Bearing Each Others Burdens

Commentary

Paul says, Tychicus is a dear friend, who faithfully works and serves the Lord with us, and he will give you the news about me (v. 7). I am sending him to cheer you up by telling you how we are getting along (v. 8). Onesimus, that dear and faithful follower from your own group, is coming with him (v. 9). He left it to these two spiritual brothers to share Paul’s needs with the church in Colossae.

When Paul left Ephesus he was accompanied by seven other believers and one of them was Tychicus (Acts 20:4). These men were helping Paul deliver the love offering from the Gentile Churches to the  poor saints in Judea (I Cor. 16:1 & II Cor. 8-9). Paul asked Tychicus and Onesimus to deliver the Ephesian letter (Eph. 6:21) and the Colossian letter (vv. 7-9). They also took the personal letter to Philemon. Tychicus stayed with Paul even when the situation became difficult. It has been said that the greatest ability is dependability and this was certainly true with Tychicus. It was not easy for him to be with Paul the prisoner, for Paul had many enemies. He did not take the easy way, but rather the right way. We certainly need more Christians today like Tychicus, who was willing to make Paul’s burdens his burdens.

Onesimus was the runaway slave who belonged to Philemon and who had been won to Christ through Paul’s ministry in Rome. Paul sent him back to his master with a letter asking Philemon to receive him and forgive him. These two men had a dual ministry to encourage the Colossian Christians and inform them about Paul’s situation. How encouraging it is to have a couple of Christians rooting for you when everything seems to be going against you.

Application

 I want to be like Tychicus and Onesimus who were willing to make Paul’s burdens their burdens. I want to be able to encourage people who seem to have everything going against them.