Living by Example Philippians 2:19-30 For as long as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed being entertained by celebrity impersonators. I’m fascinated by their uncanny ability to imitate the subtleties of the mannerisms, gestures, facial expressions and vocal characteristics of the people they’re imitating. I grew up watching impersonators like Frank Gorshin and Rich Little on the Ed Sullivan Show. In recent years, the late Steve Bridges did a masterful job at impersonating former President George W. Bush. One of the most popular celebrity impersonator’s today is Frank Caliendo. Caliendo can impersonate more than 120 celebrities. Would you find it unsettling if a person were to watch your every move with a view that they might imitate you? The truth is – people are watching us. Whether we’re at home, at church, at work, at school or in the community – people watch us every day. As Christians, you and I are marked people. We’re marked because we profess to be followers of Jesus Christ – and the people who watch us want to see if our walk matches our talk. This should cause us to ask: What kind of influence does my life have on others? Do I treat people with kindness and respect? How do I react when I’m provoked? Am I truthful in the things I say? Does my manner of living draw people to Christ – or am I causing people to turn away from Him? It’s been said that many people will never crack open a Bible and read it – but they will read your life and mine as if it were a Bible. We’re currently in a series on Paul’s letter to the Philippians. In the latter part of chapter 2, Paul talks about the example of two of his devoted friends: Timothy and Epaphroditus. Chances are – your favorite Bible verse isn’t found in our text of the morning, but there are certainly some challenging lessons to be learned. Paul commends Timothy and Epaphroditus for their inspiring example of Christlike character. They exemplified the kind of selfless attitude that Paul called the Philippians to embrace in the opening verses of this 2nd chapter. How can we set an example worth following? We’re going to consider the qualities that endeared Timothy and Epaphroditus to Paul – with a view that others might be inspired by our example. Let’s consider first the example of: 1. Timothy. Beginning at verse 19, Paul writes: I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 2

If you’re not familiar with the New Testament, Paul wrote two letters to this young man named Timothy. What do we know about him? Timothy is mentioned more frequently in Paul’s letters than any other person. In addition to the two letters written to him, his name appears in the opening salutation of six of Paul’s letters. His mother (Eunice) was Jewish and his father was a Gentile. Timothy’s mother (Eunice) and grandmother (Lois) taught him the Scriptures from a very young age – and this had a huge impact in his life. It’s believed that Paul led Timothy to Christ during his first missionary journey – and Timothy, then, became a partner with Paul in his itinerant ministry. Paul referred to Timothy as “my son in the Lord, whom I love…” Let me draw your attention to the phrase in verse 20 where Paul says, “…I have no one else like him..” Paul uses a Greek phrase that literally says that he and Timothy were of the same soul. Paul was saying that he and Timothy were kindred spirits. When Paul sent Timothy on a fact-finding mission, he knew he could trust his read on the situation. Whenever Paul wanted to teach, correct or encourage believers in a church and couldn’t go there himself, he sent Timothy. In doing so, it was like Paul could be two places at once. Why did Paul commend Timothy so highly to the church in Philippi? The first thing we see is that Timothy had: a. A caring heart. Paul says in verse 20 that Timothy took a genuine interest in the welfare of the believers in Philippi. Following on in verse 21, Paul says that most people look out for number one. Earlier in this letter, Paul said that some in the church were preaching the gospel hoping to make a name for themselves and to gain a following - but Timothy’s motive for serving wasn’t to stroke his ego. He was compelled to serve because of his love for Christ and His people. My take on verses 19-24 is that Paul is preparing the church in Philippi to receive Timothy when he sends him for a visit. He wants the church to listen to Timothy as they would listen to him. Remember that the church in Philippi was experiencing conflict. Paul is indirectly telling the church that Timothy is the kind of person they can trust to help them resolve this matter. Timothy wasn’t going to show up with a personal agenda. The purpose of his visit would be to help unify and strengthen the church. He was genuinely interested in their welfare – and ultimately, of course, their witness to the unbelieving world. 3

For us, what does genuine concern for others look like? Sometimes it looks like prayer, sometimes its sharing heartfelt empathy - rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep. Sometimes it’s sharing our resources with those in need. Sometimes its sharing a kind and hopeful word with someone who is discouraged through a telephone call or by sending a card. Back in the old days, we could actually visit people! We’re to do these kinds of things – not to be noticed or to make people think we’re great – but because we care for the needs of others. When I was a new believer, God was gracious to put strong Christians into my life to help disciple me. One of those persons was a fellow named Nick Gebelt. I was working as a chef when I came to Christ. Nick was a busboy in the restaurant I was working in. Nick would intentionally work double shifts, just to take a lunch break with me and teach me the Scriptures and teach me how to pray. Nick invited me into a house fellowship he was a part of on the campus of Michigan State University. Nick helped to get me grounded in God’s Word. Even after he moved back to his home in Seattle, he was kind enough to write letters to me – encouraging me on in the Lord. Nick’s life and witness spurred me on – even when I felt like I was a sorry excuse for a Christian. I’ll forever be grateful that Nick Gebelt took a genuine interest in my spiritual welfare. Timothy cared about the spiritual welfare of the Philippians. We see a second trait that marked his life in verse 22. Timothy had: b. An excellent character. Verse 22: But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he wrote: Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example. He was saying, “Timothy, establish the authority of your office by your manner of living. Practice what you preach because integrity matters!”

Paul said in verse 22 that Timothy served with him as a son with his father. In the ancient world, people learned their trade through apprenticeship. Timothy spent years apprenticing under Paul in the work of gospel. He proved his character over the course of time.

Chances are – you’ve never heard of James “Deacon” White. White was among the first professional baseball players. In fact, on May 4, 1871, White had the very first hit, in the first game of professional baseball. It was a double. 4

White was the first catcher to use a mask and the first pitcher to go into a wind- up before pitching the ball. Deacon White played for 20 seasons and became the oldest player inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.

The inscription on White's plaque in the Hall of Fame, however, doesn't begin with the words “19th century baseball star,” or “premier catcher of his era,’ or “led teams to six championships,” although his plaque says all of those things. The first words on his plaque are “Consummate gentleman.” At a time when professional athletes were considered to be uncouth, hard-drinking, womanizers, James White earned the nickname “Deacon” for his commitment to Christian faith which was evident to everyone who saw him play.

In 1878, the Indianapolis Journal reported that an umpire consulted with White about whether the base runner was out. When the opponent complained, the ump declared, “When Deacon White says a thing is so it’s so and that’s the end of it.” In 1886, the Detroit Free Press wrote: “No one ever heard Deacon White curse; no one ever saw him spike an opponent; no one ever saw him throw his bat when he struck out; no one ever heard him argue with an umpire in his 20- year career. Will anybody deny that Deacon White is a great and good man, as well as a first-class ballplayer?” When people think of you, do they acknowledge that you’re honest, dependable and trustworthy? The thing I find interesting about Paul’s commendation of Timothy is that he didn’t point to his skill set. Paul doesn’t say, “Welcome Timothy when he comes because you won’t find a better preacher.” He commends Timothy because he was a man of proven character. I believe this: We must never rank a person’s skills over their character. Timothy was greatly loved by Paul and greatly used by God because he was a man of proven character. Next, in verses 25-30, Paul talks about the example of: 2. Epaphroditus. The only place we find Epaphroditus in the Bible is here in the book of Philippians – and even at that we don’t know all that much about him. His name means “devoted to Aphrodite.” It’s possible his parents were devotees of the pagan goddess, Aphrodite and he was named in her honor. But Epaphroditus became a Christ-follower and became a trusted servant of the Lord – so much so that the church in Philippi commissioned him to go to 5

Rome and minister to Paul. Epaphroditus was charged with two important tasks. First, he was to deliver a monetary gift collected by the church to help provide for Paul’s expenses while under house arrest. And second, he was to stay and minister to Paul. In verses 25-30, Paul touches on two traits that marked the life of Epaphroditus. First, he was: a. Selfless in his ministry to Paul. Verse 25 reads: But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. The unspoken thing about Epaphroditus visiting Paul is that it was a 700-mile trek from Philippi to Rome. The journey required six weeks of travel. But Epaphroditus was willing to make that trip in order to bring relief to Paul. Christian service often involves making a sacrifice for someone. The Lord might ask you to sacrifice your time and/or resources to help someone in need. I’ll never forget the sacrifice that a friend of mine once made for total strangers. Roger Williams and his wife, Ruth attended the first church I served. One day, Roger was driving home from work in southern Virginia when he saw a vehicle that broke down on the side of the road. A family was in the truck and they were hauling a trailer that had all their possessions in it. They were moving from southern Virginia to Tennessee. They were stranded and didn’t have the money to fix their truck. Roger looked at the truck and it was apparent to him that it was a goner. He said, “I’ll be back in an hour.” Roger went home and got his pickup truck – and returned to the family. He unhitched their trailer and put it on his truck and drove the family all the way to their new home in Tennessee. Along the way, he fed them. When they arrived at their new home, Roger helped them move in. The family offered to give Roger what little money they had to help pay for gasoline – but he refused. He ended up taking a few days off work and spent a considerable amount of money to help a desperate family he didn’t even know. You can be sure that Roger’s kindness and sacrifice will never be forgotten by that family.

Epaphroditus was selfless in his ministry to Paul. But it goes beyond that. We see in verses 20-30 that Epaphroditus: b. Risked his life in order to minister to Paul. Look at verses 29-30: Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you 6 could not give me. Epaphroditus exposed himself to great risk in order to visit Paul. There are three things worth noting:

First, remember that Paul was under house arrest. Paul wasn’t exactly a safe person to have as a friend! In our American system of juris prudence, a person is considered innocent until proven guilty. Under Roman law, however, you were guilty until proven innocent. Considering this, Epaphroditus exposed himself to danger just by being associated with Paul. Second, bandits were known to hang out on travel routes. Remember that Epaphroditus was carrying the money that the church in Philippi had collected to help Paul with his expenses while he was under house arrest. He would have been a prime target for a robbery. And third, there was also a high risk of contracting a disease which is what seemed to happen to Epaphroditus. I might be reading too much into this passage, but Epaphroditus contracted an illness. Was it malaria or some other disease? Whatever it was – it nearly killed him. Glance at verse 30 where Paul says that Epaphroditus risked his life. The Greek word parabolani means to gamble. Paul said that Epaphroditus took a huge gamble with his life in order to minister to him.

Interestingly, in the early church there was a group of Christian men and women who were called the parabolani. They received that name because they exposed themselves to great risk in order to minister to the sick. Historians tell us that two plagues swept through the Roman Empire during a time when Christians were being persecuted. The Antonine Plague was the first. The Antonine Plague started in 165 AD. The Plague of Cyprian came along about a century later – in 250 AD. Scholars believe these were possibly plagues of smallpox or measles. In the time of the Antonine Plague – 2,000 people died each day. But in the Cyprian Plague - 5,000 people died each day. Bodies were piled on the streets and were either incinerated or left to decompose - adding to the environment of disease and filth. People were terrified when these plagues struck – so much so that when the first symptoms appeared, most people evacuated the cities and left the sick behind to die. But Christians didn't run. They stayed and cared for the sick. They fed them and prayed for them. They loved and encouraged them. Many believers became ill in the process. There's no telling how many lives were saved because Christians served - and there's no telling how many Christians lost 7 their lives because they stayed behind and ministered to people in need. But the world is different today because in this time of sickness and utter despair - those who followed Christ seized upon the opportunity to shine. This, by the way, is one of the reasons why the attitude toward Christians living in the Roman Empire changed so dramatically. People couldn’t ignore the actions of people who loved God so much that they were willing to sacrifice their lives to love, care and serve others.

Most of us won’t be called to risk our lives for Christ, but we may be called to sacrifice our comfort, our money, our reputation, our plans, and perhaps some of our dreams for Christ. Here’s today’s lesson in a nutshell: Never underestimate the influence of an ordinary person who sacrificially loves and serve others.

As I close, I’d like you to reflect on your own walk with God. What would Paul write about you? These seemingly mundane words in verses 19-30 illustrate what Paul has been saying throughout this 2nd chapter. He’s told us that we shouldn’t look out for our own interests, but to look out for the interests of others. Paul then gave us the great example of our Lord, who took on the form of a servant, and became obedient to death on the cross. Jesus had a servant’s heart. He endured a servant’s hardships. And He received a servant’s honor. This is the pattern of what it means to live a godly life. Let’s to become imitators of Timothy and Epaphroditus; but not only of them, but of Paul – and most importantly - of our Lord Jesus Himself.