Prison Letters: Sincerely Care (Pt.2)

(Philippians 2:19-30)

“25 Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need. 26 I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill. 27 And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another. 28 So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you. 29 Welcome him in the Lord’s love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve. 30 For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away.”-Philippians 2:25-30

Epaphroditus was the messenger that the church at Philippi sent to Paul while he was in prison. It wasn’t a random encounter, he didn’t just happen to run into him in prison, but was intentionally sent to minister to Paul’s need. 

The church knew he was in isolation. They knew he was going without some very basic provisions and so they came together to make sure his needs were met. Sound familiar?  We have so many elderly and those with compromised immune systems that cannot get out right now. They too are limited in resource and daily provisions, but if we would unite together we could find ways to meet the needs around us. We have friends and neighbors who have lost jobs or have had their hours scaled back. Perhaps we can find ways to make sure that at the very least their basic needs get met. 

Paul had a lot of fond things to say about Epaphroditus. He called him his brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier. Paul recognized that Epaphroditus too had a tremendous love for the church at Philippi and longed to return to them. 

Epaphroditus was committed in his service to Christ and to Paul. He got very sick while helping Paul and nearly died. Epaphroditus understood that it can be risky helping others in need. It is easy to let fear hold you back. What if we don’t have enough ourselves? What if we get sick? “What if” can cripple us from being a light shining in the darkness. When we fear as much as the world does, we blend in, we don’t stand out. Epaphroditus disregarded the dangers that can accompany serving others and made the effort to supply what was lacking in Paul’s life. 

I don’t know if we could have come across two better men to model ourselves after, during this defining moment in history. Paul, himself, points to them as shining of examples of Christ’s love, service, compassion and faithfulness. What a great moment in time for the church to raise up an army of Timothy’s and Epaphroditus’ to shine in the darkness. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Prison Letters-Sincerely Care (Pt.1)

(Philippians 2:19-30)

Sometimes I am amazed at the timeliness of God when it comes to His Word. We’ve been studying the Prison Epistles for several weeks during a time of isolation and social distancing. Last week we weighed the importance of the church being light in the midst of darkness and considered how darkness can provide an opportunity for the church to shine. 

This week we look at the remainder of Chapter 2 and study two men that were living examples of “lights shining in the darkness.”- Timothy & Epaphroditus.

One was a man Paul was sending to care for the church and the other a man the church had sent to care for Paul. 

These men embodied what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Because of the recent corona virus outbreak we (the church) had to learn new ways to communicate, connect, and proclaim Christ while practicing social distancing; a means of self isolation from public gatherings. It made me think about Paul as he is writing this letter. He is imprisoned. He is isolated (although not by choice) from the body of Christ in Philippi. Yet, rather than complain about not being able to have church, he finds a new way of ministering to the church through letters. 

“19 If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. 20 I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. 21 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. 22 But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. 23 I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. 24 And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon.”-Philippians 2:19-24

Paul, because of his isolation, was incapable of being there in person to  care for the church. Along with this letter, he sends with it, his trusted spiritual son Timothy. Why Timothy? Because, Timothy loved the people the way that Paul loved them. He “sincerely cared” for them. He wasn’t going out of obligation or religious duty, he went out of his own love and concern for them. In times like this people are looking for more than just assistance. They are looking for those who sincerely care them. 

Timothy set himself apart in Paul’s eyes not solely because of his like-minded love for the people, but he distinguished himself by seeking to meet the needs of others (before his own) and serving Paul faithfully as a son with his father. Timothy went because Paul could not.

How better for the church to shine in this moment of history than for us to love the people around us like Jesus, to put others before ourselves, and serve them faithfully.

Scott Burr

Prison Letters (Pt.6): Light Bearers (Pt.2)

Philippians 2:12-16

(Part 2) 

“12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”-Philippians 2:12-13

Have you ever had a room or office space that the lights were wired to a dimmer switch? Dimmer packs are nice. You can turn them up for maximum brightness or lower them for a more quaint setting. They are really good for setting the atmosphere, however when you dim them it makes it harder to see. When a light is dimmed it means that it has the potential to shine brightly, but has had the power diminished to it or its illumination restricted so it creates less light. Paul recognized that if the church was going to shine brightly it had to avoid a couple of things that have the potential to dim us.

The first thing that can diminish our light is disobedience. In fact, disobedience can dim our witness faster than anything. Isn’t that one of the biggest complaints we hear from unbelievers is that Christians tell you to act one way, yet don’t behave that way themselves:

“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach.”-Matthew 23:1-3

Paul further emphasizes that obedience is not subject to who we are with or where we are at. Paul encourages us to live obedient lives regardless of the company we are keeping or the venue we are occupying. We can’t just live obedient lives at church around other believers. We have to live it among unbelievers as well. 

The second thing that can diminish our light among others is complaining and disputing among ourselves:

“Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people-Philippians 2:14-15

Disputes among believers communicates a lack of unity within the body of Christ. Jesus taught that a house divided cannot stand. So it is important that we, as believers, find ways of settling our differences in ways that promote healing and growth rather than draw criticism from those we are trying to reach.

Finally, the last thing that Paul points to that can diminish our light is to hold too loosely to God’s Word:

“Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.”-Philippians 2:16

If we don’t believe God’s Word and live by it ourselves, what would cause others to hold to it at all. If we, ourselves, only loosely follow God’s Word, others will fail to see the value in it.

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Prison Letters (Pt.6)- Light Bearers

Philippians 2:12-18

(Part 1) 

“12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. 17 Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.”-Philippians 2:12-18

As I consider the context from which the prison epistles are written, I am reminded that many of the places that Paul was incarcerated were dark, damp, dingy places. In addition to this, his movement was restricted and he was isolated from regular contact with friends and family. Yet, from within that perspective Paul wrote about the necessity of being light in the midst of darkness. Sometimes, that means, we may have to be the light in the midst of our own darkness.

Paul’s surroundings were reflective of a greater spiritual darkness that was pervading the culture and an entire generation of people. The world itself was and is growing increasingly dark. However, Paul did not dismay over the darkness, but saw the darkness as an opportunity to shine. 

Darkness can be overwhelming. It can stop us in our tracks, keeping us from moving forward. It can cause us to lose sight and become disoriented. It can cause to feel alone and incite fear. However, darkness also creates an opportunity for us to shine in the midst of it. 

Paul instruction to “shine as lights in the world” is simply reinforcing Jesus’ teaching from Matthew 5:14-16: 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

As believers it is easy for us to focus on how dark the world is getting, without being concerned with how dimly we are shining in it. Should not the church of the living God be a bright beacon in the midst of the darkness? Why then does it seem as though we are more of nightlight than we are a lighthouse?

Perhaps it is because we are, as the ancient proverb states, spending too much of our time cursing the darkness rather than shining as lights in it. Unfortunately the body of Christ has become proficient at cursing what is evil and less proficient as being light to the lost and hurting.

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Prison Letters: Christ-like attitude (Pt.5) (2 of 2)

(Part 2 of 2) 

“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”-Philippians 2:5-11

Although Jesus had every right to employ all the authority, power, and divine privilege afforded Him, He did not see His personal rights as being greater than God’s divine purpose.  Instead, the passage states that He gave up His divine privileges. The phrase “He gave up” is translated from the Greek word: Kenosis which means “to empty.” Not only did Jesus lay aside those divine privileges, He emptied Himself of the idea that His personal rights were greater than God’s redemptive purposes. 

The Apostle Paul, probably felt this on a very personal level.  He had been wrongfully imprisoned for preaching the gospel. Every right and privilege had been stripped from him, yet within that context he sees God’s greater purpose in what he is walking through. It isn’t easy for us to walk in that kind of attitude, although Jesus repeatedly taught it:

“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow. “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”-Matthew 5:38-43 

Our attitude determines our response. Because Jesus did not see His personal rights as being greater than God’s redemptive purpose it caused him to choose a position that would allow Him to fulfill God’s divine plan. He did not see Himself above becoming a servant, nor did He see it as beneath Him. 

He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death. Even being painfully aware of the path He was on and being able at anytime call upon His rights, authority and privilege, He chose rather to forgo his individual liberties for the benefit of others. (Hebrews 12:2)

Paul’s attitude in prison was not positive or negative. It was Christ-like. He was settled in his thinking regarding God’s redemptive plan and we see that reflected in his response. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church