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Philippians 2:19-24, But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. 20 For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. 22 But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. 23 Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me; 24 and I trust in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly.
I graduated from Grace Seminary in Winona Lake, IN, in 1978 and moved our little family to North Vernon, IN. It was very rural for me and a bit discouraging at the beginning. But then one day God brought a recent graduate from Indiana University to our church. His name was Jeff. He was a special ed teacher in a local school, and what a delight and joy he was to my heart. He had come to Christ while at IU and God had put a hunger in his heart to learn and grow in God’s Word. And he did. He was as faithful as he could be and served beside me in many ways. He met Cindy at our church and I had the joy of officiating their wedding. They went off to seminary and he took a pastorate in Wren, OH. He pastored that same church all these years until his recent retirement when their church was able to find a man to take his place.
What blessings, delight, and joy there is in having faithful, loyal men serving the Lord together in ministry. Moses served with Joshua, Elijah with Elisha, David with Nathan, Luther with Melanchthon, and Calvin with Beza. Our text paints the picture of just such a man in Timothy. Paul has been exhorting the Philippians, and us, to shine brightly and hold forth the Word of Life in a dark, twisted world. Paul’s desire was for their spiritual growth, and he had Timothy to assist in this work.
PAUL RECRUITS TIMOTHY.
This morning we’re focusing on Timothy. Paul started this letter to the Philippians in 1:1, “Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ.” Isn’t that beautiful? Paul and Timothy, bondservants or slaves together of one Master, Jesus Christ. Timothy became Paul’s joy and delight, the blessing of a faithful man.
They met in Acts 16:2 in Lystra on Paul’s second missionary journey. Timothy was well spoken of as a young believer. He’d been nurtured on the things of God by his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois. When the gospel came to town, God opened Timothy’s heart to receive Christ as his Lord and Savior. When Paul heard about Timothy’s godly character, he knew here was a man God could use in ministry and Paul recruited Timothy to go with him.
The Bible speaks of Timothy in Acts serving side by side with Paul in Corinth. Paul sent him to Macedonia, he accompanied Paul up to Jerusalem, and he appears in Romans 16:21. Paul includes Timothy in the greetings of 2 Corinthians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Colossians, Philemon, and here in Philippians 1:1. Here is Paul’s description of Timothy in 1 Thessalonians.
1 Thessalonians 3:2, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith,
Timothy was Paul’s trusted, loyal representative. When Stonewall Jackson was shot three times by friendly fire in the dusk and fog of war, he had his left arm amputated. News traveled to General Lee, who declared, “Stonewall has lost his left arm, but I have lost my right one.” Timothy was Paul’s right arm. He must have heard Paul preaching numerous times, but we never hear Timothy speaking in Acts or the epistles. However, we do see him serving the Lord side by side with Paul, the blessing of a faithful man. Now Paul’s getting ready to send Timothy to the Philippians.
PAUL’S GREAT CONCERN.
Philippians 2:19, But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition.
Paul is concerned for those Philippians believers. He isn’t able to visit them because of his imprisonment, so he’s going to send Timothy. Notice how Paul sees his plans in God’s hands. “I hope in the Lord.” Down in verse 24 he says, “I trust in the Lord.” “I hope in the Lord…I trust in the Lord.” This could easily turn into a sermon. Paul sees his life as totally in the Lord’s hands, just as we should. He’s a model of how we should make our plans. Every day, every step, every decision was controlled by his confidence that God would lead him. God’s guidance has nothing to do with mystical feelings or promptings or even voices. Following God’s guidance is knowing God’s Word, trusting what He says, and being confident that God will lead. We make our plans, but like James 4 says, “If the Lord wills, we’ll do this or that.” Jay Adams said we make our plans and then submit them to God for His red pencil. How about you? Is your life in God’s hands? Are your decisions made like this? You make your plans according to God’s principles given in the Word, but you submit them into God’s hands knowing He is a good and faithful God. When Paul says, “I hope in the Lord,” he shows he firmly and fully believed Christ was sovereign and leading in his life.
So Paul’s great concern is for those believers over there in Philippi. He already said he gives thanks every time he thinks of them in 1:3. He’s hoping to be encouraged by their faithfulness, their growth, and their spiritual condition. Paul’s heart was with these people and wanted them to be thriving in the things of God. Paul loved Christ’s church. And in the meantime, he hopes to send Timothy to see how they are doing.
QUALITIES OF A FAITHFUL MAN.
Philippians 2:19, But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly…
Timothy was a faithful man with godly character and fervent in ministry. So, Paul is hoping and trusting in the Lord to send Timothy to find out how they are doing and that he might be encouraged. Note how Paul describes this young man who is probably in his 30s. Let’s pull out five qualities Paul gives for loving this young man.
#1 AVAILABLE – Timothy is completely available for whatever God has for him to do. No task was too small or too dangerous. Paul had implicit trust in this young man. He could send him knowing he wouldn’t get sidetracked, wouldn’t drop the ball, or wouldn’t get distracted on his mission. Timothy wasn’t full of himself. He wasn’t on an ego trip. You wouldn’t hear these comments from him: “I’m too valuable to be traveling like this. I have great gifts. I want a big church. I don’t like being Paul’s errand boy.” He wasn’t what we used to call a “big shot” – someone who thought he was the biggest asset given to mankind and expected to be treated as such. Ministerial pride is a huge temptation. Paul warned Timothy in 1 Timothy 3:6 not to put newly saved men in leadership positions lest they fall into the condemnation of the devil, which includes pride.
Paul is in prison and needs someone to travel over to Philippi and encourage those believers. When he asked fellow believers there in Rome, “Who would like to travel over to Philippi for me?” he only heard crickets. Except for Timothy! He responded with, “I’d love to go!” Timothy was one of those FAT men every leader looks for: Faithful, Available, Teachable. Timothy actually applied God’s principles given in Philippians 2:3-5.
3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus,
We can’t hear those verses too often. What about you? What is so important in your life that you aren’t available for God to use? Read over those verses a few times and see where you fit. Maybe sit down and pray over them. Are you available? Jesus’ attitude was giving, and the ultimate was He came down to earth and gave His life to save us. We all have our own responsibilities that we do to the glory of God, but sometimes you need to say, “Hey, I’m available to do that.” Thank God for faithful, available people right here in our church. We have a group of men right now sacrificing their time to be in here with us because they are keeping watch over our building for our safety. Right now others are giving childcare in the nursery and children’s church. Where can you fit in to be available?
#2 GENUINE – Timothy had genuine heart for God’s people.
Philippians 2:20, For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.
That’s a bittersweet commentary. F. B. Meyer wrote, “Timothy was a man of rare sweetness of disposition and grace of character.” The word “kindred” is “equal souled.” Timothy had equal concern for God’s people that Paul had. The sad part here is that Paul says there was no one else of that same kindred spirit. The fact is, finding really loyal, faithful, caring people willing to sacrifice for others is a rare and precious find! Timothy stands out because of his heart for God and his heart for God’s people. Like Paul, he loved God’s people and delighted and rejoiced in the evidence of grace in their lives. Don’t you love that? And we have many sitting right here who have hearts for God and His people. They are genuinely concerned about God’s work right here in our church. That’s a blessed church!
When Paul sent Timothy, Paul sent his heart. Listen to Paul’s description of Timothy to the Corinthians when he sent Timothy from Ephesus to see how the Corinthians were doing.
1 Corinthians 4:17, For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.
Timothy was completely available and genuinely concerned for God’s people.
#3 FOCUSED – Christ is first and ruled Timothy’s heart.
Philippians 2:21, For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.
All seek their own interests, not those of Christ. Remember what Paul wrote, “Do not merely look out for your own interests, but also the interests of others” (vs. 4). Their own interests would certainly include their own time, comfort, activities, entertainment, friendships, family, all the things with which God’s people can fill their lives. They are all good things, but where is Christ in these interests? There is a note of sadness and disappointment in Paul’s heart as he writes this about professing Christians who just weren’t pursuing Christ. He doesn’t name names here. That’s good. These are probably people he spent time with, prayed with, studied the Bible with, but somehow they lost their zeal, their passion, their love for Christ.
John McArthur in his message on this passage talks about a man he discipled early in his ministry. He met with him to pray every morning for a year. At the end of the year the guy bolted from Christ and the church. Paul knew the heartache of people like this and it may happen to us, people you are convinced will be great servants, leaders, but they end up like Demas who loved this present world.
Timothy was different. Timothy was focused on pleasing God and Christ ruled his heart. You don’t have to be a preacher or missionary or a so-called full time Christian worker for Christ to rule your heart. Paul said for all of us, “To live is Christ!” For Christ to rule your heart means you meditate on Christ and remember all His has done for you. You preach the gospel to yourself every day – how He came, died, rose again, and ascended, and saved you to follow Him. He is worthy of our daily praise. He needs to be the focus of our hearts, every day.
This is a huge question for all of us. Does Christ have your heart? Does He rule your heart? I’m sure we all know people who started well but are no longer following Christ, at least not now. They lost the zeal, the joy, the reality of Christ. How do you revive delight in Christ? How do you refocus your heart on your Savior? You need time alone with God in the Bible to refresh your mind of who He is, seriously searching His words, asking the Holy Spirit to intercede for you, and asking God to search your heart and draw you to Him. Jesus counseled the Ephesians who lost their first love in Revelation 2:5 to do three things: remember, repent, and return to do the things you did at the beginning of your Christian life.
#4 TESTED AND APPROVED – Timothy developed the character quality of endurance for the Lord.
Philippians 2:22, But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father.
This is so good. You know his proven worth! Most people can start well, but the test of a man’s character is what it takes to stop him. From the time Paul enlisted Timothy there in Lystra all the way to the present with Paul in prison, Timothy endured. It wasn’t easy but he didn’t quit. The word proven means tested and approved.
All these Philippians knew about it too. Paul says, “you know of his proven worth.” What a great legacy! Tested and approved! You may know of folks who have gone through some pretty tough trials, the fires of testing, and came out better rather than bitter. God has refined them. They’ve been humbled. They’re serving others without grumbling. They are joyful and encouraging and the fruit of the Spirit is obvious in their lives. Sometimes we stumble or get sidetracked, but thank God for people like Mark. He turned back on Paul’s first missionary journey, but God brought him through and he ended with proven worth! Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:11, “Bring Mark, for he is profitable for ministry.” We’ve probably all quit some things. Anybody can quit. It can be shameful to be a quitter. I signed up for 7th grade football, only to find out how big the other guys were. Those guys were big! I couldn’t face them and felt some shame, but I didn’t want to break a leg or get bruised so I quit. However in God’s ministry, like Mark, God can restore us to useful ministry even after we mess up.
Paul says, “He served with me in the gospel.” Like a father and son team, together they put their shoulders to the plow. Timothy didn’t need to be told all the time what to do next. He had a love for God’s people and a servant’s heart. You’d recognize him as that young man over there serving. He set up chairs when needed, swept the floor, took out the trash. I read a story about a young man whose mother sent him to pick up a missionary at the railway station. But he had never seen this missionary and asked his mother, “How will I recognize him?” She replied, “Just look for someone helping someone else.” Sure enough, when the train pulled in, he saw a gentleman helping an older lady to the platform and jumping back onto the train to pick up her luggage. The young man went straight up to him and asked, “Mr. Bartle?” Yes, he was! That was Timothy, ready to serve. Timothy knew Paul’s heart and knew how to best support him as Paul preached the gospel. They ran the race side by side. Commentator Hendriksen wrote, “Timothy had been doing all in his power to lighten Paul’s heavy load.” Timothy was tested and approved, a man of proven character.
#5 FAITHFUL – Timothy was unquestionably committed to the gospel.
Verse 22, “In the furtherance of the gospel.” He didn’t get sidetracked. For Timothy, the mission was clear, the gospel of Jesus Christ was front and center all the time. How many leaders, whether young or old, have gotten derailed and fallen into the woke soup. A brother and I were talking the other evening about all the preachers and authors we no longer have confidence in. We question their faithfulness to the gospel. Rob Bell authored the book Love Wins, denying eternal punishment. Andy Stanley says we need to unhitch from the Old Testament. And there are more who have fallen. Keep your antennae up all the time by asking, “Is that thought biblical?” Don’t get sidetracked and sucked into some wacko false teaching – and there’s plenty of that on the internet. We’re not here to redefine and modify the gospel, or justification by faith alone, or the substitutionary death of Christ on that cross for sinners. With Paul and Timothy, we must remain faithful, unquestionably committed to the gospel given in Scriptures. We need to be steeped in the great doctrines of the book of Romans. With Paul we need to declare boldly, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
Paul ends this section in verses 23-24 assuring the Philippians whom he loves that he is going to be sending this faithful young man Timothy, and that he is trusting the Lord that he himself will be able to come in the near future. And he was able to do that before he was arrested the second time and then had to lay down his life as a martyr for Christ’s sake.
SO WHAT?
We are so thankful for the faithful men and women in this church. We have older faithful men and women and younger faithful men and women, many Timothys. But there is a scarcity of faithful servants who have denied themselves and pursued Christ wholeheartedly like Timothy. Maybe you’re sitting here thinking, “Man, I feel so convicted. I’ve not been faithful as I should have been. I’m repenting right now. There are ways I know I could be serving like Timothy.” Talk to God. Ask Him to open opportunities or bring to your mind opportunities already evident. Ask the elders how you can serve.
But it’s not just doing stuff. Faithfulness is that heart-focus on Christ. Remember, no task is too low for God’s servant – this isn’t about glory or being noticed or exalted. Faithfulness is about serving Christ and supporting the ministry of the gospel. And the place to start is with the basic disciplines of the Christian life: Bible reading, prayer, faithful attendance to Sunday School and the worship service, involved in small group, being involved with others to learn their needs, encouraging one another. Come to prayer meetings. Do the small things. Zechariah 4:10 says, “Who has despised the day of small things?” Determine to read through a good book, or those smaller booklets in the lobby. Start a Bible reading plan and not only start but keep reading it! Endurance, perseverance, even when you don’t feel like it – that’s godly maturity, that’s tested and approved. That’s the blessing of a faithful man. Like Jeff to me, Stonewall to Lee, Timothy was the joy and delight of Paul’s heart.
Do you know Christ? Has he come into your life like Timothy and thoroughly changed it? Are you faithful, available, and teachable?
“Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart, for consider what great things he has done for you” (1 Samuel 12:14).