Mari Ikeda
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To Love Jesus Is To Sacrifice Our Life For Others
(Philippians 2:19-30)
A. Timothy, Paul and the Philippians (19-24)
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But 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. 23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.
1) Paul and Timothy’s same way of life
2) Being able to trust and encourage each other
B. Epaphroditus, Paul and the Philippians (25-30)
25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29 So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 30 because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.
1) Epaphroditus’s action of risking his life
2) Joy and sorrow by living this way
Summary
Jesus calls us to follow him even though he knows that we are weak to the point that we would deny our relationship with him when faced with danger. Following Jesus means “tending his sheep.” In other words, we are called to love the people Jesus loves. Peter spent the rest of his life answering Jesus’ call to tend his sheep and we are called to do the same with our lives. We often focus on what others are doing but we need to remember that the Lord says to each of us: “You must follow me.”
For Discussion
1) Why did Jesus question Peter three times?
2) How did Peter feel toward John?