Who is God sending you to?

What sets Timothy apart?

His genuine care for others

Paul speaks of Timothy as someone who is not worried about himself. He isn’t going to Philippi for a vacation, he isn’t going there to show how important he is, he isn’t going there for money. He goes there so that he can be an encouragement to these Christians.

Do any of you have grandparents that live far away? Have you ever gone to see them?

When I was younger I had a great grandmother who was still alive. And she lived in West Virginia, like 10 hours from where my family lived. And she lived in this old house, she had an old dog, and nothing at her house was really interesting. In fact, all me and my siblings really wanted to do when we visited her was watch TV. Because that’s how we all feel right? Our grandparents seem boring, they seem weird, and we would rather be at home. The only reason you go and visit them is not for your own benefit. Your parents want you to go and see them not for your own benefit but for those who care about you and love you, it is so that you may bring joy to the life of your grandparent. What is important is your attitude, you can have an attitude that just sulks and acts like “I don’t want to be here” OR you can be there so that you may serve someone else.

Timothy’s goal is that he may help to unify the church that he goes to visit because he cares about them and he wants them to grow as a church. He doesn’t say “why can’t they get the act together, is it even worth me going?” He doesn’t say “honestly I’m just done with them” or “they are just toxic at this point so they can deal with their own problems” but rather he has genuine care for them.

His devotion to service for Christ

Paul says that everyone seeks their own interests, but those of Christ are to live for Christ. There is a noticeable difference between the attitude of believers and the attitude of unbelievers. I think many of your friends and many of your generation care about things like those who are inequality, about those in need, and making sure that the right thing happens. But often what comes with that is an anger or hatred towards others with different opinions, there can be the thought that you have a moral high ground because other people “don’t see it” they are “blind” to the issues going on. But as believers we are to have grace and kindness in our words, and we are called to genuinely care about others interests. What do you think it means to “genuinely care”?

He was okay with not getting the credit

Notice that timothy served alongside Paul like a son. He was like a messenger for Paul’s ministry. Timothy is moving with Paul where people are listening to him, asking for advice, and he is preaching the Gospel. And Timothy is serving with him, but everyone is seeking Paul not Timothy. But Timothy is okay if he isn’t getting credit, because he is called to serve the Lord not his own interests. In the same way Paul singles out Timothy as someone he is thankful for, he makes sure that Timothy knows that he is valued and appreciated.

What sets Epaphroditus apart?

He was there when he was needed

He went to be with Paul so that he could help Paul

He saw himself as a minister to Paul’s needs. He actively thought about how he could care for Paul as well as others who were in need.

Some people need just that, they just need someone who can be there, who can

Do any of you have a dog? What is the best thing about a dog? They always make you happy, and they are never in a bad mood. All they want to do is be there for you and have fun. When you are sad they make you happy, when you are tired they are just there with you, when you need company they help you not feel alone. As Christians we want to do many of these as well. We encourage others, we are there when they need a friend, we spend time with them when they are lonely, we show them the worth that God has given them.

He labored as a soldier and worker for Christ

Epaphroditus had become sick, he was not doing well and nearly died but to him it was worth it for the ministry that he was called to. Even in a time where it would be easy to say “I have to look out for myself I just don’t have the energy to do this” he was still caring for Paul.

And you know what he was worried about when he was sick? How the church in Phillipi would feel! He was more worried about how they would respond to him being sick then about being sick. He didn’t want them to worry about him.

Who do you show honour?

Oftentimes the people that we honor are those people that are easy to show honor to. The people that are fun, that do mischievous things, those who are popular. But oftentimes the people who are helpful and try to care for us in life we think are weird, or we ignore or we don’t so thank you to for helping us. It is like if you have a best friend or a husband or wife. oftentimes you ignore the good things that they do because you take it for granted. But those are the people that we should be thanking for how they care for us.

Who in your life needs someone to be there for them? Who needs encouragement? It might even be your parents.