The Last Good Bye
The Last Good Bye
Have you ever said good bye to someone you know you will never see again at least on this side of eternity? I have and I had experienced it this past January. My family and I had travelled to Nigeria and had spent about two months in the country. Upon leaving I had to say good bye to a family member whom I knew I was not going to see the next time I returned. It was a very hard parting because by March this year, he passed away. Today we see Apostle Paul saying a “hard and difficult good bye” to the church and elders in Asia after ministering there for about three years. What do you say to someone you know you will not see again? Are you and I ready to say the good bye if we were the ones to first “check out” from this earth. Paul was the one facing imminent death because he knew it was a matter of time. Like Jesus, he was “compelled by the Holy Spirit” to proceed to Jerusalem where trouble awaited him. Let’s hear Paul as recorded by Dr. Luke who at this time was part of the journey (notice the “we” Acts 20 vs. 7 and 13 in the account).
Acts 20:16-38
16Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost. 17From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18When they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. 20You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
22"And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24However, 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. 26Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.[a] Be shepherds of the church of God,[b] which he bought with his own blood. 29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31So 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. 33I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. 34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35In 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.' "36When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Paul is now at the end of his 3rd Missionary journey. He had previous appointed elders/pastors through the leading of the Holy Spirit. He reminds the elders of this fact. “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers” vs. 28. In other words, Paul is saying, pastors I did not appoint you but God did and therefore, you do not report to me but to God. How I wish all pastors and elders would keep this in mind.
2. The pastors are to watch for themselves and for the flock. No one has arrived and we are all on this journey together until we are made like Christ. Watch out for false teachers and doctrines. Few weeks ago, I confronted the Mormons who showed up at our door. This is an example of what Paul warned against. There is no real Jesus in the “Latter-day Saints of Jesus”. This is doctrine from the pit of hell. Some other false teachers are not so obvious like the Mormons. In fact these are more dangerous and are operating within the evangelical church. The “prosperity gospel preachers” are subtle and destroying the Church of Jesus whom He bought with a great price – His blood. The true Gospel is not “the gospel of name and claim it”.
3. Jesus did not die on the cross for our comfort, big houses and big cars. Jesus said, “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loose his own soul” (Mark 8:36). Paul says, 31”So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears”. Why tears Paul? I believe Paul fully realized what was at stake that without the blood of Christ shed for us, every other thing we are pursuing is a chasing of the shadows. Nothing else can save us from the pit of hell except Jesus. It is what crying for when you know that if one does not “repent and turn in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ” (this was the sum of Paul’s preaching) then one is doomed forever. Are you and I crying for lost souls who do not know and have faith in Jesus? Lord, convict me to shed tears for souls. Help me Lord warn and do my part.
4. Listen to Paul. “I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God”. What a declaration! Can I say this and can you say this regarding all whom God has placed in your path? Lord, do not hold anyone’s blood on my head. Grant me the boldness to proclaim your will for salvation to all whom you have placed in my path. You may say Paul was assigned but likewise you and me. Our sphere of reach may not be like Paul’s but nevertheless we have our own sphere of influence.
5. Paul demonstrated good work ethic and reminded the pastors that ministry is not about what you can get but what you can give. 33”I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. 34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions”. Paul worked hard in tent-making to meet his own needs and those around him. We should all see our jobs and professions in this light and that is, we work to meet our needs and for the needs of others. It is not all for us. God is the one who has given us the ability to make wealth. We are custodians of God’s paychecks and all of our work is ministry when used to meet the needs of others.
6. When you have done all you can for anyone, like Paul, you commit them to “God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance” vs. 32. Paul understood that he cannot save anyone but God can. Neither can you and I save anyone but rather commit them to God and His word of grace. Please pray for my friend (AW) whom for about 10 years I have not ceased to tell about making a faith commitment to Jesus. Sadly, he is retiring and I may never see him again. Paul will later write to the same church at Ephesus saying the same thing 8”For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2: 8-10). This truth makes me rejoice and happy. I have nothing to brag about. Thank God.
7. Listen to Paul’s short and long-term goal. “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 vs.24. What is your goal in life?
8. Now come the hard good bye and weeping. 37They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.” This makes me cry too. How about you? Let’s approach each day as the last and each person we encounter as if we may not see them again. If we do this, we will treat all people differently and with much grace just as we have received. Amen.
If you were Paul, would you proceed on the trip to Jerusalem? You may be at this cross road today. There is trouble ahead and even confirmed by another prophet Acts 21:11-12. People tried to persuade Paul not to go. Let’s be careful to only listen to the Holy Spirit and not to sentiments even from loved ones. Let’s walk by “faith” and not by sight of what we can see. Are you “innocent of the blood of all men (women)” in your path? Pray for them, warn them and commit them to God and to His word of grace because this could be your “last good bye”. Amen. Please excuse me for I am speaking to myself. Will you do anything different as a result and be specific? Help me God.
Have you ever said good bye to someone you know you will never see again at least on this side of eternity? I have and I had experienced it this past January. My family and I had travelled to Nigeria and had spent about two months in the country. Upon leaving I had to say good bye to a family member whom I knew I was not going to see the next time I returned. It was a very hard parting because by March this year, he passed away. Today we see Apostle Paul saying a “hard and difficult good bye” to the church and elders in Asia after ministering there for about three years. What do you say to someone you know you will not see again? Are you and I ready to say the good bye if we were the ones to first “check out” from this earth. Paul was the one facing imminent death because he knew it was a matter of time. Like Jesus, he was “compelled by the Holy Spirit” to proceed to Jerusalem where trouble awaited him. Let’s hear Paul as recorded by Dr. Luke who at this time was part of the journey (notice the “we” Acts 20 vs. 7 and 13 in the account).
Acts 20:16-38
16Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost. 17From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18When they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. 20You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
22"And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24However, 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. 26Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.[a] Be shepherds of the church of God,[b] which he bought with his own blood. 29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31So 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. 33I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. 34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35In 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.' "36When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Paul is now at the end of his 3rd Missionary journey. He had previous appointed elders/pastors through the leading of the Holy Spirit. He reminds the elders of this fact. “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers” vs. 28. In other words, Paul is saying, pastors I did not appoint you but God did and therefore, you do not report to me but to God. How I wish all pastors and elders would keep this in mind.
2. The pastors are to watch for themselves and for the flock. No one has arrived and we are all on this journey together until we are made like Christ. Watch out for false teachers and doctrines. Few weeks ago, I confronted the Mormons who showed up at our door. This is an example of what Paul warned against. There is no real Jesus in the “Latter-day Saints of Jesus”. This is doctrine from the pit of hell. Some other false teachers are not so obvious like the Mormons. In fact these are more dangerous and are operating within the evangelical church. The “prosperity gospel preachers” are subtle and destroying the Church of Jesus whom He bought with a great price – His blood. The true Gospel is not “the gospel of name and claim it”.
3. Jesus did not die on the cross for our comfort, big houses and big cars. Jesus said, “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loose his own soul” (Mark 8:36). Paul says, 31”So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears”. Why tears Paul? I believe Paul fully realized what was at stake that without the blood of Christ shed for us, every other thing we are pursuing is a chasing of the shadows. Nothing else can save us from the pit of hell except Jesus. It is what crying for when you know that if one does not “repent and turn in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ” (this was the sum of Paul’s preaching) then one is doomed forever. Are you and I crying for lost souls who do not know and have faith in Jesus? Lord, convict me to shed tears for souls. Help me Lord warn and do my part.
4. Listen to Paul. “I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God”. What a declaration! Can I say this and can you say this regarding all whom God has placed in your path? Lord, do not hold anyone’s blood on my head. Grant me the boldness to proclaim your will for salvation to all whom you have placed in my path. You may say Paul was assigned but likewise you and me. Our sphere of reach may not be like Paul’s but nevertheless we have our own sphere of influence.
5. Paul demonstrated good work ethic and reminded the pastors that ministry is not about what you can get but what you can give. 33”I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. 34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions”. Paul worked hard in tent-making to meet his own needs and those around him. We should all see our jobs and professions in this light and that is, we work to meet our needs and for the needs of others. It is not all for us. God is the one who has given us the ability to make wealth. We are custodians of God’s paychecks and all of our work is ministry when used to meet the needs of others.
6. When you have done all you can for anyone, like Paul, you commit them to “God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance” vs. 32. Paul understood that he cannot save anyone but God can. Neither can you and I save anyone but rather commit them to God and His word of grace. Please pray for my friend (AW) whom for about 10 years I have not ceased to tell about making a faith commitment to Jesus. Sadly, he is retiring and I may never see him again. Paul will later write to the same church at Ephesus saying the same thing 8”For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2: 8-10). This truth makes me rejoice and happy. I have nothing to brag about. Thank God.
7. Listen to Paul’s short and long-term goal. “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 vs.24. What is your goal in life?
8. Now come the hard good bye and weeping. 37They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.” This makes me cry too. How about you? Let’s approach each day as the last and each person we encounter as if we may not see them again. If we do this, we will treat all people differently and with much grace just as we have received. Amen.
If you were Paul, would you proceed on the trip to Jerusalem? You may be at this cross road today. There is trouble ahead and even confirmed by another prophet Acts 21:11-12. People tried to persuade Paul not to go. Let’s be careful to only listen to the Holy Spirit and not to sentiments even from loved ones. Let’s walk by “faith” and not by sight of what we can see. Are you “innocent of the blood of all men (women)” in your path? Pray for them, warn them and commit them to God and to His word of grace because this could be your “last good bye”. Amen. Please excuse me for I am speaking to myself. Will you do anything different as a result and be specific? Help me God.
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