God’s Gambler
Phil 2:25-30
 Dr. Larry Halsey

Thomas A. Edison has been called, “The man who invented the 20the century.” The Wizard of Menlo Park, as he was called, is best remembered for his many inventions, including the incandescent light bulb, the phonograph, and the movie camera.

Edison is also remembered for his friends. His best friend was Henry Ford. Their friendship was forged by 40 years of wintering next door to each other in Fort Myers, Florida.

On insight into their friendship was the special favor Mr. Ford—who was 16 years younger than Mr. Edison—asked of Edison’s son, Charles, as his father lay dying. Mr. Ford asked that his friend’s last breath be captured in a beaker. When Mr. Edison breathed his last on October 18, 1931, his request was granted. The sealed beaker was presented to Mr. Ford, who kept it on his nightstand until his death in 1947.

Edison and Ford had a friend. His name was Harvey Firestone. When I first saw this picture of the three sitting together telling jokes, at the Edison Museum in Fort Myers, I worshipped God. Think of the impact this trio has had in birthing the industrial age and the economic prowess of America. By the way, on one occasion the three best friends took a hunting trip together to West Virginia.

You can tell a great deal about a person by his friends, and the depth of their friendships. Proverbs has 23 references to “friends” and “companions.” Proverbs 13:20 says, (The Message): “Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall apart.”

The Apostle Paul knew how to make enemies, he also know how to make friends. He valued His friends.

In Philippians chapter 2, he talks about three friends who blessed his life and is ministry. They mirrored traits that encourage spiritually-minded believers today.

One of them is God’s Gambler. Philippians 2:25-30
Beginning in verse 3, Paul is exhorting believers to humility and unity- Two inseparable friends. Without these qualities, friendships soon deteriorate; and in the church family, potential for ministry is sabotaged.

Beginning in verse 3, Paul is exhorting believers to humility and unity- Two inseparable friends. Without these qualities, friendships soon deteriorate; and in the church family, potential for ministry is sabotaged.You’ve heard it said, “A picture is worth 1,000 words.” A model is worth 10,000 words. In fact, our heroes define us and our values. One survey found that 48% of Americans would like their child to grow up and be like Bill Gates. The survey was taken before the Gates became famous for their
philanthropy.

Beside these three stellar illustrations, you can write I Cor 13: 5- “Love does not seek its own.”

When Paul thought of humility and unity, his mind first turned to the Lord Jesus in Verses 5-11- He is the model of Selfless Sacrifice.

This passage has been called, “the crowning revelation concerning Jesus in the Pauline epistles.” (Hiebert, 295). It is the central New Testament revelation of his pre-existence, incarnation and exaltation!“Let his mind be in you,” he says in verse 5- A mindset of selfless sacrifice.

Matthew said of Him: (“The Message”):

“That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve—and then give
away His life in exchange for the many who are held hostage.” It’s the essence of faith…at home, at school, among your friends?

It’s the essence of faith…at home, at school, among your friends? In verses 19-23, Paul’s hero is Timothy- An example of Selfless
Compassion.

Timothy stood out from his culture…even from many who professed Christ- Verse 21- “For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus.”V22- (Read)—“But you know his (Timothy’s) proven character.”

Paul uses an intriguing word in verse 20 in contrasting Timothy’s character with the self-centeredness of his age: “who will sincerely care for your state.”

”Sincerely” (gnesios)- It’s from ginomai, meaning “to become.” It can be translated, “true, genuine.” It can also mean, “without wax.” Craftsmen in ancient times often made objects from a very costly porcelain. During the firing process, because of its fragile delicacy, the porcelain sometimes cracked.

In stead of throwing the piece on the garbage heap, dishonest merchants attempted to deceive unwary buyers by filling the crack with a pearly white wax, not discernable to the naked eye. If the piece was exposed to the sun’s heat, the wax melted- exposing the merchant’s character flaw.

Timothy was a believer who acted without thought of self-gain or duplicity. He loved God, therefore he loved God’s people. There were no strings attached, no thought of personal gain. He was a person of Selfless Compassion.

The Lord Jesus- A model of Selfless Sacrifice
Timothy- Selfless Compassion

III. In Verses 25-30- You discover God’s Gambler- He is a model of
Selfless Service.His name is Epaphroditus. He was a member of a compassionate church (the church at Philippi), who had sent him to Rome on a mission of love and mercy…To find Paul, who is in prison, and deliver a monetary gift for his care.

His name is Epaphroditus.He was a member of a compassionate church (the church at Philippi), who had sent him to Rome on a mission of love and mercy…To find Paul, who is in prison, and deliver a monetary gift for his care.While he was with Paul, he became extremely ill. The text says, “he was sick almost unto death.” The phrase means literally, “he was alongside death as a neighbor.”

When he finally recovered, Paul attributed it to the gracious hand of God to his home church at Philippi, and to him personally.Isn’t it striking that Paul apparently made no attempt to heal his friend. The late H.A. Ironside astutely observed:

“Let it be noted that the apostle did not consider he had any right to
demand physical healing even for so faithful a laborer as Epaphroditus.
Paul recognized it as simply the mercy of God, not as that to which saints
have a right. This is true divine healing. And let it be remembered that
sickness may be as really from God as health. It is clear that Paul never
held or taught ‘healing in the atonement’ and therefore the birthright
privilege of all Christians. Nor do you ever read of him or his fellow-
laborers being miraculously healed. Paul himself, Trophimos, Timothy
and Epaphroditus, all bear witness to the contrary.”

Epaphroditus is one of 13 New Testament Christians sick in the will of God!

The question I bring to this brother’s testimony is: What motivated Epaphroditus? It was obviously love for Christ. That’s the only motive that will keep you at it…despite fatigue, weariness or discouragement.

There’s an Appalachian story about a farmer who had a mule named “Jim.” One day this mountaineer was approached by a neighbor asking him to haul something for him. The helpful farmer hooked Jim up to the wagon, and with the neighbor in tow, climbed up on the wagon, took the reins and yelled, “Giddy-up Jim…giddy-up Sue, giddy-up Sam, Giddy-up Sara…Giddy-up Joe.

As the wagon started to move, the neighbor said, “Jim is the only one pulling, Why did you call out all those other names?” “Well,” the farmer replied, “If Jim knew he was the only one pulling, he’d never budge an inch.”

There are times in your ministry when you are the only one pulling. If you focus on people you’re sure to become discouraged… “For all seek their own, not the things which are of Jesus Christ.”

Perseverance is nurtured and is sustained by a clear picture of the selfless Sacrifice- the Lord Jesus Christ, and models like Timothy, Epaphroditus and Paul!

Love for Jesus motivated Epaproditus in four directions:
 1. Love Motivated This Brother To Reach Within

“Epaproditus” is a unusual name, isn’t it? I was quite common in Paul’s
day. It means, “favored of Aphrodite.” The pagan Greek fertility goddess;
she was the goddess of love.” It isn’t a Christian name…Epaproditus wasn’t born into a Christian family!
His parents were devotees of the Aphrodite cult! Yes- Praise be God,
Paul says, (V25)- “my brother.”

One day Epaproditus heard the Gospel of Christ and was saved! Friend,
there is no greater motivation for selfless sacrifice, compassion and service than the grace of God that delivered you from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His dear son.”

Love motivated Epap to reach in, to open His heart to the Gospel of Christ.

II. Love Motivated Epap To Reach Out

Paul says, “My brother,” “companion” “fellow soldier”
“messenger” (V25) means “ambassador”
“minister” means, “One called to priestly service.” You don’t earn a reputation like this by showing up a couple times a week!

Epap reached in…He reached out…

III. He Reached Back

Verse 26 is a rare glimpse of love and community at work in the early church.
(Read)- Epap is anxious because he knew the church would be anxious
about him when they heard he was gravely ill.The word translated “distressed” is found in just two other places in the
New Testament- In the Gospels’ accounts of our Lord’s broken heart in the
Garden of Gethsemane!

IV. Epap Reached Up…In reckless abandon to God Verse 30 says, “…not regarding is life.” It’s a gambler’s term (“paraboteuo”)
meaning, “To throw aside,” “to risk everything on the roll of the dice.”

This is so ironic it brings a smile to your face. I said Aphrodite was the pagan
goddess of love; she was also the goddess of gambling (chance). As the
gambler shook the dice, he would cry, “Epaphroditus”- Meaning “may the favor of Aphrodite be upon me.”The word speaks of voluntarily hazarding one’s welfare and thereby exposing
oneself to danger. Why did he do it?

“for the work of Christ”

It was a dangerous time to be a bold Christian in the Empire. The Caesar’s had figured out that this new cult- “the Way” was not a passing fad within Judaism. Rome, as a society, demanded tolerance. To insist that Jesus is THE WAY to heaven was intolerable. Paul wrote Philippians prison in Rome in A.D. 61 or 62. The madman Nero sat on the Throne, and in just 2 years- July A.D. 64, a large section of Rome would burn. Nero would see it as an opportunity to drive the Christians from Rome and to exterminate them. He blamed it on them!Hurricane clouds of persecution and suffering were on the horizon. And here is Epap walking openly through the streets looking for public enemy #1- The
Apostle Paul.

Dr. Parvin and I spent several days with a missionary couple at Bach Memorial Hospital in the mountains of Northern Pakistan, just a few miles from Kashmere. Dr. Luke Cutterel was in private practice in Roanoke

when he and his family sensed a leading to return to Abbottabodd, where Luke had grown up in a missionary family. The hospital is located inside a compound surrounded by a high wall.On Sunday morning, Dr. Parvin spoke on the Prodigal Son’s loving father in the service inside the compound. God as Father is foreign to Islam. Notice that he is in His sock feet. It’s a common practice among the believers; the pulpit where the Word of God is read and preached, is viewed as a sacred place.

On Sunday evening, Dr. Luke asked me to share a devotional with several members of the hospital staff at a service in their home. There were seven of us, as I remember, including Luke, His wife and two female doctors, one was American, the other was German.

I talked about God’s Gambler. During our discussion, Luke said quietly glancing around the room, “These are risking their lives to be here.” Over the next couple of days, we felt the brunt of that statement.

We went along to chapel where the entire staff meets for worship and prayer each morning before beginning the day. When we arrived there were armed guards everywhere. We sat with Luke near the back; there were, he told us later, about 120 hospital staff members in the building.

“Doc, why the guards,” I wondered aloud. “Well,” he said, “If terrorists strike, they know a vulnerable moment would be when we are all gathered together in the chapel.”That gave me a completely different perspective about being a Christian in that setting, identifying with other Christians.

That gave me a completely different perspective about being a Christian in that setting, identifying with other Christians.The hospital is meeting physical needs in Jesus’ name, but Dr. Luke was very direct in saying that the primary purpose is evangelism…winning Moslems to Christ. There is an “evangelism department” at the hospital; trained men and women, who work quietly through the wards and rooms witnessing to small groups and individuals. They had a literature ministry.

Dr. Luke, very modest and humble broteher, told about A young woman who came to the hospital to deliver a baby, her first. After the birth, by C-section, I think, there were complications. It was necessary for Dr. to perform a complete hysterectomy…no more children.

Well, the lady was- of course- a Moslem, and her newborn was a female…Females are viewed as being of lesser value…to have a male is a sign of Allah’s blessing…and to give her husband a male child is every wife’s hope, and involves her standing with him and in the family.

That night, in the wee hours of the morning, Dr. Luke was summonsed to the hospital. The woman was hemorrhaging badly; her husband was nowhere to be found. At one point, Doc realized he was losing her. She lost so much blood, that he said, red-tinted water was running through her arteries and veins. There was no blood available that night at the hospital.

So Dr. Luke hooked himself up to an IV, extracted a unit of his blood, and gave it to her. Her life was saved. The husband was finally found and Luke told him about what had happened, and just mentioned in passing that he had given her his blood! This Moslem husband and father stopped him: “Do you mean you saved my wife’s life by giving her your blood.”

Not only that, she had given birth to a female, and now would be incapable of having other children.

”Yes,” Luke said, “But there is Another person who gave His blood a long time ago, for you and her, that you could be forgiven and have a relationship to God.”

Dr. Luke and his staff are contemporary models of God’s gambler—Epaphroditus, who convicts me and encourages me in my service for Christ.Are YOU a kingdom risk taker? Answer these questions. Keep count…there are 4 of them. It’s an R.Q (Risk Quotient) test:

Left hand- “A”- Agree; “D”- Disagree

*“I generally prefer new experiences over security.” Agree or disagree?

* “The reason mountain climbers are tied together is to keep the sane
ones from going home.” Agree or disagree?

*”If you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.” Agree or Disagree

* “I would rather feel intense disappointment than intense regret.”
 Agree or Disagree

 Kingdom risk takers have eternal influence…they march to a different
drum beat…they hear a different voice…

They are models of Jesus, the great Risk Taker, who gave everything
that you might be saved.

When was the last time you risked something for His sake?