Lesson 532

(Lesson 532)(01-30-13) Philippians 2:19-30, "But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly. Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me."

In the beginning of this lesson, Paul, with his characterization of Timothy, established how hard it was, even in the days so close to the life of Jesus Christ, to find someone upon whom you could depend to truthfully deliver the word of God in it's purest form. Even then,while the true word of God was historically so close at hand, there were those who desperately tried to distort and confuse its true meaning.

In the latter portion of this lesson, Paul relates the devotion of Epaproditus as one of those who did diligently adhere to the gospel, even when he was very sick.
Its good to carefully scrutinize those upon whom you rely for your knowledge of what God's word actually says. Compared to listening to what someone else has to say about the gospel, do you believe its be better if you take the time to study it all and learn the undisputed truth for yourself?

We should continually encourage others to study, 2 Timothy 2:15, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."~