Open your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Philippians chapter 4. The name of this message is Affection Manifested. Affection Manifested. So we're going to see here the love of God, shed abroad in the Philippians' hearts, manifested towards Paul. And he's thanking them for it. He's thanking them for the provision.

Let's look at these verses here. Look at verses 13 to 17. We know that's in the context of the previous verses, right? He's talking about being content no matter what situation he's in.

Now, you 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. For even in Thessalonica, ye set once again unto my necessity, not because I desire a gift, but I desire fruit that may abound to your count.

So, here we go. We see in verse 14 to 16 that the affection and concern that the Philippian church had for the Apostle Paul. He's going out into the Gentile world and he's preaching the gospel. So they manifest their affection for him, their love for him by helping him out, providing for him, helping him out.

You know how I always say that we all have a part in the gospel here? I get to preach the word, right? And that's a great honor and blessing, but it's all of us. All of us are a part of this work. And we're gonna see that in the Greek, that by them doing this, sending this love, they're actually participating in the furtherance of the gospel.

So your support, our support for the church, our care and concern for the church, allows us to have the gospel go forth. God uses means, doesn't he? He uses men, sinful men, to preach the gospel to other sinners. Saved sinful men to preach the gospel. He uses all of us as believers for his gospel to go forth into the world. He doesn't need us. But he uses us. Isn't that an honor? What an honor to be used by the Lord for the furtherance of the gospel. And then we get the privilege of sitting and hearing the gospel preached and rejoicing in the great things Christ has done for us. Isn't that amazing? It's absolutely incredible. It really is.

So we see here in verses 14 to 16 the affection and concern that the church at Philippi had for the apostle Paul. They're concerned for him. They're concerned for his needs. They're concerned about the gospel going forth.

And look look at verse 14. Notwithstanding ye have done well that ye did communicate with my affliction. Now Paul adds this. lest they think that when he was saying, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, and I'm content, whether I'm in rich or poverty or whatever, lest they think that he's discounting, that he's discounting their gift. Just brushing it aside and going, oh yeah, well, he's not doing that though, is he? And he didn't want them to think that way, because he was very grateful for what they did. Very grateful.

And he declared to this, listen to what he said to the church at Corinth, after they had sent a token of their affection to him. He said, I can be content in need or in plenty. Same thing he told the Philippians, right? But I appreciate your help. This is a, I think it's the Amplified version. You have done well. You have done what you should have done. You have done well in providing for those who preach God's word.

So they're actually providing for the preacher and allowing him to be able to just go and preach the gospel. It's wonderful, isn't it? It's wonderful. See the word notwithstanding in our text there? In Philippians chapter four, Paul declares this, lest in declaring his independence of human human aid, which he did earlier, remember? He said, he said, I can abound whether I'm content. I can be content whether I'm rich or poor because Christ strengthens me. So whether they, he includes this, lest in declaring his independence of human aid, they think he's disparaging their gift. He's not doing that. So he says here, notwithstanding, You have done well.

See the word well in verse 14. It's a translation of the Greek word for good. For good. Which refers to beautiful goodness in the Greek. Beautiful goodness. He's overwhelmed at this gift. He's overwhelmed. And the phrase you have done well in the Greek, it's the equivalent of our present day. You did a beautiful thing. Isn't that neat? You did a beautiful thing. My! See, so the Apostle Paul is very grateful, isn't he? And you can see his love and care for the Philippians coming out in his response.

See, when we read it in the English and you say, oh, well, you did well, we think, oh, he's just saying, no, you did good. No, he's actually, in the Greek, he's saying, you did a beautiful thing. You did a beautiful thing. And who did they do it unto? Amen. Just like we do, whenever we do service, we do it unto the Lord, don't we? They did it unto the Lord. My. And Paul says, it's a beautiful thing.

And then see the word communicate in verse 14. This was really interesting. It means to make oneself a fellow partaker in common with. Isn't that neat? So we read that and we think communication, they're just talking. No, it's actually what I've been saying about all of us is that we're one in the furtherance of the gospel here. You're a partaker of it. So Paul's telling them by, you did a beautiful thing and you're a partaker of the gospel going forth. It's wonderful.

See, Greek has so much richness in it that we don't get just with the English language, right? And that's why I love reading these guys. I don't read Greek, but I studied this one guy, and he does all, two guys. Norm turned me on to one, and I found the other one on my own. And he goes, well, we don't have to learn Greek, because these guys learned it for us. And so I love that. But I love the nuances and things that come out of the Greek for us. Because they used one word and it described multiple things. And they have five different meanings for the word love. We know that, right? Five different meanings for the word love. Oh my.

So it's wonderful to be able to look at this and bring this out that he's saying what gospel preachers say to those we preach to. You're fellow partakers in the ministry. Isn't that wonderful? Oh, my. So the Philippians made themselves fellow partakers with Paul in his needs. They loved him. They made themselves responsible for satisfying his needs. Isn't that wonderful?

You know, when I got here, Donny Bell said something. He said, those folks, They know how to take care of the preacher. And it's true. That's a high compliment. That's a high compliment from another preacher. And you guys, you take good care of us. The Lord uses you to take good care of us. We love you guys. And it's an honor to preach the gospel to you guys. And isn't it neat that here we are, we're just a bunch of blood-washed saints together. We're just a bunch of blood-washed sinners together, gathered together in love, in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Absolutely amazing. He redeemed us 2,000 years ago. Then he brought us together, and we have the honor of knowing each other in this life and in the next. Isn't that amazing? It's wonderful. It's wonderful.

See the words, with my affliction? It tells us that it was not the actual gift so much as the affection and sympathy and fellowship of the Philippian saints in his sorrow that this great apostle Paul appreciated. One thing I said to Vicki, I said this morning, I say it all the time, every Sunday, we get to meet with our family. We get to fellowship with our family every Sunday. And then this Sunday, we get to eat with you. Isn't that wonderful? And your family, we're family. It's wonderful. And the fellowship is what we value. And that's something that you can't get, and I know several people, several of the folks in the congregation, when they're not able to watch and they watch through the TV, they said it's not the same. And you know what's missing? The fellowship. The fellowship. The face-to-face with each other. Like Zane told me, he said, all those months, he goes, I'm so glad to be back in the fellowship because those months when he was sick and he couldn't make it, he says, it wasn't the same. He says, and then I come back, I'm like, oh my, these folks, they love me. I said, yeah, we've been praying for you the whole time. We love you. He says, it's overwhelming. Isn't it? We're all just a bunch of blood-washed sinners gathered together. Somebody says, I can't come to your church. I'm too much of a sinner. Say, it's a hospital for sinners. And we're all a bunch of sinners in here, aren't we? Saved by grace, right? My.

So he desires their fellowship more than anything. And I can relate to that, and so can you, right? Here's Weiss' translation of this verse, a Greek scholar. I like this. He says, all the same, you did a beautiful thing when you made yourselves fellow partakers with my tribulation. So they made themselves fellow partakers of his tribulation. And what is that? That's bearing one another's burdens, right? That's all. We bear one another's burdens together. That's why I love our little prayer group. a little prayer texting, we can share how we're feeling. Don't ever be intimidated to share something, share. If you have a need and you want us to pray for you, put it on there. You can just put, even if you don't want to say what it is, you can just say, what do they call that? Unspoken prayer request. It's wonderful. It's wonderful.

I know Jake really appreciated the prayers when he was in the UAE. And we were praying for him and his family and for little Annie when she had her, had her operations. And that's just partaking in what people's afflictions and people's tribulations. Keep Steve in your prayer too. I was thinking about Steve this morning. He's still going through stuff, but keep him in your prayer. We love our dear brother Steve. Just keep praying for him. Now let's read verses 15 and 16 together. Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me, that's the same Greek word too as the communicated earlier, concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica, you sent once again unto my necessity.

You see the words now in verse 15 there? This makes the transition to his first experience of their generosity. In effect, he's saying, but this is no new thing for you, for you've always been generous. He's saying, this is not something new for you guys, because you've always been generous. You've always sought to help me.

And we see again the word communicated, this same Greek word, which means to make oneself a fellow partaker with someone else. And here refers to the act of the Philippians in making themselves fellow partakers with Paul and the responsibility of spreading the gospel. We're partakers. And this is what all of us do in supporting the work and attending the fellowship and praying for the preaching. my of the gospel of salvation in and through the blood and righteousness of the lord jesus christ because the gospel proclaims the only one who can who can save sinners right the lord jesus christ therefore it's the most important thing to go forth and we support preachers and we pray for them and and we support the work here in order for the gospel to go forth and it's a great blessing It's a great blessing.

And this is what all of us are to do, isn't it? In supporting the work and attending the fellowship. This is what we, we do it naturally. You don't have to tell us. Have you ever noticed in the 10 years I've been here, how many times I've preached on giving? Have you ever heard one? Yeah, zero. Amen, sister. I've never preached on giving. God's people will give to support the work for the gospel to go forth. You don't have to bang people over the head. It just, it happens. My.

so we desire to come and hear and be part of the work and support the work and have the gospel go forth and that's what the philippians are doing and notice that they were the only church in that one part there it says paul says you're the only one and look at when i departed from macedonia verse 15 no church communicated with me no no church partook in the ministry with me Now, we would think, that's awful strange. Churches are just starting out. It happens. Maybe they didn't know what Paul was going through. Maybe they needed to try to get their own work going there. as the Lord provided for them. But he says he commends the Philippians because they gave to support his work. They partook, communicated theirs, they partook in the ministry with him. My, it's wonderful.

Let's read verses 15 and 16 again. Now ye Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me concerning giving and receiving but ye only. For even in Thessalonica you sent once and again unto my necessity."

Now, the reason gospel preachers, you want to know why we don't preach on giving? Because God's people know, just like we know, that God loves a cheerful giver. And you give whatever you want and whatever you can. Right? I remember in religion, man, they would squeeze a lemon to get them dying, man. I'm telling you. You know what Henry Mahan used to say? And I love this. He says, pay your bills first, and then give to the church. You know why? Because he didn't want the world thinking, oh, look at these folks here. They claim to be Christians, and they're not paying their bills. Oh, there's wisdom there, isn't there? There is wisdom there! My!

But we give out of whatever abundance that God gives us joyfully. It's not a percentage. It's whatever we feel laid upon our heart to give. See the words giving and receiving in verse 15? In the Greek they are a business term referring to credit and debt on the ledger. I like, this is what Henry Mahan said about this. He said the Philippian saints owed Paul much since he was the one who brought the gospel of the Lord to them. And then he nurtured them in the faith. Paul had certain credits on their ledger which they were obligated to honor.

I think we feel giving is an obligation to the Lord because of what he's done for us. What a great honor. It's amazing. And the Philippian saints, they had the real love of God in their hearts. They desired for the gospel to go forth, just like we do here. I love how we're all so for the sermon audio and the message going out into the world. And it's so wonderful because it's a mission all by itself. Now down the road, I'd like us to support more missionaries down the road if we can. But this work right here is the first mission field, right? And the gospel goes out forth from here. My, oh, my.

Paul referred to a similar situation in 1 Corinthians 9, 11. He says, if you have sown unto spiritual things, it is a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things. Or then he says, if we shall reap your carnal things, meaning by carnal things, material things. material things don't matter to us as much as they used to, do they? Have you noticed that? And have you noticed the more we walk with the Lord, the more the material things are just like trinkets? I keep, I keep razzing Vicki and saying I need a, saying I need an ATV, a four-wheeler. I go to Neil's and I ride on this four-wheeler at the farm. And I said, I need a four-wheeler to patrol the church grounds. She goes, you don't need to patrol the church grounds. And I said, but I need that four-wheeler, babe. But I don't really, do I? I really don't. My. I want it, but I don't need it. Oh, guys. But it's becoming less and less. Josh says, Dad, all you got to do is walk around the yard. I said, we don't need to patrol nothing. It's just an excuse to get a four-wheeler. Oh, my. My, oh, my.

And see the phrase at the beginning of the gospel in verse, I think it's verse 15 still. Yeah, the beginning of the gospel in verse 15 there. This refers to the time when Paul first started preaching the word. To them it was about 10 years previously. He preached the word to them about 10 years before. And then we see in verse 16 that Paul speaks of Thessalonica, a much wealthier church. a much wealthier church in the Philippines, had sent aid to Paul while he was in the city ministering to that church.

Here is again that Greek scholar, Wise, his translations of these two verses. But you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the beginning of the gospel, when I went out from Macedonia, not even one assembly made itself a partner with me. See, there's that partaking, right? with me as regards an account of giving and taking, except you only. That even in Thessalonica, more than once, you sent to relieve my necessities." So he's in Thessalonica preaching the gospel. It's a young church, right? And here are the Philippians sending him aid so that he could preach the gospel. And they're just a young church, too. But remember, he had spent some time with the Philippians, so they really got to know him. But here they are. Thessalonica is a way more wealthier city. And here, the Philippians just send them, hey, go and preach the gospel, Paul. Go and preach it. Let it go forth. My, it's wonderful. See, do you see how we're all together in this? preaching of Christ and Him crucified, I wouldn't be able to do what I do if it wasn't for you guys. And the Lord uses means, right? He gives me the ability to preach. He uses means so that I can study and I can, right? And just preach the gospel. Isn't that wonderful? It's wonderful. Absolutely amazing.

When I got here, the guys said to me right away, they said, we don't want you getting a job or anything, because I had had a job already in Oregon. They said, we want you just to focus on the preaching of the gospel. And that's why I'm so thankful for you all that I'm able to do that. Just focus on the preaching of the gospel. Focus on putting messages together. Focusing on studying. It's wonderful. And I don't take that lightly, beloved. I don't take that lightly at all. And it is kind of strange, as I mentioned earlier, that even in the days of the apostles, churches were negligent in their matter of missions. Because remember, Paul's basically a missionary, isn't he? He's going forth and preaching unto the Gentiles. So it's kind of strange.

One thing we have to remember is Paul didn't enter into this discussion desiring a gift from them. He's not trying to wring money out of them. Right? Gospel preachers don't do that. We just preach the gospel. You know, I remember Henry saying that gospel preachers could be successful in other endeavors and make more money, but it's not about that. It's not about that, beloved. It's being content where God puts us, being appreciative and thankful for what we have, and preaching the gospel. Preaching the gospel. And I know every gospel preacher I talk to, they're very thankful for God allowing us to preach and proclaim the gospel of His grace. But we're not sitting there with our hands out. No. Not at all.

He was eager. Paul was eager to see the fruits of righteousness and salvation in them. The kingdom, it's like he's saying, the kingdom of God can get along without you. Which is true, right? Somebody asked me, what happens if you die? I said, God will just raise up another preacher. I'm nothing. I'm just one sinner telling other sinners where to find bread. Right? If I drop dead, he's just going to bring you another preacher. If he wants the work to continue, you get another preacher. I hope I'm here for a few more years with you. I really like being here with you, but I understand when Paul says, it's better for me to depart, right? Because we all have a desire to be with the Lord, right? But for you it's profitable that I stay, right? Yeah. So we can understand that, because we all feel the same way. So it's like he's saying, the kingdom of God can get along without you and me, both of us. But I would like to see some evidence that you and I are in the kingdom of God's grace.

James wrote something over in James, faith without works is dead, right? We know those works are not in any way justify us, but they're evidence. They're evidence of something that's happened. They're evidence of our faith. This is the same thing Paul's talking about here.

Let's turn to James. Let's turn to James. James chapter 2. We'll get some light here on both passages. I was putting this together and I was like, oh, because, you know, remembering we studied James, I was like, oh, I remember over in James, it talked about that.

So Paul's saying, basically saying to them, this is evidence. Because we, what do we desire to do now as believers? We desire to see the gospel go forth we didn't desire that before the lord saved us we didn't care about nothing like that now we like to hear it and we like to see it go forth isn't it amazing oh look at this james chapter 2 hopefully we'll get some light on both these passages james chapter 2 starting verse 14 and going to verse 20

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith and have not works? Can faith save him? Look at this. If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of thy food. Okay, so here's Paul. He's on the missionary field. Man, sometimes he has nothing. Sometimes he has a lot. Sometimes he has all he needs. But surely, brethren, we're seeing him in that situation, right? Okay, keep in mind what we're going to read here. Look at this. And if one of them say unto you, depart in peace, be you warmed and filled, notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to fill the body, what doth it profit? Oh, so if you see, so say, let's put ourselves back in the times of Paul. If we were to see Paul, we're all getting together, we'll see Paul, we're like, oh, Paul's preaching the gospel, praise God. And we see him and he's destitute and we say, well, you know, you go in peace, Paul, keep preaching that gospel. Keep preaching that gospel. You keep going. You keep on. And don't do anything. Don't do anything to help him. What does that profit? You see? See how this has changed now? See, these works are evidence of faith. They in no way justify. We can only be justified in Christ, but they're evidence of our faith. The fact that we now want to see the gospel go forth, the fact that we want to support the work, the fact that we want to be partakers with the preacher and with the missionaries and the gospel going forth is evidence of our faith. Isn't that amazing?

Now look what Paul goes on, or James goes on here. See, this changes, this changes, because people use this verse, the works mongers, they're coming there saying, well, faith without works is dead. Now we can say, well, wait, let's look at the context of that. The context of that is if you see your brother and sister destitute, and you don't do anything, then faith without works is dead. It changes the whole passage, doesn't it? You see? It makes it, it makes it not based upon your actual works, but it makes it upon the fact that to help the brother and sister out is evidence that there's something went on inside here. The fact of supporting the gospel is evidence something went on here. Because all those folks driving by, They don't have any concern for this work here. None at all. And we were, I was one of them guys driving by churches. No care in my life. Oh my. Now there's nowhere I'd want to be other than here.

But so let's continue this. He says, he says, even so, verse 17, even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. So he's saying, let's keep it in context again. If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, depart in peace. Go in peace. Go in the peace of God. Be you warmed and filled. Where? If they're destitute, where are they going to be warmed and filled? Nowhere. Notwithstanding, you give them not those things which are needful to the body. See, the Philippians, by their love offerings, was tokens of their affection for Paul in evidence of their faith. See into his needs. Isn't that wonderful? The Lord's amazing. If you give them not those things which are needful to the body, what does it profit? Even so, faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works." By loving the Lord, by supporting the work, by... Right? Isn't it amazing?

So it's it's it's just evidence of faith is in no way does it just the works here in no way justify People would say well Paul's going to get James going against Paul. No, he's not Not at all. He doesn't he's not saying work Savior no preacher worth his weight and salt would do that My Now believe us that there is one God look at that one God now do us well the devil's also believe in tremble

But wilt thou know, vain man, that faith without works is dead? So we see in verse 16 there that good works, good words will not help the destitute brother. Saying, well, yeah, you keep doing, you're going well. That won't help the destitute brother or sister, will it? No. The very act of helping them proves our faith. if we truly love our brother and sister in Christ.

So their love was being manifest for Paul by sending this love offering to him. They're partaking in him going out and preaching the gospel. Same thing here. Isn't it wonderful? And these works again mentioned in these verses do not justify anyone before God. In the context of these verses, those works prove one's faith. You see how people can rip verses out of the Bible and make them say whatever they want to say? It's awful. Paul's saying and James is saying that by helping Paul, it's the love of God in their hearts that moved them to do that. It's evidence that they're born again.

Now let's read verse 17. We're closed with this. We could squeak this one in. Not because I desire a gift, but I desire fruit that may be bound to your account." Again, there it is again. We see in this verse that Paul is still defending himself against the slanderous accusation that he's using the gospel as a means of making money, when he says, not that I desire a gift. He's not after the money. And the word desire is in the present tense, which usually indicates a habitual action. He doesn't habitually have his hand out. You ever see them false teachers on TV? Oh, it's awful, isn't it? So he's saying not that, It is my character or habit to seek. He's not seeking money off them. They just sent it out of their love for him.

Here's a Weiss translation of this in Greek again. He says, not that it is my character to ever be seeking the gift, but I am seeking the fruit, which is accumulating to your account. And what do we say? Well, we say, praise God for salvation in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen and amen.

Brother Travis, can you close us in prayer?