Honor One Another

Bible Passage: Philippians 2:19-30

Introduction

Do you know anyone in your life that just knows how to bless those around them? Someone who always has a good word to say about others. Most importantly they love those around them and go out of their way to make sure that others know it. Often at work they stress the importance of recognizing people for their accomplishments. Northrop Grumman has a whole host of awards that they give out every year for people and groups who do exceptional work. We talked recently about the fact we are not often recognized for the work we do because we’re not very good at making sure people get nominated for those different types of recognition. What we’re talking about today is not passing out trophies and just simply encouraging people for doing their work. We’re called to encourage one another. To praise and honor one another as we work together to share the Good News of Jesus with the world around us. All of us have a role, none more important than any other. Even here at our little church, there are people who come weekly and make sure the church is clean. There are others who work tirelessly to move forward with the work we’re doing to make this building work for all of us.

You’ll see when we go downstairs to eat the work Willy and Dan did getting the sound panels hung to try and make it a little less distracting to have conversations while we enjoy a meal together. Less visible things are electrical and plumbing work that both of them have done over the course of the last few years. Jake and Leslie volunteered this week to come out and finish the job of digging out the walkways into the building. Pam has been teaching our little ones for years. Carrie, Pam, Willy and Veva have all been instrumental in getting our youth group off the ground. VBS and Easter Egg hunts have involved most of us and blessed the children in our community. Thank you all. I’m sure I’ve missed mentioning someone or something. But together we work to Love God, Love People and Share Jesus. It’s what we were meant to do. It’s always good practice to praise those alongside us as we seek to fulfill God’s will in our community.

1. Timothy Coming Soon

Philippians 2:19–24 “I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.”

Hope to Send Timothy

Desire to bless them

Joy good news will bring him

Genuine concern for their welfare

Sent to serve

Sending him to bless them

None so genuine as Timothy

Cared for their welfare

Proven worthy

Like son with a father

Served together with Paul

Hoped to send him soon

Paul demonstrates the joy that comes in serving together. Paul had the privilege of watching Timothy grow into a younger partner in the Gospel. All of us have the opportunity to cultivate relationships like Paul had with Timothy. To really experience lasting joy in our lives, we need to be connected to other believers. It’s one of the reasons we’re having lunch together this morning. Spending time together sharing a meal and some good conversation is the purpose. Finding common areas of interest and calling of the Lord to share the Gospel with our community is the end result. Hopefully during these times of conversation we find ways to connect with one another and find opportunities to work together to meet the needs of our communities. We don’t get that opportunity during our Worship Service. This is the time we spend together honoring God and preaching the Gospel message. It’s in living our lives together that we find ways to serve our community and to serve one another. Paul was sending Timothy back to Philippi for this very purpose. To spend time with them, to send news to him and to make opportunities for connection and cooperation in their service to Jesus.

2. Epaphroditus Service

Philippians 2:25–26 “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, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.”

Partner with Paul

Brother and fellow worker

Fellow soldier in the battle

Your messenger and minister

Brought News of Philippi

Shared progress of gospel work with Paul

Brought blessing of good news

Opportunity to encourage Paul

Ministered to Paul on their behalf

Met needs Paul had

Worked to encourage Paul

Longed to return

I’ve often been called upon to work in locations and circumstances where I was the only one who did the kind of work that I was doing. It can be difficult and draining to feel alone in the work we’re doing. When I arrived at my first job out of college, I spent several months waiting for my security clearance to be completed. As a result, there was only one room in the building where I could go. Fortunately, there was some research that I could do and there was a technical library on the facility where I could go and research too. Most of the people in that room though couldn’t do anything. All the content of their work required a security clearance. So they read the newspaper and played cards and waited. It was difficult to read and concentrate in those circumstances. When I finally got my clearance approved, they brought me to the office where I would be working and the person I was replacing said, “well congratulations. You’re now the Air Force’s lone expert on this particular technology. I’m leaving in two weeks and by the end of the month the civilian worker who’s been covering this technology for the last 30 years will be retiring. You’re our replacement.” I didn’t feel like an expert in anything. I knew I was in way over my head. It would have been very nice to have others around to work alongside us.

3. Paul’s Eager Endorsement

Philippians 2:27–30 “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. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.”

Epaphroditus Illness

Ill to near death

God mercy on Paul

The blessing of his recovery

Paul Eager to Return Him

Longed to bless them

Eager for joy of his return

News he would send back to Paul

Receive him with joy

Honor those who serve

Honor the sacrifice he made

Risked life to serve on your behalf

Service on the behalf of a larger community is not unknown to us today. Military service is just one example. Men and women from all over the United States volunteer to defend our nation through their service. Some volunteer to serve to find a job and get out of the place they grew up from. After 9-11 many joined to help fight back against the attack which had occurred. Some serve to raise money to go back to college. It’s not the most lucrative career choice. Pam and I remember well spending more than half of our income for rent when we moved to our first assignment in California. As a nation, we do attempt to honor those who choose to serve. Memorial Day honors those who gave the ultimate sacrifice of their life in service to the country. Veterans Day honors all those who have served or who are serving. Paul gives some very vivid and specific examples of how to honor those who serve in the sharing of the Gospel. He pours out some genuine and rare praise for both Timothy and Epaphroditus. We need to do the same. We need to say thank you to those who serve. I am grateful this morning for all those who spent time preparing the food we can smell from downstairs. Thank you to all of you who choose to come, to worship with us, to share a meal with us, to serve the Lord together with us. Thank you.