Close To Death For The Work Of Christ

Philippians 2: 25-30

(25) But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need; 

Epaphroditus carried this letter to the Philippians. Paul send him back right away to ease the whole situation between him and his home church. He has high regard for this brother who has worked and faced dangers along with Paul, and is the Philippians' messenger and their representative in ministering to him. 

(26) because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 

The word Paul used for "distressed" is the same one used for the Lord's emotions in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26: 37; Mark 14: 33), which indicates the intensity of Epaphroditus' feelings of longing for them concerning his sickness. This suggests more than mutual concern. 

(27) For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 

Paul admits that he had almost died, but God allowed him to get well, not only for his own sake but also so Paul would not have mourning on top of all his other sorrows and concerns.  

(28) Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. 

By sending him back, they will see for themselves how he is, and dispel any gossip that disparaged him in their eyes. Then Paul's mind will be set at ease, knowing that any conflict would be resolved and put to rest.

(29) Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard; 

He's telling them to give him a hero's welcome. Why he felt it necessary to do this indicates that there may have been some misunderstanding concerning Epaphroditus' illness. 

(30) because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me. 

Paul said that the sickness was not his fault, that he had become ill in his working in Christ's ministry, and that he had "filled in the gaps" of what the church at Philippi had provided, maybe in being there with Paul when they couldn't be. 

O my Father, thank You for allowing Epaphroditus to get well from the illness he contracted, so that Paul could write of him and we could read of Your gracious mercy on him and Paul and the believers at Philippi. And also so we could rejoice with them, and learn to rejoice in all of our trials and tribulations, knowing that Your plans for us are for our good and Your glory. 

Father, whenever we do things Your way, You grant the benefits to us. This is how You designed this world to work on the beautiful Earth You made for us. And we prosper and You get the glory. 

O Father, continue to be with us in our everyday living. Continue to show us Your ways, Your views, Your understanding of what is going on around us. You know how it will all turn out, just like You knew that Epaphroditus would get well, without a healing miracle from Paul. And we don't need miracles, either; we just need to trust that You hold us in Your hand and will protect and guide us. 

My Father, You are great, and You are good, and You have planned out the whole time-line of the era of Mankind in this world. You have given us our whole human history, from before the beginning to after the end, and the Star of the whole story is the Son! He is the Lord God who gave the prophets all the laws and prophesies of what He would do for us, then He came as Jesus and fulfilled them all! 

Now we can be washed clean and sanitized, made fit to dwell with You in Your presence, where You live. We would never be able to look at You with our physical eyes without being completely destroyed, so You arranged for us to receive spiritual bodies. You made us the very body of Christ, to sit in His throne to rule, just as He sits in Your throne, Father, as sovereign King and God of all. 

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen. 

Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!