Daily Scripture
Acts 20:17-38
17 From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus calling for the church’s elders to meet him. 18 When they arrived, he said to them, “You know how I lived among you the whole time I was with you, beginning with the first day I arrived in the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears in the midst of trials that came upon me because of the Jews’ schemes. 20 You know I held back nothing that would be helpful so that I could proclaim to you and teach you both publicly and privately in your homes. 21 You know I have testified to both Jews and Greeks that they must change their hearts and lives as they turn to God and have faith in our Lord Jesus. 22 Now, compelled by the Spirit, I’m going to Jerusalem. I don’t know what will happen to me there. 23 What I do know is that the Holy Spirit testifies to me from city to city that prisons and troubles await me. 24 But nothing, not even my life, is more important than my completing my mission. This is nothing other than the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus: to testify about the good news of God’s grace.
25 “I know that none of you will see me again—you among whom I traveled and proclaimed the kingdom. 26 Therefore, today I testify to you that I’m not responsible for anyone’s fate. 27 I haven’t avoided proclaiming the entire plan of God to you. 28 Watch yourselves and the whole flock, in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as supervisors, to shepherd God’s church, which he obtained with the death of his own Son. 29 I know that, after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and won’t spare the flock. 30 Some of your own people will distort the word in order to lure followers after them. 31 Stay alert! Remember that for three years I constantly and tearfully warned each one of you. I never stopped warning you! 32 Now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all whom God has made holy. 33 I haven’t craved anyone’s silver, gold, or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that I have provided for my own needs and for those of my companions with my own hands. 35 In everything I have shown you that, by working hard, we must help the weak. In this way we remember the Lord Jesus’ words: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” 36 After he said these things, he knelt down with all of them to pray. 37 They cried uncontrollably as everyone embraced and kissed Paul. 38 They were especially grieved by his statement that they would never see him again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
Reflection Questions
We learn a lot about good-byes from the Apostle Paul’s farewell to the Ephesian elders. Paul spent three years in Ephesus (Acts 19), then visited many churches he’d planted in Macedonia (modern Greece). Then he went to Jerusalem, though danger awaited him there (verse 22). But he stopped to say goodbye to the people from Ephesus with whom he’d had such fruitful ministry. He valued his time there, and praised God for the blessings that he had received. Paul’s love and concern for the leaders of the congregation in Ephesus reflected Jesus’ love and concern for them.*
- Jesus didn’t just say “It is more blessed to give than receive.” He lived it. He regularly sacrificed his time and energy to serve the people around Him, asking nothing in return. As the good shepherd (cf. John 10:1-16), he cared about what He could provide for His sheep, not what His sheep could provide for Him. Where is God calling you to give of yourself and sacrifice for people around you? What small step could you take today to follow Jesus’ model of service?
- As we can clearly see in Paul’s life, sometimes God calls us to unfamiliar territory. It’s never easy to leave people, places or work that you love, but Paul showed that obedience is more important than our limited preferences. How can you give God space and open yourself to whether God is calling you to change something? Have you ever asked God to direct your steps as you’ve faced a big transition? In what ways did that bring you greater peace amid change?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, your self-giving has blessed my life in so many ways. Keep teaching me how to respond by living with others in ways that act out “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” Amen.
* From Enduring Word Commentary (https://ift.tt/3AjBtfz)
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The apostle Paul's farewell, with love and tears - Leawood - Church of the Resurrection
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