Living Life For Christ

Introduction: ‌As we continue with our worship of the Lord this morning, I want to invite you to grab your Bibles and turn with me to Philippians 2:19-30 this morning as we continue on with our study of this wonderful book.

Sometimes I think that it is good for us to remember what we are doing when we open this book together. For many people, worship is what we do prior to the sermon. Worship is the singing of songs. Worship is where we get the warm and fuzzies.... and then the rest of the stuff that we do is done just because that is what churches do.

But I want you to know, that idea is simply not true.

Romans 12:1 reads.... 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.

Everything that we do, we are to do as worship unto God. That means, worship does not start when you get to church, and we start singing. NO. We are to be worshipping as we go about our daily routines. So, that means, everything that is done.... from the morning announcements, opening prayer, the giving of our tithes and offerings, to the singing.... to studying God’s word, to going to Sunday school, to leaving this building.... Monday- Sunday… 24/7 365… is to be done as Worship to God.

Jesus tells us the greatest command is to what? “Love the Lord your God with All your heart, soul, mind, and strength....and to love your neighbor as yourself.”

God wants every part of who we are. Jesus wants all of you this morning. So, as we study His word this morning, let’s worship Him.

Hear the Word of the Lord this morning. ‌19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 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. 22 But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also. 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. 27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 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 (Php 2:19–30).

As we study this passage, let’s pray together.

If you have been following along in our study of Philippians, this passage seems to come out of nowhere. It seems completely and totally unrelated to what was before it. Like, what does Paul sending these two guys to the Philippian church have to do with anything?

Before we walk through this passage, let me give you a quick recap of what we have looked at so far in the book of Philippians.

Paul writes to this church that he and Timothy helped start back in Acts 16. We talked about the Grace of God towards those who do not deserve it…which is really any of us. We talked about how Paul is in prison…and even while he was in chains, his main focus was on getting the Gospel to those who do not know Christ.

Then in chapter 1:27-28 we read these words....and these words really begin Paul’s address to the Philippian church.... ‌27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God (Php 1:27–28).

This started the discussion that we have been having over the last several weeks.... What Does It Mean to Live as a Citizen of Heaven?

What does that look like? What would it take for you and me to live as if we were part of another world? Like, what would it look like for us to have different priorities than that of those who do not know Christ?

This is where chapter 2 comes in as Paul starts fleshing this idea out for us. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus (Php 2:4–5).

Have the Mind of Christ.

DO NOT LOOK out for your interests BUT for the interests of OTHERS.

This is what it means to live as a citizen of heaven. It starts with us not being so self-absorbed that we lose sight of what Christ has done for us. Jesus certainly did not look out for his own interests… He went to the cross and died for us! That was for our benefit. That was for our forgiveness. Not HIS!

And as you think about this idea, you come down to verses 12-18 that Phil preached last week.... and God used him in such a powerful way last week as he walked through this text.... but the idea even in those verses is to have the mind of Christ.

What does that look like? It looks like doing all things without grumbling or disputing… or as some translations say complaining.

Think about this for a moment. Why do we grumble or complain? Is it not because things are not going the way that WE think that they should be going?

How bad are we at this? We are driving down the road....and the person in front of us is just going slightly below the speed limit.... and you can just feel your blood starting to boil.... why is that? Is it not because I believe that what I need to get done is more important than what they do? They are not living up to what I believe they should be doing.

Listen to me.... We do this all the time. We do it out when we are driving. We do it when we are at work. We do it when we are at school. We do it when we come to church. But Christ calls us to do all things without grumbling or complaining.... because when we are grumbling or complaining, we are only thinking about our own interests and not that of others.

But, when we live as Citizens of heaven, and we are living like we have the mind of Christ... when we are thinking about others more than ourselves… when we are not grumbling and complaining.... we shine bright in a dark world as we hold onto the Word of Life.

Body: And as we come to our text this morning, what we have looked at thus far is not unrelated here. Verses 19-30 are not an interruption of thought for Paul, but rather.... God Gives Us Godly Examples to Follow.

As Paul is explaining to the church to live lives worthy of the Gospel, and he is telling them to have the mind of Christ, not only does Paul lift up Christ as an example.... but he gives them two more examples of men, whom they know rather well, who are doing exactly what he has described.

‌Let’s look at these examples. Timothy

Look at verses 19-24 with me. ‌19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 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. 22 But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also (Php 2:19–24).

‌What do we learn about Timothy from these verses? Paul is going to send Timothy to the Philippian Church. Paul wants to be cheered by news from the church. Paul has no one like Timothy. Timothy has a genuine concern for the church's welfare. Timothy has a proven worth in the Gospel ministry. He served with Paul as a son with a father.

All of these things are not insignificant facts about this one guy. It is really easy for us to read these things and just move one, but they are telling us something. We have to be willing to listen.

God is painting us a picture here of what He has done in this one guy's life. Timothy is being shown as an example of what it means to be a faithful follower of Christ. It is really easy for us sometimes to look at the example of Jesus.... and be like.... YEA… I CANNOT live up to that. He was God in the flesh for crying out loud. I could never do that.

Or, when we think about the Apostles.... like Paul…and we can be like… YEA… but he was an apostle. He SAW Jesus. He had this encounter with the living Christ.... Of course, he could do all of this stuff.... Who am I? I am just a nobody.... from a small little town who struggles every day.... and... You know what? That is totally true.... in the eyes of the world. We fall. We mess up. We struggle with sin. We fall short… but that does not mean that Christ cannot change your life and do something significant with it. Those who have placed their faith in Jesus have the Holy Spirit living inside of them. We too have had an encounter with the Living Christ. Don’t forget that.

Timothy was not Jesus… nor was he an apostle. Timothy was a follower of Christ. He was one who repented of his sins and gave his life to Jesus… and what we are looking at here in verses 19-24 is how Christ takes a man and changes him.

‌It is because of Christ that Timothy had this genuine concern for the churches. It wasn’t because he was better than everyone else. It was because Christ had given him a new heart.... and had given him a new mind....and Timothy was living out of the reality.... that he was in fact a Citizen of Heaven… He was living a life worthy of the Gospel.... not to earn God’s forgiveness or favor.... but because God had already done a work in Him.

This is why he is not looking out for his own interests but the interest of Jesus. Timothy was not worried about what he was going to do… He was only asking...

What Does Jesus Want?

Shouldn’t that be the question that all of us who have placed our faith in Christ be asking every day that we in get out of bed in the morning? What Does Jesus want from me today? What is the good work that Jesus wants me to walk in today? Who does Jesus want me to encourage today? Who does Jesus want me to share the Gospel with today? How can I look out for the interests of others instead of myself today?

Could you imagine what our days could be like if we took that approach every morning? Like, if everyone in Berean Baptist Church who claims to be a follower of Christ.... took this approach to our daily lives.... What could take place in this county?

We would shine as witnesses to the Gospel of Grace. We don’t just see this with Timothy’s concerns for the church’s welfare.... But we also see this grace displayed when Paul talks about his proven worth.

I love the imagery here. As a son with his father. Paul has spent a number of years pouring his life into Timothy… discipling him. I think of a little child working beside their dad. This is how people were trained to do a job. If your father was a famer…guess what you more than likely were going to be? A farmer. The same was true for every occupation. Carpenters helped their sons learn… how to be carpenters. It was just the way it was. Even now…as we teach our kids.... we walk beside them. You show them how to do the work. You invest time and energy in them. I remember when we were remodeling our house. We had completely gutted most of it. My dad was working on the bathroom and was putting down new subflooring. Nehemiah was around 3 at the time. But I remember my dad having Nehemiah come into the bathroom with him, giving Nehemiah the power drill, teaching him where to put his hands, giving him the screw.... and the two of them driving the screws down together. Nehemiah was serving alongside my dad to learn how to use the drill.... Paul and Timothy were the same way.

Timothy had served a lot of time with Paul in the Gospel ministry. He had proved himself to be a trusted ministry partner.... so much so… that Timothy will soon become one of the Pastor at the church as Ephesus… and Paul is going to write 2 letters to young Timothy to help him in the ministry.... but Timothy is going to go off on his own.

God’s Grace Changed Timothy.

But it was not just Timothy. Paul is going to give them an example that would hit even closer to home. Although the Church was familiar with Timothy.... as he was there when the Church started.... Paul is going to talk about one of their own.

Epaphroditus Look down at verses 25-30 with me. 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. 27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 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 (Php 2:25–30).

‌What Do We Learn About Epaphroditus from These Verses? We don’t know much about him. Paul is sending him back to the church. Paul calls him his brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier. He was the Philippian's messenger and minister to Paul’s need. He got really sick and almost died. He is to be honored by the church for his service to Paul. He is to be received with joy by the church. He completed what was lacking in the Philippian's service to Paul.

Again, we can look at that list of things and think… what a complete and total useless list of random facts about this guy. This means nothing to me and my walk with the Lord. I mean, good for him I guess.... But what does this have to do with me?

As we look at these verses, we have to remember the context. We have to remember why this is being said. We have to think about the overall point and ask....

‌How does this relate to the overall point of having the Mind of Christ or living life worthy of the Gospel?

What was Epaphroditus most concerned with? What seems to occupy his mind and thoughts is how the church was affected by his illness.

Picture this… you have a guy who is on death's door.... This is what Paul is saying about him here in the text. This guy literally almost gave his life for the sake of the Gospel ministry.... and the things that are driving his thoughts are.... I just want to get back to church so that they won’t be so stressed about me and my health! Like, are you serious? Those are not the thoughts that seem to occupy us most of the time.

But, Epaphroditus had his mind on what Christ had called him to do. Epaphroditus would not be stopped by sickness or illness to complete the ministry that God had given him to do. The Philippians had sent him to Paul to bring a gift… more than likely some money to help pay for living expenses while Paul was in prison. And, from what we can see in the text, Epaphroditus was probably supposed to stay with Paul to help minister to any of his other needs… this is what is meant by the phrase there at the end of the text “to complete what was lacking in your service to me.” What was lacking was visible help.... but due to his illness… Paul says that he is sending him back to the church. They do not have to be upset about it or anything. Paul tells them to receive him with joy and to honor him because of his service to Christ.

‌What we see in the ministry of Epaphroditus is much like what we see in Timothy

God’s Grace Is on Display.

As I said we don’t know much about Epaphroditus.... but do you know who did? The Philippian church. They probably knew his testimony. They probably knew what kind of man he was like before he gave his heart to Jesus. But now, we get to read about how this man was like a brother to Paul. Paul considered him a fellow worker and soldier. This guy was out doing ministry. He was now the messenger and minister to Paul’s needs. This guy was engaged in Christian service. He was not sitting around, like Phil demonstrated last week, just waiting for life to be over or Jesus to come back. NO. This guy was sold out to follow Christ to where ever Jesus called Him to go. No matter what it cost Him. He was willing to leave his hometown.... travel a great distance… just to go and visit a guy who was in jail for doing the very thing that he was doing.

I don’t know about you.... but from the looks of it… this would not be a wise move. This may cost him something.... and it did. He had to give up some stuff to go on this trip.... and he almost gave up his life.... but he went anyway. And God had mercy on Him.

Isn’t this what we need in the church today? Don’t we not need men and women who are sold out for the Gospel ministry?

I love what one person said concerning this text when it came in the way of application... ‌“Our churches today need men and women who are burned for missions and for those in difficult places of Christian service.”

Conclusion: Main Idea: Living Life For Christ.

That is what is driving the text here. This is what we see going on in the lives of Timothy, Epaphroditus, and even Paul. But notice that none of them are serving in the same way. God has a different calling on each of their lives.... and that is ok. That is the way that it is supposed to be. Every one of us in the church has a different gift and a different role to play. That is how the body of Christ works. If we were all doing the same thing… then we would not make any progress or change. We would simply keep doing the same thing over and over again. There would be no growth… but that is not how Christ has put us together.

God has given each one of us good works for us to do.... and they are different from one another... and that is the beauty of Christ's work in our lives.

I love this quote from Waren Wiersbe... ‌“What about you? Do you approach your community of faith with a heart attitude that says, ‘How can I serve? How can I sacrifice?” We must guard our hearts and ask the Spirit to help us lest the church become a consumeristic mess.”

That is the danger here when we make everything about us and not about Christ.... the church can become a consumeristic mess. Christ did not call us to be consumers… we are to be followers.

As we think about how to apply this text to our lives, I wanted to share with you 10 applications that I found to be helpful when spending time in my study of this passage.

(1) the responsibility all Christians have to live “in a manner worthy of the gospel” (1:27);

‌(2) the need for fearless steadfastness in standing firm for the faith of the gospel (1:27–28);

‌(3) the reality of suffering as an expected part of the Christian life (1:29–30);

‌(4) the wonderful resources available in Christ for true Christian unity (2:1–2);

‌(5) the necessity for selfless humility to replace selfishness and conceit among God’s people (2:3–11);

‌(6) the wisdom of trusting God’s sovereign working in our midst even as we actively obey him (2:12–13);

‌(7) the obstacle to unity in the church caused by complaining and arguing (2:14);

‌(8) the aid to Christian testimony and outreach that blameless and pure behavior can be (2:15–16);

‌(9) the beauty of lives totally committed to the Lord (2:17–30); and

‌(10) the need to appreciate and honor those who give themselves in selfless sacrificial service to the Lord (2:19–30).

‌Live Your Life For Christ. Let Him be our aim. Let Him become our affection. Let Him change how we go about our day. Let us seek to serve Him until the day He takes us Home.

‌Let’s pray together.