THE ANATOMY OF A CONTAGIOUS CHRISTIAN

Philippians 2:25-30 (KJV) 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.

IS ANYODY HAPPIER BECAUSE YOU PASSED THIS WAY,

DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THAT YOU SPOKE TO THEM TODAY,

THE DAY WILL SOON BE OVER AND ITS TOLING TIME THROUGH,

IS THERE ANYONE TO UTTER NOW A KIND WORD OF YOU,

CAN YOU SAY IN PARTING THE DAY IS SLIPPING FAST,

THAT YOU HELPED A SINGLE BROTHER OF THE MANY THAT YOU’VE PAST,

DID YOU WASTE THE DAY OR LOSE IT,

WAS IT WELL OR SORELY SPENT,

DID YOU LEAVE A TRIAL OF KINDNESS,

OR A SCAR OF DISCONTENT,

WHEN YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES IN SLUMBER,

DO YOU THINK GOD WILL SAY,

THAT YOU EARNED ONE MORE TOMORROW,

BY WHAT YOU’VE DONE TODAY.

WHAT KIND OF CHRISTIAN ARE?

IN OUR TEXT PAUL SPEAKS OF EPAPHRODITUS WHOM WE KNOW LITTLE TO NOTHING ABOUT…

FROM HIS NAME EPAPHRODITUS WAS A GREEK, A GENTILE.

HIS NAME MEANS BELONING TO OR FAVORED BY APAPHRODITUS, WHICH WAS THE GREEK GOD OF LOVE.

…SO THE NAME OF EPAPHRODITUS CAME TO MEAN LOVELY OR AMNIBLE, SOMEONE WHO IS CHARMING OR PLEASANT TO BE AROUND…

IN THESE FEW VERSES WE ARE GIVEN A GLIMPSE OF A MAN THAT POSSESSED CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS THAT EVERY CHILD OF GOD OUGHT TO POSSESS.

YOU OUGHT TO BE THE KIND OF CHRISTIAN PEOPLE WANT TO BE AROUND.

LOVELY, AMNIBLE, CHEERFUL, KINDHEARTED,

SOMEONE ALWAYS MAKING THE ATMOSPHERE BETTER.

WHAT WAS THESE CHARACTERISTICS?

HE WAS A BALANCED CHRISTIAN:

Philippians 2:25 (KJV) 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.

MY BROTHER

COMPANION IN LABOUR

FELLOWSOLDIER

IT IS EASY FOR A CHRISTIAN TO GET OUT OF BALANCE.

…IT IS EASY TO FOCUS ON ONE AREA OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE TO THE DETRUMENT OR EXCLUSION OF OTHER AREAS THAT ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT.

A CHRISTIAN LIFE CAN’T BE:

JUST FELLOWSHIP-MEET, GREET AND EAT… THAT IS JUST ONE PART.

NOT JUST EVANGELISTIC-YOU CAN’T GET CAUGHT UP IN WHAT YOUR DOING AND EXCLUDE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE…

NOT JUST STANDARS AND RULES-SPEND ALL THEIR TIME INVESTIGATING OTHER PEOPLES FRUIT.

WHEN A TIRE GETS OUT OF BALANCE IT SHAKES THE WHOLE CAR.

WHEN A CHRISTIAN GETS OUT OF BALANCE IT SHAKES THE WHOLE SERVICE, SUNDAY SCHOOL, YOUTH GROUP, …ETC.

PAUL GIVES EPAPHRODITUS THREE NAMES OR TITLES…

…THEY DESCRIBE HIS WALK

…HIS WORK

…AND HIS WARFARE

HE WAS A BALANCED CHRISTIAN…

HIS WALK-MY BROTHER… HE LOVED HIM LIKE A BROTHER…

A FELLOW BROTHER

A CO-WORKER IN THE FAITH.

HE LOVED PAUL…

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (KJV) 4  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8  Charity never faileth:

PAUL SAYS THAT IS EPAPHRODITUS…

HIS WORK-COMPANION IN LABOUR-

FELLOW WORKER

HE WALKS BUT HE ALSO WORKS…

80% OF THE CHURCH’S WORK IS DONE BY 20% OF THE PEOPLE.

WHAT DO YOU PUT YOUR HANDS TO THAT WOULD NOT GET DONE IF YOU DID NOT DO IT.

…WELL I’VE GOT A FAMILY AND A WORK SCHEDULE SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE.

YOU DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO…

NOT EVERYONE THAT SAYS LORD, LORD SHALL ENTER…

FELLOW SOLDIER-HIS WARFARE

SAME BATTLE SCARS THAT PAUL HAD EPAPHRODITUS HAD…

WE NEED SOME THAT DON’T CARE TO HELP OTHERS FIGHT THEIR BATTLES.

I NEED TO FIGHT FOR MY FAMILY…

MY WIFE, MY CHILDREN,

NEHAMIAH PUT A TRIAL IN ONE HAND AND A SWORD IN THE OTHER HAND AND THAT WAS A BALANCED PEOPLE.

HE WAS A FELLOW BROTHER,

HE WAS A FELLOW WORKER,

AND HE WAS A FELLOW SOLDIER,

HE WAS BALANCED IN HIS WALK, HIS WORK AND HIS WARFARE.

…NOT JUST WALKING WITH THE LORD

NOR WORKING WITH THE LORD….

BUT FIGHTING FOR THE LORD…

BUT NOT ONLY WAS EPAPHRODITUS BALANCED BUT HE WAS BURDENED..

HE WAS A BURDENED CHRISTIAN

Philippians 2:26 (KJV) 26  For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.

YOU KNOW YOU ARE MATURING AS A CHRISTIAN WHEN YOUR FIRST THOUGHT IS NOT HOW SOMETHING EFFECTS ME…

…BUT YOUR PRIMARY CONCERN IS HOW IT EFFECTS SOMEONE ELSE.

HE WAS SICK UNTO DEATH AND HIS PHILIPIAN BELIEVERS WERE WORRIED…

…AND HE WAS WORRIED BECAUSED THAT HE WORRIED THEM.

YOU KNOW YOU ARE GROWING WHEN EVERYTHING IS NOT ABOUT YOU.

WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU EFFECTS SOMEONE ELSE. AND YOUR MORE CONCERNED ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE THAT YOU ARE YOU.

THEY HAD SENT A LOVE OFFERING TO PAUL VIA EPAPHRODITUS AND HE DELIVERED IT BUT GOT DEATHLY SICK.

BUT HE WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THEM THAN HIS SICKNESS.

ILL. EVELYN TRIED TO HID HER CANCER…

THE PHILIPPIANS AS WELL AS PAUL WAS SORROWFUL BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN A LESSER CHURCH WITHOUT HIM.

HE WAS A BRAVE CHRISTIAN

Philippians 2:30 (KJV) 30  Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.

NOT REGARDING HIS OWN LIFE.

JOSEPHUS SAID EPAPHROSITUS WORKED WITH PEOPLE THAT WERE LEPORS AND OUTCAST. NOT REGARDING WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO HIM.

HE PUT IT ALL ON THE LINE FOR CHRIST WITH NO REGARD WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO HIM.

ILL. JIM AND ELIZABETH ELIOTT MISSIONARIES TO SOUTH AMERICA.

JIM WAS KILLED AND CANNIBALIZED BUT A WEEK BEFORE HE DIED HE WROTE A MAN IS NO FOOL TO LAY DOWN WHAT HE CANNOT KEEP TO GAIN WHAT HE CANNOT LOSE.

WE NEED TO LAY IT ALL ON THE LINE, TRUSTING THE LORD AND NOT REGARDING OUR OWN LIVES.