Laborers Behind The Scenes

Philippians 4:1–3 1 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. 2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

Euodias and Syntyche have apparently had some type of a disagreement, and Paul was admonishing them and asking for someone, his “true yokefellow” to help these two women who had “labored with him in the Gospel.” However this quarrel is not what I want to focus on. I want to focus on what Paul says next. He mentions Clement, outside of this brief mention we know nothing about this man. We don’t know what he did for a living. We don’t know what he did in the church. We don’t know where he lived. We simply know he was a fellowlaborer with Paul. Next, Paul says, “and with other my fellowlaborers.” So we have this this Clement, and we have a group of unnamed people who were working with Paul in some form or fashion.

These are unnamed/unknown workers that are VITAL to the ministry.

With this in mind, I want to preach on:

LABORERS BEHIND THE SCENES

I don’t know what these laborers behind the scenes did, but here are three things they may have been doing:

I. Giving

Paul goes on later in this very chapter to mention the subject of giving to his missionary endeavors.

Philippians 4:14–18 14 Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. 15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. 16 For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. 17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. 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.

It could be that Paul was not only talking about other missionaries when he referred to “fellowlabors” but also about those who gave to the ministry. That would have included those at the church at Philippi, who were there hearing the letter read with Euodias and Syntyche and this true yokefellow. Even if they have never set foot on a “mission field” or have never even left their hometown they are fellowlabors if they are giving to the missionary.

I once heard the idea of a church supporting a missionary presented this way, “When a church supports a missionary, they are deputizing that missionary to act on their behalf to reach a group of people that they cannot reach on their own.” That is exactly what these fellowlabors at Philippi had done. They had on multiple occasions financially supported the work Paul was doing to reach people they could not reach because God had them as members of the church at Philippi.

NOT EVERYONE CAN BE A MISSIONARY! SOMEONE HAS TO SUPPORT THE MISSIONARY! THAT DOES NOT MAKE ONE OR THE OTHER ANY LESS IMPORTANT, OR CHANGE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST! IT SIMPLY MEANS THAT THE CHURCH IS TO DO IT’S PART AND THE MISSIONARY IS TO DO HIS PART AND BY WORKING TOGETHER AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD THEY CAN ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS FOR GOD!

II. Going

There are multiple men who went with Paul. Barnabas, John Mark, Silas, Timothy are the ones we know best.

Philippians 2:25 shows us that Epaphroditus was with Paul before he was first sent to Philippi, from where he then apparently returned to Paul with the gift from the Philippians. Philippians 2:25 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.

Philippians 2:19-23 speaks of Timothy working with Paul. Philippians 2:19–23 19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. 20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. 21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. 22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. 23 Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.

On and on through the Scriptures we could go and see different people working with Paul at different times. Could it be that in this letter to the church at Philippi when he refers to these “fellowlabors” that he had some of these in mind? Not just the ones that we know, but so many who we have never heard of. Maybe there were even those who had been sent out from the Philippian church. Maybe these women had helped other missionaries, or evangelists who had come through Philippi.

I’m sure their were those in Philippi that would witness to people and try to win them to Christ. Maybe these two ladies would help put sack lunches together so they wouldn’t have to stop to go home and eat.

We do not know exactly who Paul was thinking of or referring to here, but we do know though his writings, Epistles from other writers, and the pages of history that in Paul’s day there those who known or unknown to him were reaching the world with the Gospel.

The Bible may not give their name, the pages of history may not record who they were, but just as Paul mentions that Euodias and Syntyche have their names in the Book of Life, so do these unknown fellowlabors.

YOU MAY NEVER HAVE YOUR NAME ON A SIGN ANNOUNCING THAT YOU ARE PREACHING OR PRESENTING. YOU MAY NEVER HAVE YOUR PICTURE ON THE CHURCHES WEB PAGE BECAUSE YOU ARE IN THE MISSIONS CONFERENCE. YOU NEVER IN FRONT OF HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND TELL THEM WHAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO. WHAT YOU CAN DO HOWEVER IS BE FAITHFUL IN GOING TO THE PEOPLE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU TO REACH!

III. Grieving - weeping & praying over the souls of the lost

Philippians 4:15–16 15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. 16 For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.

This verse is referring back to Acts 16 and 17 where after Paul and Silas were beaten in the Philippian jail they prayed and sang praises, an earthquake shook the prison releasing all the prisoners, the jailer started to commit suicide, was stopped by Paul, and saved by the Grace of God. Then, after they were released we read:

Acts 17:1–4 1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. 4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

Now, I know it is not recorded for us in the Scripture, and I don’t want to add anything to the Bible, but could it be that Euodias and Syntyche were at that time praying for Paul and Silas to have power from God to reach the people of Thessalonica? Could it be that not only they, but other members of the church who we do not know their names were meeting and praying for their missionaries.

We are commanded in Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

Jesus Himself wept over the souls of men, I believe Matthew 23:37-37 was spoken though tears. Matthew 23:37–38 37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

If you go back and study the life of many of the great preachers you will a virtually unknown saint somewhere in the background begging God for power for that preacher!

YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GIVE LIKE YOU WANT TO, YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GO TO OTHER PLACES AROUND THE WORLD OR ACROSS THE STATES, BUT YOU CAN ASK GOD FOR POWER AND BOLDNESS FOR THOSE WHO DO GO! YOU CAN ASK GOD FOR POWER AND BOLDNESS FOR YOUR PASTOR AND YOURSELF AS YOU WORK TO REACH YOUR JERUSALEM! EVERYONE CAN BE THAT GRIEVING ONE BEHIND THE SCENES FOR ANOTHER LABORER IN THE HARVEST OF OUR LORD!