Philippians 2:19-30: Exemplifying Service

Exemplifying Service
Philippians 2:19-30

Our Scripture Reading this morning comes from Philippians 2:19-30. Hear now the words of the Living and True God:

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.

May God bless the reading of his Word.

 Years back I served as a combat cameraman in Iraq. I spent part of that time documenting Army Special Forces missions. Between missions, these Special Forces operators spent time training Iraqi SWAT teams. These operators would tell the Iraqis stories that might help them understand the sort of mentality and sacrifice needed to do their job. In one case, they told a story about a young American soldier. This young solider just so happened to have the duty of manning the turret in his squad’s Humvee. One day, a terrorist lobbed a grenade into his turret. Without a moment to spare, the young soldier laid himself on the grenade. He laid down his life to spare everyone else in the vehicle. When the Special Forces operator conducting the training asked the Iraqi SWAT team why a soldier would do that, they confessed that they did not know. So, he gave them the answer. “Love,” he said, “We willingly lay down our lives for our friends.” He then told them, “You need this kind of commitment to care for your team and serve your country.”

This sort of sacrificial love, while possible in other faiths and other worldviews, fundamentally comes from Christian teaching. When I spoke to the Special Forces operator afterwords, I asked him if he knew where this idea came from. “Yes, Jesus,” he said. He quoted Christ in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” Sacrifice. And we can find no greater sacrifice than Jesus himself. Jesus sacrificially served his people with his life, bearing their burden of sin. Now that he has, he calls his people to serve others sacrificially, to bear other’s burdens.

We see exemplified in today’s text. We see this in the examples of two faithful servants: Timothy and Epaphroditus. What Paul has to say about them shows us how we might live. But rather than directly tell us to act a certain way, Paul shows us these examples of faithful Christian service. We would do well to emulate these examples. As Pastor Josh often says, “Sometimes life can be better caught than taught.”

So let us catch godly living this morning. Let us emulate these two faithful servants. Let us live out the main idea of our text today: Christians serve sacrificially, bearing the burdens of others.

Paul, writing to the church at Philippi, expresses joy and confidence in ch1 that God advances the gospel, even through suffering. He urges believers to live lives worthy of Christ: standing firm, unified with one another. In ch2, he calls us to pursue harmony and humility, with Christ as the ultimate example of humility, who secures for us a restored harmony between he and his people. Because of this, we work out our salvation, for God works in us for the sake of our witness. Today’s text gives us two examples of what faithful witness looks like…

I. Christians Serve Others Sacrificially, 19-24
A. Christians willingly go where called, 19
“I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.” Notice where Paul places his hope. —In the Lord Jesus. He does not place his hope in his son-in-the-faith, Timothy. But in Christ himself. Because of that hope, he hopes to send Timothy to the Philippians as soon as possible. Why? So that news of them might cheer him. Keep in mind, Paul writes from prison. He does not have the freedom to visit this beloved church. Otherwise he would. But he has a partner in ministry. He has Timothy. What a blessing to have committed people to walk alongside, especially since we cannot do everything ourselves. Whom do we have?

But notice that Paul does not want something easy. He wants something hard. Paul wants Timothy to travel 798 miles, so that he can get news of the Philippian church. Why? —To cheer him up. What? I cannot help but wonder what Timothy thinks of this request. But Paul does not want something frivolous. If you recall in 2 Samuel 23, David wanted something frivolous. He wanted water from enemy territory. He wants water from Bethlehem, while the Philistines occupy Bethlehem. Paul wants something serious. Paul loves this church so much that he does not think it unrealistic to send Timothy for news of them.

He wants Timothy to travel 798 miles from Rome in Italy to Philippi in Macedonia, present day Greece. Imagine Pastor Josh wanting me to walk from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Bangor, Maine to check on a church. And notice I said walk. It would take Timothy 13 days of walking without stopping to get to them. More realistically, it would take him a couple of months at a moderate pace, with stops to rest. He could take a boat to save time. But that presents its own difficulties. Either way, do we see their commitment to Christ and his church? Do we have that same level of commitment? Nowadays, we do not even drive ourselves to fast-food restaurants for dinner. Instead, we opt to have a delivery service drop it at our houses. How the mighty have fallen. But we do not place our hope in the pajama-wearing people at home waiting for their food to arrive. We do not even place our hope in willing workers like Timothy. We, like Paul, place our hope in the Lord. Even still, Christians willingly goes where called. Why?

B. Christians genuinely show concern for others, 20-21
Paul expresses the utter scarcity of finding such willing workers. He has no one like Timothy. He has no one who shares such genuine concern for this church. He wants this church to receive Timothy when he sends him. But it goes beyond them. He also wants to show them what faithful Christian service looks like. Christians genuinely show concern for others. But not everyone does this. For Paul mentions another group of people in v21, people who seek their own interests. People who do not seek the interests of others. People who do not seek the interests of Jesus Christ. People who sound just like the people in ch1, v15. There Paul mentions those who “preach Christ from envy and rivalry,” from purely selfish motives. Genuine Christians do not do that. Genuine Christians do not seek their own interests. But if they do, they repent. And one tangible way they repent, comes when they show genuine concern for others. One of the fastest ways I quell selfishness in my life, comes in service to others.

But our modern world builds itself on autonomous, rampant individualism. Meaning that we prefer to live self-contained lives, free of the bother that comes in the messiness of deep relationships with others. Others take work. Others have their own autonomy that gets in the way of our autonomy. This autonomy breeds selfishness if it goes unchecked. It breeds what Francis Schaeffer calls the two impoverished values of modern society, the values of “personal peace and affluence.” He defines personal peace as a desire to live life free from the troubles of other people. He defines affluence as overwhelming and increasing prosperity. In other words, he believes that our society desires its own comfort and wealth more than anything else. We can live with whatever tragedy comes to others, so long as it does not disrupt our personal peace and affluence. We can feel a fleeting sadness for them. Then we can get right back to our own lives: peaceful, comfortable, prosperous. Can we really say that we follow Christ exclusively, as he demands, if we value these impoverished values? Do we act more like this group who seeks their own interests, or do we act more like Timothy, who would willingly sacrifice blood and treasure, even his very life for others? In vv20-21 Christians genuinely shows concern for others.

C. Christians have a good reputation of service, 22-24
Paul reminds them of Timothy’s proven worth, how he serves with Paul, as a son serves a father, in spreading the good news of Jesus. Friends, Christians should have a good reputation of service. If we claim Christ as Lord, people in the church should find us dependable. So, if you call this your church, can we depend on you? Do you serve in some capacity? Do you have a record of proven worth? Now I understand that not everyone can serve in every capacity. Sometimes health and other extenuating circumstances keep us from serving. But can we serve each other with our prayers? Can we serve each other with our conversation? Surely, we can do that. Now that does not mean that we personally meet every request that comes our way. But it does mean that we have a good reputation of service.

Which begs the question, “Do we have a track record of proven worth?” Or do we sit on the sidelines of the church spectating? Do we get in the game? No one boos the fans. They boo the players. If we go to a game, pay for seats, and watch others play, we have our reward in full. We got exactly what we paid for. But Christianity is not a spectator sport. We either play on the team, as Christians, or we sit in the stands, watching Christians. But can we claim Christ if we sit in the stands. Timothy plays in the game. But every Christian that plays in the game does not receive public recognition like Timothy. Some serve quietly. When we get to heaven, we will meet myriads of people we have never heard of, who quietly and consistently serve the church and their community. Many who are first will be last, and the last first.

In vv23-24, Paul hopes to send Timothy to the Philippians as soon as he can. But in the meantime, he keeps Timothy by his side in his imprisonment, awaiting trial, and awaiting the outcome of that trial. But in all of this he places his confidence in God for the outcome. He does not place his trust in Rome. He does not place his trust in his own evident brilliance. Notice where Paul places his trust. —In the Lord. In v19, he places his hope in the Lord. Here in v24, he places his trust in the Lord. He does not look elsewhere. Do we tend to look elsewhere? Do we place our hope and our trust in others over and above God? Do we place our hope and trust in our own cunning over and above God? While the world has no other choice but to place their hope in such frail and fickle means, we can look to God for all means. If we can trust him to secure our salvation by dying a criminal’s death in a sham trial on the other side of the world, two thousand years ago, surely, we can trust him to deliver us from everything.

When I read about Timothy’s willingness to serve sacrificially, I cannot help but think about the difference between fandom and discipleship. Disciples practice their devotion up close. Disciples reorder their lives around their teacher. Disciples obey even when it costs them. On the other hand, fans admire from a distance. Fans ask others to reorder their lives around them. Fans follow only to a point. For instance, I consider myself a Star Wars fan. A little over a week ago, another Star Wars movie came out. As a fan, I went to see it. I spent 9 dollars of my money and 2 hours of my time proving my fandom, a small investment of talent and time. I got in my car to drive a few miles to the theater. I gave minimal effort. I fell far short of going whereever called to express my fandom. I could not imagine walking 798 miles to see the latest Star Wars movie, or any Star Wars movie for that matter. As a fan, I did not show much concern for others. It only mattered if this latest offering appealed to me. I did nothing to serve. I only demanded service. And while I consider myself a Star Wars fan, no one considers me a Jedi. While I also consider myself a Steelers fan, no one considers me a Steeler. I have sat in the stands, but no one has ever called me down to the field to play in the game. I have sat in the theater, but no one has ever called me to take up my lightsaber to fight in the Star Wars.

Has God called us to fandom or discipleship? Has he called us to consider ourselves Christ fans or Christians? Christians. Can you imagine what Christian fan culture might look like in Paul and Timothy’s context? If Paul and Timothy acted as mere fans of Christ, they would find themselves in vastly different positions. Rather than sit in rags confined to prison, they might stand in costume posed in front of a cardboard cutout of a prison at the theater, snapping a photo for their social media followers. Rather than sacrifice themselves by going to any length to serve others, they might satisfy themselves by asking others to go any length to serve them. Fans demand service. Hence the term, ‘fan service.’ On the other hand, disciples serve. Fans may show emotional investment. But they do not show personal surrender. Consider this your invitation to go from fandom to discipleship: to get out of the stands, come down onto the field, and play the game, to get out of the theater, and come down to the church and serve others. God has not called us to fandom. God has called us to discipleship. In vv19-24, Christians serve others sacrificially.

II. Christians Bear Other’s Burdens, 25-30
We see this in the example of Epaphroditus. Now the name, ‘Epaphroditus,’ comes from the name, ‘Aphrodite,’ the Greek goddess of love. But in those days Aphrodite also served as the goddess of gamblers. Because gamblers in those days would evoke her name when throwing dice. They did not say, “baby needs a new pair of shoes.” They said, “Epaphroditus.” Meaning, “favored by Aphrodite.” Paul’s Epaphroditus has favor. Paul’s Epaphroditus has favor far surpassing a fictional goddess. For he not only has the favor of the Apostle Paul, but of God himself.

Paul calls him in v25 by 5 favored titles, titles any of us would do well to emulate. He calls him (1) a brother, (2) a fellow worker, (3) a fellow soldier, (4) his church’s messenger, and (5) a minister of Paul’s need. Truly, one could not ask for more favored titles than these. He serves as a sibling in the family of God, a toiler in the work of the ministry, a comrade-in-arms in the spiritual battle, a herald of truth in a world of lies, and a dependable servant of Paul’s missionary work. At the heart of all these favored titles, we find a man content to serve in the shadow of Paul, out of his great love for God. We have our own favored titles these days. For instance, we have the title of ‘influencer.’ At one time you had to accomplish something to have influence. You had to work at the height of a particular craft or profession, to gain influence. Now you can just have influence with little to no credentials, by getting enough likes on your online videos or social media platforms. Vanity of vanities.

But Epaphroditus does not care about such vanity. He spends his time serving. In fact, in vv26-27 he longs to get back to his church in Philippi. He longs to serve them. But illness prevented him: an illness so serious that it distressed his fellow Philippians, an illness so deadly that it detained him from returning to them. But notice in v26 that Epaphroditus does not exploit his illness to gain anything for himself. In fact, he shows more concern for them than he shows for himself. He shows more distress that he caused them distress, than distress over the illness itself. Christians care for themselves, so that they can care for others. What servanthood. What Christlikeness. Christlike love does not insist on its own way. Instead, according to 1 Corinthians 13, it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Graciously, God spared Epaphroditus. Otherwise, Paul in v27, “should have sorrow upon sorrow.” Paul understood Jesus’ admonition that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. He cannot imagine losing such a helpful laborer as Epaphroditus. But it goes beyond that. You see, even though Jesus conquers sin and death, death remains an enemy, something grievous, and contrary to God’s original intention for humanity. We grieve the loss of fellow human beings. She have sorrow upon sorrow. But we rejoice when God spares good and faithful servants like Epaphroditus so long as the work of the ministry remains undone. Paul has an eagerness to send him to them that they might rejoice at seeing him again. But he has another reason.

Paul adds in v28 that he also wants to send him “that I may be less anxious.” Interesting. Paul admits to having anxiety. He admits this even though he will later call all Christians in Philippians 4:6-7 to “not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Paul calls us to an ideal that he struggles to keep himself. He knows he should take his anxiety to God in prayer and supplication. He knows he has anxieties. In fact, he says in 2 Corinthians 11:28, that apart from all the hardship he endured—imprisonments, beatings, and shipwrecks, among other dangers—he says, “there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” So, of course, Paul feels grateful that God spared Epaphroditus. Epaphroditus bears burdens. Epaphroditus alleviates anxiety. Epaphroditus shares the load. Apart from taking our anxiety to God, as Paul calls us to in ch4, we have other believers who serve alongside of, who take anxiety from us, who share the load, who bear the burdens.

“So,” Paul tells the Philippians in vv29-30, “receive Epaphroditus in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.” What lacked? Paul lacked funds. Epaphroditus risked his life to provide for Paul. Therefore, we honor those like Epaphroditus, who willingly risk everything, even their own lives, in service to Christ. We should celebrate such behavior. We should not celebrate what we tend to celebrate in our culture. We should not celebrate the trivial: celebrating those who can sing well, or act well, or play a sport well. Only a culture that celebrates the trivial values entertainment like we do. But God calls us to honor, to celebrate, those nameless servants of Christ who serve well. Paul shares his gratitude for servants like this, servants who bear burdens.

Last week I had my own little burden. I received a letter from a local criminal defense attorney offering to represent me. In that letter, a review of public record indicated that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania recently charged me with retail theft. Really? I almost threw the letter in the trash. But, my wife, Adina, told me to look up the case number just to make sure that they got the right person. It turns out, I have quite the record: a DUI in 2006, disorderly conduct in 2007, theft in 2013, 2019, and 2020, use and possession of drug paraphernalia in 2019, and theft again in 2026. Thankfully, they sent the letter to the wrong person. Apparently, a person with a similar name has a habit of bringing burdens rather than bearing burdens. All the sudden, I felt good about myself. I even felt like celebrating. An ice cream or burger might do the trick. After all, I often find ways to celebrate little milestones with an ice cream or burger.

Then I got to thinking. I may have a clean record with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and other governments, as far as I know. But I do not have a clean record with God, outside of Christ. For Christ bore my burden of sin. And now that he has, he calls me—he calls us—to bear other’s burdens, to alleviate other’s anxieties. Friends, no one goes it alone. Even the Lone Ranger had a Tonto. Even Batman had an Alfred. Even the loner and rebel, Pee-Wee Herman, had a myriad of people helping him on his big adventure. Paul had a Timothy. Paul had an Epaphroditus: partners in ministry to bear the burdens, alleviate the anxieties, and share the load. Which begs the question, “Whom do we have to share the load?”

I have heard it said that we have 3 ways to bear burdens, to handle stress: (1) Lighten the load, (2) Strengthen the core, and (3) Find support. We lighten the load when we decide that some of what we give our time to we can do without. We strengthen the core when we develop good habits, learn new skills, and read good books, the Bible, first and foremost. We find support when we ask others to come alongside of us who willingly take part in the work. Given the numerous needs of the churches, Paul cannot lighten the load. Through his faith in God, he can strengthen his core, taking all things to him in prayer and supplication. But he also has the privilege of finding support among other believers: those willing to walk alongside of him, those willing to bear his burdens, those willing to alleviate his anxieties. Knowing how to bear our burdens and deal with our stress requires us to look in 3 directions: (1) We look in, (2) We look out, and (3) we look up. We look in to assess ourselves, repenting of what needs repented of, strengthening what needs strengthened. We look out to both find support and give support. And we look up to God to place all our hope and trust in him. So, where do we look? Have we looked in? Have we looked out? And have we looked up?

Christians serve sacrificially, bearing the burdens of others. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. Christ willingly laid down his life for his people. Christ sacrificially served his people with his life, bearing their burden of sin. Now that he has, he calls his people to serve others sacrificially, to bear other’s burdens. Paul shows us these examples of faithful Christian service. We would do well to emulate these examples. Will you emulate them?