Transcript

Pastor Lee Eclov tells the following: Around 7 p.m. on the evening of Friday, May 31, 1985, an F3-magnitude tornado swept through Beaver County, Pennsylvania, just north of Pittsburgh.

We were at church for a meeting, and when we got word of the storm, we had no idea how bad it had been. When our meeting came to an end, we headed to the home of some friends.

My friend was a surgeon, and when we arrived at his home, one of his colleagues was already at the door. All the physicians in the area were being summoned to the medical center. My surgeon friend ran to his car and left immediately.

We stood there wondering what we could do. I thought: I’m a pastor, maybe I should go to the Medical Center, too. But I did not want to go. I reasoned, “I’d probably be in the way. What could I possibly do? They’ve already got people lined up for these things.”

But with God’s sharp finger in the middle of my back, I reluctantly drove to the hospital. The devastation was worse than I’d imagined.

Phone lines were down. Traffic was at a standstill. Kids were missing, and their parents had no idea where they were. It turned out that the hospital was the only place where worried people could think to go. Many had been injured and 3 people were dead.

The lady in charge of the emergency room would call out from time to time: “Is there anyone from the Jack Smith family here?” Otherwise, folks sat quietly and worried.

Having no better idea of what to do, I just started walking up to clusters of people. And I would say, “I’m a pastor, and I wonder if you’d like me to pray for you and your family.” “Yes, please,” they said. Others: “That would be great.”

No one asked me what church I served, and no one even hesitated to accept my prayers. As I thought of it later that night it hit me that I am an agent of Christ’s compassion and love in this world.

And that means going where people have needs and are harassed and helpless. And I do this not because I’m a pastor, but because I am a believer. When others retreat from heartache and sorrow, we step in, because we walk with Christ.

Epaphroditus was a co-worker with Paul, whom God used as an agent of His compassion and love in the world. He did not retreat, but instead, he willingly stepped in to help and do whatever was needed as he served others.

And like Timothy, Epaphroditus was a real-life example of what it means to have the mind of Christ and to be a humble servant.

Philippians 2:25: “Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.”

Bubba and Jesse were working at a construction company doing some upgrades on a house in a neighborhood, but Bubba accidentally shot a nail gun through his buddy’s boot, and subsequently his toe.

He called 911, and said, “You need to get over here quick, I accidentally shot my buddy, Jesse, in the foot. He’s in a lot of pain.” The operator told Bubba she would send someone out right away. “Where are you located?” asked the operator.

Bubba replied, “The address is 522 Eucalyptus Avenue.” The 911 operator asked, “Euca what?” He said “Eucalyptus Avenue.” And she said, “Euca what? Can you spell that for me?” There was a long pause, and then Bubba said, “If I drag him over to Oak Street, can you meet us there?”

This reminds me of trying to spell Epaphroditus. Learning how to correctly spell his name isn’t as important as learning what the Scriptures teach us about his life and example.

The name, Epaphroditus, is drawn from the name of the Greek goddess, Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Epaphroditus means “favored by Aphrodite.”

Being named for the mythical and false goddess Aphrodite, we learn that Epaphroditus was a Gentile born to pagan parents in a pagan environment. And he was also likely educated in Greek culture.

Paul was a prisoner in Rome. And in verse 19, we read of Paul possibly sending Timothy to Philippi, but that this was dependent on the outcome of Paul’s trial.

So while Timothy temporarily stayed with Paul in Rome, in verse 25, we find that in the meantime, Paul did choose to send Epaphroditus back to them.

In chapter 4, verse 18 of this letter, Paul wrote, “But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.”

Epaphroditus had come to Rome to Paul bearing a love gift of money from the Philippian church, and Paul wrote and told them he had received it all. The letter of Philippians is a receipt and a thank-you note for the gift they sent.

But that the church trusted Epaphroditus with these funds for Paul, and to carry them over 800 miles from Philippi to Rome teaches us something about this man’s character. They trusted him to not pilfer it, steal part of it, or just disappear with it and never return.

Because Epaphroditus was a godly man of integrity, the church knew they could entrust their money with him, and that he would faithfully carry out this duty to deliver it to Paul, which he did.

And now Epaphroditus was sent back to this church by Paul, bearing another treasure, of infinite spiritual value, this letter to the Philippians.

In the letter he carried back to Philippi, Paul commended Epaphroditus and wrote of his deep appreciation for his service to the Lord in Rome. And he stated three things here that reveal more about this faithful co-worker.

Paul referred to him as (1) my brother; (2) my fellow worker; and (3) my fellow soldier. The first title speaks of affection, the second of hard work, and the third of warfare.

First, Paul calls him “my brother.” Like all believers are in Christ, Epaphroditus was Paul’s spiritual brother, a fellow child of God, members of the family of God.

It is a miracle of God’s grace that we’re brothers and sisters. Our identity has changed in Christ; God is our Father, we are born again into His family, we share a common life and home, and we are brothers and sisters and family in Christ. You belong to me, I belong to you, and we all belong to each other in the Lord.

Paul was a Hebrew of the Hebrews, a Jew. Timothy, mentioned in this chapter, was half Jew and half Gentile. And Epaphroditus was a Gentile.

Now born again into God’s family, having trusted Christ as Savior, Epaphroditus was a member of the Body of Christ, and was Paul’s brother in Christ. Believers are bound together in a brotherhood.

Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus are a picture of the Body of Christ, which is made up of believing Jews and Gentiles reconciled unto God in one Body by the Cross (Eph. 2:16).

In calling him, “brother,” Paul is also highlighting his affection for Epaphroditus. These two men had developed a brotherhood, an abiding friendship, and they had mutual respect and care for one another as they had served the Lord together.

Next, Paul calls Epaphroditus, my “companion in labor.” Not only was Epaphroditus a brother, but he was also a fellow-worker in the ministry. Epaphroditus was committed to the furtherance of the gospel and the work that is associated with that mission.

Second Timothy 2:15 is a common verse that we refer to. We often emphasize the “rightly dividing the Word of truth” part of 2 Timothy 2:15, and rightly so, because if we do not rightly divide God’s Word we will never have a proper understanding of God’s Word.

But we also should not overlook the “a workman that needeth not to be ashamed” part.

God wants us to be workmen and laborers for Him, a people zealous of good works. And there is always much work that needs to be done for the Lord in reaching lost souls and ministering to the Church.

The words “companion in labor” is one Greek word in the original, the word “sunergos,” and we get our English word “synergy” from it. There was a synergy between Paul and Epaphroditus in their purpose and work ethic as they labored together for Christ.

The term conveys the idea of an affectionate partnership and not merely that of an impersonal, official kind of relationship. It refers to someone who is a team player.

A football coach once told his team, “The players that play on this football team will play for the name on the side of the helmet and not the name on the back of the jersey.”

And those who serve the Lord in the Church, are not to lift up or promote themselves, rather we work together and are companions in labor for the Lord and for His glory.

Calling Epaphroditus a companion in labor shows that he was a man who could work with others. It is one thing for believers to work independently, having everything their own way. It is more difficult and requires humility to work with others, to allow for individual differences, to submit one’s own desires and opinions for the good of the whole.

And Epaphroditus was that kind of man, one who could humbly submit and work well with others in the work of the ministry.

Not only was Epaphroditus a brother and a companion in labor, but he was also a fellow-soldier.” Epaphroditus was a fellow brother, a fellow worker, and a fellow soldier. These men had a shared life in Christ, a shared work in Christ, and a shared warfare in Christ.

The apostle looked at Epaphroditus, not as a subordinate, but, in humility, as a fellow spiritual warrior in the cause of Jesus Christ.

Being a fellow soldier teaches of Epaphroditus’s joint struggle with Paul against a common spiritual enemy. That enemy is the devil and his angels, because we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Epaphroditus took his place beside Paul in the spiritual battle to fight the good fight of the faith and to war a good warfare.

It’s been said well that “The Roman legions struck fear into the hearts of the enemy as they advanced toward them in an unbroken line, shoulder to shoulder, with shields before them and spears in hand, and shouting a song of victory. If Christians would do likewise it would terrify all the hosts of evil.”

Epaphroditus was very much like the builders of the wall in Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s day. Because of the constant danger of attack by their enemies, the Word says they built that wall with a tool in one hand, and a weapon in the other (Neh. 4:17).

And that’s the picture of Epaphroditus, with a tool in one hand, he was “a companion in labor,” and a sword in the other, he was a “fellowsoldier.”

And Epaphroditus reminds us that not only are we called to be workers for the Lord, but we are also called to be warriors for Him.

God would have each of us take our place in the spiritual warfare as we battle against sin and Satan and we stand for Christ and for the truth of His Word.

The first three titles, introduced by “my,” pertain to Epaphroditus’s relationship to Paul. The latter two, introduced by “your,” pertain to his relationship with the Philippians.

Paul told the Philippians that he was “your messenger.” The Greek word for messenger is “apostolos,” or apostle. This does not mean Epaphroditus was an apostle or had that gift. Apostle simply means “a sent one.”

And Paul is using this term to refer to how Epaphroditus was a “sent-one,” sent by the Philippian church on a mission to Rome as their representative, sent to deliver their gift of money to Paul. In this, as Paul wrote, he “ministered to my wants” or needs.

But Epaphroditus was also sent to minister to Paul’s needs in the sense that the Philippians provided Epaphroditus himself indefinitely, as a servant functioning officially on their behalf, to assist Paul in the ministry during his house arrest in Rome. And Epaphroditus willingly gave up his own desires to help the apostle in his time of need.

Epaphroditus was a layman in the Philippian church. He held no office, wrote no books, and didn’t establish or lead any great enterprise for God. He was a worker, a messenger, and a servant for his Lord. No task was too menial for him to do. No assignment was too little for him to accept. And no risk was too great for him to take.

He was willing to do whatever was asked of him, quietly and inconspicuously.

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Like the Savior, Epaphroditus was self-forgetting. He humbled himself and became a servant. He looked not on his own things, but also on the things of others.

And as result, like God exalted His Son who humbled Himself and became a servant, giving Him a name which is above every name, God exalted this humble servant, Epaphroditus, by recording his name and his faithful service in His Word, which will be remembered, treasured, and read for all eternity.

Philippians 2:26-27: “For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.

“For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.”

Leith Anderson tells the following: I’ve been blessed by some truly humble, loving people. One I remember most is Joan Hollister Gilbert. Joan was a delightful person who had a long, difficult, and courageous battle against cancer.

During her illness, her husband, Jack, was diagnosed with cancer, and she had to deal with that and eventually with Jack’s death. A few years later when Joan was dying, with just a few days left in her life, she invited Charleen and me to come and sit by her bedside. She said she knew she was going to die, and she talked about it.

Most people in my experience choose not to do that. She said she wasn’t afraid. She said she was excited about entering the presence of her Savior.

But that was by far the shortest part of the conversation. Most of the time she talked about people for whom she was concerned. She talked about us and our children. She talked about her children and the children of others.

I found out that on that day, and the day before, and the day after, leading right up to her death, she invited a whole list of people to come to her bedside so she could talk to them before she died. Those who could not come she talked with on the telephone.

If anyone ever had a right to be self-concerned, and if ever there was a time when she had every justification to be primarily focused upon herself, it was Joan and it was then. But she lived out humility [and the mind of Christ].

She cared more about others and their needs than she cared about herself and her own needs. That’s the way it is with Christ, and that’s the way it should be with us. And that is the way it was for Epaphroditus.

Paul wrote that Epaphroditus “longed after you all.” Paul sent Epaphroditus back to the Philippians because he greatly missed all of them and longed to see them. And he “was full of heaviness,” meaning he was distressed and full of anguish.

The reason he longed to see them and was heavy and distressed emotionally was that they had “heard that he had been sick.”

He was full of heaviness, not due to his own sickness, but rather it caused his heart to ache to think that he had been a cause of worry TO THEM.

Epaphroditus was not concerned about himself; he was concerned about the church in Philippi because they were worried about him.

Talk about a selfless mindset! Epaphroditus didn’t want them in any way to feel bad or rebuke themselves for sending him on this journey during which he had become sick.

Paul points out in verse 27 that the Philippians had good reason to be concerned about his health. He wrote that he indeed he was sick, and very nearly died.

“Nigh unto” means “next door,” and as one commentator put it, “Epaphroditus and death were next-door neighbors.”

Taking a trip of over 800 miles, which took at least 6 weeks, it may be that the rigorous journey from Philippi to Rome might’ve weakened him. Or it might have been due to overexertion in the work after he got there. But Paul states plainly in verse 30 that “Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life.”

Exactly why or how or when he fell ill we don’t know for certain, but we do know that it was serious. So, why didn’t Paul just heal him?

Paul healed a lame man in Lystra in Acts 14. Handkerchiefs and aprons Paul used were utilized for the healing of the sick in Ephesus in Acts 19. Paul healed many on the Island of Malta in Acts 28 on his way to Rome.

If the gift of healing was still in operation, we can be sure Paul would have healed his dear brother, Epaphroditus.

But following the close of the book of Acts, when the transition from God’s program with Israel to God’s program with the Body of Christ was complete, and the revelation given to Paul was complete, we see at this point that the gift of healing had ceased to operate, along with the other supernatural sign gifts of the Acts period.

Paul could not heal Epaphroditus here. He could not heal Timothy of his stomach problem and other infirmities in 1 Timothy 5:23. Paul could not heal Trophimus in 2 Timothy 4:20.

He could not heal them because the gift of healing had ceased. Today, under grace, God no longer gives the gift of healing as He did in the past. God is not using faith healers today to perform miraculous healings.

But, having said all that, God can still heal. God is still the Great Physician. God is sovereign and God is able and He sometimes does raise up the sick in answer to our prayers. And He still can heal under grace if it is His will.

We see here that God intervened and “had mercy” on Epaphroditus and healed him, but God did not heal Paul of his thorn in the flesh, or Timothy of his stomach ailment, or Trophimus of his ailment. God heals according to His perfect will.

And while God does not always heal, God’s grace is always sufficient for us as the Lord told Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9, and His strength is still made perfect in our weakness.

Paul wrote that God had mercy on Epaphroditus in healing him and raising him back up to sound physical health. And Paul says that God had mercy on him also. God’s mercy to Epaphroditus was also mercy to Paul.

Paul was thankful for the recovery of his co-worker in Christ. If he had died Paul says sorrow would have been heaped upon him, and his grief would have been great and lasting because a valued brother, worker, and soldier for Christ was no longer on this earth.

And His sorrow would have also been increased with the knowledge that his life had been lost in endeavoring to do him good.

Philippians 2:28-30: “I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.

“Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.”

In Paul’s selflessness, having the best interests of the Philippian church and Epaphroditus at heart, he sent Epaphroditus home, even though he could’ve used him in Rome.

But recognizing Epaphroditus’ desire to go home and the Philippians’ concern for him, with haste he arranged his trip back to Philippi. Epaphroditus’ return was Paul’s idea. He didn’t ask for it, and the church didn’t ask for it.

But Paul desired to bring both of them joy, and Paul says that their joy in seeing him again would make his sorrow in sending him away less sorrowful and more bearable. So it is that when we concern ourselves with the joy of others, we find it for ourselves.

Paul believed that the Philippians would rejoice when Epaphroditus returned home. However, he was concerned at the possibility that a few might see his return as a failure of his mission and of the purpose for which the church sent him to Rome.

They might have expected him not only to deliver the financial gift, but to aid Paul and make himself available and useful to him for the duration of his imprisonment. And thus, they might have accused him or thought of him as being a quitter.

To protect Epaphroditus against any thoughts or accusations along this line, Paul painted a clear picture of the blessing he had been to Paul in Rome and the reason Paul sent him back. He expected the Church to hold this man in high regard, because he even almost lost his life as he served the Lord on behalf of the church in Philippi.

He had represented them well, so well. Thus, Paul encouraged them to “receive him…in the Lord with all gladness,” to welcome him home with open arms and great joy. And this true servant of Christ had been ultimately restored to them by God, who had mercy on him.

Paul further tells them to honor this man and hold him in high esteem.

The reason they needed to honor him was that with total disregard for his own welfare, and for no other reason than love, he had selflessly put his life on the line for the work of Christ.

Too many people not worthy to be held in high esteem are held in high esteem in this world. We need to esteem the ones that God holds in high esteem.

Epaphroditus was like his Savior. To not regard your life and to humbly give your all in service to others is having the mind of Christ.

Because our Savior regarded not His own life, and He gave His all; He gave His life for us on the Cross, so we might live and be saved from our sins.

To those who would serve and live with this kind of passion and selfless sacrifice for the good of others and the salvation of souls, regardless of the cost, they deserve our utmost respect, and they should be held up and highly honored.