Satisfied with Second Place - Philippians 2:19-22

Is actually saying is a good time to worry. Good tire pressure. A good kind of deep in times concern over the spiritual progress in the spiritual fruitfulness of the church. How often have we lost sleep over that.

Sure this is the heart of a godly parents, godly teacher, godly disciple or a godly mentor this is Timothy's devotion. This is his godly distress had a wonderfully pastor named Timothy. This is wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi Stevens been working through a series from Philippians 2 called humility. In today's text, Paul presents Timothy as a model of humility. Contrary to popular opinion, God's job description for church leaders isn't charisma experience eloquence and education. It's humility. Timothy had it and you'll be challenged to follow his example.

Today this lesson is called satisfied with second place every student at some point or another encounters some of the formulations of Isaac Newton.

Newton was 1/17 century philosopher, physicist, mathematician, and more. He would play a leading role is one of the world's most influential scientists back of all time. Isaac Newton is typically caricatured, and even to this day as a man sitting on an apple tree that will foster mother lives. It's him on the head and he makes his discovery of that's legend in reality Isaac Newton would make many discoveries in fields like optics astronomy, geometry, natural philosophy, his inventions and his formulations of laws deductions would literally change of the human race far less people have ever heard of Ed and Haley, a friend and peer scientists of Newton's truth Isidore Fredman Haley in the world by never learn all that much from Isaac Newton resentment Haley, who challenged Newton to think through his original notions. It was Haley who corrected Newton's mathematical mistakes and errors. It was Haley who coaxed his timid friend into publishing would become a monumental work on natural philosophy. It was admin Haley. In fact you edited that volume and supervised its progress through publication, it was actually admin. Haley took money out of his own pocket and financed the publication of that monumental works that would see the light of day. But the only reason any of us know anything about admin. Haley is because of the comment, he discovered and charted, which would be named after him.

Haley's Comet is seen briefly every 76 years and its elliptical orbit, and much like admin. Haley then disappears into the vastness of the galaxy. I did find out… Comment was last seen right on schedule orbiting the sun on February 9, 1986 and a plan to be around the lease from this viewpoint, see it when he comes back again. Historians call the relationship abetment Haley Isaac Newton one of the most selfless examples in the world of science.

Newton would go on to receive incredible public acclaim, which he certainly deserved and prominence.

But admin Haley would receive little credit for his work behind the scenes from his peers. In fact, one biographical statement about Haley quoted him saying that he didn't hear you receive the credit. His mission in life was to simply advance the cause of science.

The apostle Paul is about introduce to us his protégé younger man will never really quite make it out from underneath his shadow, but he wouldn't have cared that Paul is going to use Jan Timothy as an example of humility made a really didn't care that the credit because his mission in life was to simply advance the cause of Jesus Christ.

He turned back to Paul's personal letter to the believers living in Philippi.

We've been studying this for sometime we begin today. A great opportunity by with me to commend you as diligent patient students of the word most pastors after 10 weeks. Start a new series we started And every so often we get to a new chapter. Imagine that, and maybe a new one other figure when my oldest daughter was about eight were traveling along the pickup truck as she looked up at me very innocently asked me daddy what verse are you going to teach this year. I didn't think that was funny either. Well, here we are. But it's really the same theme, which we've been covering is the theme of humility in the first of several characteristics that I want to point out as we work through these verses Paul highlights them implicitly in the first would be Timothy's devotion pick it up at Philippians chapter 2 now at verse 19, but I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly so that I also may be encouraged when I learned of your condition and the words Paul is going to send Timothy from around the church at Philippi to find out how they're doing and why. Why send Timothy verse 24 I have no one else of kindred spirits. Nobody like him. No one else that I can trust in his heart like I can trust him you might know if you're old enough to the faith know that Paula spent years discipling Timothy. The end result of discipleship is reproduction.

Jesus said that after being trained student will be like his teacher. Matthew 1025 and that causes any teacher that sorta shaken her boots over the course of time Timothy came to think like Paul and relate to believers like Paul and unbelievers like Paul began to evaluate ideas and situations and trends like Paul even even began to pray like Paul another word that Paul uses here for kindred spirit is a compound word from Isis which gives us our word equal suit K which gives us our word for spirit or soul, literally translated means equal sold when I translated like my picture how your translation might reinvest the idea that this is such a rare word. This is the only time you ever seen in this form in the entire New Testament. Paul is saying that he and Timothy are effectively equals in their passionate devotion for the church and it is easy by the way, to miss the volume that that implies about the heart and humility of Paul. This great apostle says of this younger protégé you were equal sold the same mind. I just think about it. Paul is a converted Jew.

He will describe himself as a Hebrew of Hebrews affects tedious Pharisee among the Pharisees before he came to faith in the resurrected Christ, he would have been in rabbinical school.

He was trained and personally tutored by the famous Gamaliel, the elder, he would have gotten out of bed as eon attorney and he would've prayed like any other faithful Orthodox Jewish mandate in that day and he would've said God, I thank you that you did not make me a Gentile even more disdained than Gentiles were halfbreed. These were babies born either Jewish men or women to effectively abandon their heritage and married a pagan and then add a child now have to have Gentile that was Timothy. He would been the last person on the earth, and anybody would've ever imagined. Paul would have been interested in leading a discipling of an certainly loving is his own son.

And so this statement I sale at the time this is something that something revolutionary is happened in the life of Paul.

Overtime certainly Timothy's life. We know from Scripture the department. Timothy on his first missionary journey.

Acts 14.

Paul preached in Timothy's hometown. Timothy was converted to faith in Christ alone. His mother, Eunice, was a Jew us good, married a Greek unbeliever act 16.

She would evidently come to regret the lack of a godly father for Timothy. In fact, soon after his birth.

She takes upon herself the role of the typical Jewish father figure so many godly women have done since her generation were told in second Timothy chapter 3 that she and her converted mother Timothy's grandmother lost. Trained Timothy Lee in his years in the Scriptures as something happened to those women. The language implies there. In fact, that they taught him how to read. According to the Scriptures, they taught him to read by teaching him to read the Bible. The Old Testament evidently we can surmise that the Timothy's father allowed that instruction, but he put his foot down and he refused to allow Timothy to be circumcised he wasn't that I have any part of that. He probably said something was widely managing teach that boy your Old Testament religious stop, but he's not gonna identify with the Jews.

He's going to stay Greek. How many husbands since the time of effectively communicated to their godly wives listen you take the kids Sunday school that's okay but don't become fanatical leave it there and now let's get on with our lives. I want to know more about the home life of Timothy but the heart of his mother and his grandmother must've thrilled to see Timothy listen to Paul preach and then believe in Christ as they had evidently done earlier executive of the chapter 1 verse five informed us that now the second time Paul comes back to Timothy's hometown. He he is seeing now this believer is young man growing in his maturity he is demonstrating leadership in the church.

And Paul does the unthinkable.

Toss okay, picks Timothy travels with go back in time and you discover that the church is wrestling with Jewish Gentile unity back almost destroyed the church in Rome, and Paul invites to busy to become his partner in ministry. See I need somebody to think John Mark's place on take this kid and altering him. He spiritually adopts them.

They will impact the church together. Paul refers to Timothy is my child in the Lord for 17 my true child in the faith for 71 to my fellow worker Roman 16, 21, my brother. Second Corinthians 1. That was back language.

Timothy will become Paul's troubleshooter problem solver will send him to Corinth to weigh in a difficult church setting Macedonia a difficult assignment. Paul will send the Thessalonica and then on to Ephesus. Here we read Paul is about to send them to Philippi, and Timothy by the oil we mentioned 24 times in Paul's letters and he will be one of the few that sticks by Paul during his last days in a Roman prison for Nero orders the execution of Paul and Timothy will then go on to be the pastor teacher in the great church at Ephesus. Secondly, I want to point out his distress easy to miss those little more carefully. Verse 25. No one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.

Paul is actually saying is a good time to worry good kind of pressure.

A good kind of deep, intense anxiousness, but it just isn't just over our life, our world, our address, our family, our job or our stuff. Everybody naturally worries about that kind of thing to some extent.

Here Paul is referring to anxious thoughts and concern over the spiritual progress in the spiritual fruitfulness of the church. How often have we lost sleep over the church.

Paul was displaying the hard genuine Shepherd who agonizes over the health of the assembly suffers intensely from the pressure to see the young lambs protected and maturing lambs fed the older lambs displaying the right rich fruit of the Holy Spirit. This is the heart of a godly parents, godly teacher, a godly disciple or a godly mentor, godly elder Deacon volunteer. This is this is Timothy's devotion. This is his godly distress. Third, he points out Timothy's distinctiveness and he doesn't like driving on a rather tragic point. Notice responding in pride. No one else of kindred spirit will generally conserve your welfare, for they all seek after their own interests by all seek after their own interests, not the interests of Christ Jesus. Paul says all is he referring to the ones you are serving with him. We know that Aristarchus is there. We know that that John Mark is there for period of time. We know that Luke is there, according to Colossians 410 Philemon verse 24. Paul refers to the all here as to give us a clue is referring to, because it entails exactly what we can put it together. He says they are seeking after their own interest will that takes us earlier in the chapter back to verse four Paul describes the opposite of humility is in seeking your own interest so that ties that together and that's a description coming in from chapter 1 and verse 15 where he is actually referring to does who are preaching from their own selfish ambition. Timothy is genuinely concerned for the flock and Paul uses that categorical term.

All the others in the city really only after their own following this is what sets Timothy apart Timothy. The ministry was about Timothy. Paul is implying that when Timothy comes to visit you in Philippi and I can hear Timothy talk about Timothy. I want you to notice one more phrase here in verse 21 he writes.

They all seek after their own interest.

I noticed this, not those of Christ Jesus. Interesting phrase made me wonder what is Christ Jesus interested immigrated me to write offer for sort summarize for the.what Christ interested that intrigued me well you can think of him as a shepherd, certainly wanting to care for others, wanting to wanting to seek those who are lost 19 says is white cane seek and to save those who were lost. Please interested in the unbeliever you think of Jesus as a as a farmer, sowing the seeds. He calls it of the kingdom. The gospel wanting to raise a spiritual harvest he's interested in spiritual fruit. You can think of is a pattern obviously somebody takes crude material and fashions from it. Something usable.

He's 11. He's interested in you, he cares about you. He's interested in the lost.

He's interested in the glory of his father. John ain't he's interested in the coming kingdom. Matthew 13 I wonder how many conversations we might have. We talked about our interest in lost people. We talk about our interest in the glory of the father. We talk about our interest in the church we talk about her interest in the coming kingdom how interested are we in the things that interest. Jesus, I think it's the humility of Christ by the way, which is how the chapter opens causes them to be this way. Obviously prove perfectly the humble attitude of Jesus and makes him interested in us. Are you kidding, he's interested in us.

It is humility that causes him to be interested in velocities humility that causes him to be interested in the glory of his father. It is humility that causes him to be interested in the King which he will share with you to slide over, as it were on his throne and say, sit here, but share this Timothy expresses the humility of Christ defines his devotion creates this genuine distress shapes his distinctiveness from other leaders around. Paul goes on to give another characteristic and Timothy. Fourthly, his dependability, verse 22 were told. You know what you know of his proven worthy still sort of defending Timothy to this body. Now obviously, if they know they know him more than likely he was with Paul when this church was established.

You've seen them.

You know he's proven uses a word document which were first going through it a test and passing it. You've seen him tested doesn't trot the founder of the navigators know the Lord visiting Taiwan on one of his overseas trips and during that visit, he hiked to the Taiwanese pastor through one particular rugged area hiking along a mountain trail in they arrive. It would be been writing in her feet were mentally what shoes were caked with mud, exhausted date went nearly medially to sleep in the quarters.

They were given after stripping the left one of the believers asked this Taiwanese pastor who had been that host of Dawson what he remembered most about this great pioneer and leader of this global mission enterprise and he replied and I quote the morning after we arrived at the village.

I got out of bed to get dressed and discovered that Dawson had awakened and dressed before I did and when I went to put on my shoes. I realize that he had cleaned the mud off my boots and the never said a word about it when he smiled, said Dawson Trotman cleaned my shoes.

I'm sending someone to you. You have seen him seen them clean up things as a humble servant.

He's gonna clean up some mud dirt it's going to be a grueling trip. It is worthy to receive. By the way this trip and I just briefly give you the directions are quickly to be overland from Rome on the VF yet been dizzy on the southeast coast of Italy that allowed to be 350 miles is getting a ship is gonna boarded the travel across the Atlantic sea for 90 miles that after that he cannot track another 360 miles eastward of the VA nation across Macedonia to Philippi and that's one way activities probably celebrate his birthday sometime along that round-trip journey we all by himself. What humility demonstrated in his dependability is proven work one more is deference. Verse 22 again.

But you know it was proven worth that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving father child serving his father precious terminology makes it clear that this wasn't some cold professional arrangement and he is my administrative assistant or he is mine, executive vice president is my son, the famous apostle looked his way. Prompted by the Holy Spirit adopts this kid without a background not much of the future becomes a spiritual mentor and they become like father and son. Keep in mind how Paul puts this your circle little preposition verse 22. He served with me.

Paul would you would expect, right, he served me. He served with me. A preposition's critical understanding. For those of you believe that I not seen a lot of people lead a Bible study or administrator somewhere in the church team. Just keep in mind this preposition the people you lead are not surveying you they are serving with you. Christ many churches can be destroyed by the lack of that preposition ministries hindered but still it's father son that does remain a shadow doesn't requires humility. Paul understood this.

Timothy right here with loving terminology, but he knows he's always good to be father Timothy is going to be the son and that's okay you want me to travel 700 miles to check on assembly.

By the way, the losing sleep over them too concerned.

Okay humility and is deference to Paul is wonderful to see all will tell the church, by the way, for those of you who are younger. Treat the older ones in the assembly for the older men as father that respect.

Treat the older women as mothers: treat the younger men as brothers and the younger women as sisters all.

But that's most of Timothy's life. He will always be second in command, will be there at the request of his father.

I will do we take, how well do we stand in second place. Timothy sure is a great model for us as we consider the topic of ability. I hope you are encouraged as we looked into his life today and I hope you are challenged to follow his example you've tuned into wisdom for the heart. The Bible teaching ministry of Stephen Davey, if today's message was helpful to you. You might want to have a copy on CD to listen again or share with a friend call us at 86 648 Bible. Now, if you've never placed an order with us before working to send you this CD at no charge will even pay for the shipping. The first CD we sent someone is always free and we'd love to make this resource available to you today. That's 86 648 Bible or 866-482-4253. I also want to remind you of the resources in our resource library. Stephen has written a book on the epistle of Philippians. That's part of his wisdom. Commentary series as we been going through this series from Philippians 2. You might've found yourself wishing you could dive deeper into the book of Philippians or explore more of the book. This resource would make a great addition to your library, and I encourage you to get a copy. We can give you more information about the Philippians commentary when you call us today. You will also find information about it in the resource section of our website which is wisdom online.org you can go to that website. Any time to learn more about our ministry access the archive of Stephen's Bible teaching or explore our library of biblical resources. Once again, that's wisdom online.my name is Scott Wiley on behalf of Stephen and the rest of the wisdom team.

I thank you for listening will be back with another lesson tomorrow so please join us then right here on wisdom from the heart