Ephesians 6:21–24 - 21 But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts. 23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.
What does today’s passage say?
In today's passage, Paul tells the Ephesians that he is sending Tychicus to visit them to encourage and inform them (v. 21-22). He extends a blessing of peace, love, and faith to believers there, calling them to exhibit these virtues (v. 23). Finally, he expresses his desire for all followers of Jesus Christ to experience God's grace that flows from loving the Lord sincerely with their whole being (v. 24).
How can I apply Ephesians 6:21-24 to my life?
As the apostle Paul concludes his letter to the Ephesians, he includes some final exhortations for the Ephesian believers. Rather than offering a cursory farewell, Paul underscores essential principles that promote spiritual maturity among believers. Clearly the apostle desired the Ephesian Christians, and all disciples of Jesus, to continually grow in faith beyond a surface-level devotion. Though Paul spent three transformative years nurturing the church in Ephesus, he recognized believers’ tendency toward complacency once the dust settled. So, he bookends his letter by reiterating themes introduced earlier. The overarching thrust centers on God’s family maturing through encouragement, unity of faith, and sincere love that overflows through purposeful living. Paul longed for the Ephesians to embody these truths as more than admirable virtues, but as transformational practices that would deeply shape them. Before closing his letter, he underscores key principles one final time, that through obedience and surrender to God’s Word, disciples might walk worthy of their calling in Jesus Christ. Here are some basic principles from this passage that we should apply to our lives:
1. Encourage One Another Faithfully (vv. 21-22): When we consider Tychicus’ mission to visit and uplift the believers in Ephesus, it should remind followers of Jesus that encouragement ought to be a central part of our lives, not some occasional act of charity. Far too often, routines take over how we live and we fail to help and encourage struggling members of God’s family with encouraging words and compassionate deeds that build up and reinforce their faith. What if encouragement became a pillar for believers? Think of all the ways we can lift up brothers and sisters this week - notes of love and support, impromptu coffee chats, inspiring texts, or long overdue phone calls could make someone's day. It's easy to become narrow-minded, caught up in trivial things without heeding the Spirit's nudges toward people in our spheres who ache for uplifting interactions. Since Tychicus traveled such a distance solely to strengthen the early church, surely taking up a pen or dialing a number to invigorate the saints around us is no great effort. As each part plays its role, the full body of Christ is nurtured (Romans 1:11-12; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 3:13, 10:24-25).
Food for Thought: Beyond habitual contacts, who could benefit unexpectedly from your encouragement this week? What God-inspired words or timely scriptures might you share to fan the flames of faith in fellow believers right when they need it most?
2. Foster Love and Faith Among God's People (v. 23): When Paul invokes a blessing of "peace to the brothers, and love with faith," it should prompt us to think about whether we truly go beyond wishing well to actively cultivating those virtues in the body of Christ. Merely reciting "grace and peace" rings hollow without backing it up with action. What if we got hands-on in nurturing the spiritual fruit that the Spirit wants to develop in His people? Some down-to-earth efforts could include: mediating petty conflicts that disrupt unity; modeling selfless service to reinforce Christlike love; interceding through prayer for revival and deeper faith among struggling souls; or walking alongside a wayward member to keep them in step with the truth. While an occasional "God bless you" has its place, truly fostering love and faith requires relational investment - reaching hearts, meeting needs, discipling with wisdom, and sowing hope. With patient nurturing, God's people blossom. Let's affirm and build up our brothers and sisters in a manner worthy of our calling (John 13:34-35; Ephesians 4:1-3; James 2:14-17).
Food for Thought: What specific actions can you take to actively promote love and faith within your local church family? Who is one member you could reach out to relationally in order to foster spiritual growth?
3. Experience God's Grace by Sincerely Loving Jesus Christ (v. 24): Paul's closing blessing serves as a reminder that experiencing the grace of God flows out of a sincere love for Christ. As Christians, we should examine our hearts to see if our devotion and affection for the Lord motivates how we live our lives. While grace is a free gift, committing to continually love, obey, worship, and serve Jesus with integrity and passion positions us to receive spiritual blessings to their fullest measure. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your soul and realign any areas not wholly surrendered to loving Christ first and best. Renewing our love for Jesus safeguards us from growing cold in faith. As a deepening affection for Christ overflows into purposeful kingdom living, we walk worthy of our calling. There is no greater priority than ardently loving the Lord with words and actions that declare "You are my all in all." May sincere and selfless love for Jesus fill God's people to the measure of Christ's love poured out (John 14:15; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15; 1 John 4:19).
Food for Thought: What areas of spiritual growth could increase your love and devotion to Jesus Christ? What words and actions demonstrate to Christ your sincere love for Him?
In closing, Paul underscores foundational gospel truths to believers in Ephesus who may have felt well-versed in Christian doctrine, yet still needed reminding about central priorities that promote spiritual maturity. The apostle realized intellectual knowledge alone fails to produce Christlike living so he circles back to key themes: unity grounded in sound doctrine, interpersonal encouragement that fortifies faith, and cultivation of sincere devotion to Christ that overflows into purposeful action. Essentially Paul stresses the importance of applying faith to life even in struggles that test belief. He understood that when believers walk in truth and love, prizing genuine expressions over empty professions, the church grows. As modern Christ-followers, we too must take these parting words to heart. May the principles in this concluding passage inspire us to greater faithfulness as we unite around the gospel message, spur one another on by uplifting speech, and live out the blessings we have received in Christ.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray that You would help me to sincerely love You above all else. I pray that my affection for Christ would grow so that my passion for bringing You glory overflows into purposeful living. Lead me to specific believers I can encourage this week through uplifting words spoken or written. Show me ways to foster love and unity within my local church family. Search my heart for any areas not fully surrendered to Your will. Align my priorities to Yours so that I walk in a manner worthy of Your calling. Shape me to live out the truths in this passage so that my life backs up my professed faith.
I pray these things in the most precious name of Jesus, Amen.
Ephesians 6:24 – “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.”
With His Blessings,
Pastor Corby
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