EPHESIANS 6:19

Paul wrote by the power of the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 6:19, “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel.” In the verse previous to this one Paul wrote of the need for a believer to pray for other believers. Paul realized that they would pray for him, and so Paul made sure that they knew what his most important prayer request was. Paul was a prisoner in a Roman prison, but he did not ask to be set free from prison. Paul asked that his mouth would be set free. Wherever you are, you can be a witness for Christ. There is never an excuse not to be a witness for Christ. It was Paul’s priority in his own life. What is your priority? What is your number one prayer request?

Notice how this prayer request that Paul had is tied back to the armor of God. It certainly is tied to having “your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” Paul knew that sitting in a prison cell he still had the spiritual battle to fight, and he would be losing the battle unless he was properly prepared with the gospel for those around him. Paul wanted to speak forth the gospel probably because he wanted to honor his Savior Jesus Christ, and Paul wanted to obey the last command that Jesus gave to spread the gospel into all the earth. Paul remembered what Jesus had done for him on the cross of Calvary and Paul wanted to be faithful to the heavenly calling. No doubt Paul also had some genuine concern for the souls of lost people. He actually cared about people and where they would spend eternity.

In spite of knowing the things that he knew about why he should open his mouth boldly with the gospel, Paul realized that he needed prayer. We can do nothing without Christ including being a witness for Him. We are weak and incapable of being what we ought to be on our own. The forces of darkness do not want the gospel to be spread to the unbelievers. The forces of darkness will oppose in every way that they can the clear and open and free presentation of the gospel. Wherever you are, you will find reasons to not speak. You have seen the opposition, the reasons, and the objections to the gospel. “It is not politically correct.” “You will hurt someone’s feelings.” “Remember the separation of church and state.” “Respect the rights of the minorities.” “Someone will get mad at you and become your enemy.” When you think of all the reasons not to speak, they can be over-whelming.

We already mentioned that Paul did not request prayer that he be released from prison. He also did not pray for money for the spread of the gospel. Paul wanted to do his part with his mouth. He did not view life or his ministry as needing more money in order to spread the gospel. He knew that he needed the power of God. Remember that this whole passage concerning the armor of God said at the beginning, “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”

Wanting to speak forth the gospel is also associated with the helmet of salvation. If you are thinking about your great salvation and enjoying it, then you will naturally speak about it. “From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Wanting to speak forth the gospel is also associated with having your loins girt about with truth. The gospel of Christ is the truth. You are not telling the whole truth and all the truth unless you are telling the gospel as you go about your way. Wanting to speak forth the gospel is associated with having on the breastplate of righteousness. Your righteousness was given to you because you received the gospel of Christ. Anyone else who obtains righteousness will obtain it the same way, and they will not obtain it unless they hear about it. “How shall they believe except they hear, and how shall they hear except someone tell them the gospel?”

Paul understood that principle. He understood that the gospel only gets spread when each believer does his part to spread it. One person is not going to spread the gospel to the whole world. Each person can help spread the gospel in his little corner of the world. That is God’s method. Christianity will die out as soon as there is one generation of Christians that stops speaking. Because of all that they have gained from Christ, each Christian has an obligation and a duty to open their mouths; but even that they cannot do without the power of the Lord. Paul wrote of the responsibility that he felt to be involved in the spread of the gospel in Ephesians 6:20 that says, “For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

Paul said that he was an ambassador in bonds. Of course, an ambassador represents the king. Normally an ambassador is not “in bonds.” Normally he would be protected by diplomatic immunity in order to be free to go about doing the business of the king that had sent him. But even though Paul was “in bonds,” he was still an ambassador. If you are a believer in Jesus, wherever you go and whatever circumstances befall you, whether good or evil, never forget that you are still an ambassador of the King of kings. The world may not know it, but the Almighty God knows it, and His name is Jesus Christ. Paul said, “I ought to speak.” He saw himself as being under a moral obligation. The perfect Son of God suffered on a cruel Roman cross for Paul’s sins. No wonder that Paul felt an obligation to speak for Christ. Paul owed a debt. An honorable and responsible person pays their debts. Do you owe a debt to Christ?

Paul knew that the believers in Ephesus cared about him. Paul had written of that subject in Ephesians 3:13 where Paul said, “Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.” Paul knew that these believers cared so much about him that they would suffer and maybe even faint in their Christian efforts just by knowing what Paul was going through for their sakes. Of course, Paul wanted to do every thing that he could to console them and to comfort them. He wanted them to know that he was fine: that the Lord was still taking good care of him. Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:21-22, ”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.”

Paul gave a description of this companion named Tychicus. He called him a “beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord.” From these things that Paul said we know both the relationship that Paul had with Tychicus, and we know the relationship that Tychicus had with the Lord Jesus Christ. Perhaps these were the most striking characteristics about Tychicus. If someone could describe you and say two things about you, what would they say? Paul called Tychicus a beloved brother. I do not think that Paul called someone brother lightly. If he called them a brother, then he really regarded that person as a brother. Someone in the same family with the same Father is your brother. Paul loved this brother, and the reason that Paul loved him is probably found in the last phrase of this verse. Paul said that Tychicus was a “faithful minister in the Lord.”

The phrase “in the Lord” means that there was a close connection, and an intimate connection, between Tychicus and the Lord. That is exactly the kind of people that Paul loved: those who loved Christ. If you are close to the Lord, then others who are close to the Lord will be close to you and vice versa. That is the same principle that the Apostle John taught in First John 1:7 where it is written, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Human beings have this spiritual thing that goes on between them, whether it be the same Spirit to draw them together, or a different spirit to keep them apart. That is one reason why it is important to marry someone who is of the same spirit that you are of. If you are a believer in and a follower of Jesus Christ, then you should marry someone who is also a believer in and a follower of Jesus Christ. “Be not unequally joked together with unbelievers.”

Jesus said to the unbelieving, “What, with reference to thee and with reference to me.” In other words because of their lack of faith they had nothing in common with Jesus. But you have a lot in common with someone who has true faith. They are your brothers or sisters in Christ, those who believe. Some people make the mistake of guarding too close of an attachment to their human family members based solely upon human blood and kinship; and at the same time having too little attachment to their spiritual family members to whom they are tied by the precious blood of Christ and by the same Spirit. Fewer and fewer Christians are bound together by Christian love because these are the last days, and fewer and fewer people are truly spiritually minded.

Tychicus was spiritually minded and it was said of him that he was a “faithful minister in the Lord.” Tychicus was a minister. In the first century that was not a job title. He was not a priest nor a pastor as far as we know. He was a servant. The word that is translated “minister” comes from the word that is also sometimes translated “deacon.” Out of its thirty uses in the New Testament only three times it is translated as “deacon.” The other twenty-seven times it is translated as “minister” or “servant.” In the New Testament a deacon or a minister is someone who serves others. It is a descriptive term that describes what kinds of activities they are involved with. If someone is a servant in connection with the Lord Jesus Christ, then that person will be a servant of man.

Paul loved Tychicus because Tychicus was a “faithful” servant. Someone who is faithful is reliable and dependable. You can count on them. The great Apostle Paul could not count on many people, but he could count on Tychicus and so Paul sent Tychicus on this important journey. The purpose of this journey was to comfort, console, and encourage the believers in Ephesus especially concerning the Apostle Paul and his circumstances. No doubt Paul had many plans and many other things that he could have sent Tychicus to do in the spread of the gospel; but instead Paul sent Tychicus to comfort these believers. Paul loved the brethren.

Paul wished for, hoped for, and prayed for three things for these believers and for all the believers that he knew. He wrote in Ephesians 6:23, “Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Peace, love, and faith: what wonderful things to have. How precious they are, and far too rare in this world of such strong human desires. Someone might think that all believers have these things automatically, but such is not the case or Paul would not have had to make that declaration. But these three things certainly are possible for every Christian. Why is it that every Christian does not have the peace, the love, and the faith that we could have? One explanation of that is to look at the true source of peace, love, and faith: “God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” The more that we look to God and Christ, the more that we will have peace, love, and faith because peace, love, and faith come from them. God is love. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus is the Prince of peace. Learn better how to look to Jesus moment by moment, and you will have more of the peace and love and faith that you need as a believer.

To Paul Christianity was not a position in a religious organization, but Christianity was a way of life that centered upon a personal relationship with Christ and the few other humans that Paul could find who also served Christ. Paul’s prayers were offered up often in behalf of the children of God, and Paul’s heart was tied to their hearts. That is why Paul wrote in verse twenty-four, “Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.” In verse twenty-two Paul had written of his desire that believers have peace, love, and faith; and now in verse twenty-four Paul adds to that “grace.” How much we are dependent upon the grace of God that is in Christ Jesus. Of course, we were dependent upon His grace for our salvation in that we are such terrible sinners. But we are also dependent upon His grace every single day. I do not deserve anything from God but His wrath because of my great sins. My only hope is that which He will do freely for me through Christ by His matchless grace.

Notice carefully that this wonderful, marvelous grace is only proffered to those who love the Lord Jesus Christ “in sincerity.” This phrase means “without corruption.” Paul would only write this if there were some who claimed to love Christ, but who did not really love Him. Many will say that they love Christ. How will you know who really loves Him? You will know by noticing if they love the brothers or not. You will know by noticing if they love you or not when you are walking in fellowship with Christ. No man can say that he loves God and love not his brother who was made in the image of God. We live in a day when many people are involved in organized religion both liberal and conservative, but not near a many “love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.”

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