Ministry: Living Humility

So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me. -Philippians 2:29-30

In this letter to a church Paul loved, he thanks them for their support in his ministry by way of a man named Epaphroditus. This man took a gift from the church at Philippi to Paul, who was in Rome; at some point Epaphroditus became sick. And that is all we know about Epaprhoditus, as he goes unmentioned throughout the rest of the New Testament. Yet, Philippians 2:25-30 describes Epaphroditus as a "minister" worthy of honor.

Paul has just worked through a discussion of God's glory being shown through the humility of Christ, and he tells the Philippians to have the same mind of humility so they might shine like stars as they hold out the word of life. He depicts good service again through the ministry of Timothy, expounding upon Timothy's humble attitude as a servant of Christ. Paul continues, expressing his plan to send Epaphroditus back to Philippi, but within this little paragraph, Paul lifts up Epaphroditus as one who should be honored.

But why? Who is Epaphroditus? He is not mentioned in the book of Acts as one of the key converts in Philippi, he's not mentioned as one of Paul's companions on missionary journeys, and he's not even mentioned by Paul in any other letter. All we know about Epaphroditus is that he was carrying a message and a gift to Paul from the Philippians, and he got sick.

Paul says "honor such men," because Epaphroditus risked his life for the sake of Paul's ministry, the Gospel ministry. He wasn't worthy of honor because he had given the most money to Paul's work, or because he had been a member of the church for a long time, or because he had converted thousands of people to Christianity, or because he was a morally upright man, or even because he was a Bible college student (You'd be surprised how much "honor" is given simply for attending an institution). No, Epaphroditus was worthy of honor because he counted his life as nothing for the sake of living the Gospel of reconciliation.

We think of Paul as a mighty warrior of the cross, but Paul says Epaphroditus is his fellow soldier, a brother and fellow worker; we would do well to learn two things from this:

1. Ministry is not about holding a position or a name, it's about the work of Christ.
2. We should honor and rejoice in the ministry of those who take risks for the Gospel.

On the one hand, we strive to serve in humility, following the example of Jesus, who gave his own life for the sake of the Father's glory, that all men might be drawn to Him. Epaphroditus ministered through his sickness, humble enough to think his health nothing and service everything. There are people with the title of "Preacher" or "Pastor" or "Minister" who do not deserve honor; they risk nothing and live for the sake of themselves. Do not equate a position with a person. True servants are the doctors who use their vacation time to serve in foreign missionary clinics; the teacher who leaves the comfortable suburban school for the city school known for nothing good ; the firefighter who lays down his life so the community can see a reflection of Christ's sacrifice; the office worker who stands up for integrity in an environment which punishes honesty and rewards results; the white collar worker who gives up their job and moves to Haiti to help the people rebuild; on and on goes the list of those who risk for the sake of God's Kingdom. What is the key to such risk? Humility. Understanding God as glorious and ourselves as a tool of reconciliation in His hands.

The second challenge of this passage is to honor the ministry of others: to encourage the missionary gaining support; to pray for the thousands of persecuted Christians enduring the hatred of the world for Christ's sake; to recognize the single mother working 3 jobs, trying to get her children involved in the church family when it costs her precious hours of sleep; to sit with the dying saints who have lived a full life in a manner that pleases the Lord; to embrace the child who's father died in Iraq while spreading the Gospel in his battalion and among the Iraqi people; to listen to the couple who have not a penny to their name but love each other deeply for the sake of glorifying Christ. Honoring the ministry of others involves opening our eyes to the way God uses their lives to display the Gospel. What opens our eyes? Humility. Understanding God as glorious and others as tools of reconciliation in His hands.

Father, allow your people to be a people who live humbly; who put your desires above our desires. Send your Spirit to guide our thoughts through the day, that we might minister in each and every situation that affords us an opportunity to be an agent of reconciliation. We do not wish to simply be good people, and we do not desire to be honored for something within ourselves, but we do ask that you would use our lives to impact this world in such a way that others would be drawn to You. Help us to be like Christ, to be like Paul, to be like Timothy, and to be like Epaphroditus; who all understood that even one's life is not worth withholding from You. Father, we love You and consider it an honor in itself that we are called to partake in Your work on this earth, allow us to be gracious in honoring others for Your work in their lives. In the name of Christ, we ask for strength and mercy. Amen.

To Depart or To Remain...

The inspiration for this post came from two stories, albeit from Facebook posts, about the life and outlook of two elderly persons. I'll repost them without reference to where the original contributions came from.

1. "Just spent some time with a wonderful 94 year old saint. It is good to see men and women who have run the race well."

2. "An elderly man just summed up life for me: "You live life, love your wife, play with your kids, stay busy raising them to be independent adults...then all of a sudden everyone is gone, time stands still, and it's just you."

Being one prone to depression and a "less-than-positive" outlook on life, I naturally resonate with the second man's summation of life. However, as I have been reflecting quite heavily upon the book of Philippians, my thoughts are drawn to Paul's life summary in his letter to this beloved congregation.

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because my coming to you again." - Philippians 1:21-26

(The italicized portions are where my focus is to be placed.)

To enjoy the eternal blessing of closeness to Jesus is by far the thing I desire above everything else. How great the thought that I will be forever with my Lord! I say with John, "Come, Lord Jesus!" (And come quickly at that!) But as Spurgeon put it: "The Lord’s 'quickly' may not be my 'quickly'; and if so, let him do what seemeth him good." Christ has not yet returned, and I have not departed, so what is my lot? My lot is to remain in the flesh for others' progress and joy in the faith.

So, how does that play out in the scenarios above...

1: This person has learned to live the life of a disciple of Christ by way of longevity. They ran their race well and have strained and struggled to the glory of God. These faithful saints serve as examples; we are called to learn from them how to run the race well, that Christ will be honored in our body "whether by life or death." Perhaps they are without their spouse, their children, or even a friend in the world (although doubtful, fully possible), yet they strive on towards the "upward call of God." It would be far better for them to depart and be with Christ, for all is gain in that moment, but it is necessary for them to remain, that they may bolster the faith of others.

2: This person sits alone in a room with no comfort other than the occasional nurse or visitor who graces his door. For a vivid picture, think Carl Fredricksen from Disney Pixar's "Up." A man who's identity was defined by his wife and their relationship, it was his source of happiness; but in the loss of his wife, his identity is lost and his purpose is swept away in a matter of moments. Yes, the movie develops and Mr. Fredricksen finds a "new adventure" with the exuberant Russell, but that is a movie. (Also, he never finds Jesus, so the ending isn't complete). My point is twofold: 1, such people have nothing to gain in death and nothing of necessity to live for; 2, myself and other Christians are necessary that this man may find joy in the faith.

Paul's desire was to depart and be with Christ, but it was necessary for him to remain and continue his work for the sake of others, that their faith may progress and overflow with joy. Therefore, we reach the conclusion that although it is gain to die and be with Christ, we remain in the flesh to help others progress in their faith and take great joy in that faith. My heart rejoices in the testimony of the first person in this post, and I weep for the man who lives without joy. Though I may never meet either of these persons, there are people in my life who exemplify both positions.

Father, I long to depart and be forever with You, but I have been reminded by Your Word and the lives of my fellow man that this is not yet my lot. Grant me the grace of strength to find my joy always in You, never looking to my circumstances for a sense of identity or purpose. May I live in such a way that You are glorified and the faith of others progresses as they look to You as the source of their joy. Forgive me, Lord, for I am a selfish man who desires to gain through my death and the coming of Your Son. Thank you for this midday reminder that I am to be poured out as an offering for the sake of others. I lift this prayer in the precious name of Jesus Christ.