Did you ever read a name in Scripture and think, man I’m glad my parents didn’t name me that?  Or when you see someone’s name mentioned, do you ever wonder what they were like?  Yeah, me too.  Well, this morning God took the guesswork out of my questions about a man named Tychicus.

“Tychicus will tell you all the news about me.  
He is a dear brother, a faithful minister, 
and fellow-servant in the Lord.  
I am sending him to you for the express purpose 
that you may know about our circumstances 
and that he may encourage hearts.”  
~~Colossians 4:7-8~~

In the Greek language, Tychicus means, fortuitous, fortunate.  In the Greek lexicon it speaks of him as an Asiatic Christian, friend and companion of the apostle Paul.  His name is mentioned 5 times in 5 different verses in the New Testament, but the most comprehensive description of him was found in the Colossians passage above.  So let’s take a look at the qualities it lists there.  

Dear brother.  This was a really tender address used back then, like the feeling that would be implied if we were to say, “she’s my bff”.  But when you look deeper into the word “brother” (adelphos), you find something more.  (Adelphos) means exactly what you expect it would mean – brother, but what I found interesting is that (adelphos) comes from the root word (delphýs), which means womb.  So the phrase “dear brother” meant something special.  It constituted a single family; two people who were born from the same womb.  So used here by Paul, it has reference to the new life unto which men are born again by the efficiency of a common Father.  

Faithful minister.  When you think of “faithful minister”, what comes to mind?  Is it the person who never misses a ministry planning meeting?  Or the gal who never misses her turn to work in the nursery at church?  Is it the person with perfect church attendance? Or perhaps the gal who seems to be involved in every ministry the church has going at any given time?  In our culture, phrases tend to bring certain thoughts to your mind.  That’s why it’s so important to dig in and find out what things meant in the culture of Jesus’ time.  The word “faithful” (pistos) means trustworthy, dependable, faithful.  I never want to assume I know what a word means, so I always consult the dictionary.  Trustworthy means dependable and worthy of confidence.  Dependable means reliable and capable of being trusted.  Faithful in the dictionary was described as loyal and true to the facts, to a standard, or to an original.  True to an original!!  Wow!   

As Christians, we are called to be like Jesus.   Did you know that the word “Christian” comes from the Greek word (christianos), meaning “little Christ”?  And did you know that the accusers of Jesus’ disciples used it as an insult when they would say, “Look, there’s the ‘little Christs’ ”.   What was meant to be a jeer became a blessing for billions of people. What a beautiful historical irony.  The Bible says that for a whole year believers assembled with the church and taught a great many people, and that the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. (Acts 11:26). Pause to ponder why people would insult those Christians.  Could it have been assigned to them because the lifestyle of those believers was so clear and unmistakable, so different from the norm of the culture? Could it have been because they actually put into practice what they had learned from Jesus, achieving the mission that was given to them (and to us): to represent Christ and make Him known?  Pause and ask yourself if you reflect Jesus in a way that people could call you a “little Christ”.  Sobering for sure.  

Here’s something else to ponder.  Have you ever noticed that the more time you spend with a friend, the more you pick up their mannerisms, or even the lilt of their voice?  You don’t necessarily intend for that to happen, but it’s just natural that the more time you spend with someone, they affect you.  So, if people wouldn’t call you a “little Christ”, could it be that you are not spending enough time with Jesus to pick up His mannerisms, or the lilt of His voice?  Ouch, huh?  Yeah, for me too.  

Faithful servant in the Lord.  Faithful servant (syndoulos) means co-slave, servitor or ministrant of the same master.  Talk about perspective, huh?  Co-slave, servitor or ministrant of the same master.  What comes to mind here is “I am not my own. I have been bought with a price”, 1 Corinthians 6:19b-20a.  This brings to mind the picture of two animals that have been purchased and are then yoked together to plow the same field for their master.  They are being (syndoulos), serving the same master for the same purpose, plowing the field.  Luke 10:1, says, “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.”  Those “two by two” were (syndoulos) for their Master.  It’s important to note that no (syndoulous) of Jesus can be a “lone ranger”; He never intended it to be that way.  

Encouraged hearts.  Encouraged (parakaléō) means to call near; to incite or invite, to encourage, strengthen or comfort.  Notice the words “call near”.  Encouragement doesn’t happen from a distance.  We need to be close to people, in one-on-one relationships and in community.  I mean, think about it, how will we know what type of encouragement a person needs if we aren’t doing life together?  And that leads me to the next thing I’d like you to notice.  Catch the plethora of things that (parakaléō) includes.  There are times when you incite (spur or urge on) someone, and then other times when you merely need to invite (request the presence or participation of) them to do the right thing or renew their mind about something.  There are times when your words will encourage (to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope) people by reminding them that they have great spiritual resources in God’s Word.  We will remind them to put on God’s armor and urge them to not give up!  We can encourage someone with the promises of God.  Words based in God’s truth are the only real, lasting encouragement we can offer.  When we do those things, we are strengthening them.  Lastly, there are times when people just need to be comforted (to give strength and hope to : to cheer : to ease the grief or trouble of).  They may need to be reminded that what they are experiencing is temporary in light of eternity (2 Corinthians 4:17), but then there are other times when the comfort you need to give is tangible, being “Jesus with skin on” to them, meeting someone’s needs in this world.  
Wrapping things up, let’s circle back to what Tychicus’ name meant – fortuitous, fortunate.  I’d say, having studied through his characteristics, that he was living up to his name.  Paul certainly described a person who “I” would like to have in my “tribe”.  And better yet, a person I want to be to someone else.  How about you?.