The impact of Epaphroditus

Intro

When you think of people who have made a huge impact in this world we almost always think of people who have become famous because of the impact that they have made. Maybe it’s a President like George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. Or maybe it’s an inventor like Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell. Maybe it’s someone like Martin Luther King Jr who fought for civil rights.

All of these people have made a huge impact in our society today. But what about someone like Rick Rescorla. Most if not all of you have probably never heard of him. Rick was a graduate of Oklahoma, a Vietnam vet, who was working security for Morgan Stanley at the World Trade Center the day of Sept 11th.

After hearing the explosion of the first plane and hearing a Port authority announcement over the P.A. system telling people to stay at their desk, Rick ignored the announcement grabbed his bullhorn, walkie-talkie and cell phone and began directing people safely out of the building.

After successfully escorting most of Morgan Stanley’s 2600 + employees and many others out of the building, he went back into the building. One employee told him that he to needed to evacuate but he said not until I know that everyone else is out.

Rick was last seen on the 10th floor, heading upward, shortly before the South Tower collapsed. Rick died trying to save others. You see rick made an impact on the life of so many but most will never know about him or what he did like those that we mentioned earlier.

When we think about people in the Bible or the church who have made a huge impact we often think the same way. In the Bible we think of people like King David, or Paul and today we think about Preachers whom everyone knows.

I know for me at times and I’m sure we have all been there it is easy to convince ourselves that we will never be known or remembered as someone who made an impact like those just mentioned so we tend to wonder if it is worth trying. I can guarantee you that Mr. Rescorla would tell you that it is worth it.

This morning I want us to take a look at a character in the Bible who is not well know by most but to those that he ministered to and had a relationship with He is well known by them and because of his impact on them this person made a lasting impact on the church even though most people do not remember him or know anything about him.

As we look at this character, I hope that you will be reminded that you do not have to be well known or the most popular person to make a lasting impact in the lives of others.

The person I want us to consider this morning is Epaphroditus. What did Epaphroditus do that was so impactful? Most have probable heard the name but don’t know much about him and that is because he is only mentioned by name twice in the Bible. But although he is only mentioned twice there are a couple key phrases that help us to see that Epaphroditus, though not well known, made a lasting impact in the lives of many.

We learn about Epaphroditus in the book of Philippians. In the book of Philippians, Paul is under house arrest in Rome, and the church in Philippi desired to send Paul what we might call a “care package.” The Philippian believers gathered supplies and sent them to Rome by the hand of one of their own, a man named Epaphroditus. Notice with me what it says in Phil 4:18-19.

Philippians 4:18–19 ESV

I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Epaphroditus faithfully delivered the gift from his home church and then went above and beyond the call of duty.

In Phil 2:25-30 we have the other place he is mentioned. Notice it with me.

Philippians 2:25–30 ESV

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. 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.

In this passage we learn that in his desire to serve the Lord by serving Paul, Epaphroditus became seriously ill and, in fact, almost died. Thankfully, God graciously granted Epaphroditus health, and Paul sent his friend back home with the newly penned book of Philippians. Notice what Paul writes in Phil 2:25-30.

So, as you can see there is not a lot of information about Epaphroditus but through closer examination we can see that because of his dedication and partnership to the Philippian church, to Paul and the Gospel of Christ, he, though not well known by many today, made an eternal difference in the lives of many.

One way in which this is evident is because of the language that Paul uses to refer to his friend and partner. Notice with me how Paul refers to Epathroditus in verse 25 of chapter 2.

The text says that he was a brother in the faith, a fellow worker of the gospel, Fellow Soldier of Christ, Messenger of the Gospel, & a minister to the needs of Paul and others. Epathroditus may not be very well known but he as a man that wore many different hats.

Let me ask you this morning, do others refer to you in this way. Do they refer to you as a brother or sister? Do they refer to you as a soldier of Christ, one who will do anything for the sake of Christ and his gospel? Do they refer to you as a great servant of others? You see these titles given to Epaphroditus are names that only a dedicated partner of the Gospel would receive.

This school year, if you chose, you are going to have the opportunity to wear many of these titles just like Epathroditus.

For example, you are going to have the opportunity to be known as brother or sister in the faith to all the students and staff members at your school. If we will choose to treat everyone the same way that Epaphroditus treated Paul than we will be known by our peers as a brother or sister in the faith. In order to earn this name, we have to like Epaphroditus have great compassion towards others and go above and beyond to help our peers.

This year we will also have the opportunity to be known as messengers and ministers of the Gospel of Christ. In our text the word messenger comes from the root word where we get the word Apostle. So in other words we are being sent forth this year and every day of our lives to share Christ with others. And one way that we can do this is by taking on the title as a minister.

To many times today I think we associate the word minister with only men who are full time preachers and teachers of the gospel.

But a better understanding of this word would be that of a servant. Whether you are a man or woman you can be a great servant of God by ministering to the needs of others. Epaphroditus partnered with Paul by taking care of the needs that he had. Maybe it was by purchasing and preparing food for him, or making sure he had things to wear, errands to run task to perform. We don’t know what all Epaphroditus did for Paul but we know that he ministered to the needs of his fellow partner and friend.

There are going to be numerous opportunities to minister to the needs of others this year.

Maybe it is by being a friend to a new student at your school. Maybe it is standing up for someone who is being bullied. Maybe it is helping tutor someone with a particular subject. Maybe it’s, helping your teacher, maybe its, the list could go on and on.

This year let’s make sure that we take every opportunity to partner with Christ in order to minister to the needs of others and most importantly to share his great message of Salvation.

One final thought as I think of Epaphroditus as being an unstoppable partner in verse 17-19 Paul praises the Philippian church for the gifts that he received. He says that I now have enough for my present needs and more. I even I have some left over to meet future needs. Because of the great partnership between Epaphroditus and the church Paul’s needs were met, so much so that he refers to these gifts as an acceptable sacrifice that was pleasing to God.

This type of thanksgiving was the same terminology used to describe how God felt when his people offered sacrifices to him in the OT. The aroma or smoke of the offerings was said to have pleased God.

Today nothing pleases God more than when we sacrifice on his behalf or when we help further his cause.

This year I want to encourage you to make the commitment to do just that.

Sacrifices to God are only acceptable when they are the best that we have to offer.

This year let’s make a commitment to give our very best. When you are tired give your best. When you have had enough, give your best.

Paul gave the Philippian church the best complement possible by saying I know you gave your best because it was pleasing to God. May God say the same about our efforts this school year.

Conclusion:

Though little is said about Epaphroditus it is clear that he made a huge impact by ministering to Paul in many different ways. We have seen that in the fact that he wears many different names and because he gave his very bast when it came to serving God and others. This morning I want to leave you with one simple challenge.

I’m not asking you to commit to ministering to every single need that you see this school year but rather commit to ministering to one individual. Because Epaphroditus ministered to Paul it is evident that many more lives were able to be impacted. The same is possible today. If we will invest in the life of just one individual, God can then use them to impact countless others.

This year look for that one individual that maybe is new to your school, or struggling to fit in. Maybe there is one that is struggling in a particular subject that you excel in, invest in them. Whatever the need is find just one person that you can invest in. Be their friend, meet their need and then most importantly allow them to see Jesus.

Can you commit to this? I too am making this same commitment. I would encourage you that once you have identified your person help and minister to; share their name with other members. Ask them to be praying for you and for them.

By doing this we are able to be accountable to one another and are able to help encourage each other to be an Epaphroditus and to be successful in ministering to others.

This year all of us are going to have the opportunity to make a huge impact in the lives of others. No, you may not be a preacher or someone whom everyone knows but God is giving you an opportunity to partner with him and with all who will join him this year to make a lasting impact in the lives of others.

You don’t have to be a President, an inventor, or someone famous to make a life changing impact. Instead be a Rick Rescorla, be an Epaphroditus one who knows whose team he is on and one who doesn’t need recognition for the impact that they make because they know that one day they will be rewarded.

Matthew chapter 25 tells us about this day. On the Day of Judgment those who have gone unnoticed will finally get the recognition that they deserve. On this day even the smallest of task done for the cause of Christ will be recognized. Matthew 25:34-36.

Matthew 25:34–36 ESV

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’

This year let’s all partner together and be unstoppable in doing the work that God has called us to do, knowing that we will one day receive the recognition and reward for our labor.

By the end of this week, I believe all of our kids, teachers and staff will have started back to school. As I think about the upcoming school year, I want to challenge all those who will be going back to school to look for ways that you can make an impact in the lives of others in your school.

This morning I want to encourage you to believe that you can be unstoppable this school year. If all the kids, staff, teachers, parents, and members of this congregation partner with each other and more importantly partner with God, as we will see Epaphroditus do than we will be unstoppable with the impact that we can make in the lives of everyone who enters the doors to your school. This year you no matter your age can make a huge difference in the lives of others even if others don’t recognize it just like Epaphroditus.