The Joy of Partnership
October 19, 2025
Preached by Ron Smith
Scripture Reading
Philippians 4:10-23
10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
14 Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. 18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you.22 All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Today, we wrap up our series on the letter to the Philippians. I am excited, because this final passage in Philippians focuses on the joy of partnership and it sets us up nicely for the next week. Next week we will have a special message from Minne with a missions focus as we take the weekend to focus on missions and our ministry partners that we support as a church. This passage will help us reflect on how we might improve our partnership with our missionaries.
Prayer
This past week I read an article talking about how studies have shown that overall people enjoy doing things more when they do them with others. Even if you are an introvert. Doing things with others doesn’t necessarily mean you are working on the same project together. The study showed that just being in the presence of others while each did their own thing brought more satisfaction. Like two people sitting in the same room each reading their own book brought more happiness than reading alone.
I honestly read something like that and think, well duh. The Bible has been saying that for thousands of years. We need one another. We are designed for relationship.
The passage that we have before us today, kicks relationships up a notch. We are not just taking about sitting in the same room while reading. We are talking about partnership. There is a joy in partnership as we will see in this passage.
When we talk about partnership, we recognize right way that there is in an investment. It’s all about people coming together to accomplish the purposes that God has for them through mutual giving and receiving. “No church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.” (vs. 15)
But partnership is hard. The joy to be had in it is not always so evident. It makes us uncomfortable as it requires sacrifice on our part. All too often we miss the joy of partnership because we don’t want to give up our comfort. “Let me just do my own thing without getting too involved in the mess of other people’s lives. I have my own mess to worry about.” But there is a joy in partnership that can be ours as we depend not on our own strength, but on the strength that comes from Jesus.
As we consider the joy of partnership, I want to break this passage up the way Paul does as he considers the joy of receiving (10-13) and the joy of giving (14-20).
Joy of Receiving
Look at verse 10.
10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.
Paul starts off with the note of rejoicing because the Philippians had the opportunity to send a financial gift to him to meet his needs. That was an encouragement to him as it allowed him to minister to the spiritual needs of others without having to worry about his physical needs.
The Philippians had sent Paul gifts on several other occasions as well. In several places in 1 and 2 Corinthians, he makes a point that he did not receive any support from the Corinthians themselves. But rather he accepted gifts from the churches in Macedonia who supplied his need (2 Cor 11:8-9). So, here again, Paul rejoices that his needs were met through the Philippian’s generosity.
Of course, the problem with connecting joy to receiving a physical gift is what happens when you don’t get what you need?
We find the answer in verses 11 and 12. Paul makes it clear that there is an attitude that the receiver in the partnership must have.
11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
True joy is unlocked for the receiver when we learn the secret of contentment. Contentment is that deep peace that we have despite what is happening around us. It is trusting that God will work out his will for our lives even though we have a hard time understanding what is going on. It is knowing that we are in the right place at the right time – right where God wants us. Even if that introduces discomfort into our life.
Contentment does not mean comfort. As in, Paul is learning how to make his life comfortable in every situation. No. It is in the discomfort of hunger, when you have to eat ramen noodles again, that there is contentment. It is in the discomfort of being brought low, those moments when your status in life takes a hit. You go from being top dog to the basement dweller. Those moments when all of your accomplishments are treated like dirty rags. Being brought low, being humbled, is a moment to be content. It is in the discomfort of sheer need, that we must unlock the secret of being content.
And Paul has had quite a life. We read about the various hardships he has endured in other parts of the Bible. Things like being shipped wrecked, beaten and left for dead, falsely arrested, the target of a rioting mob, made fun of, and on and on. Hardly things that make for a comfortable life. But instead of trying to find his way out of those things, or resorting to grumbling and complaining about the horrible situations he found himself in, or demanding that people meet his needs, he says he has learned to be content.
What do we do when things are not going our way? Is our first response to be content? Or is it to seek comfort. Look for a way to resolve the problem so that we can get back to ‘normal.’ (Tuna)
Most of us are not facing the types of hardships Paul did. Ours are different. It’s losing our job; it is having to tighten the belt and not spend as much money; it is having our ideas rejected in team meetings; it’s being bullied at school; losing friendships because of our convictions; or eating tuna and beans because you want to focus on planting churches. Whatever the hardship you are facing, will you be content? Will you find your satisfaction in Jesus?
But notice that Paul does not limit his contentment to the hardships of life. While that might seem to be the more natural application, we need to also be content when life abounds. When there is plenty. When there are job promotions, when there is plenty of filet mignon and lobster tails, or when there is plenty of money in savings, a healthy portfolio, and abundance in your life.
When my family came back for our first furlough for the summer of 2012, we needed to line up temporary housing. One of the houses we ended up being blessed with for about 4 weeks was a mansion. It was probably 5000 square feet. With a pool, a hot tub, pool table, theater room, you get the idea. When we walked in we felt blessed and uncomfortable at the same time. It was too much. We were used to living in a 1500 square foot apartment. (gathered in the kitchen). I remember distinctly wrestling with this idea of contentment in abundance. It almost seemed wrong.
And yet, the Lord had abundantly blessed us in that way. We had to receive the gift. And be content in it. Sometimes it is hard to receive gifts, isn’t it? We don’t know what to do with it. We don’t think we need it. Someone else needs it more than we do. But Jesus is giving this gift to you. Why can’t you just receive it? Maybe it’s because we are not content, we are not trusting Jesus to do what is right.
It can also be hard to be content when everything is going well because abundance blinds us to our fundamental need – our constant need of Jesus. We get too caught up in the goodness of life that we don’t acknowledge the giver of all good gifts. We are satisfied in our comfort instead of finding our satisfaction in Jesus. And typically, we find ourselves just wanting more stuff. Little more in our paycheck, a little bit bigger house, newest phone, latest whatever. We have to maintain our comfort. Just not content with what Jesus has provided.
Do you see the two sides of the coin? When things are difficult, we run towards comfort. When things are going our way, we hunker down and try to protect our comfort at all costs. In both situations, we show that we are not content. We are not trusting the Lord’s leading, looking for how he is using our situation for his purposes. We are not finding our satisfaction and joy in Jesus.
This brings us to one of the most famous verses in the Bible. Verse 13.
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Now maybe, just maybe, you find this verse to be a little out of place. What does this favorite verse of so many have to do with finding contentment in hardships and good times? Doesn’t it have more to do with being able to do anything I set my mind to? Being able to overcome any obstacle that stands in my way? Well, no.
I think in some ways, Paul is letting us know what the secret to contentment is. Do all things through Jesus. He is the one who gives the strength required to be content. It is from our relationship with Christ that we find the resources we need to have our perspective on life brought in line with his. When our lives are oriented on Jesus, we are strengthened and the shackles to our idol of comfort are broken.
We could paraphrase verse 13 like this, “I can be content in every situation through Jesus who gives me the strength.” I almost feel like I need to apologize. I know that we want to use this verse to say that we can do anything with Jesus on our side. You want to climb Mt Everest; you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Want to win the race, you want to win the game, you want good grades, you want a better job, you want ___(fill in the blank)___well, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.
But that’s just not what Paul is saying here. Jesus makes contentment in every situation you face possible. The good and the bad.
Receive what God offers you with joy because you are content, you are satisfied in Jesus.
Then there is the joy of giving that Paul turns his attention to in verses 14-20.
Joy of Giving
The Philippians had partnered with Paul in a special way. He says in verses 15-16,
15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.
When we talk about giving in the context of a partnership, we are talking about more than sending a check, or Venmo or whatever. The Philippians had taken seriously their partnership with Paul. He says, they were the only church to have entered into a partnership with him.
Obviously, I don’t want to dismiss the importance of sending money to help with meeting physical needs. Paul is thankful for the Philippians having sent a monetary gift that allowed him to do ministry without having to work his side job. He says he has received full payment and more. They were generous in their giving. Having physical needs met is a crucial step especially when we are talking about sending missionaries out to spread the gospel and plant churches. I know from first-hand experience the blessing of having churches and individuals give so that I could dedicate myself to fulltime ministry.
In Paul’s case we know that he was a tent maker by trade, so when funds were short he had a skill, a job he could fall back on. And he did upon occasion. For example, when Paul went to Corinth we are told that he joined two associates, Aquilla and Priscilla in tent making. But when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, he stopped with the tent making and turned to fulltime preaching of the gospel. (Acts 18:5).
However, again, partnership is more than sending money. Notice that Paul says in verse 14 that “it was kind of you to share my trouble.” By supplying his needs, they in some way entered into his troubles with him. This is a huge encouragement. They were in effect standing with him in the difficulties that he faced. He was not alone.
Another way we could look at their giving is that they were invested in Paul’s ministry. Look at what he says in verses 17 and 18.
17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. 18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.
Paul is not seeking their money, rather the “fruit that increases to your credit.” Or that they would get a nice return on their investment. What makes the joy in their giving that much sweeter is that through their partnership they are right there with Paul engaged in the ministry that he is doing. Their partnership makes the ministry possible. (Indication of this in the greetings at the end of the letter.)
There is a price to pay for true partnerships on the side of the giver: discomfort. Sending a check is easy. Sending a check from abundance is even easier. But when giving a financial gift means we need to sacrifice something – a nice meal, going to the movies, a round of golf, whatever, then we are more uncomfortable. We certainly need to care for the needs of our families. We don’t need to go and take out a loan to give to the needs of others. But, we should seriously ask ourselves if we could do more. The Philippians gave out of poverty. 2 Cor 8. Not easy to give out of poverty.
But discomfort for the giver can also be seen in that fact that partnership means I am fully engaged in this relationship. I am not passive. I need to seek out information. How are people doing? What are their needs? I need to dedicate time to prayer, writing an email or a text or even a letter. Maybe even go and visit someone. All of this within my already busy, busy, busy schedule. We are all busy. And sometimes we are too busy for true partnership.
Let’s flesh this out for us here at Community. What would the joy of giving look like for us?
Be invested in our MPs. Missions and outreach team. Get signed up to receive letters that our ministry partners write. Benjamin – missionary prayer letter. Then write a reply. “Praying for you.” Take some action. Give - Lord laying on your heart Pastor Philip S. Asia – cost of living is increasing. Family talking to kids about importance of evangelism – give to Child Evangelism Fellowship or find out how to Volunteer - get involved. Pray - use prayer guide. Take someone out to dinner. Find out about their ministry.
Partner even with one another. We need to be invested in one another. Pushes against comfort as well. I have to change schedules. Empathize. Bear other’s burdens. We partner together, working together, laboring side by side in the gospel. (The ladies in verse 4:2.)
There is joy in receiving and there is joy in giving.
Conclusion
Let’s wrap all of this up. Look at verses 18 – 20.
18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Ultimately, a partnership like this is an act of worship to God. Notice how Paul describes the gift he received through Epaphroditus: a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. When we partner with others, we need to see it as an act of worship. It is something we do for the glory of God. The partnerships we have should reflect our dependence on God so that he graciously receives our offerings as praise to him.
And notice the promise that is nested in the middle of these verses. “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” The joy of partnership is rooted in the God who generously supplies all of our needs. Don’t pull back from partnership because you are worried about your needs. He will supply. Biblical partnership is rooted in the fertile soil of the gospel. The God who spared no expense and gave his son as a fragrant offering, the ultimate sacrifice, to pave a way for us to come to him will supply everything we need to partner with others around us.