1. THE MAN WHO GAMBLED HIS LIFE ON GOD!
Philippians 2:25-30

2. Philippians 2:3
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility, consider others better than yourselves.”
Philippians 3:10
“That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection…”
Philippians 1:21
“For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
Philippians 3:20
“But our citizenship is in heaven and we eagerly await our Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it out to completion until the day of Christ.”
“And God has given Him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”
Philippians 2:9-11
Philippians 3:13,14
“But this one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and reaching for those things which are ahead, I press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

3. Philippians 4:6,7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition, let your requests be known to God, and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19
“And my God shall supply all your needs, according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13
Philippians 4:4
“Rejoice in the Lord always, and again, I say, rejoice.”

4. “But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also you messenger and minister to my needs; because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
Philippians 2:25-27

5. “Therefore, I have sent him all the more eagerly in order that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. Therefore, receive him in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard; because he came close to death for the work of Christ, RISKING HIS LIFE to complete what was deficient in your service to me.”
Philippians 2:28-30

6. THE 700 MILE GAP
Philippi

7. I. LET’S MEET EPAPHRODITUS
THE MEANING OF HIS NAME
GREEK: APHRODITUS
LATIN: VENUS

8. LET’S MEET EPAPHRODITUS
A DISTINCTION WORTH NOTING
Philippians introduces us to Epaphroditus
Colossians introduces us to Epaphras

9. LET’S MEET EPAPHRODITUS
THE DISCRIPTION OF THE MAN
*MY BROTHER
*MY FELLOW-WORKER
*MY FELLOW-SOLDIER
*YOUR MESSENGER
*YOUR MINISTER

10. LET’S MEET EPAPHRODITUS
“…he came close to death, for the work of Christ, RISKING HIS LIFE…” vs. 30

11. II. THE MAN WHO GAMBLED HIS LIFE ON GOD!
A. WHAT EPAPHRODITUS DID “RISKING HIS LIFE…” “without having any regard” “intentionally giving his all” “putting it all on the table”

12. WHAT WERE THE ODDS AGAINST HIM?
*HE WAS A GENTILE – NOT A JEW *HE LIVED IN A REMOTE AREA *TO BE A CHRISTIAN COULD MEAN HIS DEATH *TO BE A CHRISITAN REQUIRED FAITH *TO SERVE CHRIST MEANT SACRIFICE *HE CAME CLOSE TO DEATH

13. THE QUESTION:
WHY WOULD SUCH A MAN RISK HIS LIFE FOR THE WORK OF CHRIST?

14. THE RESULT
WAS IT WORTH IT? DID HE WIN OR DID HE LOSE?

15. TRUTH TO LIVE BY
#1. GIVING OURSELVES WHOLLY TO JESUS CHRIST MAKES PERFECT SENSE WHEN WE CONSIDER THAT JESUS GAVE HIMSELF WHOLLY FOR EACH ONE OF US!

16. TRUTH TO LIVE BY
#2: NONE OF US CAN EVER LOSE BY GIVING OURSELVES TO THE LORD, FOR WHAT HE GIVES TO US WILL ALWAYS BE MORE THAN WHAT WE GIVE TO HIM! “HE IS NO FOOL WHO GIVES WHAT HE CANNOT KEEP TO GAIN WHAT HE CANNOT LOSE” JIM ELLIOTT

17. TRUTH TO LIVE BY
#3: “WHEN YOU DETERMINE TO GIVE YOURSELF TO JESUS, TO LIVE FOR HIM AND SERVE HIS CAUSE, DO NOT EXPECT THE WORLD TO UNDERSTAND YOUR DECISION OR APPLAUD YOUR EFFORTS!”

18. TRUTH TO LIVE BY
#4: “SUCH A COMMITMENT TO CHRIST AS SEEN IN THE LIFE OF EPAPHRODITUS IS WORTHY OF RESPECT AND HONOR IN THE CHURCH!” “…hold men like him in high regard.” vs. 29

19. TRUTH TO LIVE BY
#5: “IT IS A HIGH CALL AND PRIVILEGE TO BE CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING: *BROTHER/SISTER *FELLOW-WORKER *FELLOW-SOLDIER *SERVANT

20. THE MAN WHO GAMBLED HIS LIFE ON GOD!
Philippians 2:25-30