Discipleship

Sending Timothy so Paul can get updates:

Provides a view into how Jewish life worked during those times

Paul is connected to his community through faith and the life of people in inner ciricles

More than that, he wants to be sure the gospel is doing its work and is spreading in the area

To make sure they are doing okay, Paul is sending a few people to them

Likely with this letter, but we are not sure, since it does not say

He is hoping to send Timothy (who has two letters named after him)

and Epaphroditus, who has been running errands for Paul to and from Philippi

Let’s see what we are going to cover today:

Philippians 2:19–3:1 NASB 2020

But I hope, in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. But you know of his proven character, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me; and I trust in the Lord that I myself will also be coming shortly. But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need, because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly, so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold people like him in high regard, because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to compensate for your absence in your service to me. Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble for me, and it is a safeguard for you.

Introduction (2–3 minutes)

Frame the passage as Paul’s pastoral heart in action: he can’t be with them yet, but he’s not leaving them alone.

Emphasize that the Philippians are mostly Gentile believers in a Roman colony, unfamiliar with Jewish scripture or customs.

Transition: Paul sends two living examples of the gospel life to reinforce the message they've heard and to prepare them to hear it again.

Philippians 2:19–24 NASB 2020

But I hope, in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. But you know of his proven character, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me; and I trust in the Lord that I myself will also be coming shortly.

I. Timothy: A Kindred Spirit (Phil 2:19–24)

A. Why Paul Sends Him

Paul hopes to “cheer up” (εὐψυχῶ, be encouraged) by learning of their condition.

Timothy is uniquely like-minded (ἰσόψυχον), a rare Greek term meaning “equal soul”—he feels what Paul feels.

B. What Timothy Will Do

He will genuinely care (μεριμνήσει) for their condition, unlike others who seek their own interests.

C. What Paul Expects in Return

The Philippians are to receive him with trust and mutual joy, affirming Timothy’s character as tested (δοκιμήν) in gospel service.

Philippians 2:25–30 NASB 2020

But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need, because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly, so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold people like him in high regard, because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to compensate for your absence in your service to me.

II. Epaphroditus: A Risk-Taker for the Gospel (Phil 2:25–30)

A. Why Paul Sends Him

He is Paul’s brother, co-worker, and soldier—sent by the Philippians and now returned to them.

He was longing (ἐπιποθῶν) for them and distressed (ἀδημονῶν), echoing Jesus in Gethsemane—this was no minor illness or shame.

B. What Epaphroditus Did

He risked his life (παραβολευσάμενος) for Christ, echoing the self-emptying example of Jesus in Phil 2:6–8.

C. What Paul Expects in Return

The Philippians should “receive him with joy and honor such men.”

His return completes their service (λειτουργία) to Paul, thus strengthening the fellowship.

Philippians 3:1 NASB 2020

Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble for me, and it is a safeguard for you.

III. A Joyful Safeguard: Paul Repeats the Message (Phil 3:1)

A. Paul’s Reason for Writing Again

“To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is a safeguard to you.”

Repetition is not redundant; it’s protective—especially for Gentiles new to the faith, navigating Roman identity and gospel identity.

This is a pastoral moment: Paul knows the Philippians are young in the faith, Romans not Jews, unfamiliar with the backstory of scripture.

B. Reinforcing the Message Through People

Timothy and Epaphroditus will reinforce Paul's teachings through example and exhortation.

Living examples help Gentile believers understand Torah-rooted ideas like humility, sacrifice, and joy.

Why Timothy and Epaphroditus Matter to This

These two men are the repetition.

Paul cannot be present, so he sends them as living echoes of his message and his way of life (cf. 3:17).

They show what it means to rejoice, to serve, to risk, to sacrifice, and to endure.

Theological Insight

The Philippians need to see gospel life embodied—not just heard.

They are Roman, Gentile, unfamiliar with Jewish patterns of worship, priesthood, or sacrifice.

Paul sends examples before arguments. Then he circles back to joy and rejoicing in the Lord.

Send your life, not just your letters.

The gospel spreads best through people, not just paper.

Conclusion (3–4 minutes)

Ask: Who in your life has embodied the gospel for you like Timothy or Epaphroditus?

What message is God repeating to you that you need to hear again—not just with your ears, but with your life?

Call to Action: Live as a trustworthy example of the gospel—someone who can be sent, received, and honored.

Discipleship