God Speaks
Is there any such thing as Christians cheering each other up? Do you love me enough to want to help me? Does it mean anything to you that we are brothers in the Lord, sharing the same Spirit? Are your hearts tender and sympathetic at all? 2 Then make me truly happy by loving each other and agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, working together with one heart and mind and purpose.
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. 4 Don’t just think about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and in what they are doing.
5 Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ, 6 who, though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God, 7 but laid aside his mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like men. 8 And he humbled himself even further, going so far as actually to die a criminal’s death on a cross.
9 Yet it was because of this that God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name which is above every other name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 Dearest friends, when I was there with you, you were always so careful to follow my instructions. And now that I am away you must be even more careful to do the good things that result from being saved, obeying God with deep reverence, shrinking back from all that might displease him. 13 For God is at work within you, helping you want to obey him, and then helping you do what he wants.
14 In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing 15 so that no one can speak a word of blame against you. You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of people who are crooked and stubborn. Shine out among them like beacon lights, 16 holding out to them the Word of Life.
Then when Christ returns, how glad I will be that my work among you was so worthwhile. 17 And if my lifeblood is, so to speak, to be poured out over your faith, which I am offering up to God as a sacrifice—that is, if I am to die for you—even then I will be glad and will share my joy with each of you. 18 For you should be happy about this, too, and rejoice with me for having this privilege of dying for you.
19 If the Lord is willing, I will send Timothy to see you soon. Then when he comes back, he can cheer me up by telling me all about you and how you are getting along. 20 There is no one like Timothy for having a real interest in you; 21 everyone else seems to be worrying about his own plans and not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy. He has been just like a son to me in helping me preach the Good News. 23 I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. 24 And I am trusting the Lord that soon I myself may come to see you.
25 Meanwhile, I thought I ought to send Epaphroditus back to you. You sent him to help me in my need; well, he and I have been real brothers, working and battling side by side. 26 Now I am sending him home again, for he has been homesick for all of you and upset because you heard that he was ill. 27 And he surely was; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him and on me, too, not allowing me to have this sorrow on top of everything else.
28 So I am all the more anxious to get him back to you again, for I know how thankful you will be to see him, and that will make me happy and lighten all my cares. 29 Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and show your appreciation, 30 for he risked his life for the work of Christ and was at the point of death while trying to do for me the things you couldn’t do because you were far away.
Source: The Living Bible: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: Paul was in prison after establishing the church at Philippi; God used Paul’s letter to the church there to encourage the Gentiles that they could also become believers in Christ. . How could they cheer him up or cheer him on? How can any group of believers bring cheer and encouragement to their leaders? Paul said, “. . . make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish [greedy]; don’t try to impress others [with your ‘woke-ness’?]. Be humble, thinking of others as better [more significant] than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” (Philippians 2:2-4 NLT) Paul goes on to tell how Christ gave us an example how to do that [see 2:6-11] Paul goes on to describe how they [we] should be living in verses 2:12-15. We should, “Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.” (verse 15). Further, Paul used Timothy and Epaphroditus as examples of men who exhibited this kind of behavior as they cared for Paul on behalf of the Philippians and for them on his behalf.
Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, You care for all Your children. We trust You to set leaders like Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus over Your flock. You already sent Jesus as our Savior and example of living a pure, self-giving life. Please empower us by Your Spirit to really put into practice what He and they modeled for us. We need to do this out of love for You, to bring joy to our leaders, and to further the spread of the Gospel, causing unbelievers to take note and turn to You. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will look for ways to come into agreement with other believers and work with them in spreading the good news about Jesus, then carry them out.
- I will have conversations with at least three other people, even those with whom I disagree, seeking to clarify my understanding of their viewpoint.
- I will look for ways to put the interests of others ahead of my own, then do them.
- I will make a list (at least 10) of people like Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus that I can look to as role models. These can be people I know or read about in books.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.