now let us once again turn to
the epistle of paul to the ephesians and this will be the last time
that we return to the ephesians because god willing we'll conclude
our our considerations and it's chapter six and it's the last
verses from verse 21 to verse 24 so the epistle of paul to
the ephesians and chapter 6 from verse 21 to verse 24. 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, whom
I have sent unto you for the same purpose that ye might know
our affairs. and that he might comfort your
hearts. Peace be to the brethren and love with faith from God
the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them
that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. So this is the conclusion of
Paul's letter to the Ephesians, and it was written by Tychicus. Obviously he was a scribe for
the apostle Paul, and he was the one that the apostle speaks
of here. Tychicus was one of the people
that Paul spoke about in Acts chapter 20 and verse 4, where
he speaks about those who accompanied him into Asia, and he just says,
and there accompanied him into Asia, Sopata of Berea, and of
the Thessalonians Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe
and Timotheus, and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus. So he was one
of those people that accompanied Paul when he came into this place
of Asia. And then also he's mentioned
in the epistle of Paul to the Colossians chapter 4 and verses
7 to 8, where Paul refers to him in this way. All my state
shall I Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother
and a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord, whom I have
sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate
and comfort your hearts." So very clearly the apostle Paul
had a high and a good opinion of Tychicus and as he confirms
in his letter to the Ephesians where he says, a beloved brother
and faithful minister in the Lord. Well it's a good recommendation
that the apostle is able to give Tychicus, and it's a wonderful
blessing if such a recommendation can be given to us in our little
lives, in whatever sphere the Lord may see fit to place us. Because Tychicus was charged,
really, with letting the people know the affairs of Paul. And
how I do? Well, we read a little in that
account that Paul wrote to the Corinthians, a list of some of
the difficult scenes that the apostle had passed through. But what we know is this, God
was with him, and what a blessing to know that. Indeed the saints
of God have been blessed with this evidence in their lives,
perhaps some more, perhaps some less, but the truth is that God
is with his people, He does not leave them, notwithstanding what
condition they come into. We can look back in the history
of our nation to those times of the Reformation, when there
were many who were martyred and they suffered greatly, especially
those who were burnt at the stake. But there was that testimony
on so many occasions that God was with them. God strengthened
them. God enabled them to stand. And
so he did. to the Apostle Paul. And so now
he sends Tychicus to speak of those things which the Apostle
has passed through and how he does, how he's been strengthened,
how he's been helped, because of course he was now in Rome
and we're thankful that we have a record like this. And he goes
on then to say, whom I've sent unto you for the same purpose
that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your
hearts." There was a commission for him to go and declare what
God had done for the apostle, how he had been with him, how
he had blessed him, how he had strengthened him. And by so declaring
such great truths, it was a comfort to those that he was to speak
to, to comfort their hearts. What a mercy then today realize
still we have a great God who still does great things and we
can believe will still do great things and what a support it
is and so the apostle he addresses the people in this way that he
was a beloved brother that means he was a true believer he was
a spiritual brother And it's good for us today, isn't it,
to be able to say of one another, we have spiritual brothers and
we can classify them as brethren. It applies, of course, to sisters
as well, spiritual sisters, part of the family of God. And not
only was he a brother in the Lord, but he was a faithful minister. the apostle Paul had been a faithful
minister. And how important it is that
all those who are sent to preach the gospel are indeed faithful
ministers. They do indeed preach the whole
counsel of God. They preach the words that God
gives them, not their own words, but the words which God graciously
grants to them. And so we see here the apostles
concerned the churches. What a blessing for us today. We're concerned about the churches,
the whole church of God and the individual churches. We pray
that the Lord would indeed arise, because the days in which we
live are darkened, getting rapidly darker, and the enemy of souls,
the devil, is at large. He's going about as a roaring
lion, seeking whom he may devour. And that's why, as we've meditated
recently, that we need the whole armour of God. And as God has
graciously provided it for us, may we indeed be given that grace
to put on the whole armour of God. You see, the apostle desired
that he might be blessed with utterance that may be given unto
him that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery
of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in bonds that therein
I may speak boldly as I ought to speak." Well we know that
God gave him grace and God enabled him to speak boldly and may we
know the wonderful blessing of that holy boldness in the things
of God and so The Apostle comes down and then tells him those
things which he is to declare. Peace be to the brethren. Peace. It's a lovely word, isn't it?
In the world, really, there is no true peace apart from that
which is to be found in Christ. What a blessing it is then to
know that peace which resides in the Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ, and love with faith. The love of Christ is rich and
free. And what a blessed gospel it
is to be able to declare the love of Christ so great to unworthy
sinners. So great if you and I have received
the touch of this wondrous love. It's a love which is not of the
world. It's a love which is of the Spirit
of God. And it's a very blessed and significant
evidence that we are the children of God, because these things
emanate, as the Apostle says, from God the Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ. And so he then comes and tells
us that lastly, these great words, when he says, Grace be with all
them that love our Lord Jesus Christ, in sincerity. There are many today who pretend
they love the Lord Jesus Christ, who speak many words. But here
is a gracious statement here, that by the grace of God, we
should be concerned that our love to the Saviour, the Lord
Jesus Christ, is in sincerity, that it's not hypocritical, that
it's not pseudo, but it is real. And so here was this last charge
given to Tychicus as he was to leave Paul and go forth and to
speak to the people. Grace be with all them that love
our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. And then he concludes with the
word Amen. So let it be. So be it. May these things be really true.
and really have an effect, an eternal effect, an eternal blessing
upon the Church of God. Well, I hope we come to the end
of this epistle. We've been thankful for the evidence
that the Lord has graciously left behind for us to study,
to understand, and to consider so that you and I, in our path
as we walk upon the earth, may be encouraged by the many words
that the apostle was enabled to testify and to declare to
the Ephesians.