What does it mean to live the Christian life, to live according to love and truth, as Paul told us to do in the previous passage? Sometimes, we need some flesh and blood examples to make things real to us, and that’s what Paul gives us today.

First we see Timothy. Far from being a disputer or a complainer, verse 21 tells us that he was not selfish, seeking his own good, insisting on his own way. Instead, his distinguishing feature was caring. He cared enough about the Philippians to make a long journey to see them, and then to travel back to Rome to take news of the Philippians back to Paul, who couldn’t come to see them himself because he was in prison.

Epaphroditus is another example of selfless caring. He had come to bring a gift from the Philippians to Paul. But instead of staying with Paul for awhile, he headed right back to Philippi because he cared so much about his friends there. He longed to see them and to reassure them that he was okay, even though he had been very sick.

And come to think of it, Paul is a third example of caring. He was in prison, remember, and that’s a very lonely place to be. But he was willing to send his good friend Epaphroditus, a friend close enough to be called a brother, back to the Philippians right away, so they wouldn’t be worried about Epaphroditus. And it was Paul’s selfless concern for the Philippians that made him send Timothy to see them as soon as possible. And why? Because Paul wouldn’t really be comforted until he knew how things were going in Philippi, and so he wanted Timothy to bring back a report on how they were doing.

But these good examples Paul held up to the Philippians weren’t content simply to love one another. No, they were also focused on the glory of God, on standing faithfully on the truth of Jesus Christ. Verse 21 tells us that Timothy was not seeking things for his own pleasure or gain, but instead the things which are of Jesus Christ. He had devoted his life to spreading the gospel, laboring right alongside Paul as a son works in his father’s workshop or store or fields. Yes, Timothy gave himself completely to the Philippians and completely to Paul because Timothy had first given himself completely to Christ.

Epaphroditus was no different. Paul calls him a brother, a companion in labor, a fellow soldier, so the two men obviously shared a long and a close history. Epaphroditus was certainly willing to serve Paul as a representative of his grateful congregation in Philippi, apparently willing to put his health and even his life on the line to further the work of Christ.

And come to think of it, that’s exactly what Paul was doing, as he sat in prison. Paul didn’t know if he would live or die, if he would be released or if he would be poured out like a drink offering to the Lord. But like Epaphroditus and like Timothy, Paul was totally committed to the work of Christ, to holding fast the word of life, no matter how reluctant the surrounding culture was to hear that word.

But when you get right down to it, our supreme example of love and service is Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself to become our servant, who died to testify to the truth of His salvation, and who rose to demonstrate the reality of His power.

So, if we would be Christians, if we would demonstrate the reality of Christ within us, it is the example not only of Timothy and Epaphroditus and Paul, but of Christ that we should follow, giving ourselves completely to God and to one another. Will we do that today?

Philippians 2:19-30 (NAS)

19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition.
20 For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.
21 For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.
22 But you know of his proven worth that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father.
23 Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me;
24 and I trust in the Lord that I myself also shall be coming shortly.
25 But 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;
26 because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.
27 For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
28 Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly in order that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you.
29 Therefore receive him in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard;
30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me.