我们留下怎样的榜样？
腓立比书二章19至30节
19我靠主耶稣指望快打发提摩太去见你们，叫我知道你们的事，心里就得着安慰。
20因为我没有别人与我同心，实在罣念你们的事。
21别人都求自己的事，并不求耶稣基督的事。
22但你们知道提摩太的明证；他兴旺福音，与我同劳，待我像儿子待父亲一样。
23所以，我一看出我的事要怎样了结，就盼望立刻打发他去；
24但我靠着主自信我也必快去。
25然而，我想必须打发以巴弗提到你们那里去。他是我的兄弟，与我一同做工，一同当兵，是你们所差遣的，也是供给我需用的。
26他很想念你们众人，并且极其难过，因为你们听见他病了。
27他实在是病了，几乎要死；然而神怜恤他，不但怜恤他，也怜恤我，免得我忧上加忧。
28所以我越发急速打发他去，叫你们再见他，就可以喜乐，我也可以少些忧愁。
29故此，你们要在主里欢欢乐乐的接待他，而且要尊重这样的人；
30因他为做基督的工夫，几乎至死，不顾性命，要补足你们供给我的不及之处。
信息分享
圣经运用多种方式教导基督徒怎样过活。其中一个最有效的方式，就是给我们列举别人的榜样。这段经文为我们提供了四个典范人物，他们分别是耶稣基督、保罗、提摩太和以巴弗提。在今天的查经中，我们将认识当中两人。
保罗最初认识提摩太的时候，提摩太还是个少年人；但随着两人越来越熟悉，他们便建立了情如父子的感情。提摩太似乎天生体弱和性格害羞；然而，他却凡事以耶稣基督为首。请留意保罗在第20至21节所说的话；他岂不是一个值得我们学效的美好典范？
保罗希望提摩太前往腓立比(离他当时住的地方超过五百哩)，好帮助那里的教会，之后，再回到罗马，把腓立比教会的消息告诉保罗。这项任务，对于年少体弱的提摩太来说，实在是一大挑战。可是，提摩太为了基督的缘故，便义不容辞地照他的吩咐去做。如果换了我们，我们愿意去吗？或经常以体弱为借口，甚么工作也一概推辞？
以巴弗提又是另一个典范。他曾经受托把一些物资带到罗马送给保罗，补足保罗的缺欠。他却为此而病倒，几乎丧命。如今他已康复，准备上路回家。
今天，我们听见许多人批评基督徒说：「看，你们为教会做太多工作了！」，「你这样辛苦为教会工作，迟早会疲劳过度了！」然而，以巴弗提却因为基督的缘故而任劳任怨，甚至健康受损。
以上两人都立下了舍己为人的佳美榜样，值得我们每个信徒努力学效。
反思：
我为基督做了多少工作呢？我是否真的牺牲了甚么？我还可以多做些甚么呢？
WHAT EXAMPLE ARE WE LEAVING BEHIND?
Philippians 2: 19 - 30
19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state.
20 For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state.
21 For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus.
22 But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.
23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me.
24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly.
25 Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need;
26 since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.
27 For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
28 Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful.
29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem;
30 because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.
Message
The bible teaches Christians how to live. It does this in many different ways. One very helpful way is by giving us the example of others. Here in this chapter four people are mentioned: Jesus Christ, Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus. Our reading tells us about two of these.
Timothy was a very young man when Paul first met him but the two grew to love each other very much. Timothy seems to have been physically weak and shy. Yet Timothy was one in whose life Jesus Christ came first. Notice what Paul says in verses 20 and 21. Isn't that a wonderful example for us to follow?
Paul wanted Timothy to go to Philippi (over 500 miles each way) to help the church there. Then he was to return to Paul in Rome and tell him about the church at Philippi. That would be been a big task for a physically weak young man. But Timothy was willing to go for Christ's sake. Are we as willing as that or do we very often see physical weakness as an excuse to do nothing?
Epaphroditus was the other example. He had brought a gift to Paul in Rome. In trying to minister to Paul there he had become ill and nearly lost his life. Now he had recovered and was ready to return home.
People today criticize Christians when they think the Christian is doing too much work in the church. 'You shouldn't do all that', they say. 'You'll wear yourself out.' But Epaphroditus gladly did everything he could for Christ's sake, even though his health suffered.
Wonderful self-sacrificing examples aren't they?
THINK ABOUT THIS:
How much am I doing for Christ? Is it really costing me anything? What more could I be doing?