Another Way of Pointing Us to Christ

If you’re a new or returning visitor with us, I’d like to express (again) that I’m thankful that you could join us for worship this morning. Over the past several weeks, we’ve been working through a part of the Bible called Philippians. We’ve been seeing that the book of Philippians was written by a servant of Christ named Paul. And he wrote this letter to a church he had helped to start in a Greek city called Philippi. This letter has shown us that Paul’s been encouraged to see the Philippian’s commitment to the gospel, and to hear about their faith. But he continues to be concerned for their spiritual well-being. He has seen evidence that some of the Philippians have been in conflict with each other, insisting on getting their own way. So he’s been reminding them about Christ. He’s been urging them to live in a manner that’s consistent with the good news of Christ they’ve received. He’s been teaching them to embrace humility and service, and to practice the love of Christ. He’s been warning them against selfish ambition and grumbling, and he’s been modeling for them what it means to be living in light of the day of Christ. Today in our text, Paul is getting ready now to send two men to the church in Philippi: Timothy and Epaphroditus.

Throughout this letter, Paul has been bringing the Philippians back to look to Christ, again and again, to have Jesus on their minds, governing their desires and their decisions. Paul has done this in a variety of ways, and in our text this morning, we’ll see another approach that Paul takes to point the Philippians to Christ, for their progress and joy in the faith. So if you have a Bible nearby, please turn with me to the book of Philippians. I’ll be reading from Philippians, Chapter 2, verses 19 through 30. But before I read our text this morning, please pray with me:

[Pray and Read Text]

Real-Life Ministry: Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus

Sometimes when we read the Bible, we can miss that the people we read about were real, flesh-and-blood people. This man, Paul, here, who wrote this letter – he had two hands, two ears, and a nose, like all the rest of us. To keep up his strength, he had to sit down and eat meals. He had to lie down to rest each night. He was subject to the same physical struggles and limitations that we deal with – sickness, backaches, weakness – he knew what all those things were. He wrestled with discouragement, and yearned for someone to cheer him, as verse 19 suggests. Verse 24 indicates he had uncertainty about his future, that he had to fight to trust God with. Verse 27 reminds us that Paul was vulnerable to sorrow. And verse 28 acknowledges that Paul knew what it meant to experience anxiety.

All this to say, Paul was a real human being, with a real personality, and a real place in history.

And I want to emphasize this, for one thing, because the text draws attention to it. Paul uniquely emphasizes his personal emotions and humanness in this part of the letter. But also I want to emphasize that by expressing his humanness, Paul is showing his awareness that the people he’s writing to are likewise, embodied human beings.

And when it comes to caring for these people, body and soul, Paul wants to bring the truth of Christ to them in as many ways that he can. Yes, he recognizes that this letter will be profoundly useful. After all, it’s breathed out by God, given through Paul for the good of the Church – of course it’s going to be helpful. But in addition to this letter, Paul also wants to send real, physical people who can display the humility and love he’s been teaching about. He doesn’t just want these things to be read about or heard about. But Paul wants the Philippians to be able to see and experience what Christlikeness is, through the example of faithful Christians – Christians like Timothy and Epaphroditus.

So even though Paul is no longer living under house arrest in Rome today, and even though there are no plans in the works for Timothy or Epaphroditus to be sent to our doorsteps, don’t think for a moment that this passage is irrelevant for us. Paul is underscoring the importance of life-on-life ministry. It’s important for God’s people not just to read about Christ in letters or books, or to watch people teach about Christ on big screen TVs or the internet – but for the health of the Church, it’s important for us to be in relationships where we’re seeing the Christian life lived out, physically and tangibly. We need people to show us the love of Jesus, to help us be all the more convinced of its realness. We need accountability and real-time advice and people in our lives. We need role models.

This is why Paul sends these two men. It’s clear from this letter that there are certain things that Paul wants the Philippians to take notice of – certain things he wants them to see in them, and to learn from. Specifically, Paul wants the Philippians to more clearly see Christ.

So in our text this morning, I want to point out three ways that the good news and glory of Christ is visibly shown through Paul sending Timothy and Epaphroditus to the Philippians. We’ll see this in how Timothy serves, in how Paul sends, and in how Epaphroditus sacrifices. And then at the end, I want to unpack some practical implications for you and me, as Christians – what it means for us to be showing Christ to one another. So these will be my four points as we work through the text: Timothy serves, Paul sends, Epaphroditus sacrificies, and Implications for the Church.

Timothy Serves

So first, Timothy serves.

You may remember, this isn’t the first time that Timothy has been mentioned in this letter. Back in Chapter 1, verse 1, Paul has already introduced Timothy as a co-sender of this letter. From the very beginning of this letter, Paul is strongly commending Timothy to the Philippians, as someone they should respect and listen to.

But even apart from this letter, the Philippians already knew who Timothy was. In Acts Chapter 16, on Paul’s second missionary journey, he invites a disciple of Christ named Timothy to join him, and to assist in planting churches. And just a few verses later, Paul and his small band of brothers, including Timothy, travel to Philippi, where they preach and gather together the church. So many of the Philippian Christian would have known who Timothy was.

And now, in our text, in verse 19, Paul tells the Philippians that Timothy is going to make the journey back to them. And in verse 20, he describes Timothy’s character as part of his explanation for why he’s sending him back: “For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.”

Notice a few things here. Paul isn’t just sending Timothy to be a messenger, to gather information about the Philippian church, and to bring it back to him. Instead, Paul is also sending Timothy to care for the Philippians, as one who is “genuinely concerned for their welfare.” And Paul recognizes that the main reason why Timothy will be genuinely concerned for them isn’t just because Timothy has nostalgic feelings about Philippi, but because of Timothy’s commitment to seeking the interests of Christ.

Because, remember, Paul describes people who are unlike Timothy in verse 21, saying, “they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.” Timothy, on the other hand, does not seek his own interests. Instead, it’s understood that he’s seeking the interests of Christ. But what are the interests of Christ in this case?

Well, we’re supposed to understand that Christ’s interests – what Jesus Christ is wanting to see happen, from where he sits, enthroned in glory, is he wants to see His Church being taught in truth, and led in love, and helped in holiness. And so that’s what Timothy is passionate about, too. He’s genuinely concerned about the Philippians, because Christ is genuinely concerned about them. In Timothy’s actions, Paul wants us to recognize that we aren’t just seeing the interests of Timothy. We’re seeing the interests of Christ, embodied. This is what servants and ministers in the church are called to. Timothy’s conduct here is unmistakably a reflection of Christ.

And Paul knew that the Philippian church needed to learn from Timothy’s example – they needed to see Christlikeness in action. Because you may remember, early in Chapter 2, verse 4, Paul had already commanded the Philippians, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” The Philippians were being motivated by self-interest. They were competing. They were arguing. They were in danger of dividing the church.

So Paul sends Timothy. He wants the Philippians to have a coach and mentor who can show them a better way. Paul wants the Philippians to see what Christ wants for his church. Progress and joy. Selfless service instead of selfish ambition. Humility instead of conceit. Gratitude instead of grumbling. Devotion instead of disputing. Timothy’s priorities are Christ’s priorities. Timothy’s desires are Christ’s desires. Timothy’s love is Christ’s love.

As the Philippians watch Timothy, Paul anticipates that they won’t just be seeing Timothy’s weaknesses and failings – although from time to time, I’m sure Timothy struggled. But Paul anticipates that the Church will see, from Timothy’s life, the realness of Christ’s pastoral concern and care for His Church.

Paul Sends

So Paul sends Timothy. And in Paul’s sending of Timothy, we see another picture of the Christian good news at work, which brings me to my second point, Paul sends.

Now, there’s an extent to which Paul’s sending of Timothy is, again, a simple reflection of Christlike love and concern for the well-being of the church. In verse 19, Paul says he intends to send Timothy so that I too may be cheered by news of you.” Paul is demonstrating here that he really cares about the well-being of the Philippians. He’s on the edge of his seat, leaning forward in his chair, eager to hear about what’s going on among his beloved brothers and sisters. Their pain brings him sorrow. Their progress brings him joy. He yearns for them all with the affection that is in Christ Jesus, as he said in Chapter 1, verse 8. The fact that he wants updates from them, and he’s involved in encouraging them and praying for them – this is visible, tangible evidence of his love. And making our love tangible and visible is important.

Imagine you’re a teenager, and you’re out driving one day to run an errand, and suddenly your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere – in Amish country or something – where there are no telephones, and your cell phone battery is dead. And while you’re sitting there in your car, a terrible thunderstorm suddenly breaks loose, and several tornadoes go through the area – and finally, after several hours, the storm stops. A friendly Amish farmer is willing to give you his bike, and so you jump on the bike and get home shortly after 2 AM.

And then imagine, after you’re ringing the doorbell and knocking – because you’ve been locked out, your parents finally come to the door, and they say, “Oh, Hi!” and then they turn around to go back to bed. Wouldn’t you kind of feel like asking, “Didn’t you miss me? Weren’t you concerned to hear news about me?” Because that’s what we’d expect from parents who love their children! This sort of concern – this sort of interest in the lives and hearts of other people – is an important expression of love. And Paul’s sending of Timothy is a picture of Christ’s ongoing concern for the welfare of his people.

But notice also how Paul describes his close relationship to Timothy in verse 22: “But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.” Now, at one level, Paul’s simply saying here that Timothy has been faithfully following in Paul’s footsteps. Timothy, you might say, has taken over the family enterprise, and he’s going to provide the same quality of service as his father in the faith, Paul. But at another level, we need to understand that Paul is expressing his deep love for Timothy. In Paul’s first and second letters to Timothy, he greets him as his true child in the faith.

So as we think of Paul sending Timothy to the Philippian church, we’re able to catch a glimpse of the love that God the Father has for sinners like us, by sending us his own, dearly-beloved Son. Remember, Paul makes it clear that he doesn’t view Timothy as an average, run-of-the-mill servant of the church. Instead, when Paul describes Timothy, he says, “I have no one like him.” Of all the people Paul could have chosen to send to the Philippians, he has decided to send the best of the best. The Philippians needed some roadside assistance, and he gave them a NASCAR pit crew. The Philippians needed a personal tutor, and he gave them Einstein. Our Father in heaven saw that we needed salvation, and he sent us the best of the best. God the Father presents Jesus Christ to us in the Scriptures, and he insists, I have no one like him.

So when Paul sent Timothy to the Philippian Church, it was a beautiful reflection of the good news message that’s at the very heart of Biblical Christianity. John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” Paul doesn’t just speak the gospel, but he lives it – he tangibly demonstrates it by sending His precious son for the good of the Church.

Epaphroditus Sacrifices

But there’s one more person mentioned in the text whose life reflects the good news of Christ. We see here that Epaphroditus sacrifices himself in a way that resembles the self-sacrificial work of Christ. This is my third point – Epaphroditus sacrifices.

Even though Paul mentions Timothy first in this letter, Epaphroditus is actually the person that Paul is sending back first to the Philippian church. In fact, Epaphroditus was almost definitely the one who carried this letter to Philippi on Paul’s behalf.

If you read verses 25 through 30 carefully, you’ll probably pick up on the fact that Epaphroditus originally came to Paul from Philippi. It seems that he was carrying some sort of gift for Paul from the Philippians, as an expression of their love and support for him. But along the way, Epaphroditus became severely ill, and by the time he arrived at Rome, he was on brink of death. Somehow, while Epaphroditus was still recovering, word got back to the Philippians that his life was in serious danger. And so Paul also wants to send Epaphroditus back because he expects that it will encourage the Philippians in a few different ways.

For one thing, he wants the Philippians to really know that Epaphroditus has recovered, and there’s no need for further concern. Second, Paul wants to reunite Epaphroditus to his beloved family and friends in the church so that (as verse 28 says) they may rejoice at seeing him again. But Paul also wants to encourage the Philippians to highly value and respect Epaphroditus’s willingness to pursue obedience and service, even to the point of death. Paul says, in verse 29, “So receive him in the Lord, and honor such men” – why? Verse 30 “For he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.”

The humble obedience, even to the brink of death, serves as a picture of the humble obedience of Christ. As we saw a few weeks ago in Chapter 2, verse 7 – Christ “…humbled himself by taking the form of a servant” and later, in verse 8, “he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death.” When describing how both Christ and Epaphroditus came to the point of death, the same Greek phrase is used in both cases. Paul wants Epaphroditus – his attitude and actions of self-sacrifice – to be placed before Philippians, again. He wants them to be reminded of what the mind of Christ looks like, in real, ordinary, day-to-day life, by watching a real, ordinary, day-to-day person.

And part of this is almost certainly because Paul wants the Philippians to understand that this attitude of Christlikeness is something that’s actually attainable. Because there’s a temptation, isn’t there, to say “Well, that was Jesus. Sure, I would expect Jesus to be a selfless, suffering servant. But I could never do that. It’s not reasonable to expect than an ordinary person like me would be that obedient, or that humble.”

But this excuse isn’t possible for the Philippians. Because here’s normal Mr. Epaphroditus – one of their neighbors, one of them. And yet this seemingly ordinary guy walked in Jesus’s footsteps. He risked his life – he was willing to pay the ultimate cost, in order to carry out his commission as an obedient servant of God. And Paul tells the Philippians at the end of verse 29, honor such men. Paul doesn’t imagine that Epaphroditus is the only person who will ever succeed in living a life of self-sacrifice. Instead, this is to be a repeated pattern in the church. Over the years, we should expect to see other Epaphrodituses – other humble messengers and ministers, who will teach us the same lesson in selfless obedience.

And make note of this – we should be sure to honor such people. There can be a temptation to look at people who are passionate and earnest about following Jesus, and to treat those people like they’re too extreme – almost as though there’s something wrong with them. But Paul says that laying ourselves down for Jesus – it shouldn’t be weird among us. It should be honored!

And I think it’s assumed here that we should all strive to be honorable, ourselves, by following this example. The greatest Hero in the church shouldn’t be the greatest musician, or the most inspiring preacher, or the smartest theologian. Instead, Paul says that the person to be most honored is the person who has been most humble. The someone to be celebrated is the one who’s a self-sacrificing servant. The one who is most glorious is the one who most clearly shows us the glory of Christ.

Implications for the Church

And in light of these things, I just want to leave you with a couple more implications that a passage like this has for the church. This is my fourth and final point, Implications for the Church.

The first implication for us is that embodied, in-person ministry matters. Paul doesn’t just send this letter, to explain how these two men reflect Christ – but Paul sends these two men in person. He appreciates that people are both soul and body. And He wants God’s Word to be brought to us in ways that correspond to our humanness. As Paul seeks to care for the Philippians, he gives them God’s Word documented, in his letter. And he also gives them God’s Word demonstrated, as it’s being lived out by Timothy and Epaphroditus. Paul recognizes that both are important parts of ministry.

God himself, ministers to us in our humanness in a similar way. God intends for us to have his word documented, through the words of Scripture. And God has given us his word demonstrated in human flesh. John 1:14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” God ministers to us as embodied souls, in the context of our humanness.

And even now, even though Christ himself has ascended into heaven, God has called his people to gather together, in the church, in order to live out the gospel in an embodied way. And he hasn’t just given His Word, the Bible. But he’s given the church preachers and teachers, Timothys and Epaphrodituses, elders and deacons, brothers and sisters. He’s given us mentors, and friends, and young ones in the church to be bonded and connected to, to have as a community, as family. And this is intentional on God’s part. As people who are both physical and spiritual beings, God cares for us, both physically and spiritually, through his ministers and through the life of the whole church. Embodied, in-person ministry matters.

It’s all too common for people today to say, “I have the Bible. I have Jesus in my heart. That’s it. That’s all I need. And that’s really all I want. I’m going to go follow Jesus on my own.” But this isn’t the attitude we see in the Bible. Paul understood that the Christian life isn’t something we do alone, without pastors or elders keeping watch on our souls, without accountability from brothers and sisters, without any responsibility to love or serve others in the Church. Instead, Christian living includes life-on-life involvement. Our faith isn’t just intended to be something inward or theoretical – but it’s something that God wants us to live out actively, physically, in community. It’s for our good. Livestreaming a worship service – having some preach at you from miles and miles away – it isn’t the same thing. Many of you know firsthand, from your personal history, that drifting away from the embodied ministry of the church is spiritually harmful. So don’t be indifferent to this. It matters.

But there’s a second implication for the Church here. Because of how important it is for people to see Christlikeness lived out, we should strive to display Christ to one another. Whenever we interact with people, we’re going to be displaying something – some sort of attitude. So you need to choose. Will you be a billboard that brightly displays the character and kindness of Jesus, or will you be promoting something else?

I’ve been encouraged by the ways many of you have already been active in this: volunteering your time and resources to make food for people in need, opening your home in hospitality, ways that you’re teaching your children (and the children of others) about the Bible, setting aside time to pray for each other, having compassion on people who are lost and without a shepherd, and pursuing them – these are all things that show Christ! And they all involve a laying down of yourself for the good of others – it’s a way of living out the realness of the gospel. And as we have opportunity, let’s do this more and more. We shouldn’t expect that we’ll ever reflect the goodness and glory of Christ completely. But by the grace of God, we can do it truly. So shine for Christ this week. Let’s pray: