Pastor column: Two men touched by the Master

Rev. J. Patrick Street
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Paul, in concluding his letter to the Colossians, mentions two persons who had been touched by the Master’s hand and whose experience with Jesus illustrates the difference the Lord makes in every life that surrenders to Him.

Paul wrote, “Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord“ (Colossians 4:7). We learn three things about him here. First, he was a dear brother. He was greatly loved by Paul and others who knew him.

Second, he was a faithful minister. There is no hint of his being a great teacher or speaker, but only a faithful servant. It’s been said that “one of the greatest abilities for a person to possess is dependability.” Tychicus was a dependable man.

Third, he was a fellow servant in the Lord. This term expressed an equality between Paul and Tychicus. It is almost as if Paul said. “Don't think because I wrote the letter and Tychicus is delivering it that I am better than he. We are both servants of the same Lord, and as such, our contributions to the kingdom are of equal worth.”

There’s no insignificant thing done in service to Jesus. Everything done in His service is of eternal significance. No doubt, how astonished Tychicus might have been if somebody had told him that the letter he was taking to the Colossians would outlast the existence of that city and that his name, because it was written in the letter, would be known all over the world. Every person who knows Jesus is now in a position to be a somebody just like Tychicus.

In verse 9, Paul says that Tychicus is coming to Colossae with Onesimus — our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. Onesimus was once a slave to a man in the church in Colossae named Philemon. Tychicus was carrying a letter to Philemon, in which Paul revealed that his former slave had met him and had been led to Christ. Paul was asking that Philemon release Onesimus so that he might help Paul in his ministry.

Paul wrote to Philemon saying, “Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful to both you and me” (Philemon 11). Why? Because in Christ we are transformed from useless to useful.

But before he met Christ, he was not only a slave but a useless slave. That was Onesimus’ life. When he surrendered his life to Jesus, he was changed from useless to useful. That’s the difference Christ makes. Every person who knows Jesus is now in a position to be useful just like Onesimus.

When we consider the change in the lives of Tychicus and Onesimus, we realize why the Gospel is called Good News. You see, there is no one too broken to be touched and transformed by the touch of the Master’s hand — including you and me!

Rev. J. Patrick Street is the lead pastor of Redeemer Church in Marion. He can be reached at coachpatstreet@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: How Tychicus and Onesimus were touched by Jesus Christ