The Humility of Epaphroditus

But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need— since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious. Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.

The last few weeks we have been looking at examples of humility in Philippians. Paul starts Philippians 2 with the instruction to not think of ourselves so highly but to instead think of others as more important than ourselves. He then goes on to give the example of Jesus, who left the throne room of heaven and his seat of honor with God the Father to come to earth and save sinful humanity.

Paul told the Philippians that he too may be “poured out” as an offering to God like Christ was. He tells of the humility of Timothy who worked with Paul like a son does with a father stating that Paul had no one else who would care for the needs of others like Jesus did other than Timothy.

Today, we will see Paul talk about Epaphroditus. This man was a messenger from the Philippian church to Paul in Rome. He brought a gift from the church to help Paul during his imprisonment. But while Epaphroditus was there helping and ministering top Paul, he became sick and almost died. Yet even while he was sick, Epaphroditus was concerned for the his people back in Philippi, because they were worried about him.

Epaphroditus was a true servant who put the needs of others before his own, just as Paul has been teaching his Philippian readers.

Big Idea: True humility serves others in all circumstances.

Lets dig in.

Philippians 2:25

But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need…

We saw last week that Paul wanted to send Timothy to the Philippians so that he could get a report back on how the church in Philippi was doing. However, Paul was unsure of what his fate would be during his Roman house arrest so he wanted to wait to send Timothy until after he learned how things would go for himself.

In the meantime, the apostle makes sure to send Epaphroditus back to the Philippians, likely as the one delivering this letter to the church. Paul obviously had a very favorable opinion of Epaphroditus, just like he did of Timothy. While Paul does not call Epaphroditus, “his true son in the faith” as he did Timothy, Paul does describe him if 5 other ways: Brother, Co-worker, Fellow Soldier, Philippian Messenger, and Minister to Paul’s Need.

Brother

As the church we are family in Christ, adopted by God the Father, co-heirs with Christ.

Romans 8:14,16-17

For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons…The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Paul saw the genuine work of the Holy Spirit in the life of Epaphroditus. Spiritual fruit was evident in how this man acted, served, spoke, and cared for others. Paul could say with confidence that Epaphroditus was a brother in Christ because the work of God was displayed in his life.

Co-worker

We are united in this work together. We are not acting alone but are working together for the purpose of spreading the gospel. Others listed as co-workers: Pricilla and Acquilla, Apollos.

1 Corinthians 3:7-9

So, then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s coworkers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

Fellow Soldier

Paul calls Epaphroditus a fellow soldier in the faith. I know that there are people who do not like the metaphor of Christians as “spiritual” soldiers. However, Scripture is full of references to the need for Christians to be like soldiers. As Christians, we need to understand that we are in a battle. That is why Paul talks in Ephesians 6 about the armor that a Christian needs and why.

Ephesians 6:11-12

Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.

One thing we must understand is that we are not fighting other humans in this battle. Our enemies are not atheists, or members of the occult, or those who think that the Bible is oppressive, patriarchal, and/or antiquated. Our enemy is Satan. Yes, I believe Satan, the devil, is real. There are Satanists who don’t think Satan is real. But we see here in Ephesians that we are not fighting other humans but instead the rulers and principalities of this dark world that are encouraging sinful humanity to put their evil thoughts into practice.

The most effective weapons we have against him are prayer, and the truth in the Word of God, Scripture. When Satan tempted Jesus in the desert, how did Jesus respond? He quoted Scripture. Are we prepared as Christians to fight for the faith?

Messenger

The Greek word here for messenger is actually apostolon, or apostle. An apostle is a person who is sent out. The general use for the term apostle is different from the office of “apostle” described in different parts of the NT. Epaphroditus was willing to run an errand/deliver a message to Paul for the Philippian church. Are we willing to be a deliverer of messages to others about the saving work of Jesus Christ? Are we willing to help others in the fight of proclaiming the good news of the gospel?

Minister

Epaphroditus not only delivered his message/gift, he was willing to help Paul in a way Paul needed. We often want to help people and think we may know the best way for that to happen. However, sometimes we need to ask people what help they need and be willing to do that even if we think they need other help.

I like to fix things if I know I have the ability to do so. My wife doesn’t need me to fix everything, especially when dealing with an emotional hurt. Sometimes she just needs me to listen so that she feels heard and understood.

Philippians 2:26-27

…since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.

Paul sent Epaphroditus back to Philippi because Epaphroditus longed to be back with his church in his hometown. Paul tells the Philippians that Epaphroditus was distressed because the folks back home had gotten a report that Epaphroditus had fallen ill. He wanted to relieve the concerns of his fellow Philippians by making sure that he was okay. Epaphroditus was sick and dying and yet was concerned about how the Philippians were doing since he knew they heard he was sick.

I would be the same way. If I were away on a trip and something happened to me, I would worry about my wife and my kids. I would be thinking about how they might be feeling, like if they are going to be able to sleep well because they know daddy is hurt.

Paul too wanted to let Epaphroditus go home and be with his church family.

This illness was so severe that Paul lets his readers know that Epaphroditus almost died. Now, this would not have been uncommon in the first century. Life expectancy in first-century Rome was not all that great. In 1st century Rome, life expectancy:

Life Expectancy in First Century Rome

at birth was estimated to be around 22-33 years

those surviving the first year having a life expectancy of 34-41 years

those reaching age 5, 40-45 years.

Infectious diseases played a big role in those numbers because of the lack of modern medicine and regular access to clean water.

Side Note:

What is also interesting here, is that Paul shows his concern about Epaphroditus being sick, and there is no evidence that Epaphroditus was miraculously healed. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul states that he leaves a man named Trophimus behind in the city of Miletus sick. You may be asking why I bring this up as this doesn’t really have much to do with the service of Epaphroditus to Paul.

There are preachers, ministers, and “faith healers” who will claim that when they pray for people to be healed of various sicknesses and ailments God heals them. When they are not healed, they claim it is because of unbelief on the part of either the sick person or their family. Can I just say, that is spiritual abuse.

We see different accounts in the Book of Acts where God performs miracles through Paul. He tells a lame man to stand up and walk and the man is healed. We see Paul preach so long in the upper room of a house that a young man, sitting in the 3rd story window, falls asleep listening to Paul and falls to his death. Paul goes out, embraces the young man, and says he is actually alive. Then they go back in and start eating.

And yet, I can guarantee that Paul prayed repeatedly for Epaphroditus and Trophimus, but neither of them seem to have been miraculously healed. Epaphroditus seemed to have a natural recovery through his own immune system fighting off the illness in the way God designed it to. We do not know if Trophimus recovered since Paul left him in Miletus and the second letter to Timothy is widely regarded as Paul’s final letter.

I believe that we serve an all-powerful God who is able to heal and deliver us from sickness and infirmity. If God does not heal a person immediately after a prayer of faith and belief in his power to heal, I believe there is a reason for it. Remember Romans 8:28:

Romans 8:28

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

As I have stated before, this verse does not say that God will make everything good. It says he will work everything for THE good of those who are called according to his purpose. That means that the trials and tribulations— even illnesses — that we face are for a reason. Often, that reason is to show us that we are feeble creatures who are here one day and gone the next and that the only thing that can truly sustain us and help us persevere in this life is the power of God. It is possible that our struggles are simply to point us to depending on Christ, the Rock of Ages, who is immovable, dependable, and the most sure foundation we can ever find.

End of Side note.

However, Paul says that God had mercy on both him and Epaphroditus in keeping Epaphroditus from death and saving Paul from sorrow upon sorrow. I can imagine the difficulty for Paul to see his friend suffering, wondering about the possibility of losing a fellow worker and close friend in the faith. Not only that but to have to be the one to tell the Philippian church that Epaphroditus had died, that too would have been an extremely sorrowful letter as well. Paul would have been dealing with all of this while under house-arrest in Rome and so would not have been able to deliver the message to the Philippians himself, but would have had to write a letter for someone else to deliver.

I think of all of the letter carriers during WW1 and WW2 who had to deliver notices from the military letting people know that their sons had died in battle. I remember watching Saving Private Ryan, which I understand is a fictional story, but the scene where the mother is doing dishes and sees the black car with a big white star on the side coming up the long driveway. And as she reaches the front door, a man in uniform steps out of one of the doors, and a priest steps out of the other door.

The heaviness of having to deliver the news of the death of someone can break some people.

But God had mercy on both Epaphroditus and Paul, because Epaphroditus lived.

Philippians 2:28-30

For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious. Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.

Since Epaphroditus was so close to death, Paul tells his readers he was eager to send Epaphroditus back home to Philippi. He knew the return of Epaphroditus would bring rejoicing to his hometown because they would have him back home and healthy. Epaphroditus’ return would also bring relief from anxiety for Paul knowing that his friend was finally back home.

Paul directs the Philippians to welcome back Epaphroditus with great joy and to honor people like him because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life in bringing the gift from the Philippians and helping Paul in his ministry in a way that the Philippian church could not.

People who put their lives on the line for the work of Christ are worthy of honor because they consider the needs of others above their own. They are a tremendous example of humility.

What does it look like to be willing to put your life at rick for the work of Christ? Lets look at some examples from the past and up to present day.

St Patrick

This past Monday was St Patrick's Day. And while many use that day as an excuse to drink too much and eat corned beef and cabbage, there is a wonderful reason to celebrate the life of St. Patrick. Growing up, his father was a Christian deacon and his grandfather was a priest. At the age of 16, Patrick was kidnapped by Irish pirates and taken as a slave back to Ireland where he was forced to work as a shepherd. It was there that he found God. After six years of captivity, he managed to escape and get home back to Britain. After becoming a cleric, he returned to the island of his kidnappers to proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ to the pagan peoples of Ireland until his death.

Eric Liddle

Some of you may know the name Eric Liddle. He was the subject of the Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire. After his Olympic victory in the 400 in 1924, he became a missionary to China. In 1943, as Japan was taking over parts of China during WW2, Liddle was captured and sent to a civilian internment camp. There he led Bible Studies, helped organize food, medicine, and other supplies, and taught science to the children in the camp. One of the other prisoners with Liddle described him as, "the finest Christian gentleman it has been my pleasure to meet. In all the time in the camp, I never heard him say a bad word about anybody." Liddle died in February of 1945 from an undiagnosed brain tumor five months before the camp was liberated.

Jim and Elisabeth Elliot

Jim and Elisabeth Elliot were missionaries to Ecuador. Jim and his 4 companions would drop gifts from a plane to the Huaorani people in the deep jungle of Ecuador. Seeing that their gifts were being accepted by the people, they made camp in an area near the village. One curious villager came out to see them. The missionaries invited him and took him on a plane ride. A couple of the women from the tribe came out to meet them. Encouraged by the good interactions with the tribespeople, Elliot and his friends planned a trip to the village. However, before they could do so, 10 warriors from the tribe came to visit their camp. As Jim got up to greet these warriors, he was killed with a spear, along with his four friends, their bodies were found in the nearby river.

Three years later, Elisabeth, who had been working with another tribe nearby with Rachel Saint (Nate Saint’s sister), learned the language of the Huaorani people from two Huaorani women living with this other tribe and went to the people who had killed their husband and brother to preach the gospel to them and living with them for a few years. Nate Saint’s son was eventually baptised by the very man who put a spear through his father.

Richard Wurmbrand

Richard Wurmband was a Romanian Christian of Jewish decent. He was arrested in 1948 by the Romanian government, whose national religion was Atheism, for his outspoken view that communism and Christianity were not compatible. While in prison, “he spent three years in solitary confinement. This confinement was in a cell twelve feet underground, with no lights or windows. There was no sound because even the guards wore felt on the soles of their shoes. He later recounted that he maintained his sanity by sleeping during the day, staying awake at night, and exercising his mind and soul by composing and then delivering a sermon each night. Due to his extraordinary memory, he was able to recall more than 350 of those, a selection of which he included in his book With God in Solitary Confinement.”

When he got out of solitary confinement, he was told not to evangelize to other prisoners. He is quoted as saying, “It was strictly forbidden to preach to other prisoners. It was understood that whoever was caught doing this received a severe beating. A number of us decided to pay the price for the privilege of preaching, so we accepted their [the communists' ] terms. It was a deal; we preached and they beat us. We were happy preaching. They were happy beating us, so everyone was happy.”

Wurmbrand was finally released from the Romanian government when a Christian group in Europe paid $10,000 for his release (the going rate was $1900). He eventually fled to the US where he started the organization Voice of the Martyrs, which helps to provide supplies like food, water, shelter, and Bibles in native languages to Christians who are persecuted in countries around the world with governments hostile to Christianity. VoM tells the stories of pastors who have been imprisoned for preaching the gospel, of families who have lost their loved ones and homes because they were Christians, and of those who continue to believe in the goodness of God even while they are persecuted for their faith.

Other missionaries to know: https://www.theologyfortherestofus.com/10-christian-missionaries-every-christian-should-know/

Some of you may know that Living Word sets aside 10% of what you give in your tithes and offerings as a tithe for missions giving. Those funds are given to local charities like Camp Gilead and Project Love. This year we are also going to be giving some funds to international groups like Voice of the Martyrs. I want our missions giving to be both local and international, doing what we can to spread the hope, love, and grace of Jesus Christ to a world that so desperately needs it.

Next Step: I will ask God how I can help others spread the gospel.

You don’t need to be the one going to remote areas of the world to preach Jesus. God may be calling you to your own state, town, or neighborhood. However, we can still help to provide resources to those whom God has called to other places in the world.

Next Step: I will ask God how I can proclaim his truth where I am.

Who do you know that needs to hear about Jesus? Where can you see people who need the love of Jesus? Ask the Lord to give you the wisdom and boldness to proclaim his goodness to a world that needs it.

Perhaps you are here today and you do not have a relationship with Jesus. You have not made him the Lord of your life. You do not need to be perfect to follow Jesus. No one in this room is perfect. We are all sinful people who have been forgiven by a loving God. Church is not for perfect people but for the wounded, the hurt, the depressed, the anxious. The church is a hospital where we can see the Great Physician, and he can work in the hearts and minds of people to bring them healing of physical, spiritual, and mental wounds.

If you know that you need Jesus, today is the day to follow after him.

Next Step: I will submit my life to Jesus.

If want to take that step, please come see me after service. I would love to talk with you, pray with you, and encourage you as to what following Jesus looks like. If you are not ready to take that step today, I would still love to talk with you and answer whatever questions you may have concerning Jesus and what it means to follow after him.

Let us pray

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