+I. Paul was careful to keep up an intercourse and communion with
the Churches of Christ.+--There ought to be fellowship and
correspondence among the Churches. They should all unite their
endeavours for the common edification and comfort. The Church of
Christ is one. We should seek the counsel of sister Churches under
our difficulties, and be ready when requested to afford them our
counsel under theirs.
+II. Paul was solicitous that the Christians among whom he had
preached should know of his condition and doings.+--He was a
prisoner, but suffered not his time to pass in restless impatience or
useless indolence. He received all who came to him and preached to
them the kingdom of God. He instructed his fellow-prisoners. He spent
much of his time in prayer. Several of his epistles were written when
he was in bonds. Paul's example teaches us that we should do good in
every condition.
+III. When Paul sends Tychicus he gives him written testimonials that
he might be received in the character of a minister.+--This
precaution was taken that the Churches might not be imposed upon by
ignorant pretenders or artful deceivers. The Church is a regular,
organised community. We are to receive none as ambassadors of Christ
but those who come to us according to the order He has settled.
Ministers ought to act in concert and unite their labours in building
up the kingdom of Christ. Tychicus co-operated with Paul.
+IV. Fidelity is an essential part of the ministerial
character.+--Paul calls Tychicus "a faithful minister." Such a
minister undertakes his work with pure intentions and abides in it
with constancy, even though he may meet with worldly discouragements.
Tychicus was sent to comfort the Ephesians under their grief for
Paul's imprisonment, and to guard them against any discouraging
apprehensions. Ministers are to strengthen new converts and young
professors to constancy and perseverance in religion by laying before
them the comforting and animating motives of the Gospel.--_Lathrop._
_A Faithful Minister._--1. It concerns Christians to inform
themselves of the life and way of eminent men in the Church, and
chiefly of those who have been sufferers for truth, that they may be
incited to sympathise with them, to follow their example and bless
the Lord on their behalf. 2. It is in a singular manner required of a
minister that he be faithful--diligent in his work, sincere in his
aims and endeavours, neither adding nor paring what God has committed
unto him to speak. 3. We should labour so to inform ourselves of the
case and carriage of others and how it goes with the affairs of
Christ's kingdom elsewhere as to draw spiritual edification thence.
4. To know God's gracious providence towards his suffering servants,
together with their undaunted courage under sufferings and the use
God makes of their sufferings to advance His truth, is sufficient
ground of comfort and encouragement to God's people.--_Fergusson._
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.--Verses_ 23, 24.
_A Suggestive Benediction_--
+I. Recognises the Divine source of all blessing.+--"From God the
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (ver. 23). All our blessings are
Divine, and flow from the inexhaustible fountain of the Divine
beneficence. "God the Father," in the eternal counsels of His wisdom
and love, "and the Lord Jesus Christ," who through the eternal Spirit
offered Himself as an atonement for human sin--the glorious Trinity
of Persons in the Godhead--contribute from their combined
perfections, the spiritual good that encircles every believing soul.
"The God of Christians," says Pascal, "is not barely the Author of
geometrical truths, or of the order of the elements--this is the
Divinity of the heathen; nor barely the providential Disposer of the
lives and fortunes of men, so as to crown His worshippers with a
happy series of years--this is the portion of the Jews. But the God
of Abraham and of Jacob, the God of Christians, is a God of love and
of consolation; a God who fills the heart and the soul where He
resides; a God who gives them a deep and inward feeling of their own
misery and of His infinite mercy, unites Himself to their spirit,
replenishes it with humility and joy, with affiance and love, and
renders them incapable of any end but Himself." The religious
character of the Lancashire people was illustrated by an incident
that happened towards the close of the cotton famine. The mills in
one village had been stopped for months, and the first waggon-load of
cotton that arrived seemed to them like the olive branch that told of
the abating waters of the deluge. The waggon was met by the women,
who hysterically laughed and cried and hugged the cotton bales as if
they were dear old friends, and then ended by singing that grand old
hymn, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow."
+II. Implores specific blessings upon Christian brethren.+--"Peace be
to the brethren, and love with faith" (ver. 23). Where there is no
love there is no peace, and peace and love without faith, are
capricious and worthless. Love is the strength of the forbearance and
self-suppression so essential to the maintenance of peace. As faith
grows and intensifies it opens up new channels in which love can
flow. We are to contend for the faith, not that peace may be
disturbed, but that it may rest on a firmer and more permanent basis.
What greater boon can we desiderate for our brethren than that they
may abound in "peace and love with faith"?
+III. Greets with expansive generosity all genuine lovers of
Christ.+--"Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in
sincerity. Amen" (ver. 24). The overflow of Divine grace submerges
the barriers of sects and effaces the distinctions of a selfish and
pretentious bigotry. Sincere love to Christ opens the heart to the
richest endowments of grace, and blends all hearts that glow with a
kindred affection. If we love Christ, we love one another, we love
His work, His Word, and are eager to obey Him in all things He
commands. We may not agree in a uniformity of creeds, but we reach a
higher union when our hearts are mingled in the capacious alembic of
a Christ-like love. The benediction of grace to all who love Jesus is
answered and confirmed by an appropriate _Amen._ "Amen" under the law
was answered to the curses, but not to the blessings (Deut.
xxvii. 15-26). Every particular curse must have an "Amen." But in the
next chapter, where the blessings follow, there is no "Amen" affixed
to them (Deut. xxviii. 2-12). But it is otherwise in the Gospel. To
the blessings there is an "Amen," but not to the curses. If any man
love not the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. xvi. 22)--a fearful curse; but
there is no "Amen" to that. "Grace be with all them that love the
Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity": there is an "Amen" to that.
+Lessons.+--1. _Christianity is freighted with blessings for the
race._ 2. _It has special blessings for present need._ 3. _It points
men to God as the true source of all blessing._
_GERM NOTES OF THE VERSES._
Ver. 23. _Elements of Religious Comfort._--The apostle prays that,
with faith, there may be peace and love.
+I. Faith captivates the soul into obedience to the Gospel+ by giving
efficacy to its precepts, examples, and doctrines. Where faith
operates, love will appear, and peace will follow.
+II. Love produces peace.+--1. _Inward peace._ It extinguishes
malice, envy, hatred, wrath, revenge, every unfriendly passion.
2. _Social peace._--Christians will be careful not to give offence,
either by real injuries or unnecessary differences. They will be slow
to take offence.
+III. Love brings religious comfort.+--Love is comfortable in its
immediate feelings and in its pacific influence. It brings comfort to
the soul as it is an evidence of godly sincerity. If we would enjoy
the comfort, we must maintain the comfort of religion.--_Lathrop._
Ver. 24. _The Christian's Truest Test and Excellence._--Other things
may be required to complete the character of the Christian; but
without love to Christ there can be no Christian at all. It is the
Master-spirit which must animate and enliven the whole combination;
and in whomsoever this Spirit prevails we are entitled and enjoined
to welcome that person as a disciple.
+I. Consider the love of Christ as a duty we owe to
Himself.+--1. _Bring to your remembrance His personal excellences._
2. _Consider the great and glorious object of all He did and
endured--the everlasting happiness of human souls._
+II. Consider the love of Christ as a principle which works in
ourselves.+--1. _It does not destroy natural affections, but teaches
us to fix them on proper objects and to give a right direction to
their fullest energies._ 2. _A due sense of the Saviour's love makes
us feel at once that He merits all our best affections in return._
3. _It gives delight in meditating on the precepts and promises of
God's Word._ 4. _It helps in all the duties we owe to our
fellow-creatures._ 5. _It animates the soul in the hour of death and
the prospect of eternity.--J. Brewster._
_Loving Christ in Sincerity._
+I. On what account Christ is entitled to our love.+--1. _He is a
Divine person._ 2. _He was manifest in the flesh._ In the man Christ
Jesus appeared every virtuous quality which can dignify and adorn
human nature. 3. _His mediatorial offices entitle Him to our love._
4. _He is an object of our love because of His kindness to us._
+II. An essential qualification of love to Christ is
sincerity.+--1. _Our love to Christ must be real, not pretended._
2. _Must be universal._ It must respect His whole character.
3. _Sincere love to Christ is supreme._ It gives Him the preference
to all earthly interest and connections. 4. _It is persevering._
5. _It is active._
+III. How sincere love to Christ will discover itself.+--1. _It will
make us careful to please Him._ 2. _Will be accompanied with
humility._ 3. _We shall be fond of imitating Him._ 4. _We shall
promote His interest and oppose His enemies._ 5. _We shall do good to
His needy brethren and friends._
+IV. The benediction connected with this temper.+--It is called
grace. It comprehends all the blessings the Gospel reveals and
promises. 1. _Justification before God._ 2. _The presence of the
Divine Spirit._ 3. _Free access to the throne of grace._ 4. _The gift
of a happy immortality.--Lathrop._
_Love to Christ._--What is it that constitutes Christ's claim to love
and respect? What is it that is to be loved in Christ? Why are we to
hold Him dear? There is but one ground for virtuous affection in the
universe, but one object worthy of cherished and enduring love in
heaven and in earth, and that is--moral goodness. My principle
applies to all beings, to the Creator as well as to His creatures.
The claim of God to the love of His rational offspring rests on the
rectitude and benevolence of His will. It is the moral beauty and
grandeur of His character to which alone we are bound to pay homage.
The only power which can and ought to be loved is a beneficent and
righteous power. The ground of love to Christ is, His spotless
purity, His moral perfection, His unrivalled goodness. It is the
spirit of His religion, which is the Spirit of God, dwelling in Him
without measure. Of consequence, to love Christ is to love the
perfection of virtue, of righteousness, of benevolence; and the great
excellence of this love is, that by cherishing it we imbibe, we
strengthen in our own souls the most illustrious virtue, and through
Jesus become like God. I call you to love Jesus that you may bring
yourselves into contact and communion with perfect virtue, and may
become what you love. I know no sincere, enduring good but the moral
excellence which shines forth in Jesus Christ.--_Channing._
_The Apostolic Benediction._
+I. The subjects of the benediction.+--"All them that love our Lord
Jesus Christ in sincerity."