Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / Epaphroditus - An Unsung Hero

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Epaphroditus - An Unsung Hero · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Well, we can turn back together to look at our reading in Philippians chapter 2.
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!
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We're particularly focusing on the last part of the chapter, verse 19 down to verse 30.
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!
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We have Timothy, a fellow servant who we hear quite a bit of throughout Paul's writings.
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He was very close with Timothy, a younger servant in the Lord to what Paul was and very much
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alongside Paul in the ministry.
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But we also have this man Epaphroditus mentioned.
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And it's him that we're kind of focusing on this evening in the sense of one who is only
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mentioned in this letter and just very briefly mentioned.
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And he's very much maybe an unsung hero.
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So that's what we're going to be thinking about this evening.
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But as you work your way through the letter to the Philippians as a whole, as you're looking
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at the letter, you can read through it very quickly.
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It's not a long letter, but it's so worthwhile going back to again and again.
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It's a beautiful letter inspired by God that Paul writes to the church at Philippi.
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There's so much we can learn from it.
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And as you read through it, you find there's so much richness in the sense of theology that
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we learn.
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We're learning all about God and the wonder of God and what Christ has done for us.
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But mixed in with that is also what it's like to live as a Christian on a day-to-day experience.
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And the danger is of saying it like that, you separate the two things.
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That we see one part of learning about theology, learning about God.
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There may be things that are hard to understand, so we maybe leave that for some people.
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And then we might take other parts that are more practical.
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And it can work the other way around as well.
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But what you find is that the two go together.
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Both are just as important as each other.
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We need the theology and we need to live that out in our lives on a day-to-day experience.
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Professor Donald MacLeod in his book, Behold Your God, he has a great quote in that book
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where he says,
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It is impossible to honour God as we ought unless we know him as he is.
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And that really reminds us how the two things just go together so perfectly.
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We need to know God, we need to know him as he is in order to honour him as we live out our lives.
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So it's not just a case of looking at the important things as the big theological things we can learn here.
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And the practical things are less important.
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That's not it at all.
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Because we think of our Christian lives and how we live on a day-to-day basis.
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What's more important for us?
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Is it coming to church on a Sunday?
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That's more important than the other six days that we live?
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Or are the other days important that we class the church as maybe less important?
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It's neither.
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It's the two.
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It's important for us to gather together for worship on the Lord's Day, on a Sunday,
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to learn more about God, to learn about his word.
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But the other six days, they're not mundane and unimportant.
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That's where we live out all that we've learned.
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How we live out in a practical way, an experience of the God we're getting to know more.
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Or the Christ we're coming to serve.
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Or how the Spirit works in our midst.
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How we call upon him in prayer to help us.
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It all goes together.
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And this morning we were thinking about having a king over us.
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In 1 Samuel chapter 8, we were looking at the desire of the people there.
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When Samuel was getting old, people came with this request.
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Give us a king over us like all the other nations.
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We're asking, well, who is to be our king?
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And is the Lord Jesus our king?
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Well, this evening we're sort of following up on that.
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How do we live then with Jesus as our king?
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And what we see here is examples of how people live with Jesus as their king.
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The example of Paul.
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Paul who had that amazing conversion.
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The conversion that so many people look for in their own experience, but so few get.
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So you have Paul that is often raised up.
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And we maybe strive to long for something like that.
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But you have Timothy, who was brought up by a loving mother and a grandmother,
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who cared for him and nurtured him quite gently,
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but helped him to grow up in the knowledge of God.
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And then you have Epaphroditus here.
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Someone who's just almost in the background, who knows very little about.
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And you see here there's a variety of different people.
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But they are all living to serve their king.
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They are all a people who have come to know the Lord Jesus in a very personal way.
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And living for him with all their different gifts and their talents.
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Paul was no maverick.
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He was no individual.
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He just went out and did things by himself in his own way.
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He always had people around him who helped him.
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And together they worked for the glory of God.
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And as you read through Paul's letters,
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as you read through them, you find he crossed paths with so many different people.
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So many different individuals.
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And so many of them were a great blessing to his life and to his ministry.
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And what you find is in nearly all his letters,
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he ends with a personal note of thanksgiving
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for those who have been so helpful to him in the ministry.
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In the last chapter of the book of Romans, for example,
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chapter 16, almost a whole chapter is taken up to naming individuals
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who have been with them and who have helped them.
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Men and women along the way.
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And there's at least 35 people named in that chapter
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who have been precious to him.
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And I think of a recent AGM just over a week ago.
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And an AGM in a congregation is a time when we often think of
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all the different work that goes on in the congregation.
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And the pity is that we don't have the AGM with this number of people.
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Because there's so many people who need to hear a word of thanksgiving
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for all that is going on in the congregation.
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And so as we're thinking this evening of Epaphroditus, an unsung hero,
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it's not with a view to a plea for service to the church.
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It's not that at all, and I hope it doesn't come across like that,
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asking for more.
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It's with a sense of thanksgiving that together we are serving our Lord and our King.
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That here in our own congregation we have many who are like Epaphroditus,
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who we maybe hear very little of, but who we can encourage
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because they are encouragers in all that is done in the name of the Lord here.
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Young and old alike, men, women, boys, girls,
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so many people even here this evening who are involved,
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are tuning in online tonight,
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who are involved in the work of the congregation in so many different ways.
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And it all comes from having that servant mentality,
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a servant outlook on everything.
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And that's what Epaphroditus had.
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It's what Paul and Timothy had too.
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But we're reflecting more on Epaphroditus this evening.
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He very much had, first of all, as we see, a servant's heart.
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He had a servant's heart.
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And from the little we learn of him here, you can see that.
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When we are called by Christ,
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when we come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
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it's just the beginning of a life being lived for him.
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And we need to grow in our knowledge of him,
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to see Jesus Christ,
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to love him more,
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to know him more,
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to serve him more.
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And it begins by seeing him as he was,
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in all that he did for us.
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And you think,
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as we mentioned this morning,
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Jesus came into this world.
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He was a king.
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But he didn't come to be served.
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As the Gospel of Mark says,
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he didn't come to be served,
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but to serve and to give his life
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as a ransom for many.
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That was the way our king came,
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to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.
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So the more we know Jesus in that way,
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the more that we see what he has done for us,
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the more that we see his grace and his love
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towards us as sinners,
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the more that we understand of all of these things,
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the more we see what a privilege it is
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to serve our king.
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That we are no longer serving the things of this world,
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that we are no longer serving in the darkness of this world,
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but that we are serving with a servant heart
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that the Lord Jesus Christ has given to us.
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That's what we see with Paul and Timothy and Epaphroditus
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and so many others that Paul mentions
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as he is giving thanks for those who helped in his ministry.
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We are to cultivate this heart of a servant
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and to grow in Christ.
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When we are young,
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we are often encouraged to have good role models.
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And I'm sure there's many of the young people
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here this evening,
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you're being encouraged maybe
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to look up to somebody else,
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maybe someone in the family
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or someone in the community
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and saying,
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there's a good example to follow.
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There's someone you can look at
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and see how they're living their lives
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and you follow that example.
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You come alongside these people
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and learn from them.
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And it's so good when in a congregation
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of God's people,
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these kinds of things happen naturally.
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When we see our young people coming in
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and the older people,
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we can just come alongside in a natural way
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and encourage.
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Ask them questions.
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Ask how their wake has gone.
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And that the young people can ask
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about their experience.
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How long have you been a Christian?
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What's it like being a Christian?
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We learn from one another.
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It comes from that kind of servant heart.
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We were learning by examples.
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And Paul was very much an example to Timothy,
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as he was to Epaphroditus.
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But they learned from each other as well.
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It was a two-way interaction.
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They all had this servant heart
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where they recognized
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they were in this together.
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Because their greatest example was
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the Lord Jesus Christ.
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And you see that in the beginning
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of chapter 2
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where Paul is speaking about
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Christ's example of humility.
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humility.
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To think on all the things
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that Jesus has done for us.
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To think of how he humbled himself.
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And that's the basis of our servant heart as well.
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The foundation of ourselves
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growing together,
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young and old alike.
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You see it with Paul
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how he has developed
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over the years.
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You see it here
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even in chapter 2
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verse 19
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where he says,
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I hope
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to send Timothy
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to you soon.
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Well that's not what he says,
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is it?
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He says,
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I hope
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in the Lord Jesus
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to send Timothy
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to you soon.
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You see,
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he's learning.
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And then he says
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in verse 24,
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24,
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and I trust
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that shortly
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I myself
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will come also.
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No,
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he says,
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I trust
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in the Lord
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that shortly
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I myself
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will come also.
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So he's adding
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these little things.
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He's showing
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his focus
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is on the Lord Jesus
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in doing
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his will.
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And that's
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the servant heart
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that he has.
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That's the way
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that he is living.
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And that's the example
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that he's giving
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to Epaphroditus
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and to Timothy
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as well.
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And they are
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learning this
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together.
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Look at the way
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he describes
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Epaphroditus
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in verse 25.
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I thought it
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necessary to send
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to you,
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Epaphroditus,
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my brother
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and my fellow
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worker
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and fellow
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soldier.
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Three different
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ways
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he describes
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him.
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My brother,
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my fellow
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worker,
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and my
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fellow soldier.
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And so he's
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showing us here
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the kind of
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servant heart
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that Epaphroditus
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had.
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He was
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a brother
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in the Lord.
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What a wonderful
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privilege it is
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for us
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to have brothers
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and sisters
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in the Lord.
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To have those
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who are alongside
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us in this work
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encouraging each
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other,
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praying for each
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other,
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looking out for
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each other.
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what a wonderful
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privilege it
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is.
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So we have
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brothers and
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sisters.
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We have
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fellow workers.
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We have those
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who are working
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with that same
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heart,
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that same
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mind.
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It is to serve
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Christ as our
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king.
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And we are
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fellow soldiers.
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We are in this
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battle,
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because it is a
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battle at times.
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We are battling
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against the powers
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of this world,
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but we are not
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doing it alone.
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We are doing it
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together.
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And so we can
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look around this
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evening and see
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we are brothers
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and sisters
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in Christ.
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We are fellow
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workers in the
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gospel.
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We are fellow
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soldiers in this
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battle.
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We need to be
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united in all
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of these things.
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John Wesley
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once learned
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a very harsh
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lesson in terms
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of judging
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others.
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There was this
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man who had
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been converted.
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But ever since
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he had been
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converted,
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John Wesley
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had kind of
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looked down
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on him.
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He had seen
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him as someone
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who he thought
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was greedy,
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who wasn't
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generous with
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what he had.
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And one day
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when they were
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having a collection
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for a special
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cause,
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John Wesley
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saw this man
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put so little
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into the
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collection that he
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openly criticized
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him.
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In front of
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others he
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criticized him
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for the little
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that he put
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in.
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It was challenging
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him,
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rebuking him.
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But after that
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the man went
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to John Wesley
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privately and
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spoke to him.
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And this
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suddenly opened
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John Wesley's
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eyes.
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Because what
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the man said
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to him was
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that for the
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last number
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of months
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he'd been
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living off
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only parsnips
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and water.
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That's all
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he was living
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off.
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And he
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wasn't buying
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himself anything.
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And he
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explained it
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in this way
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before his
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conversion
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he had found
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himself in
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debt to so
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many different
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people.
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And because
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he had no
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thought,
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nothing was
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convicting his
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conscience,
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he didn't think
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anything of being
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in debt to
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these people
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and he wasn't
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paying it back.
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But he
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said,
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when he
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became a
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Christian,
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Christ made
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me an
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honest man.
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And he
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recognized that
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he had to
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pay back
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all of his
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debts.
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So every
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spare penny
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he said,
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after my
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tithe I
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have so
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little left,
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I pay
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my debts.
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And all
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of a sudden
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John Wesley
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realized this
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heart,
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the man's
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heart was
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for the
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Lord.
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In
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recognizing
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what he
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owed to
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others.
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And how
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he was
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living his
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life honoring
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the Lord.
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Doing it
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quietly,
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hidden in
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many ways,
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and yet
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criticized by
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others.
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But John
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Wesley
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apologized to
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the man.
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And we
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can't judge
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those around
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us.
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We don't
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know what's
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going on in
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people's
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lives.
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But we
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should be
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thankful that
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we see the
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servant heart
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that there is
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in so many.
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In so many
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years,
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together
18:03
here,
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just like
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Epaphrodite
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is with
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Paul and
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Timothy,
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all having
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that servant
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heart,
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fellow
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brothers,
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fellow
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servants,
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fellow
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soldiers
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in the
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Lord.
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We have
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much to
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be thankful
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for in
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that sense.
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So we
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have the
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servant's
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heart.
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The second
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thing we
18:26
see here
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is the
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servant's
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burden.
18:29
burden.
18:30
We see
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the
18:31
servant's
18:32
burden.
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Why was
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Paul feeling
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it so
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necessary to
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send
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Epaphroditus
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back?
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Well,
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when we
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read on
18:40
in verse
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25,
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well,
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he was a
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fellow worker
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and a
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fellow soldier,
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your messenger
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and minister
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to my
18:47
need.
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They had
18:48
sent him.
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But it
18:50
says in
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verse 26,
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he has
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been longing
18:52
for you
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all and
18:54
has been
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distressed
18:56
because you
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heard that
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he was
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ill.
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And you
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see here
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the burden
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that Epaphroditus
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had.
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His burden
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was towards
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his people.
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It wasn't
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about
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himself.
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It wasn't
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looking very
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selfishly at
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himself.
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He was
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distressed
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because of
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others.
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And what
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we find
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is the
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servant's
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burden,
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as we
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believe in
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the Lord
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Jesus,
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there is a
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burden that
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grows in
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us.
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When we
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think of
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fellow workers
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and fellow
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soldiers,
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as Paul has
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described there,
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it reminds us
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that we are
19:41
always learning
19:42
in this
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life.
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That through
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all our
19:45
different
19:45
experiences,
19:46
we are
19:47
learning.
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Soldiers
19:49
go through
19:50
boot camp.
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They go
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through
19:51
training so
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that they
19:53
can endure
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hardships when
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they go
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into the
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battlefield.
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It's
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something they
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have to
19:57
go through.
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And that's
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what Paul
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is saying
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here as
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well.
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When he
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speaks of
20:03
it in
20:05
verse 22,
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he speaks
20:06
of Timothy,
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but you
20:07
know,
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Timothy's
20:08
proven
20:09
worth.
20:11
That
20:11
proven
20:12
worth means
20:13
approved
20:13
by testing.
20:15
He has
20:16
gone through
20:16
his own
20:17
trials.
20:19
And you
20:19
see it here
20:20
with
20:22
Epaphroditus.
20:21
He has
20:21
been
20:22
ill.
20:23
Indeed,
20:23
it says
20:24
in verse
20:24
27,
20:25
indeed,
20:26
he was
20:26
ill near
20:27
to death.
20:29
He has
20:29
gone through
20:30
this trial,
20:32
this experience.
20:33
experience.
20:34
But what
20:35
has it
20:35
taught him?
20:37
It's
20:37
taught him
20:38
to focus
20:38
on others.
20:41
And how
20:41
many experiences
20:42
have you
20:43
gone through
20:43
without
20:44
understanding
20:45
at the
20:45
time,
20:46
what is
20:47
it about?
20:47
Why is
20:48
this
20:48
happening?
20:50
But then
20:50
later on,
20:51
you're able
20:51
to help
20:52
others who
20:53
go through
20:53
that very
20:54
similar
20:54
experience
20:55
themselves.
20:56
And that's
20:59
what being
21:00
fellow
21:01
Christians
21:02
together
21:03
does.
21:03
That's
21:03
what a
21:04
community
21:04
of
21:05
believers
21:05
does.
21:06
How
21:06
quietly
21:07
and how
21:08
subtly
21:08
things go
21:09
on in
21:09
the
21:09
background.
21:10
How
21:11
many
21:11
unsung
21:11
heroes
21:12
are here
21:13
who will
21:14
just go
21:14
and visit
21:15
someone
21:15
because
21:16
they've
21:16
had a
21:16
similar
21:16
experience,
21:17
whether
21:17
it's
21:18
grief
21:18
or
21:19
illness
21:20
or
21:20
whatever
21:21
experience
21:21
people are
21:22
going
21:22
through.
21:23
They can
21:24
come
21:24
alongside.
21:25
and be
21:27
brothers and
21:28
sisters
21:28
alongside
21:29
each other
21:30
because they
21:30
can say,
21:31
I know
21:32
what you're
21:33
going through.
21:34
I have
21:35
been there.
21:36
And that
21:37
we are
21:37
growing
21:37
together
21:38
in that
21:39
way.
21:41
And here
21:42
we see
21:42
Epaphroditus.
21:44
He was
21:44
distressed,
21:46
it says,
21:46
because you
21:47
heard that
21:48
he was
21:48
ill.
21:49
And it's
21:50
interesting
21:50
that that
21:50
word
21:51
distressed
21:52
is only
21:52
used
21:53
here
21:54
and when
21:55
Jesus
21:55
is in
21:56
the
21:56
garden
21:56
of
21:57
Gethsemane.
21:58
The
21:59
same
21:59
word
21:59
there
22:00
is
22:00
used
22:00
distressed
22:01
as it
22:02
is in
22:02
Matthew
22:03
26
22:03
verse
22:04
37
22:04
and
22:05
38
22:06
where
22:06
he
22:06
says
22:06
Jesus
22:07
was
22:07
sorrowful
22:07
and
22:08
troubled.
22:09
Troubled
22:09
is that
22:10
same
22:10
word
22:11
distressed.
22:13
And
22:14
what is
22:14
that word
22:15
meaning?
22:16
Well
22:16
it's
22:17
meaning
22:17
that
22:17
there
22:17
is
22:17
a
22:17
distress
22:18
a
22:18
trouble
22:19
feeling
22:19
troubled
22:20
because
22:21
of the
22:21
burden
22:22
for
22:22
others.
22:23
The
22:24
burden
22:25
of the
22:25
Lord
22:25
Jesus
22:26
as he
22:26
was in
22:26
Gethsemane
22:27
was as he
22:28
was saying
22:29
to his
22:29
father
22:29
not my
22:30
will
22:31
but yours
22:32
be done.
22:33
What was
22:34
the burden?
22:35
It was the
22:36
burden
22:36
of the
22:37
salvation
22:38
of the
22:38
world.
22:39
The
22:40
redemption
22:40
of his
22:40
people
22:41
by going
22:41
to the
22:42
cross.
22:44
What a
22:44
powerful
22:45
way he
22:46
was
22:46
troubled.
22:48
And it's
22:48
saying here
22:48
of Epaphroditus
22:49
he was
22:50
distressed
22:51
because you
22:52
heard he
22:52
was ill.
22:53
It doesn't
22:53
seem to
22:54
compare
22:55
but it
22:56
still says
22:56
that there
22:57
is a
22:57
burden
22:58
towards
22:58
the
22:59
people.
23:00
A
23:00
genuine
23:00
concern.
23:02
His
23:02
focus,
23:03
his
23:03
concern
23:04
was on
23:05
others.
23:07
And it's
23:07
a wonderful
23:08
privilege when
23:09
we have
23:09
people with
23:10
that kind
23:10
of mindset
23:11
as well.
23:12
One
23:13
commentator
23:14
was speaking
23:15
about this
23:15
in a
23:15
situation
23:16
where the
23:16
church
23:17
didn't have
23:18
this kind
23:19
of nature,
23:19
didn't have
23:20
this kind
23:21
of attitude.
23:22
And he
23:22
said this,
23:23
what a
23:23
lesson for
23:23
the church.
23:25
How many
23:26
of us can
23:26
see no
23:27
further than
23:28
the end
23:28
of our
23:29
own noses?
23:30
We are
23:31
so caught
23:31
up in
23:32
what is
23:32
happening
23:32
to us
23:33
that we
23:34
are unable
23:34
to see
23:35
the needs
23:36
of those
23:36
around us.
23:39
That's
23:39
not how
23:40
the church
23:41
should be.
23:42
It's not
23:43
just looking
23:43
to ourselves.
23:46
It's not
23:46
just thinking
23:47
about ourselves
23:48
but it's
23:49
a burden
23:49
for others.
23:52
And the
23:52
blessing that
23:52
we have
23:53
here is
23:53
that there
23:54
is that
23:54
collective
23:55
burden
23:56
for others
23:57
in our
23:57
midst,
23:59
of looking
23:59
out for,
24:00
of sharing
24:01
with one
24:02
another.
24:03
And in
24:04
many ways
24:04
that is a
24:05
sign of
24:06
maturing in
24:07
our faith
24:08
and in
24:08
our understanding.
24:10
It's a
24:10
sign of
24:11
maturing in
24:11
our knowledge
24:12
of God
24:13
and his
24:13
cause,
24:14
of what
24:15
Christ has
24:15
done for
24:16
us.
24:18
When you
24:18
see it
24:19
here in
24:20
the beginning
24:22
of chapter
24:22
2,
24:23
maybe
24:23
especially
24:23
verse 4,
24:25
let each
24:25
of you
24:26
look not
24:26
only to
24:27
his own
24:27
interests
24:28
but also
24:29
to the
24:29
interests
24:30
of others.
24:32
And then
24:32
it goes
24:32
on to
24:32
speak of
24:33
have this
24:33
mind
24:34
among
24:34
yourselves
24:35
which is
24:36
yours
24:36
in Christ
24:37
Jesus
24:37
who thought
24:38
he was,
24:39
who though
24:40
he was in
24:40
the form
24:41
of God
24:41
did not
24:41
count
24:42
equality
24:42
with God
24:43
a thing
24:44
to be
24:44
grasped
24:45
but made
24:45
himself
24:46
nothing
24:47
taking the
24:48
form
24:48
of a
24:49
servant.
24:51
There is
24:51
our example
24:53
of humility
24:54
of being
24:56
concerned
24:57
for others.
24:58
It comes
24:59
from knowing
25:00
Christ
25:00
knowing
25:02
our King
25:03
more
25:04
and more
25:05
and so
25:07
do we have
25:08
that
25:08
servant's
25:10
burden?
25:10
we do
25:11
but let's
25:13
keep
25:13
cultivating
25:14
that
25:15
burden
25:15
so it
25:16
doesn't
25:16
just stay
25:17
within
25:17
these
25:18
walls
25:18
but it
25:19
goes out
25:19
beyond
25:19
these
25:20
walls.
25:21
It reaches
25:21
out to
25:22
our
25:22
community
25:22
all around
25:23
us
25:23
to those
25:24
who are
25:25
burdened
25:25
and troubled
25:26
in so
25:27
many different
25:28
ways around
25:28
us
25:29
that we
25:30
would have
25:30
that
25:31
burden
25:31
for them.
25:35
And you
25:35
notice
25:36
Epaphroditus
25:37
how he's
25:38
mentioned
25:38
towards the
25:39
end here
25:40
because
25:40
of the
25:42
burden
25:42
that he
25:43
had for
25:43
others.
25:43
Look at
25:44
how others
25:44
looked
25:45
to him.
25:47
In
25:47
verse 28
25:48
and 29
25:49
what does
25:49
it say?
25:50
I am
25:51
more eager
25:51
to send
25:52
him
25:52
therefore
25:53
that you
25:54
may rejoice
25:54
at seeing
25:55
him again
25:56
and that I
25:57
may be less
25:58
anxious.
25:59
So receive
26:00
him in the
26:01
Lord with
26:02
all joy
26:03
and honour
26:04
such men.
26:06
He sees
26:07
here that
26:08
here is
26:08
one
26:09
who is
26:10
a great
26:10
example
26:11
of
26:11
humility.
26:13
A
26:13
great
26:13
example
26:14
of what
26:14
a servant
26:15
and a
26:15
brother
26:15
in the
26:16
Lord
26:16
looks like.
26:18
And there
26:18
is such
26:18
encouragement
26:19
in him
26:20
coming back
26:21
that he
26:21
would be
26:21
well
26:22
received
26:23
because he
26:24
had that
26:25
burden
26:25
for his
26:26
people.
26:28
And if we
26:29
have that
26:30
burden
26:30
for one
26:31
another
26:31
what does
26:32
it do?
26:32
it means
26:34
that we
26:34
are encouraged
26:35
when we
26:36
are in
26:36
each
26:36
other's
26:37
company.
26:38
It means
26:38
we are
26:39
encouraged
26:39
when we
26:40
are together
26:40
in the
26:41
things of
26:41
the Lord.
26:42
Whatever
26:42
service
26:43
we are
26:44
given,
26:44
whatever
26:44
little
26:45
things we
26:46
might be
26:46
doing for
26:47
the Lord
26:47
here.
26:48
There is
26:48
so much
26:49
that goes
26:49
on with
26:50
our young
26:50
people,
26:51
with our
26:51
old
26:51
people,
26:52
with the
26:52
doors being
26:53
opened
26:53
throughout
26:54
the week
26:54
for different
26:55
people to
26:56
come and
26:57
go and
26:57
everyone is
26:58
playing their
26:59
part.
27:01
Everyone
27:01
has
27:02
something
27:02
to do
27:03
and that
27:04
we are
27:04
in that
27:05
sense of
27:06
being
27:06
together
27:07
in it,
27:07
we are
27:07
having that
27:08
joy and
27:09
that being
27:10
together in
27:11
it,
27:11
we are
27:12
encouraging
27:13
one another.
27:15
And so let
27:15
us keep
27:16
doing so.
27:18
The unsung
27:19
heroes,
27:19
they don't
27:20
want to be
27:20
to the
27:21
fore,
27:23
but we
27:23
just get
27:24
on with
27:24
it because
27:25
of our
27:25
love for
27:26
Christ and
27:27
our love
27:28
for one
27:29
another.
27:29
So we
27:31
have that
27:32
servant's
27:33
burden that
27:33
we see
27:34
in Epaphroditus
27:36
and Timothy
27:36
and Paul
27:37
as well.
27:38
The final
27:39
thing we
27:39
want to
27:39
see here
27:40
is the
27:40
servant's
27:41
honour.
27:43
Why do
27:44
they do
27:44
what they
27:45
do?
27:47
Why does
27:47
Paul travel
27:49
around so
27:49
many different
27:50
places?
27:50
Why does
27:51
Timothy seek
27:52
to learn
27:53
from him?
27:53
Why is
27:54
Epaphroditus
27:55
just quietly
27:56
going about
27:57
his business?
27:57
it's for
27:59
the glory
28:00
of God.
28:02
We don't
28:03
do it
28:03
for honour,
28:05
but we
28:06
know too
28:07
that the
28:08
Lord will
28:08
honour
28:09
those who
28:09
honour
28:10
him.
28:11
It says
28:12
that in
28:12
1 Samuel
28:13
chapter 2
28:14
verse 30,
28:14
those who
28:15
honour me
28:15
I will
28:17
honour.
28:18
And it
28:19
tells us
28:19
in 2
28:20
Timothy 4
28:20
verse 8
28:21
he reward
28:22
every faithful
28:23
servant with
28:23
a crown
28:24
of righteousness.
28:25
righteousness.
28:27
We're not
28:28
doing it
28:28
for these
28:29
things,
28:31
but we
28:31
are encouraged
28:32
to know
28:33
that we
28:34
are doing
28:34
it for
28:34
the Lord
28:35
and at
28:36
the end
28:37
of the
28:37
day
28:37
it will
28:38
all be
28:39
worth it.
28:41
Any
28:42
hardship
28:42
we suffer
28:43
now serving
28:44
Christ,
28:45
any challenges
28:46
we come up
28:47
against,
28:47
any disappointments
28:48
that come
28:49
our way,
28:50
we can
28:51
keep on.
28:52
We keep
28:53
on going
28:54
because the
28:55
Lord is
28:56
with us.
28:58
The
28:58
Lord is
28:59
on our
28:59
side.
29:00
And
29:01
whatever we
29:01
do for
29:02
the Lord
29:02
it will
29:03
be worth
29:04
it in
29:05
the end
29:05
because the
29:07
Lord is
29:08
able to
29:09
bless.
29:11
Paul
29:11
here he
29:12
kind of
29:13
honours
29:14
Epaphroditus
29:15
at the end
29:15
of verse
29:16
29 when
29:19
he says
29:19
of him
29:20
honour
29:20
such
29:21
men.
29:22
give
29:23
them
29:24
their
29:24
place,
29:25
give
29:25
them
29:25
their
29:26
encouragement
29:27
and
29:29
every
29:29
one of
29:30
you
29:30
be
29:31
encouraged
29:31
this
29:32
evening
29:32
as you
29:33
go on
29:34
doing
29:35
for the
29:35
Lord,
29:36
praying
29:37
to the
29:37
Lord,
29:38
serving
29:39
the
29:40
Lord,
29:40
encouraging
29:41
in the
29:41
name of
29:42
the
29:42
Lord,
29:44
be
29:44
encouraged
29:44
yourselves
29:45
and
29:47
encourage
29:47
one
29:48
another.
29:48
we
29:50
don't
29:51
do it
29:51
out of
29:51
selfishness
29:52
or
29:53
empty
29:54
conceit
29:54
but
29:56
going back
29:56
to the
29:56
beginning
29:57
of this
29:58
chapter
29:58
do
29:58
nothing
29:59
at a
29:59
rivalry
30:00
or conceit
30:00
but in
30:02
humility
30:02
do all
30:03
things
30:04
looking
30:05
to the
30:07
Lord
30:07
Jesus.
30:09
He
30:09
is
30:10
king
30:11
and
30:12
if he
30:13
is
30:13
our
30:14
king
30:15
we
30:16
are
30:16
to
30:16
serve
30:16
him
30:17
and
30:18
if we
30:19
are
30:19
serving
30:19
him
30:20
we
30:21
can
30:21
be
30:21
thankful
30:21
that
30:22
we
30:22
seek
30:22
to
30:22
do
30:23
that
30:23
together
30:24
with
30:26
that
30:26
same
30:27
servant
30:27
heart
30:28
together
30:29
with
30:30
that
30:30
same
30:30
servant
30:31
burden
30:32
together
30:33
looking
30:35
to that
30:35
same
30:36
servant
30:37
honour
30:37
together
30:38
rejoice
30:40
give
30:40
thanks
30:41
for all
30:42
that's
30:42
going
30:42
on
30:43
in
30:43
the
30:43
name
30:43
of
30:44
the
30:44
Lord
30:44
learn
30:46
more
30:47
of
30:47
him
30:47
know
30:48
him
30:49
as
30:50
he
30:50
is
30:50
so
30:51
that
30:51
we
30:52
can
30:52
honour
30:52
him
30:53
with
30:53
all
30:54
that
30:55
we
30:55
are
30:55
let
30:56
us
30:57
pray
30:57
Lord
31:02
our
31:02
gracious
31:02
God
31:03
we
31:03
pray
31:03
that
31:04
you
31:04
will
31:04
unite
31:05
our
31:05
hearts
31:05
in
31:05
that
31:06
way
31:06
of
31:06
being
31:07
servants
31:08
fellow
31:08
servants
31:09
for
31:09
you
31:09
fellow
31:10
workers
31:11
fellow
31:12
soldiers
31:12
in
31:13
this
31:13
work
31:14
of
31:14
the
31:14
gospel
31:15
that
31:15
we
31:15
are
31:15
involved
31:16
in
31:16
we
31:16
thank
31:16
you
31:17
for
31:17
all
31:17
the
31:18
blessings
31:18
that
31:18
you
31:18
give
31:19
to
31:19
us
31:19
we
31:19
thank
31:20
you
31:20
for
31:20
every
31:20
example
31:21
that
31:22
we
31:22
have
31:22
from
31:22
your
31:23
word
31:23
but
31:23
also
31:24
the
31:24
examples
31:25
and
31:25
encouragers
31:26
we
31:26
have
31:26
around
31:27
us
31:27
day
31:27
by
31:27
day
31:28
and
31:28
we
31:29
pray
31:29
Lord
31:29
that
31:29
together
31:30
we
31:31
will
31:31
know
31:31
your
31:31
hand
31:31
of
31:31
blessing
31:32
upon
31:32
us
31:33
that
31:33
we
31:33
would
31:34
know
31:34
your
31:34
strength
31:35
with
31:35
us
31:35
in
31:35
all
31:36
that
31:36
we
31:36
seek
31:36
to
31:36
do
31:37
and
31:37
that
31:37
we
31:37
would
31:38
see
31:38
the
31:38
blessing
31:38
of
31:39
the
31:39
Lord
31:40
in
31:40
our
31:40
midst
31:40
that
31:41
we
31:41
would
31:41
see
31:41
the
31:41
name
31:41
of
31:42
Jesus
31:43
lifted
31:43
high
31:44
and
31:44
praised
31:45
near
31:46
and far
31:46
as
31:47
we
31:47
ask
31:47
all
31:48
in
31:48
his
31:48
precious
31:48
name
31:49
Amen
31:50
We're
31:54
going to
31:55
conclude
31:55
by
31:55
singing
31:56
to
31:56
God's
31:57
praise
31:57
again
31:59
in
31:59
Psalm
32:00
30
32:00
in
32:02
the
32:02
Sing
32:02
Psalms
32:03
Psalm
32:06
30
32:06
in
32:06
the
32:06
Sing
32:07
Psalms
32:07
page
32:07
35
32:08
we'll
32:10
sing
32:10
from
32:10
verse
32:10
9
32:11
down
32:11
to
32:11
the
32:11
end
32:12
what
32:12
gain
32:13
will
32:13
my
32:13
destruction
32:14
bring
32:14
if I
32:15
descend
32:16
to
32:16
death
32:16
will
32:17
thus
32:17
proclaim
32:18
your
32:18
faithfulness
32:19
or
32:19
praise
32:19
you
32:20
with
32:20
its
32:20
breath
32:20
hear
32:21
as
32:22
I
32:22
cry
32:22
O
32:23
Lord
32:23
my
32:23
God
32:23
and
32:24
listen
32:24
to
32:24
my
32:24
plea
32:25
come
32:26
to
32:26
my
32:26
aid
32:26
and
32:27
my
32:27
distress
32:27
have
32:28
mercy
32:28
Lord
32:29
on
32:30
me
32:30
we'll
32:31
sing
32:31
from
32:31
verse
32:31
9
32:32
down
32:32
to
32:32
the
32:32
end
32:32
of
32:32
the
32:33
Psalm
32:33
to
32:34
God's
32:34
praise
32:34
!
32:36
to
32:37
God
32:37
God
32:39
him
32:39
will
32:41
hide
32:43
his
32:43
passion
32:45
bring
32:47
If I
32:49
descend
32:51
to
32:52
death
32:54
will
32:55
trust
32:57
you
32:58
your
33:00
faithfulness
33:02
or praise you with his bread.
33:11
Hear us, I cry, O Lord my God,
33:20
and listen to my plea.
33:26
Come to my end in my distress,
33:36
have mercy, Lord, on me.
33:44
Turn my willy into dance,
33:52
no longer was I sad.
34:00
My sad cloth, God,
34:05
you gave me those of joy,
34:11
and I was glad.
34:16
Therefore my heart will sing to you,
34:25
and never cease to praise.
34:33
To you it may, O Lord my God,
34:41
I will lift and always sing.
34:50
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my right.
34:53
We'll close with the benediction.
34:55
Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God,
34:58
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
35:00
rest upon and abide with you all,
35:03
now and forevermore.
35:05
Amen.
35:11
Thank you, Father,
35:27
Thank you.