Philippians 2:19-30

I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly

Christian friendship

I. Is founded in the faith of Christ.

II. Concerns itself for the state of others.

III. Is unselfish.

IV. Is proved by faithful service.

V. Survives difficulties.

VI. Abounds in want, sickness, sorrow.

VII. Ferrets its sorrow in the joy of others.

VIII. Can sacrifice life itself. (J. Lyth, D. D.)

Christian mutual happiness

The solicitude of the apostle was evinced--

I. By what he hopes to do.

1. To send Timothy.

(1) That he may carry good news to them.

(2) That he may be of spiritual profit to them.

(3) That he may bring back tidings from them.

2. To visit them himself. This is contingent

(1) upon the Lord’s will;

(2) upon his release from imprisonment.

II. By what he has already done in sending Epaphroditus to them. Paul sent them their own messenger.

1. A man of the highest worth.

2. For his (Epaphroditus’) improvement: he had been sick, and greatly longed to see them.

3. For their joy at his return with tidings of a mission successfully accomplished (and as the bearer of this Epistle).

4. For his (Paul’s) own comfort therein.

III. And by what he hopes will be their conduct toward Epaphroditus.

1. To receive him in the Lord with all gladness.

2. To hold him in reputation, i.e., honour him.

3. Because his accomplished mission showed him to be worthy of all.

IV. Five reflections.

1. Well wishers are to be determined and judged by their ability to perform.

2. We ought to think of the comfort of others as well as of our own.

3. Faithful ministers are worthy of esteem and honour, and especially missionaries.

4. A self-sacrificing spirit is the highest and loveliest trait of character that man can reach and possess.

5. Epaphroditus, through the loveliness of his character (he had not been misnamed), his courage, consistency, zeal, and unselfishness, in six verses of an epistle (his only mention) acquires an immortality of fame that a Caesar might covet. Goodness is true greatness, and exalts its possessor to the stars. (L. O. Thompson.)

Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus

I. Paul is the chief figure in the group.

1. lie is a prisoner, hoping and strongly expecting to be free, but not so sure whether his liberty will lead him out again on earth or usher him into heaven. Still his hope is that before long he will be with his friends. Meantime has come a messenger from Philippi with help and messages of affection. He desires not simply to send an acknowledgment--any messenger could take that--but to send some one who would help them in the highest sense.

2. Here in Rome are a number of persons who in general capability are quite equal to the service, and we can imagine the question put to them as they came to Saul’s lodging--“Will you go to Philippi? It is of great consequence that evils should be checked and that spiritual knowledge and strength should be increased. Will you go? “No,” says one. “The journey is hard and perilous, and success uncertain.” “No,” says another. “Not that I have any fear, but I prefer Rome. I can be as useful here as at Philippi.” “No,” says a third. “I prefer home.” And so the chain is heavier on Paul’s wrist, as he writes, “All seek their own,” etc.

3. This, then, is the dark group we have to look at first. They are unnamed, happily. The term “all,” is limited to those who were asked, and it is a verdict not on character but; in relation to one point of duty. But the failure was a great one. It cannot be a light thing for a Christian to thus shrink from duty, and to fall by our own choice from the highest and best service. Each of us has some Philippi. It may be some ordinary place or plain service, but whatever tests purity of motive and strength of principle is as great as an apostolic mission. The essence of New Testament teaching is life in Christ and for men. To the uttermost He saves; to the uttermost we are to serve.

II. Here is Timothy; he will go. There is no man minded like him. He is Paul’s other self. You go into a gallery of pictures, and they are all good in some way; but perhaps out of many hundreds only two or three approach the highest mark. So every Christian has the light of God on him, but how few shine with unwavering lustre: ready for every call of duty. Some lines in this picture are worthy of note.

1. Timothy has grown into this perfectness from his youth. No moral excellence is achieved suddenly. If you want to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ you must enter the service early. If you want to be fit for anything to which God may call you, begin at once and work your way up. When you are ready the call will come.

2. Another line is obedience. A good many years have passed since Paul found him at Derbe, but he has been “serving” all the time. No doubt before now he has been master to many, but he has never ceased to be a servant. Leave it to others to command, speculate, dispute in the gospel, or even to rest in it and enjoy it. A nobler and more fruitful use is to serve in it.

3. Another line is sonship. This relation is more than once referred to. “I have no man who will naturally,” i.e., as a birthright.

III. The third figure is Epaphroditus, pastor of the Philippian Church, bearer of a precious gift, brother, companion, fellow soldier.

1. He gave himself to the work in Rome with such eagerness that his health was undermined. The apostle could smite a sorcerer and heal the father of Publius, but he could not raise up a dear fellow labourer. Miracle power was for public uses, not private satisfactions. Those who preach the cross must bear it.

2. At length, after many fears and prayers, danger passes away. With convalescence came homesickness and a desire to relieve the anxiety of friends. Conclusion: We have been in good company. Imagination may depict the scene in Paul’s chamber; but revelation has given us the moral portraiture.

The lessons we may learn in such society are--

1. The importance of a sincere and thorough self-denial in the Christian character.

2. The exceeding beauty of a consecrated life.

3. The use and value of suffering. (A. Raleigh, D. D.)

The mission of Timothy

exhibits--

I. The missionary principle.

1. Trust in Christ.

2. A concern for the condition of others.

II. The kind of agency to be employed.

1. Earnest.

2. Unselfish.

3. Tried.

III. The course of action to be pursued.

1. Prompt.

2. Wise.

3. Believing.

4. Persevering. (J. Lyth, D. D.)

Christian intercourse

I. Is sanctified by faith.

II. Sweetened by faith.

III. Replete with comfort. (J. Lyth, D. D.)

The value of a true comforter

Happy is the man who has that in his soul which acts upon the dejected as April airs upon violet roots. Gifts from the hand are silver and gold, but the heart gives that which neither silver nor gold can buy. To be full of goodness, full of cheerfulness, full of sympathy, full of helpful hope, causes a man to carry blessings of which he is himself as unconscious as a lamp is of its own shining. Such a one moves on human life as stars move on dark seas to bewildered mariners; as the sun wheels, bringing all the seasons with him from the south. (H. W. Beecher.)