Among the duties of life that I tend to neglect are washing the car, bathing the dog, mowing the lawn, and visiting the dentist. You could probably make a list of duties that you neglect as well. Neglect is not limited to our physical duties. It often creeps into our spiritual duties as well.

Transition

As Paul concludes the book of Ephesians, he mentions three spiritual duties that we often wrongly neglect.

Praying for God’s Servants, v.19-20

Often we get busy with the cares of our own lives and we forget all about praying for God’s servants – our pastor, his wife, our missionaries, and evangelists.

  1. We should pray for their spiritual needs
    1. Paul was a bold preacher. The word “bold” means openly, frankly, i.e without concealment. Thayer Right after his conversion, he preached in Damascus until his life was threatened. He preached in Lystra until they stoned him. In Jerusalem, Paul had preached the gospel to Jewish mobs who tried to kill him (Acts 22:1).
    2. To the Corinthians Paul wrote, “Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.” 2 Corinthians 11:23-28
    3. Never-quit-Paul had preached in the face of great danger, yet he was burdened by his lack of boldness.
    4. The devil hates God’s servants who boldly preach the Bible. He seeks to give them the spirit of fear. Paul knew that when he wrote to Timothy.2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
    5. Pray that God’s servants will preach the gospel boldly!
  2. We should also pray for their physical needs
    1. Paul called himself “an ambassador in bonds.”
      1. The term “ambassador” refers to an old person, but in the NT, it is applied to the work of an ambassador representing a foreign country.
      2. The word “bonds” speaks of his prison chains.
    2. Physically, Paul was now an old man and a prisoner in Rome for the cause of Christ. Prisoners were not well cared for in those days. These physical burdens threatened to hinder Paul’s effective witness for Christ.
    3. We too must pray for the physical needs of God’s servants. Age, illness, and physical burdens threaten to hinder the ministry.
      1. I know that the Crowe family feel these physical burdens.
      2. The Schmidts are up in years and have been burdened down by physical limitations.
      3. Melody and I certainly feel these burdens. It is frustrating when our bodies will not allow us to do all that needs to be done.So, pray that God’s servants will be bold ambassadors for Christ and that God will sustain them physically. The second oft neglected duty is …

Encouraging One Another, v.21-22

Paul sent Tychicus to Ephesus on a twofold mission. First, he was to give them a report of Paul’s imprisonment, court case, health and ministry. Second, he was to encourage the hearts of the Ephesian congregation.

  1. We ought to share blessings with each other
    1. Paul could not go to Ephesus himself so he sent Tychicus as his representative (v.21). This man’s testimony is a challenge to us.
      1. Paul called him beloved brother. He loved the Lord.
      2. Paul also called him a faithful minister (trusty servant) in the Lord.
      3. He was dependable. God used him to carry the epistles of Ephesians and Colossians to those churches (Col 4:7-8). Later, Paul again sent him to Ephesus (2Ti 4:12).
    2. Paul sent Tychicus to tell of his affairs and how he was doing and all the other things they might want to know.Proverbs 25:25 “As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.”
    3. It is helpful to receive prayer letters from our missionaries, but we really ought to write to them more often. Let them know we are praying for them and give them an update on our church.
      1. Crowes: [email protected]
      2. Childs: [email protected]
      3. Schmidts: [email protected]
    4. We ought to share blessings with one another as well. Step out of your comfort zone and interact with those who attend our church who are new to you.
  2. We ought to encourage one another’s hearts
    1. The word “comfort” is a broad term that generally has the idea of encouragement. It refers to calling someone to your side to give them comfort, to beg them to do right, to encourage them, to warn them, or to instruct them.
    2. Tychicus’ mission was to encourage the hearts of the Ephesian congregation.
    3. The devil is the accuser of the brethren. He seeks to devour us. He is a liar. He is our enemy. The devil’s attacks are discouraging.Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”

      We need to encourage one another. Encourage your spouse. Encourage your children. Encourage your parents. Encourage your pastor. Encourage our missionaries. Encourage one another. Our fleshly nature tends to be negative rather than positive but with God’s help, we must overcome this.

Loving the Lord in Sincerity, v.23-24

Paul prayed God’s grace (divine help) upon every Christian in Ephesus who loved the Lord in sincerity. His choice of words acknowledges that not every Christian loves the Lord and not every Christian loves the Lord sincerely.

  1. Every Christian ought to love the Lord.
    1. Christians have every reason to love the Lord.1 John 4:19 “We love him, because he first loved us.”
    2. Love is giving. If you love God, give Him quality time daily in the Bible and prayer. Give God your tithes and offerings. Give God your service passing out tracts, witnessing, joining and working in this local church.
  2. God wants our love for Him to be sincere.
    1. That means our love must be genuine and without any corruption. We should love the Lord wholeheartedly.
    2. Do you love the Lord sincerely? We are quick to claim that we do, but does the evidence prove that we do?John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

      1 John 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

      1 John 4:20 “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”

      1 John 5:3 “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”

    3. Is your love for God as sincere as it should be? Does the evidence support your claim?

Conclusion

Praying for God’s servants, encouraging one another, and loving God sincerely are three duties that we often neglect. If you have been neglecting these duties, you have stepped outside the circle of God’s obedience. You need to admit your guilt, confess your sin, and get back into the circle of obedience. Let’s not neglect our duties!

Song: Take My Life and Let – 393
—
Oft Neglected Duties
7 September 2014 PM – Ephesians 6:19-23 – Eph 14 – Scott Childs