Today’s passage is one of the outstanding texts in Acts, recording the impassioned final words of Paul to the leaders of the Ephesian church. In this message Paul looked at his past and his future. He had spent a great deal of time with the Ephesians and he reminded them of his conduct and teaching and of the work of God in their midst. He also addressed his own fate and the dangers awaiting the Ephesian church and its leaders. In deep affection, speaking to those who care greatly for him, Paul felt comfortable in speaking intimately, frankly and out of love. Throughout the message, he buoyed the strength of his teaching with the affirmation of his conduct while he lived among them. In this, I think his ministry should be a pattern for all churches and Christians.

“And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 20:17-21

Paul began his message by reminding them of his practice during his three years in Ephesus. With intimacy and transparency over an extended period of time, they had seen his consistency in lifestyle. Without pretention and in complete humility, he had served Jesus among them with great love and concern (as evidenced by tears) against much opposition from the Jews. Paul evangelized, proclaiming the gospel to Jews and Gentiles alike, always calling men to repent of their sins and have faith in Jesus as their Savior. Additionally, he taught those who already believed, both in public and in private.  Paul did not avoid telling men what they needed to hear nor did he selectively proclaim what men wanted to hear. He sought all that was profitable to the saved and the unsaved and did not allow opposition to silence him or limit what he had to say.

“And now, behold, bound in spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you this day, that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.” Acts 20:22-27

Paul was pressing on toward Jerusalem, in a hurry to get there as soon as he could (Acts 19:21; 20:16), to face an unpleasant fate. He was “bound in spirit” (verse 22) and informed by the Holy Spirit (verse 23) concerning his future plans. The details were unimportant, but he was informed wherever he went that bonds and afflictions awaited him in Jerusalem. He did not desire to save his life, however, but meant to spend it in fulfilling his calling—the proclamation of the gospel. Warnings of his future imprisonment were merely clarification of what he had been informed at the time of his conversion (Acts 9:15-16).  Paul’s goal was to “finish his course,” to accomplish that which God had given him to do. Content that he had fulfilled his mission in Ephesus and Asia, Paul could leave, never to return again, if that were the Lord’s will. There was still work to be done elsewhere, and thus he must press on, even though suffering awaited him.

“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” Acts 20:28-32

Paul warned that there were dangers ahead for the church at Ephesus and these elders. He encouraged them to remain on guard for the flock and themselves. Holy Spirit-appointed, these elders were shepherds of God’s flock, which was threatened by “wolves,” who sought to harm the church.

The “wolves” of whom Paul warned already hid among the elders. Self-seeking and self-serving, they prepared to prey upon the flock, bringing destruction as they savagely devoured the sheep. It is not shocking that false teachers would rise. History tells us that false teachers did and continue to rise. The shock comes with the recognition that the false teachers were already in the church. How could such a terrible thing happen? How could a true shepherd of the flock become a wolf? Both Old Testament and New provide us with some very direct evidence as to how things go wrong. Ezekiel 34 rebuked the “shepherds of Israel,” who had forsaken their task and calling as shepherds, and begun to feed themselves from the flock, rather than feeding the flock. In John chapter 10 Jesus spoke of Himself as the “Good Shepherd” and contrasted Himself with those who were thieves and robbers, and hirelings, who had no real love nor care for the sheep. All these look out for themselves first.

The shepherd ceases to think and act like a servant and begins to expect to be served. Yet a good shepherd is one who gives his life for the benefit of the sheep. The “wolf” comes willing to sacrifice the sheep so that he might benefit. He may first become a mere “hireling,” looking out for himself and not really caring for the sheep. When there is danger or demands, he is not present to care for the sheep. Eventually he becomes the wolf, who actually devours the sheep.

I would note that Paul knew that he would no longer be present with them, yet he did not despair, for he was not the foundation of the Ephesian church. They were dependent upon Jesus Christ. Paul could leave, commending this body of saints to the Lord and the “word of His grace. “ God, through His Word and the Holy Spirit, could build up men, keep them from falling, and bring them into the inheritance which He had promised. Throughout the New Testament, you find the apostles all focused their readers on the Word of God as they neared the end of their ministries (2 Peter 1; 2 Timothy 3 & 4; 1 John 2:18-29).

“I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. In every thing I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And they began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they were accompanying him to the ship.” Acts 20:33-35

Additional to the “word of God’s grace” and the Holy Spirit’s guidance, the Ephesians also had Paul’s example as an illustration of the kind of motivation and lifestyle they should seek to follow.  Unlike the “wolves” who would always demand more of the flock, Paul’s ministry had been characterized by a servant’s spirit. He gained nothing monetarily from his ministry among them (though he could legitimately have asked for support-- 1 Corinthians chapter 9). Working with his own hands, supporting himself and those who traveled with him, his ministry came at great cost to himself, but not to the sheep. Free from lust for their money or possessions, Paul’s ministry did not require money from others, thus freeing him from the time-consuming process of raising funds and the temptation to misuse them to personally gain from his ministry. His ministry was characterized by giving, not by getting. His strength was not used to prey upon the weak, taking advantage of their weaknesses, but to support the weak. His life was lived on the principle taught by Jesus Himself: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (verse 35).

At the end of Paul’s exhortation, Paul knelt in prayer with these men. From the beginning of Acts to the present, there was nothing more important than “the ministry of the Word and prayer” (Acts 6:4). Paul had ministered the word to these men; now they prayed. Paul and the elders all placed their dependence upon God, calling on His grace.

They parted with many tears. Paul was leaving them, they suspected, for the last time. They were convinced they would never see this one who had played such a vital role in their salvation and spiritual growth, not knowing that Paul, through his writing and through those he sent their way, such as Timothy (1 Timothy 1:3), would continue his contact with them. God would minister to these saints by other means (Revelation Chapters 1 and 2). What we see here is Paul’s heart for the saints and their deep love and affection for him.

Some time later, after Paul’s arrest and during his imprisonment, Paul wrote his epistle to the Ephesians. In this epistle, he did not seek to address any specific problems in the church, but to declare the whole counsel of God and its practical implications in the lives of those who believe. In a word, this epistle surely is a “word of His grace.” As time went on, problems did arise in the Ephesian church, the very problems which Paul predicted in his farewell address. These problems were the reason why Paul sent Timothy to Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3) and why he wrote his first epistle to Timothy. Just as Paul warned that false teachers would arise, so Paul spoke of those “would-be teachers of the Law” who turned aside to fruitless, speculative discussions, spoken with great confidence, but having no profit so far as godly living are concerned (1 Timothy 1:3-11). In chapter 3, Paul laid down the qualifications for elders. The church at Ephesus already had elders, those who may have been appointed by Paul. Perhaps in light of the falling away of some, new elders appear to have been needed. Some of the existing elders, if they had wandered from the truth, may required reevaluation in terms of these qualifications. In chapter 4. Paul spoke against those who, out of a defiled conscience were forbidding those things which were God-given blessings, in the name of righteous living. Finally, in chapter 6 Paul spoke of those whose doctrine was speculative and corrupt, based upon the premise that godliness was a means of getting rich. Paul’s words of warning to the Ephesian elders had indeed come to pass.

Again, we see a strong undercurrent of God’s sovereignty working out His plans and purposes through men. Paul felt an urgency to return to Jerusalem to deliver the offerings from the Gentile churches. God was intent only on getting the man to Jerusalem for a very different reason. God had in mind that Jerusalem was Paul’s ticket to Rome. Paul knew God wanted him to go to Rome, but he never would have imagined how God would accomplish that. God’s ways are always higher than ours.

Note also that the primary power in Acts, particularly in Chapter 20, is the Word of God. Money and miracles play second fiddle. Paul preached in Troas and Miletus because preaching was his priority. In Troas, he was so consumed with the import of his message that he taught them all night and when his teaching was interrupted by the death of Eutychus, immediately after his miraculous raising, Paul went back to worship and teaching. Paul ministered to the Ephesian elders through the word and he commended them to God and to His word. Money and miracles played a role in the events of Chapter 20, but they were clearly secondary.

Why is it today that miracles and money seem to be primary, while the ministry of the Word is often secondary?