Philippians 2:25-30 “But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29 So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 30 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.”
It’s hard to write todays devotion without doing so through a very personal lens, and especially after reading Pastor John’s devotional from yesterday. When we read scripture, we look for and dig up the many morsels of truth that resonate with us. Sometimes we look at a person or group of people and think about how we are like or unlike those characters, or how we should strive to emulate their example. Paul is most definitely one of those people whom we seek to reflect. Maybe that is who we see first because they are most prominent, maybe it’s because they are the leader whom we want to be like. Paul is most definitely a person we should seek to exemplify, “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). Although today it easiest for me to sit in the seat of Timothy. I can say with confidence that I have had the privilege of being mentored and trained in the ministry by a leader with the likeness of Paul. I can walk a mile, or run 26.2 miles, in the shoes of Timothy as he is instructed to “entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” (2 Tim. 2:2). Over 18+ years on and off, I’ve been trained, equipped, entrusted, and now sent by someone (Pastor John) whom I would identify as a Paul in my journey of faith. However, Timothy was not the only one who worked with Paul, but Epaphroditus as well. In many ways, my heart not only resides with the likeness of Timothy who has been equipped and influenced for Gospel ministry, but that of Epaphroditus who served alongside Paul.
I am proud to say I have a “fellow brother, fellow coworker, and fellow soldier” in the ministry. Pastor John and the many folks at Emmanuel has and will continue to have the closeness and Gospel-comradery as that of a brother. I will always view Emmanuel as a church of coworkers – not competition – in living out the cause of Christ. Ultimately, I have a war-fought, battle-proven confidence in the people of Emmanuel church. I can call you all fellow soldiers whom I would proudly jump into a fox hole with, defend the trenches for, and storm the beaches alongside. I am grateful to identify the people of Emmanuel and myself with that of Epaphroditus. Who was remarkable... Kent Hughes writes that “He held himself responsible to God by the same standard of faithfulness that Paul used for himself. No wonder Paul singled the young man out as an example to the church in Philippi, where so many were looking out for themselves rather than others. Epaphroditus had put on the mind of Christ, taking on the humble life of an unsung servant.”[1] What a legacy and servant-minded example to follow…
Emmanuel, continue to be a church that pursues the mind of Christ. Continue to glorify God by making passionate disciples. Continue to be a church that values each other like brothers, does the hard work of gospel ministry like co-laborers, and fights for the cause of Christ together like soldiers in battle. Until we meet again…
With grace and peace,
-Pastor Matt
[1] R. Kent Hughes, Philippians: The Fellowship of the Gospel, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2007), 115–116.
It’s hard to write todays devotion without doing so through a very personal lens, and especially after reading Pastor John’s devotional from yesterday. When we read scripture, we look for and dig up the many morsels of truth that resonate with us. Sometimes we look at a person or group of people and think about how we are like or unlike those characters, or how we should strive to emulate their example. Paul is most definitely one of those people whom we seek to reflect. Maybe that is who we see first because they are most prominent, maybe it’s because they are the leader whom we want to be like. Paul is most definitely a person we should seek to exemplify, “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). Although today it easiest for me to sit in the seat of Timothy. I can say with confidence that I have had the privilege of being mentored and trained in the ministry by a leader with the likeness of Paul. I can walk a mile, or run 26.2 miles, in the shoes of Timothy as he is instructed to “entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” (2 Tim. 2:2). Over 18+ years on and off, I’ve been trained, equipped, entrusted, and now sent by someone (Pastor John) whom I would identify as a Paul in my journey of faith. However, Timothy was not the only one who worked with Paul, but Epaphroditus as well. In many ways, my heart not only resides with the likeness of Timothy who has been equipped and influenced for Gospel ministry, but that of Epaphroditus who served alongside Paul.
I am proud to say I have a “fellow brother, fellow coworker, and fellow soldier” in the ministry. Pastor John and the many folks at Emmanuel has and will continue to have the closeness and Gospel-comradery as that of a brother. I will always view Emmanuel as a church of coworkers – not competition – in living out the cause of Christ. Ultimately, I have a war-fought, battle-proven confidence in the people of Emmanuel church. I can call you all fellow soldiers whom I would proudly jump into a fox hole with, defend the trenches for, and storm the beaches alongside. I am grateful to identify the people of Emmanuel and myself with that of Epaphroditus. Who was remarkable... Kent Hughes writes that “He held himself responsible to God by the same standard of faithfulness that Paul used for himself. No wonder Paul singled the young man out as an example to the church in Philippi, where so many were looking out for themselves rather than others. Epaphroditus had put on the mind of Christ, taking on the humble life of an unsung servant.”[1] What a legacy and servant-minded example to follow…
Emmanuel, continue to be a church that pursues the mind of Christ. Continue to glorify God by making passionate disciples. Continue to be a church that values each other like brothers, does the hard work of gospel ministry like co-laborers, and fights for the cause of Christ together like soldiers in battle. Until we meet again…
With grace and peace,
-Pastor Matt
[1] R. Kent Hughes, Philippians: The Fellowship of the Gospel, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2007), 115–116.