Rejoice | Part 7 | Philippians 2 19-30 | Good Help Is Hard To Find
We’re there in Philippians 2 and we’ve been going through a series entitled “Rejoice”. It’s a verse-by-verse study through Philippians. Today we find ourselves starting in verse 19 where we left off last week. As we’ve been studying this book, I’ve been telling you that it’s a book about joy all throughout. The Apostle Paul references the word joy and rejoice is found all throughout this book. It’s a book about Jesus and the joy that can be found in Jesus. We’re going to finish up chapter 2 this morning.
In this passage of scripture, the Apostle Paul talks to us about two guys. However, these are not just 2 guys but 2 followers or subordinates that are under his authority. Philippians 2:19 “19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. 20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. 21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. 22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. 23 Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.”. He talks about Timothy and that he wants to send Timothy and that he trusts Timothy. Verse 24 “24 But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.”.
Then in verse 25, we learn about the 2nd follower. Philippians 2:25 “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.”. The name “Epaphroditus” is not as common as Timotheus. The Apostle Paul acknowledges the fact that Epaphroditus brought from the Church at Philippi to Rome a present or a love offering for the Apostle Paul. And here now the Apostle Paul is referring to the fact that he wants to send Epaphroditus back. Now I want you to compare and contrast these two individuals – Timotheus & Epaphroditus. In verse 23 Paul says “23 Him therefore I hope to send presently,…”. In verse 25 he says “25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus,”. He wants to send one and he considers it a necessity to send the other one.
What we have before us in this passage is two illustrations of two followers, two workers, two servants, two subordinates to the Apostle Paul. The word subordinate means a person under the authority or the control of another. And what we see in Timothy is we see an example of how to be a great follower and what we see in Epaphroditus is how to treat your followers. One highlights for us the follower and his responsibilities and his actions and attitudes towards the leader. The other one highlights for us the leader’s attitude and his actions and his thoughts towards the followers.
So I’d like to begin this morning by looking at this idea of Timothy or Timotheus. First let’s talk about how to be a great follower. There’s some lessons that we can learn from Timothy here about being a great follower. I want to just encourage you that this is something that we can all apply to our lives in different areas. All of us find ourselves sometimes as leaders and sometimes as followers. If you are a child here today then you might want to write some of these things down because you are a subordinate to your parents. You are to follow your parents. Maybe you’re a wife here this morning and this is a good message for you because e Bible says that you are to be subject unto your husband. Your husband is the spiritual leaders of the home and you are to be his subordinate and follow him and be submissive towards him. Maybe you’re here this morning and you’re an employee and have a boss or supervisor or manager or CEO that you answer to. Then this is a good sermon for you also because you are a subordinate in that area. You are accountable and under the authority of somebody.
The Apostle Paul gives us here 4 thoughts and really they come down to four words that should describe you. If you are to be a great follower, if you’re going to be a great wife, if you’re going to be a great employee, if you’re going to be a great Church member then these are four words that should describe you. The Apostle Paul said “follow me as I follow Christ.”. And in Church you are to follow and place yourself under the authority of the Pastor. And of course we’re not talking about lording over God’s heritage but spiritually the Bible says that the Pastor is to rule within the Church and within the ministry of the Church. You’re supposed to follow the lead of the Pastor. So these are lessons to be a good Church member. And of course all of us can apply this to various areas of our lives. For every young man going to work, here are 4 words that ought to describe you.
Number 1 – Confidence. If you are going to be a great follower, a great subordinate, a great employee, a great child, a great wife, a great worker, a great Church member then you need confidence. Paul when he described Timothy was something he had confidence in. Your leader or authority needs to be able to have confidence in you. Notice verse 19 “19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.”. The word “trust” means confidence. Paul was confident in Timothy’s ability. Now what you’ll notice as you study the life of Timothy, and one day we may do a whole series on the life of Timothy, Timothy was the Apostle Paul’s right-hand man in many ways. In fact, Timothy was the guy that the Apostle Paul could trust with certain tasks and certain missions. Notice that in Philippians 2:19 Paul has confidence to send Timotheus to Philippi and take care of them.
We saw from Philippines that Paul sent Timothy to Philippi. However, in 1st Corinthians 4:17 we see that Paul also send Timothy to the Church at Corinth. “17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.”. 1 Thessalonians 3:1 “Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;”. The Apostle Paul is writing to the Church at Thessalonica. He’s explaining to them what he’s done. He thought it was good to be left at Athens alone. Verse 2 “2 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:”. I want you to notice that the Apostle Paul says to the Church at Philippi he trusts to send Timothy. Then he says to the Corinthian Church “for this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus”.
Here’s what we can gather. Paul trusted that he could send Timothy to take care of certain things and certain tasks. He trusted that whenever something needed to be done, when Paul couldn’t go but he needed something to be taken care of, Timothy was his right-hand man. He said I’ll send him to Philippi. He’ll take care of it. I’ll send him to Corinth. He’ll take care of it. I’ll send him to Thessalonica. He’ll take care of it. Paul could send Timothy. Why? Because Timothy was a man of confidence. Timothy was someone that could be relied upon, someone that could be trusted, someone that Paul could put his confidence in. And if you’re going to be a great follower, if you’re going to be a great subordinate, if you’re going to be a great employee, the word “confidence” is something that your leaders should be able to characterize about you. Those that have authority over you can put their confidence in you. See, Paul could send Timothy. Why? Because Paul could trust Timothy.
1st Timothy 6:20 “20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust,…”. Notice how the Apostle Paul trusted Timothy. He had confidence in Timothy. You have to decide that you’re going to be a young man that can be trusted. If you want to be used at Verity Baptist Church and our ministries, we have to be able to have confidence in you and trust you. Your Pastor ought to be able to send you somewhere and not be worried the entire time of what you’re going to do. The Apostle Paul said that he could send Timothy to Philippi, Corinth, Thessalonica to take care of things. Why? Because he was a man of confidence.
Notice what Paul says in 1st Corinthians 4:2. “2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”. How do you establish confidence? Be faithful. To be a great follower you should be someone that the leader can trust, someone that they have confidence in, the fact that they’re going to do what they’re supposed to do, someone that they don’t have to be supervising and checking in on and checking up on all the time. And again, this is not just in reference to employees. This is in all relationships. If you are a wife and you are staying at home and your job is to be a home keeper then praise the Lord for that. But here is what the Bible says in Proverbs 31:10 “10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. 11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.”. See, when it comes to being a follower, the word that should characterize us is trust or confidence.
Let me talk to you teenagers. When you start being a young man or a young lady, I tell all of our sons that when you get into those teen years, you are not a man but you’re not a child. You are in between those stages. Often times teenagers desire freedom and liberty. They want the ability to do things they weren’t able to when they were children. As kids get older, we should start to give them a little more freedom in the proper relationship. But let me help the teenagers out today. With freedom comes responsibility. If you want more freedom then allow your parents to have confidence in you. If your parents can trust you to do what you are supposed to do and trust you with tasks then maybe they will give you more freedom. With confidence comes freedom. The word that ought to characterize you is confidence.
As a leader, I try to read a lot of leadership material not only from the Word of God but also secular and business books as well. One thing that we’re constantly being taught as leaders is that we are to delegate but not abdicate. We are to give opportunities and responsibilities to others but we should not just give something to someone and just let it go and forget about it and let them deal with it. We are to inspect what we expect. And by the way, those of you that have teenagers, I would encourage you to make sure that you’re not parenting by abdication. Make sure you are inspecting what you are expecting. I remember on one of my first jobs where I was given a position of leadership, when I had assignments that I didn’t get done, the boss would get upset with me. When I had a supervisor and I had employees and my employees didn’t get certain things done, the boss would get upset with me. I was a young man and I’d say “I told them to do it.”. My boss would tell me that it was my job to follow up. I learned a lesson as a leader that my job is to inspect what I expect. Let me just give you some thoughts though of how to help build confidence in my leader about myself. Here is how you build confidence. When they give you a task and follow up with you about it, make sure it is getting done. The word that ought to characterize you, the word that characterized Timothy was this word confidence.
But let me give you a second word. Not only should the word confidence characterize you as a follower. Another word that should characterize you is “compatible”. Notice Philippians 2:20 “20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.”. See, Paul said that not only is Timothy someone in whom I have confidence but Timothy is somebody who is compatible with me. He is likeminded.
Go to 1st Corinthians 4:17. The Bible says “17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.”. See, Timotheus or Timothy was not only someone that was described by the word confidence but he was somebody that was described by the word compatible. Paul said he was like-minded. Paul said that when he sends him that he’s going to put you in remembrance of my ways. The Apostle Paul is the leader and he says he’s going to remind you of the ways that I want and how I want things done. Paul is in charge and Timothy is the subordinate. The application for us or the idea is to be a great follower you should be someone who gets on board with the leader. To be a great employee at work, do it the way the boss wants. Start thinking like the boss thinks. Men often want to show up to a job and immediately they want to do it their own way. If you start a job and start telling the boss “At our old company we did it this way and this way is better”. You will get fired if you act like that. Leaders are looking for somebody who’s compatible, someone who they can have confidence in. They can trust you and you aren’t pushing your own agenda. When we are in situations as a follower, we need to find out the way that the leader wants to do it and just do it that way.
The Lord has blessed me to be the Pastor here at Verity Baptist Church and the way things are done around here are the way I want things to be done. We obviously try to follow the Word of God but the Bible doesn’t tell us how to run an usher’s ministry. The Bible doesn’t tell us how to run a hospitality ministry. When it comes to the actual nuts and bolts of how we do things around here, they are done the way that Pastor wants them done. But sometimes I guest preach somewhere and maybe somebody asks me how they should run something at their Church and I always tell them “However the Pastor of your Church wants.”. Sometimes I think that I wouldn’t run things the way they do it but I’m not in charge over there. I’m in a subordinate role so I will be compatible to their Pastor. Do what your Pastor wants you to do. Do what your husband wants you to do.
By the way, when you’re giving advice to others, you should tell wives to do what their husband wants. You should tell kids to do what their parents want. You should tell employees to do what their boss wants. You don’t want to cause problems for people with their authority. If you are going into places with an authority and telling the authority that they are doing it wrong then you aren’t a good follower. The words that ought to characterize a subordinate are the words confidence. Your leader should be confident that when he gives you a task that you’re going to be compatible. Paul said “I have no man likeminded who will naturally care for your state.”. He says that if there was somebody in Philippi who I had confidence in, if I had someone who would do things the way that I want them done, I would use them. But he says that he has no man likeminded. What are the words that should characterize a follower? Number 1 – Confidence. Number 2 – Compatible. Number 3 – Considerate. As a follower, you ought to be someone who your leader will characterize as considerate.
Philippians 2:21 “21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.”. Paul says that the reason he doesn’t have anyone likeminded is because all the people are seeking their own. They’re all doing whatever they want to do. They’re thinking and worrying only about themselves. He says everybody is just doing what everybody wants to do. Everybody is just looking out for themselves. But Paul says that Timothy was the opposite of this. The reason he could send Timothy is because Timothy was compatible and Timothy was considerate and Timothy was someone he could have confidence in. This is a theme that the Apostle Paul has been using throughout the book of Philippians and especially in chapter two. Go back to verse 3.
Philippians 2:3 “3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”. The word esteem means to yield to the other party, to give to the way of the other party. You say why? Here’s why. Verse four “4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”. What does a great follower do? They’re not looking out for their own agenda and their own best interests but they’re considerate. They’re not just seeking their own. They are assuming others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others.
Romans 12:10 “10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;”. We ought to be preferring or yielding to the other party. Yielding to the importance of others. Taking care of other people. Not just looking out for ourselves. To be a great follower you should ask yourself what would the leader want? What would actually help the leader? What would actually be a blessing to the leader? Throughout the Bible we have examples of this. David with his mighty men and he yearned to drink from the well of Jerusalem. The mighty men went and broke through the enemy’s line in order to bring a cup of water. That’s being considerate to the leader. There are not just biblical examples but also modern examples. There is a story during World War 2 where a group of men guarded Dwight Eisenhower during the War. One of them told a story about how they stalked a pond with fish from a nearby creek after overhearing Eisenhower’s wish to go fishing.
The idea is that if you’re going to be a great follower, not only are you going to learn to think the way the leader things but you’re going to be considerate of what the leader wants. The reason that Paul had so much confidence in Timothy is because Paul knew that when Timothy went as an ambassador of Paul, things would get done the way that Paul wanted them done. Timothy would not be looking to his own opinion or self-interest but the way that Paul wanted it done.
Let me give you a fourth word. To be a great follower you ought to be committed. Philippians 2:22 “22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.”. Proof is that idea of being tried or tested and passing the test. Paul often is referred to as the father of Timothy but not a physical father but that Timothy was committed to Paul in a spiritual sense with Paul as the leader.
1st Corinthians 4:17 “17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord,…”. See, Timothy was committed to Paul. Timothy was a great follower. Why? Because Timothy could be described as committed. He was committed to the Apostle Paul. Another way we could put it is that you should have loyalty to your follower. Loyalty is needed to build trust and confidence. You will never be someone who the leader can have confidence in while the leader is questioning your loyalty. And loyalty cannot be earned while you’re not being considerate but seeking your own. Loyalty cannot be earned while you’re not being compatible but running your own agenda. See, all of these things go together. You say how can I build confidence? By being committed. How can I be committed? By being considerate. How can I be considerate? By being compatible. These are the descriptions of a great follower. Your boss doesn’t know how committed you are when you are working for him. Just because you take a job with him doesn’t mean that you are committed. You might bad mouth him when he isn’t around. When we find ourselves in positions of being a follower, we ought to be committed to that leader.
Here’s an illustration from the Civil War. There’s a story that says that General Robert E Lee sent word to General Stonewall Jackson that he would like to see him the next time he was in the area. As soon as Jackson got the message, he rode eight miles on horseback through a heavy snowstorm to see General Lee. When he got there, the story goes that General Lee said to General Jackson Stonewall “I did not send for you. I just said next time you are in the area I would like to see you.”. General Jackson responded to General Lee “I know that but you said you wish to see me and your slightest wish is a command to me.”. And I’m sure General Lee could say of General Jackson the same thing that Paul could say of Timotheus “He is my beloved son and faithful. He has been to me as a son with a father.”. See, if you want to succeed in your position of being a follower, if you want to succeed as a subordinate, if you want to succeed as a child of a parent or as a wife of a husband or as an employee at a job or as a Church member in a Church, these are the words that should characterize you and did characterize Timothy: Confidence, Compatible, Considerate, Committed. So we see this lesson on how to be a great follower from Timothy. Remember Timothy was the one that Paul had hoped to send.
But then we get into verse 23 and he says “23 Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. 24 But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.”. Then in verse 25 we shift gears a little bit and the attention goes from Timothy to Epaphroditus. He’s been telling us all the reasons why he hoped to send Timothy. Why did he hope to send Timothy? Because he had confidence in Timothy. He trusted in him. Because Timothy was compatible. He was like-minded. Because Timothy was considerate. He said all seek their own but not Timothy. Because he was committed. He said Timothy was as a son with a father. Then the Apostle Paul kind of shifts gears here and he begins to talk to us about another follower, another subordinate, another Church member, another employee, another person under his authority. A man by the name of Epaphroditus.
In verse 25 we shift gears from the follower’s relationship to the leader. Now we are looking at the leader’s relationship to the follower. We saw what a follower should be like towards his leader. Confidence. Compatible. Considerate. Committed. Now I’d like you to notice how a leader should treat his follower. What’s the first thing that we see the Apostle Paul doing here with this young man? The first thing we see is that Paul accepts his shortcomings. Notice the misfortunes of Epaphroditus.
“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.”. We’ll come back to those verses in a little bit. But notice verse 26. He says “26 For…”. That means that Paul is going to tell us why it was needful to send Epaphroditus. It says “26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.”. See, the Apostle Paul said Epaphroditus is homesick. Epaphroditus is discouraged. Epaphroditus is depressed. He said “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. 26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.”. .
When Epaphroditus came to Rome from Philippi to bring the offering, along the way he got sick or he got sick in Rome. But if you notice verse 26, the last part says “because that ye had heard that he had been sick.”. And then Paul says “27 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.”. Here’s what you need to understand. Normally if somebody gets sick then you wouldn’t think that going on a huge journey is a good idea. Instead you would just send a letter letting them know that he is recovered. But Paul says that’s not enough. I need to send him to you because he not only got sick and recovered. “for indeed he was sick not unto death”. Paul says but when he got sick, then he heard that you had heard that he had been sick. And because of that now he longed after you all and was full of heaviness.
See here’s what’s happening. Epaphroditus got sick but that’s not why Paul is sending him home. Epaphroditus is being sent home because when Epaphroditus found out that his home Church found out that he was sick, even though he was physically sick and had physically recovered, now he was emotionally homesick. He longed after you all and he was discouraged. He was full of heaviness. Here’s what’s interesting. If you are interested in the characters of scripture and studying out the scriptures, it becomes very clear that this book was not written by man. This book was written by God. Because what we see in the book of Philippians is the Apostle Paul expressing the misfortunes of this young man Epaphroditus. But what we also see is the maturity of the Apostle Paul.
See, if you remember, the book of Philippi is written from Rome. Remember the Apostle Paul is in house arrest. He’s under Roman authority. He’s bound in Rome. This is towards the end of the life of the Apostle Paul. When he’s in Rome, he spends a couple of years under house arrest and then he dies. But by the time he’s in Rome, he’s an older man. He’s already been in ministry for a long time. What’s really interesting is that early on in the life and ministry of the Apostle Paul, he had this exact same situation. He had a situation where a young man got home sick and Paul treated the situation completely differently.
Notice Acts 15:36 “36 And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.”. This is when Paul is pretty new at this. “37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. 38 But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.”. Why didn’t Paul want to bring Mark? Because on the 1st missionary journey, he got homesick and quit on them. Paul looked at this guy as a quitter. Paul was a bit of a Type A personality.
Go back to Acts 13. I want to show you the first missionary journey in the Bible that it is referring to. Acts 13:13 “13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.”. John Mark quit on them. When we fast forward to Acts 15, Paul doesn’t want to give him another chance. Acts 15:39 “39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;”. What are they arguing about? Whether or not they should bring John Mark with them who had quit on them when he got homesick. “40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.”.
By the way, before we beat up on Paul too much, I want you to notice that it was Paul who chose Silas. “41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.”. By the way, the rest of the book of Acts details the adventures of Paul and Silas and not the adventures of Barnabas and Mark. So I wouldn’t say he was wrong because he received the recommendation from the brethren. He was the one that was given the authority to do this missions trip and he seems to have been the one who received the recommendation from the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost highlights for us the adventures of the Apostle Paul for the rest of the Book of Acts and we don’t hear from Barnabas and Mark through the book of Acts.
Does that mean Barnabas was wrong? Well go to 2nd Timothy. Here’s why Barnabas wasn’t wrong. Barnabas was doing what was his spiritual gift was. Remember he was called the son of consolation. Barnabas was the guy who reached out and gave chances to people that had failed. If you remember, it was Barnabas who brought the new convert Saul or Paul to the Church when nobody wanted anything to do with him. They were afraid of him because he had persecuted the Church. It was Barnabas who brought Saul. See it was Barnabas who gave Saul his chance and now Barnabas wants to give Mark another chance. You say “Well how did that work out?”. Well eventually the Apostle Paul came around to it in 2nd Timothy. 2nd Timothy is the last book Paul wrote because he says he is ready to be offered and the time of his departure is at hand.
Here’s what the Apostle Paul says about this young man John Mark who quitted on him early in his ministry. He says in 2nd Timothy chapter 4:11 “11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.”. Mark failed when he was a young man. But it looks like Barnabas helped him and he got it right. Towards the end of the Apostle Paul’s life, Paul says that Mark is profitable. Earlier in his life he looked at Mark as being too weak but his perspective changed. By the way, if you need a little more proof that Mark did get things right and was highly used of God then just take note of the fact that he wrote the Gospel according to Mark. So I think he was okay.
But what we see in the book of Philippians is a very mature Paul dealing with the misfortunes of a young man Epaphroditus. See, when Paul sends Epaphroditus back, he sends him for the same reasons that he got mad at Mark years earlier. He was homesick. Philippians 2:25-26 “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. 26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.”. Notice that when Paul writes years later about Epaphroditus, he’s a more mature man and he accepts the shortcomings of Epaphroditus. He doesn’t write back to Philippi saying I’m sending Epaphroditus back because he’s a mama’s boy and he couldn’t cut it with the big dogs. He says I’m going to send him back because “26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. 27 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.”.
I want you to notice we see a very graceful Paul when it comes to leadership. When it comes to leadership, I believe our followers should be committed. I believe our followers should be considerate. I believe our followers should be compatible. I believe our followers should be someone we can have confidence in. These things characterized Timothy. However, this didn’t fully characterize Epaphroditus. Don’t get me wrong. He was a great guy. I’m not beating up on him but he wasn’t very committed. He wanted to go home. Epaphroditus didn’t instill a lot of confidence in Paul. But instead of Paul beating up on him, instead of making fun of him, instead of being mean to him like he was years earlier to a young man named Mark, now a mature Paul understands that sometimes leaders need to accept the shortcomings of our followers.
You say “My wife should be committed, considerate, compatible and instill confidence in me but I don’t have that right now. I don’t trust when I go to work. I leave and she is in her pajamas and I come home and she is in her pajamas. Nothing has been cleaned or done well.”. But whether or not she is doing a bad job following, as a leader we are to accept the shortcomings of our followers. Sometimes followers are going to let you down. I’m sure Epaphroditus was sent to Paul because Paul needed him. But when he got there, his shortcomings were revealed. The fact that he was homesick did not cause Paul to beat up on him.
So how should leaders treat their followers? How should they treat their subordinates? How should they treat the people under their authority? Well number one, we see that we should accept their shortcomings. Sometimes we want to get things out of our followers and sometimes it just becomes abundantly clear that this is all we’re going to get. We’re trying to squeeze something out of them that they don’t have to give. Sometimes we just have to accept it. Paul accepted Epaphroditus’s shortcomings. But secondly, Paul appreciate his service.
Verse 25 “25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus,…”. He wasn’t hoping to send him, he didn’t want to send him. He wanted to send Timothy because Timothy was considerate, committed, compatible and he had confidence in him. But he needed to send Epaphroditus. In verses 26 & 27 he will tell why he needed to send him. But before that, he says that he appreciates some things about Epaphroditus. There might be some people at Church that you have something personally against but you can at least appreciate that they’re your brother and sister in Christ. He says it didn’t work out with Epaphroditus. But he still appreciates him for being his brother and companion in labor. “my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.”.
The problem with Epaphroditus is that he wasn’t committed to Paul. He was committed to Philippi. He said that Timothy was his messenger but Epaphroditus was your messenger. But he said “he that ministered to my wants.”. See, here’s the truth. Even when people let you down, you can always find something to appreciate about them. Even when people do you wrong, even when people drop the ball, even when you’re just trying to get him or her to fit a certain mold and be like you, you can still appreciate their service. Paul understood that leaders should accept the shortcomings of their followers and Paul understood that leaders should appreciate the service of their followers.
I want to give you a third one and we’ll finish up. Paul understood that leaders should acknowledge the sacrifice of their followers. “28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.”. Paul says that he sent him the more carefully. He let him take his time to make sure he was safe. It was hurting Paul that it hurt Epaphroditus. Then he says “29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:”. Notice Paul’s not trying to hurt Epaphroditus’s reputation. He’s not trying to tear him down or criticize him for quitting. Paul’s saying you ought to be proud of Epaphroditus. Hold him in such reputation. He says be proud of him. Receive him. Rejoice with him and be glad. It didn’t work out here for him but that doesn’t mean that it won’t work out somewhere else for him. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness and hold such in reputation.
You say why? “30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.”. Paul acknowledged the fact that Epaphroditus had sacrificed. He had brought the offering from Philippi to him in Rome and he had gotten sick as a result and he had almost died. So even though those events turned into this big discouragement and longing after his family and longing after his home Church, and even though there were some shortcomings there, Paul could appreciate and acknowledge the sacrifice of Epaphroditus. “30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.”.
Sometimes as leaders we need to be reminded that we are fortunate when people choose to follow us and buy into our vision. Sometimes people ask how to get your wife to follow. I tell people that she needs to be right with God and choose to follow. The secret to being a great leader is having some great followers. How can you build a Church that’s going to accomplish great things for God? Are you some sort of great Pastoral leader? Well we’re just fortunate to have some really smart people around us, some servants of God that come along. We as leaders are fortunate to have followers. Now I’m not taking away from leadership. Obviously if your wife’s not submitting, your children are rebelling, then you as a leader need to take charge. “as for me and my house we will serve the Lord”. You need to be a servant leader. You need to serve for their benefit. I’m not taking anything away from leadership but I also don’t want to take anything away from followers. Oftentimes you see this great relationship of a follower and a leader and you have a great leader but you also have great followers.
We as leaders are fortunate to have people to buy into our vision. Before you get too down on your wife or too upset with her, realize that she gave you the greatest commitment when she said “I do.”. She bought into your vision. For some of you it wasn’t much of a vision. We leaders are fortunate to have followers buy into our vision. So we should appreciate and acknowledge their personal investment in our vision. Every staff person at Verity decided to get on board with my vision and hopefully every Church member has decided that also. Hopefully every wife has made the decision to get on board with what her husband is trying to do. Hopefully every teenager and young person here makes the decision to get on board with the authority of their parents. Decide to become committed, compatible, considerate and build confidence. Every employee should decide to buy into the vision of their boss. Decide to be loyal and work hard for them. We as leaders are to acknowledge their sacrifice.
So how should followers treat their leaders? We learn from Timothy that the words that you ought to be characterized are confidence, compatible, considerate and committed. How should leaders treat their followers? Accept their shortcoming, appreciate their service and acknowledge their sacrifice. Epaphroditus didn’t work out with Paul. But Paul had learned with Mark, that doesn’t mean that God’s done with him and that doesn’t mean that he couldn’t work out somewhere else.
Let’s pray.