Philippians 2:21

Philippians 2:21 says, For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.  Paul said that everyone was seeking what they wanted instead of what Jesus Christ wanted.  We know this is true of those who had not accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, but we cannot allow it to be true of us if we have accepted Him.  This is part of the problem with a name it and claim it religion. In such, we are seeking our own things and not the things of Jesus Christ.  Verse twenty-two adds, But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.  Paul said Timothy was not seeking his own wealth, but was as a son to him, serving for the gospel of Christ with Paul.  This needs to be what people say about our life as Christians, that we are serving for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Verse twenty-three declares, Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.  Paul said he hoped to send Timothy to the Christians at Philippi soon, but he had to wait and see what happened to himself.  I believe this means that Paul was waiting to have God's will revealed to him.  If he were freed, he would likely be planning to come with Timothy, unless he felt that God had other plans.  There is nothing wrong with making plans, as long as we make them in accordance with God's plan for our life.  Verse twenty-four adds, But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.  As just stated,  Paul hoped to come to Philippi soon himself,  but he put it all under God's control.  At no point did he say that he wanted to come and he was going to pray about it and since that was what he desired that God would grant it.  As followers of Christ, we must never believe that what we want from our own desire is what God wants for us.  Verse twenty-five states, 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.   Paul said that he felt it necessary to send Epaphroditus, his brother, companion in the work of Christ, and fellow soldier in the army of Jesus Christ, to the believers at Philippi.  Though Epaphroditus was very close to Paul, he was not selfishly saying that he must remain with him.  Like Paul, we may at times have to give up someone close to us to go elsewhere to do the work of Christ.  Verse twenty-six adds, For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.  Paul said that Epaphroditus longed to come to Philippi, because they had heard that he had been sick.  He waited to relieve their worry.  Verse twenty-seven continues, 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.  Paul said that Epaphroditus had been very sick, but that God had been merciful to him and healed him.  Paul also said that God was merciful to him when He healed Epaphroditus, because if Epaphroditus had died he would have had sorrow on sorrow.  God's mercy does not just affect the one it is shown to, but often affects those close to them as well.  Verse twenty-eight declares, I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.  Paul said that he sent Epaphroditus to them again so that they might rejoice.  I believe Paul did this because he knew it was what God wanted and not just to cause the followers of Christ at Philippi to rejoice.   Paul also said sending Epaphroditus to them made him less sorrowful, I believe because their sadness over what they believed had happened to Epaphroditus also saddened Paul.  Verse twenty-nine adds, Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:  Paul called on the Christians at Philippi to receive Epaphroditus in the Lord with gladness.   Verse thirty concludes, Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.  Paul said that because of the work of Epaphroditus for the Jesus Christ that he had nearly died, but he still was not concerned with his life, but instead was concerned with meeting Paul's needs, which the church at Philippi had failed to do.  I don't believe that Paul said this to condemn them, but did so to point out how important Epaphroditus was to him, but also to point out how important they, the believers at Philippi, were as well.  We should never selfishly do what we believe is best for us individually if it is at the cost of what is best for our fellow Christians.  Of course, as long as we are following God's will, the two things, what I may want and the will of God, will be the same.