The Two Disciples

Philippians 2.19  I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.
25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-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 on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29 So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 30 because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.

Apostle Paul was writing this letter from the jail to the church in Philippi and sending it to them through a fellow believer Epaphroditus. In these verses, he was speaking about two disciples who he was mentoring namely, Timothy and Epaphroditus. Every believer is either a mentor or a mentee. 

Apostle Paul was concerned about the well being of the Church of Philippi as he was imprisoned and not able to meet them. The success of any concern whether it be a business or ministry, is faithful and like hearted/ minded partners. Timothy was one such person who was very concerned about what Paul was. It is believed that there was great revival happening in the Roman Empire. The number of disciples and ministers were rapidly increasing day by day but Paul was specifically singling out Timothy among all of them. He says “I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.”

Paul had mentored and raised many ministers of God but in all his epistles he speaks about only one person who is like minded with him. Each one was living for their own interests; self focused and not looking at the interest of Jesus . Timothy was an exception. This must be our prayer that we too must be an exception for Christ. Paul was not just flattering Timothy but commending this quality which was very rare. 

Apostle Paul first met Timothy in Acts 16.1-2 “Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek.

In 2 Timothy 1. 5, Paul writes “5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”
Timothy was a zealous, passionate third generation believer. He had a rich spiritual heritage where the prayers and faith of his grandmother and mother took him to a next level of faith and ministry. 

Dr James Dobson who is the founder of “Focus on family” organization also emphasises the faith and prayers of his grandmother and mother as the foundation of his spiritual roots. Even when the cultural atmosphere changed, they passed down faith by reading scripture aloud at home daily, praying together etc. His organisation “Focus on Family” has become a blessing globally.

Whatever be our cultural background, we must decide that there must be a transfer of faith and prayer from one generation to the next. One faithful mother can start a legacy of generations.
2 Timothy 3.15 “and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

Timothy was born and grew in scriptures from his mother though his father was a Greek man. We do not know if his father was a believer. 

In Acts 16.2, we read that “The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.”
He was a man of good reputation in his local church.

1 Corinthians 4.17 says “For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord”

Timothy was both faithful and loyal, a quality which is rare to find.

Philippians 2.20 says that Timothy showed genuine concern for God’s people.

Timothy was Apostle Paul’s spiritual son (verse 22) and they had a deep spiritual bonding. It is a great privilege to associate with anointed men of God. Timothy travelled with Paul in his missionary journeys, was in prison together, was like minded and later would follow up on all the churches planted by Paul and give him a report of their welfare. 

Timothy received a direct life (character) and ministry impartation from Apostle Paul as they walked together. Lester Sumrall received a direct impartation from Smith Wigglesworth, a great man of God whom God used mightily. This was passed on to Pastor Rod Parsley. 

In conclusion, we become like the person we walk with or associate with.

Proverbs 13.20 Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.
If we walk with the wise, our lives will be enriched.