JMA Missions Mid-Month February 2025
The Great Commission in the New Testament, 2025
The Great Commission in Philippians
The Reciprocal Missionary Relationship
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. 20For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. 21For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. 22But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. 23Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. 24But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly. 25Yet 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; 26since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27For 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. 28Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. 29Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; 30because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me."
Ok, I'm trying to condense! If we take the Great Commission in Matthew at face value, for example, which many do, and we do not calculate the relational end of the matter, we will miss the point of the Great Commission entirely. We make the Commission an empty shell of itself, a hollow and religious command to 'go' somewhere, to make converts to a religion, spiritual conquests, and we track and promote all those numbers, raise money on that, and congratulate ourselves on what a great job we're doing.
In this passage, Paul gives us a glimpse into the reciprocal missionary relationship that is the unspoken heart of the Great Commission.
There are two teams in our story here: Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus (who I'm renaming Big Easy, because spelling!), and that's our missionary team. The other side is the 'mission field' side, or the Philippian church (probably actually churches, see ch1:1). Paul and his team arrived in Philippi in Acts 16, you can read that account on your own, but there were tremendous events that happened, the gospel was preached, the city was turned upside down, and the lives and hearts of the local people were transformed. Paul and his team stayed there for some unknown time, and it is safe to say that things happened in that city that would impact the remainder of Paul's life. From then on, he and that new group of believers at Philippi were forever connected.
What we see in this passage: A very personal exchange, they know each other and they genuinely care for one another. The Philippians knew the personal struggles and issues that the mission team members were experiencing; Paul took ministry money and ministry personnel, sent both Timothy and Big Easy to Philippi- not for a crusade or a conference or seminar- no, the only reason he sent them was to comfort their hearts; these people are in a reciprocal relationship, with genuine care for each other, and respect for each other. The church at Philippi also participated in giving and receiving (ch4:15); this church was the mission field, but they never viewed themselves as receivers only, but as participants. The mission field church gave finances to the missionary! This is reciprocal! This is relational!
The Great Commission making disciples task is fulfilled in and through reciprocal, life-giving, bless-one-another, caring relationships. Making these types of connections is life-altering on both sides. I have friendships with Pastors in Kenya that have changed my life. We can be open, warm, unpretentious, and peaceful. And they feel the same. We have a freedom, and trust, and depth of relationship that frankly many times is not available from my own culture.
But that's the Great Commission! That's kingdom building!
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