Philippians - Commendations (Lesson 4 - Post 3)

Read Philippians 2: 19 - 30.

Paul commends two faithful men in these verses.  Remember how Paul spoke about "partnership" in the beginning of this letter?  Well these two men were partners with Paul in the truest sense of the word.  A couple of observations ...

First, about Timothy.  I see Timothy's servant mind and heart in verses 19 - 21.  He was genuinely concerned about the welfare of the Philippian believers.  He exemplified Paul's instruction to "look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (2:4)  I wonder if he learned that from his mom and grandmother?  We know they had trained him well.  Perhaps he had learned the importance of that spirit from Paul himself.  He was modeling the spirit of Christ.  In verse 22 I see a servant's training.  He worked alongside Paul.  He didn't launch out on his own at the beginning.  He allowed himself to learn ... to be trained ... to grow.  There is humility in that. 

Second, about Apaphroditus.  Paul knew him as brother - that's family.  As co-worker - that's shared tasks.  As fellow soldier - that's 'band of brothers' stuff, battles faced and fought.  Who in your life fits those categories?  I pray that you have some.  Because actually, that's partnership in the gospel.  We learn in verse 30 that Epaphroditus had "risked his life" to help Paul.  Paul chose such an interesting word that is translated "risk" in this description.  The word is paraboleuesthai (try pronouncing that one!)  At it's root is the idea of comparing one thing to another - do you see 'parable' in there?  But an outlying definition applies the word to gambling.  William Barclay describes it as "to stake everything on a turn of the dice".  Paul is saying that Epaphroditus recklessly risked his life for the sake of Christ.  As we close our thoughts on this man from Philippi, think through the following remarks from Barclay ...

In the days of the Early Church there was an association of men and women called the parabolani, the gamblers.  It was their aim and object to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those who were ill with dangerous and infectious diseases.  In A. D. 252 plague broke out in Carthage; the heathen threw out the bodies of their dead, and fled in terror.  Cyprian, the Christian bishop, gathered his congregation together and set them to burying the dead and nursing the sick in that plague-stricken city; and by so doing they saved the city, at the risk of their lives, from destruction and desolation.

There would be in the Christian an almost reckless courage which is ready to gamble with its life to serve Christ and to serve men. 

The Church always needs the parabolani, the gamblers of Christ.

Some questions to close our thoughts today ...

• Do I have a servant's heart and mind? 
• Am I willing to be trained or do I need to be 'in charge'?
• What would I risk for the sake of Christ? 

May we see more parabolani rise up in the Christian church of our day!  Perhaps me?  Perhaps you? 

God give us the courage and the will to serve you with abandon ...