Dear all,

Following this biblestudy, but absolutely not with any relation to this the following:

On suday we had a preacher in our midst, who is guiding a worldwide missionary team. He had chosen as his subject: Philippians 2 v 25:
"But I think it necessary to send back to you Epafroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.
(26): For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.
(27) Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him, but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.
(28): Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when yoiu see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety" .
...........
At first that name! Servant of the goddess of love'', (Apofrodite).
So many Christians- out-of- the Gentiles change their names in somethiing respectable. Absolutely O.K.. But (let us call him) Epa did not do that.
If he had wanted so.....
of course we do not know if he acted like that
....this should have been a good introduction:
"Yes ...yes ...you hear it exactly:. But I am a servant of Lord Jesus Christ, who ís LOVE".
- Epa is 'a brother in the Lord' of Paul. Well all Christians are this, real brothers of each other, as things are well, perhaps even friends like Paul and Epa.
- But there is more: Epa is not only a brother : he has become 'a fellow-worker'. He is not only as 'preach-consumer'....he has become a producer of 'work in the kingdom'.
- However: Epa had made so much progress, that he could be a 'fellow-soldier' with Paul, genius as Paul was.
- Epa had become so good, that the congregation in Philippi could send him with a message, in this case the reaching of a sack with money , a riskful job in those times.
- Delegate (apostle) to Paul and Paul sents him back as an apostle, (delegate), (with this letter ?)
- He became ill, very ill, Epa, somewhere during this difficult journey from Philippi, East-Greece , to Rome, (detention-place of aul). This man did not grudge the cost...to be a 'messenger of the Lord'.
- But: he recoverd. And then Paul could send hin back.
....................
Of course you have understood the message:

You, brothers and sisters;
- . if still you are no fellow-workere; become ACTIVE.
Think no longer only:
"What can the congregation do to make ME happy".
Begin to think :
"What can I do to make the congregation happy. Placing the chairs perhaps"

- If you are a fellow- worker, but not yet a fellow- soldier: to the ' invisible' frontline. Exercise your spiritual gifts in the great war against satan.

- if you are already a fellow soldier, if the leaders of the congregation can not yet give you an important, but difficult task...become a messenger of Jesus Christ too.
.........
Oh...how we were vigorous after this preach to be at least a fellow- worker.
The chairs never were assembled so swiftly.

I think, this messag is also useful to you.

Bye
Ber