Restoring the Joy
Sermon # 6
“Friends Help Us to Maintain Joy.”
Philippians 2:19-30
“A youth minister was attending a Special Olympics meet where handicapped children competed with tremendous dedication and enthusiasm. One event was the 220-yard dash. Contestants lined up at the starting line, and at the signal, started running as fast as they could.
One boy by the name of Andrew quickly took the lead, and was soon about 50 yards ahead of everybody else. As he approached the final turn he looked back and saw that his best friend had fallen and hurt himself on the track.
Andrew stopped and looked at the finish line. Then he looked back at his friend. People were hollering, "Run, Andrew, run!" But he didn’t. He went back and got his friend, helped him up, brushed off the cinders. And hand in hand, they crossed the finish line dead last. But as they did, the people cheered, because there are some things more important than finishing first.”
Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, "Two are better than one... If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!" We do fall or get knocked down at times in life, don’t we? And how wonderful it is when we have a friend who cares enough to lift us up, dust us off, and help us continue on.
I cannot even imagine what life would be like today were it not for a handful of friends who have and continue to bring joy into my life. Let’s face it friends make life a lot more fun!
We talk rather glibly about friendship and toss the word “friend” around rather freely. But when the Bible speaks about friendship, it does so with great seriousness. This morning I want to speak to you on the subject of “Friends Help Us to Maintain Our Joy.” As Paul looks at his situation he see two friends that have helped him tremendously.
First, he tells us of Timothy- His Son In The Faith. (vv. 19-24)
(v. 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.”
What Paul suggests here would require Timothy to travel to Philippi, take stock of the situation, and either travel back to, or send a message to Paul in Rome. This is first century Rome, and travel is a lot slower than it is today. Timothy’s journey requires about 400 miles of land travel and at least one sea voyage. We can finish this journey in a day, while Timothy would have been traveling for weeks.
This is not the first time Paul has sent Timothy as an emissary. During Timothy’s missionary association with Paul he was sent to Thessalonica (1 Thess. 3:6) and to Corinth (1 Cor. 16:10-11) and now to Philippi.
The Qualities of Timothy’s Character (vv. 20-23)
Paul tells us three things about Timothy’s character!
First, we are told that He Had a Kindred- Spirit. (v. 20) Paul says in verse twenty, “For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state.”
In fact, the New American Standard Version translates that verse to say, "I have no one else of kindred spirit." Chuck Swindoll points out that the Greek word used here (and used no where else in the New Testament) (isopsychos) is a word that means "same soul." [Charles Swindoll. Laugh Again: Experience Outrageous Joy. (Dallas: Word, 1991) p.]
Paul is saying, "Timothy and I have the same soul. We’re kindred spirits, like-minded." But being of kindred spirit does not mean that they had the same temperaments nor that they always agreed.
By the time Paul wrote these words from prison in Rome, Paul and Timothy had served together for more than ten years, ever since Paul’s second great missionary journey. They had traveled together and preached together. Paul knew that Timothy was a man he could count on … one that would never turn on him. He knew this -Timothy would always be loyal.
Yet Timothy was a relatively young man, it is possible that he is not yet 30 years of age at this point. I want to observe two things at this point from the example of Paul and Timothy’s friendship.
First, Paul encouraged younger Christ-ians to observe, learn, help and then to lead. And likewise Paul expected the older Christians to teach, to model, to mentor and then to turn over leadership.
Secondly, Timothy’s faithfulness serves a strong example to all of us modern-day Christians that there are many ministries in the church that depend upon the faithfulness
of men and women who are humble enough to do them as unto the Lord.
The second quality of Timothy character that we are told about is - He Had a Genuine Concern for Others. (v. 21) Paul says in verse twenty-one, “For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus.” I think Paul is presenting a contrast. He is saying, "Most everybody else looks out for his own interests, but Timothy is not like everybody else. He’s special, and he is interested in you."
Did you know that there is selfishness in the church? Did you know that there are people in the church who are much more interested in themselves and what they can get out of it than they are what they can put into it? Well, they are! Tragically, that attitude of selfishness is alive and well in the church. Indeed, selfishness is the source of most of the problems in the church and in personal relationships.
But by contrast when Timothy was with others his heart was touched by their needs. And if we are genuinely interested in others, the church can become a training ground where we learn how to help one another. So when you come to church, be on the lookout. Over there is a mother with both hands full, trying to herd her kids through the door. Maybe she could use your help.
Or you’re sitting near a guest, here for
the first time. Introduce yourself and tell them, "I’m glad you came." And let them know that if we can help them in any way to grow in their faith, that’s why we’re here.
Or when you look at the prayer list, and learn of someone who is having a difficult time - get a card and write them a note, and let them know that you’ll be praying for them.
The third character quality of Timothy we are told about is - He had a Servant’s Heart. (vv. 22-24) Paul says in verse twenty-two, “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.”
All the service that a son could give to his father Timothy had performed for Paul and all the affection that a father could feel for a son Paul lavished on Timothy.
Application.
We all need friends like Timothy, kindred spirits people who understand us and will encourage us. Former televangelist Jim Bakker speaks of events that occurred immediately after his release from prison: “When I was transferred to my last prison, Franklin [Graham] said he wanted to help me out when I got out - with a job, a house to live in, and a car. It was my fifth Christmas in prison. I thought it over and said, "Franklin, you can’t do this. It will hurt you. The Grahams don’t need my baggage." He looked at me and he said, "Jim, you were my friend in the past and you are my friend now. If anyone doesn’t like it, I’m looking for a fight….. "
So when I got out of prison the Grahams sponsored me and paid for a house for me to live in and gave me a car to drive. The first Sunday out, Ruth Graham called the halfway house I was living in at the Salvation Army and asked permission for me to go to the Montreat Presbyterian Church with her that Sunday morning. When I got there, the pastor welcomed me and sat me with the Graham family. There were like two whole rows of them - I think every Graham aunt and uncle and cousin was there. The organ began playing and the place was full except for a seat next to me. Then the doors opened and in walked Ruth Graham. She walked down that aisle and sat next to inmate 07407-058. I had only been out of prison 48 hours, but she told the world that morning that Jim Bakker was her friend." [Jim Baker. “I Was Wrong.” (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1996) pp.600-609]
Well we all need friends like that. Friends are the people who are there when others are not. When the crowd dies down after a crisis, your friends are the ones who are still there.
Friends will:
- Sit with you at the hospital
- Sit quietly as you grieve
- Be available at a moment’s notice in a crisis
- Come to help you in the middle of the night
- Lend a hand when there is work to be done
Do you have that kind of friend in life? If
so, thank God for them. Can you be this kind of friend for another? You don’t have to have a great ability – you just have to be available.
Not only does Paul tell us of Timothy- His Son in the Lord but …
Secondly, he tells us of Epaphroditus - His Brother In the Lord. (vv. 25-30)
(v. 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.”
Epaphroditus who’s name means “charming” seems to live up to his name. Paul wanted the Philippians to know how highly he regarded Epaphroditus, so he used three terms to characterize him; my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier.
Epaphroditus had been sent to Rome to minister to Paul, but somewhere either along the way or after arriving he became very ill. So much so that he for a while he was literally at death’s door. News of Epaphroditus’ illness reached back to Philippi and he was concerned that his friends would be worried about him. Furthermore, when Paul determines to send him back early, he was afraid that some might think that he was a quitter, so Paul writes some strong words in his defense.
He wrote about the seriousness of Epaphroditus’s sickness. (26-27)
“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.”
Epaphroditus’s illness can teach us some valuable things. Some people have taught that good health is the birthright of all true Christians and that sickness is the result of sin or the lack of strong faith. There is not the slightest indication that Epaphroditus sickness was the result of sin in his life. In the providence of God even the Godly can and do get sick. Epaphroditus was a man whom Paul said should be held in the highest regard, yet he grew sick even in the middle of unselfish service to others and beside that he was obviously sick for some time. Why did Paul not just heal him? It would appear that while the Apostles had been given the ability to heal; it was not a permanent gift nor could it be used at will.
H. A. Ironside gives us some needed perspective on sickness among believers.
“Let it be noted that the apostle did
not consider he had any right to demand physical healing even for so faithful a laborer as Epaphroditus. Paul recognized it as simply the mercy of God, not as that to which saints have a right. This is true divine healing. And let it be remembered that sickness may be as really from God as health. It is clear that Paul never held or taught “healing in the atonement,” and therefore the birth-right privilege of all Christians. Nor do we ever read of him or his fellow-laborers being miraculously healed. Paul himself, Trophimus, Timothy and Epaphroditus, all bear witness to the contrary.” (H. A. Ironside. Notes on Philippians, (Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Bro., 1922) p. 65).
Paul tells them that Epaphroditus’ illness was so severe that Paul regarded his recovery as an intervention of God.
He wrote about the reason for Epaphroditus’ s return (28-30).
“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.”
There are always those who sit on the sidelines and criticize those who are actively trying to serve God. As I have already mentioned Paul set out to defuse any criticism of Epaphroditus that might exist, from critics in Philippi who might misinterpret Epaphroditus return as a sign of desertion of Paul during a critical period in Paul’s life and ministry.
Paul does so by describing the risk that Epaphroditus took in coming to see him. In those days when people visited prisoners who were being held under Roman authority, they were often prejudged as criminal types themselves. Paul says that even more than that Epaphroditus carries out his ministry “not regarding his life” (v. 30) this is the translation of a Greek word (paraoboleuomai) which means “to hazard with one’s life, to gamble.” William Hendriksen in his commen-tary says, “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. . . 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.” [William Henriksen. N.T. Commentary: Expositions of Philippians. (Grand Rapids:Baker, 1989) pp. 144-145]
In our comfortable and don’t-get-to involved age we need to look at the example of Epaphroditus who was willing to risk everything even his health to serve Jesus.
Application
We also need friends like Epaphroditus who are willing to take risk to help us.
Such a story comes to us from the 1936 Olympic games held in Berlin. “Jesse Owens seemed sure to win the long jump at the 1936 games. The year before he had jumped 26 feet, 8 1/4 inches—a record that would stand for 25 years. As he walked to the long-jump pit, however, Owens saw a tall, blue eyed, blond German taking practice jumps in the 26-foot range. Owens felt nervous. He was acutely aware of the Nazis’ desire to prove “Aryan superiority,” especially over blacks.
At this point, the tall German introduced himself as Luz Long. … For the next few moments the black son of a share--cropper and the white model of Nazi manhood chatted….
In the finals Owens set an Olympic record and earned the second of four golds. The first person to congratulate him was Luz Long—in full view of Adolf Hitler.
Owens never again saw Long, who was killed in World War II. “You could melt down all the medals and cups I have,” Owens later wrote, “and they wouldn’t be a plating on the 24-carat friendship I felt for Luz Long.” [David Wallechinsky in The Complete Book of the Olympics - www.bible.org/illus/f/f-63.htm]
Conclusion
We all need friends like Timothy, kindred spirits people who understand us and will encourage us. We also need friends like Epaphroditus who are willing to take risk to help us. Friends like that bring joy into our lives and make life more fun.
