June 09 2026

Tuesday June 09

Risking Everything for Christ

Philippians 2:28-30

Welcome to Pastor’s Chat. Today we are going to finish Philippians 2 by looking at verses 28 through 30, where the Apostle Paul writes to the church at Philippi concerning Epaphroditus: “Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem, because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.” Today we are talking about risking everything for Christ. That is exactly what Epaphroditus did.

As we have read through this chapter, we have seen how Jesus Christ left everything in heaven. He gave up His rights, came down to earth, made Himself a servant, and became obedient even to the death of the cross. As a result, God highly exalted Him. We also see the example of the Apostle Paul himself. Paul left everything in his old life. As we read later in the book of Philippians, he counted it all as dung—a pile of manure—compared to what he gained in Christ. He made the great statement in chapter 1, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

The example of Timothy shows us the same truth. Timothy left his family, his parents, and his friends in the city of Lystra to follow the Apostle Paul and to follow Jesus Christ. Now we come to Epaphroditus. He risked his life and “did not regard his own life.” The phrase “not regarding his life” carries the idea of taking a great risk. Epaphroditus was willing to risk everything for Christ.

He carried the offering from the Philippians to Paul in Rome. The journey was long. The roads were dangerous. The conditions were difficult. Paul was in prison and could potentially be executed, which meant Epaphroditus might suffer the same fate. Somewhere along the way, he became gravely ill. He became so sick that it appeared he would die. Yet God had mercy on him and spared his life. God also had mercy on Paul, sparing him additional sorrow.

Yet through it all, Epaphroditus continued serving. Remarkably, he was more concerned about the people worrying about him than he was about the possibility of his own death. So Paul tells the Philippians in verse 29: “Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem.” God honors His servants. The world honors celebrities. God honors faithfulness. God honors sacrifice. God honors those who quietly give themselves in service to others. He also teaches us to honor those to whom honor is due. (Proverbs 3:27)

As I think about this passage, I am reminded of the famous words of Jim Elliot: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” The truth is that every believer is called to risk something for Jesus Christ. Maybe not our lives, but certainly our comfort, our convenience, our reputation, our resources, and even our time. The greatest investment we can make on earth is not in temporal things, but in eternal things.

That is what Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians 4. As he begins that chapter, he writes: “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.” In other words, we do not quit. We do not give up. We do not faint. Then he goes on to say verses 117-18: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory... while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Remember Paul on his final journey to Jerusalem in Acts 20:24. The believers repeatedly warned him that suffering awaited him there. Yet Paul declared: “Nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy.” My friend, that was true of Paul. It was true of Epaphroditus. May it be true of us as well. May we be willing to risk everything for the sake of Christ.

Let’s pray. Father, help us to live courageously for Jesus Christ. Give us hearts that value eternal things above temporary comforts. May we be willing to spend and be spent for Your glory. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

God bless and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!