PROCLAMATION
“And
now, behold, I go bound in The Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things
that shall befall me there; Save that The Holy Spirit witnesseth in
every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of
these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might
finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of The Lord
Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:22-24 (KJV)
EXPLANATION
These
are the acts of the apostles of Jesus, The Christ, as written by Luke, the
physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God. In this
chapter Luke records that the apostle Paul, after travelling through Macedonia
and Greece, (Acts 20:1-6) raising the dead boy in Troas, (Acts 20:7-12) and
after arriving in Miletus, sent for the elders of the church. (Acts
20:17) He told them that he had been compelled by The Holy Spirit to
go to Jerusalem. He also said that The Holy Spirit had warned him
that prison and hardships lay ahead of him, (Acts 20:23) and that they would
not see him again. (Acts 20:25) He advised them to keep watch over
themselves and the people of God. He said that wolves would rise up
among them to devour the sheep. (Acts 20:28-31)
Then he commended them to God. He
said that he never wanted any man’s silver, or gold, or clothing. He said that he worked to provide for himself
and for others, especially the weak. Paul
tell them, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (John 20:35) Then they all knelt down and prayed. They wept and kissed him because knew that
after he left they would never see him again. (John 20:36-38)
APPLICATION
None of us are going to live forever. Our physical
death is a part of living, the end of it. Some people know or can
feel when the end of life is near. Paul knew that the end of his
life was near. He told them that his life was worth nothing to him.
(Acts 20:24) What was important was finishing the task which The
Lord Jesus had given to him. Some of the apostles and the early
disciples considered it an honor to suffer in the name of The Lord or for doing
His work. The Bible says blessed are you when men shall persecute
you for His sake. (Exodus 20:11) We need to get to that point where
doing the work of The Lord is more important than anything else, even more
important than life itself. The Lord said that He would never leave
us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5) Our primary goal is, or should be,
to finish the race and complete the task which The Lord God has given to
us. If it be His will that we die while doing His work, then so be
it. In the end, we want to hear Him say, “Well done, good and
faithful servant …” (Matthew 25:21)
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