A Mission-Minded Christian

The Bible’s Authenticity

You ever wonder what future historians will look back on our time and think of us? It’s gonna be interesting. When our descendants look back on our time, they will have more information about our time than they will have had in any era preceding us. Think about that. Most of our communication is captured in text messages and emails. What WON’T future historians have access to? What parts of our culture WON’T be analyzed by the thousands of blogs, news segments, opinion pieces, etc. that historians can look back on? It’s almost a sort of meta-history, because you know every aspect of our culture and history has already been analyzed… So future historians will be able to not only analyze our history, but analyze our own analysis of our history. Future history is going to be weird.

All of that aside, think about how we do history with the Bible. Do we do history with the Bible? I’m gonna challenge your bible reading today, because I think there are many of us who just want to read the Bible as a list of commands… Do’s and don’t’s. The reality is that the Bible is a collection of many different things. Sometimes you read a story. Sometimes you read a list. Sometimes you’re reading songs and poetry. And, like right now, we’re reading a letter. It has a very real context on the side of the author, Paul, and the recipients, the Philippians.

This bit about Epaphroditus is all we get about him. And yet, it’s a story of a faithful guy, probably just a normal, everyday Christian, trying to do right by the Lord. Someone who is a dear friend to Paul. Here’s a guy who takes the task of delivering a monetary gift from the church at Philippi to Paul himself, and while he’s going along the way, he gets deathly sick. Instead of stopping, and sending someone else in a foreign land, he chooses to push himself all the way to Rome so that he will make absolutely sure to deliver the care package Paul needs to make it in his imprisonment.

This is a guy that takes extreme ownership of the task that’s been given him. He had a deep sense of care for the mission.

Care for the Mission

Let’s take a look at verse 25.

Philippians 2:25 (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,

Paul lists five descriptions that this guy, Epaphroditus embodies. Again, this is likely an ordinary Christian, just seeking to do the next right thing.

The first three are how Epaphroditus relates to Paul. He is Paul’s brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier. This is Paul commending Epaphroditus for being so faithful and a good friend and help to him.

The last two relate to the Philippians. Their messenger and minister to Paul’s need.

Now, let’s take a look specifically at the last half of verse 30. I want to show you the pairing between verses 25 and 30.

Philippians 2:30 (ESV)

for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

There’s a connection between that last identifier: “minister to my need” and “Complete what was lacking…” Now, the language here seems kind of harsh, but that’s not quite the way Paul means when he says what he says. In reading a translation like the ESV, that’s what’s up here, it’s a very word-for-word literal translation. So you take each word in the Greek and find a corollary for it in English. When you do that, you get the plain sense of the text, but sometimes you miss the heart of what’s being said. Consider that Paul’s attitude toward the Philippians has not, to this point, been negative at all. It’s been quite positive! So we read it in light of that.

And then, history shows us that this phrase, “complete what was lacking...” Well, remember in Colossians…

Colossians 1:24 (ESV)

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,

Now, he uses this same type of language with Jesus… So he’s not speaking harshly to Jesus, here, I think we realize that. Same with the Philippians. So what DOES he mean?

Remember, Epaphroditus was sent on this mission on behalf of the Philippians. Meaning, the Philippians could not go themselves to Paul’s prison home. So that “completing what is lacking,” is merely like, “making the journey that you couldn’t make.” It’s a point Paul uses to emphasize Epaphroditus’ worth to the Philippians, especially as he gets deathly sick! Which we’ll return to here in a moment.

But in light of all this, what we need to notice about Epaphroditus’ service in this time is that care for the mission. Again, Epaphroditus was not a church leader or a missionary. He was a faithful guy willing to make the long trek from Philippi to Rome, even braving a deathly illness for the sake of getting Paul what he needed so that he could continue his mission.

Two things I want to point out about Epaphroditus’ trip to see Paul.

One, he cared first for Paul’s mission to spread the Kingdom of God. Even more than he treasured his own life, he treasured the Kingdom.

If you’re in our service today, and maybe you don’t believe in God, don’t believe in Heaven, I challenge you to ask yourself this question, and to do so honestly: what in my life is worth giving my life for?I think many would be tempted to say something along the lines of friends and family, and that’s noble. But, think, is there anything eternal for which I can trade my life? Something that will not only outlast me, but stretch into the unending future?

Two, Epaphroditus saw a need in his church and he filled it. We don’t exactly know what it looked like. Maybe they had a business meeting or something and Epaphroditus said he’d go, or maybe he was elected. Who knows. But he owned the responsibility and he pressed forward. Even in the face of death, he valued the mission. It wasn’t about him or his glory. It was about the mission.

I can point to many in our church who give so much for the mission of Christ. Making Him known, taking hold of the mantel and pressing forward. Whether it’s serving in children’s ministry, or making coffee, teaching Sunday school, whatever it is… Your service is not useless to God. Your efforts are not in vain.

Seek to do those things with a heart like Epaphroditus… “God has chosen me… I will go.”

You see more of Epaphroditus’ heart in vv. 26-28 , specifically his care for others.

Care for Others

Philippians 2:26–28 (ESV)

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.

Likely Epaphroditus concerned because the Philippians had not heard how he was faring with that sickness. They probably just heard THAT he was very ill, and not that he had recovered.

This is something that’s lost on us, in large part, today, because of the speed of communication these days.

Another thing that we take for granted is the fact that Epaphroditus was DEATHLY ill. Here’s the thing about being deathly ill in those days without medicines and healthcare… You don’t make it out alive. We take this for granted today in our world.

That’s why Paul says “God had mercy on him.” He’s pointing to God directly intervening in Epaphroditus’ life and saving him from this sickness that had him so near to death.

Now… That in mind, look at this element in this passage… “he has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.” Two things Epaphroditus did while deathly ill… One, he gutted it out on his way to Paul. Second, he was concerned for his home church, because he knew they were likely in anxiety over him, too.

Epaphroditus displayed an immense level of care for others. He cared for Paul, and he cared for his church. His example to us is one of caring for those around us. Much like what we saw in Timothy two weeks ago.

Epaphroditus’ care for others was rooted in his care for God’s people. These were his brothers and sisters in Christ. And he knew what hinged upon his survival… Their encouragement in their faith. This was enough for Epaphroditus to be distressed. He wouldn’t want them to lose heart in their faith on his account! Especially when he had completed his mission to take support to Paul.

Honor Those Who Honor Christ

Philippians 2:29–30 (ESV)

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.

But the main point of what Paul is putting forth here, is this command to honor one such as Epaphroditus. And I think this has a lot to say to us in our church culture. This normal guy gave his all for the mission of Christ. He’s your average guy, seeking to make a difference. He’s not a pastor. He’s not a missionary. He has no notoriety. He’s just faithful.

There’s a lot more to be said about just being faithful than we give credit for. Indeed, the faithfulness of everyday Christians is a miracle. Think about who you were without Christ, and now think of who you are in Christ! That’s a miracle. Why is it miraculous? Because it is of God. It is not achievable through natural means. We are new creations.

And what Paul is saying is, “look. Guys like Epaphroditus? Emulate him. Honor him. And honor those like him.”

Why? Because this lifestyle is the life God is calling each of us into. A life of honoring the Christ who has saved us.

Right now, we have brothers and sisters in Christ in all parts of the world. Normal Christians, living in dire circumstances. You’ve heard a lot about Afghanistan lately, and it’s a big political to-do, so therefore it’s kind of touchy to talk about it. But listen… You’ve got brothers and sisters suffering… dying under this Taliban regime. Who knows how many countless stories of obedience unto death that we will not hear about? Extreme faithfulness of ordinary Christians.

And you know what? I want to just throw something out there that maybe we haven’t considered before. Maybe the persecuted church has something to teach the Western church. Maybe we stand to learn something from these saints whose faith puts their very lives in jeopardy.

See, we get all caught up in a fervor over a vaccine and think our religious liberty is being offended. These folks are being killed. For believing in Christ. For rejecting Islam. I’m not saying we don’t have issues of religious liberty in our context. We do. But those fade very far into the background when you consider the immense pressure put on Afghan Christians and other persecuted brothers and sisters around the world.

I think that, truthfully, we dishonor Christians overseas who give their lives for Christ when we fail to pray for them. I think we fail to honor them when we pity them. I think we fail to honor our brothers and sisters in Christ in these things… And the truth is, they are the last who shall be first in the Kingdom of Heaven.

We’re going to do something different during our invitation today. We’re going to pray for the persecuted Christians in Afghanistan. I’m going to give you things to pray over, and we’ll have a few moments of silence to pray over each one.

Let’s get our hearts right before the Lord and start with how great He is. Pray to God and give Him thanks for your salvation and the salvation of your brothers and sisters in Afghanistan.

Now, let’s confess to God for a moment. Confess the areas of your life in which you have not cared enough for these believers, or maybe even looked down on these believers.

Let’s intercede for our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan. Pray for their faith to remain firm in persecution.

Pray for those who are trying to escape, that they would be given free passage.

Finally, pray for their witness to be fruitful among the Afghan peoples.

If you’d like to talk about faith or hear more about trusting in Jesus, I would love to speak with you about that this morning. Just find me after the service.