Sermons by Ken Trivette from The Living Word

The Book of Philippians (Study 14)
A CHARMING GAMBLER
Philippians 2:25-30

1. In August of 1968 the Republican party nominated Richard Nixon as their presidential candidate. Shortly thereafter, Nixon chose Spiro Agnew as his vice-presidential candidate. Although Agnew had been in politics for a long time, he was not well known. According to Time magazine, reporters immediately asked people in the street what they knew about him. One answered, "Maybe that's a soup." Another said, "Some type of fish." A third man answered, "That must be a restaurant."

2. In our text we find a man that is not very well known. His name is Epaphroditus. He is only mentioned twice in the Bible and that is in the book of Philippians. He is not a person you hear a lot about, but he is definitely someone that we should get to know. He may not be one of the most popular men of the Bible but he is certainly one of the most admirable.

3. His name means, "charming." It is a fitting name for he is one of the most charming Christians in the Bible. He was a man that lived up to his name. Let's look at him and consider his example of a charming Christian life.

1. THE BALANCE OF HIS LIFE!

1. In verse 26 Paul says three things about him that indicates that he was a balanced Christian. You could say that he was a well-rounded believer. He was not light on one end and heavy on the other. He didn't go too far to the left and he didn't go to far to the right. His life was spiritually balanced.

2. Sometimes Christians get all out of balance in their life. Some go too far to the left and are too excessive. Others go too far to the right and are too extreme. For some nothing is wrong and for others nothing is right.

3. Churches have a tendency to get out of balance. Some focus only on worship and end up with fatted sheep while others on focus only on work and end up with famished sheep. Balance is the key to an effective ministry.

4. Someone has said, "Blessed are the balanced." Charles Ryrie in his book Balancing the Christian Life wrote: "There is nothing more devastating to the practice of Christian living than an imbalance."

5. Notice how Paul described Epaphroditus in verse 25: "Yet I supposed it necessary to sent to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellow soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants."

A. HE WAS A SON IN GOD'S FAMILY.

1. Paul called him "my brother." The word for "brother" means, "being from the same source, to have a common origin." Paul was saying that he and Epaphroditus were members of the same heavenly family and brothers with the same heavenly Father. One of the glorious things that happens when a person is saved is that they become the sons of God and becomes a brother to all who are saved.

2. On March 23, 1956, I was born into the Trivette family. On April 2, 1972, I was born into God's family. I have brothers that are white, black, red and yellow. I have brothers in Russia, South America, Africa, and Europe. I have brothers all over the world. I have brothers that are Baptist, Presbyterians, and Methodists. I have brothers of many different denominations.

3. I am the first of four boys in the Trivette family, but I am one among a number in God's family that no man can number. Thank God, the family is getting bigger everyday.

4. When Jimmy Carter was president, he urged in a handwritten memo that top White House staff personnel spend "and adequate amount of time" with their families to assure a stable family life.¹

5. I enjoy being around my spiritual family. I want to spend as much time as I can with them. One of the things that is necessary to a stable Christian life is spending time with our spiritual family. Every Sunday is a family reunion. The first day of the week is "Family Time." It is a quality time that is spent as God's family.

6. One of the last times I spent with my grandfather before he died was for lunch. Growing up, I had spent the summers with my grandparents, but through the past years I was unable to be with them or see them all that much. I happen to be in the area for a meeting and drove over and spent the day with him. As we sat down at the table, Grandpa paused, looked at me and then said, "It's good to have you at the table again."

7. When we gather as a family on the Lord's day, we sit down at the Father's table and enjoy a heavenly meal. As a family, brothers in Christ, we fellowship one with another and with the Father.

B. HE WAS A SERVANT IN GOD'S FIELD.

1. Paul also spoke of Epaphroditus as a "companion in labour." He was a spiritual family member and a spiritual field hand. He was a worker in God's work. He was a member of God's family and working to make others members of the family.

2. We must never forget that we come together as a family but we leave to serve and seek to get others in the family. If all we do is enjoy the family and do nothing to enlarge the family, then we are not living a balanced Christian life. If you are a brother, then you should also be a laborer.

3. It is estimated that only 5 per cent of born again Christians participate in earnest efforts to win souls or talk to others about Christ.

4. Louis Pasteur, the pioneer of immunology, lived at a time when thousands of people died each year of rabies. Pasteur has worked for years on a vaccine. Just as he was about to begin experimenting on himself, a 9-year-old boy, Joseph Meister, was bitten by a rabid dog. The boy's mother begged Pasteur to experiment on her son. Pasteur injected Joseph for ten days and the boy lived. Decades later, of all things Pasteur could have wanted on his headstone, he asked for three words: "Joseph Meister Lived."

5. Our greatest legacy will be those who live eternally because of our efforts. As one has said, "The Christian should keep the faith but not to themselves. Like Epaphroditus, we should live a balance life. We should enjoy the family and seek to enlarge the family.

C. HE WAS A SOLDIER IN GOD'S FIGHT.

1. Paul also called Epaphroditus a "fellowsoldier." He was involved in spiritual warfare and fighting as a good soldier.

2. The Christian life is not a playground. It is a battleground. To be a Christian is a call to arms. One must fight the good fight of faith. The spiritual battle we fight is daily and is a lifelong fight. As a soldier of Jesus Christ one must stand for what is right and against what is wrong.

3. Someone has said that if a Christian will not stand for anything they will fall for everything. The balanced Christian life means that on one hands, we must love the sinner, but on the other, hate sin. A balanced Christian life is living as a son in the family, a worker in the field and a soldier in the fight.

1. The Balance of His Life!

2. THE BLESSING OF HIS LIFE!

1. In verse 25, Paul says that Epaphroditus was "your messenger" and that he ministered to "my wants." Paul was speaking of how he had been a blessing to him. I think of George Schuler's hymn:

Make me a blessing,
Make me a blessing!
Out of my life may Jesus shine;
Make me a blessings, O Saviour I pray
Make me a blessing to someone today.

2. The life of Epaphroditus was a blessing to others. It is one thing to be blessed and another thing to be a blessing. Notice how his life was a blessing.

A. HE WAS A MESSENGER OF PHILIPPI.

1. Paul spoke of Epaphroditus as a messenger from Philippi. The word speaks of an ambassador sent on a commission. Apparently Epaphroditus had been sent by the Philippians Church to Rome to be a blessing to Paul.

2. Paul was in prison when he wrote the book of Philippians. One can only imagine what it meant to him when Epaphroditus came to his cell and said, "I have been sent by the Church at Philippi to be a help to you."

3. Each believer is to be a heavenly ambassador. Each believer has been given the commission to be a blessing and help to others. There are people in the hospital, rest home and others that are home bound that we can be a blessing to. A card, call, letter, or visit can be a great encouragement to them.

B. HE WAS A MINSTER TO PAUL.

1. He had been sent as a messenger and he acted as a minister. The word "minister" was a word that spoke of priestly service. The time Epaphroditus spent with Paul was a sacred and special time to blessing to him.

2. Paul said that he ministered to his "wants." The word does not mean that he was an errand boy for Paul. The word speaks of Paul's needs. Epaphroditus gave himself to seeing that Paul's needs were met.

3. We read in Galatians 6:2, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Epaphroditus was bearing the burdens of Paul.

4. A member of a church with 400 hundred in attendance was asked by a friend, "How many ministers does your church have?" The friends replied, "Four hundred, but only two get paid."

5. Believers are both messengers and ministers. We are to bear one another burdens and minister to their needs. We should want to be a blessing as much as we want to be blessed. I have found that if we are a blessing we will be blessed.

6. Most are familiar with the name Robert Louis Stevenson. He was the author of Treasure Island. In 1888, he went with his family to Samoa in the South Pacific and lived there until he died. When he died, 60 Samoans carried his body to the top of the mountain where he lies buried today. Stevenson had involved himself in the lives of the Samoan people. He took great interest in them and the community. When several of the tribal people were imprisoned over a political matter, Stevenson did not forget them. Frequently he visited them in prison, bringing them gifts and was a constant source of encouragement.

7. When the people were freed, they felt such gratitude for all Stevenson had done for them they determined to find some way to express their appreciation. When it was suggested that they could cut a road through the dense bush to Stevenson's house, they immediately went to work to build the road. Finally after much labor and sacrifice the road to Stevenson's house was completed. The natives called it, "The Road of the Loving Heart."

8. Our lives ought to be a road of a loving heart. An old sailor once gave the advice, "Don't tell you troubles to others. Most of them don't care a hang and the rest are mighty glad of it." Oh, may we as believers, care and minister to the needs of others. May we give a "hang."

1. The Balance of His Life!
2. The Blessing of His Life!

3. THE BURDEN OF HIS LIFE!

1. We read in verses 26-28, "For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that he 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. I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be less sorrowful."

2. Paul said that he "was full of heaviness." The only other times that this phrase is found in the Bible was in reference to the Lord Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. Paul is indicating that Epaphroditus was a man deeply burdened. The reason is very interesting.

A. WE SEE HIS SICKNESS.

1. Twice Paul said he was sick. Once Paul said he was "sick nigh unto death." His sickness was more than a sinus infection or head cold. The words literally mean, "just next door." We would say that he was at deaths door.

2. A man got up in prayer meeting and said, "My mother-in-law is at death's door. I want you to pray that God will pull her through."

3. We don't know what his sickness was, but while visiting Paul he had become seriously ill and almost died. God had mercy on him and touched him, but none the less, part of his burden was his sickness.

B. WE SEE HIS SORROW.

1. Notice carefully verse 26, "For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick." The heaviest part of his burden was not his own sickness, but that others were worrying about him. It tore him out of his frame to think that he had caused someone to worry. He was always thinking about other people.

2. I will never forget Ray Dedmon, who was a member of our church. I will never forget the selflessness he showed me time and time again when we was in the hospital. I recall one particular day when I went to see him. They had just done a procedure in his room where they went into his side and drew fluid of his lung. I walked into the room just after the doctor was finished. You could tell he was hurting. He was breathing hard and shallow. I asked how he was doing and he said, "Preacher, I feel so bad that you have to come up here. I know you are busy and tired. I wish I wasn't in here so you would not have to get out and come up here. Preacher do you have gas money to run up here. Bea, hand me my billfold. I need to give the preacher some money to pay for the gas he used to come over here." He was the one that was sick and dying and he was worried about me and the gas I used to get to the hospital.

3. I think of Mrs. Watt's. She was rushed to Memorial Hospital on a Sunday morning a few days before she went home to be with the Lord. As soon as church was over I went to check on her. She was still in the emergency room. As soon as she saw me he said, "Oh, Brother Ken, I'm so sorry I let you down." I said, "Mrs. Watt's, you haven't let me down." She said, "But I have. I couldn't make it to church today and couldn't be in my Sunday School class."

4. It was such selflessness that Paul saw in Epaphroditus. Most people get upset when you don't visit them. People like Epaphroditus get upset when you do visit them. They don't want to be a burden or cause anyone any inconvenience.

5. Years ago the Salvation Army was holding an international convention in which their founder, William Booth, was too weak to attend. But he cabled his convention message to them. It was but one word. That word was "others." May we as believers live for others and think of others.

1. The Balance of His Life!
2. The Blessing of His Life!
3. The Burden of His Life!

4. THE BOLDNESS OF HIS LIFE!

1. We read in verses 29-30, "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."

2. The Church at Philippi had sent him to Paul and now Paul sends him back to the Church at Philippi. They had sent him to be a blessing to Paul and now Paul sends him back to be a blessing to them. We read, "I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful."

3. Now Paul wanted them to "receive him there in the Lord." He wanted them to give him a special welcome, a welcome that would make his return a joyous occasion.

A. THE COMMENDATION HE DESERVED.

1. Paul said, "hold such in reputation." The word "reputation" means to honor one, value highly, to praise, deem precious. Paul was telling them to honor him with the honor he deserved.

2. Paul was firm believer in honoring people that deserved to be honored. We read in 1 Timothy 5:17: "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine."

3. We hear all the time about Hollywood actors and actresses who live like the devil are honored with Emmy and various awards. Even in the Christian arena you have the Hollywood twin where quartets and Gospel singers who want come to a church for less than $2,500 are awarded.

4. If there is anyone that should be honored and praised, it is those dead saints, oftentimes unknown like Epaphroditus that live to serve God and to be a blessing to others.

5. Those who have served God and been a blessing to our life; we ought to tell them, show them, and do all we can to honor them.

B. THE COURAGE HE DEMONSTRATED.

1. Paul said there was a reason why Epaphroditus should be honored and welcomed. We read in verse 30, "Because for the work of Christ he nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me."

2. Notice the phrase, "not regarding his life." The word was a gambling term describing someone rolling the dice. It meant to risk everything for a cause.

3. When Epaphroditus came to visit Paul, he knew full well that to make such a visit could put him into the same circumstances as Paul. He could have ended up in jail as well. But he was willing to risk everything and take the gamble just to be able to minister to Paul.

4. Paul once again used the phrase, "nigh unto death" to describe what Epaphroditus had done. He had walked up to death's door when he walked into that prison cell.

5. He was a courageous witness and servant of God. What an indictment on may of us that are afraid to talk to our neighbor next door. I don't know about you, but this is my prayer: "Lord, make me like Epaphroditus." May his number increase. He may not be a famous man but her certainly was a faithful man.

1. Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations by Paul Lee Tan

Copyright © 2001 Ken D. Trivette. This data file is the sole property of the copyright holder and may be used freely by those who download it and copied for circulation feely without charge. This data file shall not be copied, edited, revised, for resale or used in any commercial publications without the written permission of the copyright holder. Requests for permission should be made by email or in writing to Ken D. Trivette, Temple Baptist Church, 3204 Clio Avenue, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37407 USA.