Be Examples of Humble Service & Love
Live as citizens of heaven. Live lives worthy of the gospel of Christ. Stand firm. Be fearless. Have the same mind as Christ. Serve others with selfless humility and self-giving love. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. These are Paul’s exhortations and instructions to the Philippians. Now, as Paul shares his plans and news with them, he gives us two real-life, flesh-and-blood examples of people who had the mind of Christ and served others selflessly in love and humble obedience to God — Timothy and Epaphroditus. They serve as godly examples for us of how we should imitate Christ, follow His example. We are also called to be examples of selfless service to others in order to encourage one another and to be the hand and feet of Jesus in this world, so that others can see Christ in us, believe in and follow Jesus.
1. Timothy — Sincerely Care for Others
Philippians 2:19-24 — But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon so that I also may be encouraged when I hear news about you. For I have no one else like-minded who will be genuinely concerned about your interests; for they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know his proven character, that like a son with a father he worked like a slave with me in the gospel. Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. And I am convinced in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.
Timothy joined Paul on his second missionary journey. He was a third-generation Christian. His grandmother and mother were Christians. He was still young, but Paul saw something in him, took him under his wing, discipled, and mentored him. He poured his own life into Timothy’s. He was a young man with good character, exceptional potential for missionary work, and church leadership. He became a trusted and vital member of Paul’s team. Paul sent him as his spokesperson to the churches, and he even served as the pastor of Ephesus for a while.
Paul plans to send Timothy to the Philippians as soon as they have clarity about Paul’s situation (v23). I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon (v19) & I trust in the Lord (v24) — Paul has a living relationship with his Lord. Therefore, he does not make plans in a worldly manner but all his hopes and plans are subject to the Lordship of Jesus, His will, and approval. He trusts in the Lord and is confident that things will happen according to the Lord’s will and purpose.
I have no one else who is like-minded who will be genuinely concerned about your interests — Timothy is others-centered. He looks out genuinely, sincerely, for the interests and welfare of others in humble, selfless service. He has proven himself. He served with Paul for many years. As a child serves his father, so he served with Paul for the gospel. As a father and son work together for a common cause, they served Christ together. They work for the gospel like slaves — self-giving, self-sacrificing service. Timothy did not do anything out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but looked out to the interest of others and the interest of Christ. To look out for the interests of others is to look out for the interests of Jesus. It is another way of saying, that we love and serve Jesus when we love and serve others. Timothy is qualified. Paul has full confidence in his abilities, and so he hopes to send him to the Philippians.
To our young people — you are never too young for ministry, to serve others in selfless humility and love. God gave you gifts, skills, and talents. He calls you to use those to serve others and his kingdom. No gift, no ministry is too small. Timothy was young. He was timid and sometimes afraid. He had health problems. But he relentlessly, faithfully persevered in serving others and Jesus Christ. I want to encourage you with Paul’s words to Timothy — “Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Tim 4:11-16).
To our older church members and leaders — We should pour our lives into our young people as Paul did with Timothy. We should not hold on to ministries, and positions of power and leadership. That is looking out for ourselves. Being others-centered and looking out for the interests of the whole church, mean that we must plan for the future. Don’t wait. Begin now. We must disciple our young people, involve them in ministry, mentor them, develop them as leaders because they are the leaders of the future. Be examples to them, model to them, show them the heart and mind of Christ.
2. Epaphroditus — Boldly Take Risks for Christ
Now we come to the example of Epaphroditus. Philippians 2:25-30 — But I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier, and your messenger and servant (minister) of my need, because he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. Indeed, he was sick, coming near to death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice when you see him again, and I also may be less anxious. Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with all joy and honor such men, because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.
Epaphroditus’ selfless service was a living example of the mind of Christ. He served the interests of others, of Paul and the Philippian church. The Philippians sent him to serve Paul and to take care of his needs. They send him with money to help with his expenses. The Roman prisons did not provide food and medical care. The prisoner with his family and friends were responsible for the expenses and care of the prisoner. The Philippian church was looking out for Paul’s interests, and Epaphroditus was willing to take on this mission, ministry, and service.
Paul gives evidence of Epaphroditus’ selfless service and honors him by giving some of his highest praise to him. He calls him my brother, expressing his love for him; his co-worker, and fellow-soldier. They worked and battled together in the Lord’s service in Rome. He was also the Philippians’ messenger and their servant who was sent to serve Paul’s needs. We don’t know much about him and he is mentioned only in this letter. Most likely he was one of those behind-the-scenes servants who supported and enabled others, putting others first; who never received the spotlight, who did not do anything out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.
He risked his life in the work of Christ. He undertook the long, dangerous journey to Rome to serve Paul and fulfill the Philippian church’s mission. This was an 800-mile long journey that could take a couple of weeks by foot and boat and was fraught with dangers. And then, while in Rome with Paul, he became seriously ill and nearly died. The Philippians heard about that, and of course, they were worried. And Epaphroditus was distressed because he knew that they were anxious about him and his mission not knowing what is happening. It could take weeks for news to go back and forth. He longs for them and is concerned about them. Paul, in his loving concern and selflessly looking out for the interests of the Philippians and Epaphroditus, decided that it was best for him to go home. And so, he instructed them to welcome him back and receive him with honor. Why?
Keep in mind that their mission and plans did not work out fully as intended. Epaphroditus may be disappointed in himself that he could not serve Paul as planned. He is overwhelmed with anxiety and longing. Most likely he was also worried about what was waiting for him back home. Paul is sending him back. How will the church respond? Will they be disappointed in him, angry and upset with him?
Therefore, Paul wrote to tell them to receive him with honor. In the work of Christ, this young man risked his life, became ill, and nearly died to serve others. He has the mind of Christ. The Philippians were unable to fully serve Paul but Epaphroditus’ humble service and sacrifice enabled them as a church to complete their service, care, and support to Paul.
From Epaphroditus’ example, we learn that the gifts and ministries of the quiet, behind-the-scenes servants are equally important, and they should also be honored; not only the up-front, outgoing, very public people with the more obvious gifts. By holding up Epaphroditus, Paul of course contradicted the culture of his time, and also our modern culture, that rewards those who seek prestige and position, who look out for self, and do things out of selfish ambition and vain conceit.
3. Be Examples, Be the Hands and Feet of Jesus
What examples are we going to be to one another, to the community, and the next generation? Paul gives us two living, godly examples of how we should have the mind of Christ and follow Christ’s example in selfless service to others. On the one hand, we have Timothy, the gifted, very public, well-known, “famous” servant. On the other hand, we have Epaphroditus, the quiet, behind-the-scenes, unrecognized servant who failed to complete his mission fully, but risked his life in service to others. Paul praises and honors them both, and presents both of them as servants who have the mind of Christ and live as kingdom citizens.
What matters is not what gifts you have. What matters is this, what are you doing with your gifts and your life to serve the Lord by serving others in love, humility, and self-giving service. You may turn the community on fire with your gospel preaching. Or you may quietly prepare food for others, take them to town, clean the church. They are all equally important. They all are the work of Christ.
Thank you for your service and ministries. Our church is community-concerned, others-concerned, others-centered. I know how all of you are serving one another as well as others in our community. And I am quite sure there is also much that I don’t know. I want to encourage you to persevere, to keep on doing it, do not give up. Use your gifts, skills, talents, and resources, no matter what they are, no matter how big or small they are, use them to serve, to contend, to run the race, to fight the fight — you are the hands and feet of Jesus in this world. You are heroes in God’s story.
I also want to challenge us not to be content and complacent. We can and should do more. Until our Lord comes back, the poor will be with us, the lost need to hear the gospel, and there are disciples to be made. If we serve only our own within the body then as a church we are looking out only to our own interests and not those of others. We must love both our neighbors and our enemies, pray for them, and serve them. Then we will be children of our Father who is in heaven. “… love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. … If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:46-48).
Let us pray and ask the Holy Spirit to show us how we can serve our community above and beyond what we are already doing. Ask the Spirit to empower and equip us to do so with courageous boldness. Let the examples of Timothy and Epaphroditus inspire us to imitate Christ, to serve others in self-giving love and humble obedience to God. All of us, young and old, let us be examples of Christ to one another and to our community. Let us be the hands and feet of Jesus in this world.