Four Characteristics of Strong Disciples of the Lord

Auditing Jesus

Tony Evans recognized an inconsistency with God’s people when it comes to discipleship. Evens noted, “People want salvation but don’t want to put in the time to be strong disciples of Jesus Christ. What many Christians want to do is to audit the Christian life. An audit is where a person goes to class to get information, but is not required to do any of the work. They don’t have to take a test or do any homework. They are only attending for informational purposes. They want the data without the responsibility. That’s an audit. That’s what some folks do every Sunday. They audit Jesus.” (Evans, Tony. 2009. Tony Evans’ Book of Illustrations: Stories, Quotes, and Anecdotes from More than 30 Years of Preaching and Public Speaking. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.)

Auditing Jesus is problem for the church. Jesus desires strong disciples to joyfully advance His kingdom by making much of Him until the church, community, and home joyfully abide in Him. Auditing is noncommittal and unintentional. There is no sacrifice, no pouring yourself out, when you audit Jesus. There is no process of dying to yourself and being conformed into the image of God, which is discipleship. Discipleship, says, R. K. Strachan,

“Discipleship begins with an unconditional commitment to Jesus Christ and with the acceptance of a sentence of death.”

R. K. Strachan, The Inescapable Calling (Eerdmans, 1968), 89.

George Muller captures the ethos of Strachan’s quote and explains for whom the death sentence is given. Speaking of his commitment to discipleship, Muller says,

“There was a day when I died; utterly died,” and, as he spoke, he bent lower until he almost touched the floor. Continuing, he added: “Died to George Müller, his opinions, preferences, tastes and will; died to the world, its approval or censure; died to the approval or blame even of my brethren and friends and, since then, I have studied only to show myself approved unto God.” Source: W. E. Sangster, The Pure in Heart (Epworth, 1954), 141.

Auditing Jesus does not produce disciples who accept the death sentence to self. Disciples of Jesus are made, first by his salvation, and then by the church intentionally discipling one another into genuine, proven, servant minded believers who seek to work out their salvation to keep the unity of the church. Paul commends two such disciples in our text this morning, Timothy Epaphroditus. Two men who were discipled by Paul.

Paul refers to Timothy as “son in the faith.” This is Paul’s main term of endearment when he refers to Timothy.

1 Corinthians 4:17 ESV

17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.

1 Timothy 1:2 ESV

2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Timothy 1:2 ESV

2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul first met Timothy when he went to Derbe and Lystra in Acts 16. Timothy was a young disciple of Christ who was well spoken of by the brothers. Paul was so impressed with this young man’s faith, he invited Timothy to join him in his ministry to strengthen the church (Acts 16:3-5). Form the time forward, Timothy accepted the death sentence to self, and Paul intentional discipled Timothy into pastoral ministry.

Epaphroditus’ lived in Philippi and was likely converted when Paul planted the church there. Paul describes Epaphroditus as “my brother,” “my fellow worker,” and “my fellow solider.” Paul called him brother because he was confident in Epaphroditus’s salvation. He was a brother in Christ to Paul and the Philippian church. He was a fellow worker because he partnered with Paul to evangelize the city of Philippi, and he did the work of the ministry. Epaphroditus labored with Paul from the beginning in spreading the gospel. Paul used Epaphroditus to deliver letters to the church. Finally, as a fellow solider, he struggled side by side with Paul to joyfully advance the kingdom of God by making much of Jesus and suffered agaisnt adversaries of the Gospel. Epaphroditus was special to Paul, like Timothy, a son in the faith. Paul said when Epaphroditus was sick and almost died, that it would have been sorrow upon sorrow to loose him. Paul says such men, such disciples of Jesus, deserve to be received with honor from the church.

Far from auditing Jesus, Timothy and Epaphroditus are the fruit of Paul’s discipleship. They are examples to the church of what strong disciples of Jesus who accept the death sentence of self in order to be conformed into the image of the Son look like. These two men spent their life as a ransom helping others know the joy of Jesus. Therefore, because of their passionate commitment to Jesus, Paul commends them as examples to be followed. These are two men who have the mind of Christ and exhibit Christ’s humility to the church, community, and home. In commending Timothy and Epaphroditus to the Philippian church, Paul reveals to us four characteristics of a strong disciple that we could strive to imitate.

A strong disciple of Jesus serves the church (Philippians 2:20-21, 25-26).

Philippians 2:20–21 ESV

20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:25–26 ESV

25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.

Paul commend Timothy because of his Christ-like concern for the church. In verse 20, Paul goes out of his way to express Timothy’s heart for ministry to the Philippians. He says, “I have no one like him.” What makes Timothy unique in Paul’s eyes? In the next part of the verse he explains that Timothy genuinely cares for the welfare of the Philippians. When Paul says, “I have no one like him,” what he means is that Timothy sees the church the way Paul sees the church. Timothy thinks like Paul and feels for the church the way Paul does. How does Paul feel about the church?

Paul yearns with the affections of Christ for the church (Phil 1:6). His joy was made complete in the churches pursuit of honoring Jesus by protecting their unity (Philippians 2:1-5). He poured himself out as a drink offering the sake of the church (Philippians 2:17-18). He labored hard for the church to grow in the word of God and proclamation of the Gospel (Galatians 4:19). Paul felt the weight of the hardships the suffering the churches were facing during his ministry (2 Cor 11:28). He prayed diligently for the church and thanked God for her (Phil 1:3; Col 1:3, Eph 1:15-16). As Paul felt for the church, so Timothy, his son in the faith, his protege, felt for the church. Like a father who passes on character and genetic traits to his son, so Paul passed onto Timothy through discipleship, the spiritual traits of a strong disciple of Jesus.

I have experienced this in my own life. Dave Futral is my mentor. He is the man whom God ordained to disciple me in the faith. I consider him like a spiritual father to me. For the seven years I lived in close proximity to Dave, I took on Dave’s passion for Jesus and his desire for the church to healthy and to grow. I mimicked his parenting style and tried to treat my wife the way he treated his wife. That is what discipleship is all about, becoming like Jesus by imitating those who love Jesus. Because of this, Dave trusted to give me more leadership in the church. He trusted me with the church.

Paul trusted Timothy with the church. Paul knew Timothy was not using his position and gifting to exploit the church. In verse 21, He says as much when he says, “for they all seek their own interests.” We’ve already seen selfish preachers come up in chapter one. Some were preaching Christ out of envy and rivalry for their own self interests (Philippians 1:15-18), whether to build up their own reputation or use the church for financial gain. Timothy, however, loved the Philippians. He was genuinely anxious for how they were fairing with the hard circumstances they were facing with persecution. He wanted to do whatever he could to support them, and Paul trusted Timothy’s motives enough to send Timothy in his place. That is an honor. When the person who disciples you trusts you enough to send you in their place that means they believe your heart is like their heart and they have no problem attaching themselves to you; their name, their reputation, their ministry. Timothy was a strong disciple who served the church out of love and concern for the church, like his father in the faith, Paul.

Epaphroditus was a strong disciple who served the church as well. Paul describes Epaphroditus as

Philippians 2:25 ESV

25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need,

Philippians 2:26 ESV

26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.

Paul sees Epaphroditus as a fellow believer, an active member of the body who does the work of ministry, one who fights the good fight risking his life for the sake of the kingdom, and a brother who was sent by the church to care for Paul’s needs. It would feel redundant to work through each title Paul lauded on Epaphroditus because he is essentially describing Timothy all over again. In some ways, these are almost identical twins in the faith. Likely because they were discipled by the same man. Paul trusted Epaphroditus in the same way he trusted Timothy, so much so that he sent him to the Philippian church in their hour of need.

There is a deep similarity betwen Timothy and Epaphroditus that is the keystone to serving` the church. In verse 26, Epaphroditus longs for the Philippian church in the same way Timothy does in verse 21. Epaphroditus genuinely cares for them, and he was worried that they would be upset by the news he was sick. Epaphroditus had real affections for the believers in Philippi, like Paul and like Timothy. He was genuinely concerned for the church, and both men’s concern was vital to the unity Paul spoke of at the beginning of the chapter.

The keystone is the apex of an arch, without it the arch would not stand. If you think of unity in the church as an arch, a strong disciples’s genuine concern for other believers is the keystone that holds the arch up. If you do not have a deep concern for the body of Jesus, meaning, having loving affections that care about the unity of your brothers and sisters, that cares about the spiritual health of your brothers and sisters (especially the immature ones), and cares about the effectiveness of your brothers and sisters finishing their sanctification, or that cares about fulfilling the Great Commission, unity will crumble under the weight of either grumbling and disputing on the one hand or apathy on the other hand. If you don’t truly care about your brothers and sisters, you will easily walk away from them, find fault with them, be critical of them, and rarely see the work of the Spirit in them. Strong disciples keep the arch of unity up by their genuine concern for the church. A strong disciple serves the church.

A strong disciple of Jesus serves Christ (Philippians 2:21).

Philippians 2:21 ESV

21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

The contrast betweenTimothy and Epaphroditus and the others is their Christ centeredness. The others were passionate about seeking first their own kingdom, their own righteousness, trusting in their own gift or gimmicks to provide more money, better clothes, exquisite food, and elaborate vacations. The other kind of Christians will not rock the boat, will not challenge the status quo, will not engage conflict, will look over sin, all to keep that coming on time. They do not care about your eternal destiny. They care only about their own earthly prosperity.

Timothy and Epaphroditus seek first the kingdom of God and Christ righteousness trusting God to provide everything they need. Paul taught them to be Christ centered. Just look at his letters to the church. How many times does speak of being “in Christ?” In our text, he says things like “I hope in the the Lord” to send Timothy (Phil 2:19). In Phil 2:24, I trust in the Lord to see you soon. Paul commends the church to receive these men with “joy in the Lord” (Phil 2:29). Paul mentions Christ over fifty times in his letter to the Philippians. For Paul, everything in this life works from Christ, through Christ, in Christ, for Christ, and Timothy and Epaphroditus do life and ministry as strong disciples in the same Christ-centered way as they were discipled. Christ-centeredness is a mark of a strong disciple.

Being Christ-centered is the cornerstone to the other four characteristics. The cornerstone is the first stone set in the construction of a building. By it all other stones are laid for the foundation. Jesus saves you and makes you part of the church, and gives you his Spirit to serve the church. Paul had deep affections and concern for the church (Philippians 1:8) because the Spirit of Christ lived inside him and developed those affections. Timothy and Epaphroditus had the same Spirit living inside of them, and Paul’s discipleship helped stirred them up to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24). Love and good works is what Jesus saved us for (Eph 2:10). Love and good works toward each other is what Jesus is interested in His church, and even more so, us at FBCL.

One of the things I love about Erskin Anavitarte is his Christ-centeredness about everything. I asked him once about his music ministry. he spends a lot of time singing in front of people. Sometimes he leads them in worship. Other times he entertains them. I asked, “How do you stay focused on Christ when so many eyes are on you?” He said, “Jason, no matter what I am doing, whether I am eating, exercising, parenting my children, or playing in front of twenty thousand people, I always play first and foremost for an audience of One. Jesus is always at the center of Erskin thinking and doing in the church, community, and home. If it does not please Jesus, if it it not going to bring glory to His name, if it is not going to joyfully advance God’s kingdom by making much of Jesus, then Erskin wants no part of it. Erskin is not a super disciple of Jesus. He is a strong disciple of Jesus, and may the church be filled with men and women like him.

A strong disciple of Jesus serves to be proven worthy ( Philippians 2:22).

Philippians 2:22 ESV

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

Timothy had proven to Paul that he was the real deal. Paul explains that Timothy’s proven worth was made legit by his service of Paul. For example, Timothy served Paul by being his emissary to different churches like the Thessalonians. He was trusted to address churches and serve their pastoral needs (1 Thess 3:2). Timothy also brought news of churches to Paul in prison (1 Thess 3:6). Timothy suffered for the gospel like Paul. The writer of Hebrews says,

Hebrews 13:23 ESV

23 You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon.

It appears Timothy was imprisoned for a time for likely sharing the gospel. Paul alludes to Timothy’s commitment to evangelism when he says that he served Paul in the gospel. Paul commended Timothy in his second letter,

2 Timothy 4:1–5 ESV

1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Timothy served Paul int he gospel by doing the work of an evangelist, being ready in season and out of season to reprove, rebuke, and exhort those who are in Christ and who need Christ; and it got him arrested.

Jesus said, “a student is not above his teacher. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you.” Every strong disciple suffers for the faith. Just as Paul served and suffered for the church well (Philippians 1:28-29), so did Timothy and Epaphroditus. Timothy and Epaphroditus had proven character, a Christ-centered character that had been tested with suffering and service. Their walk matched their talk, or they to say it a different way, they walked in a manner worthy of their calling to the Lord.

Paul urged the Ephesian church,

Ephesians 4:1 (ESV)

1 to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

To the Colossians he said,

Colossians 1:10 ESV

10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Two walk in manner worthy of the Lord in a way that pleases the Lord is to walk by faith. The Bible says you must have faith to please the Lord.

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

By faith, Timothy and Epaphroditus walked in a manner that pleased the Lord. By faith they served and suffered for the gospel. By faith they proved their worth to the church. A strong disciple cultivates strong faith. How did they cultivate strong faith? Continuing with the Colossians, Paul said you need to bear fruit in every good work and increase in the knowledge of God. They walked worthy of their calling by bearing the fruit that glorifies the father and proves they belong to Jesus (John 15:8). They also studied the scriptures to increase in their understanding of Jesus. Essentially they were committed to ministry, evangelism, and Bible study. Do you want to be a strong disciple of Jesus? Be committed to bearing fruit, doing ministry, and studying your Bible.

The church is the most the most bible illiterate it has been in over two hundred years. Membership in the church is dropping and the church is becoming less relevant everyday. If FBCL is going to joyfully advance the kingdom of God by making much of Jesus until the church, community and home joyfully abide in Jesus, then we must be in the business of making string disciples who live by faith, bear fruit, do the ministry, and know the Bible inside and out. This kind of strong disciple, as Andre Murray notes, walks in humility, is very loving, bears with their brother and sisters short comings with grace, and works hard to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace.

A strong disciple of Jesus serves at the cost of his/her life (Philippians 2:29-30).

Philippians 2:29–30 ESV

29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

Epaphroditus sets the example the commitment of a string disciple of Jesus. As he served the church, as he served Jesus, as he proved his worth to the kingdom of God, he wore himself out and got sick. Paul says Epaphroditus was deathly ill and almost died doing the work of Christ. Epaphroditus was likely bringing gifts and supplies from the Philippians to Paul, as well as serving the church and Jesus in other capacities. Paul said had Epaphroditus’ death would have been sorrow upon sorrow. The grief would’ve been too much for him to handle while suffering in prison. Epaphroditus was so successful and effective at being a disciple of Jesus that the apostle Paul would’ve deeply mourned his death and lamented him not being there. Paul says honor such disciples who give everything for the sake of the kingdom.

Paul was an example of a strong disciple who gave everything for the sake of the kingdom. Paul gives us a small glimpse into his life as a strong disciple of Jesus. To the Corinthians he said,

2 Corinthians 11:23–33 ESV

23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.

At the end of his life, he tells Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have kept the race, I have finished the race (2 Timothy 4:7). Paul gave everything to Jesus, even his head at the hands of Nero. That is how Paul finished the race. He was martyred as a final witness of the worth of Jesus.

Many of you are aware of Jim Elliot. I have mentioned him before in other sermons. Aside from Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus, Jim Elliot is an excellent example of a strong disciple of Jesus. He was an interesting young man. Everywhere he went he was known for being passionate for Jesus. Elizabeth Elliot recalled Jim once saying,

Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God.

—Jim Elliot, quoted in Elisabeth Elliot, Through Gates of Splendor

Jim Elliot

He also famously said,

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Jim Elliot

When Jim found himself in front of five Waodoni Indians with Spears, he was all there, living to the hilt what he believed to be the will of God. He was a missionary. He served the church. He served Jesus. He served the gospel. He proved his worth by faithfully walking in a manner that pleased the Lord. And when he had the opportunity to shoot the Indian who speared him, he pointed his gun to heaven and gave up his life. Jim also said,

People have not learned to live who have not learned to die.

—Jim Elliot

Jim Elliot

Christian a string disciple in the Lord serves the Lord at the cost of his/her life. Learn to live by learning to die. First, realize a strong disciple is not strong on their own. They are string in the Lord. Jesu said take up your cross and follow me. That is, die to yourself and by faith embrace the will of God in your life. You will look and feel weak as a disciple of the Lord, but as Paul has said, Jesus’s power is made great in your weakness. Your surrender to Him allows His Spirit to help you serve the church, to serve Jesus, to serve to prove your worth, to walk in manner worthy of the Lord. That is what made Paul, and Timothy, and Epaphroditus a string disciple. Discipleship teacher you to die to yourself. Auditing Jesus on Sunday mornings will not make you a strong disciple. Your DNA Group, your commitment to Sunday School and Church worship will help you be a string disciple. Allowing people in your life who will teach you and hold you accountable will help you. That means you must sacrifice your time, energy, and effort to commit to the process. Remember,

“Discipleship begins with an unconditional commitment to Jesus Christ and with the acceptance of a sentence of death.”

R. K. Strachan, The Inescapable Calling (Eerdmans, 1968), 89.