Philippians 2:19-24

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. They all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the Gospel. I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

Drawing out observations from this section has been very fruitful for me. I have had this section memorized for over (2) years, but it was this time through it that God used it to encourage me.

1. Preceding section - Paul ends it by talking about how he wants his disciples to grow so that he may boast in Christ for his works and specifically he talks about his dying as not being in vain because it will be poured out on the spriritual growth of his disciples.

2. This section provides us with an example. Paul talks about his beloved disciple Timothy. As Paul is thinking about his disciples and what he wants them to do and be like and act like, it seems that he thinks about Timothy and starts talking about hime. To me, that is the flow in this epsitle. It seems that Timothy is living out much of the life that Paul lays out in his epistles. Timothy is an example of someone who is growing and being sanctified and is a man of Christ.

3. First, Paul hopes in Jesus - not Timothy - not himself nor anyone except Jesus Christ. Paul is hoping in Christ for rather small things. Here he hopes that Timothy will go somewhere. Granted, this was a pretty big deal to be moving Timothy a rather far distance and shifting him in his ministry role, but yet Paul trusts and hopes in God to do it.

4. What is he hoping for? To send Timothy to the Philippians. Why? First, his own joy. But this is not selfish for Paul to do this because Paul's joy is linked to Timothy helping the Philippians and being genuinely concerned for their welfare. Is it selfish to love? No. Well Paul's joy comes when he is loving others and looking out for them and encouraging them. Paul will be cheered by news of the Philippians when he sends Timothy to them. To key off of Paul's joy, it appears that his joy is linked to relationships. He will be full of joy when Timothy goes to the Philippians. He will be full of joy when Epaphroditus goes and encourages the Philippians by his being alive. Paul's joy is linked into relationships and people.

5. Paul has his go-to guy in Timothy. What type of person is Paul looking for (oh let us listen to the Apostle as to what type of person he is looking for)? First, sincere heart - being genuinely concerned for the welfare of the brethren - tender and compassionate. Second, Paul wants a person who does "nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility counts others more significant than yourself and looks not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others." Third, they look at the interests of Jesus Christ and the first interest is always the Gospel - look out for the interest of the Gospel (Chapter 1).

6. Paul does not want his go-to guy looking out for his own interest but rather looking away from himself to Jesus Christ, the founder and perfector of their faith and then while beholding Jesus they love others and serve them and minister. Paul does not simply want a "good humanitarian" but rather a person who is looking to Christ's interest.

7. Paul's go-to guy has proven himself over time and how he has spent his time. Paul's go-to guy is one who looks at all things through the lens of the Gospel and serves to advance the Gospel and lays down their life and does this consistantly and is consistantly growing. He serves in the Gospel. Time is a great measure of one's faith. Over time, do we see growth and maturity and evidences of faith? Over time.... years. If any of you are challenged by this, I suggest this: get with one of us guys and talk. Commit yourselves to one another. Be around your d-group guys! For those who are far away this summer, be excited and anxious (like Paul) to get back to the d-group brothers this fall. Put in time around each other so that we can help each other grow. I hope in God that we may come together.

Phil 3:17 "Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who wlak according to an example you have in us."

May we be encouraged and challenged to be like Timothy!