There is a member of the Inland Empire Philatelic Society who doesn’t get the respect he deserves. He is the coordinator of several meetings and has held some rather important responsibilities in the past. The only thing slowing him down is his age and health, but he’s still an active member of our stamp club. But often when people speak of him, he is simply called by his last name – “Harris.” I don’t know if it happens all the time, but I hear it often when I am around. The reason is that his name is “David Harris” and to keep things simple, when I’m in the room, people just refer to him as “Harris.” Members of the IEPS don’t call me “pastor” or “preacher;” they generally use my middle name – “David.”
Similarly, Paul talks about a man named “Epaphroditus” in this book. Philippians is the only place where we find him. However, there is a man name “Epaphras” who is mentioned in Colossians and Philemon. “Epaphras” is the contracted form of “Epaphroditus” – it is like “Dave” and “David” or “Ken” and “Kenneth.” But just like the situation at the stamp club, these were two very different men. “Epaphroditus” and “Epaphras” I’m told were very common names back then.
“Epaphroditus” was delegated by the church in Philippi to carry a love offering to Paul in Rome. While there he devoted himself to helping Paul cope with his imprisonment. So assiduously and diligently did he labour that he lost his own health and nearly died. He did recover however, and he is the man who took this letter back to Philippi.
There are some helpful lessons and blessings in the things that Paul says about this good man.
First we need to consider the TITLES Paul gives to him.
He is a Christian “brother.” Here is a term full of sweetness, friendliness and fellowship. “Epaphroditus” was in Rome because he and his home church had such love and respect for Paul. They considered him to be THEIR Apostle, their personal missionary. Perhaps they felt just a little responsible for his imprisonment, because in bringing the gospel to them and others, he was going contrary to the Jews, the Romans and just about everybody else. So here comes a man with a desire to be Paul’s servant, but the good Apostle doesn’t see it that way. “Epaphroditus” is my “brother” not my servant. We have the same Heavenly Father; We have the same Elder brother. There is the same sacrificial blood applied to our account and in some ways even in our veins. We dine on the same Spiritual food, and we are indwelt by the same Holy Spirit. “Epaphroditus” is my brother.
And just a step up from that he is also my “companion in labor.” That is, Epaphroditus was as much a missionary as Paul was in those circumstances. Epaphroditus probably was some sort of preacher, but let’s say for the sake of argument that he had not been given that gift. Let’s just say that from time to time, Paul asked him simply to speak to folk about his conversion. I wonder if Paul ever had a dozen people meet him in that little house of his in Rome. And he asked Epaphroditus to pick a couple of hymns or psalms to lead the group in singing. He probably was asked to lead in prayer once in a while. And periodically, Paul invited him to tell the assembled visitors how he was met by Christ Jesus. In such things anyone of us could be companions in the work of the Lord.
W.A. Criswell was preaching in Chicago, and was given a room in the house of one of the church members. His host was James L. Kraft, founder Kraft food empire and a teacher in the North Shore Baptist Church. As they were talking one evening Criswell asked the man how he had built his empire. Mr. Kraft said that he began making cheese and selling it out of the back of an old wagon. He and his horse, Paddy, worked and worked, but got poorer and poorer. One day he pulled his horse to a stop and began to talk to him. “Paddy there is something wrong here. We are not doing it right. I’m afraid that we have things turned around here. Maybe we ought to serve God and place him first in our lives.” Kraft went home and made a covenant with the Lord to serve God above all things. He joined the North Shore Church and offered his services for any kind of work that they might have. Then years later he was saying to Criswell, “I would rather be a layman in the North Shore Baptist Church than to be head of the greatest corporation in America. My first job is serving Jesus.” That, too, was the testimony of Epaphroditus.
A step beyond being a companion in labor Epaphroditus was a “fellow soldier.” He had stood his ground against the Devil or some of his henchmen. He had dared to risk his life to defend some doctrine or to fight for some lost soul. Perhaps he had even been wounded in the fight. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Epaphroditus was also the Philippian’s “special messenger” – no insignificant responsibility. First, he was sent a long way with very real money, at some risk to his life. There were no checks back then, no electronic funds transfers, no Western Union. There was great responsibility laid upon Epaphroditus in carrying this cash to Rome. But then we need to remember that there are more precious things than cash. What an honor the Lord places on the churches of Christ – upon the members of those churches. To be an ambassador of the United States may be wonderful and important. Certainly more important than to be an ambassador of Belize or Rwanda. But to be an ambassador of one of the Lord’s churches is an even greater honor. Epaphroditus was a special messenger of the church in Philippi.
And then Paul says, “he was my minister.“ This man was a big help to Paul, getting things – and getting things done, which Paul could not do. Are you familiar with Baruch and Seraiah? Baruch was the secretary, stenographer for Jeremiah. And he is mentioned many times throughout the book of Jeremiah; a truly honorable secretary. At the same time, Seraiah was the Judean king’s chief chamberlain. Although holding a much higher rank, Seraiah is only mentioned in passing.
Epaphroditus was a brother, a labourer, soldier, messenger and a minister.
Quickly we move on to Epaphroditus’ illness.
Do we believe that the Lord is sovereign over this universe and everything in it? Do we really believe that the Lord can prevent and/or heal every disease and malady of man? Well then isn’t it strange in the light of that sovereignty that any of God’s servants should be sick? It might be strange and inexplicable in our hearts, but the Lord not only permits, and he even sends such problems.
Not only that, but Paul sometimes had the gift of healing to augment his preaching ministry. But he couldn’t heal poor Epaphroditus, because it was not God’s will that he be healed immediately. There are times when the Lord ordains that we be ill, in order to test our faith. He may order our disease to strengthen the will and heart of people around us. That disease might be given in order to teach someone else that they need a Saviour. We may have loved ones, who are idols in our lives, But God wants us to look towards Him rather than them. More than once, the enemy of God has not been impressed by the lives of God’s people. But they were greatly impressed by the way in which those saints suffered or even died. Paul said of his own infirmities, “Most gladly, therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For my strength is made perfect in weakness,” And God’s grace is magnified in me.
So Epaphroditus suffered and nearly died through some disease – but eventually he pulled through. How much of his recovery was due to the medical skill of Dr. Luke? No matter how much homeopathic medicine he took – No matter the skill of the surgeon or physician – It was the Lord who healed him. And that might have been without the slightest trace of any miracle.
And think about the effect that all this had on the Apostle. Perhaps Paul had been a bit depressed for a while – like Elijah. And then came Epaphroditus from Philippi, and his spirit really perked right up. But then his friend became sick and there was nothing Paul could do to help him. Paul’s spirit may have reached lower depths than even before. But finally his Philippian visitor revived, and Paul’s joy was even higher than before. He went from a 3 to a 6 when Epaphroditus arrived, but when he got sick it fell to a 1 or 2. He was close to sorrow upon sorrow. But when the man’s health was eventually restored, Paul’s joy reached to the highest level of the whole period.
And now Epaphroditus is being sent back home with renewed health and Paul’s report.
What sort of lessons should we glean from this?
How about the lesson that there are various degrees and stages of fellowship among the servants of God. It is wonderful to be one of the brethren, but the Lord wants much, much more from us than mere sonship. We should be seeking and training to become higher servants for Christ. Remember that the measure of a man is not how many servants he has, but how many people he serves.
Then – the troubles which befall the child of God do not necessarily indicate the Lord’s displeasure. Be very, very slow to accuse someone of sin, in an effort to explain their broken health or broken finances. Sometimes sin is indeed the cause, but often only the mind of God can discern that. So be cautious and slow to point a finger.
And then learn that Paul was sending Epaphroditus back home to be a blessing to them, as he had been to him. The good of the church should sometimes supercede our personal comfort. Paul was willing to sacrifice his blessing for the blessing of the Lord’s church.