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Fruit that abounds

• How much impact is your life having on this world? Not just in your relationship with your family- that’s your responsibility- no rewards for that- I’m talking about a life that when you look at what you’ve spent your life doing- it will have mattered.
• Some people don’t care- Live their life for them and them alone- that’s great- except that’s not allowed as Christians.
• We live an “others” minded existence where we live our lives to please God and serve others
• Going out of order a bit- went on a mission this week- missions banquet tonight

• If I give, will God meet my needs?  17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account
• Text: Philippians 4: 10-20
• “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (4:19)
• Who is this promise for? answer in verse 15.
• “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…”
• Now according to verse 15 how many churches had every need met by God? Only One!
• if you and I want God to meet all our needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus then we should pattern our lives after this Philippian church.
• those churches that supported Paul were missions giving churches and those that didn’t were not.
• God will only meet the needs of those Christians and churches who are meeting needs. IF you want “Fruit that abounds” give to missions!
• Phil 4:10-20 title- Fruit that abounds
• One goal of this message- I want you to commit to monthly support of missions with money

• What is “missions”

• There are basically three types of missions
• Planting a church (Putting a church where one does not exist or starting a new work)
• Going to support an established church or mission (Help them do their work encourage them)
• Meeting a tangible need as a means to share the Gospel (fix a life problem to tell them about Jesus- use the need to plant the seed)
• There are many many subgroups to these three main groups, but all “missionary” work would fall into each of these categories-
• If it is not telling people about Jesus, it cannot be called a mission in the strictest sense of the word- we “do” missions work so we can preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ
• You can meet a tangible need- that’s called charity, or an act of service, but its not missionary or evangelistic in nature
• Not to say you shouldn’t do that- but call it what it is- a ministry of helps or needs- OK
• Matt 25:31-46- The least of these is the BRETHREN- Doesn’t discount charity- but its important to know the distinction between the two-
• Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.
• Proverbs 19:17 He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given.
• Every single Christian is called to be evangelistic- sharing our faith with everyone that we know in every relationship in every way
• But when you change your physical location from where you were born to another area, you are now on mission if you have moved there with one of those 3 intentions, church planting, church supporting, or need meeting to share the gospel and get them connected to a church

• Why Missions

• Its our marching orders- its part of who we are as Christians- once we know- we’re supposed to
• Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
• We are supposed to be preaching the Gospel- Jesus Christ came to save sinners
• Acts 13:47 For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
• Every people group in the world needs to be reach with the truth of this Gospel
• Matthew 28:19 Go therefore[a] and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
• We are supposed to be making disciples of all nations- leading people to Jesus- day to day
• Everyone is called to be evangelistic- not everyone is called to be missionary

• We are ALL Called to SUPPORT missionaries as they go and do what God has called them to do!
• If you don’t care about missions, you do not have the heart of God- he cares about missions!
• Benefits of Missions
• Reach people that don’t know the Gospel

• This is the most important aspect of missions- there are people who are going to hell without Jesus, and someone needs to go and tell them
• This is when someone goes to tell people about Jesus, connect them to a church, get them discipled, so that the church will continue and endure
• I have been on mission trips where our aim was to reach people who did not know Jesus, so that they could be introduced to Jesus- its very rewarding to see people come to Christ

• For some reason- you’re much more bold when you’re not near your home-
• Meet Needs Hungry, homeless, trafficked, thirsty. Churches that need help, missionaries need help
• Grow Spiritually When you’re away from your comfort zone, you learn to depend on God more.
• When you spend the bulk of your time trying to spread the Gospel- it grows you! You look at life differently!
• Encourage people who are on mission

• There are missionaries all over the world who have given their lives to the work of the Gospel that are all over the world
• When I went to Ghana- you’d be amazed at how much the Americans loved to see the Americans come and visit- it encouraged them to continue their work! They feel alone out on the field- Does anyone know? Does anyone Care? Is What I’m doing making a difference?

• How to have your fruit abound1. For Fruit to about you have to have a concern for others. (V10)
• “I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.” (V10)
• You and I are never going to give to missions if we don’t have a concern for others and the GOSPEL
• Our church gives to the SSDC, CEF, FVC Pakistan, Community Dinner, We’ve supported international and local ministries. Next year we’re sending out our First Missionaries the Leavitts to Ukraine
• If we as a church do not have a concern for others we will stay inward focused
• There has always been Christians and there have always been churches that have no concern for those who are lost.
• “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 this matter of giving and receiving, except you only; (V15)
• I don’t want that to be our church! I don’t want the book of life to show that we didn’t care about what people were doing in Missions! God calls missionaries! We support them!

1. For fruit to abound you need to find your contentment in the Lord

• V11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
• You are not going to give to missions unless you have found your contentment in the Lord.
• Discontented Christians and discontented churches never become great missions givers.
• meaning- if you’re content in Jesus- you don’t care as much about your needs- your contentment is in Jesus- and you STILL give even though you STILL have needs!
• We will always have needs. But many of our needs can more adequately be characterized by wants
• Just because you have needs doesn’t mean that you are exempt from giving to missions

• We call Christians who have no needs ”absent from the body and present with the Lord.”
• When you have contentment in Jesus alone, you can say “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (V13)- THIS WEEK- Family with Ministry building in front of house being built.
• The Apostle Paul said he knew what it is to be in need and he knew what it is to have plenty.
• Compared to the vast majority of the world everyone here today has plenty.

• If we were to wait till we had plenty based on America’s standards to become a church who gives to missions we would never begin because there will always be other needs.
• Our Goal is have a monthly missions budget of about $3500. Prudence would say that is 35K we can pay off the building with- The Bible says we’d get a 100 fold return.
• God’s economy isn’t the worlds economy

• Make a commitment to monthly giving! Maybe $25 is all you can do- but maybe $250
• Doesn’t that get covered by our tithe? We have been but we want to do MORE-
• Start tithing if you’re not tithing. If you are, pray and ask God for a number- He’ll give you one!

• 3. If you want fruit that abounds- stay committed to the cause of missions
• V16  except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need.
• This verse implies that the longer a Christian waits the less likely they will ever get involved.
• “Not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you only”
• Do you know why people don’t give to missions? Same reason they don’t tithe
• Don’t believe in it, think they can’t afford it, want to spend the money on something else

• Tithing is a duty. Missions is a sacrifice! Sure, you can’t change the world with your money alone, but together, we can chuck a few more starfishes back in the water
• Missions giving always goes up- it never goes down. Commit to it! Missionaries depend on it!
• Same reason you should be committed to the tithe. Church still runs in December and Vacation

• Crystal and I tithe- and then we give about 2.5% of our income to missions and about 2.5% of our income to offerings. Every month Not looking for your adoration, I’m just painting a picture.
• That extra 5% is a lot of things. Paying off debt, retirement fund, college fund, Fun fund, buy me some new wheels fund, get new countertops fund, A new lens for my camera fund etc. Its never ending
• But Crystal and I are committed to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Sacrificially. Unapologetically. There is nothing more important than that to us. My kids ask “why not this” we give $$ that’s why.
• Friend with the crazy budget- “whats the point” … the giving line always increases!
• What about that other stuff? My God shall supply all my needs! I’m not missing any meals! I have a blessed life!
• Never met a giver who wasn’t blessed. EVER

• 4. People who give to missions have fruit that abounds
• 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. 18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. 19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus
• Churches and christians that have fruit that abounds are churches that participate in missions.
• Why do we want you to participate in reaching the lost? So we can have your gifts? No. It’s so you can have fruit in your account. Some versions say “Credited to your account”
• Every one of us here has an account with God. Every church has an account with God.
• We get credit for three things 1. Every fragrant offering 2. Every acceptable sacrifice 3. Everything that is pleasing to God.
• In that we get fruit that abounds. If your life is fruitless, I wonder how much support you give to missions5.The fifth quality about great missions giving churches is that they exist to see God glorified.
• “To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen (V20)
• Matthew 5:13-16. We bring glory to God when we are salt and light in the world.
• Salt is about who we are. Salt is our character. This is the how who we are changes the world
• V13You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”
• Light is more about what we do. Light is our conduct.
• V16 “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.