Are You Risking Anything?
- Baptist Daily Devotional
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Rev. Enoch Thompson | April 4 2025 | Philippians 2:25-30
KEY VERSE: ²⁹ Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honour men like him, ³⁰ because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.” Philippians 2:29-30 (NIV)
MESSAGE: The church in Philippi had sent Epaphroditus to assist the Apostle Paul while he was under house arrest for preaching the Gospel. While doing this service, Epaphroditus had fallen seriously ill to the point of nearly dying. As part of Paul’s concerns for the Philippian church, he chose to let Epaphroditus return to them so that their anxiety over him would be removed.
Paul instructs them, “²⁹ Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honour men like him, ³⁰ because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.” (Phil 2:29-30), NIV. The badge of honour for which Epaphroditus was to be enthusiastically and honorably welcomed was that he risked his life in the service of Christ.
Christ risked it all for us by taking on human form and living in our fallen, sinful world. He faced all temptations (without sinning), suffered the jealousy, hatred, and opposition of religious people, and offered Himself on the cross to shed His blood for our salvation. We must risk all of life for Christ. Then, whether by people or by God, we shall be honoured and rewarded.
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Resolve to risk all of life for Christ. Let us resolve that nothing will stand in the way of our commitment to serving Christ from this point forward.
PRAYER:
Lord, how I try to save my skin, and sometimes leave your will rejected and your work undone. Please forgive me and help me form the resolve to risk it all for you, whatever it may mean and demand. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING
DAILY word study: RISKING
The Greek word for “risked” in Philippians 2:30 is παραβολεύομαι (paraboleuomai), which means to expose oneself to danger or to throw beside—implying complete surrender and vulnerability in pursuit of a mission.
Paul uses this rare term to emphasize how Epaphroditus merely travel for a mission—he exposed himself to harm to serve Christ. In the early Church, risking one’s life wasn’t symbolic—it was real. This links to Jesus’ own example in Philippians 2:5–8, where He humbled Himself unto death. To “risk” for Christ means to serve without self-preservation at the center.
Reflection: True service in the kingdom involves obedience that might cost comfort, reputation, or even safety. The question is: will we still go?
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