In Christ Alone, Our Hope Is Found (Phil. 3:2-11)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on September 17, 2023

A man one day was writing the love of his life … her name was Betty. He wrote:

My dearest Betty,

I love you beyond words. Webster does not have in his dictionary the necessary vocabulary to explain the depth of my love for you. Thoughts of you dance across the portals of my mind. You are my all-consuming passion. So enraptured am I regarding my love for you that the Pacific Ocean would be like a pond if I had to swim it. I could do it as long as I knew you were awaiting me on the other shore. The heat of the Sahara Desert would never impede my progress to you, knowing that you would be the oasis that would refresh me when I arrive. There would be no inconvenience I wouldn’t endure for you. Climbing Mount Everest would only seem like getting over an ant’s hill if I knew you were at the precipice. All I’m simply saying to you, my darling … is that my love for you transcends time and space.

Signed, Sam.

P.S. I’ll see you Saturday night if it doesn’t rain.

Now I’m sure you would agree with me, Sam was only full of a bunch of noise. Sam could talk a good game but he didn’t go very deep. While he could verbalize overcoming the elements to get to his love, a little bit of rain would keep him away. It’s easy to verbalize being an overcomer. It’s easy to say the words, “I am victorious. I’ve been made victorious in Christ.” But it’s a whole different thing to not let the rain slow you down. It’s a whole different thing to take your position as an overcomer and turn it into your practice of overcoming.^[1]

We are preaching through Philippians. As we begin today, are we committed to Christ? Are we trusting in faith in Him for salvation or our good works? Are we ready to suffer to know Him more? Paul addresses those subjects in today’s passage.

My theme today is:

In Christ alone, our hope is found.

1. To start, Paul warns them to beware! (Phil. 3:2-3).
   1. We will begin this section, but first, let’s put this in context. A text without a context is a pretext for whatever you want it to mean.
   2. Last week, we looked at Phil. 3:1. That was a very encouraging passage. Paul encouraged them to rejoice in the Lord.
   3. This whole letter has been about joy and unity. I believe that is important for the section we are getting into.
   4. In Phil. 1:12-18 Paul reflected on his imprisonment, yet he had joy. The Gospel was advancing.
   5. We have that well-known passage “To live is Christ” in Phil. 1:19-26.
   6. In Phil. 1:27-30 Paul wrote about living worthy of the Gospel.
   7. Phil. 2 was about humbly serving the Lord.
   8. Then, we come to Phil. 3:1 and rejoicing.
   9. Now, why does the context matter?
   10. The context of the whole Bible is important. I have been giving you the context within this letter, but really this letter fits within the Pauline epistles, the Pauline epistles fit within the New Testament. The New Testament follows the Old Testament. All of that is important. We have to keep all of that in mind. The Old Testament points to Jesus in every book. The New Testament Gospels write about Jesus. The book of Acts gives early church history. The epistles exhort us, but they also do teach theology.
   11. We are in the epistles. Paul is writing a letter to the church at Philippi and to us. He exhorts them and us in unity, joy, and Christian living. This letter is inspired by God.
   12. He has been writing about unity and joy. So, what would threaten that?
   13. He is about to tell us what threatens their unity and their joy.
   14. Philippians 3:2–3 (ESV)
   15. ² Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. ³ For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
   16. Paul says, “Look out,” or some translations say, “Beware…”
   17. He is concerned. If you are at a baseball game and say, “Look out,” there might be concern about a baseball coming your way. This is a concern.
   18. “Look out for the dogs,” why?
   19. As you likely know, he is not concerned about actual dogs.
   20. “Dogs” was a pejorative term for a group.
   21. I believe he is referring to a group called the “Judaizers.” This group taught that they still needed to keep the Jewish law.
   22. That is why Paul says, “Look out for those who mutilate the flesh.” He is referring to circumcision, and he calls them evildoers. This was settled in Acts 15. Gentiles did not need to keep the Jewish Law except abstain from sexual immorality, meat sacrificed to idols, things strangled, and blood.
   23. In verse 3, Paul says that they are the true circumcision.
   24. Why does he say that?
   25. He explains it. They worship by the Spirit of God. They glory in Christ Jesus. They do not put confidence in the flesh. In other words, they do not put confidence in externals like circumcision.
   26. They worship in Spirit (John 4:23-24).
   27. Paul is talking about a circumcision of the heart.
   28. This verse mentions all three members of the Trinity: “God” (the Father), “Christ Jesus” (the Son), and “the Spirit of God” (the Holy Spirit).^[2]
2. Paul’s confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:4-6).
   1. Philippians 3:4–6 (ESV)
   2. ⁴ though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
   3. When Paul says that they should not have confidence in the flesh, he was the right person to address it.
   4. In Paul’s past, he had some achievements.
   5. He says he has more reasons to have more confidence in the flesh than others.
   6. “Flesh” in this context means human achievements.
   7. Verse 5: circumcised the eighth day… that is how it was supposed to be (Lev. 12:3).
   8. He had not received circumcision in his thirteenth year, as Ishmaelites did, nor later in life, as many Gentiles did who converted to Judaism (e.g., Acts 16:3).^[3]
   9. He is of the people of Israel.
   10. However, Paul will be getting into the idea of circumcision of the heart, which the Old Testament writes about (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:26ff).
   11. He is of the tribe of Benjamin. Benjamin was the second son of Rachel (Ge 35:18), and one of the elite tribes of Israel, who along with Judah, remained loyal to the Davidic dynasty and formed the southern kingdom (1Ki 12:21).^[4]
   12. “A Hebrew of Hebrews…” I believe this means that he has ancestry that is Hebrew. He was not a proselyte. Further, this could mean he can read the Scriptures in Hebrew and/or that he spoke Aramaic, the national language of Israel in his day.
   13. As far as the law goes, he was a Pharisee, which means he cared about the law.
   14. Verse 6: as for zeal, he persecuted the church.
   15. He was blameless in righteousness under the law.
   16. He knows what he is talking about.
3. Paul counts his gains as loss for the sake of Christ (Phil. 3:7-11).
   1. Philippians 3:7–11 (ESV)
   2. ⁷ But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ¹⁰ that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
   3. In verses 7-11, Christ is mentioned by name or pronoun 10 times.
   4. Verse 7 is saying that for all those gains that he had mentioned, Paul counts them as loss for the sake of Christ. Jesus is better.
   5. In verse 8, Paul builds on this idea.
   6. He counts everything as loss for the “surpassing” worth of knowing Christ Jesus His Lord.
   7. Knowing Christ is more valuable than anything else.
   8. A little girl came to her father and asked him for a nickel. The father reached in his pocket, but he didn’t have any change. All he had was a twenty-dollar bill. He knew that was a lot of money, but he figured that his daughter had been a good girl. He decided to give her the twenty.
   9. The little girl said, “Oh no, Daddy. You don’t understand. I want a nickel.”
   10. “No, honey, you don’t understand. This is a bunch of nickels. This is a twenty-dollar bill.”
   11. But the little girl didn’t understand. She said, “Daddy, why won’t you give me a nickel?”
   12. He tried to explain. He tried to tell her how many nickels were in a dollar, and how many dollars were in a twenty-dollar bill. She wasn’t getting it.
   13. So she started crying and having a temper tantrum. “Daddy, you said you were going to give me a nickel. Why won’t you give me a nickel?”
   14. That’s exactly what we do. We settle for a nickel when God offers us twenties.^[8]
   15. Notice he says that Jesus is His lord.
   16. Is Jesus your Lord?
   17. He continues saying that he will count them as rubbish in order to gain Christ. Gaining Christ is far better.
   18. Paul continues in verse 9.
   19. He wants to be found in Christ. He wants to be found not having a righteousness of his own from the law, no, a righteousness that comes from faith in Christ.
   20. This righteousness in God depends on faith.
   21. In verse 10, Paul expands on this. He wants to know Him. He wants to know Christ.
   22. How much does he want to know Christ?
   23. It is all loss with the purpose of knowing Him. The direct object of “know” is 3 things:
       1. power of His resurrection,
       2. sharing in His sufferings,
       3. becoming like Him in death…
   24. Power first and then sharing in sufferings. He does not want power to avoid sufferings. We would think the resurrection power could make us avoid suffering, but it is not that kind of power.
   25. What power? Eph 1:16-2:6: The power that raised Jesus from the dead…
   26. Does he think sharing in Christ’s sufferings adds merit to his salvation? No, he likely thinks it is only fair since Christ suffered so much.
   27. He wants to know the power of His resurrection.
   28. He wants to share in His sufferings.
   29. He wants to become like Him in His death.
   30. In verse 11, he closes this part up, based on what he has written, he wants to attain the resurrection by any means possible.
   31. Is this about him trying to earn his salvation?
   32. He probably meant that he wanted the power that resurrected his Savior and was within himself because of the indwelling Christ to manifest itself in his life for God’s glory (cf. Rom 6:4; Col. 3:1; Eph. 2:5–6).^[9]
   33. I believe he is talking about persevering to the end.
   34. Sharing in Christ suffering means more than suffering for Christ but allowing Christ death to shape all of life.
   35. Christ took on the form of a servant, and we take on the form of Christ in His death.
4.  Applications:
   1. Can we only trust in Jesus for salvation and not in works (Phil. 3:2-8)?
   2. Or, are we thinking that we live a good life?
   3. Are we trusting in the externals, such as: baptism, church attendance, Sunday school, etc for merit with God (Phil. 3:2-8)?
   4. Can we count all of those externals as excrement compared to knowing Christ (Phil. 3:8)?
   5. Is knowing Christ the best (Phil. 3:7-11)?
   6. Are we prepared to suffer for Christ (Phil. 3:10-11)?
   7. Are we trusting that our righteousness does not come from works but faith in Christ (Phil. 3:9)?
   8. Are we prepared to persevere to the end (Phil. 3:10-11)?
   9. Are we prepared to stay close to Christ when our family excludes us?
   10. Are we prepared to stay close to Christ if the Bible is illegal?
   11. Are we prepared to stay close to Christ if it is illegal to go to church?
   12. Can we stay true to Christ if our workplace calls us to deny part of the faith? Suppose our workplace will make us condone or endorse abortion? Suppose we are a pharmacist and must sell the morning-after bill or other abortifacients. Can we stay true to Christ?
   13. Suppose we are a pediatrician, nurse, hospital employee, or counselor, and we are required to aid a teenager (or younger child) transition to another sex. Can we stay true to Christ?

In 1856, Henry Brown, a slave in Richmond, Virginia, decided he didn’t want to be a slave anymore. Henry Brown found himself a box, a small wooden crate, and postmarked it to an abolitionist in Philadelphia, which was free territory. Henry Brown got inside the box, sealed the box from the inside, and mailed himself to Philadelphia.

Henry Brown was banking on the U.S. Postal Service to deliver him. He was in slavery and needed to be delivered. The abolitionist got the crate. When he opened the box, Henry Brown stood up, after being in that box for three weeks, and said, “How do you do, sir. My name is Henry Brown and I was a slave. I heard about you being an abolitionist, so I’m entrusting my future to you.” That was a big risk. It was an oxygen risk, a risk of being discovered, and a risk of going hungry. But when Henry Brown stood up in Philadelphia, he was a free man. Henry Brown rejoiced because the risk was well worth the inconvenience. Living a committed Christian life involves taking a risk. It involves having faith that Jesus is going to come through for you. But living a committed Christian life is a risk that is well worth the inconvenience.^[12]

Prayer

^[1] Tony Evans, Tony Evans’ Book of Illustrations: Stories, Quotes, and Anecdotes from More than 30 Years of Preaching and Public Speaking (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2009), 42–43.

^[2] Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2285.

^[3] Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Php 3:5.

^[4] John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Php 3:5.

^[5] Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2285.

^[6] Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Biblical Studies Press, 2006), Php 3:5.

^[7] Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Biblical Studies Press, 2006), Php 3:6–8.

^[8] Tony Evans, Tony Evans’ Book of Illustrations: Stories, Quotes, and Anecdotes from More than 30 Years of Preaching and Public Speaking (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2009), 43.

^[9] Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Php 3:10.

^[10] R. C. Sproul, ed., The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015), 2113–2114.

^[11] Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Php 3:11.

^[12] Tony Evans, Tony Evans’ Book of Illustrations: Stories, Quotes, and Anecdotes from More than 30 Years of Preaching and Public Speaking (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2009), 42.

Rejoice in the Lord! (Phil. 3:1)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on September 10, 2023

Swindoll shares:

It had been a long time since Horace Walpole smiled. Too long. Life for him had become as drab as the weather in dreary old England. Then, on a grim winter day in 1754, while reading a Persian fairy tale, his smile returned. He wrote his longtime friend, Horace Mann, telling him of the “thrilling approach to life” he had discovered from the folk tale.

The ancient tale told of three princes from the island of Ceylon who set out on a pursuit of great treasures. They never found that for which they searched, but en route they were continually surprised by delights they had never anticipated. While looking for one thing, they found another.

The original name of Ceylon was Serendip, which explains the title of this story—“The Three Princes of Serendip.” From that, Walpole coined the wonderful word “serendipity.” And from then on, his most significant and valued experiences were those that happened to him while he was least expecting them.

Serendipity occurs when something beautiful breaks into the monotonous and the mundane. A serendipitous life is marked by “surprisability” and spontaneity.  When we lose our capacity for either, we settle into life’s ruts. We expect little and we’re seldom disappointed.

Though I have walked with God for several decades, I must confess I still find much about Him incomprehensible and mysterious. But this much I know: He delights in surprising us. He dots our pilgrimage from earth to heaven with amazing serendipities.[1]

My theme today is:

Rejoice in the Lord!

1. Let’s start with the context.
   1. Let’s begin by putting Phil. 3:1 in the context of the letter of Philippians. In Philippians 1:1-11, Paul greets them and prays for the Philippians.
   2. In Philippians 1:12-18, Paul writes that his imprisonment has meant progress for the gospel.
   3. In Philippians 1:19-26, Paul writes about how he will live for Christ.
   4. In Philippians 1:27-30, Paul encourages them to walk worthy of the gospel.
   5. In Philippians 2:1-4, Paul wrote about unity and self-sacrificial behavior.
   6. In Philippians 2:5-11, Paul gave the example of Christ.
   7. In Philippians 2:12-18, Paul wrote about Christian behavior.
   8. In Philippians 2:19-24, Paul gave the example of Timothy.
   9. In Philippians 2:25-30, Paul gives the example of Epaphroditus.
   10. So, after writing about unity and sacrifice, he now takes one verse to remind them to rejoice.
2. Rejoice in the Lord.
   1. Philippians 3:1 (ESV): Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
   2. Notice how Philippians 3:1 begins with “finally”?
   3. This is more of an attention word, it means “as far as the rest is concerned…”
   4. Paul is not writing out of a burden but out of joy.
   5. He is about to give a warning in Philippians 3:2ff, but first he exhorts them to rejoice.
   6. He will pick up this theme of joy again in Philippians 4.
   7. In Philippians 2:18 Paul wrote about rejoicing.
   8. This is a theme of Philippians.
   9. Notice how he continues to use the language of family.
   10. He calls them, “brothers” or “brothers and sisters.”
   11. He says to “rejoice, ‘in the Lord.”’
   12. MacArthur shares: This, however, is the first time he adds “in the Lord,” which signifies the sphere in which the believers’ joy exists—a sphere unrelated to the circumstances of life, but related to an unassailable, unchanging relationship to the sovereign Lord.^[2]
   13. Rejoice in the Lord.
   14. This is important for him to write.
   15. The verb “rejoice” has to do with being glad, or joyful.
   16. He is saying to “be glad in God.”
   17. He writes that it is okay to write the same thing again.
   18. It would be easy to think he would write to rejoice again, but more likely, he is referring to the following verses. In Philippians 1:27-30 he had already written about their opponents, and now he is about to write about them again.
   19. He writes that it is safe for them that he writes the same thing again.
   20. This is because he is able to keep the church of Philippi from succumbing to false teachers.
3.  Apply
   1. 1. Paul is in a Roman prison, and his living conditions are not that good, but he exhorts them to rejoice. How are we doing with rejoicing?
      2. How are we doing with being happy?
      3. Paul is in a negative situation from the world’s standards but says to rejoice.
      4. In the book, “Rewire Your Brain” the author shares:
      5. You can start to rewire your brain by priming a positive mood through acting as though you are in a good mood when you’re not. Let’s say that you’ve been sad recently and have been pulling back from your friends. Maybe you’ve said to yourself, “I don’t want to put on a happy face.” You should force yourself to call a friend and go out to lunch when you don’t feel like it. Once you are at lunch, even just smiling can activate parts of your brain associated with positive emotions.
      6. Further: Behavioral activation (the left PFC) is one of the principal therapies for depression. Thus, making an effort to put yourself out there helps you lift depression. In fact, “putting on a happy face ” is actually helpful. Here’s how it works: There are neural pathways that link the facial muscles, the cranial nerves, the subcortical areas, and the cortex. Information flows down from the brain to the face and also back up again. For example, if you contract the muscles on the right side of your face, that activates your left hemisphere, which creates the likelihood of a positive emotional bias. In contrast, if you contract the muscles on the left side of your face, that activates your right hemisphere, which creates the likelihood of a negative bias.
      7. Thus, when you force a smile or a frown, you’re triggering the feelings associated with happiness or sadness. By smiling or frowning you send messages to your subcortical and cortical areas that resonate with happy or sad feelings. So put on a happy face—it helps you to feel better![3]
      8. Humor is a boost to your biochemistry. It helps to lower the levels of the stress hormone cortisol while it increases immunoglobulin, natural killer (NK) cells, and plasma cytokine gamma interferon levels. Immunoglobulin consists of the antibodies that help the immune system to fight infections; it serves as one of the body’s primary defense mechanisms. NK cells seek out and destroy abnormal cells; they are a key mechanism for what is called immunosurveillance. Plasma cytokine gamma interferon orchestrates or regulates anticellular activities and turns on specific parts of the immune system. If you are able to develop a sense of humor about yourself, you’ll find that incredibly liberating. It ensures that you don’t take your current situation and yourself too seriously. Laughing at yourself allows you to see yourself as part of a greater whole.[4]
      9. So, regardless of our situation, if we try to find an optimistic attitude, if we try to smile, if we try to find humor, it will make us happy.
      10. In this way, we need to be happy in God.
      11. Paul says to rejoice.
      12. We must rejoice even in hard times.
      13. We must rejoice “in the Lord.” We can only rejoice “in the Lord.”
      14. Are we glad in God? That is what “rejoice” means.
      15. Are we happy in God?
      16. No matter what happens politically, can we be happy in God?
      17. Can we be happy in God when we do not have much (Phil. 4:11-13)?
      18. Can we be happy in God when we have plenty (Phil. 4:11-13)?
      19. Can we rejoice in God, being happy in God, when the day does not go as planned?
      20. When we have that unexpected phone call, or text message, or flat tire, can we still praise Him? Can we still rejoice? Can we still be thankful? Can we still be happy in God? Maybe without that flat tire you would have hit a deer.
      21. Can we find ways to see ways to give God praise?
      22. Can we find ways to rejoice?
      23. Can we look for the good, look for God moments?

Piper:

No one had ever taught me that God is glorified by our joy in him — that joy in God is the very thing that makes our praise an honor to God, and not hypocrisy.

But Jonathan Edwards said it so clearly and powerfully:

God glorifies himself towards the creatures also [in] two ways: (1) by appearing to . . . their understanding; (2) in communicating himself to their hearts, and in their rejoicing and delighting in, and enjoying the manifestations which he makes of himself. . . . God is glorified not only by his glory’s being seen, but by its being rejoiced in. . . .

[W]hen those that see it delight in it: God is more glorified than if they only see it. . . . He that testifies his idea of God’s glory [doesn’t] glorify God so much as he that testifies also his approbation of it and his delight in it.

This was a stunning discovery for me. I must pursue joy in God if I am to glorify him as the surpassingly valuable Reality in the universe. Joy is not a mere option alongside worship. It is an essential component of worship. Indeed the very essence of worship — being glad in the glories of God.[5]

Prayer

[1] Taken from Day by Day with Charles Swindoll by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2000 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson. www.thomasnelson.com. https://insight.org/resources/daily-devotional/individual/expecting-the-unexpected1

^[2] John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Php 3:1.

[3] Arden, John B.. Rewire Your Brain (pp. 50-52). Wiley. Kindle Edition.

[4] Ibid., 53.

[5] Devotional excerpted from Desiring God, pages 22–23 https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-most-liberating-discovery?utm_campaign=Daily%20Email&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=77388006&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-80hlIdQ7oOE_HGobjYMoEmBtPHH06nmtlSOuEUD3Bt_4rTpGw_Su-AraQzfeZIhZ-tU0l2sdTiWnDMf-VMUH6mX9l24g&_hsmi=77388006

Epaphroditus, Another Example of Self-Sacrifice (Phil. 2:25-30)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on September 3, 2023

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Chuck Swindoll shares:

The words of that old hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” remind us that Jesus is not just our God, Savior, and King, but also our close, personal friend. He’s available to anyone at any time. He exemplifies selfless humility, sacrificial love, and patience toward people who could never repay His affection.

In the body of Christ we’ve also been given others who reflect in real, tangible ways the immeasurable friendship of Christ. For Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus were such friends who exhibited Christlike character. Let’s consider the two kinds of friendship encountered in Philippians.^[1]

Today, we look at Phil. 2:25-30.

My theme today is:

Epaphroditus, Another Example of Self-Sacrifice (Phil. 2:25-30)

1. First, let’s talk about the context.
   1. In Phil. 2:1-4, Paul wrote about unity and self-sacrificial behavior.
   2. In Phil. 2:5-11, Paul gave the example of Christ.
   3. In Phil. 2:12-18, Paul wrote about Christian behavior.
   4. In Phil. 2:19-24, Paul gave the example of Timothy.
   5. Now, Paul gives the example of Epaphroditus.
2. Epaphroditus, the soldier (Phil. 2:25).
   1. 2:25: 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…
   2. Paul says that he thought it necessary to send Epaphroditus. It is as if he is thinking out loud.
   3. He calls him a “brother” as well as a fellow worker.
   4. He also calls him a “fellow soldier.”
   5. He is not a literal “soldier” but a “soldier” in his work. He works for the faith like a “soldier.”
   6. He ministers to Paul’s need.
   7. These modifiers describe Epaphroditus: brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, messenger, and minister.
   8. One shares: Paul is playing chess, not checkers. With Chess, you must be a few moves ahead; with checkers, you just must be one move ahead. He thinks about sending Epaphroditus, but he knows how they will receive him (Phil 2:29).[2]
   9. It is possible, maybe probable, that Epaphroditus would be carrying the letter with him.
   10. Swindoll shares: Epaphroditus had been sent to Rome to minister to Paul, but shortly after arriving the man became terribly ill. Ultimately he recovered, but not before a long struggle where he lingered at death’s door. News of his illness might have traveled back to Philippi, and the man was concerned that his friends back home would be worried about him. Furthermore, when he returned earlier than expected, some might think he returned as a quitter, so Paul was careful to write strong words in his defense.[3]
   11. In Phil. 4:18 Paul references him again.
   12. Phil. 4:18: I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.
   13. One source shares: The name Epaphroditus, meaning “charming” or “handsome,” was common in the Graeco-Roman world. Epaphroditus is mentioned twice in the New Testament—both times in the Letter to the Philippians (Phil 2:25; 4:18). Epaphroditus seems to have functioned as a leader in the church in Philippi. Paul calls him the church’s messenger (ἀπόστολος, apostolos, “one who is sent”), brother (i.e., he was a Christian), fellow worker, and fellow soldier (Phil 2:25).^[4]
   14. When Epaphroditus first arrived, he brought a gift of money from the Philippians. This tells us the people back home trusted him completely. When he gave the gift to Paul, he brought enormous encouragement to the apostle . . . but shortly thereafter, Epaphroditus fell ill. So the apostle writes with deep affection, referring to him as, “brother . . . fellow worker . . . fellow soldier . . . messenger . . . minister to my need.” I’d call those admirable qualities in a friend.[5]
   15. Bishop Lightfoot says that Epaphroditus was one in “common sympathy, common work, and common danger and toil and suffering”[6]
   16. It does seem that Epaphroditus is a good friend to the Apostle Paul.
   17. The great Roman statesman Cicero said, “He, indeed, who looks into the face of a friend beholds, as it were, a copy of himself.”^[7]
   18. Epaphroditus is a good friend.
   19. It was risky even to visit a prisoner. The visitor would be prejudged for visiting the prisoner.
   20. In the early church there were societies of men and women who called themselves the parabolani, that is, the riskers or gamblers. They ministered to the sick and imprisoned, and they saw to it that, if at all possible, martyrs and sometimes even enemies would receive an honorable burial. Thus in the city of Carthage during the great pestilence of A.D. 252 Cyprian, the bishop, showed remarkable courage. In self-sacrificing fidelity to his flock, and love even for his enemies, he took upon himself the care of the sick, and bade his congregation nurse them and bury the dead. What a contrast with the practice of the heathen who were throwing the corpses out of the plague-stricken city and were running away in terror![8]
   21. Are we self-sacrificing friends to others? Can we be counted on? Paul is in prison; it was risky to visit him, but still, Epaphroditus was willing. What are we willing to do and sacrifice for those in need? Can we sacrifice our status?
3. Epaphroditus’s sickness (Phil. 2:26-30):
   1. Philippians 2:26–30 (ESV) 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.
   2. About verse 28, one writes: But Paul’s anxiety reflected his love for them. As C.S. Lewis said, “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken” (The Four Loves, 121).[9]
   3. In verse 26, we see that Paul continues to write about Epaphroditus.
   4. He has been longing for them.
   5. We learn that he is ill. We learn that he is distressed because he heard that they knew he was ill. They knew he was sick, and that caused him distress.
   6. Fee: How the Philippians had learned of Epaphroditus’s illness cannot now be known. It is usually assumed that he took ill in Rome and that a courier, going by way of Philippi, carried the news to them. But another scenario seems more promising. Given that Epaphroditus was probably carrying a considerable sum of money, it is altogether unlikely that he was traveling alone (cf. 2 Cor 11:9, where the same Philippian service to Paul is brought by “brothers,” plural). Very likely Epaphroditus took ill on the way to Rome, and one of his traveling companions returned to Philippi with that news (which is how Epaphroditus knew they knew) while another (or others) stayed with him as he continued on his way to Rome, even though doing so put his life at great risk (Phil 2:30). This view is favored in particular by the way Paul phrases verse 30: risking his life in order that he might fulfill his mission on behalf of Philippi.^[10]
   7. Maybe he was one who did not like to draw attention to himself. He wanted to serve them, not the other way around.
   8. Verse 27 gives more detail about his illness. His sickness was near death, but God spared him.
   9. Swindoll: This was the man who risked it all for the sake of his call to the service of Christ. Are you willing to join the ranks of Epaphroditus? Truth is, every time you minister to someone in need, you risk something. Every time. You risk being taken advantage of. You risk being misunderstood. You risk being ostracized. In fact, there is no ministry without some kind of risk, great or small. It seems to me that we’ve become a complacent people, seeking comfort and control over our lives rather than taking even minimal risks for the gospel. Are you willing to start risking for Christ? Have you felt the Spirit nudging you toward certain ministry decisions that might rock your world? Let me tell you, the risk is worth it.
   10. How do you respond to an Epaphroditus in your life? You hold that person in high regard. You don’t scold him. You don’t despise her. You don’t say, “Why are you wasting your time and risking everything for this? Think about your future!” Instead, you lend your prayers, your support, and your encouragement. Of course, when you do that, you step into the Order of Epaphroditus yourself, because inevitably somebody will say to you, “You’re a fool to waste your time on somebody as reckless as that!”^[11]
   11. Do we realize that when we are spared, we are spared because of God?
   12. Paul says that God spared him. Paul would have been sorrowful if God had called Epaphroditus home. This speaks to Paul’s love for his co-worker in ministry.
   13. Notice also that God did not heal Epaphroditus dramatically. It seems that this verse speaks to God giving the body the ability to gradually fight off the illness.
   14. Look at 2 Tim. 4:20: Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus.
   15. Sometimes we act like everyone must be Divinely healed or their faith is weak. The Apostle Paul had healed the sick and raised the dead (Acts 14:8; 20:7-12), but sometimes people were not healed or not healed dramatically. In 2 Cor. 12, Paul was not healed.
   16. We must pray for God’s will and trust Him (James 4:15).
   17. In verse 28, Paul is “more eager” to send him. This is because they will rejoice at seeing him again.
   18. This is a great example of close companionship.
   19. Of course, this makes more sense if he was one of the leaders in their church.
   20. Do we rejoice to see each other?
   21. Paul says that he will be less anxious when they see him. This has caused some thinking and writing because in Phil. 4:6-7, we are exhorted NOT to be anxious. However, “anxious” can be translated as “concerned.” Paul is concerned for them. It is good to be concerned, but worry is unhealthy.
   22. Although Timothy’s departure for Philippi will await the resolution of Paul’s legal appeal, Paul is dispatching Epaphroditus immediately, probably bearing this epistle, to reassure the Philippians’ concerns over Epaphroditus’s health and Paul’s situation, to express thanks for the gift Epaphroditus had brought, and to address other pastoral concerns.^[12]
   23. In verse 29, they are exhorted to receive him, how? Receive him “in the Lord.” It is the Lord Who binds us together.
   24. They are to receive him with joy.
   25. They are to honor men like him. Why? It is because of his service for the gospel (1 Tim. 3:1; Hebrews 13:7, 17; James 3:1).
   26. In verse 30, Paul gives more reasons to honor him. This clues us into his sacrifice. He almost died for the gospel. He risked his life to complete what was was lacking in their service to him.
   27. Epaphroditus had faced this peril on behalf of the Philippians, who had desired to send gifts to support Paul but had not been able to do so (what was lacking in your service to me) until Epaphroditus made it possible (see 4:10, 18).^[13]

Sacrifice, Swindoll writes:

This reminds me of the six-year-old girl who became deathly ill with a dread disease. To survive, she needed a blood transfusion from someone who had previously conquered the same illness. The situation was complicated by her rare blood type. Her nine-year-old brother qualified as a donor, but everyone was hesitant to ask him since he was just a lad. Finally they agreed to have the doctor pose the question.

The attending physician tactfully asked the boy if he was willing to be brave and donate blood for his sister. Though he didn’t understand much about such things, the boy agreed without hesitation: “Sure, I’ll give my blood for my sister.”

He lay down beside his sister and smiled at her as they pricked his arm with the needle. Then he closed his eyes and lay silently on the bed as the pint of blood was taken.

Soon thereafter the physician came in to thank the little fellow. The boy, with quivering lips and tears running down his cheeks, asked, “Doctor, when do I die?” At that moment the doctor realized that the naive little boy thought that by giving his blood, he was giving up his life. Quickly he reassured the lad that he was not going to die, but amazed at his courage, the doctor asked, “Why were you willing to risk your life for her?”

“Because she is my sister . . . and I love her,” was the boy’s simple but significant reply. So it was between Epaphroditus and his brother in Rome . . .[14]

Prayer

^[1] Charles R. Swindoll, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. 9, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2017), 59.

[2] Dr. White, Cedarville University Chapel, 01.25.2021

[3] Swindoll, Charles R.. Laugh Again (pp. 118-119). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

^[4] Jeffrey E. Miller, “Epaphroditus,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

[5] Swindoll, Charles R.. Laugh Again (p. 119). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

[6] Ibid.

^[7] Charles R. Swindoll, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. 9, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2017), 60.

[8] Swindoll, Charles R.. Laugh Again (p. 120). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

[9] https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/safe-to-feel-deeply?utm_campaign=Daily%20Email&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=73918595&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_ClWbI80SKZvKf5rALtivl-pb4rUjn1BxpnEERoeggSQQT3Fh-DLaUCP9iK7juTTt6s79yZIYR_9CPOy0moEtmLRp5dQ&_hsmi=73918595

^[10] Gordon D. Fee, Philippians, vol. 11, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Westmont, IL: IVP Academic, 1999), 123.

^[11] Charles R. Swindoll, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. 9, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2017), 60.

^[12] R. C. Sproul, ed., The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015), 2112.

^[13] Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2284.

[14] Swindoll, Charles R.. Laugh Again (pp. 120- 121). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.