In this message we come to the conclusion of Ephesians, 6:21-24.
In verses 19 and 20 Paul asks the saints to pray on his behalf. Then in verse 21 he goes on to say, “But that you also may know what concerns me, what I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make all things known to you.” This indicates that, on the one hand, Paul needed the saints to pray for him, but, on the other hand, he had a real concern for the saints and sent Tychicus to them both to bring them information regarding him and also to comfort their hearts (v. 22).
This indicates that there was an excellent relationship with good fellowship between Paul and the saints in Ephesus. It also points out the need for a go-between such as Tychicus. The apostle, the believers, and Tychicus were one. Firstly, Paul set an example by asking the believers to pray for him. Then he sent Tychicus to them to bring them information concerning him and to comfort them. How sweet and beautiful this is! Although we rarely practice this today, we should endeavor to have such a practice. We need this kind of fellowship.
Tychicus was not sent to carry on a great work. On the contrary, his task was to inform the saints about Paul’s situation and to comfort their hearts. Although in the time of Paul, there were no modern means of transportation, such as steamers or airplanes, he had Tychicus make the long journey from Rome to Asia Minor just to visit the saints on his behalf. The goal of this long journey was fellowship between the apostle and the saints. This is so important that it is recorded in the Word of God. The apostle was concerned for the church, and the church was concerned for the apostle. Therefore, Tychicus was sent from Rome to Asia Minor for the purpose of fellowship. In the Lord’s recovery today, such a loving concern between the apostles and the churches needs to be restored. We need this concern, not to carry out a commission or do a work, but to have the necessary and proper fellowship. Today there also is the need for messengers to visit the churches to relay information and to encourage the saints.
In the Body of Christ we need much more traffic. The sending of Tychicus by the Apostle Paul to a local church created a kind of traffic. Traffic strengthens a country. Consider the impact of all the highways the federal government has built. These are the veins of the prosperity of the United States. Traffic, even across great stretches of open land, results in mutual supply and improvement. When I was growing up, just to travel the distance from our little village to Chefoo was a whole day’s journey on foot. We had to make preparations the day before, then leave very early in the morning to get there by evening. It was such an effort to go just that distance that many people spent their whole lives in that village without ever going to Chefoo. It is traffic that has made the United States prosperous. In addition to the highways, the airlines with so many cross-country flights have increased the prosperity of this nation.
The more traffic among the churches, the better. Whenever we meet together, there is traffic. Without it, the churches are isolated. If we stay away from the meetings and meet together with just a few in our homes, the traffic is cut off. This is a subtlety of the enemy to cut the veins. When the blood flow is cut off, the result is death. However, by the proper traffic among the saints and between the churches, life multiplies. Therefore, we need to pay attention to Paul’s word concerning this matter in the last chapter of Ephesians.
In speaking of Tychicus, Paul recommends him as a “beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord.” As a faithful servant in the Lord, Tychicus was a ministering servant. We have pointed out that he was sent to make all things known to the saints and to comfort their hearts. Once again I say that this reveals a sweet fellowship and intimate concern that need to be restored fully in the Lord’s recovery today.