Take your Bibles, if you will, and open them to the book of Philippians.
Philippians chapter 2 is where we're going to take our study from this morning.
I wanted to make mention uh for your awareness that the Memphis School of Preaching has their ongoing spiritual training, their MOST program that is available on Thursdays.
You do not have to be a full-time enrolled student in order to take these classes.
They're free to all.
You can also take them online.
uh But I was going to invite anyone who may be interested.
uh
from September 11th through December 11th, myself and James and Isaiah, Isaiah's just finding out about this, so he may look confused, uh are going to be taking Scott Cain's
class uh at 11 a.m.
on Thursday mornings, and I'd invite anyone else who might be interested to join us uh for that class, so that'd be at the Memphis School of Preaching Thursday morning at 11 till
about, I think it goes till about 1.45, they have a lunch break in there.
uh
but we'd invite you to join us if you would like to do that.
There's also a class by Dan Cates later in the afternoon and an evening class by Brother Keith Mosher in the evening on Thursdays.
So it's just one day a week.
But if you'd like to participate in that, certainly uh love for you to join us.
Paul in the Book of Philippians is writing from a Roman prison.
He is writing to a congregation that had supported him
had loved him and whom he had loved.
They had been generous in their support as Paul left the church at Philippi to go throughout the region and throughout other regions teaching and preaching the gospel.
And they were those who, as a congregation, had seen opportunities to aid Paul and then had seen where they had no opportunity to aid Paul.
But Paul is writing to them as that opportunity to support him financially had flourished once again.
And he is writing to them because they have sent one Epaphroditus to him, to Paul in Rome with that gift, with that support.
And he has received it and he is sending a letter back to this congregation.
But as Paul writes to the church at Philippi, he writes to these Christians to encourage them, to tell them of his situation, but also to write to them concerning the fact that he
was going to send Timothy and Epaphroditus back to them.
But it is in this text, beginning in verse 19 of chapter 2, where Paul writes about Timothy and he writes about Epaphroditus, and we see here two examples of dedicated
Christian living.
So this morning what I want us to do is notice here in the end of this text these examples as Paul writes about the life of Timothy and the life of Epaphroditus and see these
dedicated examples.
of what it looks like to live the Christian life.
So we open the text in Philippians chapter 2.
We notice in verse 19, Paul writes, But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state.
Paul is going to tell the church at Philippi, I am going to shortly be sending Timothy to you.
and he's going to be coming so that I can be told how you're doing, so that I can be encouraged about your state in Christ.
But as you notice, here in this text, Paul's going to say something about Timothy, about his character and about his Christianity.
For he says in verse 20, for I have no one like-minded who will sincerely care for your sake.
For all seek their own and not the things which are of Christ Jesus.
Paul sets
an example here in the life of Timothy.
Paul describes the character of Timothy, and the reason why he's sending Timothy to the church at Philippi is because Timothy, and he knows this about this young man, as he sends
Timothy to the church, he knows that Timothy will care for the church the way he does.
He says that I know of him that he will care for your state.
because he's like-minded with me.
Paul describes Timothy as one who shares his care, his concern, his thoughts and effort in regard to helping the local churches.
If you turn over to 2 Timothy chapter 3.
Paul will write concerning Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 10, but you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love,
perseverance, persecutions, afflictions which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, what persecutions I endured and out of them all the Lord delivered me.
Paul tells Timothy, you were present, you observed it, and you were part of it.
You followed me in these things.
You were one who saw how I lived, you saw how I acted, you saw what I taught, and you have lived out that example.
So Paul says to the church at Philippi, I'm sending Timothy to you because I know of no one
who is as like-minded in me in his care and love and concern for the local church than this." And we're taught by that.
We're taught that we as Christians ought to show care and concern for the state of the body of Christ.
For the local congregation, not just for the church,
globally, not just for the church at large, and not just for individual Christians, but for the health of the body of Christ in a local congregation.
It's part of the care and the concern that we are to show if we are to be like-minded with Paul and with Timothy.
But in order for the local congregation to be healthy, in order for that care to be exhibited, it's not just an expression of love, it's not just an expression of emotion,
it's not just uh asking how are you doing and making sure that you're doing well, it involves teaching and upholding the doctrine of Christ.
Paul never separated his care and his concern about their physical state from his care and his concern about their spiritual state.
For if a congregation has given up on the doctrine of Christ, doesn't matter how wealthy or healthy they are.
If you turn over to Revelation chapter 3, you will find John writing to the church at Laodicea, uh a city and most likely a congregation that was well off.
They were a prosperous city.
They had products that they exported and they were well known for, and yet,
John will emphasize, as Christ emphasizes it through the Spirit, through John, to the church that in actuality they were poor and naked and destitute and sickly and blind
because they were spiritually poor and naked and destitute and blind.
You see, it didn't matter how financially well off they were because spiritually they were dying.
Paul will point out that Timothy was one who shared his care for the church, both in their physical state and in their spiritual state and the doctrine which they taught.
If you turn over to 1 Corinthians chapter 4.
Paul will state a similar thing about Timothy.
see again, even earlier on in Timothy's life, this character lived out.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 17, this reason, I have sent Timothy to you, this time to the Corinthians, who is my beloved and faithful son in the LORD, who
will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.
Paul was concerned and thought it necessary to send Timothy to the church at Corinth to remind them, to teach them again the things that he taught everywhere else.
Because Paul was concerned with the health of the body of Christ.
And so was Timothy.
And so when Paul would send Timothy, he would send Timothy to find out about their state.
to bring word back to encourage Paul, because when you're sitting in prison, you need all the encouragement you can get.
And the thing Paul wanted to be encouraged by wasn't the date of his release, it was the growing health of the children in the body of Christ that he had born in Christ.
And so he's sending Timothy to them because there's no one as like-minded with him.
as Timothy.
But then consider as well Philippians chapter 2 and verse 21 as you consider what Paul says about Timothy.
Paul will also write in verse 21, for all seek their own and not the things which are of Christ.
As we consider a dedicated example of Christian living, as we consider what it means to be like Christ, you notice that the second thing Paul points out about Timothy as an example
to us and to the church is that he was one who sought the things of
Christ above the things of Himself.
In other words, He is one who is an example to us in not seeking their own.
The life of a Christian is one where they are not going to set themselves as the priority.
They are not going to set their own desires, their own motivations, as the highest priority to attain.
James is going to write about this over in James chapter 4 as he writes to Christians who are struggling with their spirituality.
They're struggling with setting God in the position that He needs to be in in humbling themselves.
He writes in James chapter 4 verse 13 and says, uh
whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.
For what is your life?
It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
Instead, you ought to say, if the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.
But now you boast in your arrogance.
All such boasting is evil.
Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
James, as he's writing to the church, describes the manner of life in which they ought to even carry out their business dealings.
How that as Christians, they ought to be those who see an opportunity, they look at that opportunity, and they determine if it's God's will, they'll actually pursue the
opportunity.
But that they will not seek their own.
They will not live lives of arrogance.
determining that they're going to do what they want to do no matter what God has planned for them.
James is emphasizing to these Christians that if they're going to live the Christian life, they're going to seek first the kingdom of heaven as Jesus will state in Matthew chapter 6
verse 33.
And Paul says concerning Timothy, one of the things that is the reason why I'm sending Timothy to you, Philippi, is because he doesn't seek his own.
He rather seeks the things that are Christ.
But then consider number three.
As you examine the life of Timothy and his dedicated example of Christian living, you find, verse 22, but you know his proven character.
That as a son with his father, he served with me in the gospel.
Therefore, I hope to send him at once as soon as I see how it is going with me, but I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly." Paul writes here concerning
Timothy that he is one who has a proven character.
Paul says, I'm sending you someone who I have confidence in because he has established that confidence again and again and again and again.
Paul sent Timothy to Corinth and Timothy carried out his work faithfully.
Paul then sent Timothy to Ephesus and Timothy carried out his work
faithfully.
Paul would send Timothy to place after place after place and again and again and again.
Timothy would fulfill his responsibilities.
Paul says this young man has a proven character.
Over in 1 Timothy chapter 4
Paul again as he is writing to Timothy.
He's writing to Timothy while Timothy is in Ephesus.
And he tells Timothy, need you to understand how you ought to behave in the body of Christ.
This is the life that Paul's describing when he says that Timothy had a proven character.
Verse 12 of chapter four of 1 Timothy, he says, let no one despise your youth.
but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
Paul says, know about Timothy that when you look at him, when he comes to you, you're going to see a shining example of one whose life lives out what God would have it to be in
word and in conduct and in love and in spirit and in faith and in purity.
That's why I'm sending him to you.
He goes on to say in verse 14 to Timothy, do not neglect the gift that is in you which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.
Meditate on these things.
Give yourself entirely to them that your progress may be evident to all.
Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.
Continue in them for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
Much easier to be faithful to the doctrine of Christ when you're surrounded by your teachers who taught you the doctrine.
When you're surrounded by the support structure of those who you've leaned on for knowledge, for wisdom.
And it's a whole other thing entirely when you're sent out and everyone who surrounds you is at a lower state than you are.
They're at a less knowledgeable state than you are.
They haven't traveled around and spent day in and day out with the Apostle Paul.
They haven't seen and witnessed all the works that Paul had done, or all the works that the Spirit had done to confirm the work of Paul.
They're just, as you might say, regular ordinary Christians, some of whom were recently converted, some of whom are babes in Christ, some of are still trying to get out of the
struggles of this world and the struggles of sin.
And Paul says you have to focus on maintaining your spiritual life, Timothy, because you have to set the example for them to follow.
When we examine the life of Timothy, we see number one, that he sincerely cared for the state of the church.
Number two, that he didn't seek his own.
And number three, that he had a proven character of setting an example for others to follow in holiness and in doctrine and in life.
But then Paul is going to write about Epaphroditus and continue to present
examples of dedicated Christian living.
He writes in verse 25 of chapter 2 of Philippians, he says, Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier.
Paul says, with this letter I'm also sending someone else.
I'm sending Epaphroditus.
He is my fellow worker, he is my fellow soldier, he is my brother.
But the Church of Philippi was not unaware of Epaphroditus.
As matter of fact, he came from the Church of Philippi.
Notice Paul writes, he says, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need.
Paul says, I'm sending you back this brother who came on your behalf to me.
Now Paul, why are you sending him back?
Well, it's because of Epaphroditus' mindset towards the Church of Philippi.
because he's concerned because of what they've heard.
Notice verse 26, since he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.
Paul is going to send the papyriditus back because as a papyriditus had journeyed to Rome from Philippi, a papyriditus had become ill.
of Havrid'sitis had continued in his work to fulfill his responsibility in bringing the help and the support that the Church of Philippi had sent, but somehow word had gotten
back to the Church of Philippi that he had fulfilled that responsibility, but it had, as we'll find out in the text, nearly cost him his life.
Paul says that Epaphroditus was distressed because he knew that the church back at Philippi had learned of his state.
And he wanted to once again rejoin them to reassure them that he was well.
But notice here in the text, in verse 25, that you find that Epaphroditus presents an example, for he is a minister of ministers.
That is, he is a servant serving those who are ministering.
Paul presents Epaphroditus as one who is his brother, his fellow laborer, his fellow soldier, but he came to minister not to those who were lost, but to those like Paul who
were preaching and teaching the lost.
Epaphroditus sets an example.
of a Christian life and that he served servants.
Philippians chapter 4, Paul will again write concerning Epaphroditus, and we read beginning in verse 17, not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your
account.
Indeed, I have all and abound, I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
and my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Paul will point out that the church there had sacrificed in order to help Paul, and that
God in turn was going to make sure that they were provided for, that they were taken care of, but they had sent that support by the hand of Epaphroditus.
as Epaphroditus had carried that support to Paul.
Notice verse 27 what had occurred.
Back in chapter 2 he says, for indeed he was sick almost unto death, but God had mercy on him and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
Paul points out that God had mercifully spared the life of Epaphroditus, that yes, he was sick and nigh unto death, and yet he had arrived at Paul's location.
He had been able to recover, and Paul says it was a mercy to me because I don't know that I could have put up with both being in bonds and in prison and in chains and the sorrow of
that, and then finding out that Epaphroditus had lost his life trying to bring me support.
Paul says that God had spared him sorrow upon sorrow.
Verse 28, therefore I send him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less sorrowful.
Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness and hold such men in esteem.
Because for the work of Christ he came close to death.
not regarding his life to supply what was lacking in your service toward me." Paul, as he writes concerning Epaphroditus, as he describes this individual who he says is his
brother, his fellow servant, his fellow laborer, his fellow soldier.
He also says this is an example of someone who you ought to esteem because he was willing to give his life for the cause of Christ.
Epaphroditus doesn't write any words that we have record of.
We only have Paul's reference to Epaphroditus' situation.
But Paul makes it clear as he describes this individual that this individual saw his mission and his work and he determined that if it cost him his life to fulfill his work
and his service for Christ, that's what he was willing to give.
over in the book of Ephesians.
Paul writes to the church at Ephesus beginning in verse 6 and says that we are to serve not with eye service as men pleasers but as bond servants of Christ doing the will of God
from the heart with goodwill doing service as to the Lord and not to men.
Knowing that whatever good anyone does he will receive the same from the Lord whether he is a slave or free and you masters do the same things to them giving up threatening
knowing that your own master also is in heaven and there is no partiality with him as Paul describes the work of bond servants and how they ought to relate to their masters He
teaches us something about how we as Christians ought to live
and it is exemplified in the life of Epaphroditus that he was serving others in the flesh but he knew ultimately he was serving Christ.
That he was willing to give his life to bring support to Paul because his actions and his service were to Christ and not to himself and not even just to other men.
We are to be those
who understand, as Epaphroditus understood, that giving our lives means serving and sacrificing ourselves.
Not needlessly, not pointlessly, not looking to die for the cause of Christ, but knowing that if it cost us our lives to fulfill the mission of Christ, then that's what we're
willing to give.
yet rejoicing all the more when it doesn't.
Paul said, I'm sending him back to you, and I'm sending him back to you quickly so that you might be able to rejoice and so that I won't have additional sorrow.
These five examples that we have from the lives of these two individuals present to us an example to follow.
That we similarly
ought to care for the state of the local body of Christ.
That we ought to care for it so that as we consider it, we serve the body and that we make sure that the doctrine that the body believes is that which is wholesome and faithful to
God.
That we look at ourselves and we don't seek our own, but rather we seek the things of others.
That we understand that our lives
are to be an example for someone else to follow.
One of the things that's true about every Christian is that there is someone watching them, looking to see how they can live a better life if they have an example to follow.
And as Christians, we ought to be those who, as Paul describes of Timothy, have a proven character so that others can follow our examples.
But we also note...
that we are to serve those who serve.
We are to be those who are looking for opportunities to help the service of others.
It's often been stated in churches that if you want to get something done, you've got to find somebody who's already busy and ask them to do it, because they're already focused on
working.
And those who are busy are those who have a mindset to work.
But then also we need to remember
that when it comes to our mission and service to the body of Christ.
that if it were to cost us our life, that's not a price too high to pay.
But rather, we ought to seek not the end of our life, but the continued service to God throughout our life, knowing that there is no greater service, no greater calling than to
serve Christ.
If you're here this morning and you're outside the body of Christ, you cannot serve a master who you have not pledged allegiance to.
You cannot serve a God who you have not obeyed.
But Jesus tells those who would desire to be His disciples to count the cost.
because he makes it clear that having put your hand to the plow, you can't look back.
Having set the determination in your life to become a child of God and to become a servant of God, you are giving up your life for His will.
So as James pointed out, what is your life?
It's even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
The question is, what are you going to serve while you're here?
Who are you going to serve while you're here?
Because no matter what, whether you serve Christ or not, your life will come to an end.
but will you be ready for eternity when it does?
If you're here and you're outside the body of Christ, why not consider changing that?
But don't do it flippantly.
Don't do it without thought or care.
Peter would write concerning the one who came to a knowledge of the truth and then turned back, he said that their state...
after having come to a knowledge of the truth and then having turned back to the world, their state was worse then than it was before they ever had obeyed the truth.
If you're going to become a servant of Christ, it's going to cost you something.
But the thing that you must know is if you're going to become a servant of Christ, you better never turn back because there's no hope outside of Christ.
If you're outside the body of Christ, how do you enter?
body of Christ.
The answer is you do so by being obedient to the commands of Christ.
So what did Christ say?
Christ said that you need to hear His words.
As a matter of fact, He pointed out that not only do you need to hear them, you need to obey them.
Matthew chapter 7 verses 21 through 26, He points out that the one who hears the words that He teaches and obeys them has a solid foundation upon which to build their life.
But it's not just enough to hear.
You've got to believe that he is God, that he is the son of God, that he came in the flesh, lived and died for your sins.
Jesus said, except you believe that I am he, you shall die in your sins.
John chapter eight, verse 24.
But it's not enough to believe.
It's never been enough to believe.
Mental assent has never been sufficient for God.
You have to change your life.
And Jesus makes it clear that he came, that he died,
on the cross so that repentance and remission of sins could be preached in all the world.
Jesus said, you're gonna have to repent.
You're going to have to have a change of mind that brings about a change of action because you can't live for yourself and be obedient to God.
but he also makes it clear that you have to confess his name.
You have to have allegiance to Christ above yourself, above sin, above Satan.
You have to confess the name of Christ.
And he says, if you won't confess me before men, I will deny you before my Father who's in heaven.
But Jesus also said that you have to believe and be baptized in order to be saved.
In Mark chapter 16, verse 16,
He's just told those disciples that were part of the Twelve who were still alive after His resurrection that they needed to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature.
Why?
Because that was the only way that those individuals would be able to believe and be baptized to be saved.
Jesus said that you have something you have to do in order to become His servant.
But once you become His servant, we have to find these dedicated examples of Christian living and follow them.
Because beginning the life of a Christian in baptism is just the first step.
Then we have to live the life of a Christian.
If you're member of the body of Christ and you have departed from these examples, why not come home?
Why not return and repent and ask for God's forgiveness?
Because He's merciful and faithful and willing to forgive.
You're here this morning and you have need of the invitation.
Why not come forward now as we stand and as we sing?