What does it mean to invest? Regarding the Gospel, investing includes promoting, participating, proclaiming, partnering, or financing. Years ago, I heard a preacher say that the Gospel, or Gospel centered ministries, for example, the Bus ministry, door-to-door soul-wining, or a Mission’s program should be your largest line item or expense. Your largest ministry expense often reflects what’s mostly important to you.

Last week I called the pastor of my sending church for an update on their current Faith Promise giving. He said that the church now supports 180 missionaries which includes Colleges, evangelists, and various Gospel centered ministries. Faith Promise is currently about $500,000. He said however, in the last two years missions giving has exceeded $1,000,000. There are some who don’t fill out a commitment card but give to Missions, which accounts for some but not all the difference between the two numbers.

Faith promise is a proven and effective plan in an effort to fulfill the great commission and a proven plan to effectively invest in gospel centered ministries.

The church at Philippi, for example, teaches us by their example to maximize our outreach efforts by investing in men like Paul the apostle, men committed to take the Gospel beyond the reach of the local church or “unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Note a few advantages of Investing in the Gospel.

INVESTING IN THE GOSPEL WILL KEEP YOUR HEART IN THE GOSPEL

Mt 6:19-21, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

True believers in Jesus Christ are not of this world according to Jn 15:18-19, believers are citizens of a kingdom that is not of this world, the kingdom of God according to Php 3:20. One way to keep your heart with all diligence (Pr 4:23), is to invest in the right place (Mt 6:20), or invest in the right kingdom (Php 3:20; Col 3:1-2), or invest in the right message, the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Laying up treasure in heaven or investing in the kingdom of God will assist to keep (guard, watch, protect) your heart with all diligence or with all vigilance, “for out of it are the issues of life.”

To “lay-up” means to lay in store, or accumulate. Covetousness or greed lays-up treasure upon the earth, or greed invests in material wealth, faith invests in the kingdom of God.

Lk 12:15-21, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

INVESTING IN THE GOSPEL IS AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR MINISTRY.

Php 4:16-17, “For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.”

Though Paul is thankful, he is not “greatly rejoicing” (10) necessarily over the revival of his support from the church at Philippi (see 11-13). Verse 17 states that he did not desire a gift. Paul is rejoicing because their care of him which has resumed, will benefit themselves/church. As one commentary stated, “Paul looked on their missionary gifts as an investment that would pay them rich dividends.”

I do believe, however, that Paul’s ministry will abound or be an increase credited to their account. After all, the Philippian church partnered with Paul the Apostle. The word communicated in verse 15 concurs, which means to share, partake or to partner .

Paul greatly rejoiced over a church exercising their faith, and demonstrating a heart for world-wide missions. Their faithful partnership will be rewarded with great dividends. Verse 19 complements or completes verses 16-18, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” As they invest in the Ministry of Paul, they are also investing in their own church.

Illustration: My pastor, on occasion, when the church was in financial trouble would say to the church, we need to buy another bus, or we need to take on another missionary. His “old school” philosophy was, God blesses a church investing in the Gospel.

Two thoughts based on Php 4, Investing in the Gospel ministry makes you a sharer (15), investing reaps God’s supply (19).

ILLUSTRATION: Ecc 11:1, “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.”

The word cast does not refer to sowing seed. The Hebrew word implies to send, send away, or send forth, as in Ge 3:23, Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.”

This verse has several opinions, but the most acceptable and the most practical is, sending bread is different than sowing bread. Sending has nothing to do with seed time and harvest. Cast bread or sending forth bread on the water is figurative for acts of kindness.

Reminds me Ro 12:13, Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Incidentally, the word distributing comes from the same Greek translated communicated in Php 4:15 which means to share or to partner.

The Philippian church was casting bread upon the waters. They were kind, caring, and generous as opportunity prevailed w/o expecting a return.

I READ THIS: The bread in the East is made in the form of thin cakes, which would float for a time if thrown into a stream. If this bizarre act is objected, meaning that no one would be guilty of such an irrational action as flinging bread into the water, knowing, humanly speaking, that it would never return.

However, this is precisely the point. Casting bread upon the waters which represents an act of kindness, is sent forth not expecting a return. However, when bread is sent as an act of kindness, “thou shalt find it after many days.” Meaning that a return is forthcoming.

Recompense should not be the motive for casting bread, but Lk 6:38 says this, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

INVESTING IN THE GOSPEL IS AN ACT OF WORSHIP.

Verse 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.

Epaphroditus (Php 2:25-30) traveled 2,000 kilometers or over 1200 miles from Philippi of Macedonia to Rome, where Paul was in prison, to deliver his offering. Paul said, it that it was “an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.”

The sweet smelling “odour“ is probably a reference to the fragrance produced in the temple by the burning of incense. The apostle Paul regarded what he had received from the Philippian church as an offering unto God. Though the church was devoted to Paul and his ministry, they were serving God in their offerings to him. It was not a formal act of worship; but their giving was a sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing not to Paul, but unto God Himself.

INVESTING IN THE GOSPEL IS AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE.

Whether it’s on a foreign field, state-side, or in our own neighborhood, investing in the incorruptible seed of the Gospel is an investment in the future of our world. Our March Conference, for example, has invested in nearly 50 church plants since 2016. Most if not all of these works, Lord willing, will be preaching the Gospel and reaching souls for Christ long after you and I are gone to glory. The same can be said of all our Gospel outreach efforts. If we will reap tomorrow, we must sow today. (Ga 6:7-10)