Your Need Supplied By God
Our Bible passage, introduction to Sunday 11th October service and hymns are below.
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Our principal verses are:
Php 4:15 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.
Php 4:16 For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.
Php 4:17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.
Php 4:18 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.
Php 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Php 4:20 Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Your Need Supplied By God
We began our studies in this epistle by noting the mutual affection shared by the Apostle and his friends in Philippi. There is no doubt Paul had been a blessing to these believers. God had called them to Christ by his preaching. So, too, it is clear the believers provided for the practical needs of Paul from the earliest times, first when Paul was present with them and later when he departed from them. They sent gifts after him so he need not rely upon those who could not give or were not yet disposed to do so.
Practical support
Giving to the Lord’s work is an important part of Christian service which the believers in Philippi understood. Giving is an aspect of worship. Paul likens it to the offerings made in temple worship in the Old Testament. The gifts sent from Philippi were ‘an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God’. Paul was not seeking further support. He was full from the gift already conveyed by Epaphroditus. He does however covet the blessings God will give to the Philippian church on Paul’s behalf.
God is no man’s debtor
Paul’s reference to ‘giving and receiving’ is a business term, a reference to a merchant keeping a tally of goods, in and out, and producing a balance sheet. His meaning is that gifts previously bestowed will be rewarded by God with ‘fruit that may abound to your account’. Far from being impoverished by their liberality the church would be a fruitful tree, a fruit-bearing tree, ‘filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God’ (Philippians 1:11). God would supply all their need.
Covenant blessings
Here, indeed, Paul makes a promise. ‘My God’, he says, ‘shall supply all your need’. It is a strong assertion founded upon Paul’s confidence in the goodness and generosity of the Lord. We note Paul’s use of ‘My God’. My God will supply, or my God shall supply, is a statement full of confidence and assurance. When, by faith, believers call God, ‘My God’, they have a right to all God’s covenant promises in Jesus Christ. If I trust the Lord as my God then I have all His grace and all freedom to call upon all His guarantees of good.
All our need
Nor should we be narrow in naming the needs to be supplied. They are spiritual and natural. ‘All’ is a broad word. It includes whatever a believer needs. ‘All things’ is a common New Testament expression emphasising the far-reaching scope of provision made for all the Lord’s elect within the Father’s covenant promise of grace and glory. Our God is working ‘all things after the counsel of his own will’. He has ‘put all things under Christ’s feet, and given him to be the head over all things to the church’ (Ephesians 1:11, 22).
Full yet feeble
Considered in Jesus Christ believers need nothing for we have all things needful in our Saviour. We are full. Our Father has ‘blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ’. We are heirs and joint-heirs together with God’s Son who is Himself heir of all things. However, considered in ourselves we are a needy people. We are poor in spirit, hungry and thirsty after righteousness and often of little faith. We have a constant need of God’s gracious provision. We need fresh tokens of His love and to prove His faithfulness daily. This is the effect of sin in our lives and the weakness of our flesh.
Physical needs in a physical world
We require daily food for our bodies; we need clothing and security. These, too, the Lord supplies. He knows what we have need of (Matthew 6:32). Yet, as a loving Father He delights to be enquired of His people for those things that burden and trouble us in this world. God is able and willing to supply all our need. He withholds no good thing from them that love Him but supplies ‘all’. He is the God of all grace and His grace is sufficient for His own dear people. Our God made the world and all it contains. He supplies all our need out of His riches in glory by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ our Mediator
Our Saviour is our Mediator. He is the go-between by which our God supplies our need. God’s goodness flows to His people through the intercession of Christ and for Christ’s sake. In and of ourselves we have no rights. We have no claims beyond what is ours in our Saviour. But in Jesus Christ we have all things. Our God must receive all the glory for this. He is the source of all our blessings, the giver of every grace and the provider of eternal happiness in heaven. He bestows all covenant mercy for which we say, ‘Amen’.
Amen
Hymn 667
Safety in Christ. Phil. 4. 19; Heb. 13. 6
W. Gadsby 10s
1
Immortal honours rest on Jesus’ head;
My God, my Portion, and my Living Bread;
In him I live, upon him cast my care;
He saves from death, destruction, and despair.
2
He is my Refuge in each deep distress;
The Lord my strength and glorious righteousness;
Through floods and flames he leads me safely on,
And daily makes his sovereign goodness known.
3
My every need he richly will supply;
Nor will his mercy ever let me die;
In him there dwells a treasure all divine,
And matchless grace has made that treasure mine.
4
O that my soul could love and praise him more,
His beauties trace, his majesty adore;
Live near his heart, upon his bosom lean;
Obey his voice, and all his will esteem.
Hymn 886
“Thou art my portion, O Lord.” Ps. 119. 57
J. Berridge 148th
1
I seek and hope to find
A portion for my soul,
To heal a feverish mind,
And make a bankrupt whole;
A cup of blessing for the poor,
That’s free, and full, and flowing o’er.
2
No satisfying rest
Earth’s fluttering joys impart;
The portion of a beast
Will not content my heart;
The God of spirits only can
Fill up the vast desires of man.
3
Then, Jesus, wilt thou be
My portion and my all?
For I would wait on thee,
And listen to thy call;
My daily wants thou canst supply,
And find me food, and bring me joy.
4
Whate’er I wish or want
Can come from thee alone,
Thou canst my heart content;
Then let thy grace be shown;
I’d choose thee for my portion, Lord;
Supply me well from mercy’s board.
Our God will supply all the needs of His people out of His glorious bounty for the sake of Jesus Christ. We may ask for His help in matters spiritual and natural. He knows what we need and He will supply.