FAITH-REFRESHING INFORMANTS
By Lay Pastor Jusak Pundiono
Lemah Putro, Sunday, January 20, 2019
Shalom,
With the sophisticated information technology, we can freely forward information in record time. In terms of frequency, we can post a piece of information multiple times to the same group. As far as content is concerned, the information can be fake news or a meme. Apparently, the virtual world makes it possible for one to be an instant informant.
In addtion to “physical facilities” such as a church building, a worship hall, a meeting room, etc., a church may have “virtual facilities” like a ministry WA group or a mobile app. Apart from this, we are not to be instant informants because God has prepared us beforehand to do good. Rather, be an informant like Tychicus, Paul’s messenger, who freshened up the faith of the believers.
What does it take to be a faith-refreshing informant? Ephesians 6: 21-22 write:
1. An informant has a personality in the Lord.
In prison, Paul did not grow weak or hopeless. Instead, he fervently read the Holy Book and penned his letters. Via Tychicus, he wished to forward his fresh faith to the believers in Ephesus so as to refresh their faith.
In contrast, when faced with problems, we tend to grow weak imprisoned by our problems. Following this, we make up excuses to stay away from church services, rehearsals or ministrry meetings. We even quit praying and reading the Bible. Such a weakness gets worsened when someone spreads the wrong information about our sore points. Hearing the wrong information, people eventually have the wrong opinion of us. As a result, when we come to know all about this, our faith gets even underminded.
For the sake of fellowship, be an informant like Tychicus with a personality in the Lord as written in Ephesians 6: 21, “ ..., a beloved (= agapetos) brother, …” This verse includes the essence of “agape,” namely, God’s eternal love with faith from God (vv. 23a, 24b).
Many of Paul’s team members came from different cities or areas, but only Tychicus and Trophimus came from Asia (cf. Acts 20: 4). An agape-filled informant does not play favorites. When talking to wealthy and influential pople from a certain ethnic group, for example, they talk nicely and carefully. On the contrary, they talk thoughtlessly, looking down on common people of another ethnicity.
Not only was Tychicus a beloved brother but he was also a faithful minister of God. He came to the scene following the uproar in Ephesus (Acts 20: 14).
In fact, Tychicus was always with the Apostle Paul either in good or bad times. Without doubt, he took part in Paul’s ministries, witnessing Paul’s handkerchief perform shocking miracles (Acts 19: 11-12) and cast out the spirits of witchcraft. When Paul taught in Tyrannus for two years, he was
surely there (Acts 19: 9-10). And even when Paul was confronted with challenges as well as threatened with death, Tychicus did not leave him (Acts 20: 1-4).
A servant’s faithfulness is put to the test not only in times of afflictions and death threats but also when the world showers its blessings. As a matter of fact, Demas, a member of Paul’s mission team, sent his greeting in Paul’s letter to Philemon (Philemon 1: 1, 10-11, 23-24). He also asked Tychicus and Onesimus to extend his greeting to the Colossians (Collossians 4: 7-9, 14). But when Tychicus went to Ephesus all alone, Demas had deserted his task due to his inclination to love the world (2 Timothy 4: 9-12).
Apart from agape and faithfulness in the ministry, Tychicus undoubtedly had such a nice personality (attitude, speech, facial features, etc.) that the believers got attracted to him and, therefore, lent a sympathetic ear to his refreshing or comforting messages.
An informant with a personality in the Lord has a way and knows how to freshen up the faith of the believers in a felowship, rather than to make a fool of himself.
2. An informant is an accountable messenger.
“But that you also may know my affairs and how I am doing,....” (Ephesians 6: 21a).
Tychicus was to explain Paul’s affairs and conditions to the Ephesian believers. In doing so, they would be kept well-informed of the conditions as well as the situations Paul was going through.
Luke, Tychicus’ friend, also sent his greeting in Paul’s letter addressed to the Colossian church (Colossians 4: 14). Tychicus knew that Luke wrote the Gospel of Luke based on reliable sources of information. Also, Luke recorded the detailed activities of the apostles, including the Apostle Peter and the Apostle Paul, in the Book of Acts.
Tychicus followed Paul from the beginning to the end of his ministries – until his imprisonment. He knew Paul’s conditions through and through. Needless to say that his information was reliable, refreshing the faith of the listeners.
Every time someone sends you some information, do not share it with anyone else right away without varifying the truth first.
“... will make all things known to you;“ (Ephesians 6: 21b).
Tychicus’ information kept the believers in Ephesus well-informed of everything with respect to Paul.
Information is supposed to be detailed and complete. Detailed but incomplete information is the same as an edited message that may trigger divided perceptions. Detailed and intact information brings no one misunderstanding. On the contrary, incomplete and undetailed information fails to bring peace to the listeners, let alone refresh their faith. It will be unimaginable indeed if such an incomplete message is shared with others. It will knock the bottom out of their faith without question.
3. An informant’s presence brings consolation.
“ ... that he may comfort your hearts“ (Ephesians 6: 22).
The verb “to comfort” means “to give strength and hope to” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Tychicus must have have been comforted personally by what he saw and heard about Paul before he was enabled to comfort the believers in Ephesus.
Possibly, Tychicus recounted the stories by Paul or Luke on how Paul stayed tough either in prosperity or poverty, being a prisoner, as he described it in his letter to the Philippian believers (Philippians 4: 12-13). Luke also retold in his book how Paul praised the Lord at the moment he was jailed together with Silas in Philippi (Acts: 16: 22-25).
Most probably, Tychicus encouraged the Ephesians to read Paul’s letter for themselves, reminding them of the spiritual blessings, their new status before the Lord, the sealing with the Holy Spirit and many more.
When we know or hear that our fellow believer or ministry worker is spiritually growing weak, we should be informants bringing them comfort. We should share with them our testimonies about God’s Word in regard to our own life’s struggles. Further, we should encourage them to attend church where informants with personalities in God can share trustworthy information. That way, by the grace of God, they will get comforted.
In reality, preachers, choir members, worship leaders, backup vocalists and those who give testimonies are all God’s informants. They share God’s Word, the mystery of Christ, testimonies – life’s experiences, the Word of God from the Bible or songs – and information in some way or other. All this has one purpose, that is, to cheer and give strength to the hearts of the listeners.
The Lord is mighty to pour out material blessings. But, if He lets us suffer and comforts us, it means that He wants to use us. He wants us to bring consolation to those who suffer (cf. 2 Corinthians 1: 3-6).
Despite flaring issues of geology, politics, economy, security, etc., that confront us, God wants to use us in every aspect of our lives in church, at work, in the society and in our country all through the year 2019. He wants to use us as God’s informants each with a Christlike personality to proclaim His truth, to comfort those who suffer, to bring peace and God’s eternal love. Amen.