“I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, SO THAT I 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 else looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 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. I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon. But I think it is necessary to also send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 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. 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. Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.” Philippians 2:19-30

• PAUL ENDORSED TWO MEN AS ROLE MODELS

Timothy:   “I have no one else like him!”   vs. 20 

Epaphroditus: “Welcome him... HONOR men like him” vs. 29

• PAUL SAID SENDING THESE MEN WOULD BRING HAPPINESS!

I’m sending (these men)...

        “so that I may be CHEERED”  vs. 19

         “so that you may be GLAD”   vs. 28

         “so that I may have less ANXIETY” vs. 28b

 “it will make me happy and lighten my cares” (LB) 

“I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone else looks out for his own interests…” Philippians 2:20-21

“He genuinely cares for you…others only care about themselves.” (TEV)

“...they are all wrapped up in their own affairs...” (Ph)   

“Don't be so obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.” Philippians 2:4 (MSG)  

“Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father, he has served with me in the work of the gospel.” Philippians 2: 22

“...you know what kind of person Timothy proved to be.” (GW)

• LIVE WITH INTEGRITY

“Reliable friends who do what they say are like cool drinks in sweltering heat—refreshing!”  Proverbs 25:13 (MSG) 

• KEEP MY PROMISES

       “They always do what they promise, no matter how much it may cost.” Psalm 15:4 (TEV)  

• LEARN TO COOPERATE

“I send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, my fellow worker and my fellow soldier, is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.”  Philippians 2:25  

“...he has worked and fought by my side.” (GN)

Jesus: "You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight.”  Matthew 5:9 (MSG) 

• LEARN TO BE CONSIDERATE

“But now, I must send him back to you, because he longs to see all of you, and has been worried about your distress since you heard that he was sick.” Philippians 2:26 (NCV)

“You must get along with each other! You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common.” 1 Corinthians 1:10 (MSG) 

“I don't just do what I like or what is best for me, but what is best for everyone so they may be saved.” 1 Corinthians 10:33 (NLT)  

“Indeed he was very ill, and he almost died...he RISKED HIS LIFE for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while trying to do for me the things you couldn't do because you were far away!”

Philippians 2:17, 30 (NLT)

“Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.” Mark 8:35 (LB)