LifeLink Devotional

Thursday, May 3, 2019

Philippians 2:21 For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 2:4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

The third identifying mark of a spiritual role model, according to Paul, is this: they understand that genuine interest in others must be centered in the purpose of Jesus Christ for their lives;

In the beginning of chapter 2 of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he advised us to have the same attitude of Jesus Christ – a humble heart and a serving spirit. He emphasized the importance of not being self-focused, but rather being others focused. In using Timothy as an illustration of this principle Paul gives us the all-important key to putting this principle into practice – our interests are to be identical to those of Jesus Christ.

Let’s reflect again on Paul’s progression of thought. I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. In essence Paul says, “If it matches up with what Jesus wants, I will send Timothy to you. He is not like everyone else whose primary focus is on their own interests, but he is like me because he has a genuine interest in what Jesus Christ wants for you.”

The principle that I glean from this is that I have not shown a genuine concern for another person unless my concern matches the concern Jesus has for that person.

I wonder how well you would grade yourself in this area. For example, even when we agree to pray for someone in need, we generally use personal objectives as the basis for our prayers. Here’s a possible sequence we go through in our minds:

1. We want the circumstance causing the problem to be removed so that we don’t have to deal with it any more. Then, when we realize how selfish it is to want stressors removed from our lives…
2. We ask for the circumstance to be removed so that the person being affected doesn’t have to deal with it any more. Then, when we realize that maybe they are supposed to learn something from it…
3. We think about all the things that they need to learn, and we ask God to use this circumstance to fix them. Then, when we realize that we really don’t know the purpose of God for their life and that we don’t have the right to be so judgmental…
4. We humble ourselves and ask God to show us His purpose for allowing this circumstance and to accomplish His will in the person’s life, and in ours.

It would show spiritual maturity if we would start with number 4 and never think about numbers 1-3. God has an eternal purpose for every situation and circumstance in our lives, and we are showing genuine concern for one another only when we seek God’s outcomes in their lives. It’s not easy, I know. But it is important. Whose kingdom are we building, anyway? Ours? Or God’s!

Be like Timothy, and show genuine, Christ-centered concern for others.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

May 2, 2018

Philippians 2:19 – 20  ¹⁹I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you.  ²⁰I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare.

Stop for a moment and count how many friends you have who you believe truly care for the welfare of others. Go ahead, I’ll wait………

How many did you count? I hope you have many. The Apostle Paul only had one or two. In this passage of Philippians, he tells us about the most commendable role model he knew in this regard. He describes Timothy as a friend who takes a genuine interest in the welfare of people.

Timothy gave up everything in his life to follow Jesus and become the servant of Jesus Christ. He served the Lord by serving Paul. He sacrificed his family, his home, his security, and even more, because he loved Jesus more than anything. He was so dedicated to Christ’s purpose that he spent time in prison with Paul to encourage him and help him.

As Paul’s servant in the spreading of the Gospel, Timothy was asked to leave Paul on several occasions and travel across the country to visit churches and deliver Paul’s letters and teachings. Sometimes he made these trips alone, not knowing what he would encounter along the way or how he would be treated by the church people when he arrived.

In those churches that greeted him warmly, he would be welcomed into a home, given food and shelter, and be praised for his ministry to them and to Paul. He would probably be offered employment to help him out financially while he was there. He would enjoy the comforts and security of friends and society. When the time came to leave and return to Paul, he may have been tempted to stay and enjoy the benefits of freedom and prosperity. But he didn’t. He was committed to the ministry God had given him and he would return to a life of poverty and pain to minister to Paul.

When Paul describes Timothy, he says that he has a genuine interest in people. The Greek word for genuine means natural, and comes from another word that means legitimately born. Timothy’s interest in people was not contrived or insincere; it was the natural expression of a heart that had been legitimately born again by the spirit of God. There was nothing fake about his concern for people.

The Greek word for interest means to be anxious, and is the same word Jesus used when He warned us not to be anxious about what we are going to wear and what we are going to eat, but rather to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all the other things will be provided for us as well. Timothy’s interest in people carried the same measure of concern that we show when we are concerned about the price of food, clothes, housing, or fuel.

Timothy was commended for his genuine concern for the welfare of people because it was the honest expression of his heart, and because he cared deeply enough to get involved. The needs of people were always at the forefront of his thinking, and his own needs never took priority over the needs of others. That’s why Paul could say that he had no other friend like him.

Now, go back over your list of friends again using Timothy as your model. How many of them truly care about the welfare of others? I hope you don’t have to scratch a few names off your original list. But I also hope that other people didn’t have to scratch you off their list. My prayer is that you are one of the remaining names on someone’s list of friends who truly, genuinely, and sincerely care about the welfare of other people? Praise God if you are!

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Philippians 2:19 – 23 (NIV) ¹⁹I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you.  ²⁰I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare.  ²¹For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. ²²But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. ²³I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.

We all need role models. Our choice of role models will have a lasting impact on our life.

Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons animated television series, responded to complaints that Bart Simpson is a bad role model with the following statement. “I now have a 7-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy, so all I can say is, I apologize. Now I know what you guys were talking about.”

The Apostle Paul has been teaching us about the true spirit of humility that is essential to the experience of lasting joy. Knowing our need for role models, the Holy Spirit introduces us to a man named Timothy. He serves as the practical example of a humble lifestyle.

Timothy was being trained by Paul for ministry. (See footnote below for more detail on Timothy’s life.) In his letter to the Philippian church, Paul commends Timothy to them for five reasons:

1. He is a faithful communicator of truth;
2. He has a genuine interest in the welfare of people;
3. He understands that genuine interest in others must be centered in the purpose of Jesus Christ for their lives;
4. He has proven himself to have a true servant spirit;
5. He has been faithful to the work of the gospel no matter what the obstacles.

Let’s look at number one today. Paul trusted Timothy with eternal information. Timothy would faithfully bring Paul’s teachings to the church and would also faithfully report the spiritual status of the church back to Paul. This required Timothy to be a man of honesty, integrity, and personal strength.

• Timothy could be trusted to not be tempted to give a false report for the sake of personal protection or gratification.
• Paul knew that Timothy would resist the temptation to look out for his own interests by trying to fit in with the majority.
• Timothy could be trusted to deal righteously with any conflict in the church if they disagreed with what Paul said.
• When the church at Corinth began to have serious problems, Paul trusted Timothy to be the strong messenger needed to bring corrective teaching to that church. “Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.” (1 Cor. 4:16-17)
• Paul declares Timothy to be a man of integrity, faithful in the Lord, and able to live life honestly and consistently.
• Paul even told the church at Corinth to be careful not to cause any problems for the messenger – “If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am.  No one, then, should refuse to accept him.” (1 Corinthians 16:10 – 11)

Timothy was commended to the churches for being a faithful communicator of truth.

• Can we be commended for the same honesty, integrity, and consistency with the truth of Jesus Christ?
• When the truth is not popular, are we tempted to follow the path of popularity?
• Do we compromise our stand for God for the sake of protecting our standing with people?
• Can we handle bad news as well as good news, knowing that the interests of Jesus Christ are being advanced?

Timothy was capable, and committed to doing it. May we commit ourselves today and every day to being faithful communicators of the truth of Jesus Christ.

Pastor John

Footnote: Here are a few things about Timothy’s background: He was from Lystra and was probably saved during Paul’s first missionary trip to that city. His father was a pagan Greek, but his mother (Eunice) and grandmother (Lois) were godly Jewish women, and they had brought Timothy up on God’s Word. Timothy may have been a somewhat reserved individual who did not always enjoy robust health. Paul regarded him as his own son in the faith, and Timothy became a faithful coworker with the Apostle Paul. He was invited by Paul to “join the team” during the apostle’s second missionary trip. This team would consist of Silas, Paul, and Luke. Timothy may have been chosen to take John Mark’s place. He was circumcised by Paul so that he might have freedom to preach the gospel in various Jewish synagogues. Timothy was formally ordained for ministry by Paul and the elders. He also accompanied Paul during the third missionary trip.  He became Paul’s close companion during the apostle’s first imprisonment. In fact, Paul’s final request before his martyrdom in Rome was for Timothy to be at his side. At the apostle’s request, Timothy performed a ministry in at least five New Testament churches: Thessalonica, Corinth, Berea, Ephesus, and here at Philippi.