Ephesians 6:21

Observe here, 1. The tender love and affectionate regard which St. Paul bore to these Ephesians in the midst of his sufferings, and during his imprisonment: he not only wrote, but sent to them. No doubt, the apostle had but few, very few, fast friends with him at Rome, whom he could repose entire confidence in, and receive great consolation from; however, he will deny himself to serve them.

A faithful minister of Jesus Christ is so tenderly affectionate towards his flock, that he prefers their spiritual edification before his own private and particular advantage; though St. Paul was now. prisoner, and under. daily expectation of death, and had few to attend him, yet he sends one of his most beloved friends away to them, choosing rather himself to want an attender, than that they should want. comforter: nothing better becomes. minister of Christ than. public spirit.

Observe, 2. The character of the person whom St. Paul sent unto them; he is described,

1. By his name, Tychicus.

2. By his state: he was. brother, that is,. christian,. beloved brother,. brother in Christ.

3. By his office: he was. minister, yea, a faithful minister in the Lord, that is, in the work of the Lord; between whom and St. Paul there was. sweet harmony, an happy union of hearts,. joint care and endeavour in carrying on the interest of Christ amongst the churches.

Behold, how good and pleasant. thing it is, when ministers of Christ are dear to each other; when instead of divisions, emulations, and strife, amongst them, they can give testimonials of each other, as well-deserving; without endeavouring to conceal and obscure the gifts and graces of God, which are eminent in any of their fellow-labourers, on purpose only to set off themselves, that their own performances may be the more taken notice of. St. Paul was far from this spirit, as appears by the character which, upon. fit occasion, he gave of Tychicus.

Observe, 3. The design and end which St. Paul had in sending Tychicus unto them: and that was two-fold;

1. That he might acquaint them with St. Paul's condition and state: That ye might know my affairs, how. do, and what. do,. have sent Tychicus to declare unto you all things.

What! all things without exception?

Yes, both doings and sufferings; the apostle was ashamed of neither.

Learn thence, That the life and conversation of ministers, both public and private, must and ought to be such that they need not be ashamed to have it known, or concerned that the church should know, what they do, how they manage; to the intent that their people may be deified by their conversation, as well as instructed by their preaching; Tychicus shall declare unto you all things.

The second end St. Paul had in sending Tychicus from himself to the Ephesians was, that he might comfort their hearts. But how could Tychicus do this? These ways:

1. By making known to them the true cause of his sufferings. St. Paul's enemies had laid heavy things to his charge, these might perhaps fly as far as Ephesus: now, though the apostle regarded little what the wicked world said of him, yet he desired to be set right in the thoughts of the churches, and accordingly sends Tychicus to acquaint them with the cause of his imprisonment.

2. To keep them from discouragement, and being inordinately cast down at the report of his sufferings. No doubt, St. Paul's chain entered into their souls, and his sufferings were their sorrow; he therefore sends Tychicus, to prevent their immoderate sorrow and mourning upon this account.

3. To comfort their hearts with the report of that holy joy and cheerfulness of spirit which was found with him in and under all his sufferings.

O! it is an excellent sight to behold the saints at liberty mourning over their afflicted brethern; and they that are sufferers become comforters of them that are at liberty.

Lord! never doth thy holy religion appear more glorious, than when thy ministers commend it by their sufferings for it; and no way can they commend it higher, than by an holy, humble cheerfulness of spirit in their sufferings for it; thy ministers preach with for greater advantage from. prison, than they can from. pulpit.

4. Might not St. Paul send Tychicus now to the church at Ephesus, to engage the churches to pray with earnestness for himself, as well as to comfort them?

O! none so covetous of prayers as the ministers of Christ, and no ministers like suffering ministers.

St. Paul sets all the churches at work to pray for him in prison; and great reason for it;. prison has its temptations as well as. palace; when men play the persecutors, the devil forgets not to be. tempter; sometimes he will attempt to soften them with impressions of fear; at another time he hopes to overcome them, and weaken their courage, by their friends' tears and entreaties; sometimes the devil hopes to embitter. suffering saint's spirit against his persecutors, and to sour him with the leaven of malice and wrath.

O! it is no easy matter to receive evil, and yet wish none to him from whose hands we have received it; to reserve love for him that shows wrath and hatred to us, is. glorious but. difficult work. But if all this fails, yet the devil hopes to blow him up with pride, and. high conceit of himself, who dares suffer, when others shrink, and is ready to lay down their head, when others pull in their heads, and seek to save themselves in. whole skin. Pride is. salamander, that can live in the very flames of martyrdom; if any saint need the humility of many saints, it is he that is called to suffer for Christ. St. Paul was very sensible of this: he well knew that. suffering condition is full of temptation, that. christian's strength to carry him through it is not in his own keeping, God must help, or the stoutest champion will quail.

He also knows that prayer is the best means to fetch in that help; and accordingly St. Paul here sends Tychicus to Ephesus, to engage the auxiliary forces of the saints' prayers on earth, and the posse caeli from heaven, that he might glorify God in. suffering hour.