EPAPHRODITUS: THE SELFLESS SERVANT Mark E. Hardgrove, PhD Philippians 2:25-30 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...
Male and Female He Created Them
In verse 28, “God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” Sin changed the dynamic between males and females, but the subjugation of women to men was not God’s original design. He made us as two halves of one whole, which was designed to glorify Him.
THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP
I’m challenging our church to be more friendly. This doesn’t mean that we compromise Christian values, but it does mean that in all things we speak the truth in love, and open our hearts to bring light into the lonely darkness of others. It's not enough to be a friendly church, we need to be a church where people can make friends.
Children of God in a Perverse Generation
In our text, Paul reminds us that we cannot be part-time believers. We can’t just do right when we think the pastor is watching, or another church member is watching us. We need to know that through the grace of God working in us, we can and should be full-time believers.
LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU
Sometimes people want to assert their rights and will hold on to their privileges with a death grip, rather than surrender anything for the cause of a right relationship with others. Jesus was God—you don’t get any higher than that—yet Jesus Christ, the eternally begotten Son of God, did not cling to the power and privileges of being God. Instead, He released His grasp on the independent use of His divine attributes so that He could become a servant, and to do this, He who was God became flesh and dwelt among us.
The Importance & Power of Unity
If we ever arrive at that place of powerful unity where the Holy Spirit is able to move and manifest in power, we will see powerful results as souls by the hundreds and thousands are added to the church. If we will achieve that unity, speaking with one voice, then nothing we desire to do in Christ will be withheld from us.
Here Comes a Comeback
This is where frightful Friday and silent Saturday ended, but this is also where Sunday began. What looked like the end, was just the beginning. What looked like defeat, was a victory in the making. What looked like shattered dreams and broken promises, was just an illusion because the reality was that with both hands and feet nailed to a cross, Jesus defeated the devil, He conquered sin, liberated the lost, and set the captives free.
FAITH UNDER FIRE
Two levels of citizenship are implied: they were citizens of heaven living as lights in the darkness, and without compromising their testimony, they should also be good citizens of their city. Our citizenship is in heaven, and we are an outpost of believers in a fallen world, but while we are in this world, we need to engage our communities in such a way that we make Christ appealing to the lost. Just like millions of people want to come to America, our joy, peace, and love should make others want to become followers of Christ.
This Is What I Know
Paul knew that if he was faithful to God then there was no way the devil could win this battle. If God chose to let him live, then Paul would live for Christ, and if God chose to take him home to heaven, then he knew that was the ultimate promotion and his faith would end in sight. When we are believers, the devil cannot win. In fact, the devil has already lost because victory was won through the cross and the empty tomb. We still have a few things to wrap up in this dispensation, but the victory has already been won. Whether we live or die, we are the winners and Satan is still defeated.
YOU CAN’T CHAIN THE GOSPEL
When we are willing to decrease so that Jesus can increase, then we are ready to be effective in ministry. When people are less impressed with us and more impressed with Jesus after we minister to them, then we are truly being lights in the darkness. Even if they don’t remember our name, but they remember the name of Jesus, then we have done our job as faithful servants of our Lord and Savior.