Ephesians 6:21-24
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Erica gave me eggs the other day…my kids love “daddy eggs.” Daddy eggs are “egg over easy.” Some times I do them a little to “easy” and they get super excited. The are fascinated with volcanos and lava. (Floor is lava - Asher gets concerned . every room in my house has become a floor is lava set. beds, countertops tables, blankets, pillows…even me…I am the chandelier that helps them from one obstacle to the other - anyway...). The pop a little hole on top and then push down with the fork and try to see has more “lava.” It is a cut throat competition. They both make a case for how much they have. Some of their “lava” has already solidified. They press down on this egg until every last drop of yoke has spilled out.
What was your favorite childhood cartoon?
How do you like your eggs?
I share this story with you because as I was working on the text this week, what I saw as I pressed down into the text is the heart of Paul oozing out. And as I pressed down ever further trying to get every drop of love out of Paul’s heart what I found is that it really was God’s heart of love for all of us on display in this text and not just Paul’s heart for the Ephesians. And I hope by the end of this message we all will see God’s heart of love on display for all of us from this personal postscript and final benediction. Love is oozing out of this text...
What do we do with texts like this? All the instruction is done and now it is time to say goodby. Is this text like when you listen to a song and all the words are done and there is just a 20 second instrumental slowly fading out? Let’s just skip ahead to the next song. Or are there points of application even here? If so what are they? What edification can be shared from someone saying goodby to a group of people.
Something that is very interesting is that one of the resources I found helpful as I was working through this Ephesians series are the writings of Martin Lloyd Jones (Look at all this - he has a lot to say!) So what does he have to say about these last 3 verses? Not a lot. Actually, he only says 60 words! This shocked me. That is almost the same as singing “Old McDonald Had a Farm once. (47 words). That’s all he says! I thought certainly he would have built 5 messages out of it! Some of you are saying, “Please Shawn, don’t preach 5 messages on these 3 verses!” Ok, I won’t, but I am going to preach one because every word in this book has been given to us to thoroughly equip us for every good work. So I want to work through this final section that consists of a personal goodby and a final benediction to see how God’s Spirit might use the last 83 words of this letter to shape and mold us into people that look more like Christ. So let’s ask for eyes to see wonderful things oozing out of this text today.
Pray
21 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.
Personal Postscript (v. 21-22)
Personal Postscript (v. 21-22)
Love oozes out when you say goodby.
What was the hardest goodby you have ever experienced?
Have you ever noticed how hard it is to say “goodby” to people that you love? I have. Especially living away from family for the last 22 years, I have really noticed it. When you enter into the departure lanes when dropping people that you love off at airports they should have a little booth that dispenses a free box of Kleenex. It is hard. Those tears that come out of your eyes are evidence of something that is going on in your soul. There is a deep feeling that you are experiencing. That is partly what it means to be human and to be made in God’s image. We have a capacity for feeling and expressing emotions. When tears ooze out of your eyes at the airport what you are witnessing is some sort of love liquified and spilling down your cheek.
I think what we are going to see is Paul’s love oozing out in these final personal verses…let’s look at them.
21 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.
I think what we see here is that Paul knows the Ephesians well enough to know that they would probably be discouraged by his imprisonment and he loves them enough to send someone who can meet with them face to face to communicate that which is more than likely incommunicable in written form alone.
Now, notice something with me, this isn’t the first time he has had to engage in an emotional goodby with the Ephesians. Remember Acts 20 when Paul called for the Ephesians elders to meet him Miletus before he would set sail in hopes of making Jerusalem by the day of Pentecost. He reviews a few things with them as he says,
18 And when they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house,
21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.
Paul indicated that understood that “imprisonment and afflictions” awaited him as he obeyed the will of God for his life (Acts 20:23). Have you ever experience that? Do you anticipate experiencing that?
He shared his teaching and his very life with them. And he was determined to do the will of God even if it meant to undergo severe affliction and potential imprisonment. Then the cry fest begins in verse 36 as he gets ready to board the ship.
36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.
Paul spent three years with these people and he loved them. He shared his teaching and his very life with them. In verse 31 of Acts 20 Paul tell them...
31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.
He loved these people enough to speak to them hard truths. The word that Luke records Paul saying in this final face to face encounter with the Ephesians is...
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 33.231 νουθετέω; νουθεσία, ας
νουθετέω
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 33.424 νουθετέω; νουθεσία, ας
to advise someone concerning the dangerous consequences of some happening or action—‘to warn, warning.’
Paul loved them enough to give them advise concerning dangerous actions. There were things that need to come out of Paul mouth that sounded like warning shots fired across the bow of their lives that were like ships sailing in the wrong direction.
Paul said these thing because of his love and concern for them then. Love was oozing out of him in tear form and in verbal form then and now a little over a decade later, Paul is writing this letter from a Roman prison and saying goodby again.
Talk about a self fulfilling prophecy! He knew that the proclamation of the Gospel would lead to hard times and it certainly did for Paul. That is why last week we notice Paul begging them to be in constant, varied prayer for him to declare the mystery of the Gospel boldly. Well apparently those prayers worked because Paul was in prison for preaching! God answered those prayers by allowing him to go to prison! Maybe that wasn’t the answer the Ephesians or Paul was looking for, but never-the-less it was an answer.
Warning shots have been fired across the bow of your life for the last 10 months as we have been working through Ephesians. Have any of them caused you to change course? How have you made what you have from Ephesians applicable?
Here is one point of application for us to consider. Some of you have heard all that I have said over the last year as you have sat under the teaching ministry of this pulpit and week in and week out I have been firing warning shots right in front of you, hoping that you would wake up and change your course. And I have done that because even if we haven’t known each other for a very long time…God has given me a love for you and it is oozing out in passionate preaching ministry. Please, respond appropriately to the ministry of this pulpit if the Spirit of God has tapped on your heart at anytime throughout the past year as we have slowly and steadily made our way through this book.
I am available. Some of you have responded but more of you need to.
But back to the text, Paul has already said goodby to them face to face and now he is going to say goodby through pen and parchment. But what is so so so very important for us to note especially in our world filled with text messages, emails, little icons that have been created to try and express emotion, is that somethings are better done in person. Some things need to be “incarnated” in a body if you will. Let’s look closely at what is happening in this text.
Paul has written or has dictated to someone who has recorded 6 chapters of foundational orthodoxy and orthopraxy. Right doctrine (1-3) and right practice of that doctrine (4-6), and now it is time to say goodby, but he is going to actually send someone to communicate something that may not have been able to be communicated in written form alone. Ok…let’s notice this together.
21 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.
Paul has done a masterful job in capturing the will and intentions of God for the church in his letter to the Ephesians, but Paul is going to send this letter with all of its encouragement in black and white, with a person who can add a whole bunch of color to Paul actual condition.
Paul knows that word of his imprisonment has reached the Ephesians so he wants to send someone to explain to them face to face, how he is doing, and what he is doing. Paul says, that “he will tell you everything.” He will come be with you as he delivers all the good news and he will be with you when he delivers all the bad news. He will share with you everything, and his very presence among should be an encouragement to your hearts. He will be “with you” when you hear all that is going on. He will deliver a letter detailing some amazing things, but he will also deliver a personal wellness check as he informs you about my condition and just like you wrapped your arms around me and kissed me right before I boarded the ship, you can do so with him while I am in prison.
Paul understands the importance of presence. It is hard to hug a letter. It is much better to hug a person…so I am sending Tychicus. Sometimes we don’t like making our way through funeral lines because we don’t know what to say. Guess what…you don’t need to say anything! Your presence says it…just hug those who are grieving. Let them see your tears. Let them feel your warm embrace.
Even though Pauls predicament is pretty grim and his ambitions may not be fulfilled, Tychicus will be among the Ephesians when the news of Paul situation is shared and his presence may be used of the Lord to bring them encouragement.
Now just a few points of application from this text as it meets us in in a world dominated by tweets and texts.
1. Some things need to be written.
1. Some things need to be written.
Sometime writing a personal, private letter is the only way important truths can be digested.
Sometimes this has proven to be helpful in times of conflict. Some of you are in a conflict that is so prolonged and you have no ability to verbally communicate what is going on in your heart without flying off the handle or completely shutting down. Sometimes writing a personal, private (for your eyes only letter) is helpful. This does not mean spill all the contents of your heart on your preferred social media platform. I said personal and private. Social media is by definition not “private” it is social…and some of you need to keep your thoughts to yourselves.
Some of you just need to sit down and write about the love you have for your spouse or your child or your friend and deliver it to them so they can have a commemorated document that communicates your undying love for them.
Is there anyone in your life that could benefit from a written communication from you? When will you send that note?
2. Some things are communicated more fully in person.
2. Some things are communicated more fully in person.
Somethings just need to be face to face in order to work most affectively.
If they only time you say I love you to your spouse is with a heart emoji…you might need to reconsider, sitting your spouse down and looking them in the eye and maintain eye contact throughout the duration of you saying the three word phase, “I love you.”
For most things, face to face communication is better than texting.
Zoom is great, but I can’t wrap my arms around a computer screen.
When Paul was saying goodby to the Ephesians the first time, they wept, they embraced, they even kissed…that sounds hard to believe in our 21st century filled with restrictions and social distancing. They were together and in person.
In a sense, Tychicus is an incarnation of Paul. He is an “in the flesh” manifestation of Paul that can bring a word of encouragement to the Ephesians when they were discouraged. Communication is more than words. It is all the non-verbals as well…and communication utilizes all the features of our bodies and at the end you can give someone a hug! He has said so much and all of it is absolutely stunning and amazing and written down in letter form, but words on paper don’t seem to be enough to communicate some things, so he sends Tychicus.
and now a...
What things are hard to communicate via text, email, through zoom or while socially distant?
Final Benediction (v. 23-24)
Final Benediction (v. 23-24)
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.
Oh, how we need to hear these final words. These two verse contain some of the most rich words of the Christian faith. Peace, brothers, love, faith, grace, God the Father, Lord Jesus Christ, incorruptible.
Paul wants the Ephesians believers to be at peace. Paul was in chains and the Ephesians were suffering from discouragement, but Paul speaks a word of blessing over them. “Peace be to the brothers.”
Peace does not come from the absence of conflict, rather having peace is one of evidences of the fruit yielded by the indwelling Spirit of God. Before Jesus left he said, “My peace I give you.” Peace is in your possession. It is yours. You have it. The peace Jesus offered was not “as the world gives.” The worlds solution to peace is to not be in conflict, the peace Jesus speaks of and that Paul had experienced “surpasses human understanding.” It is much superior. Paul is in prison so obviously he was experiencing conflict, but he had some other worldly peace that was given to him by the indwelling Spirit of Christ. And it was dwelling in him in such excess that as he ends his letter it spills out in a blessing. “Peace be to the brothers.”
And there is more lava to flow out. Not just “peace,” but “love with faith.”
Is your life marked with “peace that surpasses understanding?”
These two concepts have already been linked previously in Ephesians.
15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,
In this case, love to other people is the outflow of our faith sourced in Christ. He links them again in...
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
In Ephesians 1:15 our faith is place in Christ and the natural overflow is love for all the brothers, but in this text Christ is connected organically to us through our faith and since that is the case we are rooted and grounded by His love for us.
So as a final benediction, a final blessing Paul wishes for them to be supported and carried by “love with faith.” And this is coming from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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.
It is coming from God the Father in the sense that, the Father is the designer and planner of salvation (Eph 1:3-6). He was pleased to initiate this plan by “sending” the Son (1 John 4:9) so that mankind (by way of substitution) might live “through Him.” God the Father planned our salvation.
It is also coming from God the Son in the sense that, the Son was sent into the world to be slaughtered which would enable sinners to be made acceptable to God (1 Tim 1:15). Jesus Himself is the means for our right-standing before God. He Himself, by becoming sin for us (2 Cor 5:21), has also become to us our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor 1:30). The Son accomplished our salvation.
And it the lava keeps flowing as Paul mentions the next word, “Grace.”
“Grace be with” - unmerited favor, a favorable disposition from God has been ordered. The order was placed. The payment was recieved and the package is in commute and out for delivery, but what address will it be delivered too?
It will be placed at the doorstep of all who “love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.”
What does that mean? Oh, I can’t wait to share this final truth with you!
First of all, grace is coming to all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ. He doesn’t individualize it by saying the Lord Jesus Christ…he says, our Lord Jesus Christ. You and I have been brought into a new family. We are collectively part of His new redeemed humanity. We are His Body. We are His church. We are going through all that we are going through…together. (TIM VAN DYKE)
And this grace is coming to us who “love our Lord Jesus Christ with...
ἀφθαρσία
ἀφθαρσία
What does that mean? This word is used 7 times in the NT and all of them are from Paul. The term ἀφθαρσία contains an alpha privative with a verb (ἀ + φθείρω) meaning to destroy, ruin, corrupt, spoil ((ἀ + φθείρω). So when you combine those concepts it mean to “not destroy, or not capable of being ruined.”
Four of the seven uses are in Paul’s chapter on the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15. So there is definitely something that will happen beyond the grave with our bodies.
Translators have had difficulty translating this concept. The KJV will make is sound like a quality of love. The love that we have for the Lord while on this earth is “sincere.” It is not fake or flippant.
The NIV translators will translate as a “undying love.” In this case it is a love that does not have the ability to cease. The love that we have for the Lord now will not cease when our bodies hit the grave. Our love will travel past deaths doorstep and into eternity. We will love Him even after our bodies are put in the grave.
But I like the way the ESV translators have attempted to choose a middle of the road option that probably captures the essence of what Paul more than likely ment. They use the word, “incorruptible.” If something is “incorruptible” it means that it is pure, and authentic…it will not deviate over time because it is does not have a capacity to be destroyed and therefore it will stand the test of time and even beyond time. It is a sincere, authentic, undying and incorruptible love.
There is a waterfall of blessings in the text and in this letter. God is so good in giving us His truth to us in Ephesians this last year. He is worthy to be praised with our every thought and deed. He should be glorified among us who are gathered here today.
Is He Worthy?