“But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be in good spirits when I learn of your circumstances. For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned about your circumstances. For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I evaluate my own circumstances, and I am confident in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly.” Philippians 2:19-24

Sunday we began our engagement with Philippians 2:19-30, a passage that I titled “A Few Good Men.” However, we limited the scope of our attention to the passage’s first half, verses nineteen through twenty-four, which focuses on the anticipated dispatching of Timothy to Philippi. A portion of the text that if it stood alone I would have titled, “A Poured Out Protégé” as Timothy exemplified the heart and sacrificial service of his mentor, Paul, who was himself being poured out as a drink offering upon the Philippians’ own sacrificial service to The Lord. 

In introducing Timothy’s unique service to Paul and the Philippians we looked back to the introduction of the letter where Paul effectively extends a shared crediting of the letter to Timothy. An act of humility and affirmation he extends to him and others in various letters. Even so, I pressed here that I am persuaded that Paul was helping the Philippians appreciate that to read the words of Paul in this letter was also to hear the heart of Timothy. Because… as we read in verse twenty, Timothy was a kindred spirit to Paul, notably in his pastoral burden for the joy and progress of the Philippians.

And it was this pastoral burden and affection that so clearly established the tone of this letter… elements that operated in concert not to foster a morose shadow over Paul’s words, but an affectionate and sacrificial joy. Matters that we took time to develop by way of refreshing our attention on various passages earlier in the letter. Passages that we appreciated when working through them but that are heard even more clearly as one progresses through the letter hearing, understanding, and even feeling their cumulative impact as truths build upon and engage with one another. 

And all of these relational elements and expectations were coming to bear on Paul’s anticipated and executed plans. Such was why he wanted so badly to come soon but would first send Timothy, and this, after Epaphroditus had first been dispatched with this letter in hand. 

Again, all such matters inform how we hear the weight behind these decisions, notably the urgency to send his dearest friend and ministry companion, because no one else shared his profound pastoral burden for the Philippians. “For I have no one else, other than Timothy, of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned about your circumstances.”

Now, here we noted how the plans were expressed, with a hopeful confidence  in The Lord, “I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly….” A hope that was grounded in reasonable expectations and a proper submission to God’s good pleasure to the directing of His sovereign care for all involved. This was effectively Paul’s way of stating, “God willing.”

But in view of these plans we proposed the question of why? Why was Paul so motivated to see Timothy be dispatched from Rome to Philippi and then back again? A decision that would have come at no small cost to himself, Timothy, and others. And this in view of Epaphroditus having already arrived and Paul’s own plans to be there soon himself.

Well, this is a question that has a clear answer: Paul desired to be encouraged by a good report of their progress and joy in the faith. An answer that I found to be quite intriguing in view of not only the costs/demands of sending his dearest friend and ministry companion… but sending him for his own comfort. And this immediately after expressing that he was being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial service of their faith – an experience in which he reported to find tremendous and overflowing joy. 

Now, such observations may press one to ask whether or not Paul’s joy in service was not enough? That is, was his joy in service not enough so as to need such a measure of personal encouragement? But such a line of inquiry fails to take a range of matters into consideration – not least of them being that we are complex persons and that joy does not diminish the value of being encouraged by the good reports of another’s welfare. So, yes, he was rich in overflowing joy… but in his great and even burdensome affectionate care for this beloved church he wanted to hear of their own progress, their own joy, and likely their favorable response to his exhortations and commands from the Lord for them.

Further, this is a reciprocating encouragement as he stated, “…so that I also may be in good spirits….” Just as there was an expectation, even a command, for reciprocating joy so also there was an expectant hope for a reciprocating encouragement. Paul had and continued to pour himself out in service to the Philippians… therefore it is most natural that he would find encouragement in hearing of their continued progress and joy. All of which was another plain expression of his righteous affection for them.

But from this refreshing expression of expectation for reciprocating encouragement comes perhaps the lowest and hardest portion of the whole letter, the necessity to send Timothy. A necessity not rooted in the need for his unique skillsets or gifting… but because he alone shared the weight of righteous affection for this beloved church. Therefore he had no choice but to send Timothy because as he so plainly stated: “For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned about your circumstances. For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.”

I wonder how long Paul dwelled on those words as he wrote them. “I have no else. I have no one other than Timothy that I can send to you… because they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.”

Again, perhaps the most painful words in this book… especially coming from a man who loved so generously and who gave himself so completely. 

But here we need not overlook that there was also a kind light shining through this dark moment. Paul had Timothy. A man who was a kindred spirit, of like mind, of like soul with himself… and in such who also had a heart rich in righteous affection for the Philippians. Therefore he could speak directly to the matter at hand and look beyond it to the hopeful expectation of him bringing back a report that will encourage him even as he anticipates to soon join them himself.

Now… we took some time here to speak to the nature of the weight of affection that Paul and Timothy shared for the Philippians. A weight of affection that is expressed by way of a term that is translated here as “concern” but as “anxiety” later in the book reminding us of the scope of application for such strong feelings. A scope that when applied with a humble others-oriented view is expressed as a righteous concern or burden carrying love… but when fixed on self and governed by fear is a prohibited anxiety.

And to this some may say: ‘Well… I sufficiently care for the church…but need I be burdened for its care, progress, and joy?’

Yes, because this is not simply caring about your community… it is caring about your family. And, as we were reminded, we cannot work our way through the heart of this letter (2:1-11) and then just walk away content with a generic affection for Christ’s bride.

So whereas concerns can be morbid when they drift to fear-governing anxiety so also can they be made morbid when they are but a diluted curiosity of someone’s general welfare. We have been called to more. We have been called to a sincere and affectionate others-oriented interest in one another’s welfare in Christ. And the moment we subscribe to less we have joined that broad company of persons that swept through Paul’s mind as he penned those most painful sentences, “For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned about your circumstances. For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.”

Here Warren Wiersbe gave a provoking statement, “In a very real sense, all of us live either in Philippians 1:21 or Philippians 2:21!” 

I think he has a valid point for consideration and I am sure he would agree in this matter that there is likely a spectrum between these two verses as few are so completely selfish or so completely submitted to Christ but his point is well taken and we need not find some artificial consolation on being more one than the other because the objective of having a humble others-oriented joyful unity of mind in the Lord does not console itself with not being as selfish as one could be… but being as Christ-like as possible.

Finally, in view of our engagement with these first few verses of our text I exhorted the church to consider two questions for personal reflection and self-examination.

1. Is the progress and joy of others something that weighs on my heart and does it invigorate my joy? 

2. Might I be found fit for sacrificial service when the need or opportunity arises, or am I too consumed with matters of my own concern? 

May we all have the grace to examine our hearts honestly and in turn eagerly seek to be among the few and faithful co-laborers ready to be dispatched to invigorate joy and forfeit ourselves in lives poured out in sacrificial service to The Lord and His Church.

Grace and Peace,

David B. Crowe

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