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Intro
 AN EXAMPLE THAT ELIMINATES EXCUSES
 As you are finding your place in Scripture, I want you to think with me about the power of examples.
Illustration
 I can think of hard times in life when...
o The example of other people propelled me to continue [Times when...
o Thoughts like "Well if they can make it, then so can I." [I had those thoughts...
 Taking my driver's test at 16
 In college & in seminary [I had those thoughts...
 For Jada during the delivery of our children [So...
 I think we can all agree that there is power/confidence in certain examples [but...
 There are also examples that...
o Overwhelm or discourage you [examples that...
o Make you think "I could never do that." or "I could never accomplish what they have accomplished."
[For example...
 Throughout the Bible we have some overwhelming examples to live up to [Think about...
o God who says in Lev. 11.44 - ... be holy, for I am holy [God says, "Be like me/my example." Well, I'm
sinful so I could never be like that. Or consider...
o Jesus' example that we should strive to follow, [and again we could never live up to His example. We
can think about...
o Paul who, although a sinner,...
 is arguably the greatest Christian to ever live [and...
 Was gifted & exposed to the power of God like none of us never will be [and honestly
speaking...
 None of us will ever be like Paul [and how about...
o Timothy, who again, although a sinner...
 Was a remarkable believer [and...
 He was gifted & devoted & exposed to truths/miracles of God in a way we never will be [and
even though we should try, in reality...
 We will never be able to completely walk in the example that Timothy left for us [but...
 In Today's text we...
o Meet a man named Epaphroditus who gives us an example we can emulate [We...
o Meet a man who...
 Every person under the sound of my voice can actually be like [As we meet Epaphroditus you
will see he...
 Leaves us no excuse as to why we would not pursue the causes of Jesus with a reckless
abandonment [I understand fully that no one in this room will ever possess the same
giftedness & devotion as Paul, and we will never possess the same giftedness & devotion as
Timothy, but Epaphroditus...
 Gives all of us an attainable target when it comes to service for God's Kingdom [Epahproditus
was a man who...
 Was as normal or average as they come [As far as we know he...
 Was not a pastor, a deacon, and he certainly was not an Apostle sent by Jesus [but
Ephaphroditus...
 Was an incredible servant of God who possessed qualities that every person can & should strive
to emulate... He is an example that leaves us without excuse
Transition
 So let's meet him
READ TEXT & PRAY
Transition
 For organizations sake I have divided this section of Scripture into 3 headings. [We will think 1st about...
1. THE CREDENTIALS OF EPAPHRODITUS
Transition
 In vs. 25 we will see at least 2 credentials that are eternally significant & 2 that we can emulate [1st we note...
a. He Was A Redeemed Child of God
Explanation
 Notice in vs. 25 Paul identifies Epaphroditus with these words: my brother [Do you see that?]
 That is a reference to the fact that Ephaphroditus is...
o A redeemed child of God [To be redeemed is to be bought by God/set free from sin's punishment.
Animal shelter illustration... That means Epaphroditus is...
o A believer... He is Paul's brother in the faith [Epaphroditus is...
o A man who has...
 Turned from a lifestyle of sin [in order to...
 Pursue a lifestyle of traveling in obedience to Jesus [all the while...
 Trusting that Jesus paid/took the punishment for his sins at the cross [now...
 Let's think for a moment about Epahproditus'...
o Testimony/Where the miracle of salvation brought him from [His..
o Name comes from the name of a Greek goddess[Which would indicate he...
 Was born into a pagan family [Which would indicate he...
 Was not raised with a Christian world view/in church/knowing about the Scriptures
Application
 People like that remain.. Now for those of you who grew up in Holly Pond, that is a foreign concept to you [but...
 As genuine...
o bible study [and genuine...
o Bible submission has been on the decline for decades/generations [There are...
 People in Holly Pond who...
o Are similar to Ephaphroditus [People in Holly Pond who...
o Have not grown up in church [who...
o Have not been taught about Jesus [and who...
o Have not been blessed to own a bible, much less be taught from one [but praise God that...
o Just like Epahproditus became a child of God despite not knowing much about the Bible, so too can
people of our day/community become a child of God even though they have a limited understanding.
[And if that is you today, can I tell you how...
 thankful we are to have you here [I want to tell you how...
 we love you/want to patiently teach you what we have learned about our glorious Jesus [how...
 we don't have it all figured out, but we are locking arms together in order to be what He has
told us to be [And let me...
 Let me tell you what you need to understand [you need to understand that...
o God is holy & will not dwell with sin [your sin separates you from God. understand that...
o God is just & will eternally destroy sin [your sins are crimes against an eternal God & there are eternal
consequences in hell. But listen, please understand that...
o God is merciful & he sent His Son to take the punishment for your sin [and if you will...
 Trust that He died for you [and verify that trust in Him by...
 Turning from a lifestyle of sin and to a lifestyle of obedience, you too can be a redeemed child of
God
Transition
 God taught Epaphroditus what he needed to know to be a redeemed child of God & He can teach you the same
 And when God redeems you, He then begins to use you to work for His Kingdom
 As we look at Epaphroditus we see not only a redeemed child of God, but also we see...
b. He Was A Resourceful Child of God [notice what Paul says about him in...
Vs. 25 - I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother [He & Paul are spiritual brothers b/c they
both belong to God The Father] and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need,
Explanation
 As we have said many times in our preaching through Philippians, Epaphroditus [This believer who grew up
knowing nothing about Jesus, has become such a lover of Jesus that he...
o Was sent by the church at Philippi to deliver a monetary gift & a gift of encouragement to Paul in Rome
[in vs. 25 Paul notes how he...
o Is the messenger and minister from Philippi [Think about that...
 Even though Epaphroditus was not raised...
o As a Christian [and he was not raised...
o As a student of the Bible like Paul & Timothy [He...
o Still...
 Had the ability to serve...
 God's Kingdom by being an encouragement to Paul's ministry [many of you serve that
way... I could share testimony after testimony of many of you have been used of God
to encourage me in my ministry... Every believer can serve...
 The Lord in a great way [Paul points out how he...
 Was a fellow worker and fellow soldier
Transition
 Let's think about those terms for a moment...
fellow worker
Explanation
 To be a fellow worker means that Epaphroditus shared
o The same work as Paul [He was...
o A spiritual co-worker/a hired hand in the same spiritual company as Paul [He shared...
o A common spiritual interest with Paul [He pulled in the same direction/same goals/same agenda... Just
like we pointed out concerning Timothy last week, Epaphroditus shared...
o Paul's desire to...
 contribute to the Great Commission [He shared Paul's desire to...
 Teach people how to walk in the delightful commands of Jesus Christ [As a fellow worker
Ephaphroditus shared Paul's desire to...
 Preach the gospel... Preach how Jesus had suffered as man's substitute & taken God's wrath
Application
 Folks listen to me. The GC & the Gospel is...
o Every believer's common work [Now it may be...
o Contributed to in different ways [they will cook for fball team & I will share the gospel], but GC efforts
and Gospel preaching is Christianity 101 [and you always need to be asking...
 How am I a fellow worker... How am I working with my faith family to promote the GC and the Gospel?
Transition
 And here is what you need to know. Sometimes the GC & the Gospel will...
o Be a simple task/an easy envioronment [but other times the GC & the Gospel will...
o bring us into trials/battles/hardships/war-like conditions either spiritually or physically [GC & Gospel
work will...
o Sometimes be like the work of digging a hole, but sometimes you will have to dig the hole with spiritual
bullets flying at your hear [and when bullets start to fly, you still have to dig & work, but you also have
to become a soldier. And...
 Paul points out how even in those time Epaphroditus proved to be resourceful as he calls him his...
fellow soldier
Explanation
 Now there is a difference between being a worker and a soldier, [a...
o worker is one who serves faithfully in the ordinary tasks of everyday Kingdom life
[obedience/witnessing/giving/loving/repenting/confessing/striving for purity, etc. But a...
o soldier is what believers must be when...
 The hard times come/the spiritual bullets start to fly [when...
 The work becomes a war & GC efforts are difficult & the Gospel is dangerous
 Paul says that Epaphroditus has...
o Been part of both... He knows ordinary work & the difficulties of war [He has...
o Known the struggle of...
 Difficult travel & sickness [He has experienced...
 The false teachers & those who mock/question/grumble/attack his faith [There is no doubt he
has been through...
 Great spiritual warfare & doubt & depression [and very possibly...
 Physical threats or even personal violence as he lives out a faith that condemns people for their
sin [There is no doubt that...
 Ephaphroditus is a battle tested, warrior like soldier for Jesus Christ [and guess what? He is just an ordinary
church member who grew up knowing nothing about the Bible]
Application
 Now that should be...
o A challenge for every person in here [Epaphroditus is not an exceptional Christian, he is a normal
Christian. He serves as a...
o Reminder that all believers are to...
 Be resourceful [All of us are to...
 Work toward the Great Commission & The Gospel of Jesus Christ [ALL Believers are to be ready
& willing to...
 Suffer like soldiers if need be as we battle to advance in the Great Commission & The Gospel of
Jesus Christ [Paul shared these words found in...
 Acts 14:22 with believers... Paul was... - 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging
them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations [war-like conditions
brought about by working in the Kingdom] we must enter the kingdom of God.
 Believers...
o Who live out the commands of Jesus/work to advance the GC efforts & Gospel of Jesus Christ [You...
o Will not have to go outside the walls of a church to find war like opposition
 Does that thought...
o Challenge you [Does it...
o Force you to think: In what way...
 Do I work to advance God's Kingdom [In what way...
 Have I ever had to war for God's Kingdom [What can you point to in your life and say, "That
was a time I...
 Suffered for the Gospel [That was when I...
 Was uncomfortable for the Gospel [That was when I...
 Endured snide remarks or verbal attacks b/c of my genuine work for God's Kingdom
[That was I time when I...
 Gave up money/time/a job opportunity for GC efforts [The life of Epaphroditus should
challenge us. But not only should it challenge some of you who are apathetic, but also
his life should be...
o

an encouraging thought for...
 Those of you who are now believers, but you grew up un-churched [God can use you as a
worker/soldier/in a great, resourceful way... For...
 Those of you who are believers, but you grew up...
 under-churched [you grew up in a home where you...
o Were in church 2, maybe 3 Sunday mornings/month [so long as you weren't
camping or playing in some kind of athletic competition... And your parents...
o Never really spoke of/ instructed you in spiritual matters [and you are now
overwhelmed by all you don't know... Let me assure you...
o If God can use a man with Epaphroditus' upbringing, God can use you despite your unspiritual, biblically
malnourished upbringing [Find joy in the fact that...
The credentials that Epaphroditus had are credentials that every person in the room can have [every person in
here can be... Redeemed by God [and become] Resourceful for God as a worker, and when need be as a warrior
PRAYER MATTERS:
 Gracious Father, we...
o Thank you for the example you have given us in Epaphroditus [and now we...
o Admit to you that only by Your inward work of grace can we...
 Be a redeemed child of God [and only by Your grace can we...
 Be a resourceful child of God [God we...
o Ask that you would please give us the...
 Will to work for Your good pleasure [and please give us the...
 Wisdom to see all of the way that we could contribute to the GC & the glorious Gospel of Jesus
Christ [and as we see the various ways to work we need you also to give us the...
 Courage & boldness when that work seems more like a war [and please raise up...
 Brothers & Sisters in Christ with whom we can...
 Lock arms with [and...
 Serve beside as we strive to live in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
APPEAL TO THE LOST:
 The 1st example of Epaphroditus that everyone under the sound of my voice needs to follow is being a
redeemed child of God.