Continuing In Prayer In God-Given Relationships
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A Recipient of A Servant’s Reward (2:23).
Timothy knew the meaning of "sacrifice and service" (2:17), but God rewarded him for his faith-fulness. To begin with, Timothy had the joy of helping others. To be sure, there were hardships and difficulties, but there were also victories and blessings. Because Timothy was a "good and faithful servant," faithful over a few things, God rewarded him with "many things," and he entered into the joy of the submissive mind (Matt. 25:21).
He had the joy of serving with the great Apostle Paul and assisting him in some of his most difficult assignments (1 Cor. 4:17ff.; Timothy is mentioned at least 24 times in Paul's letters).
But perhaps the greatest reward God gave to Timothy was to choose him to be Paul's replacement when the great apostle was called home (see 2 Tim. 4:1-11
Paul himself wanted to go to Philippi, but had had to send Timothy in his place.
But, what an honor! Timothy was not only Paul's son, and Paul's servant, but he became Paul's substitute! His name is held in high regard by Christians today, something that young Timothy never dreamed of when he was busy serving Christ.
The submissive mind is not the product of an hour's sermon, or a week's seminar, or even a year's service. The submissive mind grows in us as, like Timothy, we yield to the Lord and seek to serve others.
Epaphroditus
Philippians 2:25–30 KJV 1900
25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.
26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.
29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:
30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.
Paul was a "Hebrew of the Hebrews"; Timothy was part Jew and part Gentile (Acts 16:1); and Epaphroditus was a full Gentile as far as we know.
He was the member of the Philippian church who risked his health and life to carry their missionary offering to the apostle in Rome (4:18). His name means "charming" and a charming Christian he is He was a balanced Christian (2:25).
Paul could not say enough about this man-"My brother, and companion in labor, and fellowsoldier.
These three descriptions parallel what Paul wrote about the Gospel in the first chapter of this letter:
"my brother" - the "fellowship in the Gospel" Philippians1:5
5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
"my companion - "the furtherance of in labor" the Gospel" (Philippians 1:12
12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
"my fellow soldier" - "the faith of the Gospel" (Phil 1:27
27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
1. Epaphroditus Was A Mature Christian!
Balance is important in the Christian life. Some people emphasize
"fellowship" so much that they forget the furtherance of the Gospel. Others are so involved in defending the "faith of the Gospel" that they neglect building fellowship with other believers. Epaphroditus did not fall into either of these traps. He was like Nehemiah, the man who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem with his sword in one hand and his trowel in the other (Neh. 4:17
17 They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
You cannot build with a sword nor battle with a trowel It takes both to get the Lord's work accomplished.
Dr. H. A. Ironside used to tell about a group, of believers who thought only of "fellowship.
They had little concern for reaching the lost or for defending the faith against its enemies. In front of their meeting place they hung a sign: JESUS ONLY. But the wind blew away some of the letters, and the sign read-US ONLY. It was a perfect description of a group of people who were not balanced Christians.
2. He was a Ministering Christian
Philippians 2:26–27 KJV 1900
26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
Philippians 2:30 KJV 1900
30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.
Like Timothy, Epaphroditus was concerned about others. To begin with, he was concerned about Paul. When he heard in Philippi that Paul was a prisoner in Rome, he volunteered to make that long, dangerous trip to Rome to stand at Paul's side and assist him. He carried the church's love gift with him, protecting it with his own life.
Our churches today need men and women who are burdened for missions and for those in difficult places of Christian service. "The problem in our churches, states one missionary leader, "is that we have too many spectators and not enough participants." Epaphroditus was not content simply to contribute to the offering. He gave himself help carry the offering!
But this man was also burdened for his own home church. After arriving in Rome, he became very ill. In fact, he almost died. This delayed his return to Philippi, and the people there became concerned about him. But Epaphroditus was not burdened about himself; he was burdened over the people in Philippi because they were worried about him! This man lived in Philippians 1:21
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Like Timothy, he had concern for others. The phrase in 2:28 is the same description used of Christ in Gethsemane (Matt. 26:37).
Like Christ, Epaphroditus knew the meaning of sacrifice and service (2:30), which are two of the marks of the submissive mind He was a blessed Christian (2:28-30).
His gracious act of humiliation, and God exalted Him. Epaphroditus sacrificed himself with no thought of reward, and Paul encouraged the church to hold him in honor to the glory of God.
26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.
The phrase in Phil 2:28 is the same description used of Christ in Gethsemane (Matt. 26:37
28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.
37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
Like Christ, Epaphroditus knew the meaning of sacrifice and service (2:30), which are two of the marks of the submissive mind He was a blessed Christian (2:28-30).
What a tragedy it would be to go through life and not be a blessing to anyone! Epaphroditus was a blessing to Paul. He stood with him in his prison experience and did not permit even his own sick ness to hinder his service. What times he and Paul must have had together! But he was also a blessing to his own church. Paul admonishes the church to honor him because of his sacrifice and service.
(Christ gets the glory, but there is nothing wrong with the servant receiving honor.
12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
There is no contradiction between Phil 2:7
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
("made Himself of no reputation") and Philippians 2:29 ("hold such in reputation Christ "emptied Himself" in His gracious act of humiliation, and God exalted Him. Epaphroditus sacrificed himself with no thought of reward, and Paul encouraged the church to hold him in honor to the glory of God.
29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:
He was a blessing to Paul and to his own church, and he is also a blessing to us today! He proves to us that the joyful life is the life of sacrifice and service, that the submissive mind really does work. He and Timothy together encourage us to submit ourselves to the Lord, and to one another, in the Spirit of Christ. Christ is the Pattern we follow. Paul shows us the power (8:12-18); and Timothy and Epaphroditus are the proof that this mind really works. Will you permit the Spirit to reproduce "the mind of Christ" in you?