Introduction
801 years ago, Francis of Assisi put together the first nativity scene depicting the setting of Jesus’ birth in the Italian Village of Greccio on Christmas Eve in 1223. In a cave outside of town, he used live animals including a cow and a donkey—that’s how they fit into our modern nativities—and actors depicting Mary and Joseph, shepherds, angels, and even the innkeepers. It wasn’t a pageant, they stood still as a living art display—performance art.
St. Francis wanted to challenge the people of his village in a few ways. One, he wanted them to see the story of the incarnation as living, earthy, and real. Two, he also wanted them to understand the vulnerability and the poverty into which Jesus was born. Three, he ultimately longed for them to see their own need for Jesus as they stood and watched.
He feared that wealth and riches not only blinded people to the needs of those around them, but also their own. St. Francis is famous for his vow of poverty and care for the poor. But his worry as an evangelist was deeper: he was terrified his friends and family wouldn’t be able to identify with Jesus and their need of Him.
And so, he created the first nativity scene, placing Jesus in a cave outside of town, surrounded by animals and in tangible vulnerability, hoping it would invoke in them an understanding of their own vulnerability before God and Christ’s incarnation to not only identify with the poor, but to save the poor in spirit.
If you’re reading this post, you are likely among the wealthiest humans to ever live. Relatively speaking, of all the Christians in all of human history, you’re in the top percentile. If you’re reading this from a laptop in a developed nation, you’re one of the wealthiest people in the world today.
One of our big challenges regarding belief and living the gospel is not busyness, social media, or politics. It is realizing we are people who need, and being willing to receive.
For some of us, one of the biggest challenges in the Christian life may be being a person who both gives and receives. When Jesus described the difficulty of the rich entering the Kingdom, He wasn’t concerned with people’s bank accounts, but their ability to see their need for Jesus and their courage to accept the aid of the gospel as grace. When you have lots of resources, it’s hard to see yourself needing anything. It’s like buying a gift for your dad—what can you get him he hasn’t already bought himself? If you have what you think you need, it’s really hard to receive—especially without giving something in return. Accepting the gospel is like getting a Christmas gift from a friend when you thought you weren’t exchanging presents this year. In a panic, you tell them you have something for them too, but you didn’t bring it to dinner. When they go to the bathroom, you buy something on Amazon to be delivered tomorrow.
St. Francis knew Christmas confronts our sense of self-sufficiency and equal footing. Bonhoeffer wrote in Christ Together, “I cannot be a brother until I’m a bother.” The German theologian was extending the issue; our issue with community isn’t our time together, but our need before one another.
In this article, I want to tease out the communal discipline of need, and the gospel practice of receiving within community.
While not a regular “Advent Scripture,” Paul’s letter to the Philippians highlights this challenge and offers a path forward, particularly the final verses in chapter four.
Paul has received a gift and a care package from this church. The house church in Philippi had gathered some funds, some resources, some thoughtful items as well as needed supplies and sent them with Epaphroditus to travel to Paul and care for him. Epaphroditus got on a boat, sailed around Greece, and through islands off the coast, then around Italy to Paul. After giving Paul the gift, he stayed and helped him for a bit before Paul sent him back with this letter.
The book of Philippians is, in its most basic terms, the friendship letter sent back. Here in the last ten verses we’re getting the actual purpose of the letter; it’s a thank you card. But what Paul says he’s thankful for is key for our receiving and walking in the gospel.
Paul says: I rejoice that your concern for me found an opportunity for your care for me. He writes indeed you have had concern but no opportunity.
He’s rejoicing. Not because of the need, but because of the concern and gift. We tend to think the thank you is for the moments when a need is met. Paul is saying: No, I’ve had times with tons of needs and times with no needs. In both, I’ve had contentment. Christ gives me strength!
Paul is saying: I’m so thankful that because of your concern, you stepped into my need.
He goes on to write, “It was good of you to share in my troubles.”
The thank you isn’t for removal of the need but the sharing in his trouble. That’s good because Paul is still in trouble.
What we see is that the church’s job isn’t necessarily to fix Paul’s problems, but to have opportunity to show concern, and then to share in his trouble.
Even more, community expresses itself through concern for one another’s highest good and flourishing—even when it isn’t possible to alleviate the need or difficulty. Indeed, Paul’s happy they’ve always cared about him through empathy and compassion. Even before they had the chance to help, joy filled their relationship.
Sometimes we’re too smart for our own good. We see the complexities of problems and think, well, I can’t pay their bill, heal them of cancer, or anything of the sort. I can’t give them a job. That’s their real problem. What will a meal do? What will a card do? You can’t pay bills with phone calls.
Paul writes that you can bring your concern and share in their trouble. You’ve seen me, you’ve cared for me, and you’ve shown me.
Culture of Giving and Receiving
Next, we’re given insight into an aspect of the nature of their relationship which is crucial for all community. Paul writes: “You have always given and received…You’ve sent aid and now you’ve done it again.”
The church in Philippi had this give and receive relationship with Paul from the very beginning. The first night Paul and Luke spent in their city, they were welcomed into houses, shared meals, and taught one another in the gospel (see Acts 16). Paul served them and they served Paul. It was mutual.
All healthy community is built on giving and receiving. This is why my wife Mirela and I encourage our kids to give each other gifts. It’s why we have them even give us gifts, because we’re teaching them that in a healthy family, you both give and receive. (Side-note: one of the issues our world is facing today is children growing up never giving only receiving, and then another group of children always giving and never receiving.)
They’re just kids, but the real danger is that within Christian communities, you often have a few people—leaders—who give constantly within a system they’ve created in which they never receive. The other group is constantly receiving and accepts the social contract of being regular recipients. As soon as they’re called upon to give, they’re out.
As you enter this season of exchanging presents, think through your last year within relationships. Is it normative for you to give in relationships? To sacrifice, to help, to give blessings, to serve, to care for? Is It normative for you to receive in relationships?
How often we reject receiving!
“Give it to someone in need.”
“I don’t deserve it.”
“I’ll pay you back.”
Yet Paul writes: “Now, I have my full…more than enough. I’m amply supplied!” Paul remains imprisoned. Still in chains. Still steeped in problems. Pauls’ thankfulness is they did what they could. He was seen and known. He was in a genuine relationship of giving and receiving.
Contentment
Paul finishes with famous themes: “I’ve known good and bad circumstances…and I’ve been content…satisfied.” Does Paul need to receive the gifts from Philippi to be content? No!
The Apostle isn’t trying to teach us to be stoic spiritualists. He’s teaching us about freedom by finding his neediness met in full by Christ.
You can be shipwrecked and God would still be good and would still be with you. You would still have Jesus and that is grand! You can have a mansion and God would still be with you and be good to you. You can be in the hospital, the awards show, the mortgage office, and on and on and on. You could move back into your parent’s house. You could lose all your money and your career and God would still be God, and you could be satisfied. Wow! That’s freedom. God would still give strength to face the next day and the next day.
But here’s what’s wonderful. God shows us how deeply He loves us and how aware He is of our humanity that He works within other people in our lives to meet our needs…even though we’re satisfied in Him.
For example, Paul, bound in chains, locked in a house after years of moving around. He lost all his possessions a long time ago. He’s away from his calling, his friends, and his people. Yet, he writes “I’ve learned to be content!” But also, “Thank you so much for your concern for me.” I rejoice in the Lord, the Lord is near!
The Lord will meet all your needs or meet you in all your needs.
Paul receives the gift knowing it isn’t a substitute for God but it’s a great gift to be thankful for!
As Hagar said in Genesis, “The Lord sees me!”
Conclusion
Of course, you miss all of this if you keep your needs private, if you navigate the shipwrecks of your life in isolation.
Come to the nativity, see the gift of Christ and your immense need; then, walk into community as both needy and resourced.
Take the opportunity with your community to share how you each need Jesus and one another as we head into this Christmas season.
At Saturate, we’ve created several resources to help disciples, families, and communities walk through this Advent with intentionality, hope, and joy in our Savior, Immanuel, God with us. You’re invited to join us. Browse our 2024 Advent resources here.
