Philippians - A Good Example

The paradox of ministry is simply this, that those of us who minister find joy in serving others. You must remember that in the world where Paul lived and in the world that the church was born in, a service was done by slaves. People who were important did not do menial service. When the Lord Jesus took a towel and washed his disciples' feet, he was stooping as low as he could stoop socially, because this was the work done by a slave.

In Philippians 2, Paul is pointing out to us that if you're going to have joy in your ministry, then you must follow the right model for your ministry, and that model is the Lord Jesus Christ. There are three fundamental principles that Paul lays down in Philippians 2. And if you and I will follow these principles in our ministry, then we will have joy in serving Jesus, and joy in serving others. Principle number one, we must submit to the person above us, Philippians 2:1-11. Here the example is our Lord Jesus Christ, who when he came, submitted himself to the will of the Father.

And then Philippians 2:12-16, we must surrender to the power within us. Human nature does not want to serve, it wants to be served. Human nature does not want to take orders, it wants to give orders. And yet when we have a new nature within us, the power of God, the person of the Holy Spirit, then we are able to have the power to do what God wants us to do. It is God who works in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure. We must submit to the person above us, Philippians 2:1-11, and we must surrender to the power within us, Philippians 2:12-16.

Now in Philippians 2:17-30, Paul makes this very practical and gives us a third principle. We must serve the people around us. Those that we can touch, those that we can see. We must serve the people around us. And in Philippians 2:17-30, Paul gives us three examples of service. Now he's already given the Lord Jesus Christ as the supreme example. But in Philippians 2:17 and Philippians 2:18, he talks about himself. Paul as an example of service. Then in Philippians 2:19-24, he talks about Timothy, his young associate. And then Philippians 2:25-30, Epaphroditus, the one who had been sent from the Philippian church to bring the offering to Paul.

If we're going to have joy in our ministry, we must serve the people around us. Jesus said, I am among you as him who serves. There is joy in serving others as we serve the Lord Jesus Christ. This is one of the marks of maturity, I think in the Christian life. The little child thinks of life in terms of getting. And an adolescent thinks of life in terms of doing. But an adult thinks of life in terms of sharing. What can I do for others? Not what are others going to do for me? And we find joy in sharing with others.

Let's look today at two of these examples, the Apostle Paul, Philippians 2:17 and Philippians 2:18, and then young Timothy, in Philippians 2:19-24. Verse 17 now of Philippians 2. Paul speaks and says, "Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do you joy and rejoice with me." This is a remarkable statement he's making here. Here are two verses talking about sacrifice and service, and yet four times he uses the word joy in one way or another. I joy and rejoice. You joy and rejoice.

Now most of us have the idea that when there's a sacrifice to be made, we don't rejoice. We scowl, we complain, do I have to go there, do I have to do that service? We rejoice when others serve us. Some of us don't like to stand too long at the counter in a store. We say, where in the world is that salesperson? Why aren't they paying attention to me? We don't like to stand in line somewhere. We like to be served. And when others serve us, we rejoice.

Here's the Apostle Paul saying, I am going to offer myself upon the altar. I'm going to be a sacrifice to serve you. It's because of your faith. I want your faith to grow. I want your faith to be all that it ought to be. And I'm going to joy and rejoice for the privilege of being a living sacrifice for you.

The picture here is that of a drink offering. Literally Paul writes, "Yea, and if I be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith." You find the drink offering back in Numbers 15. When the Old Testament Jew offered a burnt offering, he could also bring a small container of wine and pour that out along with the burnt offering as a sacrifice to the Lord. It's sort of a picture of pouring out your life in honor and glory to the Lord. Now the burnt offering is a picture of complete sacrifice to God. It's Romans 12:1. "Present your body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God."

Now Paul had started the church in Philippi, and the ministry of the Philippians had been a blessing to him. And now he was going to pour himself out along with that to be a blessing to them. That's a beautiful relationship between a missionary and a church, isn't it? Where one is sacrificing for the other and the other is adding to the sacrifice, and both of them rejoicing in the Lord. You see Paul was in danger of death. It's possible that Paul would lose his life on their account. But he wasn't complaining. He was simply saying, I will rejoice if I have the privilege of just pouring out my life, putting myself on the altar, that I might encourage you and strengthen the work of the Lord.

You know, real ministry costs something. John Henry Jowett used to say, ministry that costs nothing accomplishes nothing. And here we have, as it were, pastor and people sacrificing and serving together. Here we have missionary and supporting church sacrificing and serving together, sharing together because of Christ.

The Apostle Paul says, if you're going to have joy in your ministry, you simply must serve the people around you, and this means sacrifice. It really does. Don't complain, my brother, because you have the privilege of sacrificing for others. You're sharing in the fellowship of the Lord Jesus Christ. Don't complain, my sister, because you're pouring out your life, and people may not appreciate you. You may not get very many letters of congratulation or words of appreciation. That's all right.

You're doing it for Jesus' sake. You're not doing it for yourself. You're not doing it for the church. You're not doing it for the mission station. You're not doing it for the school. You're doing it for the Lord Jesus Christ. He knows all about it. Just serve others.

There is joy in serving Jesus when you pour yourself out in sacrifice and service for the Lord. After all, Jesus did that for us, didn't he? He came down here as a servant, and then he sacrificed himself on the cross. Sacrifice and service. That's what brings joy in ministry.

Now Philippians 2:19-24, he talks about his dear young friend Timothy. I've always appreciated the fact that Paul loved Timothy and encouraged him. In fact, today, when we have a disciple that we're helping to train for the ministry, we call him a Timothy. One group has a program called the Timothy program. Be a marvelous thing if in every church, the pastor and the mature Christians, the elders, the deacons, could take some of the young people under their wings and train them the way Paul trained Timothy.

Let's read the passage now, Philippians 2:19-24. "But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded who will naturally, genuinely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ. But you know the proof of him, that as a son with the Father, he has served with me in the gospel. Him therefore I hope to send presently, as soon as I shall see how it will go with me. But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly."

He calls Timothy his son. As a son, he has been with me, like a son with the Father. You'll remember that in Acts 16, Paul met Timothy. Paul led Timothy to Christ. He was the son of a mixed marriage. His mother was a Jewess, his father was a Greek. Timothy was converted under Paul's ministry. And then about six years later, Paul came back and picked up young Timothy to make him his assistant.

Actually, Timothy was well reported of by the people there in the city of Lystra. Acts 16:2. "Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium." And so Paul took young Timothy, and he added him to his party. Actually Timothy replaced John Mark. John Mark had sort of turned tail and gone back home. But young Timothy took his place, and eventually young Timothy replaced the Apostle Paul.

Now Paul makes three statements about Timothy that show how commendable this young man was in his ministry. He's a servant now. Notice the word that's used there. But you know the proof of him, the character of him, that as a son with the Father, he has served with me in the gospel. To begin with, Timothy had a servant's mind. In other words, his whole attitude was that of a servant. In fact, he was simply obeying Philippians 2:5. "Let this mind, this attitude be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."

Notice now what we know about Timothy's mind. Philippians 2:20. "For I have no man likeminded who will naturally, genuinely care for your state." Timothy was a man who by nature cared for others. God had so worked in Timothy's heart that he had a servant's mind and he thought about others. He didn't think about Timothy. He thought about Paul. How can I assist him? He thought about the Philippian Christians. How can I assist them?

You see every one of us lives either in Philippians 2:21 or Philippians 1:21. Many people, unfortunately, are living in Philippians 2:21. "For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ." We ought to be living in Philippians 1:21. "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

Now when you read Romans 16, you find that Paul greets 26 people by name, and I think there are two other people who are not named. Here are 28 people. And none of them was available to go to Philippi to serve Paul and to serve the Philippian church. He had to send Timothy. You want to know why? Well, when you read Philippians 1, you'll find in Philippians 1:15 that there's envy and strife in the Roman church. Some of the members were out trying to create problems for the Apostle Paul.

You know, whenever a church is divided, whenever there's dissension, division, disruption in a church, God can't find workers. You show me a church where there are no workers available, and I'll show you a church where people are fussing with each other. And God's not calling out missionaries, and God's not finding workers.

Timothy was a man with a servant's mind, Philippians 2:19-21. Philippians 2:22, he was a young man with a servant's training. "But you know the character of him, the proof of him, he's proved himself now, that as a son with the Father, he has served with me in the gospel." Now we read about this over in 2 Timothy 3:10. Paul writes this to Timothy, "But thou hast fully known my doctrine," Paul taught him doctrine, "Manner of life," Paul showed him how to live, "Purpose," Paul gave him a real purpose for living, "Faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions." And he lists where he had those afflictions, but out of them all, the Lord delivered me.

You see, Timothy had lived with Paul. He had learned Paul's doctrine. He had seen how Paul lived. He noticed that Paul had a purpose in his life, for to me to live is Christ. He noticed that Paul lived by faith, that Paul was longsuffering, that Paul was motivated by love, and that Paul endured afflictions and persecutions. Timothy was not raised in a hothouse. Timothy didn't just sit around and listen to lectures. He was thrust into the battle, and he watched the Apostle Paul, and he learned how God can work in the life of the person who's fully yielded to him.

We need more of that today. I fear that too often those who are going out into ministry have been living in hothouses. They have not been thrust out into the everyday world to find out what it's really like to live for the Lord Jesus Christ, to fight the good fight of faith.

I notice thirdly that Timothy received a servant's reward. To have this approval, this wonderful approbation from the Apostle Paul was certainly a wonderful reward. But more than that, he took Paul's place. In that same letter, 2 Timothy 4, he says now, I'm ready to be offered. The time of my departure is at hand. I fought a good fight. I've finished the course. I've kept the faith. Now, do diligence to come shortly unto me.

Here we have Paul saying, Timothy, I'm stepping off the scene now. You come and take my place. And Timothy did.

You know, someone's going to have to take our place. Every church is one generation short of extinction. And if we are not training people like Timothy, and the name Timothy means God honoring. If we are not training people like Timothy, we are not going to have pastors, missionaries, teachers, writers, musicians, servants to do the will of the Lord. Timothy began as a servant and he ended up as a ruler. That's the New Testament principle. "Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thou has been faithful over a few things. I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Matthew 25:21.

In Philippians 2:25-30, he said, let me tell you about Epaphroditus. The name Epaphroditus means charming. And Epaphroditus is a very charming Christian, a very exemplary Christian in at least three ways. He was a balanced Christian, and he was a burdened Christian, and he was a blessed Christian. He brought blessing to others. Epaphroditus was the messenger from the church at Philippi, who made that long journey from Philippi to Rome to bring the Apostle Paul the goods that he needed. It was a dangerous journey, and as a result, Epaphroditus became ill. But God used Epaphroditus in a wonderful way.

Philippians 2:25-30. "Yet I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and companion in labor, and fellow soldier, but your messenger, and him that ministered to my need. For he longed after you all and was full of heaviness because you had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick, near unto death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him therefore the more eagerly, that when you see him again, you may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such in reputation. Because for the work of Christ, he was near unto death, not regarding his life to supply your lack of service toward me."

Well, there are three characteristics of Epaphroditus that to me make him a good example of the kind of Christians we ought to be as we serve one another. First of all, he was a balanced Christian. Notice the names that Paul uses in Philippians 2:25. My brother. My companion in labor. My fellow soldier. Now this refers us back to Philippians 1. You remember in Philippians 1 that we found three phrases that relate to the gospel.

Philippians 1:5, "for your fellowship in the gospel." Philippians 1:12, "the furtherance of the gospel." And then Philippians 1:27, "striving together for the faith of the gospel." Now if you'll take those three phrases and put them right next to Philippians 2:25, you'll see the parallel.

My brother, that is the fellowship of the gospel. And companion in labor, that is the furtherance of the gospel. And fellow soldier, that is the faith of the gospel. Epaphroditus was the kind of a person who was balanced. Now it's so easy in the Christian life to get out of balance. There are some people who only emphasize the fellowship of the gospel. My brother, my sister, let's get together and have fellowship. Let's study our Bibles, let's pray.

Now these things are good. But I tell you, if you keep them to yourself, they're going to rot. The manna that was kept over rotted.

There are other people who are only concerned about service, service, the furtherance of the gospel. They have no time for fellowship, no time for worship. They want to be out passing out tracks and witnessing. And it's good to witness, and it's good to pass out tracks. But you don't do one to the exclusion of the other.

And then I find some people, all they want to do is fight. They're always out to defend the faith of the gospel. They're not concerned about worship or fellowship or building the church. They aren't concerned about reaching the lost. All they're doing is finding heresy and finding trouble hither and yon, and pulling out the sword and fighting it.

Oh, what we need today are balanced Christians. Not always enjoying fellowship, not always involved in furtherance, and not always involved in a fight, but balancing our lives so that we are doing a balanced work for the Lord. Paul said he was your messenger. That word messenger is actually the word apostle. One who is sent with a commission. When your church gives you a job to do, you're under a commission. If it's the will of God for you to do it, you have a responsibility there.

"Your messenger and him that ministered to my need." And the word for ministered there is priestly minister. Now look at this fellow, companion in labor, fellow soldier, brother, messenger, minister. What a wonderful man! Oh, if we had a dozen like him in every local church, we could turn the city upside down, couldn't we?

Well, why don't you and I start becoming balanced Christians? Beware of extremes, beware of riding hobbies, beware of neglecting your own personal walk with the Lord. Have a balanced diet of the word. Stay in fellowship with God's people. It'll keep you in balance. Epaphroditus was a good example because he was a balanced Christian.

Now you may not be able to be a Paul. You might not be able to be a Timothy, but oh, all of us can be an Epaphroditus. My brother, the fellowship of the gospel. My companion in labor, the furtherance of the gospel. My fellow soldier, the faith of the gospel. All of us can come and say, here I am, Lord, use me.