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Philippians 2:19-30 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

0:00
Tonight we'll be teaching on this text, and it's an interesting text for a lot of reasons, because it's more narrative than some mysterious meaning.
0:10
! We look at this text and there's so much going on there, but it's not like chapters 1-2 up to verse 18.
0:20
It's really more narrative than some esoteric theology, where we're looking for, well, what does this mean?
0:27
And it's pretty clear. You can read it.
0:30
And what he says is that he hopes to see the Philippians soon, and that he's going to send Timothy and Epaproditus to him.
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So, we can read that, and pretty much that's what it's saying.
0:41
And it's interesting because the last time I taught, I taught on something that was kind of similar to it, where it was really just straightforward.
0:49
This is what the Bible says. It's not like we really have to do some cross-references and look all over Scripture to see what this means.
0:55
And so, I think because of that, maybe I'm prone to believe that God is trying to teach me something, that I make these really short and simple and sweet texts.
1:07
I pass over them a lot of the times.
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And I really like the bigger ones that you have to look all over and understand, well, what does this text mean?
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I think that's kind of what the Lord's trying to teach me, is that I enjoy these big theoretical texts, but when it comes to very straightforward Scripture that you don't really get around, because you can't really interpret it five different ways.
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It means what it means. Don't grumble. You can't interpret that.
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Well, I think Paul might be saying when it comes to when you're in the church, don't grumble, but when you're outside, it's okay, or whatever.
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Like, it's not like that. It's just very straightforward.
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And so, this is the second time.
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So, I get this text, and I'm wondering what God's trying to teach me.
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And it's not wrong for us to search for these bigger texts and to like these texts that have a lot going on there.
1:55
It's not wrong, because it's good.
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We're actually commanded to search the text for deeper meanings.
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There's so much going on in Scripture, and we're commanded to look into it.
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But it is wrong if we start putting the scale, or we start saying,
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okay, well, these are the more, like, bigger texts, like 27 through 30 of chapter 1,
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but then these verses in 14 through 18 aren't that important, because it's straightforward.
2:22
But, kind of in, like, Christian circles, we tend to do that.
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We easily kind of put a balance and a scale and see, well, this text means more,
2:30
because we can really examine it more.
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And the reason why this is so hard is because it's like simple texts reminding people that it should be really above these texts,
2:42
that we should have these down, that these are basic Christianity points.
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We should have these points down.
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And it should be something that we're still trying to cover,
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but the truth is that we still all struggle with being humble.
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We all still struggle with not grumbling.
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And for someone to say, well, you're not really giving those texts enough attention that they need,
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it's kind of like reminding a college student about the golden rule,
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which is something that you learn when you're in preschool.
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And it's kind of humbling.
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It's like, well, I know not to put others before myself, but I learned that in preschool,
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so why are you reminding me of that now?
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And so we have pride.
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And the truth is that our pride hates being reminded that we so oftentimes neglect the small,
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simple things that we're commanded to.
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And so kind of the best way that I can illustrate this in my own life is that
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if you've ever learned a really, really simple, basic truth to Christianity later on in your life
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and you realize that you probably should have known that a long time ago,
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for me that was, I don't think it was until a year ago that I understood that
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the reasoning why Jesus needs to be born of a virgin.
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I just didn't understand that.
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I always just kind of accepted it.
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I was like, okay, yeah, Jesus is born of a virgin,
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and that's the way things are.
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And then when I realized, oh, he needs to be born of a virgin so that he's completely pure and free from sin.
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And then I realized, well, I can't let anyone know that I just figured that out
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because then they won't think that I'm some like theologically solid rock who knows everything.
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Like I can't do that.
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I just have to play it off cool.
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And yeah, I knew that the whole time.
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So the thing is that there are a lot of things that we pass over in Scripture.
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So we read this, and I think our natural kind of, if you were to read this in your own time,
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if you were to read this on your own, and we read this, we're kind of going to read this and keep going.
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It's not like you're going to spend 30 minutes just looking at this text and trying to understand,
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well, what does it mean?
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How does it apply to my life?
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And so on.
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We're probably going to move on to chapter three.
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But the thing is that we move, we tend to pass over things consciously or subconsciously.
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And there's a lot of examples that we can go into this.
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And so that's where we're going to kind of go tonight.
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Really, I can give a couple examples of these that are going to be kind of tough.
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But we neglect the simple things that either Jesus says or Paul says or someone says that we're just not being faithful to.
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I'm going to list off three.
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It is better to give than it is to receive.
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That's something that's very basic, can't get around it, and it means what it means.
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But so many of us have such a hard time grasping that truth and really living it out in our lives.
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It almost seems like we like to take these truths and we know them,
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but then keep going and learn the more complex things.
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Another thing would be love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
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And that's something that we know is true.
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We know it's true because it's a very simple, straightforward text.
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But how often do we live that out in our lives?
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If someone hates you where you're at right now, we're definitely probably not going to turn around and love that person.
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Someone that might be making fun of us or whatever.
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It's just that's a simple truth and somehow we pass over that because it's not necessarily deep.
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Another one, and I think this one's really timely, is 1 Timothy 2, verse 1 through 2.
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You don't have to turn there, but he says,
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Real talk.
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we cannot, for most of the people,
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if you're in the South, most of the people
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cannot stand the recently re-elected
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president.
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And if you don't believe me, then you should
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have been on Facebook the day after the election
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day.
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So much of it blew up.
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There's not a single
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status that wasn't about that.
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People are so frustrated, and if you grew up in a Christian
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home, probably your parents still
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kind of were on that same side of
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definitely not, at least, I'm not
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going to say as far as how much we may go into it, but
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we definitely don't pray and intercede
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for President Obama.
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I can't remember the last time that I was
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in my house, and my parents
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and my family were like, well, let's pray for President
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Obama. We really need to pray and
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intercede for him. It's a simple
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thing like that. That is so simple,
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but somehow we make it this very, very
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complex thing.
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And unfortunately, a lot
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of those comments were from a lot of Christians,
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from a lot of people who would say they're Christians.
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And so we're looking
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no different from the world in that.
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So why do we do that?
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The truth is that pride has caused us
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to blatantly pass over
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simple truth that's in God's Word.
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And God's Word, as much
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as we love it,
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and as much as we say we love it, is
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so inconvenient to our lives.
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It is really tough
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for us to follow. We deal with these inconvenient
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texts like pray for, like honor
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the emperor in 1 Peter, or
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pray for kings, make intercessions
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for them.
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And we make it this very
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complicated theoretical,
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theological
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truth. They're like, okay, well, this is what he meant
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in this context, and we really need to probably look at the
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Greek root of that and understand, well,
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what's Paul actually talking about here?
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And it's very straightforward.
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Paul is saying, you need to make
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intercessions and pray for the king.
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And our king in this country is
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at least President Obama.
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And so we kind of, what we do is we kind of
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insulate ourselves from these
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tough truths like loving your neighbor,
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or loving your neighbor, loving your enemies,
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praying for kings, praying for
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Obama, and we turn into this complex
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theoretical jargon, and we
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insulate ourselves by that so we don't have
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to follow that truth out.
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And so
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it's a phenomenon, actually, that
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was very common in Jesus' time.
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The best example that I can give from this
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is Luke 10, 25
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through 37. So
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if you want to turn there, we're not going to read all of it,
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but just so you can get kind of equated with the
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story, what's going on here.
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So
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in Luke 10,
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Jesus is
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talking to his disciples,
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and then someone walks up,
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and this lawyer walks up to him
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and asks him, he says,
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what must I do
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to
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wait, sorry, let me turn to it, actually, I'm going to kind of look at my notes.
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Okay, so he says,
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what is written, he says,
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what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
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And so we know the story, Jesus says,
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what is written in the law, how do you read it?
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And so he says,
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you know, I should love my neighbor,
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I should love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, and mind.
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And Jesus says, you've judged correctly.
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And so
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I'm going to give a little excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.
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He wrote this in one of his books called Strength to Love.
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He kind of wrote about this,
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and he called this phenomenon of where we
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overanalyze something, and we don't act on it.
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He called this
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the paralysis of analysis.
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So
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we know the story,
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we know that
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this lawyer is talking to Jesus,
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and he says,
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teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
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So Martin Luther King Jr. picks up right here,
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he says,
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the ethical concern of this man
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is expressed in a magnificent little story
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which begins with a theological discussion
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on the meaning of eternal life
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and concludes in a concrete expression
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of compassion on a dangerous road.
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Jesus is asked a question by a man
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who had been trained in the details of Jewish law.
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Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
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The retort is prompt.
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What is written in the law?
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How readest thou?
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After a moment,
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the lawyer recites articulately,
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thou shalt love the Lord thy God
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with all thy heart
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and with all thy soul
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and with all thy strength
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and with all thy mind
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and thy neighbor as thyself.
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Then comes the decisive word from Jesus,
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thou hast answered right.
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This do and thou shalt live.
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Desiring to justify himself
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and to show that Jesus' reply
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was far from conclusive,
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the lawyer asked,
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and who is my neighbor?
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The lawyer was now taking up
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the cudgels of debate
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that might have turned the conversation
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into an abstract theological discussion.
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But Jesus, determined not to be caught
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in the paralysis of analysis,
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pulls the question from midair
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and places it on a dangerous curve
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between Jerusalem and Jericho.
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He told the story of a certain man
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who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho
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and fell among robbers
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who stripped him,
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beat him,
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and departing him,
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left him half dead.
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By chance,
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a certain priest appeared,
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but he passed by on the other side.
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And after that,
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a Levite also passed by.
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Finally,
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a certain Samaritan,
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a half-breed
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from a people
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with whom the Jews
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had no dealings,
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appeared.
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When he saw the wounded man,
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he was moved with compassion,
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administered first aid,
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and placed him on his breast
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and brought him to an inn
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and took care of him.
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Who is my neighbor?
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I do not know this man,
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says Jesus in essence.
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He is anyone to harm you
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or neighborly.
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He is anyone who lies in need
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at life's roadside.
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He is neither Jew nor Gentile.
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He is neither Russian nor American.
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He is neither Negro nor white.
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He is a certain man,
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any needy man,
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one of the most numerous
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Jericho roads of life.
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So Jesus defines a neighbor,
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not in theological definition,
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but in a life situation.
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So,
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that's the most amazing thing
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about Jesus,
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is you have this lawyer
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who's trying to trap Jesus
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and just talking about
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theology for a second.
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Well,
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let's just talk about,
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you know,
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Jesus,
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what do I need to do
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to inherit eternal life?
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He's like,
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you know,
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I've done those things,
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what else?
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And Jesus doesn't allow him
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to get away by asking the question,
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who is my neighbor?
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He doesn't allow it
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because he knows
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this lawyer is trying to
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insulate himself
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from action.
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And the unfortunate thing
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is that
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we're kind of in the same place
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as that lawyer.
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This lawyer kind of wants
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this new revelation from Jesus.
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Yes,
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he's trying to test him,
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but he also wants
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a new revelation from him.
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Who is my neighbor?
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Tell me something
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I don't know right now.
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And Jesus doesn't let him do that.
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And the thing is that
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we want that new revelation
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all the time.
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We want to know what's next.
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We want to learn more
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and it's good
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and that's great.
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We want to learn more
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about the Bible.
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But the truth is
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is that
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what we don't want to learn
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is we don't want to be faithful
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to the things
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that we already know.
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We want to learn something new
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from a pastor,
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a book,
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a sermon,
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anything.
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But we definitely
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don't want to
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take a break from those things
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and leave everything else
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and just ask God
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what are the things
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you've taught me lately
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that I'm not being faithful to
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right now.
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We don't want to be faithful
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to those things.
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It's much easier
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to keep going
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and learn new things
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than it is
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to be faithful to things
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that we already have.
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And the reason why
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we do this
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is because we fooled ourselves
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into believing
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that we can separate
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intellectual knowledge
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from belief
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and obedience.
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We believe that we can
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separate the two,
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that we can divorce them,
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but they're never meant
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to be like that.
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And so,
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you're kind of wondering
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how that is going to apply
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to the text tonight.
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I promise I'm going
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somewhere with it.
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But,
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so tonight,
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the direction that we're going
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is tonight we're going
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to look at two examples
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of men
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who love Christ
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so much
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and they love
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the Philippians
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more than themselves
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and why that matters
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to us.
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I'm really excited
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about it.
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I'm going to pray for us
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before we get started.
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Father,
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thank you so much
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for tonight.
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God,
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I pray that your spirit
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would be here
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actively working
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in the hearts
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of everyone
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who's in this room.
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Father,
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what I'm
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so afraid of
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is not things
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running poorly
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or not running smoothly,
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but God,
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what I'm afraid of most
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is us coming here
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and leaving unchanged
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because we haven't
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met with you tonight
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and you haven't
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been here with us
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and we haven't
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invited you in
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to change our hearts.
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So,
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Father,
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would you please
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change our hearts
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tonight by this text?
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We know that your word
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is powerful.
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There is nothing
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wise that I can say
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because your power
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doesn't rest
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in so-called
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eloquent wisdom
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but God,
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it rests in your power.
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And I pray that
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it would be here
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tonight
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actively working
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in the hearts
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of everyone here.
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And we ask this
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in Christ's name
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knowing that you're
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going to do it.
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Amen.
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Okay.
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So,
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Philippians.
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If you've been here
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so far,
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it's a very encouraging book.
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It's a very encouraging book.
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But,
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every single one of us
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is going to say,
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every one of us
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is lying
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if we say that
15:23
this book has not
15:24
been difficult
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to swallow.
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There's a lot
15:27
in here.
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That,
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there's a lot
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of difficult themes
15:30
that are running
15:31
through Philippians
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so far.
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And there's a lot
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of difficult verses
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that I just wish
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were not there.
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Let's deal with
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the first problem.
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Is that Paul
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is imprisoned
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for selling
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Girl Scout cookies?
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No.
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He's preaching
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the gospel
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and he's in prison
15:44
for that.
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But don't worry.
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We get that privilege
15:49
too of suffering.
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Paul hasn't just
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left us
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to not partake
15:53
in that.
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He's allowed us
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to.
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Verse 29
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of chapter 1
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if you're following
15:58
that.
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So those are
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two things.
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Paul is imprisoned.
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We also get to
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suffer.
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What else?
16:04
Tell me more
16:05
good news.
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Well, Paul says
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to live is to be
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like Christ
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and to die
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is much better.
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That's hard.
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Even though we
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just say it
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so flippantly.
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That's verse 22
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of chapter 1.
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So those are
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three things.
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And then finally
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another point
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that I could list
16:23
would be
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don't be selfish.
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Don't look to
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your own concerns
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but look to
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the needs
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and concerns
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of others
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above yourself.
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And don't grumble
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while doing it.
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So these are
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tough pills
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to swallow.
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These are tough
16:36
verses.
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If we're just
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saying this has
16:38
been flowers
16:39
and sweet tea
16:40
the whole time
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then we're
16:41
lying to ourself.
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So let's just
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be real with that.
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These are tough
16:46
texts to follow
16:47
with.
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And so I think
16:50
the camps that
16:50
we fall into
16:51
is we read this
16:52
and we either
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say that's
16:54
impossible
16:54
and that's
16:55
nice
16:55
but it's
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impossible.
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We can't
16:59
follow this.
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Or we say
17:00
that is a
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beautiful text
17:02
and we become
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hopelessly
17:05
idealistic
17:05
and we don't
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even really
17:07
take the time
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to apply it
17:08
to our lives.
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We just kind
17:09
of say
17:10
that's a great
17:10
text to read.
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And so I think
17:13
because most of
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us find ourselves
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in that camp
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unless you are
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so holy
17:18
that you're
17:18
doing all
17:18
these things
17:19
perfectly right
17:19
now.
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We're finding
17:21
that these
17:22
texts are hard
17:22
to live out.
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And so I
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think that
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there's a
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reason why
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Paul pauses
17:29
here.
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If you're
17:30
familiar with
17:31
scripture at all
17:31
you kind of
17:32
know that
17:32
verse 19
17:33
through 30
17:34
that's kind
17:34
of out of
17:35
place.
17:36
Usually Paul
17:37
will write a
17:38
letter and
17:39
then he'll
17:39
add this bit
17:40
at the very
17:40
end.
17:41
So look
17:42
at Galatians,
17:43
Ephesians,
17:44
Colossians,
17:45
Timothy,
17:45
all those
17:45
books.
17:46
And this
17:46
is kind
17:47
of out of
17:47
place because
17:48
we usually
17:49
call these
17:49
travel plans
17:50
or greetings
17:51
or shout
17:52
outs.
17:53
But it's
17:53
right in the
17:54
middle of
17:54
the book.
17:55
Literally
17:55
right in the
17:56
middle.
17:56
And I don't
17:57
think it's
17:57
just because
17:58
Paul just
17:59
got sidetracked.
18:00
I think he
18:01
puts it there
18:01
for a reason.
18:02
I think because
18:02
God has his
18:03
inspired hand
18:04
on Paul in
18:04
this.
18:05
The reason
18:06
why I think
18:06
that is
18:09
for a lot
18:10
of reasons.
18:10
I'm going
18:11
to go on.
18:11
But obviously
18:12
he keeps going
18:13
in chapter 3
18:14
so there's a
18:14
reason why
18:15
he pauses
18:16
here and
18:16
he gets
18:17
narrative on
18:18
us.
18:18
He doesn't
18:19
really do
18:20
that in a
18:20
lot of his
18:21
other letters.
18:22
So the two
18:23
themes of
18:23
Philippians so
18:24
far have
18:25
been,
18:25
the first
18:26
one has
18:26
been stand
18:26
firm and
18:27
have unity
18:28
amongst the
18:28
body.
18:30
And then the
18:31
second one
18:31
would be look
18:32
to the interests
18:32
of others
18:33
ahead of
18:33
yourself by
18:34
looking to
18:34
Christ as
18:35
that model.
18:36
And so we
18:36
said that's
18:36
tough.
18:37
Those are
18:37
tough things to
18:38
follow.
18:39
And the
18:40
thing is I
18:41
think he
18:41
stops because
18:42
he wants to
18:42
give examples
18:44
of men who
18:45
are doing
18:46
this.
18:46
He doesn't
18:47
want us to
18:48
get discouraged
18:48
and bogged
18:49
down or to
18:50
become hopelessly
18:51
idealistic and
18:52
not follow through
18:52
with this.
18:53
I think he
18:53
wants to stop
18:54
here and give
18:55
examples of
18:56
men that are
18:56
doing this.
18:57
It's almost
18:57
like Paul is
18:58
saying,
18:59
hey stop.
19:00
It's not
19:01
hopeless.
19:01
I know this
19:02
is big and
19:03
I know this
19:03
is a lot
19:03
going on but
19:04
you don't
19:05
have to lose
19:06
hope by such
19:07
heavy things
19:08
that are going
19:09
on in this
19:09
text.
19:10
I think
19:10
Paul is
19:10
saying just
19:11
pause for a
19:12
moment.
19:13
I promise you
19:14
this is not a
19:14
lost cause.
19:15
I'm not wasting
19:16
my time.
19:16
I'm not wasting
19:17
your time with
19:18
something that
19:18
you can't do.
19:20
Paul pauses
19:21
here because
19:22
he's going to
19:23
give examples of
19:24
guys who are
19:25
doing this.
19:26
He's already
19:26
given the
19:27
example of
19:27
Christ.
19:28
And so
19:28
ultimately
19:29
Christ is our
19:30
example.
19:31
Timothy and
19:32
Epaphrodite
19:32
are going to
19:32
get to them
19:33
and they're
19:33
great guys but
19:34
they are not
19:35
our goal.
19:36
They're not our
19:36
motivation.
19:37
They're not
19:37
our motor.
19:38
They're not
19:38
the end goal
19:39
of things.
19:40
And so
19:40
Christ is.
19:41
We kind of
19:42
clay went over
19:43
that not too
19:45
long ago when
19:45
he went through
19:46
verses 5 through
19:47
11.
19:48
So Christ is
19:49
the reason that
19:50
we're doing
19:50
this.
19:51
He's our aim.
19:51
He's our goal.
19:53
If you're not
19:53
waking up and
19:54
Jesus is the
19:55
motivation for
19:55
why you are
19:56
living a godly
19:57
life then we
19:58
need to reassess
19:59
and reevaluate
20:00
what we're doing.
20:02
And so
20:03
here's why I
20:06
say that.
20:06
I promise
20:07
I'll back
20:08
that up.
20:08
I think Paul
20:09
is pointing
20:10
these guys
20:10
for a specific
20:11
reason.
20:11
I don't think
20:12
it's random.
20:13
So you can
20:14
be the judge
20:14
of that.
20:15
I think
20:16
there's a lot
20:16
of similarity
20:17
in language
20:17
in verses
20:18
3 through
20:18
4 of
20:19
chapter 2
20:20
and then
20:21
in verse
20:22
21 and
20:24
so on
20:24
in this
20:26
text.
20:26
So
20:27
Philippians
20:28
2,
20:29
3 through
20:30
4,
20:31
it says
20:31
do nothing
20:32
from selfish
20:33
ambition or
20:33
vain conceit
20:34
but in humility
20:35
count others
20:35
more significant
20:36
than yourself.
20:38
Is it
20:39
coincidence
20:39
that
20:40
Timothy
20:42
in verse
20:42
21 is
20:43
seeking the
20:44
needs of
20:44
other people?
20:45
He says
20:45
this same
20:46
language.
20:46
He says
20:47
for they all
20:47
seek their
20:48
own interests
20:48
but not
20:49
those of
20:49
Jesus Christ.
20:51
Timothy
20:51
has proven
20:52
his worth.
20:53
So Timothy
20:53
is doing
20:54
that.
20:55
Epaphroditus
20:55
he also
20:56
sought the
20:56
needs of
20:57
others so
20:57
much that
20:58
he almost
20:59
died by
20:59
risking his
21:00
life.
21:00
life.
21:01
He almost
21:02
died
21:02
risking his
21:03
life there.
21:04
It's not
21:05
a coincidence
21:05
that Paul
21:06
urges the
21:06
unified church
21:07
body in
21:08
verse 27
21:09
and then
21:10
goes on to
21:11
say that
21:12
Timothy is
21:12
caring more
21:13
about the
21:14
affairs of
21:14
the church
21:14
than his
21:15
own life
21:15
in verse
21:16
21.
21:19
It's not
21:19
a coincidence
21:20
that Paul
21:21
says to
21:21
live is
21:22
Christ.
21:23
That is a
21:23
tough thing
21:24
to say.
21:24
He says
21:24
that in
21:25
verse 21
21:25
of chapter
21:26
1.
21:27
And then
21:27
Epaphroditus
21:28
nearly died
21:30
for the
21:30
sake of
21:31
the gospel.
21:32
I don't
21:33
think it's
21:34
coincidence
21:34
that he's
21:35
placing these
21:36
verses right
21:37
here.
21:39
And the
21:40
thing is
21:40
that a lot
21:41
of times we
21:42
read scripture
21:43
with skewed
21:43
lenses.
21:44
We read
21:44
Philippians and
21:45
we say that's
21:45
beautiful, let's
21:46
talk about it,
21:47
let's have
21:47
discussion groups
21:47
about it,
21:48
but I don't
21:49
want to live
21:49
this out because
21:50
it's just too
21:51
hard, it's
21:51
unrealistic.
21:52
And the
21:52
thing is that
21:53
that is common
21:54
and paralyzing.
21:55
All of us
21:56
face that.
21:57
That's very
21:57
common.
21:58
And it's
21:59
very paralyzing.
21:59
It paralyzes
22:00
us from
22:01
doing any
22:01
work.
22:03
And I
22:03
think that's
22:04
why Paul
22:04
places these
22:05
verses here so
22:06
that we don't
22:06
become paralyzed.
22:10
So, it is
22:12
so vital for
22:15
us to be
22:15
around men
22:16
and women
22:16
like Timothy
22:17
and Epaphroditus.
22:19
If we don't
22:20
do that, let's
22:21
just say we
22:22
just take this
22:23
and we just
22:23
cut out that
22:24
verse, man,
22:25
we're going to
22:26
lose sight that
22:27
the Bible was
22:28
intended not
22:29
just to be
22:29
picked apart
22:30
and talked
22:31
about, but
22:31
it was to be
22:32
lived out every
22:33
single day.
22:35
It's vital that
22:36
we surround
22:36
ourselves with
22:36
godly men and
22:37
women who are
22:39
striving for the
22:40
gospel for the
22:41
long haul.
22:42
people.
22:44
I want to surround
22:45
myself with
22:46
those men.
22:47
I know that
22:48
y'all do too.
22:48
I know that I'm
22:49
not alone in
22:49
that.
22:50
I think a
22:51
very dangerous
22:52
thing that we
22:53
could do as
22:53
believers is we
22:54
could make this
22:54
perilous assumption
22:56
that one day we
22:57
will arrive, that
22:59
we will be one of
23:00
these men and
23:01
women who are
23:03
standing firm in
23:03
the faith, who
23:04
are here for the
23:05
long haul, but
23:07
we're not
23:07
surrounding
23:08
ourselves by those
23:09
people.
23:09
I think that is
23:10
a perilous thing
23:11
to fall into.
23:12
Say that, you
23:12
know, I'm just
23:13
going to coast
23:14
into holiness.
23:15
I don't think
23:15
there's a single
23:16
person, I could
23:16
ask every single
23:17
person here, do
23:19
you want to turn
23:20
from Christ in
23:21
40 years?
23:24
No one's going
23:25
to say no.
23:27
Everyone's going
23:27
to say, man, I
23:28
want to be here
23:29
for the long haul,
23:30
I want to be in
23:31
it for the long
23:32
run, that we
23:33
want to surround
23:34
ourselves, but the
23:35
thing is that we
23:35
believe that we're
23:36
just going to coast
23:37
into that because
23:38
we're not
23:39
surrounding
23:39
ourselves with
23:40
those people.
23:41
We believe that
23:42
as we get older,
23:43
we're going to
23:43
coast into
23:44
holiness and
23:45
we're going to
23:45
get farther and
23:46
farther away from
23:47
heresy, from
23:48
apostasy, from
23:50
all those things,
23:50
just because of
23:51
the fact that
23:51
we're getting
23:52
older.
23:54
And I think
23:54
that's a really
23:55
dangerous assumption
23:55
to make.
23:57
And here's why I
23:58
think why.
23:59
I'm going to
23:59
read something that
24:00
John Piper wrote
24:01
in his book called
24:02
The Roots of
24:02
Endurance.
24:03
So he says,
24:04
how my mind has
24:05
changed.
24:06
As I complete my
24:07
50th year as a
24:08
professing Christian,
24:09
I feel the
24:10
urgency of
24:11
endurance more
24:12
than ever.
24:13
I used to think
24:14
differently.
24:14
I used to think
24:15
when I was in my
24:16
20s and 30s that
24:17
sanctification had a
24:18
kind of cumulative
24:19
effect that at
24:20
50, the likelihood
24:21
of apostasy would be
24:23
far smaller than at
24:24
30 or 40.
24:25
In one sense, this is
24:26
true.
24:27
Surely growth in
24:28
grace and knowledge
24:29
and faith helps us
24:30
to no longer be
24:32
taught to be
24:32
children tossed to
24:33
and fro by the
24:35
ways and carried
24:35
about by every wind
24:36
of doctrine as
24:38
in Ephesians 4.
24:40
He says,
24:40
I see more
24:41
clearly now that
24:42
even after the
24:42
years of such
24:43
growth and
24:43
stability, shocking
24:45
coldness and even
24:46
apostasies are
24:47
possible.
24:49
This is John
24:49
Piper.
24:50
I'm not saying
24:51
he's the greatest
24:52
man to ever walk
24:52
the earth, but
24:53
this is someone
24:54
that a lot of us
24:55
would say, this is
24:56
a godly man that
24:56
I would love to be
24:57
surrounded by.
24:59
He's saying this.
25:00
He says,
25:00
and I have known
25:02
moments of horrifying
25:03
blankness that made
25:05
me realize my utter
25:06
dependence on the
25:07
mercies of God
25:08
being new every
25:10
morning.
25:11
He says,
25:11
perseverance is a
25:12
gift.
25:13
That I will wake
25:14
up and be a believer
25:15
tomorrow morning is
25:16
not finally and
25:17
decisively owing to
25:19
my will, but to
25:20
God.
25:21
I have known too
25:22
many mornings on
25:23
the precipice to
25:25
think otherwise.
25:26
That I have been
25:27
snatched back every
25:28
time is sheer
25:28
mercy.
25:29
The human will
25:30
cannot be
25:31
depended on,
25:32
because in the
25:33
crisis of faith,
25:34
it is precisely
25:35
that same will
25:37
that is weak and
25:38
failing.
25:40
So John Piper
25:40
even knows himself
25:42
well enough to
25:42
say that I don't
25:43
trust myself to
25:46
make it to the
25:47
end.
25:48
I need Christ.
25:51
And so Paul
25:52
gives this example
25:53
of Timothy.
25:54
I just want to
25:55
take a second to
25:56
look at the
25:57
character of
25:57
Timothy.
25:58
I think
26:00
Timothy is an
26:01
excellent example
26:02
of someone who
26:05
has such endurance
26:06
that John Piper is
26:07
talking about.
26:09
And the thing is
26:10
that Paul is
26:11
writing this about
26:12
Timothy, but not a
26:13
lot of people, if
26:14
you've read 2
26:15
Timothy, not a lot
26:15
of people followed
26:16
Paul to the very
26:17
end.
26:18
So Paul is executed
26:19
in 2 Timothy,
26:20
probably after he
26:21
wrote that letter.
26:23
Turn to 2 Timothy 1,
26:24
if you would,
26:25
real quickly.
26:39
Okay.
26:40
So this is the
26:43
final book from
26:45
Paul right before
26:46
he's executed.
26:48
And then, like we
26:49
said, the end of the
26:50
book usually has
26:50
travel plans, what's
26:52
going on in his life,
26:53
kind of like small
26:54
updates, kind of more
26:54
narrative.
26:56
But 2 Timothy has a
26:57
completely different
26:58
theme.
27:00
Imagine someone writing
27:01
their last letter to
27:02
you, most likely,
27:03
knowing this is their
27:04
last letter before
27:04
they're about to die
27:05
for the sake of the
27:06
gospel.
27:06
I would key in so
27:08
much to hearing what
27:09
they have to say.
27:11
And so, it's kind of
27:12
this very unsettling
27:14
theme that's going
27:15
through 2 Timothy,
27:17
that Paul is talking
27:17
about.
27:18
The truth is, is that
27:19
many have actually
27:20
abandoned Paul.
27:22
I'm going to point out
27:23
a few ones.
27:25
Verse 15, you are
27:26
aware that all who
27:27
are in Asia turned
27:28
away from me, among
27:29
whom are Phygelus and
27:32
Hermogenes.
27:33
So, all of Asia has
27:36
turned away from Paul,
27:37
or at least the
27:38
believers that he
27:38
knows.
27:39
All of them have
27:40
turned away from Paul,
27:42
specifically these two
27:43
guys, Phygelus and
27:44
Hermogenes.
27:46
And then turn to, flip
27:47
the next page, chapter
27:49
4, verse 9.
27:52
Okay.
27:54
So he says, do your
27:55
best to come to me
27:56
soon, for Demas, in
27:59
love with this present
28:00
world, has deserted
28:01
me and gone to
28:01
Thessalonica.
28:03
Crescens has gone to
28:04
Galatia, Titus to
28:06
Dalmatia.
28:07
Luke alone is with
28:07
me.
28:08
Get Mark and bring
28:09
him with you, for
28:10
he is very useful for
28:13
my ministry.
28:15
Demas, I want to
28:16
just, who is this
28:17
guy?
28:18
He left Paul, because
28:20
he's fallen in love
28:21
with the world.
28:22
And the thing is, if
28:22
you do a word search
28:23
on Demas, he's
28:24
actually someone who's
28:25
been mentioned in
28:26
Paul's letters before.
28:28
Where is he familiar
28:29
from?
28:30
Colossians 4, verse
28:31
14.
28:32
Really quick.
28:34
So, he says that
28:36
Demas has left
28:36
him.
28:37
And then he says,
28:39
this is before he
28:40
wrote that, in
28:40
Colossians.
28:44
So, kind of given
28:45
the same orders of
28:48
his travel plans, he
28:49
says in verse 14, he
28:51
says, Luke, the
28:54
beloved physician,
28:54
greets you, as does
28:55
Demas.
28:56
kind of listing off all
28:58
these people.
28:58
He says, he lists
29:01
Demas as someone who
29:02
was actually with him,
29:03
laboring for the
29:03
gospel.
29:04
One more place is in
29:06
Philemon 1, verse 24.
29:12
So, he's giving more
29:14
commands at the end of
29:15
this book, and he
29:15
says, Epaphras, my
29:16
fellow prisoner in
29:17
Christ, Jesus sends
29:18
greetings to you.
29:19
So, we're talking
29:20
about prison here.
29:22
Like, he's listing off
29:23
his prisoners.
29:24
So, he says, Epaphras,
29:26
my fellow prisoner in
29:27
Christ, Jesus sends
29:28
greetings to you.
29:29
And so do Mark,
29:32
Aristarchus, Demas, and
29:34
Luke, my fellow
29:35
workers.
29:36
So, this is a guy who's
29:37
in prison with Paul.
29:39
We're not talking about
29:40
a guy that, when the
29:41
going gets rough, I'm
29:44
going to peace out.
29:44
Like, he's not like
29:46
that.
29:46
He's not, this is not a
29:47
guy who was just here
29:49
because Paul is doing a
29:51
lot of cool things.
29:51
He's doing miracles, and
29:53
he agrees with them, and
29:54
he's there.
29:55
But as soon as things
29:56
get tough, he backs
29:57
out.
29:57
That's not Demas.
29:58
Demas, that's not him.
30:00
This is the guy who's
30:01
been in prison with
30:02
Paul, and probably
30:03
through a lot worse.
30:05
And then at the end of
30:06
his letter in 2nd
30:06
Timothy, he's fallen
30:08
in love with the world,
30:09
and he's left Paul.
30:11
So, if that's not
30:12
unsettling, that we can
30:13
be in prison for
30:14
Christ.
30:15
And that doesn't mean
30:17
anything.
30:20
It's like, man,
30:21
and so the truth is
30:23
that we don't know if
30:26
Demas comes back.
30:27
He might.
30:29
He might have come
30:29
back.
30:30
But as far as we're
30:31
concerned, as far as we
30:32
know in Scripture, there's
30:34
no indication that he
30:34
does.
30:35
It's kind of this
30:36
unsettling thought that you
30:37
can be in it and around
30:39
people and not endure, and
30:42
not be this example that
30:43
Paul's giving in
30:44
Philippians.
30:44
And so, Timothy stays.
30:49
And as far as we know, so
30:51
does Epaphroditus.
30:52
Is Timothy flawless?
30:56
No.
30:56
Timothy's not flawless, man.
30:58
He's, in fact, a majority
31:00
of 1 Timothy that Paul
31:02
writes to Timothy, I mean,
31:04
it sounds good because it's
31:05
a book, but it's also
31:06
because Paul's writing this
31:07
to Timothy as instructions
31:08
to Timothy.
31:10
Here's some of the things
31:11
that's going on with
31:12
Timothy.
31:12
Timothy is most likely
31:13
backing down from
31:14
preaching the gospel, so
31:15
Paul says, don't back
31:17
down from preaching the
31:18
gospel.
31:18
Preach it boldly.
31:19
And then he's not being
31:20
above reproach, and so
31:21
Paul's saying, be above
31:23
reproach.
31:24
And it's possible he's not
31:25
tolerating dissension and
31:27
ungodly teaching in his
31:28
church.
31:30
Timothy was a pastor in
31:31
Ephesus, and so he's got a
31:34
lot of cultural influence
31:36
on him.
31:37
And so, Timothy's by no
31:38
means flawless.
31:40
He's got a lot that Paul
31:42
is instructing him on, and
31:44
Paul is asking him to stand
31:45
true to his teaching.
31:47
But the truth is that
31:48
Timothy endures.
31:52
God uses flawed, broken
31:54
life to be an encouragement
31:56
to the Philippians in this
31:57
text.
31:59
Not just the past two
32:01
chapters, but because he
32:04
doesn't intend those things
32:06
to just be theoretical.
32:08
He gives this example of
32:10
broken, flawed Timothy, and
32:13
Epaphroditus, who I'm sure
32:14
he's got a long list of
32:15
things.
32:16
But he gives this example of
32:17
these guys that are living
32:20
this out.
32:22
And the question is, why?
32:24
Why does Paul, Paul does
32:26
this, and God puts this there
32:27
because God has never intended
32:30
his word to solely be
32:32
theoretical.
32:32
He, God has always intended
32:36
to be applied to our love
32:38
and not just our minds.
32:41
And so, the thing is, is
32:43
that as, if we read
32:46
Philippians like it's a
32:47
biology experiment to be
32:49
dissected, pulled apart,
32:52
studied, and philosophized
32:54
over, and that's it, we miss
32:56
the point completely.
32:57
So, it's kind of nice that
32:59
we have this pause here
33:01
because Paul is writing this
33:02
letter, he's giving all
33:03
these hard things, and I
33:05
can imagine Paul just
33:06
kind of saying, I know
33:06
this is tough, I know this
33:07
is tough, but I'm going to
33:09
give an example of this.
33:11
And Paul is saying, don't
33:12
miss the purpose of these
33:14
two chapters.
33:15
Don't miss the point of
33:16
it.
33:16
Don't overanalyze this, and
33:18
just let this be theory.
33:20
This needs to affect your
33:21
life like it's affected
33:22
Timothy and Epaphroditus.
33:24
So, if you're kind of
33:25
sitting here, and we've
33:26
been reading through
33:26
Philippians, and we've
33:27
been talking about it in
33:28
our discussion groups, and
33:29
you've kind of gotten
33:31
discouraged because there's
33:32
so much going on, and it
33:33
almost seems impossible to
33:35
live this out.
33:36
Don't be discouraged.
33:37
Paul is begging us, don't
33:39
be discouraged.
33:40
Here are two guys who you
33:41
know.
33:42
Jesus is someone who we've
33:43
heard about, and we read
33:44
about, but these are two
33:45
guys that we know.
33:48
And so, he's giving
33:48
first-hand examples of
33:50
Timothy and Epaphroditus.
33:52
And so, we want, every
33:56
single person in this room
33:57
wants to be like Epaphroditus
34:00
and Timothy.
34:01
We want to endure to the
34:02
end.
34:02
And the question is, and
34:04
how do we do that?
34:05
If we've got so much here in
34:07
the text that Paul is giving
34:09
us, and then we've got this
34:10
example of Timothy and
34:12
Epaphroditus, and I definitely
34:14
don't feel like a Paul and
34:15
Epaphroditus, or Timothy and
34:16
Epaphroditus all the time.
34:17
I don't feel like, I wonder
34:19
what I would do in these
34:20
situations that Timothy was
34:21
put in.
34:22
And I think it has two
34:24
responses for that.
34:26
How do we keep this when we
34:28
know that, Lord, we're prone
34:31
to wander.
34:32
I'm just as capable of sin and
34:35
apostasy as Demis is.
34:38
And if we tell ourselves that
34:39
we're not, we're fooling
34:40
ourselves.
34:42
And so, I'm going to finish
34:44
out, actually, what John
34:48
Piper says here in the next
34:50
page.
34:50
He says, that is my cry.
34:54
He says, let your goodness,
34:55
O God, bind my heart with a
34:57
chain to you.
34:58
Seal my will to yours with an
35:01
unbreakable application of your
35:03
eternal covenant.
35:03
Is this the way that Christians
35:06
should pray?
35:07
Keep me.
35:08
Preserve me.
35:09
Defeat every rising rebellion.
35:11
Overcome every doubt.
35:13
Deliver me from every destructive
35:15
temptation.
35:16
Nullify every fatal
35:18
alignment.
35:19
Expose every demonic
35:20
deception.
35:21
Tear down every arrogant
35:22
argument.
35:23
Shape me.
35:23
Incline me.
35:24
Hold me.
35:25
Master me.
35:26
Do whatever you must to keep
35:27
me trusting you and fearing you
35:29
until Jesus comes or calls.
35:31
So, I think we keep that by
35:36
crying out to God.
35:37
I think it always starts in the
35:40
heart.
35:41
If we go straight to hands after
35:43
this, like if we just go straight
35:44
into applying this to our lives
35:47
and just thinking of practical
35:48
ways that we can do this, that we
35:49
can be a Timothy and a
35:50
Paphroditus, we're going to burn
35:52
out.
35:53
You will not make it.
35:56
Because we're focused so much on
35:58
our actions and we're not
35:59
focused on our hearts.
36:00
And so, I think along with that
36:02
cry that John Piper is talking
36:03
about, it has to start in our
36:05
hearts.
36:05
It has to start when we go home
36:06
tonight and just thinking about,
36:08
Lord, I want to be kept by you.
36:09
I want to be all these things that
36:12
you're talking about in these
36:13
first two chapters of Philippians.
36:14
I want to be like Timothy and
36:16
Epaphroditus, but I need you to
36:18
keep me.
36:21
And so, that's our text for
36:23
tonight.
36:23
The thing is that we need to
36:25
surround ourselves with godly men
36:28
and women.
36:30
And Nathan said this a few times
36:32
is that it is so important that
36:34
we do more than just hang out with
36:35
college students.
36:37
It is so important that we get
36:38
around people with families.
36:40
It is important that I get around
36:41
Chris and his family and that I get
36:44
around to see them, how they
36:46
operate.
36:47
It is so important.
36:49
We need someone like that in our
36:50
life.
36:51
We need to not just see them on
36:53
Sunday, but we need to be there
36:54
around their lives to eat with
36:56
these families, to break bread
36:59
with them.
37:00
And so, as we're concluding this
37:02
out, this is such a nice pause for
37:04
our discussion groups tonight for
37:06
just where we're at because we have
37:10
really important questions to ask
37:12
ourselves.
37:14
There's two questions, or there's
37:16
three questions that I say, okay,
37:17
just think about.
37:19
Because that first part of tonight
37:21
where I'm saying that it's easy to
37:23
pass over what we're reading so far
37:26
in Philippians.
37:27
It's easy to pass over this part
37:29
because it's a narrative.
37:32
But the question is that with the
37:35
knowledge that you know, knowledge is
37:38
a very great thing, but it's also a
37:40
dangerous thing, and everyone will
37:41
tell you that.
37:43
And the question is, is what you're
37:44
learning here, what you're learning
37:46
tonight, what you're reading from even
37:48
your own time in the work, is it
37:50
leading to a knowledge that puffs up
37:52
like Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 8?
37:55
Is it leading to a knowledge that
37:56
puffs up, or is it leading to a
37:58
knowledge that builds up in love?
38:00
Our knowledge is worthless if we don't
38:04
have love.
38:07
So what are we doing with that
38:09
knowledge that we already have?
38:11
You can see Timothy and Epaphroditus
38:13
love Paul, and they love the
38:16
Philippians.
38:17
They're great examples.
38:19
Christ is our ultimate example, but
38:21
these are great examples.
38:23
The next question is, are you being
38:26
faithful to the revelation that you
38:27
already have?
38:30
Or are we passing over these simple
38:32
truths the Bible has made very clear
38:34
to us?
38:35
Non-negotiable truth.
38:37
And are we looking for a new
38:39
revelation instead of being faithful
38:41
to those things?
38:42
Man, a practical way in my life is
38:44
sometimes I have to just stop
38:46
listening to sermons from like John
38:48
Piper or John MacArthur or Matt
38:52
Chandler.
38:52
I have to stop because I just like
38:54
to listen to those things, and I
38:55
don't even think about the fact that,
38:57
God, am I even being faithful to
38:59
those things?
39:00
Am I just stocking up knowledge
39:02
because it's what I like to do?
39:06
And then, man, kind of a more deeper
39:09
question is, have Jesus' words and
39:13
Paul's words, have they lost their
39:15
original intention to be lived out
39:18
in your life?
39:18
And they're merely just words on a
39:21
page that we are just analyzing and
39:23
studying, and they have no application
39:26
in our lives.
39:28
Those are good places to start.
39:32
Let's just be thinking about those as
39:34
we're worshiping Christ through our
39:36
musical worship and as we get to talk
39:38
to each other tonight.
39:39
I love getting to be in these
39:42
discussion groups because what I've
39:45
loved is having guys and girls in the
39:47
group that I get to know their name,
39:49
I get to talk about this, but then I
39:52
get to pray for them, and we get to ask
39:54
each other, man, what's going on in your
39:55
life?
39:56
Like, you're telling me what's going on.
39:57
Like, just tell me something so I can
39:58
pray for you.
40:00
That is what I love so much about it,
40:02
and so let's take this and let's ask
40:05
ourselves those questions as Wes comes
40:06
up and as we break out into discussion
40:10
groups.
40:11
Let me just pray for us.
40:18
Heavenly Father, you are so good to us.
40:24
God, you have not just left us following
40:27
a rigid and dogmatic religion that means
40:31
nothing to us, that has no impact on our
40:34
lives, but God, you have given us truth,
40:37
and you've given us men to look to and
40:38
women to look to that can encourage us
40:42
to live this out.
40:42
Father, thank you that you love us more
40:45
than any one of us in this room will
40:46
ever understand, and I know I will never
40:48
understand it.
40:50
God, I beg you to change my heart over
40:53
this text.
40:54
Would you please change the hearts in
40:55
this room over this text?
40:57
God, I just pray that tonight we would
40:59
just pause and, God, invite you in to
41:04
change our hearts, maybe in just a small
41:06
way, Father, but God, I just pray that you
41:09
would change our hearts before we try and
41:11
start changing our actions.
41:13
We love you, and you are so good to us.
41:16
We pray this in Christ's name.
41:18
Amen.