the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 4 of 5
Acts 20:17-38
At Miletus Paul calls to him the elders of the assembly at Ephesus to counsel them and to say goodbye. He reminds them of what his ministry has been among them and the example which he had sought to give them. He warns them of the dangers which threaten the Assembly from without (v. 29), and from within (v. 30). How should they cope with these? He exhorts them to watch (v. 31), but above all he commends them to the grace of God (v. 32). As far as he was concerned, the apostle had only one thought: to complete his course faithfully (this is personal to him – cf. 2 Timothy 4:7), and to complete his service (that is the Lord’s service). His life had no other meaning and he was quite ready to sacrifice it for this assembly which had already cost him many tears (vv. 19, 31; Colossians 1:24). But what was this beside the infinite value of the Assembly to God? It has cost Him nothing less than the blood of His own Son (v. 28; 1 Peter 1:19). The apostle finds in this immense price the motive for his devotion and reminds the overseers at Ephesus of this in order to emphasize their responsibility.
In closing, Paul recalls some precious words of the Lord Jesus, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (v. 35). May we experience this in imitating the One who has given us everything.
