Acts 20:25-38 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Acts 20:25-38. As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
Acts 20:25-38 (NIV)
25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.
26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.
30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.
31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.
34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.
35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
36 When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.
37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.
38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
On verses 25-38: Here Paul continues his final charge to the elders of the church in Ephesus, knowing that this would be the last time he ever sees them.
From these verses we learn from Paul some of the characteristics that make an excellent leader and lover of God’s church. Since you and I were made to be excellent leaders and lovers of God’s church, I pray that you and I would be intentional about displaying these characteristics as well.
(1) be careful to lead an exemplary life, for a godly leader leads by example (v26, 33-35);
(2) be faithful with the assignment God has given you to serve the church (v27);
(3) keep a loving, watchful eye out for your fellow leaders and those you lead (v28);
(4) remember that the church is Christ’s church, whom He bought with His blood (v29);
(5) be on guard against opposition and lies that could distract or divide the people (v29-31);
(6) be a hard worker who isn’t always dependent on the handouts and help of others (v34);
(7) be a giver and not just a taker (v35);
(8) trust God to do what you yourself cannot do. Knowing it’s the last time he would see the Ephesian Christians, Paul commits them to God (v32, 36). Likewise, when you’ve done everything you can do to help a situation or a person, the only thing left to do is to commit and surrender that situation or person to God;
(9) never let the end out of your sight. Paul always knew how he wanted to finish this life. He saw each day as a means to that end. Likewise, at the end of your life, what kind of statement do you want to make (not just with your words but with your example)? How do you want to finish this life? May you begin today with that end in mind. Sometimes we can be so caught up in the middle of our struggle that we don’t think about the end and how we want to finish. But wise people live with the end in mind;
(10) finally we learn from this passage that the word of God (“the word of His grace”) can build us up and give us an inheritance along with others who place their faith in Jesus (v32). When we get ourselves into the Word of God every day, it will renew our perspective and help us to live each day to the fullest.
Father, I pray that I would be, for the people around me, an excellent leader and lover of my church. I also pray that I would love, seek out, and hunger for Your Word, which can build me up and give me an inheritance. May Your Word be our wisdom, our guide and our hope today and every day. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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