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, a friend close enough to be called a brother, back to the Philippians right away, so they wouldn’t be worried about Epaphroditus.

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 (ESV)

19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.
20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.
21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
22 But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.
23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me,
24 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.
25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need,
26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.
27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious.
29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men,
30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.