Ordinary Faithfulness
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Over these last few weeks I have gotten to see the body of Christ really serve and glorify Christ together. We went from an incredible week of VBS where I got to see so many of you serve so faithfully. I saw you pour into our children so that God’s word can take root as the foundation of their lives.
and then as you have heard we had a great week at Echoing Hills where I got to see our students and adults serve faithfully to a group of people that the world often overlooks but Jesus doesn’t. and it was a good reminder for me thatt whenever we talk about the church. We aren’t talking about a building. We aren’t talking about a pastor, an organization, we are talking about people.
People like to say all the time the church should do this the church should do that. most of the time its good stuff but the reality is what a church can do is limited by the number of faithful people willing to step up and do it.
This church has many faithful people I have seen you the last few weeks. but we have room for more. And in our scripture we are going to read today Paul is going to be talking about a couple of faithful people as well as inderectly talking about himself.
And we are going to see how we as the saints of Cedar Street Church can follow the model laid out by Jesus and those who came before us to not just be a part of a faithful church, but to be the faithful church.
Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you. For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.
In this passage and the next few verse we are going to see what Paul has to say about 3 faithful people. The purpose of recognizing these three people is not for us to see how great these men were, but for us to see how they are displaying the great savior. at the end of chapter 2 Paul showed us a picture of Jesus that we are to display to the world with our lives and now he is showing us how each of these men are displaying Jesus. so we can see practically how we can display Jesus.
The first one we see is Timothy.
Timothy is someone Paul had an incredibly close relationship with. Like a father and a son. Timothy was a lot of things. He was faithful to serving Paul. He was diligent to share the Gospel, He was was powerful preacher, who would go on to pastor the church at Ephesus. He was the guy Paul could trust that would come in and fix problems.
But he doesn’t list any of those things as the primary reason he chose to send Timothy.
Here is what we see about Timothy that he saw modeled from Paul, who saw it modeled by Jesus.
1. Care Demonstrates Character
1. Care Demonstrates Character
Look back at 20-22
For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father.
Timothy had genuine care for other believers which let others see his proven strong Character.
Paul knew a lot of people and yet he said I have none like him in this area that he knew was incredibly important. Timothy was someone who we can see put their needs above his own because of his strong inward character
What high praise. Of all the Christians that Paul knew as someone who planted nearly 20 churches and visited countless more. Paul is saying most seek their own interests, but not Timothy. Timothy was devoted to Paul, and his fellow believers because he was fully devoted to jesus.
Verse 21 shows us that Paul knew what many of us know. the majority of Christians, as Paul had witnessed put themselves first and Jesus next. but not Timothy. and neither should it be with us.
Most of the problems that we run into in our walk with Christ stem from our unwillingness to put the interests of Christ ahead of our interests. Most of my problems in my walk with Christ go back to my refusal to put what Jesus wants for me ahead of what I want for.
but That is what we are called to do. He wants us to put his interests above our own and his interests will always involve us sharing with the lost and caring for our fellow believers.
But heres the key here the reason that Timothy was able to do this isn’t because he just naturally loved and cared for the believers. No he cared because it was a reflection of his character.
your character who you are when no one is around. and the reason his care overflowed from his character is because his character had been transformed by God into a character that was more like his. So when he served Paul, when he served the churches that Paul sent him to. the care he gave wasn’t so his name would become greater and eventually he would be the next Paul. it overflowed from a genuine character that cared.
That is the type of character that I want to have. I pray it it is the character that you want to have. A character that is so in line with Jesus’ character that we don’t just put Jesus’ interests above our own but our interests turn into his interests, and show up in how we care for our fellow believers.
Paul keeps going and shows another Christian that displayed Christ well.
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.
eh-PAF-ruh-DYE-tus
A fun fact about Alysa and I if we had, had a son we were going to name him Epaphroditus. Thats not true but what a great name. This passage feel so personal and specific to those men and that church at that time is there anything we can learn from this short and only appearance of this guy Epaphroditus in the Bible. yes.
Look how Paul describes him. brother, coworker, fellow soldier.
Here is the deal Paul had been a pharisee and he was proud of it and Epaphroditus a greek would have been nothing more than a gentile dog to him. But because of Jesus we see in verse 27 that he had brought into a relationship of deep emotion for him, that he now considered him a brother, and partner in the mission.
What we see in Epaphroditus’ relationship to Paul and the deep concern that the Philippian church had for him, and that he apparently worked so hard for the Gospel that he fell sick. is this.
2. Commitment Displays Christ
2. Commitment Displays Christ
One of the terms that Paul uses to describe Epaphroditus is fellow solider. All the branches of our armed forces have their own mottos and creeds but they all highlight a very important quality that is essential for any solider and that is commitment.
a non committed soldier is a liability of the battlefield. if they aren’t commited to their cause and their fellow soldiers. then when the bullets start flying they may turn around and leave them in trouble, they will grumble and complain at the first inconvinience, and they are only in it for what they can get out of it.
Noncommitted soldiers are a liability on the battle field and they are a liability in the church. If we want to follow the example of Epaphroditus. we need a commitment that will display the glory of the one we are committed to. It is impossible for someone to look at someone who is so committed to anything and not look to what it is they are committed to and ask why.
unfortunately so many Christians lack the commitment that would cause someone to look at what it is we are commited to.
and i think its because so many have bought the lie the being a Christian is easy, following Jesus doesn’t cost us anything, and commitment to Christ can come and go.
We tell our kids if you want be exceptional at anything it will require commitment and commitment requires sacrifice. if you want to be great at you sport it means effort and not being able to hang out with your friends because you are away at a tournament or competition. If you want to become a doctor its going to take the commitment and the financial sacrifice of going to school. If you are going to commit to being a Tennessee fan you are going to sacrifice a lot of happiness on lots of saturdays.
We as a society commonly accept that commitment equals sacrifice. except when it comes to our Christian walk so as a result the church fills with noncommital soliders that are here for the benefits and arent here because they are committed to becoming more like the one who saved their lives.
If we want to start changing things. each and everyone one of us need to stop looking at everyone else and instead look at ourselves and ask how committed am I.
A question that I have heard is if everyone in your church was a committed to Jesus as you are what kind of church would you have?
another way you could ask it is if guitar player put the same level of commitment into mastering the guitar is you put into your walk with Christ how would the music sound?
Jesus showed the ultimate commitment to us when he died on the cross for us. we need a commitment to him that displays to everyone around us that we believe he worthy of being the ultimate commitment of our lives.
Our leader is too great to have uncommitted solders following him.
Are you a committed solider? Or does the level of commitment you have make a liability on the battlefield?
Theres one more person to talk about here and its the person writing. the way Paul talks about Timothy and Ephaphroditus also shows us even more about how he is modeling Christ.
Timothy cared more about others than himself.
Epaphroditus cared more about Christ than his own safety.
Paul cared more about the church than his own comfort.
The common denominator isn't different personalities.
It's that each of them had forgotten themselves because they were consumed with Christ.
3. Christ-Centeredness Changes Everything
3. Christ-Centeredness Changes Everything
What is clear from this passage as well as everything else Paul wrote he has fully centered his life on Christ, and as a result his life is completely different.
Heres the evidence in that in this passage
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.
Paul is in prison the status, respect and comforts he used to have are all gone. but as he sits there in prison his lack of comfort isn’t what makes him anxious, the fact that people believe things about him that arent true doesn’t make him anxious, the fact that everyone he grew up with hates him doesn’t make him anxious. what makes him anxious is the needs of Christ’s church. All Paul has with him is Timothy and Epaphroditus. and because they are in need and worried he is going to send both of them away to them. and even though he would be alone a less comfortable, he will be at peace knowing the church is taken care of. That is someone’s life who has centered his life on Christ and it has changed everything.
It says he is eager to send them so that his anxiety would be less.
The world will tell you the only way your anxiety will diminish is when your personal security increases. Thats not what Paul is showing us. his situation got worse after sending them away. but is anxiety was less because his eyes werent focused on himself, and his comforts Paul’s eyes were focused on Jesus.
Because his life was built with Christ at the center the only things he was eager to do was help the church, and the only thing brought him anxiety were the fears of other Christians.
Paul had taken himself and his concerns out of the center of his life and placed Jesus there.
Conclusion
The question I have for you this morning, church, is this:
Who is sitting at the center of your life?
The life that Jesus created.
The life that Jesus redeemed with His own blood.
The life that ultimately belongs to Him.
Is He really at the center...or have you quietly put yourself back on the throne?
Because here's what we've seen this morning.
Timothy cared deeply for people because Christ was at the center.
Epaphroditus was willing to risk everything because Christ was at the center.
Paul could sit in a prison cell and still be more concerned about the church than his own comfort because Christ was at the center.
None of them were extraordinary because of their personalities.
They were extraordinary because they had surrendered the center of their lives to Jesus.
And I think that's the challenge for Cedar Street Church.
People are always saying, "The church should do this," or "The church should do that."
But the church isn't a building.
The church is us.
The church will only care as much as its people care.
The church will only sacrifice as much as its people sacrifice.
The church will only be committed as its people are committed.
The church will only reflect Christ to the degree that Christ is truly at the center of our individual lives.
So don't leave here asking, "Is our church committed enough?"
Ask,
"Am I?"
Don't ask,
"Why doesn't someone care more?"
Ask,
"Do I?"
Don't ask,
"Why isn't someone serving?"
Ask,
"Am I?"
Because the goal of the Christian life isn't simply to become a better volunteer.
It isn't to become busier.
It isn't even to become more committed.
The goal is to become so captivated by Jesus that caring for others, sacrificing for His kingdom, and serving His church become the natural overflow of a life that revolves around Him.
That's exactly what Paul saw in Timothy.
That's exactly what Paul saw in Epaphroditus.
That's exactly what the Philippians saw in Paul.
And by the power of the Holy Spirit, that's exactly what our community should see in us.
Let's not settle for attending a faithful church. Let's become the faithful church by making Jesus—not ourselves—the center of our lives.
