LIVING FOR MORE THAN YOURSELF

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PHILIPPIANS 2:18-30 Timothy & Epaphroditus

• Thank you to everyone who served on GOOD FRIDAY & EASTER

[REVIEW]

• 1:1 – 1:26 → Introduction

• Main Body → begins at 1:27

Philippians 1:27 ESV

27 Only let your manner of life be worthy[h] of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

• This entire letter is an exhortation to the Philippians.

• “...let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel…”

Philippians 2:3 ESV

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

• Who is our ultimate example of the WORTHY LIFE?

• Jesus

Philippians 2:6-8 ESV

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,[b] 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,[c] being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

• Last time, Paul encouraged them to:

• ‘...Continue to work out their salvation with fear and trembling…’

• Continue to live out your salvation

• Don’t grumble

• Hold fast to the word of life

• Shine like lights

• Today, Paul will give us 2 examples of the WORTHY LIFE

[SCRIPTURE READING]

Philippians 2:17-30 ESV

17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

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[d] proven worth, how as a son[e] 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[f] for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

[SERMON]

Philippians 2:17-18 ESV

17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

• Paul is glad.

• He is rejoicing!

• And he wants the Philippians to be glad.

• And to know this JOY for themselves as he does.

• To pour out their lives like Jesus.

• In UNITY

• Rooted in HUMILITY.

• Filled with JOY.

• Philippians is a letter of JOY

• Paul uses the words “JOY” and “REJOICE” and “REJOICING”

• Do you remember the Philippian jailer from Acts 16?

Acts 16:32-33 ESV

32 And they [Paul & Silas] spoke the word of the Lord to him [the jailer] and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 

Acts 16:34 ESV

34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. 

And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

• Are you experiencing JOY like this?

Philippians 2:19-18 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. 

• I hope that…Jesus will allow me to send Timothy to you soon.

• Why?

• Paul is concerned about their current spiritual state.

• Especially in the midst of persecution & the hardship of cultural rejection.

• Are they spiritually thriving? Healthy? Unified?

• Do they have JOY?

Philippians 2:20 ESV

20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 

• Timothy has persevered with Paul 

• He is genuinely concerned about the spiritual well-being of the Philippians.

Philippians 2:20-21 ESV

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. 

• Who are the ‘all’ that Paul is referring to?

• The same people that Paul mentioned in Chapter 1…

Philippians 1:15-17 ESV

15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.

Philippians 2:21 ESV

21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 

• How condemning!

• They are doing ministry out of selfish ambition

• It’s not about Jesus.

• It’s all about them

Philippians 2:22 ESV

22 But you know Timothy's[d] proven worth, how as a son[e] with a father he has served with me in the gospel. 

• ‘Proven worth’

• Refers to the process of testing (by fire)

• This is the same word used in Romans 5.

Romans 5:3-4 ESV

3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

• Proven character

• Proven worth

Philippians 2:22 ESV

22 But you know Timothy's[d] proven worth, how as a son[e] with a father he has served with me in the gospel. 

• Timothy is like a son to Paul

• Timothy has endured many hardships with Paul

Philippians 2:23-24 ESV

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.

• Paul seems fairly confident that he is going to be released

• But he doesn’t know the timeline

Philippians 2:25 ESV

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, 

• Who is Epaphroditus?

• Name comes from a moniker of the Greek goddess, Aphrodite.

• Widely worshiped in Roman empire

• Epaphroditus was most likely a converted pagan

• We don’t know much about him 

• Paul describes Epaphroditus in 5 ways:

  • My Brother

  • My Coworker

  • My Fellow soldier

  • A messenger sent by the Philippians

  • A minister of the Philippians to Paul’s needs

• Epaphroditus co-labored with Paul effectively for the advancement of the gospel

• So why does Paul send him back to the Philippians?

Philippians 2:26-27 ESV

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. 

• Epaphroditus has been longing for all of the Philippian church

• Paul uses the same verb back in chapter 1:

Philippians 1:8 ESV

8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

• Not only has Epaphroditus been longing to see them again…

• But, he also wants to comfort them with his physical presence.

Philippians 2:27 ESV

 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. 

• God is the one who healed Epaphroditus

• God is the one who showed mercy

Philippians 2:28-30 ESV

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[f] for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

• Paul sent Epaphroditus back to the Philippians as soon as possible

Philippians 2:28 ESV

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.

• Paul was experiencing anxiety as well

• Paul wants his friend to get back home healthy & safe

Philippians 2:29-30 ESV

29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died[f] for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

• Lots of JOY

Philippians 2:29-30 ESV

29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died[f] for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

• Honor such men

• Why?

• Why was he a leader worth honoring?

• Paul is calling the Philippians to a countercultural mindset

• Epaphroditus was a leader worth following because he had suffered.

• He had suffered for the sake of the gospel

• Timothy & Epaphroditus serve as human examples of selfless, sacrificial service

• This is Life with Jesus

• This is the invitation.

Philippians 2:5-11 ESV

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,[a] 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,[b] 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,[c] being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.