TEXT: PHILIPPIANS 2:19-30 (CSB): “Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you. For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.
But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need— since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious. Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, 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.”
The Apostle Paul is chained, imprisoned – facing possible execution for his belief, his faith in the Lord. He was going through some very trying circumstances, still, he is able to pen these words of encouragement – of joy in the midst of turmoil. But, Paul writes of the joy that overshadows the tribulation. So, where does this come from? It comes from God and from one another.
We need each other more than ever in these times. These are not times to draw apart – but to draw closer to one another. Paul uses Epaphroditus to picture this in four areas. We will look at one each day over four days. We first saw the picture that we are BROTHERS – THE CHRIST LIFE IS A FAMILY. The second picture that Paul painted with Epaphroditus was that we are COMPANIONS IN LABOR. Then there was picture number three – we are to be FELLOW SOLDIERS. And we conclude this passage of thoughts today with the reminder that we are MESSENGERS.
The Christian life is a message. And that message is a Person – that person is Jesus Christ.
We have a message to a lost and dying world. But we also have a message to our brothers and sisters. A message to our companions in labor. A message to our fellow soldiers.
That message is – no matter how dark, no matter how dismal, no matter how bleak – “Lift up your heads for your redemption draws nigh” as the Psalmist declares in the Old Testament.
This is the message of the promise of the victory – the victory we have in Jesus Christ. A song that I have requested to be sung at my funeral is that old favorite – Victory in Jesus. Consider these words and meditate upon them today –
“I heard about a mansion, He has built for me in glory, And I heard about
the streets of gold beyond the crystal sea; About the angels singing and
the old redemption story, And some sweet day I’ll sing up there
the song of victory.”
Paul has given us four pictures of our calling through the example of his beloved brother, co-worker, fellow soldier, and messenger – Epaphroditus.
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