Help on the Way

“When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there” (Titus 3:12).

Deadlines are important. Knowing you have limited time on the clock to wrap up your assignment is a huge motivator. Without a date is circled on the calendar, there’s no urgency. Once the target date is established, stuff gets real. Paul writes to Titus that he has a limited amount of time left to wrap things up on Crete. Reinforcements are coming. Help is on the way. 

This the perfect time to review Titus’ to-do list. The Apostle Paul has left his protege on the Mediterranean island with a very specific three-point plan in the wake of the Gospel’s impact on the people there. One, put elders in all of the churches to fill the leadership vacuum (Titus 1:5). Two, put a stop to a posse of false teachers that are stirring up trouble for these new believers (Titus 1:10-11). Three, put in place a self-sustaining system to teach people what it means to follow Jesus (Titus 2:1-10). That’s some serious stuff to get done. And that’s only going to get done because God is behind it all. Now we see that Titus doesn’t have the next few years to get things done. He needs to wrap up his assignment by the time Artemas or Tychicus hit town. Help is on the way.

Paul promises to send one of two dudes to Crete for the next phase of this operation. Either Artemas or Tychicus will be there before you know it. So just who are these guys? We really don’t much about Art. This is the only time his name shows up in the New Testament. Some folks think he might have become the bishop of Lystra in modern day Turkey. But we really can’t be sure. What we do know is that the man from Tarsus had tremendous confidence in Art to take the baton from Titus and keep running. 

We’ve got a much more complete scouting report on Tychicus. This guy is a biblical beast (in a good way!). Paul gives him props as “the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord” (Eph 6:21), as well as a “fellow servant” (Col 4:7). Dr. Luke lets us know that Mr. T is from Asia (modern day Turkey) and was buddies with another believer named Trophimus (Acts 20:4). Paul handpicked him to be part of the team responsible for delivering the relief money from various churches back to Jesus’ followers under persecution in Jerusalem. Tychicus clearly proved himself to be somebody the apostle could count on to deliver. As matter of fact, he was the courier for at least three of Paul’s letters to Ephesus, Colossae, and his buddy Philemon. Just before Paul died, the apostle sent Tychicus on at least one other important mission to Dalmatia, which is a region in Croatia (2Tim 4:12). Let’s call him the Mail Man. Tychicus always delivers. 

This is a HUGE reminder that we don’t serve Jesus in a vacuum. There are no Lone Rangers in His kingdom. I don’t have to do it all by myself. Ministry is a team sport. Everybody plays a part. Everybody has a role. Even the Apostle Paul was no solo artist. His team included such studs as Titus, Artemas, and Tychicus. Who’s on your team? Who can you count on? Who can count on you? When we’re part of a team, we can count on others to have our back. We can count on others to come alongside. When we’re not flying solo, we can be sure that help is on the way.

Once reinforcements hit the beach on Crete, Titus is hit the road. Paul encourages the Big T to “do your best to come to me in Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there” (v12). Titus isn’t to waste a moment once help arrives. The apostle commands him using the Greek verb spoudazo. It means to make every effort and hurry to do something. It’s the idea of doing something in a hurry and giving it everything you’ve got. For you fans of the classic Star Trek, think of Captain Kirk begging Scotty for every ounce of power from the Enterprise’s engines right now. The chief of engineering would respond, “I’m giving her all she’s got, Captain!” Paul tells Titus to give it all he’s got and get to Nicopolis. Spare no effort. Put the pedal to the metal. Make it priority one. Apparently Paul needs reinforcements. He knows that help is on the way.

The apostle is settling in to ride out the winter in Nicopolis. This is a port city on the west coast of Achaia, what we now call Greece. It’s about 450 miles northwest of Crete. This isn’t like grandma and grandpa packing up to spend a few months in Florida. Paul knows that this is a very strategic location for upcoming missions to telling the world about Jesus. From Nicopolis, several European locations are within easy reach, including the Dalmatian coast. That’s where we later will find Tychicus in Paul’s final days (2Tim 4:7). But that will happen once Titus meets up with the apostle again. That’s what will happen once help arrives.

The Mail Man

So that you may also know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything (Eph 6:21).

There’s a mystic about the image of the High Plains Drifter.  You know, the character that Clint Eastwood made famous.  That lone dude who roams the land alone.  Relying on no one.  Solitary.  Self-sufficient.  Bringing law and order to every town along the trail.  There’s an image of the Apostle Paul that’s a lot like that.  Rolling into the city.  Kicking butt.  Taking names.  All in the name of Jesus, of course.  Then mysteriously moving on to the next town as everyone wonders, “Who was that man?”  

There’s only one problem with that picture of Paul.  It’s not true!  He was no Lone Ranger.  He was no High Plains Drifter.  He was rarely alone on his divine assignments.  You’ve probably heard of his partners, guys like Barnabas, Silas, Timothy and Titus.  But there’s another “go to” guy that doesn’t get the headlines.  Tychicus.  In several key situations, the apostle counts on Mr. T to get the job done.  This is one of those instances.  “So that you may also know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything” (v21).

Call him the Mail Man.  Because he always delivers.

Let’s set the scene once again.  Paul’s locked up in a Roman joint waiting for his appeal to be heard by Caesar.  He’s just gotten a surprise visit from Epaphras, the dude who planted a multisite church in Colossae, Hierapolis and Laodicea.  A group of spiritual hucksters have duped Jesus’ followers there into believing a lie.  They’ve fooled folks into thinking Jesus might be good but He’s not God.  According to these goobers, to ensure your place in God’s kingdom, you must save yourself by following a complicated list of religious rules and regs.  After writing a letter correcting the Colossians, he fires off another one to his friends in Ephesus, just 100 miles down the road.  The apostle knows that if we truly know our identity in Jesus, who He is and what He’s done for us, we won’t fall buy any spiritual snake oil.  

In a dark prison cell, Paul licks the envelopes of these letters and hands them to Tychicus.  The Mail Man.  He counts on Mr. T to deliver these crucial communications.  It will be Tychicus who will tell the Ephesians of the apostle’s situation.  “So that you may also know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything” (v21).  Writing under the influence of God’s Spirit, the apostle instructs and encourages his readers.  Meanwhile Tychicus will tell the folks in Ephesus how Paul is doing, what he looks like and his hopes for release.  

Paul gives the Mail Man quite a reference.  He gives him the apostolic seal of approval by calling him “the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord” (v21).  When you’ve got the Paul telling folks you’re legit, then you certainly must be the real deal.  He makes it clear to the Ephesians that he loves him some Tychicus.  As a matter of fact, he loves him like a brother.  This is a great reminder of just what it means to be a member of God’s family.  Paul and his handpicked courier come from completely different backgrounds.  The apostle grew up as a hardcore Pharisee in Tarsus.  He admits to being a former first-team all star in the Jewish big leagues (Phil 3:5-6).  There’s a better than even chance that Tychicus is a Gentile from Ephesus.  We see a couple of clues in Scripture.  First of all, he’s from Asia (Acts 20:4).  In that same verse, Dr. Luke describes Mr. T and Trophimus as some sort of Asian Dynamic Duo.  Back in Jerusalem, things went nuclear when Jewish hardliners thought the non-Jewish Trophimus went to “Hebrew Only” section of the temple (Acts 21:28-29).  So his buddy Tychicus is also probably a Gentile follower of Jesus.

Let that sink in for just a moment.  Paul and Tychicus, the former Pharisee and the foreign non-Jew, are best buds.  Or in the apostle’s words, “the beloved brother” (v21).  Despite all of the racial and religious discrimination that was a big part of the day, Paul loves this dude like a brother.  A brother in Christ.  Do all your friends look like you?  Do they all have the same background?  Jesus is up to something crazy in His kingdom.  He’s busting down walls between races, religions, cultures, genders and nations (Eph 2:13-14).  He’s making insiders out of outsiders.  He’s bringing folks who are far apart and making them family.  He did it for Paul and Tychicus.  Let Him do it for you too.  You can almost see the big bear hug between these two before the Mail Man hit the road.  “Love ya, bro.”

The apostle also wants the Ephesians to know what an awesome servant of Jesus their letter carrier is.  He’s “the faithful minister” (21).  While we don’t know exactly what Tychicus’ ministry is, he seems to be some sort of special projects guy.  Whenever something big comes up, the Mail Man is on Paul’s short list.  And we see why.  He’s faithful.  That means a couple of things.  He’s placed his faith in who Jesus is and what He’s done for him.  Tychicus is a man of faith.  It also describes his never-give-up-never-say-die devotion to his assignment.  When the going gets tough, he gets going.  Paul sends him to Crete to relieve Titus (Titus 1:5; 3:12).  And in the months before his death, the apostle sends him to Ephesus one more time (2Tim 4:12).  There’s no doubt that’s why the man from Tarsus counts on the Mail Man.  Because he always delivers.

Flip back a few years and you’ll see when these two friends got acquainted.  During Paul’s second missionary journey, he was collecting money for the church in Jerusalem that had fallen on very hard times.  As each church contributed to the cause, they also sent along men to accompany the apostle for security and accountability.  “Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Seconds; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus (Acts 20:4).  So the T-Man was part of the bigger posse that traveled with Paul as he delivered the financial support from the churches of Asia, Macedonia and Greece to the home office in Jerusalem.  Like his mentor, Tychicus rarely traveled alone.  Here he makes the trip to Crete with Artemas.  Previously he rolled with Paul’s big posse to Jerusalem.  On the assignment to Ephesus and Colossae, the runaway slave Onesimus was his partner (Col 4:9).

As I mentioned earlier, Tychicus is the courier who delivers not just this note to Ephesus but letters to the church at Colossae as well as one to Paul’s buddy Philemon.  The apostle gives him a very similar glowing recommendation to the Colossians.  “Tychicus will tell you all about my activities.  He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.  I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts” (Col 4:3-4).  When the Apostle Paul vouches for you not once but twice, you must be the real deal.

Do you have a brother or sister in Christ that you can lean on?  Someone that you can count on?  Someone who’ll always deliver?  And are there folks who can count on you?  Are you a “beloved brother?”  Are you a “faithful minister?”  Are you someone who will always deliver?  Following Jesus is a team sport.  Paul and his boy Mr. T are proof of that. 

Body Parts

...because we are members of His body (Eph 5:30).

For years I drove past a business with a very curious sign.  “Roberts Wholesale Body Parts.”  My imagination ran wild every time I road by.  What in the world is inside that place?  I pictured shelves of dismembered arms, hands, legs and feet.  I envisioned boxes of ears, eyes, noses and toeses.  Was Mr. Roberts some sort of a middle man supplying a modern day Dr. Frankenstein?  OK, I’m just a bit twisted.  Most folks probably realized that this business was related to the junk yard across the road.  These body parts were car parts.  But not me.  This mysterious metal building had to be full of body parts.  Right?  Right?!?!

So what in the world does this have to do with Ephesians?  The Apostle Paul reminds us here that as followers of Jesus we’re body parts in the body of Christ.  The Lord pampers and feeds us “because we are members of His body” (v30).  Wait a sec!  Wasn’t man from Tarsus in the middle of telling married men how to love and lead their wives?  Suddenly there’s this dismembered mention of body parts.  It makes perfect sense when we back up and realize that he’s writing about the relationship between Jesus and His bride and how human husbands relate to their wives.  There’s such an intimacy between Christ and His church that they are actually one person and one flesh.   We’re “members of His body” (v30).  We’re body parts.

Paul drops the term “members” (v30) by using the Greek word melos.  This describes a limb, a human body part or generally one part of a larger whole.  Jesus uses it when talking about lopping off or poking out any body part that causes you to sin.  “It is better that you lose one of your members (Gr. melos) than that your whole body be thrown into hell” (Mt 5:29-30).  Since we’re body parts in the body of Christ, it’s easy to see how this 

has come to mean one person in a Christian community.  A huge part of the apostle’s point is to realize that I’m not flying solo.  I’m only complete when I’m part of the whole.  I must remember that I’m a member.  

His purpose for reminding the Ephesians that they are body parts is because of the false teaching that’s tearing the body of Christ limb from limb just down the road in Colossae.  A team of spiritual hucksters have duped followers of Jesus into believing a false gospel of self-salvation.  According to these snake oil salesmen, Christ might be able to get you into God’s kingdom but He can’t keep you there.  We need to keep saving ourselves.  And wouldn’t you know it, they have just the list of religious rules to follow so we can do just that (Col 2:16, 18, 21-23).  After setting the Colossians straight, Paul writes to the Ephesians just 100 miles down the road.  He knows that heresy dismembers.  Trying to save myself takes my eyes off of Jesus and everyone else around me.  

I need to remember that I’m not flying solo.  I’m only complete when I’m part of the whole.  I’m complete when I’m part of the body.  His body.  There are no Lone Rangers in the body of Jesus.  Our enemy is licking his satanic chops for one of us to wander off.  He loves to get us alone.  That happens when I try to do it all on my own.  I must remember that I’m a member or I’ll be dismembered.  And Satan just loves to sink his teeth into severed body parts.

We’re not just members of any body.  We’re members of HIS body.  Jesus’ body.  Paul uses the Greek word soma.  It can mean the physical body of humans or animals or a group of people closely united for a single cause.  The apostle tells the folks in Rome that each one of the body parts has a unique role in the church.  “For as in one body (Gr. soma) we have many members (Gr. melos), and the members (Gr. melos) do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body (Gr. soma) in Christ, and individually members (Gr. melos) of one another” (Rom 12:4-5).  And because we’re part of Jesus’ body, we need to be VERY careful what we do.  “Do you not know that your bodies (Gr. soma) are members (Gr. melos) of Christ?  Shall I then take the members (Gr. melos) of Christ and make them members (Gr. melos) of a prostitute?  Never!” (1Cor 6:15).  We’re members of HIS body.  Jesus’ body.

Paul doesn’t say that we WILL be members of the body of Christ.  He clearly says that we ARE members RIGHT NOW.  This is not a pipe dream.  This isn’t something that happens on the other side of eternity.  This is a present reality.  This is right now.  In the words of the great theologian Brent Musburger, “You’re looking LIVE!”  We’re members of Jesus’ body once we place our trust in Him.  

We’re body parts.  Jesus’ body parts.

OK, this is your part.  I'd love to hear from you.  Drop a comment below and let's chat.

Hope Is Calling You Out!

There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call (Eph 4:4).

You don't recognize the number.  But you answer anyway.  Boy, are you glad you did.  It's hope.  But not just some random hope.  It's THE hope.  Yeah, THAT hope.  Paul reminds us, "There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call" (v4).  God has called you.  And not just you.  He's called a crew of folks to be part of His body.  He's called people from every ethnic group, culture and social status to come together in His Spirit-filled, Spirit-led church.  Aren't you glad you answered?

Hope is calling you out.

Alone in a dark Roman dungeon, the apostle wants us to know that we're not flying solo in our faith.  Hop down off your horse, Kemosabe.  There are no Lone Rangers when it comes to following Jesus.  Church is a team sport.  As a matter of fact, Paul wants his readers to understand the mind-blowing oneness and unity that results from God's call on our lives.  The Trinity is a powerful picture of the kind of wholeness and solidarity we're to have.  The Father, Son and Spirit are three "Whos" and one "What."  But you can't pry them apart.  They are THAT close.  God is calling us to be His body.  Many "whos" that form one "what."  In his letter to his friends in Rome, the dude from Tarsus wrote about how Jesus brings us together to be His hands and feet to a lost and dying world.  "So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another" (Rom 12:5).  God calls us to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.  We'll never be alone.  He'll never ditch me or turn His back on me.  And as a member of His body, I have folks who'll scoop me up when we I can do it myself.  

Are you you trying fly solo?  Stop it.  Land the plane.  That's not what God had in mind.  Way back in the beginning of His story He said that human loneliness is a bad thing (Gen 2:18).  Come together.  Right now.  Over Him.  Get into community with other folks who are following Jesus.  Yeah, I know.  Churches are jacked up.  Well, I've got news for you.  They're ALL jacked up.  Every last one of them.  That's because they're full of jacked up sinners like you and me.  But despite its flaws and failings, the local church is THE body of Jesus.  Christ uses His body to show His love to the people in the community.  So, get over yourself.  Hope is calling you to get back into community.  "You were called in one body" (Col 3:15).  The folks there need you.  You need them.

Hope is calling you out.

Paul makes it clear that there is just "one Spirit" (v4).  Don't be fooled by imitators.  There are certainly other spirits but only one Holy Spirit.  Did you know there's a way to test and see if a spirit really is His Spirit?  The Apostle John clues us in on the fact that "every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God" (1Jn 4:1-2).  If someone or something causes you and me to doubt the fact that Jesus is truly fully God and fully Man, then we don't want anything to do with them.  Those spirits are agents of our enemy.  Can I be straight up?  They're demons!  There's just ONE Spirit.  And He's come to fill and empower the local church to pour out the grace of God to people who have lost hope.

Hope is calling you out.

But there IS hope.  And hope is calling.  "You were called to the one hope that belongs to your call" (v4).  Ready for a little Greek lesson?  Well, here it comes anyway.  Twice in this verse Paul uses a form of the verb kaleo.  It means to summon, invite, provide a name, designate or call together for a purpose.  In the story about the big wedding, Jesus describes how the master sent his out to invite (Gr. kaleo) folks to the shindig (Mt 22:3).  In a legal sense, people use the term to summon people to appear in court (Acts 4:18).  But over and over again, biblical writers use this verb as a way to explain God's invitation to salvation in general (Mt 4:21; 2Th 2:14; 1Pet 2:9) or a specific task (Heb 5:4).

These words in this verse are VERY similar to the word we translate "church" or ekklesia, which means the "called out ones."  Jesus has called you and me to know the hope that's only found in a relationship with Him.  He's invited us.  He's summoned us.  He's calling us to a bigger purpose.  He's calling us to the ULTIMATE purpose.  

Hope is calling you out.

We need to stop thinking about the church as some sort of Christian bomb shelter where we can close our selves off from the rest of the nasty ol' world.  Jesus is calling us OUT!  He's inviting us to invite others to the hope that can only be found in Him.  There is only one hope.  Jesus.  He is Hope Personified (1Tim 1:1).  He's THE Way, THE Truth and THE Life (Jn 14:6).  We can't let others know about that hope if we're quivering in fear behind the locked doors of our fallout shelter from sin.  Jesus is calling us out!  Jesus is calling us to take His message of grace and hope out to people everywhere (Mt 28:19-20).

Hope is calling you out.