Philippians 4:14-23 Treasures in Heaven

Philippians 4:14-23  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 gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need.  Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account.  I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent.  They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.  And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.  To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever.  Amen.  Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus.  The brothers who are with me send greetings.  All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.  Amen.

In concluding his letter to the Philippians, Paul reassures them that their love for him expressed in the giving of money for his support will not be forgotten by him or by God.  He wants them to know their gifts to him over the years will be credited to them in their accounts in heaven.  Their offerings to him were a tangible expression of their love and by extension a sign of God's love for him.  God is love.  Their actions of giving reflected God's nature: his love and care for all He has created.  The Philippians' generosity, even giving out of their own personal need, was a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.  By giving generously, they were building on Christ, the cornerstone, and his sure foundation of love.  Their actions were pure and right with God.  Paul warns us that each one should be careful how he builds.  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.  If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.  It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.  If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.  If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.  (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)  The Philippians' service to Paul imitated Christ's nature.  Such acts are definitely ones of gold, silver, and costly stones.  In their giving to Paul, the Philippians were laying down steadfast acts of love on the sure foundation of Christ and his nature.  Jesus Christ was and is the servant to all.  When his disciples were arguing about who would be the greatest, He told them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”  (Mark 9:35)  We who are IN CHRIST are to reflect our Lord in everything that we do, even in our gifts to others.  

The Philippians knew they might never see Paul again.  They understood he was in prison and might never again be free to minister to them.  They were giving their gifts without expecting reciprocation from Paul.  When we give without expecting something in return, even a thank-you, we are beginning to move into the arena of God's love rather than human love.  Jesus told his disciples there is no credit in loving and doing good to those who love and do good to them, for even sinners do that.  He went on to say, But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.  Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.  Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.  (Luke 6:35-36)  If we love like that, we begin to fulfill Jesus' teaching on love from the Sermon on the Mount. After telling the people to love their enemies and to pray for those who persecute them, Jesus says, Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.  (Matthew 5:48)  As humans, when we love, we expect reciprocation: a smile, a thank-you, a hug, a word of endearment.  But God's love for humans has always been an unrequited love.  In general, humans do not want to recognize his position as creator of all life.  We reduce him to what we know or understand, our finiteness, our frailties, not to what He really is: The Eternal God, The Almighty God, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.  God's love for us endures despite our fleshly thoughts, actions, or deeds; for such love is God's love.  He loves the unlovely as well as the lovely, the sinful as well as the righteous, the hateful as well as the loving.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  (Romans 5:8)  When we were lost, undone, blind and deaf, enemies to God himself, desiring only to do our will and not his will, God allowed Jesus to die for us: his unthankful creation.

In view of all that God has done for us, what fragrant offerings are we bringing to him?  Are we indifferent to the world and their needs?  Are we willing to sacrifice for others?  Are we willing to forgive those who hurt us?  Are we willing to go the extra mile with our enemies?  Or are we so disinterested in the people around us that we are concerned only about ourselves: our lives, our friends, our relatives?  Maybe when we are involved with others, we are more concerned about bringing justice to our lives than loving others as God loves them.  Oftentimes when we become involved with justice, what we perceive as right or wrong, we justify in our minds our hurtful words or damaging actions towards others.  When we commit ourselves to defending our rights, we sometimes forget to reflect God's love.  Paul gave the church at Galatia a serious warning when he wrote to them about their freedom in Christ: You, my brothers, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.  The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.  (Galatians 5:13-15)  As believers, we must use our freedom to share the love and mercy of God.  Paul wanted the Philippians to know that their actions of love were recognized in heaven.  He wanted them to know that their account in heaven was being enlarged: they were storing up treasure in heaven.  Today, may we all be mindful of what Jesus said, Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  (Matthew 6:19-21)