Selfless: Meditation for November 16-22
Philippians 2:25-30 (NASB)
This is the Word of God. May the Spirit of Truth give us wisdom and insight to receive what has been conveyed through His Word by His Inspiration.
Who or what can separate us from the Love of God?!
2:25-30
25But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need;
26because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.
27For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.
28Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you.
29Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard;
30because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me.
Still hoping to be released from prison and visit the Christians in Philippi, Paul added Epaphroditus to his plan to send messengers to his children in the Lord at Philippi. He was sent to Paul by the Philippian church to assist him while he was in prison at Rome. Paul fondly referred to Epaphroditus as a brother in the Lord, a co-worker in the advancement of the Gospel, and a fellow soldier in Christ. He was grateful for his help and encouragement as well as for the financial support by the Philippian church. Now Paul found it necessary to send him back home to Philippi even though he personally wanted to keep him around as his help.
Paul realized that the Philippians were troubled by the news of Epaphroditus' sickness. To be sure, he himself was so eager to return home in good health and assure the Philippians about his own welfare. Indeed he longed to return home and see his brothers and sisters in Christ.
Paul was forthcoming about Epaphroditus health as he candidly told the Philippians that he was deathly ill. He seemed to have been emotionally distressed because of the peril he faced for his sake. Perhaps, Paul may have felt guilty because Epaphroditus endangered his health as he sacrificially and selflessly took care of him.
Nevertheless, Paul was comforted by the mercies of God Who restored Epaphroditus to good health. From Paul s point of view, his healing was nothing less than a miracle. This was God's providential Grace given to keep Paul from unspeakable sorrow.
Even though Paul was fond of Epaphroditus and would have preferred to keep him as help, he was eager to share his joy with the saints in Philippi. He was anxious to make sure that the Philippians saw their brother and rejoiced in God's blessings upon him. Such was Paul's selfless love toward the Philippians. Thus Paul instructed the Philippians to receive Epaphroditus with a warm welcome. He urged them to look beyond the obvious and discern the mighty revelation of God s power.
Epaphroditus helped Paul personally. The Philippian saints were geographically too far away to offer anything other than their prayers. Paul urged the Philippians to hold Epaphroditus and others like him in high esteem because he risked his own life and good health for the sake of the Gospel. He was selfless in everything he did for Paul and for the advancement of the Gospel.
Notes/Applications
This passage holds a unique, personal lesson to all the saints of Christ. Paul praised Epaphroditus and urged the Philippians to hold him in high esteem because of his selfless service to Paul and the work of the Gospel. He represented them so well that his service to Paul's personal needs made it seem that they themselves were with him at the prison where he was confined.
Epaphroditus effectively exhibited a wonderful attitude of obedience and selflessness. Paul commended such spiritual excellence and celebrated it as the fruit of God s salvation at work in the changed life of this selfless servant of the Lord. Paul wanted the saints to see Jesus Christ s humbleness and obedience at work in the life and service of their messenger and brother in Christ.
There is an important lesson for believers in this passage. More often than not, any hint of excellence in the life and service of God s children is ridiculed as arrogance or conceit. To be sure, such attitude must be confronted at all cost. But believers should discern the truth instead of smothering the witness of Jesus Christ and the power of the Gospel. The saints of God are hereby instructed to acknowledge the presence of God and His Power.
While God s people cannot and should not deny the reality about the sinful ego, they should understand that the life of the redeemed is a work in progress. It is the outworking of Christ's person and character in the life of the believer. Along with His grace, mercy, and power, God has given His children the capacity and the capability to discern and practice the truth. Ultimately, believers are encouraged to worship God by expressing our gratitude with a selfless dedication. What we do in Christ and for Christ is always for the advancement of the Gospel. In helping Paul, Epaphroditus lived for Christ.
