(1) HE HAD HIS SUNSHINE FRIENDS
One of the sunshine friends was Demas. When things were going great, Demas was there, but when things got rough, Demas got going!
Look at 2 Timothy 4:3, we read, “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.”
(2) HE HAD HIS SURE FRIENDS
These were Paul’s friends for sure, in good times and bad. He had many of these, but one of them was his friend Epaphroditus.
Epaphroditus attended the Philippian church, and this church that loved Paul dearly had heard that Paul was in prison and having a difficult time.
One way you can tell that you have true friends is when they hear about us having difficult times, they will try to do something to help us if they can.
The Philippian church decided they would do two things to help their friend Paul.
(1) They took an offering to meet Paul's financial needs
(2) They sent a dedicated layman who could remain with him and help Paul while he was in jail
This man would have to be someone very special because the individual would be risking his own life to help Paul, as he was in a Roman jail charged with a capital crime.
The man chosen was Epaphroditus.
He was sent to Rome to assist and to encourage Paul during this very difficult time in his life. His arrival in Rome set off a series of events, for example:
• When Epaphroditus went to Rome to help Paul, he became very sick and almost died
• The church in Philippi heard what had happened to Epaphroditus
• Epaphroditus heard that his home church was worried about his welfare
• He in turn began to worry about them
But God spared him, and after gaining his strength, Paul felt that he should send Epaphroditus back to Philippi:
• Perhaps to keep this illness from recurring
• Perhaps to eliminate the possibility of his being arrested for being associated with Paul
But the possibility of a problem existed if he returned.
WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM? If he returned, leaving Paul in the heat of the battle alone, some would call him a quitter or a coward. The answer to this problem is the very reason for this passage we are discussing.
Paul makes it clear that his good friend Epaphroditus was not a coward or a quitter. Paul tells us three things about his good friend Epaphroditus.
I. HIS LOVE FOR HIS BROTHER
Look at verse 25, we read, “Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.”
Paul did not want anyone to think badly of Epaphroditus returning. He no doubt was grateful for what he had done for Paul. Gratitude is a wonderful thing for Christians to possess.
Illus: It is amazing how churches can help some families financially by giving so much to them. Then when those families could give something back to the church, the only time the church will see them again is when they come back and want the church to help them again.
Paul knew what a friend Epaphroditus had been to him. Epaphroditus could have easily returned to Philippi after he recovered, but he did not. He stuck to his call and mission as long as he could. Epaphroditus was such a wonderful friend that Paul mentions five things about him.
(1) HE WAS A CHRISTIAN BROTHER
Look at verse 25, Paul called him "My brother." A brother is a person who has the same parent.
Paul knew that Epaphroditus was His brother, he was a member of God's family.
We read in Ephesians 2:19, "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God."
They both belonged to the “Household of God,” and Paul refers to him as “My brother.”
When we meet some folks in the church, we are not sure they belong to the “Household of God,” but Paul definitely felt that Epaphroditus was his brother.
(2) HE WAS A COMPANION IN THE WORK OF THE LORD
A companion is someone who works beside his friend. He is not working against him, but with him. He is beside his friend:
• Supporting
• Consoling
• Comforting
• Encouraging
• Helping whenever needed
Nothing comes between true companions...
• No distance
• No competition
• No envy
• No neglect
• No withdrawal
• No forsaking
As stated, a true companion in the ministry is there by the side of his friend, he never forsakes his friend regardless of the circumstances. Epaphroditus was a true example of a companion.
Remember, he had become deathly ill; but even then, when he had every reason to return home to recover from this sickness, he stayed in Rome by Paul's side.
Epaphroditus was a companion indeed. He was not a coward or a quitter! He risked his life as Paul’s faithful companion.
We read, in John 15:13-14, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you"
(3) HE WAS A FELLOW SOLDIER
Soldiers live a life of risk. Epaphroditus ran the risk of being identified with Paul as an insurrectionist against the state. This danger was probably the reason so many believers forsook Paul.
Look at 2 Timothy 4:16, we read, “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.”
But not Epaphroditus; he stood as a courageous soldier, knowing the risk he was taking. He stood:
• Knowing the danger
• Knowing the condition of his health
Epaphroditus was a true soldier, willing to risk his life for Paul’s sake and the work of the Lord.
He knew what Paul meant when he wrote in 2 Timothy 2:3-4, "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier."
(4) HE WAS A MESSENGER OF THE CHURCH
The word "messenger" is “apostolos” which is the very word for apostle. Paul is saying that this dear saint of God had been called as a very special messenger from the church in Philippi.
The church had ordained him to bring good tidings to Paul in one of the most trying times in his life.
(5) HE WAS A VERY SPECIAL MINISTER
Illus: Barclay points out that this word would have great meaning to the Greek minds of the Philippian church. The word “Minister” (leitourgon) was a great word and was used only of great men. The title was bestowed only upon great benefactors, men who loved their city, culture, arts, or sports so much that they gave huge sums of money to support these functions. The person was looked upon as a great servant or minister given over to his cause. (The Letters to the Phillipians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, p.61.)
Paul is bestowing the great title of “minister” (leitourgon) upon Epaphroditus.
Epaphroditus was an extraordinary minister of God who ministered to Paul's needs. He was not a coward, tucking in his tail and running back to Philippi.
Epaphroditus was an extraordinary man of God. We have looked at HIS LOVE FOR HIS FRIEND. But let’s look at-
II. HIS LOVE FOR HIS CHURCH
Look at Philippians 2:26, we read, “For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.”
The Philippian church had sent Epaphroditus to help and minister to Paul. While there in Rome, he had become deathly sick. At that point, Epaphroditus could have forsaken the mission of the church. He could have abandoned the mission the church sent him on for two reasonable conditions, such as:
• He could have concluded that the mission was not worth losing his life over and returned home. His illness and the need to recuperate from a deadly illness would have definitely been understood by all
• The threat of being identified as a companion of Paul would have been understood and accepted by many if not all
Epaphroditus had every human reason to return home and let someone else take up the task, but as a true soldier of Jesus Christ, he would not, and he did not.
In fact, rather then thinking of himself, he is thinking of the church at Philippi. Epaphroditus was not concerned over his welfare, but over the church's welfare.
The news of his illness had reached the church of Philippi, and Epaphroditus was concerned about his church worrying about him. He had just the kind of heart we all need, especially the ministers of the gospel.
Illus: So often people claim to love their church but yet:
• They can have a leadership position and not show up
• The church can have a financial needs but they could care less
We need more men and women like Epaphroditus in the church today. He was not thinking about himself, he was thinking about the church.
The point to note is this; Epaphroditus was faithful to his call and to his church. He did not quit nor forsake the church. He had every reason to, but he did not. He stood fast despite the worst kind of circumstances and the threat to his own life.
We looked at HIS LOVE FOR HIS FRIEND, and HIS LOVE FOR HIS CHURCH, but also we need to look at -
III. HIS LOVE FOR GOD
Look at verse 27, we read, “For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.”
We do not know what kind of sickness he had, but it was one that almost killed him. Paul said God had mercy on him and raised him up. It was because of God’s mercy that he was cured, and he was grateful to the Lord for what He had done for him.
When he was sick unto death, he may have wondered why God allowed this to happen to him. After all, he came to Rome out of a love for a friend, for a church, and for His God, and look what happened to him.
In times like this, when we want answers, it is easy for us to get discouraged and quit.
But not Epaphroditus. He was not a quitter! He was a true minister of God! God had been gracious to him and he felt he could not let the Lord down.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had a church full of people like Epaphroditus who loved their friends, their church and their Lord the way he did?
Conclusion:
Epaphroditus stayed after his sickness for a while, but Paul felt it was best to send Epaphroditus back to the church of Philippi.
• It could have been for health reasons
• It could have been because he feared for his life
We do not really know why Paul was sending him back.
Paul wanted to make sure that no one would think that the reason this great servant was returning was because he was a coward or a quitter. It was Paul’s choice for him to return, not Epaphroditus’.
Look at Philippians 2:28-30, we read, “I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.”
The church was not to look at him as a quitter, but rejoice that he was back in the church. In no way were they to question his returning. He was returning because Paul was sending him back, not because he chose to return.
The life of Epaphroditus is an encouragement to us. His life shows that serving Christ is to be taken seriously.
Luke 9:23-24, we read, "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it"
We have looked at:
I. HIS LOVE FOR HIS FRIEND
II. HIS LOVE FOR HIS CHURCH
III. HIS LOVE FOR HIS GOD
