J. Vernon McGee of “Thru the Bible Radio” fame, wrote in his introduction to the Prison Epistles, “A quartet of men left Rome in the year 62 A.D., bound for the province of Asia. These men had on their person four of the most sublime compositions of the Christian faith. These precious documents would be invaluable if they were in existence today. Rome did not comprehend the significance of the writings of an unknown prisoner.
    The courier who carried the encyclical epistle to the Ephesians was Tychicus (Ephesians 6:21). Contained in his leather pouch was “God’s secret plan” for the ages. The information that he was carrying was more valuable than diamonds and more explosive than dynamite! I’m sure Tychicus, whose name means ‘fortunate’ had no idea how fortunate it was that he was not stopped at Roman checkpoints and the documents confiscated.
    The dynamite news that bounced on the hip of Tychicus is as fresh and exciting as the day Paul penned the words. God’s secret plan has been revealed to us. It is a plan centered on Christ, designed long ago according to ‘His good pleasure’ (Ephesians 1:9, New Living Translation).
    “And this is the plan, at the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ – everything in heaven and on earth” (Ephesians 1:10, NLT). This divine mystery was to eventually fulfill God’s plan, purpose and pleasure. “And when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law” (Galatians 4:4).
    This was the blueprint, the mystery, hidden throughout the ages. This was the divine secret that “the angels desired to look into” (I Peter 1:12). Paul tells the truth of this ‘revealed mystery’ to the Ephesians. “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery . . . whereby when ye read ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ. Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto the holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel. . . And to make all men see the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 3:1-9). Tychicus was the mailman, carrying this wonderful document to the church in Ephesus. That the Gentiles (composing most all the Christians at Ephesus) are to be fellowheirs with Jewish brethren, and that the gospel call is “Whosoever will” may come under the grace of God. This was the greatest revelation of all time.
    The Kingdom of God, the church of Jesus Christ was begun.