Ordinary Saints, Extraordinary Servants - Philippians 2:19–30

Some people are simply stubborn as a mule. They’re set in their ways, and whether those ways are good or bad almost doesn’t matter—because that’s just the way they are.

You’ve probably heard someone say it: “That’s just who I am.” Or, “That’s just how I do things.” And of course, the unspoken message behind that statement is: “Don’t expect me to change.”

But that mindset—while common—is completely foreign to the Christian life. The Christian life is change. It’s growth. It’s transformation. It’s putting off the old self and putting on the new (Ephesians 4:22–24). The gospel never leaves a person where it found them. When Christ saves you, He begins a work in you—reshaping your heart, renewing your mind, and reorienting your desires toward His glory and the good of others.

That means Christians, of all people, should be the most humble and the most willing to grow. We should be quick to acknowledge sin, eager to learn, and ready to change when confronted with God’s Word. After all, the goal of the Christian life isn’t self-preservation—it’s Christ-conformation. You and I are supposed to become more and more like Jesus.

And that’s exactly what Paul shows us in Philippians 2:19–30. He doesn’t give us a lecture on humility this time—he gives us examples of it. After spending the first part of the chapter explaining what Christlike humility looks like in theory, Paul now introduces two men—Timothy and Epaphroditus—who embody that humility in practice.

These two men aren’t apostles or miracle workers, they’re selfless servants. And it’s through their examples, Paul reminds us that gospel humility isn’t about position or personality—it’s about your theological convictions making its way into your heart.

Which is frankly the main idea of these verses—Paul is pointing out two young men who embody Christlike humility, which of course, all of us are called to emulate. Like Timothy and Epaphroditus, you and I are called to seek the good of others, make sacrifices for the sake of Christ, and to bring joy to the church.

And in doing so, we not only reflect the character of Christ, but we also advance His mission in the world.

True Servants Seek the Good of Others (vv. 19–24)

These verses from Philippians 2 are what you might think of as “fly-over” verses. They’re the verses that you have to read through in order to get to something that’s more exciting. But when you drill down, you quickly realize that something profound is happening in this text.

It’s important to remember what’s going on in this text. Paul is imprisoned and it’s uncertain whether he will live or die. The church in Philippi was worried about him and wanted to bring their support to him. Which is why Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians in the first place. He wanted to give them an update on how he was doing.

But what we learn from verse 19 is that Paul is every bit as concerned about them as they are about him. Which is why he wanted to send Timothy to them. He says in verse 19, “I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.”

Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians to encourage them, but he never wanted it to be a one way street. He wanted to be encouraged by them as well.

But based on everything that we know about Paul, it’s really quite remarkable that he would even offer to send Timothy to them. Timothy went on all sorts of missionary journeys with Paul. Paul calls Timothy his “fellow worker” in Romans 16, his “faithful child in the Lord” in 1 Corinthians 4, and his “true child in the faith” in 1 Timothy 1. He even says in verse 22, “But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.”

There’s more that could be said, but my point is, as many of you already know, Timothy was Paul’s right hand man!

Paul was going to send his son in the faith, Timothy, to Philippi. Timothy would have certainly ministered to them in their church, but he would have also reported back to Paul about the church.

But Paul’s mentality is the exact opposite of our natural inclination. It’s not good business practice to send your best talent away. Good business practice is to do whatever it takes to keep your best employees around.

When a good employee considers moving on, that’s usually when employers talk about promotions, pay raises, and new titles in order to keep them around, because good business owners know how detrimental losing their best workers are to their business.

Is there any doubt that Timothy would have been a great service to Paul if he had kept him around? Of course he would have. But this is humility in action—Paul is putting the needs of others, specifically the church ahead of his own. He was more than willing to send his best and brightest away in order to protect, build up, and encourage Christ’s church—than to hang on to him for selfish reasons.

Which is why Paul says, “For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.”

As far as temperament and disposition were concerned, there was no one who could compare to Timothy. He was kind, thoughtful, and sympathetic. And so, Paul’s point was, regardless of whether he would be able to go visit them himself, he was sending them Timothy, a man who was incredibly qualified to care for them.

Hopefully, you can see how all of this is deeply connected to the Christ hymn found in verses 6-11. Paul was going to send them Timothy— a man who was humble and genuinely cared about the needs of the church.

Timothy for all intents and purposes was an extraordinary man, but again, Paul’s point is, he is exemplary. He’s a model of Christ-like humility.

And so, it may sound painfully obvious to say out loud, what we see in Timothy should be visible in every member of Christ’s church. A humility that puts the needs of others, particularly the church, ahead of their own. A willingness to do whatever it takes to advance the kingdom of God! That shouldn’t be just a Timothy thing, that shouldn’t be just a pastor thing, that should be an every Christian thing!

Every person that claims to follow Jesus Christ should be described in those terms, and yet we all know just how exceptional it actually is. How many Christians, especially pastors and ministers, somehow make the ministry of the church about themselves?

Which is the contrast that Paul sets up in verse 21. There are those who, “seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.” If you recall, Paul already said in chapter 1 that, “some preach Christ from envy and rivalry…”

We sometimes assume that within the 21st century church leadership has been associated with charisma, authority, and self-promotion, but in many ways it’s nothing new. Paul even said in Philippians chapter 1 that there were those who preached Christ out of “envy and rivalry.” There have always been those who have done things in the name of Jesus Christ for the wrong reasons.

Timothy didn’t brag about all the houses he built for habitat for humanity, or how many wells he dug in Africa, or how he preached all over the world. Timothy never made the ministry about himself. Which is why Timothy stood out so much!

Listen, I’m not a ministry expert, but what I do know is that if you’re called to the ministry you’re going into the business of people. You’re going to be with and around people all the time! Being called into the ministry is a being called into the ministry of serving others. And the most faithful ministers are probably names of people you and I have never heard of—because they understand that and they’re not in it to make their own names great.

They’re simply there to serve the people that God has called them to.

Do any of us actually think that if Paul wouldn’t have written about Timothy in Scripture we would know his name?

Isn’t that precisely the sort of leadership the church desperately needs today? Leaders—whether pastors, elders, deacons, or faithful members—who put the interests of the church ahead of their own. Men and women who labor quietly, pray faithfully, and serve joyfully, even if that means no one notices or even cares! Timothy’s example reminds us that effective ministry flows from a humble heart. When you’re more concerned with people’s souls than your own success—that’s when you begin to model the mind of Christ!

So Paul isn’t just praising Timothy here; he’s teaching the Philippians, and by extension us as well, what Christlike ministry looks like. True servants of Christ don’t compete for attention; they bend low in service. They don’t seek to be honored; they seek to honor Christ.

True Servants Are Willing to Sacrifice for the Sake of Christ (vv. 25–28)

True servants of Christ aren’t just willing to seek the good of others. That’s certainly important, but real servants are willing to make sacrifices.

In verse 25 we learn of another servant that Paul wanted to send to the Philippians—Epaphroditus. Epaphroditus was a leader in the church at Philippi and he had been tasked to take their support to Paul. And in this passage, Paul graciously sends him back to Philippi, which also suggests that he was likely the one carrying the letter.

But notice how Paul describes Epaphroditus—he calls him a fellow worker and a fellow soldier. Not only was he a gospel-worker, he was also a fellow soldier, committed to the same fight as Paul. A fight that required opposing Judaistic teachers, Greek and Roman mockers, emperor-worshippers, sensuality-worshipers, and the list goes on. Like Timothy, Epaphroditus would have been incredibly helpful for Paul to keep back in order to serve his purposes. But of course, Paul releases him back into the care of his church family.

We also learn from these verses that Epaphroditus fell ill, which was a cause of great concern among the Philippians, and their concern for him had reached Paul. And Paul acknowledged just how bad Epaproditus’ illness had gotten—he “was ill, near to death.”

“But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.” God healed Epaphroditus, which was also an act of mercy to Paul as well. Had Epaphroditus not survived his illness, his death would have multiplied the pain of Paul’s imprisonment, which is why he says he would have had, “sorrow upon sorrow.” After all, there was still much work for the cause of Christ that needed to be done!

But there’s something very obvious and important that I don’t want any of us to miss: Epaphroditus was willing to sacrifice everything, including his life, for the sake of the church. Paul needed help and the church in Philippi sent Epaproditus to bring him their support, but it was so much deeper than just helping a friend in need.

Everything Epaphroditus experienced, including his sickness, wasn't the result of foolish risk-taking or recklessness; it came from wholehearted devotion to the mission of Christ. He was a man who counted the cost and found Jesus worth it. He didn’t cling to comfort, security, or reputation—he poured himself out in service to others, even when it nearly cost him his life.

In that sense, Epaphroditus becomes a living illustration of what Paul had just been teaching in Philippians 2:3–8: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves… Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” Paul had described the humility of Christ, and now he points to a second man who embodied that humility in action. Epaphroditus didn’t just talk about serving Christ; he lived it out, even at great personal expense.

And here’s where this becomes deeply practical. You and I live in a culture that constantly tells us to protect ourselves—to avoid discomfort, to prioritize safety, to pursue ease. But the gospel calls us to something higher. It calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus.

It calls us to embrace faithfulness over comfort, obedience over convenience, and service over self-preservation. The gospel reminds us that true life is not found in holding on, but in giving ourselves away for Christ and His kingdom. In a world that prizes self-promotion, the call of Christ is self-denial.

That doesn’t mean that you need to renounce everything and live in abject poverty because that will somehow make you holier. I’m not saying that. Rather, the more important question is, are there things in your life that you’re unwilling to give up for Christ? Are you, like Paul, willing to be poured out like a drink offering for the Lord?

Because here’s the reality: truly living in humble obedience to the Lord and His mission may cost you something. It may cost you your comfort, your preferences, your reputation, your health or even your life.

Epaphroditus stands as a rebuke to comfortable Christianity. He reminds us that the Christian life isn’t meant to be lived at arm’s length from sacrifice. Real love—gospel love—is costly. When Paul tells the Philippians to “honor such men,” he’s calling the church to value the right kind of heroes—not those who build fame or fortune, but those who quietly, faithfully, and sacrificially serve Christ and His people.

This is so different from the world we live in. The people we tend to honor are those who are famous, successful, or have done something that captures public attention. We celebrate celebrity, influence, and achievement, but rarely do we ever notice someone’s faithfulness, humility, and perseverance for Christ. Because in this passage, Paul lifts up men like Timothy and Epaphroditus as true models of Christian virtue. These men didn’t draw attention to themselves. They weren’t known for their charisma or their accomplishments. They simply poured out their lives in service to Christ and His church.

Epaphroditus risked his life in order to further the kingdom of Christ. He nearly died serving his church. His story exposes how easy it is for us to choose comfort over commitment, convenience over costly obedience. The church needs more Epaphrodituses—who love Christ so deeply that they’re willing to spend and be spent for His sake.

True Servants Bring Joy to the Church (vv. 29–30)

Both Timothy and Epaphroditus are men who should be held in high regard. They should be respected and revered. In fact, these are men whom we should imitate.

Why?

Because they’re the sort of people that keep the church alive and strong—not through recognition or applause, but through their steady faithfulness. They’re the ones who volunteer for the thankless jobs, who pray for others when no one’s watching, who give generously without anyone knowing their name. They’re the ones who love the Lord and His people without any desire for status or spotlight. These are the kinds of saints who reflect Christ most clearly—the servant who came not to be served, but to serve.

In our world that chases influence and visibility, but Paul reminds us that greatness in the kingdom of God often goes unnoticed. It’s not measured by how many people know your name, but what you do for the Lord when no one is watching. The church flourishes when you and I are faithful in the small, mundane things.

The Timothys and the Epaphrodituses of the church are the sort of men and women who go completely unnoticed by the world, but the Lord notices them. Their names may never appear in headlines or history books, but God sees their labor, their prayers, their tears, and their unseen sacrifices. While the world applauds the powerful and the popular, heaven honors the humble. These quiet servants are the backbone of the church—the ones who love, serve, and give without expectation of recognition. They remind us that the eyes of the Lord see what the world so often overlooks.

And so when you pull back and look at this passage as a whole, what makes it remarkable is its unremarkableness. Timothy and Epaphroditus were two ordinary Christian men who selflessly served the Lord.

As I look out at the church, I’m reminded that well over 50% of the average evangelical church is made up of women. Where are the ordinary Christian men who, like Timothy and Epaphroditus, are willing to selflessly serve the church because they want to selflessly serve their Lord? Too often, men have been discipled by the culture to chase after comfort, career, and convenience rather than commitment, conviction, and costly obedience.

But the church needs men who will show up—not for recognition, not for applause—but because Christ is worthy. We need men who will pray with their families, teach their children, lead with humility, and stand firm when the world bears down upon them. Ordinary men who love Christ more than comfort can change the spiritual landscape of this church, of our community, of this state, and perhaps even our country.

The gospel calls us to something far greater than stubborn self-preservation. It calls us to transformation. Timothy and Epaphroditus were ordinary men who had been transformed by the grace of God. Christ reshaped their hearts, renewed their minds, and redirected their desires. They were no longer living for themselves but for Him who died and rose again for them.

That’s what the gospel does—it changes people. It takes the proud and makes them humble, takes the selfish and makes them servants, takes the timid and makes them steadfast. The same Christ who worked in them is at work in us, forming His humility in our hearts and His faithfulness in our lives.

So what the church needs today are not perfect people, but changed people—men and women who will let the gospel do its work in them and through them. The world may never notice them, but the Lord does. And through their quiet obedience, their sacrificial love, and their steadfast faith, Christ is glorified, His church is strengthened, and His mission advances. What will ultimately change the world is ordinary people in the hands of an extraordinary Savior.

Amen. Let’s pray together.