September 8, 2025 • 20 mins
What makes someone willing to risk their life for people who don't even appreciate them? This powerful examination of Philippians 2:25-30 unpacks the extraordinary example of Epaphroditus, a man whose faithful service nearly killed him—yet he was ready to do it all again.
The passage reveals five critical roles that define authentic Christian service: brother (shared identity), coworker (shared purpose), soldier (shared fight), messenger (shared message), and minister (shared burden). These distinctions aren't just theological concepts but practical guideposts for how we relate to one another in ministry contexts.
Epaphroditus exemplifies extraordinary commitment, carrying on his ministry despite knowing the Philippian church might have preferred Paul or Timothy instead. His story challenges us to examine our own motivations. Do we serve for recognition and appreciation? Or are we willing to persist faithfully even when it costs us dearly? Most importantly, we learn that joy isn't the absence of sorrow but can exist alongside it when we remember who we ultimately serve.
Whether you're feeling unappreciated in ministry, wrestling with difficult relationships in your church, or simply trying to understand what faithful service looks like, this message offers profound encouragement. Share this episode with someone who needs the reminder that their service matters to God, even when others don't see its value.
My hope is that this podcast helps grow your faith and equips you to accomplish your dreams and goals!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Welcome to another part of my Philippian study that
I have been doing with ourstaff at Staff Chapel.
If you haven't listened to theother parts, you might want to
go back deeper into my podcast.
Check out those episodes andcatch yourself up to join where
we're at today.
Check out those episodes andcatch yourself up to join where
(00:31):
we're at today.
So, to sum it up again, we'vegot the whole Bible is summed up
in this way we start out withGod's law, then it's God's
people, then it goes into God'swisdom, then we have God's
prophets calling back his peopleit's God's son.
Then we talk about God's churchand then, finally, revelation
is God's prophets calling backhis people, it's God's son.
Then we talk about God's churchand then, finally, revelation
is God's coming back, and so weare still in God's church, and
so we're going to be inPhilippians, chapter 2, verses
(00:54):
25 through 30.
I do think I'll get through thiswhole entire part, please, god,
all right, let's read it alltogether, and then we'll read
all of the verses, and thenwe'll read all of the verses.
(01:22):
And had heard that he was sick,for indeed he was sick, almost
unto death.
But God had mercy on him, andnot only on him, but on me also,
lest I should have sorrow uponsorrow.
Therefore, I send him the moreeagerly that when you see him
again you may rejoice and I maybe less sorrowful.
(01:44):
Receive him, therefore, in theLord with all gladness, and hold
such men in esteem because thework of Christ.
He came close to death notregarding his life to supply
what was lacking in your servicetowards me.
If you want to build out alittle chiasm for a Friday night
(02:05):
fun, this one's a great littleditty.
You can build that out on yourown, but there's a mountain here
.
You can discover it.
So there's three different timesthat Paul talks about people
coming or going in the sectionbetween 19 through 30.
And it almost kind of seems alittle bit off because he starts
(02:26):
out in 19 talking about Timothycoming soon and then he
transitions to Paul's hope tocome, and so he thinks about it
and he's like this is gonna be amiracle that it would happen,
keeping in mind that Paul had.
I often wonder what it was likefor Paul, because Paul
(02:46):
previously was miraculouslydelivered out of prison and now
here he is in prison again.
Isn't it interesting how we seeGod do a miracle in one season
and then next season, it feelslike he's absent sometimes.
You know, I often think aboutwhat it was like for Paul.
I want to ask him when I get toheaven was there any
disappointment there of like,did you expect at the midnight
(03:10):
hour that God was going todeliver you and he didn't?
You know what that must've beenlike.
And even just reconciling that,because he continuously points
to that it would be the Lordthat would bring him there.
So he talks about Paul, timothycoming soon, his hope to come to
them, but then he talks aboutEpaphroditus is now coming and
so Epaphroditus.
He talks about five roles thatare worth mentioning to us, and
(03:34):
there are three that are inrelation to Paul and two that
are in relation to the church.
The first way that he describesEpaphroditus is as a brother,
and in other words, we all sharethe same identity, and so he's
pointing to Epaphroditus is as abrother, and in other words, we
all share the same identity,and so he's pointing to
Epaphroditus as a brother andthinking about this familial
language that we began theentire book of Philippians, that
theme is just continuouslywoven through and thinking about
(03:57):
, even for us, that we arecalled first and foremost the
family of God, like we are all.
We all began not with ourtitles, not with what we do, but
on the very basic, most basiclevel.
You're my brother and my sisterin Christ and and I think
sometimes if we don't get thatlike, uh, groundwork first, then
(04:18):
everything else kind of startsto fall apart, and so he leads
them.
This Paul calls him my brother,reminding that before we do
anything in the church, webelong to one another.
Our first identity is that of afamily sons and daughters of
God, brothers and sisters inChrist.
The next way that he describeshimself is that they're a
(04:39):
coworker.
He's his coworker, meaning weshare purpose, like we have the
same purpose.
Guys, let me just say like he'snot just family, he's a fellow
laborer.
Though our roles may differ, ourmission is the same Advancing
the gospel and building thekingdom side by side.
And, yeah, all of our roleslook different, but remind
(05:01):
yourself, when the enemy triesto bring in a division and
attitudes and different things,remind yourself we're all
building the same thing.
Like I'm not against Thailand,I'm not against Pastor Perla,
I'm not against Seafig.
Like we're all building thesame wall on the kingdom and it
looks a little different andyour stone and your hand may be
(05:22):
shaped a little different, butwe're all putting together the
same thing.
And so he's reminding them andI think, if we keep that in mind
, that at the end of the day, noone's greater than the other,
because there's no greaterbrother, greater sister.
We say things jokinglysometimes about there being
greater, but in the kingdomthere's not a greater brother,
greater sister.
And so if we start out on thatbase of identity of we're, all
(05:45):
the same, doesn't matter howlong you've been saved, we're
all brothers and sisters, we'reall co -laborers, we all, at the
end of us people may make badchoices, but I truly believe at
the end of the day, we all havethe same purpose and our job is
to believe the best about people.
And so believing the best aboutone another, believing the best
about people on our team.
They didn't show up late tomake you mad or to put you out.
(06:08):
It's not like they're giant,like giving you the big trucker
middle finger, like they're nottrying to do that, like they
just they're doing the best theycan.
And so we're going to lead fromidentity of we're all brothers
and sisters and then we're goingto lead with we share the same
purpose, like I know, at thecore of them.
They signed up for Dream Teambecause they want to build what
God's building, and so I'm gonnahave that in my mindset.
(06:30):
Number three as a soldier, weshare the fight.
Paul rarely uses militarylanguage, but here he calls
Epaphroditus a fellow soldier.
Why?
Because ministry isn't avacation, it's a battle.
We fight the same enemy and wefight it together.
He uses this language one othertime, in 2 Timothy.
(06:52):
He talks about that of asoldier, a farmer, and I just
lost the athlete, thank you.
So the three things that hepulls up in 2 Timothy, which is
towards the end of his life aswell.
So this, this mindset, so I wantto, okay, so think about this.
We've got building blocks, wegot identity, we're all brothers
and sisters, we're family.
Like you don't get to break upwith family, we're all family.
(07:15):
And yeah, I could go off there,but we'll just leave it there.
We're all family, we all havethe same purpose, we're
co-laboring together, we havedifferent roles, but we're all
building the same thing.
And then, on another level,we're all soldiers in the same
army.
Okay, how foolish would it beto kill other people on your
(07:35):
army, like there's only oneenemy, and it's not the person
that you're frustrated at.
It's not the person you'reoffended at.
We wrestle not against fleshand blood, but powers and
principalities.
And he's going hey guys, whatwe're in we're in a battle, and
you know where the battleoftentimes starts is right here,
and what he's doing is I'veread so many things about
(07:58):
Epaphroditus, because he's soaffirming to him and there's
belief that the church would bedisappointed because they didn't
get Timothy and they didn't getPaul.
It's like they had somebody theywanted, not Epaphroditus.
Bro nearly died doing whatGod's called him to do, and he's
going.
Hey guys, just to let you know,epaphroditus might not be your
favorite preacher, speaker,whatever, but he's your brother.
(08:19):
He just to let you know.
Epaphroditus might not be yourfavorite preacher, speaker,
whatever, but he's your brother.
He's building the same thingyou are and, secondarily, he's
fighting the same battle you'refighting, and so can I just
implore you to consider are youwounding the very people that
are called to fight alongsideyou?
And our job is to keep theranks tight.
(08:41):
I found a quote a long time agoI couldn't find it in preparing
for this, but it was basicallylike Christianity is the only
army that kills its own, and itreally is true.
And he's going.
Guys, we're in a battle, let'skeep this.
And I'll just say, if I was thedevil, the way I would stop the
move of God at one church is Iwould get.
I would get staff offended ateach other.
(09:03):
I would get them thinking thatthey're not brothers and sisters
, that they're titles, that theylead from positions.
I would.
I would get them to haveattitudes.
I would get them to think thateverybody's got their own
purpose, their own mission, andtheir mission is to destruct
your mission.
I would get them to startfighting amongst each other,
killing each other.
Does this make sense?
And he goes hey, guys, likewe're all, we share the same
(09:26):
fight.
Number four is the messenger,and so we share the same message
.
Epaphroditus delivered Paul'sletter to Philippians.
I love what Pastor Brian saidon Sunday.
He's like I didn't write theBible, I'm just preaching the
Bible.
I was at a Theos conference andit was one of the only good
(09:46):
things I've ever heard Gabe say.
But it was really good.
And he said this he goessometimes.
I think.
We think we're trying to likecook up this new thing for God
to serve the people, and he'slike really we're just waiters.
God's the chef.
He's already prepared it.
Our job is to serve it.
And he said, when we startedgetting in the kitchen and
(10:07):
cooking stuff, we make weirdstuff.
And Epaphroditus.
He's basically sayingEpaphroditus is just reading the
words that I'm having him send.
You may be mad at the messenger,but the message is from God.
Can I just have you considerthat sometimes truth comes in
really crappy packages and forus, like keeping in mind okay,
(10:29):
god, what are you trying to say?
Like, what's the message?
What's the message I've beenentrusted with?
Am I carrying it with honor?
His job wasn't to edit orimprove the message, it's just
to carry it faithfully.
That's our role too, is tocarry the truth and not to
tamper with it.
Like we carry a message that'sbeen handed down to us for
thousands of years.
May we carry it well.
(10:49):
And so we're all messengers.
You're messengers to your team.
You're messengers to yourfamily.
You're messengers in the peoplein your lives.
Number five a minister.
I think this is so sweet becausehe says he's the one who
ministered to my need and we allshare the burden.
We all share the burden, thoughthe scripture is silent,
exactly how Epaphroditus servedand ministered to Paul.
(11:14):
We know that it mattered toPaul and he served quietly but
he's remembered eternally.
Small deeds done in love may beunseen by man, but are always
remembered by God and we allshare the burden.
Like we all share the burden,and when we start looking at it
like ugh, and I'll just sayEpaphroditus, he nearly died
(11:37):
doing what God's asked him to do.
Anybody here nearly die justtrying to show up for your serve
.
Like Epaphroditus nearly diedand he's going to go make the
same journey again, like whichis mind blowing to me and he's
doing it with joy.
He's like, glad to do it, andhe's going to a church that
doesn't even want him there.
Can you imagine?
(11:57):
You know that you're about towalk in and everybody's going to
be disappointed because it'snot paul and you nearly died
doing the journey and you'relike, hey guys, sorry I didn't
die, but he's still doing itwith joy.
Is this good?
But we all share the burden.
Like we all have a part to playthere.
We all have somebody that we'recalled by god to minister to,
(12:18):
and let's not do it withresentment, but let's do it with
joy.
And so in 26 and 27, called byGod to minister to, and let's
not do it with resentment, butlet's do it with joy.
And so in 26 and 27, it sayssince he was longing for you all
and was distressed because youhad heard that he was sick.
I think it's so sweet thatEpaphroditus even though they
believe that this church didn'teven want him, he missed them
(12:40):
I'm like that's sweet.
I think, about Jesus.
He says that anybody can lovepeople that love them.
Can you love the people thatdon't love you?
Can you imagine showing up andyou're the team lead on Sunday
and everybody's like it's youand you're at home and you're
like I can't wait to be withthem, my heart longs, like that
(13:02):
makes my heart burn.
I don't know that I'm as goodas Epaphroditus y'all.
So, as usual, paul can hardlyspeak without reflecting on
everything from his theologicalperspective.
The God he serves is faithfullyfull of mercy, rather, both in
healing the sick and sparing theheavy laden from sorrow.
(13:25):
Because he says since he waslonging for you.
But he says but indeed he wassick almost unto death, but God
had mercy on him, and not onlyon him but on me also, lest I
should have sorrow upon sorrow.
I think that's so preciousbecause, even though Paul got
what he needed.
(13:46):
It's believed that Epaphrodituswe're going to find out in
Philippians 4, that he brought asizable gift to Paul that
helped him get what he needed tomake it through the winter.
Even though Paul had alreadyreceived the gift from
Epaphroditus, the goal wasn'tjust to get the gift but to
spare his life.
And how many times, as leaders,do we get the gift and don't
spare their life?
But he cared about both, notjust receiving the gift that he
(14:08):
had that he was carrying Are weokay but about sparing who he
was, and I love that he citesthat it was God who had mercy on
him.
Again, I read so many thingsbecause the text is silent.
We don't know if it was amiraculous healing or if it was
a little by little, but itdoesn't matter because Paul gave
all the glory to God, settingup this theological perspective
about God's sovereignty and hisgoodness In verse 28,.
(14:31):
We say, therefore I sent himthe more eagerly that when you
see him again, that you mayrejoice and I may be less
sorrowful.
So we're on joy count numbernine.
And so Paul just talked aboutheavy stuff, but still has
rejoice as the central theme.
His own life is about to betaken, but still rejoice.
(14:53):
Epaphroditus life nearly ended,but still rejoice.
Joy is not the absence ofsorrow but is present in the
midst of our sorrow.
And I think that thisperspective, a lot of times
we're like I'll be joyful whenthe problem goes away and Paul's
like I can be joyful in themidst of the problem.
And that is beautiful.
(15:13):
Verse 29, it says Receive him,therefore, in the Lord with all
gladness and hold such men inesteem.
It says his ultimate concern isthat Philippians themselves
appreciate Epaphroditus for whathe has done on their behalf for
Paul's sake.
And so then, in verse 30, itsays Paul points to Epaphroditus
(15:46):
and his main reason was God.
I think it's so beautifulbecause he says because the work
of Christ he came close todeath, not the need of Paul
no-transcript it was theoffering of the Philippian
church that necessitatedEpaphroditus' journey.
(16:06):
No, he says it's because of thework of Christ.
May we all remember that we'rehere to do the work of Christ.
It's not the work of PastorBrian, it's not the work of
C-Fig, it's not the work ofPastor Perla, it's not the work
of KK, it's not the work ofPastor Jimmy.
But we're doing the work ofChrist.
And he points back and he'slike he's not my servant, he's
(16:33):
God's servant and he submittedhis life unto the Lord.
I love this because Christosomsays he nearly died.
Says Paul, not on my account,but for the work of Christ.
This makes Epaphroditus all themore worthy of trust.
He submitted himself as one wholooked after me, whatever he
had to suffer.
I love that and I don't knowabout you guys, but I would be a
(16:54):
little bit slow on my role if Iwas Epaphroditus to make the
journey again.
And yet he did it anyways.
And I'll just say, just becauseyou've been hurt doing the
ministry doesn't mean you stopdoing the ministry, like,
ultimately it's the call ofChrist.
Just consider for a secondbecause we know later that the
church of Laodicea also readthis letter, which one of their
(17:15):
letters got lost and we don'tknow what happened to it.
This is the only one that weknow that they got, which
Laodicea shows up in Revelation,chapter 3, I believe it is.
But imagine if Epaphrodituswouldn't have been faithful with
the message he had beenentrusted.
There'd be a whole book missingout of our Bible.
And I know sometimes when we'vebeen wounded in ministry, been
(17:38):
hurt, we've been disappointed,we've gone through things, it's
easy to be like I'm going to layout now, but what books is God
wanting to write through thetestimony of your life?
You can't quit now.
You can't quit now, andultimately, our cause is Christ.
And so may we remember that,the precious privilege we have
(18:02):
when we hold our Bible Like this, those books that we have,
they've been handed down to us,and even Epaphroditus was
risking his very life to holdwhat we hold so casually.
May we not take it lightly.
Armies have tried to silence it, kings have tried to crown
(18:24):
themselves above it.
May we be more likeEpaphroditus.
I think if I was going to namea kid a weird name, it would be
(18:56):
Epaphroditus, because this brois the real deal, and I want to
exhibit this kind of trait thatI don't have to have everything
go right to be faithful, butI'll be faithful even when
everything doesn't go right.
I don't have to be popular to befaithful.
I'm going to be faithful withthe message I've been given.
I don't have to be well-loved,I don't have to be celebrated,
I'm just going to be atEpaphroditus and so can I pray
(19:19):
for you, jesus.
We just thank you so much forwho you are, lord.
We thank you that every time wecome around your word, we're
changed, we're shaped, we'remolded by it.
Father, I thank you that thisweek, lord, may we be faithful
messengers, lord, with what'sbeen given to us.
May we look at one another asour brothers and our sisters in
Christ.
May we see each other asco-laborers and not as enemies.
(19:41):
May we see each other as fellowsoldiers.
That, god.
I thank you that every singleone of us have a call on our
life, that we have somethingthat you've entrusted us to do
for the work of Christ, not forthe work of man.
And so anytime that we get oureyes off of you, jesus, would
you just bring our hearts backnorth?
That Lord, it's you we serve,it's you we love, it's you that
(20:03):
we're giving our lives to, inJesus' name.
And every person who believedit said amen and I'm done early.
Yes, and we made it throughchapter two.
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(20:26):
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Welcome to another part of my Philippian study that
I have been doing with ourstaff at Staff Chapel.
If you haven't listened to theother parts, you might want to
go back deeper into my podcast.
Check out those episodes andcatch yourself up to join where
we're at today.
Check out those episodes andcatch yourself up to join where
(00:31):
we're at today.
So, to sum it up again, we'vegot the whole Bible is summed up
in this way we start out withGod's law, then it's God's
people, then it goes into God'swisdom, then we have God's
prophets calling back his peopleit's God's son.
Then we talk about God's churchand then, finally, revelation
is God's prophets calling backhis people, it's God's son.
Then we talk about God's churchand then, finally, revelation
is God's coming back, and so weare still in God's church, and
so we're going to be inPhilippians, chapter 2, verses
(00:54):
25 through 30.
I do think I'll get through thiswhole entire part, please, god,
all right, let's read it alltogether, and then we'll read
all of the verses, and thenwe'll read all of the verses.
(01:22):
And had heard that he was sick,for indeed he was sick, almost
unto death.
But God had mercy on him, andnot only on him, but on me also,
lest I should have sorrow uponsorrow.
Therefore, I send him the moreeagerly that when you see him
again you may rejoice and I maybe less sorrowful.
(01:44):
Receive him, therefore, in theLord with all gladness, and hold
such men in esteem because thework of Christ.
He came close to death notregarding his life to supply
what was lacking in your servicetowards me.
If you want to build out alittle chiasm for a Friday night
(02:05):
fun, this one's a great littleditty.
You can build that out on yourown, but there's a mountain here
.
You can discover it.
So there's three different timesthat Paul talks about people
coming or going in the sectionbetween 19 through 30.
And it almost kind of seems alittle bit off because he starts
(02:26):
out in 19 talking about Timothycoming soon and then he
transitions to Paul's hope tocome, and so he thinks about it
and he's like this is gonna be amiracle that it would happen,
keeping in mind that Paul had.
I often wonder what it was likefor Paul, because Paul
(02:46):
previously was miraculouslydelivered out of prison and now
here he is in prison again.
Isn't it interesting how we seeGod do a miracle in one season
and then next season, it feelslike he's absent sometimes.
You know, I often think aboutwhat it was like for Paul.
I want to ask him when I get toheaven was there any
disappointment there of like,did you expect at the midnight
(03:10):
hour that God was going todeliver you and he didn't?
You know what that must've beenlike.
And even just reconciling that,because he continuously points
to that it would be the Lordthat would bring him there.
So he talks about Paul, timothycoming soon, his hope to come to
them, but then he talks aboutEpaphroditus is now coming and
so Epaphroditus.
He talks about five roles thatare worth mentioning to us, and
(03:34):
there are three that are inrelation to Paul and two that
are in relation to the church.
The first way that he describesEpaphroditus is as a brother,
and in other words, we all sharethe same identity, and so he's
pointing to Epaphroditus is as abrother, and in other words, we
all share the same identity,and so he's pointing to
Epaphroditus as a brother andthinking about this familial
language that we began theentire book of Philippians, that
theme is just continuouslywoven through and thinking about
(03:57):
, even for us, that we arecalled first and foremost the
family of God, like we are all.
We all began not with ourtitles, not with what we do, but
on the very basic, most basiclevel.
You're my brother and my sisterin Christ and and I think
sometimes if we don't get thatlike, uh, groundwork first, then
(04:18):
everything else kind of startsto fall apart, and so he leads
them.
This Paul calls him my brother,reminding that before we do
anything in the church, webelong to one another.
Our first identity is that of afamily sons and daughters of
God, brothers and sisters inChrist.
The next way that he describeshimself is that they're a
(04:39):
coworker.
He's his coworker, meaning weshare purpose, like we have the
same purpose.
Guys, let me just say like he'snot just family, he's a fellow
laborer.
Though our roles may differ, ourmission is the same Advancing
the gospel and building thekingdom side by side.
And, yeah, all of our roleslook different, but remind
(05:01):
yourself, when the enemy triesto bring in a division and
attitudes and different things,remind yourself we're all
building the same thing.
Like I'm not against Thailand,I'm not against Pastor Perla,
I'm not against Seafig.
Like we're all building thesame wall on the kingdom and it
looks a little different andyour stone and your hand may be
(05:22):
shaped a little different, butwe're all putting together the
same thing.
And so he's reminding them andI think, if we keep that in mind
, that at the end of the day, noone's greater than the other,
because there's no greaterbrother, greater sister.
We say things jokinglysometimes about there being
greater, but in the kingdomthere's not a greater brother,
greater sister.
And so if we start out on thatbase of identity of we're, all
(05:45):
the same, doesn't matter howlong you've been saved, we're
all brothers and sisters, we'reall co -laborers, we all, at the
end of us people may make badchoices, but I truly believe at
the end of the day, we all havethe same purpose and our job is
to believe the best about people.
And so believing the best aboutone another, believing the best
about people on our team.
They didn't show up late tomake you mad or to put you out.
(06:08):
It's not like they're giant,like giving you the big trucker
middle finger, like they're nottrying to do that, like they
just they're doing the best theycan.
And so we're going to lead fromidentity of we're all brothers
and sisters and then we're goingto lead with we share the same
purpose, like I know, at thecore of them.
They signed up for Dream Teambecause they want to build what
God's building, and so I'm gonnahave that in my mindset.
(06:30):
Number three as a soldier, weshare the fight.
Paul rarely uses militarylanguage, but here he calls
Epaphroditus a fellow soldier.
Why?
Because ministry isn't avacation, it's a battle.
We fight the same enemy and wefight it together.
He uses this language one othertime, in 2 Timothy.
(06:52):
He talks about that of asoldier, a farmer, and I just
lost the athlete, thank you.
So the three things that hepulls up in 2 Timothy, which is
towards the end of his life aswell.
So this, this mindset, so I wantto, okay, so think about this.
We've got building blocks, wegot identity, we're all brothers
and sisters, we're family.
Like you don't get to break upwith family, we're all family.
(07:15):
And yeah, I could go off there,but we'll just leave it there.
We're all family, we all havethe same purpose, we're
co-laboring together, we havedifferent roles, but we're all
building the same thing.
And then, on another level,we're all soldiers in the same
army.
Okay, how foolish would it beto kill other people on your
(07:35):
army, like there's only oneenemy, and it's not the person
that you're frustrated at.
It's not the person you'reoffended at.
We wrestle not against fleshand blood, but powers and
principalities.
And he's going hey guys, whatwe're in we're in a battle, and
you know where the battleoftentimes starts is right here,
and what he's doing is I'veread so many things about
(07:58):
Epaphroditus, because he's soaffirming to him and there's
belief that the church would bedisappointed because they didn't
get Timothy and they didn't getPaul.
It's like they had somebody theywanted, not Epaphroditus.
Bro nearly died doing whatGod's called him to do, and he's
going.
Hey guys, just to let you know,epaphroditus might not be your
favorite preacher, speaker,whatever, but he's your brother.
(08:19):
He just to let you know.
Epaphroditus might not be yourfavorite preacher, speaker,
whatever, but he's your brother.
He's building the same thingyou are and, secondarily, he's
fighting the same battle you'refighting, and so can I just
implore you to consider are youwounding the very people that
are called to fight alongsideyou?
And our job is to keep theranks tight.
(08:41):
I found a quote a long time agoI couldn't find it in preparing
for this, but it was basicallylike Christianity is the only
army that kills its own, and itreally is true.
And he's going.
Guys, we're in a battle, let'skeep this.
And I'll just say, if I was thedevil, the way I would stop the
move of God at one church is Iwould get.
I would get staff offended ateach other.
(09:03):
I would get them thinking thatthey're not brothers and sisters
, that they're titles, that theylead from positions.
I would.
I would get them to haveattitudes.
I would get them to think thateverybody's got their own
purpose, their own mission, andtheir mission is to destruct
your mission.
I would get them to startfighting amongst each other,
killing each other.
Does this make sense?
And he goes hey, guys, likewe're all, we share the same
(09:26):
fight.
Number four is the messenger,and so we share the same message
.
Epaphroditus delivered Paul'sletter to Philippians.
I love what Pastor Brian saidon Sunday.
He's like I didn't write theBible, I'm just preaching the
Bible.
I was at a Theos conference andit was one of the only good
(09:46):
things I've ever heard Gabe say.
But it was really good.
And he said this he goessometimes.
I think.
We think we're trying to likecook up this new thing for God
to serve the people, and he'slike really we're just waiters.
God's the chef.
He's already prepared it.
Our job is to serve it.
And he said, when we startedgetting in the kitchen and
(10:07):
cooking stuff, we make weirdstuff.
And Epaphroditus.
He's basically sayingEpaphroditus is just reading the
words that I'm having him send.
You may be mad at the messenger,but the message is from God.
Can I just have you considerthat sometimes truth comes in
really crappy packages and forus, like keeping in mind okay,
(10:29):
god, what are you trying to say?
Like, what's the message?
What's the message I've beenentrusted with?
Am I carrying it with honor?
His job wasn't to edit orimprove the message, it's just
to carry it faithfully.
That's our role too, is tocarry the truth and not to
tamper with it.
Like we carry a message that'sbeen handed down to us for
thousands of years.
May we carry it well.
(10:49):
And so we're all messengers.
You're messengers to your team.
You're messengers to yourfamily.
You're messengers in the peoplein your lives.
Number five a minister.
I think this is so sweet becausehe says he's the one who
ministered to my need and we allshare the burden.
We all share the burden, thoughthe scripture is silent,
exactly how Epaphroditus servedand ministered to Paul.
(11:14):
We know that it mattered toPaul and he served quietly but
he's remembered eternally.
Small deeds done in love may beunseen by man, but are always
remembered by God and we allshare the burden.
Like we all share the burden,and when we start looking at it
like ugh, and I'll just sayEpaphroditus, he nearly died
(11:37):
doing what God's asked him to do.
Anybody here nearly die justtrying to show up for your serve
.
Like Epaphroditus nearly diedand he's going to go make the
same journey again, like whichis mind blowing to me and he's
doing it with joy.
He's like, glad to do it, andhe's going to a church that
doesn't even want him there.
Can you imagine?
(11:57):
You know that you're about towalk in and everybody's going to
be disappointed because it'snot paul and you nearly died
doing the journey and you'relike, hey guys, sorry I didn't
die, but he's still doing itwith joy.
Is this good?
But we all share the burden.
Like we all have a part to playthere.
We all have somebody that we'recalled by god to minister to,
(12:18):
and let's not do it withresentment, but let's do it with
joy.
And so in 26 and 27, called byGod to minister to, and let's
not do it with resentment, butlet's do it with joy.
And so in 26 and 27, it sayssince he was longing for you all
and was distressed because youhad heard that he was sick.
I think it's so sweet thatEpaphroditus even though they
believe that this church didn'teven want him, he missed them
(12:40):
I'm like that's sweet.
I think, about Jesus.
He says that anybody can lovepeople that love them.
Can you love the people thatdon't love you?
Can you imagine showing up andyou're the team lead on Sunday
and everybody's like it's youand you're at home and you're
like I can't wait to be withthem, my heart longs, like that
(13:02):
makes my heart burn.
I don't know that I'm as goodas Epaphroditus y'all.
So, as usual, paul can hardlyspeak without reflecting on
everything from his theologicalperspective.
The God he serves is faithfullyfull of mercy, rather, both in
healing the sick and sparing theheavy laden from sorrow.
(13:25):
Because he says since he waslonging for you.
But he says but indeed he wassick almost unto death, but God
had mercy on him, and not onlyon him but on me also, lest I
should have sorrow upon sorrow.
I think that's so preciousbecause, even though Paul got
what he needed.
(13:46):
It's believed that Epaphrodituswe're going to find out in
Philippians 4, that he brought asizable gift to Paul that
helped him get what he needed tomake it through the winter.
Even though Paul had alreadyreceived the gift from
Epaphroditus, the goal wasn'tjust to get the gift but to
spare his life.
And how many times, as leaders,do we get the gift and don't
spare their life?
But he cared about both, notjust receiving the gift that he
(14:08):
had that he was carrying Are weokay but about sparing who he
was, and I love that he citesthat it was God who had mercy on
him.
Again, I read so many thingsbecause the text is silent.
We don't know if it was amiraculous healing or if it was
a little by little, but itdoesn't matter because Paul gave
all the glory to God, settingup this theological perspective
about God's sovereignty and hisgoodness In verse 28,.
(14:31):
We say, therefore I sent himthe more eagerly that when you
see him again, that you mayrejoice and I may be less
sorrowful.
So we're on joy count numbernine.
And so Paul just talked aboutheavy stuff, but still has
rejoice as the central theme.
His own life is about to betaken, but still rejoice.
(14:53):
Epaphroditus life nearly ended,but still rejoice.
Joy is not the absence ofsorrow but is present in the
midst of our sorrow.
And I think that thisperspective, a lot of times
we're like I'll be joyful whenthe problem goes away and Paul's
like I can be joyful in themidst of the problem.
And that is beautiful.
(15:13):
Verse 29, it says Receive him,therefore, in the Lord with all
gladness and hold such men inesteem.
It says his ultimate concern isthat Philippians themselves
appreciate Epaphroditus for whathe has done on their behalf for
Paul's sake.
And so then, in verse 30, itsays Paul points to Epaphroditus
(15:46):
and his main reason was God.
I think it's so beautifulbecause he says because the work
of Christ he came close todeath, not the need of Paul
no-transcript it was theoffering of the Philippian
church that necessitatedEpaphroditus' journey.
(16:06):
No, he says it's because of thework of Christ.
May we all remember that we'rehere to do the work of Christ.
It's not the work of PastorBrian, it's not the work of
C-Fig, it's not the work ofPastor Perla, it's not the work
of KK, it's not the work ofPastor Jimmy.
But we're doing the work ofChrist.
And he points back and he'slike he's not my servant, he's
(16:33):
God's servant and he submittedhis life unto the Lord.
I love this because Christosomsays he nearly died.
Says Paul, not on my account,but for the work of Christ.
This makes Epaphroditus all themore worthy of trust.
He submitted himself as one wholooked after me, whatever he
had to suffer.
I love that and I don't knowabout you guys, but I would be a
(16:54):
little bit slow on my role if Iwas Epaphroditus to make the
journey again.
And yet he did it anyways.
And I'll just say, just becauseyou've been hurt doing the
ministry doesn't mean you stopdoing the ministry, like,
ultimately it's the call ofChrist.
Just consider for a secondbecause we know later that the
church of Laodicea also readthis letter, which one of their
(17:15):
letters got lost and we don'tknow what happened to it.
This is the only one that weknow that they got, which
Laodicea shows up in Revelation,chapter 3, I believe it is.
But imagine if Epaphrodituswouldn't have been faithful with
the message he had beenentrusted.
There'd be a whole book missingout of our Bible.
And I know sometimes when we'vebeen wounded in ministry, been
(17:38):
hurt, we've been disappointed,we've gone through things, it's
easy to be like I'm going to layout now, but what books is God
wanting to write through thetestimony of your life?
You can't quit now.
You can't quit now, andultimately, our cause is Christ.
And so may we remember that,the precious privilege we have
(18:02):
when we hold our Bible Like this, those books that we have,
they've been handed down to us,and even Epaphroditus was
risking his very life to holdwhat we hold so casually.
May we not take it lightly.
Armies have tried to silence it, kings have tried to crown
(18:24):
themselves above it.
May we be more likeEpaphroditus.
I think if I was going to namea kid a weird name, it would be
(18:56):
Epaphroditus, because this brois the real deal, and I want to
exhibit this kind of trait thatI don't have to have everything
go right to be faithful, butI'll be faithful even when
everything doesn't go right.
I don't have to be popular to befaithful.
I'm going to be faithful withthe message I've been given.
I don't have to be well-loved,I don't have to be celebrated,
I'm just going to be atEpaphroditus and so can I pray
(19:19):
for you, jesus.
We just thank you so much forwho you are, lord.
We thank you that every time wecome around your word, we're
changed, we're shaped, we'remolded by it.
Father, I thank you that thisweek, lord, may we be faithful
messengers, lord, with what'sbeen given to us.
May we look at one another asour brothers and our sisters in
Christ.
May we see each other asco-laborers and not as enemies.
(19:41):
May we see each other as fellowsoldiers.
That, god.
I thank you that every singleone of us have a call on our
life, that we have somethingthat you've entrusted us to do
for the work of Christ, not forthe work of man.
And so anytime that we get oureyes off of you, jesus, would
you just bring our hearts backnorth?
That Lord, it's you we serve,it's you we love, it's you that
(20:03):
we're giving our lives to, inJesus' name.
And every person who believedit said amen and I'm done early.
Yes, and we made it throughchapter two.
Thanks so much for hanging outhere on my podcast.
Do me a favor and hit thesubscribe button if you haven't
done so already, so you nevermiss out on anything here on my
podcast.
Also, one of the best ways forus to begin to reach other
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people is by you sharing.
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