Preaching Through Colossians

“Abundant Christian Living”

 

TOPIC:‌“A Brief Sketch of Some Beautiful Saints”

                  by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap

 

TEXT:‌Colossians 4:7-10

 

“All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother and a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord…With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you…Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, and Mark, sister's son to Barnabas, concerning whom you received commandments; if he come unto you, receive him” (4:7, 9, 10).

 

‌From the verses before us we find that Paul had a circle of friends with him in Rome who wished to send their greetings to the believers at Colossae. Two of them - Tychicus and Onesimus - are sent by Paul to Colossae to explain his present situation. Attention should be given to the fact that of the remaining friends present with him at Rome, three are Jewish - Aristarchus, Mark, Jesus Justus - and three are Gentiles - Epaphras, Luke and Demas. According to verse 11 these three Jewish converts of Paul were the only Jewish Christians in Rome actively working with Paul in the spreading of the gospel of Christ.

 

‌Let us now look at the thumbnail sketch that Paul gives of each one of his little company of dedicated friends, ever realizing and remembering the words of Paul S. Rees who wrote: “Paul rescues many of these names from oblivion.”

 

I.

 

‌Consider, first of all, TYCHICUS the LETTER CARRIER. Paul writes in verse 7: “All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother and a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.” Tychicus was a native of Asia as seen in Acts 20:4 who became Paul's “errand boy” being sent by him to Ephesus (II Timothy 4:12), to Crete (Titus 3:12), and according to the verses before us to Colossae. Two important aspects of his life are set forth here.

 

‌His DESCRIPTION. Paul uses three nouns to describe him: “brother” (v. 7), “minister” (v. 7), “servant” (v. 7) and three adjectives to characterize him: “beloved” (v. 7), “faithful” (v. 7) and “fellow” (v. 7). He was a brother in the Lord, a helper in the faith and a minister in the work.

 

‌When Paul uses the word “faithful” to describe Tychicus he was giving him the highest compliment that can be given to any person. Here was one whom Paul could depend on to go anywhere or to do anything for him. As Alexander Maclaren . . .