Be a Tychicus
Not all Scripture seems inspiring at fist glance, but all Scripture is inspired by God. It is His Word breathed out to all of us. The ending to Ephesians talks about someone called Tychicus. Who is he, and why should we care? Tychicus has so much to teach us and is sent to encourage us, we just need to ask our Heavenly Father to reveal His awesome Word to us. Tychicus teaches us that we should stop worrying what the world thinks about us, and worry about what Jesus knows about us. If you’re tired of searching for approval, or of proving yourself, listen to the story of Tychicus.
Scripture
Ephesians 6:21-24 ESV So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts. 23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.
Bible Study Questions
All Scripture is spoken by God
Not all Scripture seems inspiring at first glance, but all Scripture is inspired, breathed out by God. There is no such thing as irrelevant Scripture, it’s all God’s Holy Word and there for the perfect reason. If we’re introduced to an arbitrary sounding person called Tychicus, do you think that it’s important to know something about him?
2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Who is Tychicus? A few words say much.
Trying to find out about Tychicus from just a few words is more difficult than it seems, or is it. The world likes to honur people for what we apear to be and for what we’ve achieved. Fame, wealth and popularity are all important today. Such things take many words, but what about character? Character takes just a few words to describe, does character matter as much, or even more?
Ephesians 6:21-24 ESV So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything.
Who is Tychicus’ character witness?
Paul sent them Tychicus so that he could tell the Church at Ephesus how Paul was doing in prison and what he was doing there.
Ephesians 6:21-24 ESV So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts.
Acts 22:3 ESV “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day.
Philippians 3:5-7 ESV circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:24-27 ESV Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
Tychicus is beloved family
Paul calls Tychicus “the beloved brother”. While this may refer to the way the Church sees and feels about Tychicus, there’s a more important implication of being called “beloved” in the Scripture. What does it mean to be beloved?
Ephesians 6:21-24 ESV So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything.
John 1:12-13 ESV But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 14:23 ESV Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
Tychicus is a faithful minister and servant
In addition to being beloved, Paul says that Tychicus is a faithful servant. Apart from Paul’s witness here, what do we know about Tychicus’ faithfulness?
Ephesians 6:21-24 ESV So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything.
Acts 20:4 ESV Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.
Colossians 4:7 ESV Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.
2 Timothy 4:12 ESV Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.
The Ultimate character witness
Paul showed through his surrendered life of loving and faithful service to God be someone who’s opinion mattered. But there is a far greater witness, who gave up for more in selfless loving service. Who is He?
Ephesians 6:23 ESV Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.
Philippians 2:5-9 ESV Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
The Ultimate appraisal
The opinion of faithful servants matters, and can encourage us in the work that we do for the Lord Jesus Christ. But it’s His view of us that is without fault or bias and matters more than anything else. What will He say to us when our work on earth is done?
Matthew 25:21 ESV His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’