Daily Bread 2011 - Acts 20
Thursday, June 2nd
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.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.
What Does This Mean?
We see the wholehearted and sacrificial nature of Paul’s call to preach the gospel no matter what the cost. The Holy Spirit has not only guided all of his ministry and given him power for all that he has encountered; but the Spirit also warns him of the impending hardship he will face as he heads back to Jerusalem. It reminds us of Jesus’ similar fate, as he headed toward Jerusalem.
Paul uses the metaphor of a race and that his only goal is to finish the race. Marathons in those days were common in the Greek games and the first 26.2 marathon was finished in Marathon Greece, when a runner Pheidippides ran from Marathon Greece to Athens to announce the defeat of the Persians. We he entered the assembly to announced the victory he collapsed and died. Paul uses the metaphor knowing that he could die as well finishing the race set before him.
We also see his love for the flock in his tears as he leaves the Ephesian church. He gives them these last words, “Keep watch over yourselves and all of 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.”
What Does This Mean For Us?
We see not only Paul’s love for God, but his love for the flock which God had entrusted to him. Love for God always translates into love for God’s people. As we live in the Christian community we are always a sheep from the front and a shepherd from behind. We will always be led by someone, and hopefully be a shepherd for someone else. While God calls “pastors”, a Greek word which means “shepherd”; part of a pastor’s job is to equip others to be co-shepherds with him/her so that all of God’s people are being led and fed.
As parents we are called to shepherd the children God has entrusted to us. There are other people as well that God has given us influence in their lives and they are people we might shepherd too! Bottom line is we all need to be shepherded in our walk with Christ, and all of us should be open to being a shepherd to someone else who the Holy Spirit has called us to lead. As Jesus was willing to give his life for the Flock and Paul was too; we should be willing to be a good shepherd for others too!
Jesus you are our Good Shepherd, who was willing to lay down his life for the sheep. Help us to follow your voice and also help someone else find their way into your sheepfold. Amen.
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.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.
What Does This Mean?
We see the wholehearted and sacrificial nature of Paul’s call to preach the gospel no matter what the cost. The Holy Spirit has not only guided all of his ministry and given him power for all that he has encountered; but the Spirit also warns him of the impending hardship he will face as he heads back to Jerusalem. It reminds us of Jesus’ similar fate, as he headed toward Jerusalem.
Paul uses the metaphor of a race and that his only goal is to finish the race. Marathons in those days were common in the Greek games and the first 26.2 marathon was finished in Marathon Greece, when a runner Pheidippides ran from Marathon Greece to Athens to announce the defeat of the Persians. We he entered the assembly to announced the victory he collapsed and died. Paul uses the metaphor knowing that he could die as well finishing the race set before him.
We also see his love for the flock in his tears as he leaves the Ephesian church. He gives them these last words, “Keep watch over yourselves and all of 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.”
What Does This Mean For Us?
We see not only Paul’s love for God, but his love for the flock which God had entrusted to him. Love for God always translates into love for God’s people. As we live in the Christian community we are always a sheep from the front and a shepherd from behind. We will always be led by someone, and hopefully be a shepherd for someone else. While God calls “pastors”, a Greek word which means “shepherd”; part of a pastor’s job is to equip others to be co-shepherds with him/her so that all of God’s people are being led and fed.
As parents we are called to shepherd the children God has entrusted to us. There are other people as well that God has given us influence in their lives and they are people we might shepherd too! Bottom line is we all need to be shepherded in our walk with Christ, and all of us should be open to being a shepherd to someone else who the Holy Spirit has called us to lead. As Jesus was willing to give his life for the Flock and Paul was too; we should be willing to be a good shepherd for others too!
Jesus you are our Good Shepherd, who was willing to lay down his life for the sheep. Help us to follow your voice and also help someone else find their way into your sheepfold. Amen.
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