Model Christian Influencers

1. Controlled by the Lordship of Christ

2. Concerned for the intrest of Christ

3. Connected to the body of Christ

4. Committed to the cause of Christ

Philippians 2:19–30 ESV

19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also. 25 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, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 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. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

With the creation of social media we now have a new industry called social media influencers. They are simply called influencers. They use different social platforms to influence people with clothing, beauty products and accessories, and really whatever company that wants to sponsor an influencer. The more followers you have the more opportunities you will have to gain sponsors and make money. The average influencer can make $2500-$5000 dollars a month.

Christianity has its own social media influencers as well. I did a search on Christian influencers and I found a list of the top 25 influencers on Instagram. This list had people like Tim Tebow, Tony Evans, T. D. Jakes, Steven Furtick, and of course Joel Olsten. Most everyone, if not everyone, was at least a millionaire. It’s amazing how a social media platform can have such influence on people. Most on the list were pretty positive influences, but there were a couple that I wonder are worthy Christian influencers.

This morning, in our study of Philippians, we are going to look at three servants of the Lord that I would say, are truly model Christian influences worthy of following their example.

In Philippians 2:19-30 we find what seems to be mundane material, much of what you would see in any normal letter written to a friend. Paul begins to share his plans of sending Timothy to visit the Philippians in the near future, and in the meantime, he sends Epaphroditus, who was from Philippi, back to the Philippian church, most likely carrying this letter that we are studying today.

This so called mundane section of scripture follows the great doctrinal truth about Christ in in verses six through eleven, how he emptied himself of his heavenly glory and took on the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men, and being found in human form he humbled himself by being obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. In response to his obedience, God highly exalted him and bestowed on Jesus the name that is above every name. He made Jesus Lord. This is the beautiful doctrine of the gospel.

It is tempting to think that verses nineteen through thirty have no doctrine in them, but that is far from the truth. The gospel consumed all of Paul’s life; therefore, even in the mundane plans we see doctrine being lived out. You see, believing a set of doctrine mean nothing of they don’t change your life. Your orthodoxy needs to be accompanied by your orthopraxy. Your belief and behavior should complement each other, not contradict.

When we look at verses nineteen through thirty, you will find that the mind of Christ and living like Christ are a part of Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus’s lives. They are influencers you want to immolate. They demonstrate what it means to be like Jesus.

What I want to do is look at this narrative and point out a few truths from previous verses being lived out in the lives of these three men. It’s important that we understand these truths, not only for our own walk with the Lord, but also because of what Paul says concerning men like Timothy and Epaphroditus, and I would add Paul himself, in verse twenty-nine, “Honor such men.” These are the men you want to influence you, man or woman, and these type of men and women are the ones we need to honor. The first truth is this: we need to honor and imitate people who are controlled by the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. Controlled by the Lord Jesus Christ

What does it mean to be controlled by Jesus Christ? Simply put it means that you submit to the Lordship of Christ in every area of your life. Let’s put this in the context of what Paul has already taught about Jesus being Lord.

In verse nine we have God the Father’s response to Christ’s obedience and death on the cross. He highly exalted him, and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus is Lord of all, and one day all creation will acknowledge his Lordship. We, who are born-again, have already confessed Jesus as Lord and believed in our hearts that God raised him from the dead. He’s not only Lord in our justification, but also our sanctification. We work out our sanctification by submitting to his Lordship constantly. Hence, we allow the Lord Jesus to control our lives.

All three men are controlled by the Lordship of Jesus, but I want to point it out more so with Paul’s example. Notice in verse nineteen what Paul says, “I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.” Now, notice verse twenty-four, “And I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.”

Paul plans and he does so with Christ in control, of his life. He understands that man plans, but Jesus determines the steps. Let me illustrate from a different angle. Paul is in a Roman Prison. Most likely, the emperor at the time is Nero. He is not sure if he will make it out of prison alive, but not one time does Paul say that Nero governs the destiny of his life. He didn’t say, I hope in Nero to send Timothy soon. He did not say, “I trust in Nero to come to you soon also.” In are Roman culture that declared Caesar is Lord, Paul says, “Jesus is Lord” and he determines my life, my future, my plans.

Paul is living out the Lordship of Jesus in his daily life, and so must we. We must allow every area of our lives to be consumed with the will of Jesus. That is modal Christianity. It is normal Christianity.

I know that it is easy to watch what is going on in our nation, and around the world, and become fearful. But let me encourage you. Jesus is Lord. He is in control. He is working out his plan. What is happening now is taking us to the consummated kingdom. Jesus is Lord. Here is the second truth: a normal Christian life is transparent about the struggles of life.

2. Clear about the struggles of life

Can we be honest? Many times we present the Christian life as struggle free, but it’s not. In fact, a struggle free Christian life is not a Christian life. We struggle with feelings, and behaviors because we are human. We often look at Paul’s life as a struggle free life because he’s this supernatural Christian, but he is clear and transparent in this passage about his own struggles.

The apostle who said, “be anxious for nothing,” also struggled with anxiety. We see it implied in verse nineteen. Paul wanted to know the condition of the Philippian church because he was anxious about their condition. We also see his anxiety in verse twenty-eight, “I am more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious.” Paul is real. He is transparent. He struggled just like you and me.

He also struggled with sorrow. Notice verse twenty-seven, “Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.” Epaphroditus almost died, but God spared him, and Paul.

We have feelings and attitudes and actions that we will struggle with as we work out our own salvation. Fortunately, God gives us the ability to work through them and overcome them by the Power of the Holy Spirit. Third truth is this: we need to honor and imitate Christians who show a concern for the interest of Christ.

3. Concerned for the interest of Christ

We see this truth illustrated with Timothy in verses twenty and twenty-one, “For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interest, not those of Jesus Christ.”

Do you remember what Paul said about keeping the unity of the community in verses three and four? He said, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interest but also the interest of others.”

Timothy was concerned about the welfare of others because he was concerned about the interest of Christ. He allowed Christ to control his life, not selfish ambition or conceit.

We see this played out in his relationship with Paul, and how he proved his worth in serving the gospel in verses twenty-two through twenty-three, “But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.” When you are concerned about the interest of Christ you are concerned about the gospel of Christ, which results in a concern about the interest and welfare of others. The fourth truth to immolate is this: We need to be connected to the body of Christ.

4. Connected to the body of Christ

Notice what Paul says about Epaphrodutus in verse twenty-five, “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.” You can’t read this verse and see the connectedness to the body of Christ.

Paul and Epaphroditus are connected. Paul and the Philippians are connected. Paul and timothy are connected to one another. Timothy and Paul are connected. Epaphroditus, Paul, and Timothy are connected. Ephaphroditus and the Philippians are connected. That’s what happens when you give your life to Christ. You become connected to the body of Christ, the family of God.

As believers, we are children of God, and part of the family of God. As a result we have the same mission and purpose of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, we do this together, as fellow workers, and fellow soldiers.

I had a friend that grew up overseas because his father was in the military. He wanted to be in the boy scouts so badly, but there was no troop near him overseas. He then found out about the Lone Scout Program. This gave young men the ability to become their own troop and participate in the program. Of course the only downfall was the fact that he was not connected to other scouts.

We are not called to be lone Christians, but connected Christians using our gifts to partner in furthering the gospel of Jesus Christ. Lastly, we need to emulate a commitment to the cause of Christ.

5. Committed to the cause of Christ

What is said about Epaphroditus in verses twenty-nine and thirty, can also be said of Paul and Timothy, “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.” He risked it all because he was committed to be controlled by the will of Christ, and committed to the cause of Christ.

These men were not just model Christian influencers. They were servant of Christ. All Christians are called to be servants of Christ. Christ didn’t come into the world to be served, but to serve, and that is what is expected of his followers.

What kind of influence are you?