Series: Philippians
Sermon: “A Servant’s Heart”
Philippians 2:19-30
Pastor John Bright
Philippians 2 “19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. 20 For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. 21 For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. 22 But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. 23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. 24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly.”
“25 Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; 26 since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; 30 because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.”
Back in middle school science class, we had a project in science class. We each had to make a model of a human cell. We used clear plastic bags and filled them with some goopy liquid. I think we put some cornstarch in water to make it thick. After 40 some years the details are fuzzy. Then we put something round in the bag – again, I can’t remember what it was, but it like a red ball. When we tied up the bag, we had a cell with three parts: cell wall, liquid, and a nucleus. That’s what scientists had seen inside the cell and we saw in our Science Books. We were thoroughly impressed… WOW!
I’m a bit of a science nerd because the more I learn it confirms, over and over, that there is a designer behind the scene. I believe in Intelligent Design – the idea that what we see is too complex to have evolved over time. Like that cell. Now that we can see inside that cell with a scanning electron microscope science has discovered a complex system of tiny factories that produce proteins or chemical compounds used in the body. All these factories are powered by the mitochondria in the cells. They are also complex. (Play Video - https://youtu.be/39HTpUG1MwQ ) What we see in there is also complex – electrical and chemical processes that produce the only substance with the ability to power a human cell. Yet they are hard for the average person to see.
There’s also something deep within the Christian Believer that no microscope – even the most powerful – can expose, but it’s there… A Servant’s Heart. It’s either there or it’s not! Paul could see that servant’s heart in two men described in today’s reading – Timothy and Epaphroditus (some folks are glad I’m the one that has to say that one!).
We know about Timothy from Acts 16. Paul had just separated from Barnabas over having another join their ministry team – John Mark. We are not sure why, but then Paul and Silas welcome Timothy as a travel partner to visit the churches that were up and going. Also in Acts 16, they receive the call to go to Macedonia I mentioned at the start of teaching through the Book of Philippians. They end up in Philippi, so the Philippian Believers have known Timothy from the beginning. They would have looked forward to his return. Paul is going to use Timothy as an example to them – even as he uses himself as an example.
TIMOTHY
• Timothy was like-minded – “20 For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state.”
We have talked about being like-minded back at the beginning of Chapter 2 – “2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” I have been doing some pondering on this and I keep coming back to the same image – a boat with lots of folks rowing. To make any headway, to keep on course, everybody has to work together and row in the same direction. That pulling together as one shows that we each care for one another. Now, that also means we go in a direction that I don’t feel like going but the Church can never be directed by everyone’s individual feelings (even though it looks like denominations are doing that today).
John Wesley have us some insight into being like-minded in his sermon entitled Catholic Spirit - “Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences."
• Timothy puts others first – “21 For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus”.
Again, we see Paul commending Timothy for doing what he has told the Philippian believers (and us) to do – “2:4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”
Paul has sought to advance the Gospel and has ended up in chains. He knows the real-life risk of speaking the truth to power in his day. Timothy was a young man and he would go on to keep leading the church in that day through a season of great persecution. Then he could retire and take it easy, right? NO! According to the first chapter of Foxe's Book of Martyrs, he died in 97 A.D. upholding the truth of the Bible. Foxe's states he was the bishop of Ephesus and was murdered when he told a crowd of pagans that their idolatrous celebrations were ridiculous.
• Timothy serves Christ – “22 But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.”
There is a close, personal bond between these two men that has grown as they served Christ together. I have some special relationships with brothers in Christ that I have served with side by side. Hauling bundles of shingles up a ladder to build Habitat for Humanity homes in Roanoke. Taking a youth group to Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina. (Talk about where we stayed) Going into the spiritual darkness of a prison to plant the seeds of the Kairos ministry with men who will sit down with them and eat their food. What did I tell you we do in there? LISTEN, LISTEN, LOVE, LOVE.
One thing though – none of us ever got so sick we almost died. That brings us to the other guy with the strange name – Epaphroditus. This man was a part of the Philippian house churches who had been chosen to carry money and supplies to Paul and Timothy. “4:18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.”
EPAPHRODITUS
• Epaphroditus ministered alongside Paul - “25 Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need;”
I usually DO NOT quote the Book of Discipline in my sermons, but need to make an exception for this morning. Why? There is a basic Christian belief that we see in this scripture – The Ministry of All Christians. Here is what we read in our Book of Discipline – “Par. 126. The Heart of Christian Ministry—The heart of Christian ministry is Christ's ministry of outreaching love. Christian ministry is the expression of the mind and mission of Christ by a community of Christians that demonstrates a common life of gratitude and devotion, witness and service, celebration and discipleship. All Christians are called through their baptism to this ministry of servanthood in the world to the glory of God and for human fulfillment. The forms of this ministry are diverse in locale, in interest, and in denominational accent, yet always catholic in spirit and outreach.”
Some churches emphasize this by listing on their bulletin – “Pastor: _______________” and then just below that “Ministers: All Our Members.” Every Believer is called to be in ministry in every sphere of his or her life: in the Church, in the community, in the home, at work or at school. We all serve everywhere we go. That’s how we develop A Servant’s Heart – by serving.
It’s clear form Paul’s description that Epaphroditus does not serve the same role or function as Timothy. It does not matter if you are a being used by God in the work of a pastor or the work of ministry as lay person- you can only do it with A Servant’s Heart. The Philippian Believers learned from Paul & Timothy. This is clear from the example of Epaphroditus. Can all the work of the local church be done by the pastor?
You may want to pause before you give the “right” answer. We know what we “should be doing” and we know what we “ought to be doing.” We all know the work of the local church belongs to everyone. Those who minister should not do it for the glory, but Paul reminded them to think well of them – “29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem;”
Timothy is the model of a pastor – going from place to place with Paul and serving God in different congregations. Epaphroditus is the model of a lay person in ministry – serving others as they do the Lord’s work. Both of these have A Servant’s Heart that is evident to all so that Paul can commend their example and their commitment. Paul followed the Word of God’s Son and his commitment could be seen in both his work and his suffering. W/hat did Jesus say about commitment?
Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
Luke 9 “23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?”
Luke 14 “31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”
You see, A Servant’s Heart follows after the Will of the Master. We find that will in the pages of God’s Holy Word. We find that will in the history of Christ’s Church that has been recorded through the ages. We find that will revealed by the Holy Spirit in our times of prayer and worship. The Church today is still in need of those women and men who will have Servant’s Heart – committed to God’s Will for ministry, both laity and clergy – to be used as examples to the Church and to the World as salt and light. Paul did it. Timothy did it. Epaphroditus did it. So can we. Amen.
