The Proof of a Submissive Mind -Part 2- Philippians 2:25-30

With the birth of the Church in Acts 2 the Good News of Jesus Christ spread across the then known world in less than 125-years. These early Christ-followers lived out their faith in very adverse pagan cultures.

J.B. Phillips says it best: “These early Christians were on fire with the conviction that they had become, through Christ, literally sons of God; they were pioneers of a new humanity, founders of a new Kingdom. They still speak to us across the centuries. Perhaps if we believed what they believed, we might achieve what they achieved.” (Phillips, Translator’s Preface, Letters to Young Churches)

As Christian we are called to submissive, sacrificial lifestyles (2:1-4), we are shown the pattern for that lifestyle in Christ (vv. 5-11), we are given the power for a submissive mind by God (vv. 12-18), and now we focus on the proof & properties of a submissive mind in today’s passage. What does a submissive, sacrificial person look like? How do you know if you are demonstrating a submissive, sacrificial attitude? Two men exemplify Paul’s teaching on the submissive mind.

Last week we learned of the characteristics of a submissive mind from Timothy’s life.  Today we will glean three characteristics (ingredients) of a submissive mind from Epaphroditus’s life.