In life we find that people are remembered for many reasons. Some for their good deeds and others for their blunders. Epaphroditus is remembered for his character. Oh, how we need men of Christian character. This outlines serves to show us some great aspects of this man’s godliness!
Title: Epaphroditus – A Man Of Christian Character!”
Text: Philippians 2:25-30
(Philippians 2:25-30) “Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.” (KJV)
Introduction:
• Epaphroditus is a man only mentioned, to my knowledge, two times in the Scripture! Yet in these two places we find much about this man whose name means: “handsome” a common name of the era.
• This man was sent to help Paul and deliver an offering to Paul from the church at Philippi.
• This church was the first church started after the Macedonian Call of Acts 16.
• Paul, in this epistle, gave some great doctrine on the “Christian Experience”.
• We see that this experience is not what is going on around us on the outside, but rather, what is going on in the inside!
• I want us to notice that Paul mentions some great things about this particular young man that we should learn from!
Proposition: There are four categories of the character of Epaphroditus that I want us to look at this evening!
I. Notice His Description!
(Philippians 2:25) “Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.” (KJV)
A. He is called a brother – a saved man: born again! Paul never doubted his conversion by his fruits!
B. He is called a companion in labor – a man who shared the burdens of his friend: worked hard overcoming obstacles!
C. He is called a fellow soldier – a man that fought and stood for the principles of the Scripture: was very much involved in the spiritual warfare of the day!
D. He is called a messenger – a man who served his church in carrying a message and money to help Paul out: a witness for his local church as well as his God!
E. May we make it our goal to have these descriptions of character in our lives!
II. Notice His Desire!
(Philippians 2:26) “For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.” (KJV)
A. He longed after his local church!
B. He was away from them a long time in his appointed task, but missed his church family!
C. The heaviness upon his soul was from the fact that they had heard that he had been deathly sick and this bothered him. He did not want to lay an excessive burden upon his people!
D. He desired to be with God’s people!
III. Notice His Determination!
(Philippians 2:27) “For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.” (KJV)
(Philippians 2:30) “Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.” (KJV)
(Philippians 4:18) “But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.” (KJV)
A. In spite of sickness in his life – his outward circumstances – he pressed on and becomes a living illustration of the whole theme of this epistle!
B. This man was dieing, yet continued to serve!
C. This man did not regard his life, but rather was sacrificial the more in his giving in his service!
D. He completed his mission as good, if not better, than any modern day soldier would on the battlefield!
E. May we have this unswerving determination to serve God!
IV. Notice His Discipline!
(Philippians 2:30) “Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.” (KJV)
A. This statement about his character reminds me of the words of our Lord Jesus!
(Luke 9:23) “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (KJV)
(Luke 14:26) “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” (KJV)
B. Paul even alluded to this in his second letter to the church at Corinth!
(2 Corinthians 12:15) “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” (KJV)
C. He gave his life for God’s service and did not care about himself!
D. May God give us this type of discipline!
Conclusion:
To The Sinner:
• Be saved! Repent and believe the Gospel!
To The Christian:
• Will you endeavor to have character as was described in the life of Epaphroditus?
• Will you endeavor to live for God regardless of your surrounding circumstances!
