"… I have no one else like him…" - Philippians 2:20
Main Readings: Philippians 2:1-18 & Philippians 2:19-30
Related Reading: 1 Peter 2
Recently I watched a programme about Kapiti Island. It’s off the coast of New Zealand. It’s a place of refuge and protection for endangered birds. You may’ve heard of Possums – a mammal from over there. Possums’re a bit like us. You enjoy an egg for breakfast? So do they. Problem is, they don’t get theirs from Lidl. But from the nests of lidl birds! They had to go. The clear-out’s been so successful that there’s now no predatory mammals on Kapiti. It’s like bird heaven!
But, that kind of thing needs a lot of ongoing management. One of the people involved is a lady of Māori heritage – so, her ancestors were native to that region. She has strong family links to Kapiti and the conservation work. Her 5 times great-grandfather moved there in the 1820’s to look after the land. Her great-grandmother went to great lengths to educate upper class European visitors about Māori values – their dedication to nature and sustainability, long before it became fashionable.
And then came the question! The lady on Kapiti was asked, ‘Do ya think ya great-grandmother would be proud of what you and your family are doing here now.’ It was like a question from a mindset – a way of thinking – that wasn’t quite hers. She thought different! She answered different! She said, ‘No! Not proud. I think she’d expect it of us. Because of who we are.’
It's like Philippians 2. Why do this stuff here? Cos of who we are! Cos this chapter’s pushing believers towards a new way of thinking. Things like - ‘Have the same mindset as Christ – he made himself nothing.’ Then instructions as to what that means. And they’re not easy things.
It’s like being at the airport. When new life is calling you elsewhere. You’re so excited. But so, so sad. Cos you can’t go and live this new life without leaving stuff behind. People, places, things you love. Things that’ve been part of you. Philippians 2 is like that airport terminal. Your new life in Christ means that things you’ve like loved forever, you’re now asked to wave goodbye to. Stuff like grumbling and arguing. How can I leave them behind? Perhaps I should stay!
Perhaps you’re like me as a Christian. You seem to spend most days in that airport terminal. It feels like the Christian life never really takes off. Ooh, argue, grumble, just one last hug! A really long one!
But Philippians 2 expects… Christians to take off. Why? Because of who we are. We have new life in Christ. And that life is meant to take a certain shape – a Christ shape. But it’s so challenging. We try and live our lives better. We try. We fail. Just broken like before. Just as lifeless – hard - cold. Like cold, hard, broken-up, lumps of clay. How’ll we ever be anything more? How will it ever work out?
But here’s where Philippians gives us even more good news about our salvation - our being saved in Christ. Our lives can work out – they can take shape as God works on and in them. He’s the heavenly sculptor. We can be remoulded for good purpose in Christ’s Kingdom. By him. Why? Why would he do that? Because of who we are?
He expects it to happen. But only he can make it happen. ‘We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do’ (Ephesians 2 10).
The apostle Paul wrote this letter to those in Christ at Philippi. He was under house arrest in Rome. A prisoner cos he was a preacher. His preaching Christ brought trouble. The book of Acts tells us about it. When arrested by those who despised his Jesus talk, Paul appealed to Caesar in Rome (Acts 25 11). This trouble he’s now in - he’d practically volunteered for it!
Would we do that? If I said, ‘there’s trouble coming – I need a volunteer’ Would you raise your arm? When trouble’s predicted. It’s not my arm that’s raising. It’s my legs that’re running. But Paul’d moved opposite - towards trouble. And suffering. Why’d he do that? Because of who he was? He was Christ’s.
In verse 17, he looks like Christ. He was ‘being poured out’ so that the faith of others would be filled up! Paul pictures his trouble for them. Why? Probably because he’s already pictured the Philippians reading this letter together. He knows when they get here, they’re gunna have a question. All this talk of having the Christ mindset. And the effect that it’ll have on church life. And how it will shine against the dark backdrop of ongoing human brokenness. And Paul thinks they’re gunna go, ‘Yeh, Paul, we get the theory – It makes proppa sense – but how’s that gunna look in real life?’ And so Paul starts by handing over a handful of words about his own life.
But he’s aware. He had a special relationship with this church at Philippi. And they probably thought he was a bit special. They’d seen his life less ordinary. He knows they’re gunna have a follow up question - ‘How’s this gunna look in the lives of ordinary Christians? – how’s it gunna take shape in people shaped like me? – can you give us a couple of examples?’
And Paul thinks ‘Yes! And to help you remember them, I’ll give them names – Timothy and Epaphroditus.’ Two men whose lives had been shaped by the grace of God which is in Christ. Two men who did what they did… because of who they were.’ And so Paul weaves their story into his letter at this point. Info that we’d probably put at the end of a letter, he puts here. To serve the Philippians understanding of Christ service. And to serve us.
Paul says, in verse 19, ‘I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon…’ - ‘I hope in the Lord Jesus.’ Paul’s plans were subject to God’s plans. But notice there’s a plan. And an attitude of mind. If I was imprisoned in Rome – and it was at least two years – I’d quickly be saying, ‘what’s the point?!’ Paul’s not! He’s saying, ‘what’s the plan?!’ And he’s got one. To send Timothy to provide them believers with shared encouragement. And that’s the kinda plan that’s likely to sit well with God’s plan!
But before sending Timothy, Paul’s gunna talk about him. Verse 20, ‘I have no-one else like him… who will show genuine concern for your welfare.’ ‘Genuine’. The real deal! Standout! That takes us back to verses 15-16, where Paul tells believers that they can stand out. Against the dark backdrop of broken humanity, those in Christ can shine like stars. As they hold firmly to the message about Christ. But many Christians’d failed. Failed to grasp - who they were. And what that should mean. And Paul says about them, in verse 21, ‘(they look) out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.’
The mindset of Christ. Christ looked at us. And showed genuine concern for our eternal welfare. Christ thought like this – you, you, you. He made himself nothing – for you. But these Christians, that Paul’s on about, their mindset was me, me, me. Paul’s saying, ‘don’t be like that. Be mindful. Be Christ mindful.’ Timothy was. His interest was now what was in the interests of Jesus Christ. So, how did Timothy think? Him, him, him. Why? Because of who he was. He was Christ’s. And he held that new reality firmly. He really grapsed it. And so, stood out. Not just against the dark backdrop of all life. But… even against the more dimly lit lives of other believers, Timothy was a shining example!
Verse 22 makes me laugh. Paul mentions how Timothy had ‘served with’ Paul. And says, ‘Timothy has proved himself.’ Think about it. In the Acts account, Timothy joins Paul in Acts 16. Just before Paul reaches Philippi – with the message about Christ. And Timothy stuck with Paul. Think about all that was endured in the ten years through Acts 16, to Acts 28, to now.
Paul summarizes his mission experience in 2 Corinthians 11 – in verse 26 he repeats one word eight times! That word’s ‘danger’! Danger was never far away. And neither was Timothy! And Paul now says, ‘Timothy has proved himself.’ You’re not kidding! A decade on mission with the apostle Paul? – Boy! - that would prove the genuineness of your faith! And it did. Timothy has proved himself.
He ‘served with’ Paul, ‘as a son with his father.’ For ten years. But Timothy never said, ‘OK… Dad! – today I wanna be Top Dog!’ No, he just served. Why? Because of who he knew he was! He looked like a servant of God’s servant. And his life looked Christ-minded.
When Paul starts talking about Timothy in verse 19, he says, ‘I hope…’ And when he finishes in verse 23, he says, ‘I hope…’ Cos when people around us look like Christ, there’s always hope. And Paul is ‘confident’ in verse 24. He’s hoping to release Timothy so he can serve at Philippi. And he’s hopeful ‘in the Lord’ of his own release. His plan, if it fits… with God’s plan, is to send Timothy. And then, if it’s God’s plan, Paul will follow.
But Rome to Philippi is 800 miles! It’s ambitious. And then some. 800 miles! It’s the Proclaimers and then some! The Proclaimers are that Scottish music duo. They’ve a famous song called ‘I’m Gonna Be.’ It’s about going the distance. To be with the person you love. In their case it was 500 miles. They sing, ‘But I would walk five hundred miles. And I would walk five hundred more…’
But Paul’s saying, ‘I’ll see your 500. And raise you 800.’ Timothy’s gunna be going 800 miles. And then Paul’s gunna be doing 800 more! To be with people they love. And what’re they gunna do when they get there? They’ll be proclaimers. They’ll preach Christ. Why do all this? Because of who they were.
Verse 25 has Paul’s second example of Christ service. A man called Epaphroditus. Who’s he? ‘He’s mine. And he’s yours’, says Paul. ‘My brother, co-worker and fellow soldier.’ ‘Brother’ – that’s who he is. In Christ’s new family along with me. ‘Co-worker’ – that’s what he does. Serves alongside. ‘Fellow soldier’ – he’s in the battle of the Christian life.
And he’s yours too – ‘your messenger.’ Mine. Yours. When we’re in Christ, we belong to many others. Epaphroditus did. And he was the Philippians ‘messenger.’ The Greek word here implies that he was officially sent – kinda like by church decision. The Philippian’s’d decided to send him with a letter to Paul in Rome. He was like their official Postman. And they’d told him to serve with Paul. And serve Paul… when he got there – ‘whom you sent to take care of my needs.’
A postman. And a domestic servant. There’s a famous reference work called ‘Who’s Who?’ First published in 1849. It’s a list of the supposedly good and great of humanity. It gets updated with the best and most outstanding people. How many posties grace its pages? How many domestic servants get a review? None. But the Bible thinks different. 6 verses here reviewing the life of such a person. And it’s 5-star. Because of who he was.
Right from the start it looks so Christ-shaped. It’s beautiful how Paul frames it – ‘but I think it is necessary to send (him) back to you.’ Paul goes on to talk about how well Epaphroditus has served him. But now he’s saying like ‘your need of him is greater.’ That’s why Christ was sent. That’s why Christ came. As in the first 11 verses of this chapter. That’s why he left heaven’s heights. Cos of the depths of our brokenness. Was he not needed in heaven? No, our need of him was greater!
And Christ came with these two roles. He came as a servant. Serving his Father God. Serving us. He came carrying a message. Not from Philippi. Not from Rome. But from heaven. To Philippi. To Rome. And to every place where needy, broken people live. God’s message – ‘You’ve messed up. You’ve got it wrong. But here’s my Son – my Christ. He – he only – he can make it right.’
So how did it go with Epaphroditus? Not according to the Philippians plan. Verse 27 says ‘he was ill, and almost died.’ He arrives to look after Paul. And Paul ends up looking after him! That’s how my plans usually go! - Wrong! But notice the positioning here. Two words that follow. Two words that are found elsewhere in the Bible. And used in similar ways too. Human weakness. Human failing… followed by ‘but God…’
That’s what our plans need. Not every ‘i’ dotted and every ‘t’ crossed. But God. When our lives take a different shape to what we’d like. As they so often do. May we find this – ‘but God.’ ‘But God had mercy on (Epaphroditus), and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.’ This man, who followed ‘the man of sorrows’, experienced sorrow… cos of who he was.
There we have it. Paul was as human as we are. Real emotion in this verse. Real ‘anxiety’ in the next (verse 28). Paul wasn’t remote – detached from the effects of life’s breakdown. He’d have struggled immensely if Epaphroditus had died. And he knew it. ‘But God… had mercy.’
And look at Epaphroditus’s spirit – where his heart was. A near death experience. But he wasn’t distressed about himself. Verse 26 – ‘he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.’ He’s upset cos others were upset cos he got poorly! His was heart driven service. That’s the kind of service Christ wants. Hands moved by hearts. Hearts moved by him.
And Paul instructs the Philippian believers to honour this man when he gets back. Verse 29 – ‘welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honour people like him.’ Bible commentators seem to think that Paul’s anticipating an issue here. Cos even good Christians can easily think in bad and broken ways. Epaphroditus is being returned having (verse 30) ‘almost died for the work of Christ.’ And yet, Paul knows… someone’s probably gunna go, ‘Ooh, you’re back early!’
‘Welcome him… with great joy… and honour… him.’ Welcome him with open arms. Opened by open hearts. Don’t think in ways which harm. Think in ways which honour. Honour was due. Verse 30 confirms it – Epaphroditus ‘risked his life’ ‘for… Christ’. Why? That man risked his life for Christ. Cos Christ gave his life for him. Epaphroditus did it because of who he now was in Christ.
Timothy and Epaphroditus both served Christ in their service of Paul. And the bible’s design is that their examples will serve us – Christ’s people now. We probably won’t be called to go 800 miles today. Maybe just do what we often do - move a chair 800 mill. And talk to a brother or sister – a co-worker and fellow soldier – who’s battling the Christian life. But let’s not just move our chair. Let’s move the lie. Yes, that one. Where we’ve got it all sorted. That can go 800 miles and more. Cos maybe then we’ll get closer to others. And serve them. As they serve us.
Sometimes this can be so challenging – risky! Well take one last look at Epaphroditus. ‘He risked.’ Can we take a gamble? Are we willing to look lame. Willing to lose. In order to gain. Why would we do that? Because of who we are. And because of who our God is.
Our God’s committed to us. He’s the heavenly sculptor ready to reshape. Hearts. And mindsets. After all, what’s the difference? Between a lump of clay. And a finished sculpture from a master’s hand? In essence - nothing. But in appearance – everything.
Philippians 2 starts by reminding us of Christ’s way of thinking. He made himself nothing for us. It then goes on to show him elevated to the place of highest honour in heaven. What’s he doing in heaven now? John 14 3 reminds us that he’s preparing a place for us. Why would he do that? Because of who we are.
‘You are not your own; you were bought at a price’ (1 Corinthians 6 19-20).
‘Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God’ (1 Peter 2 10). Once just sin soaked and separate from him. Now washed clean. And his. His special possession. Forever. A forever that will be with him.
Philippians 2 then concludes with some examples of Christ minded service. It’s a gentle reminder to us. That our being forever united with Christ is not something that’ll begin when we die. Forever is begun now. Let’s keep that in mind. And have the same mindset as Christ. Because of who we are.