Ephesians 6:21-24--Final Greetings

Final Greetings
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.

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Paul wraps up his letter as he does with many of his letters with a personal touch.  Since he's away for long periods of time or even in prison as he probably was when he wrote this epistle, he relies on the churches to get personal messages those in his ministry who are helping him with evangelism, discipleship and pastoring the churches, and sometimes even to make requests for people to come and visit him, to bring him clothes, or to bring him books and other study materials.

In this case, Paul is telling them that he's sending a coworker Tychicus to them (maybe the one carrying this letter) to tell them everything that's going on with him that Paul couldn't write in the letter.  I'm sure Tychicus was also sent to find out how everything was going with the church and come back to Paul and tell him.  While we don't know much of anything about Tychicus other than this short passage here, Paul describes him as a "faithful minister in the Lord."  That's some pretty high praise, and I can think of nothing better that I would like written on my tombstone some day (hopefully it will be a true summation of my life at that point).  Paul knew how important it was that the church in Ephesus be kept in the lop and that they be encouraged.  I think Paul meant to tell them how even though he was in prison, the gospel was still going forth and had not bee thwarted and Paul was excited about the prospect of going to Rome and sharing the gospel with Caesar himself--even though the Holy Spirit had told him that if he went to Rome, that his life would come to an end.  We'll see more and more as we go on through the epistles that Paul is sure that he's "about to be poured out like a drink offering" (his blood being spilled when they execute him), but this makes him rejoice all the more--we'll see this specifically in the book of Philippians that we'll study next.

Paul wraps up with a benediction that we have loved to use in our churches I've attended, "​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."  What a great reminder that no matter how bad the circumstances look that our identity in Christ (the theme of this book) can give us the peace that surpasses all understanding that will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  (Philippians 4:7).  We can have this peace because we are sure of the love that we have from God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit as we are children of God and coheirs with Jesus by adoption--an incorruptible love that only God can love us with.  Finally Paul wishes for them to fully experience the grace and love of God.  We'll see the ideas of "grace" and "peace" closely connected in many of Paul's letters and they'll make their way into many of his salutations and benedictions.  Is this what you are experiencing today?  If not, is it perhaps because you have forgotten your identity in Christ that supersedes whatever circumstances you may find yourself in or under?

I'm not saying that we never mourn or grieve--even Jesus wept in the face of tragedy and rejection.  He felt such stress knowing what was coming during his prayer in the Garden that He sweat great drops of blood, and He prayed for God to make another way if possible, but still submitted to the will of the Father.  There is much pain and suffering in this life, but none of it can change our identity or destiny, and none of it can steal our joy unless we let it (the theme of the next epistle that we're about to study).