Practical Gospel Living (Phil 2:19-30)

Philippians 2:19-30; Key Verse: 2:30

"...he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life..."

What is beyond the gospel? There is an impression among Christians that the gospel is impractical. We think of Christianity as though the gospel is needed for our salvation. But after being saved, we need to start doing "Christian stuff" in order to grow as Christians. Matt Chandler wrote in his new book "The Explicit Gospel" that "For some reason--namely our depravity--we have a tendency to think that the cross saves us from past sin, but after we are saved, we have to take over and clean ourselves up. This sort of thinking is devastating to the soul. We call this the 'assumed gospel,' and it flourishes when well-meaning teachers, leaders and preachers set out to see lives first and foremost conformed to a pattern of behavior (religion) and not transformed by the Holy Spirit's power (gospel)."

Last week, we discussed why sanctification is by the gospel and not by discipleship or human effort. The fact of the matter is that Christians will never outgrow the gospel. We will never reach such levels that we should "move on to better things." Why? There is no better thing. So, what is beyond the gospel? Nothing! Is the gospel practical? If so, how? Let's find out from the very practical lives of 2 Christians that Paul mentions in Phil 2:19-30. They are Timothy and Epaphroditus. John MacArthur refers to them in his sermon as "Model Spiritual Servants."

Recap: Phil 2:5-11 explicitly conveys the humiliation and exaltation of Christ. It is the greatest Christological passage in the Bible and it is the gospel of our salvation. Only a deep realization of the gospel enables Christians to live lives worthy of the gospel (Phil 1:27; Eph 4:1) and to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, believing that change is possible, because God is working through us Christians to empower and enable us to work it out (Phil 2:12-13).

What does such a Christian life look like? Paul gives clear examples of the practical working out of the gospel in the lives of 2 Christians--Timothy and Ephaphroditus--who conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel (Phil 1:27), and who work out their salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12) with the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus (Phil 2:5). Their practical gospel lives are evidenced as (GOAL):

1. Gospel: Serving with Paul in the work of the gospel (Phil 1:22).
2. Others: A genuine concern and love for the welfare and interests of others (Phil 1:20-21,26).
3. Attitude: His core attitude is that of a brother, co-worker, fellow soldier, messenger (Phil 1:25).
4. Life: His willingness to risk his life for Jesus and God's people (Phil 1:30).

I. Gospel (Phil 2:22)

Timothy's heart. Paul wanted to visit the Philippians (Phil 2:24). But since he was in prison, he decided to send Timothy to the Philippians as his representative (Phil 2:19-23). From Paul's description of Timothy we can learn several things about the practical expression of the gospel through Timothy's life. Paul said that "Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel" (Phil 2:22). Timothy's heart was to serve with Paul in the work of the gospel. The foundation and grounding of Timothy's heart was rooted in the gospel. Surely Timothy saw the gospel being lived out since Paul met him during his 1st missionary journey, and decided to bring him along to mentor him (Acts 16:1-3). Because of Timothy's heart being rooted in the gospel, Paul also describes him as "my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church" (1 Cor 4:17).

Paul's core teaching. What does Paul "teach everywhere in every church"? Paul describes his core teaching in various ways: "testifying to the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24, ESV); "the gospel...is the power of God that brings salvation" (Rom 1:16); "the message of the cross" (1 Cor 1:18); "we preach Christ crucified" (1 Cor 1:23); "I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Cor 2:2); "what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that..." "by the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Cor 15:3-4, 10). When Paul teaches everywhere in every church--the gospel, grace, Christ crucified, the cross--God becomes all in all (1 Cor 15:28), for this glorifies God the Father (Phil 2:11).

Is your heart rooted and grounded in the gospel? Is the gospel your center and foundation? Do you repent because of the gospel, or because you're afraid something bad might happen to you? Do you serve God because of the gospel, or because it makes you feel better about yourself? Do you serve others out of grace, or to feel some self-worth by serving others?

II. Others (Phil 2:19-24)

An "Others" Orientation. What does a heart grounded in the gospel look like? Paul tells us: "I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ" (Phil 2:20-21). This is similar to what Paul said, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others" (Phil 2:3-4). Outside of the gospel, we are curved inward on ourselves (incurvatus in se). We are inward focused. Our motivation for doing anything, including loving and serving others as Christians, is selfishly motivated by selfish ambition, or to build up my own ministry or church. But through the gospel, God compels us to become outward focused with an outward orientation, so that we are genuinely concerned for others. Hunger Games is about a fictional futuristic dystonian society where 24 teenagers from 12 districts are to fight each other to the death for the amusement of the people. The lead character Katniss Everdeen offers herself as a competitor because her younger 14 year old sister was chosen. In this way she offered herself in place of her sister because of her love for her.

The Fruit of the Gospel is Love (Gal 5:22). The result of the gospel is that we love others (Jn 13:34-35), not because of our will power or self-effort, but because Jesus first loved us (1 Jn 4:19). Why does Jesus say that the command to "love one other" is a new commandment? It is not new because it is in the OT. Lev 19:18 says, "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD." It is new because Jesus shows us how this is done when he said, "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (Jn 13:34).

III. Attitude (Phil 2:25-28)

Brother, Co-worker, Soldier and Messenger (Phil 2:25). The Philippian church had sent some gifts through Epaphroditus (Phil 4:18), and also for him to help Paul while he was in prison (Phil 2:25b). But he became sick and almost died, which prompted Paul to decide to send him back (Phil 2:27-28). Paul also cites Epaphroditus as one whose life exemplifies the gospel. Paul shows us the attitude he has as a Christian, by describing him as "my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger" (Phil 2:25a). Every human being who ever lived wants a friend who is like a brother, co-worker, soldier and messenger.

• He is loving like a brother, who always has your back.
• He works alongside you as your co-worker.
• He is like a soldier who is loyal to the common cause.
• He is a trustworthy messenger who represents you and your message exactly.

Paul himself felt from Epaphroditus love as a brother, help as a co-worker, loyalty as a soldier and one who is like him in Christ as a messenger of God in communicating the gospel.

Considering Others when Dying (Phil 2:26). Like Timothy, Epaphroditus' concern was not for himself or his near death sickness, but he was distressed because the Philippians heard that he was ill (Phil 2:26). When a person is dying, he or she cannot but think about his own impending demise. But Epaphroditus was not thinking about himself but about the distress of others because of him. In this regard, he is like Jesus who loved and considered all others as he faced his own death. At the Last Supper, Jn 13:1 says, "Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end." On the cross as he died, he prayed with his last breadth, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Lk 23:34).

IV. Life (Phil 2:29-30)

Risk Your Life. When Paul sent Epaphroditus back to the Philippians, he said, "welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him" (Phil 2:29). Paul was concerned that the Philippians might consider him a quitter by going back to them when they had sent him to help Paul. But Paul said this to show the kind of man Epaphroditus is and why we should honor him. Phil 2:30 says, "...because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me."

Gamble Your Life Away. The Message translation says, "He put his life on the line and nearly died doing it." The ESV says, "risking his life." The ASV says, "hazarding his life." The word is the verb paraboleuesthai. It is a gambler's word. It means to stake everything on a throw of the dice. Paul is saying that, for the sake of Jesus Christ, Epaphroditus gambled his life.

In the days of the early church, there was an association of men and women called the parabolani, the gamblers. They visited the prisoners and the sick, especially those who were ill with dangerous and infectious diseases. In AD 252, plague broke out in Carthage. The people threw out the bodies of their dead and fled in terror. Cyprian, the Christian bishop, gathered his congregation together and put them to work burying the dead and nursing the sick in that plague-striken city. By doing so, at the risk of their lives, they saved the city from destruction and desolation.

In all Christians, there should be an almost reckless courage which makes them ready to gamble with their lives to serve Christ and other people.

Do you know the gospel? How would you explain it? What does it mean to you in your own life? To Timothy and Epaphroditus it was the foundation of their entire life. When the gospel grounded their lives, the orientation of their lives became outward. They cared nothing for their own life. They cared everything for others. But it was not them. It was the fruit of the gospel expressed through their lives.

Questions:

1. Who is Timothy (Phil 2:19; Acts 16:1-3; 1 Cor 4:17; 1 Ti 1:2; 2 Ti 1:2)? What are 2 clear evidences of the gospel working in his life (Phil 2:20-24, 3-4)? What does it mean to serve in "the work of the gospel" (Phil 2:22; Acts 20:24; Rom 1:16; 1 Cor 1:18, 23, 2:2; 15:3-4)?
2. Why was Epaphroditus sent to Paul (Phil 4:18)? What happened to him (Phil 2:26-27)? Why did Paul send him back (Phil 2:25a,28)? Why should they honor and welcome him (Phil 2:25b, 29-30)? How is the gospel manifested through his life (Phil 2:30; Jn 13:1; Lk 23:34)? [The word for "risked" is a gambler's word. It means to stake everything on the throw of a dice.]
   

Reference:

1. The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians. William Barclay, The New Daily Study Bible, 1957, 1975, 2003.