Title: Faith Together (Philippians 2:25-30)
Contents
The life of faith is not done alone, but together with the members through the community of the church. The way of faith, the way of life, and the way of eternal life are the way of suffering, the way of the cross, and sometimes the lonely and lonely way. Therefore, unless we are together, it is difficult for us to run well with our fickle and weak faith alone. It is difficult to run all the way to the end. While the Lord is with us, we need to receive encouragement and help through a life of faith in which believers are together.
If you compare your life of faith to a song, it is not a solo singer but a choir. And if you compare it to a game, it's a team game, not an individual game. It is true that our Korean church has committed the mistake of personalizing our faith too much. So, although personal faith is good, it is a pity that it cannot benefit the public. It is now necessary to restore community faith.
The Apostle Paul, in writing to the Philippian church, introduced Epaphroditus in five ways: "He was my brother," "He who labored together," "He who worked together," "Your messenger," and "He who helped me with my needs." At the heart of the introduction is to introduce Epaphroditus as a person who is always good to be with, and always a good person to be with. Epaphrodido was a person who excelled in the faith of being together. Back in and everywhere he was needed.
Now, let's take a look at the Epaphroditus that Paul introduces and share the grace.
1. Paul said of Epaphroditus, "He is my brother."
Paul did not hesitate to say of Epaphroditus, "He is my brother." There was a sense of family between Paul and Epaphroditus. And you will see that there is love and recognition between them that exalts and cares for each other.
When you treat other saints, do you treat them the way we have received them from Christ? Do you comfort and encourage each other? Or do you pinch and scrape it off, break the chi and pour cold water over it? Are you with love? Or do you salt the wounds and bark at them out of rivalry and envy? Do you have deep fellowship in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit? Or do you separate me and you and all of us? When you look at the saints, do you look at me with compassion and mercy as the Lord looks at me? Or do you look at it with a cruel and heartless heart?
All members of the church should live a life of faith, thinking that they are all brothers and sisters. In doing God's work, we must work with the same heart, love, and respect for each other. Where else could it be as unfortunate as going to church, complaining about this person and complaining about that person?
The devotion to give one's life for the Lord, who gave even his life because he loved us, the sense of family among the saints who are God's children, and the love and recognition between God's workers and the saints. I believe it is the look.
2. Paul called Epaphroditus "those who labored together".
Epaphroditus is introduced as a man who spares no effort as a brother of faith with the apostle Paul. Paul felt a sense of partnership with Epaphroditus. On behalf of the Philippian church, he ran with joy a long distance of more than 500 km to Rome to help Paul in prison, spared no effort, and worked so hard that he fell ill and died (verse 27).
God's work is not done alone. We need people like Paul who plant the gospel, and people like Apollos who water and care for them. Didn't I say that it would be better if the wallpaper was also matched? We must become church members who labor together in the work of God and the work of the church. To be a good church, there should be few or no bystanders. Greater works will happen when all the saints have the same heart and work together for the Lord, sacrifice together, pray together, sing songs together, evangelize together, and have faith together.
In fact, there is nothing a person living in this world can do alone. Even if you think you can do it alone, in the end, you know, everyone is doing it together. It's just that you don't know it.
God wants us to work together to do His work. That is why the Lord's Church was given. He also gave various institutions to work together in the gospel work, service work, and good work.
3. Paul referred to Epaphroditus as ?쏿 fellow soldier.??
Soldiers are people who are ready to sacrifice even their lives for their country. Epaphroditus was ?쐂eath for the things of Christ, but did not consider his own life??(verse 30), because he was a soldier with the apostle Paul. We must become soldiers who can live together and die together even if we live. The military is to fight the enemy. When you fight with your allies, you become food for each other's enemies. If the saints fight each other in front of their enemies, they will inevitably perish. In the face of the enemy devil, we must build a united and united front.
A soldier is a person who fights. But military fights must be clear. Saints are people who fight the devil, fight sin, fight the temptations of the world, and fight the old self within them. If we fight alone, it will be difficult and exhausting, but if we fight together as a soldier, we believe that we will win abundantly.
4. Paul called Epaphroditus "your messenger."
Epaphroditus was the messenger of the Philippian church. He was a man who thought of his mission more than his life. He was a man who thought of God more than his own life.
Verse 30 says, ?쏻hen he came to die for the service of Christ, he did not look to his own life, so that the lack of your work in serving me might be met.??Epaphroditus was a messenger in the work of God who risked his life for the work of God in this way.
Epaphroditus was the messenger of the Philippian church, who came to Paul with the gift provided by the Philippian church while he was about to die. Paul said in Philippians 4:18, ?쏧 have all that I have, and I have abundance, and I am content with what you have given me, which was sent to the Epaphros.
Here the Apostle Paul is teaching an important principle. That is, ?쐗hat was done to the servants of God was actually done to God, the master of the servant, and what was given to the children of God was given to God.??
Whatever we do, it is ultimately what we do to God. do you believe
5. Paul referred to Epaphroditus as ?쏿 helper for my needs.??
Epaphroditus was the one who met the needs of the apostle Paul. In fact, the maturity of your faith can be seen by looking at your attitude toward others. When faith is young, there is a strong tendency to think only of ?쏧?? However, as our faith matures, we become more concerned with the problems of others than our own, and strive to live a life of virtue for others.
The process of faith maturation is very similar to the maturation of a child. In infancy, children's attention is focused solely on themselves. His biggest concern is whether what enters my mouth right away or not. When something goes into his mouth, he smiles with satisfaction and goes to sleep. But if nothing comes in, they cry to death. As young children grow up, they develop social skills, play with others, and begin to take an interest in others. People with antisocial tendencies who only think about themselves even when they get older are psychologically problematic, but the same principle applies in the spiritual world. Those who do not think about others and think only of themselves are spiritually a headache. What will happen to the church when it is full of self-contained people? It is sad indeed.
The more mature you become, the more willing you are to relieve the other person's concerns.
Epaphroditus was Paul's helper. I hope that I can become a person who looks after myself and others and helps.
The reason that the Apostle Paul wholeheartedly introduced Epaphroditus to the Philippian church and exhorted the Philippian church to respect and welcome it was because he wanted the Philippian church members to be an example of the Christian life that Epaphroditus showed. I hope that these words given today can be used as a lesson for our members as well as an example.