Ephesians 6:21-24

Ephesians 6:21–24 KJV 1900

21 But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things: 22 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts. 23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

Introduction

V 21-22 Paul stresses the importance of community within Christian relationships.

V 21 Starts off by expressing Paul’s desire for the people of the church in Ephesus to know what was going on in his life.

Paul has two similar phrases in these verses.

...that ye also may know MY affairs.

…that ye might know OUR affairs.

These phrases do not so much mean that Tychicus will give a report of what Paul was doing, but rather how Paul was doing.

Some times people like to accuse preachers of treating the people they minister to as just numbers.

This can be true.

Unfortunately.

The flip side can also be true.

Sometimes churches can treat their ministers as the hired help.

Paul the human, wants to give a personal report that transitions into a report of the team that was in Rome with Paul.

Paul usually had a team of ministers accompanying him.

They had families and concerns and needs.

Just like he did.

Tychicus, who we will talk about in a minute had been a part of that team.

It is almost certainly true that the Ephesians already had a deep concern for Paul’s condition.

He had served among them for several years.

Serving in ministry together with someone is a sure way to make a connection.

Because of their connection, Paul wants to inform them of how things are going with him.

Paul is trusting Tychicus to be transparent when he gives his report of how Paul is doing.

That means there will be good reports.

But, there must also be bad reports.

Paul was not a robot.

He had good and bad days.

He was a sinful man just like any of the rest of us.

Paul wanted them to not only hear of how God was blessing, but also how Satan was opposing.

Paul was seeking support from the Ephesians, but he was also teaching them a lesson.

Dr. Karl Menninger, a famous Psychiatrist from the Kansas City area was speaking at a mental health conference. One of the attendees asked Dr. Menninger what he would do if he felt himself on the verge of a mental breakdown. The crowd was expecting him to say that he would make an appointment with a psychiatrist himself. Instead, Dr. Menninger said that if he felt a breakdown approaching he would immediately lock all the doors of his house…he would go out and find someone in need and do something for them.

Before Dr. Menninger was born, Paul understood that preoccupation with self is emotionally distressful and destructive.

Yes, it is true that Paul wanted the support, especially prayer support, of the church at Ephesus.

But, the reason for giving the church a full accounting, not just of what he was doing, but how he was doing, was to help them get their eyes off of themselves.

They needed to be others focused.

Every church and Christian since then, must be others focused!

If we desire to be strong in the Lord, it requires that we sustain and comfort one another.

That’s one of the reasons for belonging to a local church.

Not only do you enjoy the community of mutual care that must exist within the body.

But, you also join a team that is partnered together to help meet the spiritual needs of our community and world.

Paul tasks Tychicus with giving a detailed report of what’s happening.

He asks Tychicus to do this because it would be easier for him to say it all then it would be for Paul to write it.

Tychicus was an Asian man, from the area of Turkey.

In order for Tychicus to succeed in informing the Ephesians about Paul’s affairs a few things had to be true.

First, of all, he had to be trustworthy.

Paul refers to Tychicus as a beloved brother and a faithful minister.

These two words did not often go together in the same person.

Someone who is beloved is usually gracious, easy-going, and gentle.

Someone who is faithful may tend to be rigid, legal, and, possibly, disagreeable.

Paul had betrayed by others in the past who had claimed to be his brother and fellow minister.

Not everyone who pretends to be on your side, really is.

Tychicus had proven to be a beloved brother and faithful minister.

This made him stand out from the rest.

Tychicus had proven to be trustworthy.

Paul was trusting Tychicus to deliver not only this letter, but also the letter to the church at Colossae, and the letter to Philemon.

Onesimus was traveling with Tychicus as well.

Ephesus would have been their first stop.

Paul could trust Tychicus to give an accurate report.

Not only did Tychicus have to be trustworthy in order for this to work, but he also had to be actually aware of what Paul was going through.

You can’t know the good and bad about someone’s life without actually being involved in their life.

You can’t be involved in someone’s life without spending time together.

Tychicus had done this with Paul.

He knowledgeable of Paul’s condition and he was trustworthy to present it accurately.

V 22 Paul believes that if the Ephesians will focus on someone other than themselves it will be good for them.

What does Paul express as his desire for them receiving this report?

That their hearts might be comforted.

Comforted by the assurance that Paul was holding up while under house arrest.

Comforted by the exercise of thinking of someone else.

What happens when you start focusing on the needs of others instead of your own needs?

Thankful for what you have.

Satisfaction of making someone else’s road easier.

Comfort of being used by God to bless someone else.

Closer knit connection with someone in your faith community.

The list could go on...

V 23-24 Paul closes by indicating that successful Christian community flows from the message of the gospel.

When we looked at chapter 1, all the way back in August, we saw in verse 2 the two-fold, jewish-gentile greeting that Paul used to introduce the letter.

Grace and peace, charis and shalom.

Now at the end of the letter, Paul returns to those words.

These words enable and empower the Christian community.

Peace and Love from God.

Because of the truth of the gospel, those that are in Christ stand at peace with God.

This enables us to show love to each other.

I can show you love.

Even if you don’t reciprocate that love, you can’t change or alter my standing with God.

I can take the love he has shown me and extend it to you because I have an infinite supply of His love.

At the center of the Christian community is the love of Christ which connects us to one another.

The love of Christ is a sacrificial love.

So, as we learn the true condition of our brothers and sisters, we show them love.

This love and this peace only comes when you know who you are in and what you have received from the Lord.

Grace from God.

We know that Grace is God’s unmerited favor.

FinWe know that the saints have already been showed the grace of God.

Paul seems to be asking for an extra helping of grace to those that love Jesus without corruption, with sincerity.

The purpose of grace, like love is that it would be received and shared.

Peace, love, and grace enable us to enjoy authentic Christian community with other people.

People want community but they don’t want to pay the price that community requires.

Caring and sacrificing for others is essential to a healthy community.

You enjoy the benefits that come from being a part of a community.

These benefits are the result of others being concerned about you.

In order for the community to thrive you have to be willing to reciprocate.

A community of takers will soon run out people to give.

A community that only loves themselves will soon run out of people that love others.

Application

We need to be an others-focused church.

We aren’t where we need to be.

We need fewer takers and more givers.

God has given us all that we need to be able to share with others.

You want to be comforted in your life?

Find someone to care for and serve.