Model Servants
Notes
Transcript
Intro:
Intro:
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.
Introduction:
Review up to this point:
1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
2: 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
2:17 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.
And then we get: Remember Tim? Great guy. I’m going to send him to you at some point.
And Epiphrodite: We call him Frody: Another great dude, but we’re going to send him back.
Timothy and Epiphrodite serve as two illustrations of what Paul’s been teaching.
Paul writes TWO LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION:
Rich theology doesn’t mean out of reach practicality!
“Gospel Shaped Ministry”
Two Examples who illustrate what Paul’s been talking about so far. They encapsulate what Gospel Citizen do. Rich theology doesn’t mean out of reach practicality.
Gospel Citizen Example #1: Timothy
Like-mindedness
v.20: For I have no one like him=isopsychos: equal soul
iso=isotopes
Psyho
NOT Equally Psycho, but equal souled
Phil 2:2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord…
“Same soul”
Paul and Timothy’s relationship is what Paul desires the Philippians to experience with one another: “Equal soul”
He’s achieved ‘same soul’ so much that he’s actually equal soul.
“Closest thing to sending myself is to send Timothy” (like a father and son relationship)
Genuine Concern for others
BDAG: Genuine= “One who is considered a valid member of a family, legitimate, true.” I Timothy 1:2 “2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith.”
Concerned: “He will be genuinely concerned”
Same as in Phil 4:6 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Don’t worry, unless you’re genuinely concerned for other people’s well-being.
Not worrying doesn’t mean being careless. Like you don’t care about anything. It means you don’t need to worry about anything except for other’s well-beings!
3. Models Selflessness
Phil 1:15 “15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.”
Phil 1:17 “The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.”
Now Timothy: He has genuine concern for others, v.21: “For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 2:4: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Timothy models character and integrity, modeling the very thing Paul just preached about looking for the interests of others.
4. Servant of the Gospel
“But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.”
Literally: “He has slaved with me...”
Phil 1:1 “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus.”
Phil 1:5: “Because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”
Phil 1:12: “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.”
What really is Timothy doing?
He’s there… “90% of Helping is Just Showing Up.” Paul’s arrested, and Timothy is there.
He cares: His concern for Paul, for Philippians, it’s tried and true. He cares about others not for his own benefit. He cares like Christ! Not caring because it makes himself look better or for self-interest or it’s a good political move. He cares.
He shares: “Serves with me in the Gospel.” Proclaiming Christ with courage. In the trenches of ministry, continues to serve. “Slave with me in the gospel.”
Kingdom Citizen Example #2: Epaphroditus
Epaphroditus: “Brother, Fellow worker, soldier and messenger, carer of needs”
Philippians sent Epaphroditus to Paul with financial donation
He sent money and offered a helping hand.
But then Epaphroditus almost dies and after he’s healed from whatever he had, Paul’s sending him back to Philippi. Upon his return, rather than the church be like, “Dude, back already?” This section of the letter helps the church understand why he came back so soon.
Epaphroditus made a very good impression on Paul:
1. Messenger: (Apostolic)
“I have thought it necessary to send...”
“Apostle”: He was sent with a mission: To serve and help Paul.
Very probably theory is that Epaphroditus got sick on route to Rome. But he pushed and prodded his way, to the point that he almost died!
One preacher uses the word “GRIT” to define Epaphroditus. He’s the messenger that wouldn’t be stopped.
Instead, he ended up suffering more than Paul!
Clear parallel with Jesus:
“He humbled himself by becoming obedient UNTO death...”
Epaphroditus didn’t become obedient to death, but came UNTO death.
Sent to Suffer for the benefit of others. His “sentness” became a mission filled with suffering, but persevered through suffering in order to serve Paul.
2. Brother (Familial)
Family language again. Gospel relation: Gospel shaped ministry means we are related by the blood of Jesus!
3. Fellow Worker (Synergistic)
“You’re my synergy, man!”
Last week: “Work at your salvation” God is “At work” in you.
Root word: WORK!
Snyergistic: Working collective for the Gospel to advance. Working in unity. With the not merely the same-soul, but in the same work...
4. Fellow Soldier (Strategist)
Synstrategist
Fellow battler in ministry
Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus:
We’ve got opposition here: Preachers are taking advantage of the opportunity of me being in jail. How do we overcome that? Well, as long as Christ is preached, that’s all we should be caring about, right?
We’ve got opposition in Philippi: “Preachers there are preaching with integrity! They’re doing so for selfish gain. How do we overcome this?”
Epaphroditus has been a fellow soldier to strategize HOW to contend for the Gospel in a very contentious situation.
5. Minister of My Needs (Liturgist)
“Messenger”
“Liturgist”
Philosopher Aristotle: Many democratic states fleece the wealthy by means of “liturgies.” Money distributed from the wealthy to the people.
Money “works” for the “people”
Here’s Epaphroditus: A Liturgist, a worker for Paul’s needs.
Usually associate LITURGY with WORSHIP. Here Paul associates LITURGY with nursing! Tending to needs FOR Paul’s benefit.
Paul’s about to send Timothy
Paul’s immediately going to send Epaphroditus
TWO LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION, both models of GOSPEL-BASED MINISTRY
What would your Letter of Recommendation look like?
Theme: The Gospel shaped Timothy and Epaphroditus to be on mission WITH Paul, and ultimately, FOR Christ!
Timothy: Elder Qualifications:
Same-Minded in the Gospel
Slave with Paul in the Gospel
Selfless: Not in it for fame and glory
Epaphroditus: Deacon Qualifications
Apostolic (sent) to bring financial resources to Paul
Liturgist for taking care of needs
But there’s overlap:
They are both selfless
Both are concerned for the interests of others.
BOTH MODEL CHRIST!
In t
Take the titles:
Same-Minded: “Do you pursue church unity?”
Genuine Concern for Others: “Are you an integrated Christian? Gospel shapes you to be genuinely concerned for the well-being of others.”
Selfless: “Do you consider the interests of others more important than your own?”
Apostolic with your Resources: “Would you give up your life to ensure others are provided with what they need?”
Strategic with the Gospel: “Do you pray for others you know who don’t believe or know the Gospel?”
X: “Postcards from a post-Christian culture” Jeapordy: “This Bible book gives us the line, ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of death. I will fear no evil.” Blank stares.
We need to be strategic with the Gospel in what really is a POST-Christian Culture!
Liturgist of Needs: “Do you work out how to better serve others?”
Gospel Shaped Theology leads to Gospel Shaped Ministry. You can’t have one without the other! What does that look like for you? Super practical?
I have to share this story…
Give you a practical example of my friend, Al.
Years ago, a group of Canadian leaders from World Renew had an idea. World Renew=the diaconal arm of the Christian Reformed Church:
They called it “Sea to Sea with the CRC”
Group of 150 bikers biked across Canada
Heather and I, newly married, went to the inaugural service in Abbotsford, British Columbia. 150 bikers showed up.
Raise over $1 million. Another bike tour across Canada and the United States: Another $2.1 million!
Later in life, pastoring up in Hamilton, Canada, we met Al and Katie Karsten.
Champion for Pastors
Katie: Heather pregnant with Deacon: “No matter what time of day or night, call me when you’re going into labor and I’ll take care of Mark.” Found out that other nursing moms said the same thing about her!
Champion of Refugees: Worked tirelessly at the Micah House, a transition home for refugees moving into Canada. Katie is a rock star! One of my heroes of the faith.
Gentleman from the church I served in Hamilton, Al Karsten… Worked for World Renew at the time back in 2004. He let it slip one day that it was actually his idea to come up with Sea to Sea with the CRC.
He was instrumental in mentoring me as a fundraiser when I first started church planting. He became a closer partner in the gospel after I moved away from Hamilton than when I lived there.
How could I combine my love for biking with Gospel advancement?
Deep theology leads to practical theology.
Result of Deep Relationships
Sending of Paul: Cheering them up
Sending of Epaphroditus: Rejoice in seeing them
Paul keeps fighting for their joy!