Sacrifice IV

Over my four decades of ministry I have worked with missionaries who have gone to places in the world, or to particular people groups, where, or among whom, the need is very great.  Those missionary ventures were made possible because of the generous support of others who were used of God to support those efforts. In the First Century Church the Apostle Paul was in the role of taking the Good News about Jesus "where the name of Christ has never been heard" (Romans 15:20).  His ability to do that was enhanced by churches like the the gathering of believers at Philippi who "shared with [him] in the matter of giving and receiving. . . [and] sent a gift more than once for [Paul's] needs" (Philippians 4:15-16). Is it a good thing for churches and individuals to share in helping those who go to be able to go where the need is great? Without any doubt.  In fact we probably don't know fully realize just how good a thing it is.  Here is what the Apostle Paul says about the generous giving of the Philippian church, and I think it is true about those today who support the spread of the Gospel, if they do so with a right attitude. He said that what they had sent was "a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God" (Philippians 4:18). Did you get that?  The Great Apostle says that when we support God's work of spreading the Gospel we offer a worshipful sacrifice to the Lord.  It is another way that we offer "spiritual sacrifices" to God. It's Something to Think About.