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.

I love these final greetings because they give us insight into what is going on behind the scenes. Even though Paul has many enemies, he also has many friends and brothers in ministry that help him and encourage him along the way. It’s important for us to be a band of brothers, as it were, as we seek to live for Christ day by day.

In these final verses we find that Tychicus is a faithful friend who will transmit Paul’s greetings to the Ephesians and will let them know how Paul is doing. To what end? For the purpose that they be encouraged.

And then as he usually does, Paul emphasizes the peace, love, and grace of God that come from both the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

It’s good for us to remember that if we are in Christ, we have peace with God. God loves us and continually extends His peace and grace toward us day after day after day.

Amen!

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 11:35 AM January 9, 2023.

¹⁹ and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

After Paul’s request that the Ephesians pray in the Spirit with perseverance and supplication for all saints, he asks for prayer for himself as well in verse 19.

We can no longer pray for Paul, but we can pray for our pastor and missionaries we know along these same lines. So what does a preacher/pastor/missionary need?

Paul asks for prayer that he would have the words given to him so that he would speak what he ought to speak. Have you ever considered praying this way for your pastor?

In addition, he wants to proclaim the word boldly. We need courage as we try to be a witness for Christ, and certainly pastors and missionaries who have a more public ministry need to be bold. There is so much input from media in our world that only bold preaching will break through.

And what is it that he wants to boldly proclaim? The mystery of the gospel. He knows this message needs to be boldly presented loud and clear to anyone who will listen. This same message needs to be proclaimed by every pastor and missionary everywhere. Let’s pray that God will give the words and the boldness to every man of God who faithfully preaches the Word.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 11:31 AM January 9, 2023.