The Un-Selfie Servant | Philippians 2:19–30

Lesson 8: Selfless Servants

Text: Philippians 2:19-30

Introduction:

We live in a quickly changing world, don’t we?

Technology is obviously contributing to that.

AI is advancing so quickly, it’s scary.

Self-driving cars are now a thing.

China just unveiled the first flying car at an airshow last week.

Robots are taking the place of human employees.

Have there not been enough Sci-Fi stories about robots to know this probably won’t end well?

The biggest technological advance in our generation is probably the cell phone, which is is a misnomer because phone calls is what most of our phones spend the least amount of their time doing.

It’s browsing. Looking at social media. Checking the calendar. And, especially in the younger generation, taking selfies.

In my estimation, technology seems to just be feeding an imbalanced focus on self and appearance.

Not just because people are taking selfies, but because people are looking at selfies and I believe it’s causing people to be discontent with their own appearance and feeling worse about themselves than before. That’s a lot of pressure.

What I’m saying, no matter the advances, at our core, we’re pretty self-consumed.

I’m not saying taking a Selfies is wrong, but the fact that it has become such a thing highlights a root issue for all of us, which is a sense of self-focus rooted in pride.

Ephesians 5:29 “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh:”

The natural mindset is love of self. The Cell Phone isn’t wrong in and of itself. But is has drawn attention to the fact that we tend to make everything about us.

As we’ve gone through the book of Philippians, chapter 2 has made it very clear that humans have a problem with pride. Paul had to tell the Philippians, a good church, not to be so focused on self and to focus more on the needs of others.

Philippians 2:3–4 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

Why would he have to say that unless it’s a universally human problem?

But then he said, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”

Jesus served others.

He obeyed His Father even though it cost Him.

He came not to be ministered to but to minister to others.

That just makes me wonder what Jesus would have thought about our Selfie-obsessed culture. Our focus on self.

Jesus lived to meet the needs of other people and Paul says that should be our focus too.

Sunday night we looked at how a selfless spirit will shine light on the Word of Life so that the lost have an opportunity to hear the Gospel.

But when we have selfish spirit, which Paul sums up with the words murmurings and disputings (I’m focused on me), that hides our light and prevents the Word of Life from being visible. A selfish spirit impacts the kingdom.

Then Paul transitions from commands to examples. Examples of people that had the mind of Christ. An Un-Selfie Mindset.

He mentions two men - Timothy and Epaphroditus - who were selfless servants.

I hope to just highlight the selflessness of these two Believers and the impact we can have if we embrace this mindset.

I. Timothy was a selfless servant of Jesus. (19)

He was most likely saved during Paul’s first missionary journey to Lystra.

His mother and grandmother shared his new found faith in Christ.

2 Timothy 1:5 “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.”

After a time of spiritual growth and building a godly testimony, Timothy joined Paul on his second journey. (Acts 16:1)

Truth to consider: Spiritual growth must precede spiritual service. Faithfulness before involvement in ministry or leadership is key. That’s why it’s wise to observe people before putting them in positions of leadership.

“Are they faithful to services?”

“Do they have a consistent spirit?”

“How do they treat their small responsibilities?”

“The submissive mind is not the product of an hour’s sermon, or a week’s seminar, or even a year’s service. The submissive mind grows in us as, like Timothy, we yield to the Lord and seek to serve others.” (Wiersbe)

It’s a process, not a light switch. The best growth in any of us takes place when we serve others selflessly over a period of time.

Because Timothy had proven himself to Paul, Paul intended to send Timothy to know the state of the church at Philippi. (v. 19-20)

We should note this as a selfless decision on Paul’s part. He would have loved to have Timothy’s company while awaiting trial, but he was more interested in the benefit Timothy could have in the lives of the Philippians.

Sending the Jacobs out to plant the church in Luverne. We’d rather have them here, but there are souls in Luverne that need the Gospel

Vs. 20 - Paul says that no one else with him in Rome shared his depth of love and concern for Philippi like Timothy.

When he says, “I have no man likeminded,” he’s saying, “I have no one else who will care for you like I do except for Timothy. I trust him. He thinks like me. He shares my heart.”

Vs. 21 - Paul makes it clear that, although there were there believers in Rome, they were too busy with their own concerns. They had a Selfie mindset.

It’s hard to blame them - life wasn’t easy. They had their own problems. But that’s the whole point of Paul’s discourse. Even Jesus looked beyond Himself to meet the needs of others.

We could look at at the list of names in Romans 16 and see that there were many Christians in Rome, but they were overly consumed with their own lives.

If you are too busy with your own concerns you will miss opportunities to serve others.

“All of us live either in Philippians 1:21 or Philippians 2:21” (Wiersbe).

Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Philippians 2:21 “For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.”

We either have a Selfie or Unselfie mindset.

Timothy had proven himself as a true servant of Christ. (v. 22)

The word “proof” means “tested and proved.” Timothy’s value to Paul’s ministry had been demonstrated.

He worked with Paul in the gospel ministry like a father-son team.

“Timothy stood out as a rare gem in a world of self-seekers (cf. 1:15,17).” (Robert Lightner)

Paul intended to send Timothy to Philippi and hoped that he himself would be able visit when he was able. (v. 23-24)

In the meantime, he had already sent Epaphroditus to Philippi.

II. And Epaphroditus was a selfless servant of Jesus. (v. 25-30)

Paul calls Epaphroditus his companion in labor and fellow soldier.

But he also calls Epaphroditus “your messenger.”

Apparently, Epaphroditus had been sent by the Philippians first to deliver a love offering and to minister to Paul while he was in prison.

Philippi was his home and the church there was his home church.

Paul had nothing but good things to say about Epaphroditus.

He was a brother in Christ - fellowship.

He was a companion in labour - he worked hard

He was a fellowsoldier - contended for the faith

“Epaphroditus was a balanced Christian! Balance is important in the Christian life. Some people emphasize ‘fellowship’ so much that they forget ‘the furtherance of the gospel.’ Others are so involved in defending the ‘faith of the gospel’ that they neglect building fellowship with other believers.” (Wiersbe)

Epaphroditus was a mature, balanced, selfless servant of Jesus Christ.

He had sincerely cared for the Philippian believers. (v. 26)

He missed them. (v. 26a)

Apparently he had been very sick and the Philippians had heard about his sickness.

It’s interesting that, even though he was the one that was sick, he was concerned about the Philippians worrying about his well-being.

What a selfless mindset. His sickness was life threatening, but he was thinking about the Believers in Philippi.

We all have heaviness at times. There’s no doubt. But a mature Christian, even in heaviness, considers the needs of others.

You say, “That’s so hard.” It is. But the mind of Christ means, even in our heaviness, we’re not self-focused.

Obviously, for Epaphroditus, God intervened and healed him, which was a relief to Paul. (v. 27)

So Paul sent him back to the Philippian church so they could be relieved to see him better.

And Paul says, “Rejoice when you see him.” And in vs. 29 he writes, “Hold such in reputation.” Meaning, “Honor him.”

Here’s why - Paul knew the Philippians were going to be disappointed that Epaphroditus came home. Why? Well, they sent him to Paul to be a blessing. So when he got sick, he couldn’t help Paul. And being sent home also means he couldn’t help Paul.

And Paul didn’t want the church at Philippi to view Epaphroditus as a failure for having to go home. That’s why Paul says, “Rejoice when ye see him. Receive him in the Lord with all gladness; and hold him in reputation. Honor him.”

Paul didn’t want Epaphroditus to get home and have people look down on him like he was some kind of failure for leaving Paul.

He almost died of his sickness.

But here’s the primary trait I want all of us to see in this:

A selfless servant of God is more concerned about others than personal needs.

Vs. 29-30 - Epaphroditus was more focused on helping the Philippians serve Paul than he was his own needs.

He was night unto death. He didn’t regard his life.

But he gave himself to serve the Kingdom. And Paul says, “A man like that is worthy of honor, and to be in his presence is cause for rejoicing.”

III. If we want to be selfless servants, we must be more concerned about others than our own personal needs.

It is natural for us to be self-absorbed. That’s our nature.

But just because it’s natural, doesn’t mean it’s right.

What concerns occupy your mind in a typical week?

Finances? Work pressure? Bills? Tasks?

We all have concerns.

Of those concerns, how many of them have to do with meeting the need of someone else?

I’m not saying don’t take care of your own business, but the example from Timothy and Ephaphroditus was to be so focused on the things of Christ that they put themselves last.

Even Paul did it. Here’s Paul in Rome in prison and he’s writing to a church to make sure they don’t think poorly of Epaphroditus for having to come home.

He had much bigger problems than that. But he was so focused on the kingdom that his needs went to the back of the line.

How many of your typical concerns deal with others and how to be a blessing?

Do your concerns keep you from serving Christ?

If so, we need to adjust in order to follow the example of these selfless servants in Philippians 2.

It makes me think of Matthew 6:33

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

The principle is that putting God’s kingdom above our own needs initiates His provision for our needs.

It could be that we need to consider the time we spend in our week and re-prioritize the work of God in our lives.

Are you living a Philippians 1:21 life or a Philippians 2:21 life?

Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Philippians 2:21 “For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.”

I pray we’re a Philippians 1:21 church and not a Philippians 2:21 church.

Ask the Lord to help you think this way this week:

“Who in my life might need someone to be concerned about their needs?’

“In what ways can I serve them instead of seeking my own?”

Good questions for all of us.