Tomorrow I will get a picture of 2 of my friends, one is Ugandan and one is a Brit. They are meeting for the first time. They are both close friends and tomorrow they will meet and I hope will become friends. This is what I love about the power of friendship.
The Apostle Paul knew the power of friendship.
“As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there. 13 Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need.” (Titus 3 v 12-13)
Artemis was an important goddess in the Greek pantheon, tradition says this one became the bishop of Lystra and yet what we definitely know is that was a friend of Paul.
Some think Tychicus was originally one of Paul’s students. He was one who definitely accompanied Paul on his mission journeys and yet probably more important than all this, the student had become a friend of Paul.
Zenas the Christian lawyer has been venerated as a saint by the Catholics but before this he was a friend of Paul.
Apollos was definitely a significant leader in the Church originating from Egypt. A colleague and most importantly a friend of Paul.
Titus is told to meet Paul in Nicopolis for the winter break. Where it was (in Greece) is not as important as the fact that Paul wanted his friend Titus to be with him.
Artemis, Tychicus, Zenas, Apollos and Titus, friends of Paul.
Right now who do you class as your friends?
I don’t mean people you once knew.
I don’t mean Facebook friends.
I mean friends who you still send, support and cheer on in ministry, v12.
I mean friends you ask to spend time with, v12.
I mean friends you connect your other friends with because you know they will be supported, v13.
We all need friends. Let us thank God for them. Let us not abandon them.
Missions Paul 