This chapter of Acts includes a lot of facts about where and when Paul traveled, and the one consistent thing that happens everywhere he goes is that the Jews conspire to kill him. It seems as if he is constantly running for his life, yet he never loses sight of his plan and his mission to share the message of the cross with everyone he meets. Paul is faithful, from town to town and from person to person as he preached the Word of God all over the place. I long to be that faithful.
The final section, verses 17-38, is where God spent the most time with me in this passage. Paul is getting ready to leave an saying his final good-byes to the Ephesian Elders, and there is an incredible amount of truth packed into these few verses. First of all, he recounts for them his story of faithfulness to God, which would have only served to bolster their boldness and faithfulness as well. Could I stand in front of a group of men that I am close to and claim the same faithfulness? Could I stand in front of a close group of fellow believers and honestly talk about how I’ve never shrunk back in the face of persecution? I wish!
Paul makes no bones about it that this journey is hard. He references serving the Lord with humility, but also with tears and with trials. Paul never sugar coated anything and neither should I. Following Christ isn’t always easy and it isn’t the popular path and it isn’t the most lucrative way to go but it is always the best way! If we are going to serve God we are going to have trials and tears, and we shouldn’t shy away from them or be surprised by them. Seeing God work sometimes takes really hard situations to be in or it takes building relationships with people that are going through really tough circumstances, and those things bring on tears. I know it brings a smile to many of my friends’ faces when they see tears in my eyes that didn’t use to come so easily, but that happens when God moves in your heart and the hearts of people around you. And trials, wow do they ever come and sometimes seem like they will never stop. I love reading and studying what Paul went through in his life because my struggles and trials don’t compare. It’s great perspective for me if he could go through what he did and come out OK, and come out still preaching the name of Jesus, then why can’t I?
Paul discusses the fact that he didn’t shrink away from teaching anything, and that is an area that I need to step it up a little bit. I don’t think I’ve necessarily taught scripture incorrectly on sensitive issues or anything like that, but I don’t pray often, if ever, for opportunities to share truth with someone in an area of their life that they are obviously living in opposition to it. It goes back to my desire to be non-confrontational, but Paul was not that way. Jesus was not that way. I believe both men prayed for opportunities to speak truth into the lives of the people around them, and not just general nuggets of truth, but rather very specifically what they were dealing with. I need to do the same.
Father I want to speak truth into the lives of the people around me, especially the men that I am walking through life with and the men that I need to be walking through life with. Present me with opportunities to speak your truth into their hearts, to help them get to know you better and discern what you desire for their lives. Help me to confront when it is necessary to confront because I’m a chicken on my own!
In verse 22 Paul describes himself as being “bound in the Spirit,” and the language he uses really does a great job describing how my relationship with the Spirit should be. The word bound brings on images of being captive or a servant or slave, and that’s exactly what I need to be with the Spirit. I desperately desire to be a slave of the Holy Spirit, to do what the Spirit wants whenever the Spirit wants me to do it. Unfortunately, it is a voluntary slavery that we are given the option of living, and far too often I choose not to be enslaved.
Verse 24 is one I would love to be able to say, honestly, without thinking twice. I feel like God has changed my heart a lot over the last couple years and I feel far closer now to Paul’s statement here, but I’m not there yet. What Paul describes here though is so incredibly true, that I must consider my life worth nothing in order to do the ministry God has given me. If I worry about my life, my comfort, my standard of living, my desires, I won’t be able to do God’s ministry and fulfill God’s mission, it’ll be mine. I need to wake up each day and put myself aside, giving everything that I want and that I desire up to God and allow Him to use me for His purposes. Someday I hope to get to the point where it isn’t a conscious choice that I have to make, because as long as it is something I have to think about I am always going to battle the temptation to think twice. Wow I want to count my life of no value, but it is so so tough to really do that.
Paul lets them in on the fact that he will never see them again, then gives an exhortation that really jumps out at me. He tells them to be on guard for themselves and for the flock, for the church. It was so true when Paul wrote this letter and just as true today, that God’s church and Jesus’ followers are under attack from all angles, and we need to protect our flock. Whether it is a youth minister or a teaching pastor or a small group leader, we all have flocks that are under our care and we need to do everything we can to protect them. And, the reason and purpose for that is simple, they are God’s children that He paid for with Jesus’ blood. Once again, protecting our flock is not about church attendance or church offering or our reputation as leaders, protecting the flock is about Jesus. Once again, surprise surprise, this stuff we do as a church isn’t about the church or about us, it’s about God! I need to work really hard and do everything I can to protect the flock that God has appointed me to oversee because He has entrusted me with His sons and daughters. I need to treat them as such rather than looking at those relationships as something else I need to spend my time on. God has a much bigger purpose and much higher standards for those He entrusts His flock with, and I need to start living like up to that standard!
Father you have put me in a place to shepherd and watch over many people, people in our connection group and in youth groups and college ministry and discipleship groups and in my family, and God I have not been a very good shepherd. I believe I have taught your Word as truthfully and honestly as I can, but you are showing me in this passage that I need to do more than that, that I need to work hard to protect the flock. Give me your eyes as I look at those around me so I’ll quit looking at them from my sinful, selfish point of view. Empower me through your Spirit to know my flock and shepherd them well!
They finished their time together by praying together and they wept as they would not see him again on this Earth. There is nothing wrong with being sad or knowing that you will miss someone, but they understood the purpose and mission He was on, and they sent Him off to go do the mission. I need to be ready and prepared to be sad and to grieve as others leave or as I leave, but always keeping my eyes focused on the mission that God has called us to!
No comments:
Post a Comment