The Examplary Life Pt. 1

Introduction

Examples in life are really important. They make ideas clearer and eliminate confusion around a concept or command.

When you have children you realize quickly how important good examples are. Things that make perfect sense in your mind do not seem so obvious to them.

For example—when you ask your child to brush their teeth—you don’t mean make the bathroom look like the toothpaste tube exploded all over the bathroom—you don’t mean use a quarter of the toothpaste in one go. You definitely don’t mean get toothpaste on the mirror and then try to clean it with toilet paper creating a new oral hygiene, paper machete, art feature for the bathroom.

You learn quickly that children need you to go in and show them how little toothpaste it takes to brush your teeth. How to clean the sink afterward and how to never use toilet paper to clean up a spill of any kind.

People need lots of good examples when they are growing up—but we don’t stop needing them as we get older either.

This morning our text is Philippians 2:19-23. If you haven’t been with us lately we are in a verse by verse study of the apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians.

And this morning we are circling the finish of chapter 2. In all of chapter 2 Paul has been teaching on humility. At the beginning of chapter 2 Paul points to the humility of Christ, then Paul points to his own pursuit of Christlike humility, and now today Paul gives us two examples of what selfless ambition and Christ-like humility look like in the persons of Timothy and Epaphroditus.

So this morning my goal for us is pretty straightforward. To see and be examples of Christlike humility. I want us to see the examples that Paul is giving us this morning and then I want us to endeavor to be examples like this to those who are living around us.

Let’s pray. God this morning we come to your holy word with an entire week of thoughts feelings and activities behind us from the week past and before us from the week to come. Help us now in these moments to worship you with all of our hearts and minds. Let us come to your Holy Word expectantly this morning, humbly receiving what you are doing in our hearts with your word. Amen.

Background on Timothy

Timothy here is the same Timothy of 1 and 2 Timothy in the Bible.

We see in Acts 16 that Paul first hears of Timothy and his excellent reputation among the Christians there in Lystra and Derbe. Paul seeks him out and wants him to accompany him as he went to serve the churches and tell them about the decisions of the apostles at the Jersusalem Council.

Timothy, by God’s grace, was a perfect protege for Paul. Timothy was from a mixed racial background with a Jewish mother and Greek father. And Paul was the Jewish apostle to the gentiles. Timothy understood the context in which Paul was ministering.

Paul discipled Timothy—and regarded him as a son in the faith.

Timothy is an example for young people that a young person can and should be serious about their faith. Timothy was as young as 17 and no older than 20 when he first started serving under Paul. We know this because after several years of serving with Paul, Timothy becomes the pastor of the church in Ephesus and Paul instructs him then, years later, not to let people look down on him because of his youth.

Timothy was a person committed to Jesus Christ. He loved the Lord and you could see it actively portrayed in his life.

That is just a snapshot of the person we are looking to this morning as an example of Christlike humility. And as we look to the first verse of our text this morning we see that...

I.Christ-like Humility Serves Others (19)

Philippians 2:19 “I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.”

Paul is writing to the Philippians from house arrest in Rome. 24 hours a day Paul was chained to two members of the Praetorian guard. He couldn’t leave. It was a more comfortable prison than a dungeon, but it was still a prison.

And there with him in Rome is Timothy. In verse 22 Paul says that Timothy is serving with him in the gospel.

Timothy was serving on behalf of Paul to the churches during his imprisonment. And friends I want us to notice the nature of this service—to see the example before us.

This is a service that is willing to be inconvenienced for the good of others. This is a service that is willing to suffer so that other people will benefit.

Are you willing to serve others when serving them will delay or derail your own agenda for your day? What about for your life?

If the call of Christ in your life required you to put away your own plans for your life would you follow that call?

We tend to make the people in the Bible more than regular people in our minds. That they are a high and, honestly, unattainable example of what we should strive for but can’t accomplish.

Friends—I am convinced that this is a lie to our hearts and minds from the enemy himself.

Every person in the Bible with the exception of Christ was a regular person just like you and me. We should not see Timothy’s service to Paul and the churches and think that this was easy for Timothy.

He was a person, he had a plan for his life, he had desires for his life, he had temptations in his life. He was fallen in sin and saved by Christ just like every believer that exists in 2023—just like every believer that will exist until the Day of Christ.

Elijah was considered one of the greatest prophets of all of God’s saints. Through him God performed many mighty miracles. He told the sky to stop raining and it stopped. He called down fire from heaven. Like no other prophet but Christ himself, Elijah raised a widows son from the dead. On the mountain of transfiguration Elijah appeared to Jesus alongside Moses.

And our inclination when we read in the Bible about people like Paul and Timothy— is to think that they are a special kind of person—a kind of person that you and I are not. But look at what God says about Elijah in James.

James 5:17 “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.”

Elijah was man with a nature like ours—in other words he was not supernatural. Elijah, Timothy, next week Epaphroditus are just like you and me—regular human beings.

So this morning as we look at the example of Timothy’s service to others. As we see that it is self-sacrificing and selflessly ambitious know that this is a real example for you and this morning. Timothy—as the young people say—is goals.

You can pretty much guarantee that if you say—as the young people say—that the young people are not actually saying that. As my kids remind me. Whatever they just don’t know how cool I am.

So then, now church, before we move on let me challenge you to look at your life and seek opportunities to serve other people. The biggest enemy you willl have in your pursuit of walking with Christ is yourself. Serving others is an opportunity to fight against your own desires to serve yourself. So look for those opportunities and be grateful for them. (Butcher paper beside door: commitment to write them down)

So we can see in this text the example of serving others so let’s commit to being that example ourselves. Amen? Number two...

II. Christ-like Humility is Geniunely Concerned for Others (20)

Philippians 2:20 “For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.”

This second example that Timothy gives us helps us with the first. And it makes an important point that our service to others, which is ultimately our service to Christ is about more than the outward actions of serving.

1 Samuel 16:7 “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.””

This was Jesus biggest problem with the Pharisees. Outwardly, they looked perfect. Outwardly their worship and their service to God looked right. But King Jesus said to them, Matthew 23:27 ““Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.”

Beware friends gauging your worship of God by how you look and how you think you are perceived. This is a slippery slope that leads to a hardened heart that neither seeks sin or expects to find it. And that heart is not a heart that is following Christ. Going off of last week—that heart is not a heart that is pursuing sanctification.

True service to others and ultimately to Christ—is geniune, it is born out of geniune concern for other people.

Jesus did not fulfill the law for you—if you are his—to look good. He was geniunely concerned for the state of your lost soul.

He died on the cross, he took the wrath of His just Father—that was due to you and I—because he was geniunely concerned for us out of a geniune love for us.

Timothy was geniunely concerned for the welfare of the Philippians. He could serve them because he actually cared about them.

If you and I want Christlike humility then we must learn to cultivate a geniune concern for those who are in our lives. How?

1. Pray for this to be true in your heart.

2. Grasp and rehearse in your mind and heart that if Jesus was not below serving you—as a slave—then you are not below serving anyone in anyway.

3. Know that his is not bonus points in the Christian life. Romans 12:1 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

Geniune service is born of a geniune concern which is fed by a geniune love for Christ. And that brings us to the next example we see in Timothy this morning.

III. Christ-like Humility Seeks the Interests of Christ (21)

Philippians 2:21 “For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.”

These first 3 examples are linked together. Serving others geniunely and not just outwardly is born from a geniune concern for others.

And a geniune concern for others is primarily fueld by being geniunely seeking out the interests of Christ.

Paul says that he has no one else like Timothy. They are not really concerned about others because they are, veres 21 says, seeking out their own interests instead of King Jesus’ interests.

Friends, if you and I are to follow in the footsteps of our Lord then we must seek out the interests of our Lord.

And I’ll warn here again—as I did last week multiple times. Paul is not saying that these other Christtians who were part of his missionary work were not actually believers—but that Timothy stood apart from them because he, like Christ, was others focused first, before being self-focused.

Timothy took his life and he made the goal of his life to take Christ’s interests and make them his own interests. What does this mean? Does this mean you can’t play golf or go fishing or bake or garden? No—this is not about a monastic life devoid of the good graces and pleasures that God gives you.

That is another lie from the enemy—hear it and recognize it—that if you follow Christ the way you are really supposed to you’ll be miserable, and bored and unhappy.

Seeking out the interests of Christ does not mean this. But what it does mean is that you would see the interests of Christ and they too woudl be your interests.

What is Christ interested in? Look in the word and see. Jesus is interested in scripture, prayer, right relationship with God. He is interested in evangelism, mercy, and truth.

Friends, in your life are you seeking the interests of Christ outside of your programmed church attendance. Don’t get me wrong—I’m not devaluing faithful church attendance and engagement.

But if your engagement in the interests of Christ start and stop with that front door then you are certainly missing the mark and you should repent!

So if you find yourself in this space—where as a believer you are more interested in your interests than Christs—what do you do? Let me read you...

1 Peter 1:18-19 “knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

Preach the gospel to yourself. When we are ungrateful, or self-focused, or convicted of sin it is a sweet medicine to our souls to remind ourselves of the truth of the gospel.

Jesus loves you so well. You and I were rebels against the sovereign king of the universe. He could have rightfully left us dead in our sins. He could have crushed us under his justice—but instead he took on flesh and became one of us so that he could keep the law as one of us.

In doing this he became a true sacrifice for us—he was adequate for our fogiveness—he accomplished what the blood of bulls and goats could not—and he poured his life out for us. He died for us. He rose from the grave for us. He stands now at the right hand of the father interceding for us—he looks at you in your life right now—if you are his— and joyfully exclaims to the father—that one is mine you gave them to me and I have cleansed them of their sins—they are righteous like us.

And Jesus our great king, the lover of our souls, our savior is coming for us again. All this world and the pain it inflicts melts away in the unstoppable future of an eternity where God will be our God and we will be His people without sin—forever. And there in that place with our God is joy eternal.

If that doesn’t light your fire friends, your wood is wet!!

The good news of the gospel is really true—remind yourself of it often—rejoice over it—believe it—and you’ll find that Christ’s interests are much more interesting you.

Timothy was just a regular person like you and I—so as we see this example let us commit to being this example for those who live around us. Amen? As we continue in the text we see that...

IV. Christ-like Humility is Consistent (22)

Philippians 2:22 “But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.”

Last week we talked about how it can be easy to pursue holiness when we have an audience. But the true state of our holiness is actually displayed when we are alone acting the way we do when we think no one is watching.

In the same way—the example of Christ-like humility, of selfless ambition, that Paul sees in the life of Timothy is not spotty, but is instead a consisten way of life for him.

Paul says that Timothy has proven his worth, as a faithful minister to the Philippians on Paul’s behalf becaue of the way that Timothy has served with Paul in the gospel work.

And the way that Paul phrases this gives us a picture of it’s consistency. Paul says that “as a son with a father” Timothy has served.

And the language and idea that Paul is putting forth here is the idea that Timothy has committed to learning gospel ministry from Paul like a son apprentices in the work of his father.

Oftentimes in the world of the Bible your vocation was already decided for you. If your father was a fisherman, you were a fisherman. Look at John and James, the Sons of Thunder—Zebedee was a fisherman and so they were fishermen.

Even Jesus himself was a carpenter. Why? Because Joseph, his earthly father, was a carpenter.

And apprenticeship meant living and breathing the work that you were endeavoring to do. A son would go with their father and live the life of the work and cultivate the skills of the work.

The point here is simple. When it comes to living as an example of a life changed by Christ this is to be consistent. A ChristIan is someone who was dead and is now alive. You cannot be inconsistently alive.

Following Jesus is not an article of clothing that you put on and take off when it is convenient for you.

If we want to see the example of Timothy and be the example ourselves—which is an example of Christ—if we want to serve others from a geniune concern fueled by a love of Christ we must understand that this is a life of commitment to the work of our God. And it is joyful work and good work and satisfying work. It is not work that you will regret, not while you are here and certainly not in the ageless years of eternity.

We are tempted to think about these things as burdens—as loads that are too heavy to carry—but know that this too is a lie from the enemy.

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

This is the work that God calls you to, empowers you to do, and is doing with and through you. Embrace it as the highest calling of your life because it is the highest calling of any life.

So far this morning we have seen 4 examples of what it means to be selflessly ambitious, to have Christ-like humility, in the life of Timothy. Before we finish this morning there is one more...

V. Christ-like Humility is Sendable (23)

Philippians 2:23 “I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me,”

Friends, are you sendable? Are you able to be sent out—actively employed in the work that God is doing around you? That God is doing in this country? That God is doing in the world?

Paul says “therefore”. Because Timothy is a servant. Because he is geniunely concerned for others. Because he seeks the interests of Jesus. Because he is consistent I am hope to send him to you!

Church, you and I should strive to be the kind of follower of Jesus that others hope to send out to do the work of Christ!

Do not wait until you’ve received an important calling to “get your life right with Christ”—to be mission ready.

Because you’ve already received that important calling!

When God saved you he saved you into the family business. There is not a follower of Jesus who is not empowered by God the Holy SpirIt for the kingdom work of Christ.

If you are waiting for an important calling on your life you don’t have to wait any longer. It happened when you were raised from the dead and saved by Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:9-10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””

You are a witness to Lakeside, to Richmond, to Virginia, and to the world. Wherever God takes you in your life you are called to be a shining example of the power of the goodnews of Jesus Christ. You have been equipped for this calling. And it is your current calling right now, today, here.

Friends, do not wait to be what you already are.

And maybe you’ll never leave the local context and go to larger ones but don’t for one second think that the work God has given you to do in your family, in your town, and in your local church is less important than the missionary called to Japan or the evangelist that God uses in a mighty and public way.

God is just as concerned about the salvation and discipleship of your son or daughter as he is about the unreached people in Asia.

Your house, your job, your neighborhood is just as much a part of the kingdom work of God as anything else and so if you were never called away it would only mean that you were never moved from immensely important mission field that God has already put you in.

And so friends, let me ask you again. Are you sendable to the work that you are called to?

Let’s let you and I be the kind of follower of Jesus that people hope to send out.

Conclusion

People need examples. The world needs to see and encounter examples of Jesus in this world.

The high calling that you and I have been given is to live life abundantly in the power of God, to the glory of God for the good of all those God is drawing to Jesus Christ that they may be saved.

David, Moses, Elijah, Timothy—they are all just natural people like you and I—but they belonged like you and I to a supernatural God.

This morning God’s holy and mighty word has shown us an example of a life that is following Jesus. Let us now go into the rest of our lives being what God has called us to—in the power of God—to the glory of God. Amen? Let’s pray.