Pursuing the interests of Christ

Philippians 2 is all tied together. It started in Philippians 2:1–4 with a plea for unity, for humbly counting others better than ourselves, for looking out not only for our own interests but also and especially for the interests of others. Paul rooted this in the humility of Christ, the one who emptied himself for us on the cross that he described in that hymn of Christ in Philippians 2:5–11. From this flowed the command in Philippians 2:12–13: work out your salvation with fear and trembling, and do so in the strength of the Lord. Paul then gave a practical application of this in Philippians 2:14–18: do all things without grumbling and complaining. Now, in Timothy he has given us a real-life illustration! Timothy is a model—an example!—of someone who is working out his salvation with fear and trembling, without grumbling and complaining, and doing so in the same selfless, humble way of Christ, all by the grace and power of God who works in us with his Spirit both to will and to work! And the unmistakable implication here is this: if God can so powerfully work in Timothy, he can do the same good work in us. May the Spirit so powerfully bend our hearts, our minds, and our wills, yes even our actions, so that if Paul were among us today, he would not say, There is no one like Timothy, but would instead have to say, There is no one like these members in this congregation, who are genuinely concerned for others. For they all seek, not their own interests, but those of Jesus Christ! Yes, let that be our prayer, our passion, our pursuit.