again for you so that he is going to
overwhelm you. With blessing. For what it is
that you give to him. And then Jesus words really give
us a bit of a warning, don’t they? By your standard of measure,
it will be given to you in return. I can remember some person clarifying
one time and saying, you know, there was a dialogue on whether
we should give out of the gross or the net. You know, how do
you do this before taxes? And they just clarified it all
by saying, how do you want to be blessed? How do you want to
be blessed? It is the blessing that Paul’s
talking about that will the giving Ultimately, we’ll return back
to the giver. As one said, it is the spiritual
fruit which their deed of generosity yields to themselves. The retroactive
blessing resting on those who accomplish the deed of love,
the offering of the gift enriches the giver spiritually and has
entered in on his account in his favor and to his credit. Second Corinthians nine, six
echoes this very same principle, he who sows Sparingly will reap
sparingly. He who sows bountifully will
reap bountifully. Paul’s deepest desire for the
Philippians was that the Philippian church begin to reap an ever
increasing spiritual interest that was compounding on the investment
that they had already made. It wasn’t for his sake at all.
But for the Philippians. Paul sees that even in the heart
of a church that thinks of others and contributes to a gift of
this nature is already exhibiting. Giftedness, the blessing of the
Lord, the blessing of the Lord had freed up their hearts, the
blessing of the Lord, the grace of God had made them to be generous. That kind of a gift would certainly
attract God’s attention, Paul tells them. since it was a clear
indicator of their spiritual depth and their loving relationship
with the Apostle that had brought to them life through the Gospel. This was an expression of gratitude
that was going to meet with the smile of God. As one said, Paul believed that
fruits of glorious reward would spring liberally. He knew that
such a gift As his friends had sent him, suggested by a true
and ardent love to Christ, to Christ’s people, to Christ’s
work was looked upon by their father in heaven with gracious
approval. Paul knew that. And you know,
when I first. When I first picked the title
for this point, number four. I suggested that fruit bearing
partnership is built upon An eternal perspective of blessing. And then I began to study this
passage, and as one said, it is arbitrary to limit the meaning
of this to to future rewards only. And I began to think of
it, and that’s absolutely true, it’s absolutely true, it’s not
just eternal blessings, it’s not blessings after you get to
heaven only. We will have those they are there,
but there are many, many blessings in the here and now that we will
enjoy if we are free and liberal and hilarious with our giving. He said this, it is arbitrary
to limit the meaning to future reward, it may equally point
to the blessing which is continually accruing to faithful ministry
in the richer development of Christian character. Every act
of Christian ministry develops and enriches him who performs
it among the fruits that are harvested by such givers may
be mentioned the following good conscience. Have you ever had
the Lord lay something on your heart and you really believe
that the Lord wanted you to move? And through whatever, you know,
by the time you get in the car, your heart kind of softens a
little bit by the time, you know, you turn the radio way up so
that by the time you get home, you’ve almost completely drowned
out the idea. And in retrospect, you look back and you knew that
the Lord was laying on your heart. You didn’t move and the opportunity
was lost. We’ve all had them. We’ve all had them. But thankfully, we’ve also had
those situations where the Lord lays it on our heart. We don’t
even think for a minute. We know what the Lord is telling
us to do. We instinctively do it. And our conscience, our conscience
soars with peacefulness, doesn’t it? Hopefully, you’ve had that
feeling where God told you to do something. You did it and
you just sensed the smile of God. No one knows it but you.
A good conscience. Assurance of
salvation. The fact that God is laying needs,
spiritual needs on your heart is a sign of life, just like
just like a tender conscience is. It’s a sign of life, spiritual
life. Enriched fellowship with other
believers. Do you not think that these two groups, Paul and his
mission group and the Philippian church were knit together ever
tighter? A good conscience, assurance
of salvation, enriched fellowship with other believers, a broadened
outlook into the needs and interests of the church universal. That
was one of our greatest fears is that the longer we went without
the inability to reach out to others, even for just, you know,
one hundred dollars a month, whatever it could be. We were
going to become myopic as a church and lose the sight of all that’s
taking place in and throughout the world. It’s a privileged
partnership. There is much going on for the
sake of the gospel in our world and to participate in it is a
privilege. He goes on, and I finish with this increased joy and love
that is in the heart of the believer, the giver, a higher degree of
glory in heaven and praise on Judgment Day. And so it’s not
just about future blessing. I would even say the greater
measure of the blessings take place in the here and now. When
we give as God would have us. I suggested that there were.
A number of principles drawn out. The consideration of the
relationship in the church and the mission, and fifthly, a fruit
bearing partnership is built upon the spiritual nature of
our giving. If you look at it just as money. It’s almost worthless. I don’t even see how somebody
could do that. But if you look at it in its spiritual sense,
that it is an offering to God, a spiritual offering, much like
those animal sacrifices were. It changes your perspective about
everything. Look at verse 18. Paul says, I have received everything
in full. I have an abundance. I am amply supplied, having received
from Epaphroditus what you have sent. A fragrant aroma, an acceptable
sacrifice, well pleasing to God. When Paul says, I have everything
in full, Paul is not about to wear his heart on his sleeve
and say, poor me, please send me more money. To do so would
betray everything that he had just said, that in essence, God
is the one that sovereignly provided for him. And so Paul says to
the Philippians, look, I’m full. I got it. You don’t even need
to send me another penny. It’s not that he doesn’t want
it, it’s not that he doesn’t want to cultivate more for the
Philippians, but from Paul’s standpoint, he’s handled. Whatever favors the Philippians
thought that they owed to Paul. And we built a case that when
spiritual things were imparted to them, the most natural thing
in the world was that they would respond with physical offerings. But Paul said whatever obligation
they felt they had, whatever favors they thought they owed
to Paul, Paul considered them more than even they were fully
paid, fully paid. He goes on and says, I’ve received
everything in full, I have an abundance. I’m not just full,
I’m overflowing now. Not that you have met my need.
I have a surplus. Paul uses this word graphically
in a number of different occasions. First Thessalonians 3.12, he
says, may the Lord cause you to increase and abound, overflow,
abound in love for one another and for all people. The gift that the Philippians
had sent Paul was undoubtedly it wasn’t a large gift. It wasn’t
a rich church, but even though it was perhaps small, moderate,
whatever. For Paul, it was an abundance. Paul didn’t have a great deal
of needs anyway. And so it was overflowing, it
was an excess. It was far more than enough.
And he just you just hear Paul heaping it up, heaping it up.
This gift is full, abundant. And he goes on and says it again,
I’m amply supplied. Having received from Epaphroditus
what you have sent, Paul elucidates on the abundance, which is just
mentioned, he says, look, it’s overflowing, I got enough, it’s
plenty. Can I say any more about this gift that you’ve sent? Let
me tell you about the spiritual nature of it. It is a fragrant
aroma. And if we forget anything in
our giving us this. We forget that our offering has
a spiritual quality to it. And what Paul establishes in
these closing words is that he while he was the intended recipient
of the gift from the Philippians, he wasn’t the only one who was
touched by it. Though it was given to Paul, the ultimate recipient
of the gift was the Lord himself. Paul was grateful for their gift,
but God was the one that approved it. And you get this imagery throughout
the Old Testament, that little phrase, a fragrant aroma. Is
used to describe a sacrifice that God deems acceptable. Then where did I leave you? Whatever
book I left you and go quickly to Genesis, the book of Genesis. Someday they will have a board
in the back and it’ll be a lighted up board and it will tell me
what verse I’ve left you in so that I don’t leave you stranded.
Genesis chapter eight. Post flood. The worst natural
disaster the world has ever known. where all but what was on this
ark were destroyed by God and by the flood. It says after this,
verse 20, then Noah built an altar to the Lord. And took of
every clean animal and every clean bird and offered burnt
offerings on the altar. The Lord smelled the soothing
aroma and the Lord said to himself, I will never again curse the
ground on account of man for the intent of man’s heart is
evil from his youth and I will never again destroy every living
thing as I have done. And I love this passage. That’s
why I included it. While the earth remains seed
time and harvest cold and heat. Summer and winter, day and night
shall not cease. God writes himself a little poem. Because he smelled a fragrant
aroma. Turn, if you will, to Leviticus,
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus chapter one. See, this little light in the
back could have a dual purpose and remind me where, you know,
where Where in the book is it? Leviticus, chapter one, verse
one, then the Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the
tent of meeting, saying, Speak to the sons of Israel, saying
to them, when any man of you brings an offering to the Lord,
you shall bring your offering of animals from the herd of the
flock. If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall
offer it a male without defect. He shall offer it at the doorway
of the tent of meeting that it may be accepted before the Lord.
God had specific directions for these offerings that the that
they were to make. He shall lay his hand on the
head of the burnt offering that it may be accepted for him to
make atonement on his behalf. He shall slay the young bull
before the Lord and Aaron’s sons. The priest shall offer up the
blood and sprinkle the blood around the altar. That is, at
the doorway of the tent of meeting, he shall then skin the burnt
offering, cut it in pieces. The sons of Aaron and the priest
shall put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. Then
the son, then Aaron’s sons, the priest shall arrange the pieces,
the head and the suet over the wood, which is on the fire that
is on the altar. Its entrails, however, its legs,
he shall wash with water and the priest shall offer up in
smoke all of it on the author offer altar for a burnt offering. An offering by fire of a soothing
aroma to the Lord. Is it that the Lord likes barbecue? No. What the Lord likes is this
offering for sin that in itself ultimately was a soothing aroma
in his nose because it was an aroma of repentance. Now, these
offerings, these fumes, these odors and aromas from the altar.
That are recognized by the deity, by God himself as a means of
oneness with him and and repentance, as I suggest, suggested and propitiation
for sin. But they’re also used this aroma,
this phrase, the fragrant aroma is also used figuratively in
Scripture, Ezekiel chapter 20, 41. As a soothing aroma, I will
accept you. When I bring you out from the
peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered
and I will prove myself wholly among you in the sight of the
nations as a soothing aroma, he’s not telling them to barbecue
or offer up anything. Second Corinthians, chapter two,
same thing in the New Testament, you have a repetition of this
image in Scripture and the New Testament. When Paul says in
second Corinthians, chapter two, verse 15, we are a fragrance
of Christ to God, he’s bringing up that exact same image that
we are, as it were, that fragrant aroma that is ever elevating
to heaven. We are a fragrance of Christ
to God among those who are being saved and among those who are
perishing to the one and aroma from death to death to the to
the other and aroma from life to life. As one characterized it in the
New Testament, the idea is used of the great propitiation that
is of Christ. Romans, pardon me, Ephesians
five to walk in love, just as Christ did. Christ loved you
and gave himself up for us an offering and a sacrifice to God
as a fragrant aroma. That’s our savior. And in Christ, his people’s thank
offering of holy thoughts and affections, holy activity, liberality
and patience is a fragrant aroma and acceptable sacrifice. Well,
pleasing to God, giving for the cause of Christ. Pardon me, giving
for the cause of Christ is worship, it is acceptable worship. The
point that he’s making here. Is that? We don’t barbecue anymore
animals by way of sacrifice. We don’t offer that kind of bird
offering up to the Lord as a fragrant aroma. Now, our participation
is our lives. And our offerings, our deeds,
as we will see momentarily. Paul calls them not just a fragrant
aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, and it’s God is the one that
ultimately renders it accepted or not. There is, as we have
seen, a literal sense in this word, sacrifice is used in scripture.
The word sacrifice originally designated that victim, the animal
who was slain and offered to God, pardon me, Leviticus one,
three through four, that he may be accepted before the Lord. Leviticus 19, five, when you
offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to the Lord, you offer it so
that you may be accepted. Leviticus Chapter 22, verse 19,
for you to be accepted, it must be male without defect from the
cattle. There were prescriptions that
were given if the offering was to be acceptable and it was God. The one that determined whether
it was good or not. Remember, this is exactly what
caused the great stir in the early days of God’s family. Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel, one
brought an acceptable sacrifice. The other one didn’t. God deemed
one greater than the other, and that created great rift. The
first murder, and you know the story. Hebrews 11 for just tells
the story briefly this way, by faith, Abel offered to God a
better sacrifice than Cain. It was from his heart that determined
the value of his sacrifice. Abel offered to God a better
sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony
that he was righteous. God testifying about his gifts
and that through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. So the Levitical law prescribed
all kinds of offerings on the altar, but the ultimate idea
behind it, that it was a presentation to God. These first fruits, these
bowls, these various offerings were always ultimately offered
up to God himself as the supreme giver. But there’s a secondary
sense that sacrifice is spoken of, particularly in the New Testament.
Philippians 217, which book we’re in. Paul said, even if I am being
poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service
of your faith. There’s no fire here. Hebrews
13, six. Says through him, then let us
continually offer up a sacrifice of praise. There’s no fire here. A sacrifice of praise to God
that is the fruit of lips that give thanks to his name and do
not neglect doing good and sharing for with such sacrifices, God
is pleased. There’s no fire here. Romans
15 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles ministering
as a priest, the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles
may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. There is
no fire here. There is a kind of sacrifice about which the
New Testament speaks that is different and yet equally pleasing
to God and acceptable to him. Romans 12, one says it again. Therefore, I urge you, brethren,
by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and holy
sacrifice acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service
of worship. There’s no fire here. First Peter
to five, you also as living stones are being built up as a spiritual
house for a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. There is no fire here. The gift that the apostle had
received from the Philippians is set forth as this second kind
of sacrifice, not literal or at least not animal. As one said, Worship is the direct
expression to God in any way of the love and trust and devotion
of his moral creatures. The grateful Christian heart
recognizes in all its powers, possessions, opportunities, gifts
of God. It finds everywhere materials
for dedication to him. It isn’t just bowls anymore.
It’s even our money. Listen. He finds everywhere materials
for dedication to him, for sacrifice, for worship. The sincere surrender
of the whole life to God is represented and attested by the conscious,
definite and direct surrender of something in the exercise
of the powers and the employment of our possessions, the lips,
In other words, our mouths, which are used for common purposes
all the time, are now called to be set apart, sanctified for
a holy purpose to God. Our time that one day and seven
is to be set aside, that we may be lifted up and have an elevated
presence with God. Our money. And he concludes with this. No intelligent Christian, then,
who ponders the matter can doubt either the reasonableness or
the needfulness of the appointed way of worshiping God with his
money, honoring the Lord with his substance. Paul says it this way. I’ve I’ve
received your gift. I would characterize it as a
fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. Well, pleasing to God. There
are many of us that have forgotten the spiritual nature. Of giving
the spiritual nature of how we handle our money. The spiritual
side of it, the spiritual blessings that are to be reaped. Robert Johnstone, the Puritan,
said it this way in closing. Liberality for Christ is holy
prudence. Wisdom. In which duty and the
highest interest kiss each other. The more faithful the steward
is in giving God his own, the more he is laying up for himself
a treasure in the heavens that does not fail. What we spend
on ourselves passes away from us, what we spend on Christ,
we shall find again. Every prayer which rises from
the hearts of those who, through the ministry of the local church
or foreign missionary, we have helped to support have been turned
to God or strengthened in holy purpose in every aspiration of
gratitude, which ascends from homes that through the influence
of the gospel proclaimed by him. Do you hear what he says? I don’t
want to lose you. He says, look, if you’ve given to the church,
if you’ve given to the missionary, any saint, any ministry that
has taken place ultimately comes back into your account. That’s
an overwhelming thought. Every prayer which rises from
those hearts. Every change life, every aspiration
of gratitude that ascends from the homes that through the influence
of the gospel are proclaimed by him will drop as a genial
and refreshing rain of blessing. Upon the giver. There is a decidedly
spiritual element. In giving. Let’s rejoice before
him enough. For God, you are so merciful
to allow us. Not only the blessing of salvation,
but to heap blessing upon blessing to allow us. To call us to come near and wish
us to be a part. Of the great ministry of the
gospel. Father, there indeed is rich blessing. This is indeed
a privileged partnership And we pray that you would examine
our hearts. That we might be filled to the full. And to overflowing. With blessings. Because of how
we handled these earthly things. Grant us your grace, we pray.
It’s in Jesus name. Amen. You.