Philippians 2:19-30

 

DEVOTED TO THE WORK OF CHRIST

By: Scott Grant


 

Injured runner

 

            By the time John Stephen Akhwari of Tanzania entered the stadium in Mexico City, most of the crowd in the stands had dissipated. There were only a few thousand left. Akhwari was representing his country in the marathon in the 1968 Olympics. Akhwhari had injured his leg during the race. The other runners left him behind, but he continued. When Akwhari entered the stadium for the final lap, the race had been over for more than an hour. His right leg was bandaged in two places, and he was wincing with every step. Upon seeing the solitary runner, the remaining spectators began to clap as Akhwari hobbled around the track. As he stumbled across the finish line, holding his injured leg with both hands, the crowd roared. Filmmaker Bud Greenspan later asked him, “Why did you do this? You were in such pain, and you couldn’t win.” Greenspan recalls Akhwari’s reaction: “He looked at me like I was crazy. ‘Mr. Greenspan, I don’t think you understand. My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race. They sent me 5,000 miles to finish it.’”1

            Such was that man’s devotion to his country. Today we will meet two men who were similarly devoted. We know nothing of their devotion to their country. The scriptures tell us of  their devotion to Christ and his work. Their stories serve as inspiration for us to also devote ourselves to the work of Christ.

            Paul offers up Timothy and Epaphroditus as two more models to follow in his letter to the Philippians. These two men join Paul (Philippians 1:12-26, 3:4-14) and the ultimate example, Christ (Philippians 2:5-11), to provide powerful paradigms for self-giving love.

 

Timothy and the work of the gospel

 

            Philippians 2:19-24:

            [19] I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. [20] I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. [21] For everyone looks out for his own interests,

not those of Jesus Christ. [22] But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. [23] I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. [24] And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

 

            Paul wants to hear how the Philippians receive his letter, and he expects to rejoice when he hears the news of their response. He plans therefore to send Timothy to Philippi and then hear from him when he returns. He can’t come to Philippi at this time, of course, because he’s in prison. Paul is waiting to learn more details about his own situation before he sends Timothy so that the Philippians can be updated regarding his plight. So Paul plans to send Timothy to the Philippians so that they may be informed of his situation and that they may be informed of his situation. Paul expects to be released from prison at some point (Philippians 1:24-26), so he himself expects to visit them soon.

            So much for the comings and goings. What’s significant is the character of Timothy. What does Paul intend for the Philippians and, by extension, us to learn from his description of Timothy?

            Paul says he has no one else, literally, of “like soul,” who will take a genuine interest in their welfare. The souls of Paul and Timothy are alike in that they each genuinely care for the Philippians. The first thing that sets Timothy apart, then, is that he genuinely cares for others. Paul earlier told the Philippians, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). The word translated “welfare” (ta) in verse 20 is the same word that is translated “interests” in verse 4.” Literally, the word would be translated “things.” Christ served as Paul’s model for looking out for the things of others in Philippians 2:5-11. Timothy, walking in the footsteps of Christ, is another model for what Paul wants to see in the Philippians — someone who is looking out for the needs of others.

            Paul says he has no one else to send to the Philippians who shares his concern for them. He probably means that of those who are free to travel at this time, Timothy is the only one who meets this criterion. Everyone else who is available “looks out for his own interests [literally, ‘things’], not those of Jesus Christ.” These people would be like the preachers Paul described in Philippians 1:15-17, who preached Christ out of envy, rivalry and selfish ambition rather than goodwill and love. Evidently, Timothy cares about the “things” of the Philippians because he looks out for the “things” of Christ. The others care for the things of themselves, not the things of Christ, and therefore are not genuinely concerned for the things of others. Christ’s “things” are the “things” of others. His interest is the welfare of the Philippians — and all people, of course.

            Timothy not only cares for the interests of Christ and the interests of others, he has demonstrated that he cares. He has “proved himself.” The context in which his character was formed and tested was his joint ministry with Paul. He served with Paul to advance the gospel as “a son with his father.” The gospel, as it moves forward, advances the interests of Christ, which focus on people. Timothy has shown that the advance of the gospel — and therefore the interests of Christ and others — are important to him. Not only that, he has shown that he can serve with others to advance the gospel. As we have observed elsewhere in our study of the Philippians, the cause of advancing the gospel brings people together and creates deep relationships (Philippians 1:5). The gospel created something like a father-son relationship between Paul and Timothy. They became soul mates. In his relationship with Paul, Timothy demonstrated humility, becoming like a son serving his father. In this sense, he became like Christ, who took the very nature of a servant and became obedient to his Father (Philippians 2:7-8).

            So much of what masquerades as love is not love at all but infatuation or manipulation. When people say, “I love you,” oftentimes what they really mean is, “You make me feel good.” When people express interest, oftentimes what they really want is for someone to do something for them. Timothy, on the other hand, took a “genuine interest” in the welfare of others. Because so much of what appears to be love is not love at all, people have their guards up. They’re less inclined to take expressed interest at face value and are waiting for evidence of genuine interest.

            Here’s what we have to offer each other and the world: genuine interest, genuine love. But that raises another question: How do you develop genuine interest for others? Sometimes, it seems that we are so focused on our own things that we can’t get outside ourselves to take an interest in the things of others. For Timothy, he became genuinely interested in the things of others because he became genuinely interested in the things of Christ. This tells us that to care for people the way Timothy cared for people we must connect with Christ. This message came through in Philippians 1:1-11. It reappears here. It must be an important one. Learn all you can about Christ. Open up to Christ. Draw near to Christ. If you have difficulty drawing near, cry out to God for intimacy with Christ. As you connect with Christ, his love for you softens your heart. His interests become your interests. You will find yourself, perhaps even to your own surprise, taking a genuine interest in others.

            Paul castigates those who were looking out for their own interests, but in the end, your own interests merge with the interests of Christ. Our deepest needs get met in relationship with Christ. It is in your interest to take an interest in the things of Christ and, therefore, the things of others. God created us to love others, and he gives us Christ that we might do so. Then as we take an interest in others by seeking to advance the gospel, we, like Timothy, find soul mates with similar interests to serve with.

            Timothy’s character was forged and tested through ministry with Paul. Character is forged and tested in the field, so to speak. Paul took Timothy under his wing and gave him a chance. Timothy didn’t start out having it all together, and neither do we. We act on the interest in Christ and others that we have, even if it isn’t at the “level” we’d like it to be. If we serve with others, particularly with those who may be a little more experienced than we, we’ll see their hearts and learn from them, as Timothy did from Paul. If we venture out, we’ll often find our interest in the things of Christ and others being aroused – and our character being both forged and tested.

 

Epaphroditus and the work of Christ

 

            Philippians 2:25-30:

            [25] But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. [26] For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. [27] Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. [28] Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. [29] Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, [30] because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.

 

            Epaprhoditus is one of the Philippians. He had traveled from Philippi to the location of Paul’s imprisonment in order to give him a gift from the church (Philippians 4:18). Paul is hoping to send Timothy to the Philippians and he’s hoping to come himself, but now he sends Epaphroditus, who carries with him Paul’s letter. Thus Paul calls him “your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.” Paul’s description of Epaphroditus shows the close relationship that the gospel has created between the two of them, just as it created a close relationship between Paul and Timothy. Paul calls Epaphroditus his “brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier.” He sees the task of advancing the gospel as both work and war, and Epaphroditus and Paul have labored and fought together, and a tight bond has therefore resulted. But it’s time for Epaphroditus, who has been wounded in battle, so to speak, to go home.

Paul considered it necessary to send Epaphroditus back to Philippi because of Epaphroditus’ feelings for his brothers and sisters. Epaphroditus “longs for” them; he misses them. He is also “distressed” because they have heard that he was sick. The Philippians had somehow received word that Epaphroditus was sick. Perhaps he became ill on the way to visit Paul and someone in the traveling party turned back to inform the church while Epaphroditus soldiered on. At any rate, Epaphroditus cares so much about the distress his brothers and sisters are undergoing on his behalf that he wants to return to set their minds at ease. He seems more concerned about their feelings about his illness than the illness itself.

            Paul says Epaphroditus almost died, but that God healed him. Again, Paul’s intense connection with Epaphroditus is on display, for if he had died, Paul would have had “sorrow upon sorrow.”

Paul’s reasons for sending Epaphroditus were based not only on Epaphroditus’ perspective but on his own perspective as well. He knows that Epaphroditus’ return will cause the Philippians to be glad. Also, their joy at seeing Epaphroditus alive and well will lessen Paul’s anxiety in prison. Paul longed for the Philippians just as Epaphroditus did (Philippians 1:8). He cared for them so much that their well-being lightened his load in prison.

            Paul now encourages the Philippians to honor people such as Epaphroditus. Again, just as in the case of Timothy, he’s holding up Epaphroditus as an example. Epaphroditus makes Paul’s honor roll because he “almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.” They wanted to minister to Paul but couldn’t because of the distance between them. They therefore could not give Paul the help they wanted to give him. So they sent Epaphroditus with their gift. Paul is by no means criticizing them here (1 Corinthians 16:17), but he is by all means praising Epaphroditus.

            Timothy served with Paul in the “work of the gospel.” Epaphroditus almost died for the “work of Christ.” In this case, the work of Christ was bringing the Philippians’ gift to Paul. Paul, whose mission is to advance the gospel, considers anything that ministers to his needs as contributing to the work of Christ. Verse 30 seems to imply that Epaphroditus became sick on the way to visit Paul but was intent on completing his mission. What’s important to note is that Epaphroditus considers the work of Christ worth risking his life for and that he acted on that belief. Literally, he drew near “until death” (mechri thanatou), just as Christ was obedient, literally, “until death” (Philippians 2:8). Like Timothy, Epaphroditus is walking in the footsteps of Christ.

            For us, what is the work of the gospel, also described as the work of Christ? The gospel proclamation is that “Jesus is Lord.” Introducing the lordship of Christ to our world, then, is the work of the gospel and the work of Christ. This fellowship is filled with people who are passionate about Christ and his gospel. One of the things that often happens for people when such passions are kindled is that they find less fulfillment in their so-called “secular” jobs and begin entertaining the idea of what’s called “full-time ministry,” which supposedly has something more to do with Christ and the gospel. Now, the Lord does move people from one sphere to another, and the tugging on one’s heart is not to be diminished. But one sphere is not inherently better, or more sacred, than another. All of life is ministry. The scriptures advocate a comprehensive approach to life.

If Epaphroditus’ journey to supply Paul with resources constitutes the work of Christ, certainly any job that earns money that can be devoted to the work of Christ should also be considered the work of Christ. Paul himself made tents for a living. It was the work of Christ.

            We go to work. We earn money. That money is used for the work of Christ. The job, therefore, is the work of Christ. So far, it makes sense. But does the job, aside from its moneymaking function, have value as far as the work of Christ is concerned? Yes, if we look at it as an opportunity to bring the lordship of Christ to bear on the workplace. This means caring for our co-workers and, when given the opportunity, sharing the gospel with them. This means doing our jobs well, “as working for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23). It also means, insofar as your have opportunity, thinking and praying strategically, about bringing the influence of Christ to bear on the way your company does things. God took the first human and put him in a garden to “work it and take care of it” – to bring the influence of heaven to bear on earth and, presumably, to extend that influence to the rest of the earth. Your workplace is the garden where God has placed you. It’s all Christ’s work. In Philippians 3:20, we’ll see that we are citizens of heaven but colonists on earth, bringing the influence of heaven to earth.

            What is the work of Christ worth? For Epaphroditus, it was worth his life. Bringing the influence of Christ to bear on the world is worth your life. There is no greater cause. If it’s worth your life, it’s worth everything you have and everything you can give. It’s worth your thoughts, your energy, your prayers, your time, your money. If  you wish to devote your life to the work of Christ, then when you’re thinking about marriage, think about marrying someone who also wishes to devote his or her life to the work of Christ. Otherwise, you’ll be hindered, instead of helped, in your devotion to the work of Christ.

 

Connecting with Timothy and Epaphroditus

 

            This passage puts forth two people whose lives we can connect with. Here’s some ways in which I see them connecting with my life. I offer my story in hopes that you too will connect with Timothy and Epaphroditus and be inspired by them.

            I came to Christ at the age of 16, but it wasn’t until I was 28 when I began seeking to devote my life to the work of Christ. The first step I took was to look for some way in which I could serve, outside my workplace, in order to express the love of God to others. I did not feel all that interested in the cause of Christ, and I did not feel as if I were a very loving person. But God was stirring in my heart, and I knew I needed to act. I suppose I acted on the interest that was there, such as it was.

I began serving as a leader in a church youth group. The crucible of that youth group is where my character was forged and tested. I found that I loved the teen-agers much more than I thought I would. I found that I loved studying and teaching the scriptures much more than I thought I would. Yet, there were struggles. Oftentimes, it seemed as if “ministry” were more about me – how I performed, how others responded to me, how I felt about myself – than about Christ or those to whom I was ministering. I felt as if my “things” were more important than their “things.”

 My awareness of this drove me to Christ, and I connected with Christ at a deeper level. Connecting with Christ at a deeper level connected me more deeply with his things – the people he loved. It propelled me outward. I continued to struggle, but now it was a holy struggle. The work of Christ thrust me toward Christ, and meeting with Christ thrust me toward the work of Christ. Somehow, my genuine interest in the things of Christ and the things of others grew deeper. I have to admit: After all these years, it’s still a struggle. Sometimes in my heart, it feels as if it’s about me, not Christ. This saddens me. It remains a holy struggle.

            As I became more passionate about youth ministry, I began to view my job as ministry as well. I worked as a city editor for a newspaper in the East Bay. This was also a struggle, but I found a few opportunities to share the gospel and encourage other believers who worked there. However, as my passion grew for the scriptures and shepherding, my passion for journalism faded. My heart was stirring again, and I was getting unsolicited advice from others in the body that I should somehow pursue this teaching and shepherding thing more vigorously. I sought to quiet the stirring in my heart and ignore the advice I was receiving. Heading off in a completely different direction, after deciding in high school that I was going to be a journalist, majoring in journalism in college and working as a journalist for 11 years seemed just a little “out there” to me. Plus, I had come to view my job as the work of Christ. I occupied a position of influence in the media. I had something to do with the way the news was presented to the community. Such a position was not to be abandoned lightly. Yet my heart was cold for journalism but on fire for the scriptures. So I told God if he wanted me to move on, I’d move on. He took me up on my offer. I quit my job at age 32 and went off to get some theological training. That led to my job here at PBC. I worked for 11 years as a journalist, and I have now worked for eight years as a pastor. From a biblical perspective, one was no less ministry than the other.

            I’m not sure it can be said that I’ve risked my life for the work of Christ, as Epaphroditus did. I suppose the closest I’ve come is traveling to Pakistan on two occasions in order to teach the scriptures, first at a pastors’ conference and then at an evangelistic campaign. When I went, things were not as volatile as they are now. During my second trip, our host, Azad Marshall, told us of an American evangelist who wouldn’t preach in Pakistan without a bulletproof vest. He happened to tell me this a few hours before I was to preach the gospel to a few thousand mostly Muslim Pakistanis. This didn’t faze me, mostly, I think, because the possibility of something happening seemed remote. Still, it was something of a risk, and the gospel is worth the risk.

            The first time I visited Pakistan, I was single. I made the decision to go in a snap. The second time, I was married. The second trip illustrated to me the importance of marrying a follower of Jesus. I’m seeking to devote my life to work of Christ, even to risk my life for it. I don’t know what I would have faced if I had come home to a wife who believed neither in Christ nor his work and asked her what she thought about my traveling to Pakistan to stand up in front of thousands of Muslims in an effort to convert them to Christ. I am thankful that I have a wife who is devoted to Christ and his work. Our hearts beat for the same cause.

            Now I have to say that though I would hardly think twice about preaching in Pakistan, even now, I am not so bold when it comes to sharing the gospel in my own country. For some reason bullets don’t scare me as much as how I might feel as a result of how others perceive me when I share the gospel with them. This is another holy struggle.

            These are some of the ways I connect with Timothy and Epaphroditus. In connecting with them, I hope the Holy Spirit enables me to more fully embrace the work of Christ. How about you?

 

SCG / 3-3-02



1 Reported by Joan Ryan, San Francisco Chronicle, December 14, 1995, P. E1.

 

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