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SERMON NOTES

Honor Such Men: Living Examples of Christlikeness
Philippians 2:19-30
Eli Kang, Northpoint Intern

Overview: When the church of Philippi sent Epaphroditus to the apostle Paul, they intended for him to deliver their gift of financial support and to continue assisting the apostle, perhaps hoping that Timothy would be freed to visit their church. However, they hear that Epaphroditus has fallen ill, and are even more confused when he appears before the church, bearing Paul’s letter to the Philippians. As Paul describes his plans to send Timothy and Epaphroditus to the Philippian church, he purposefully uses these two men as examples of the lifestyle that he is exhorting the Philippians to adopt; Timothy and Epaphroditus model selfless concern for others, a commitment to the gospel, and self-sacrificial ministry. However, the ultimate reason the Philippians are to receive Epaphroditus with joy and honor men like him is that both Timothy and Epaphroditus are ordinary people transformed by the gospel to pattern their lives after Christ.

Application:

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QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION & DISCOVERY

1. Read Acts 16:1-40. What can we learn from Luke’s description of the events leading to the church being established in Philippi? What is the significance of Timothy’s inclusion in the narrative in how we read Paul’s description of Timothy in Philippians 2:19-24?

2. The apostle Paul lived out the kind of life he exhorted the Philippians to live, including in his decision to send Timothy and Epaphroditus to the church in Philippi. Reading Philippians 2:19-30 from this perspective, what does this passage reveal about the way the gospel changed Paul’s outlook on life and the choices he made?

3. Read Philippians 1:18-26. Epaphroditus was willing to die for the sake of the gospel, and Paul was willing to live for the sake of the gospel. To die is gain, yet sparing Epaphroditus was a display of God’s mercy. How do these two passages help us properly understand the Christian perspective on death?

4. Read Philippians 2:1-11. What connections can you see, both in language and ideas, between Christ’s example and the example sent by Timothy and Epaphroditus?

5. Who are the people that God has placed in your life as living examples of Christlikeness? What is honorable about the way they live their lives? What would it look like to honor those people this week?

For Further Reading: Mark Dever, Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus (Crossway, 2016)