Therefore, take heed to yourselves and to 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.

Acts 20:28

At the end of his third missionary journey, while Paul was en route to Jerusalem, he stopped in the port of Miletus where he met with the elders of the church in Ephesus. Paul had lived in Ephesus for three years, debating in the synagogue, lecturing in the hall of Tyrannus, casting out demons, and healing the sick (Acts 19:1-20:1). In Acts 20, Paul’s tearful farewell to the Ephesian elders is recorded. He knows that suffering is before him and that they will never see each other again. He exhorts them to keep watch and presents himself as an example to follow.

Paul was quite the journeyman. He would travel to new places, stay as long as God allowed him to stay, and then he would move on to the next adventure. Paul was willing. He was willing to drop his career to carry out the mission of Jesus. He was willing to drop his plans, his hopes, his schedule, his friendships and his life to have a massive domino effect on the people around him.

The Holy Spirit leads each of us into cities, jobs, and relationships, just like He led Paul. The schools we attend, the jobs we hold, the kids we raise — none of these things happen by accident. God places people all around us who need to hear the good news. The miracle your coworkers or classmates need could start with you. Do you trust Jesus and his plan for your life completely? What are you not willing to drop for the mission he has put before you?

Read Acts 20:28-35 and then consider the following:

1. At the end of Paul’s farewell message, Paul calls the elders to watch over themselves and the church, like shepherds protecting the flock from dangerous wolves. What dangers was he most concerned about? What does this exhortation reveal about the ministry environment in Ephesus?
2. In Acts 19:9, we learn that Paul taught daily at the hall of Tyrannus. Some manuscripts add, ‘from the fifth hour to the tenth’ (that is, from 11 am to 4 pm), which means that Paul worked at his trade in the mornings and then gave public lectures in the afternoons. According to Acts 20:31-35, why did Paul work so hard?
3. Paul reminded the elders that he supported himself and his team by working as a tentmaker. What was his attitude towards money and work?
4. The philosophical elite despised manual labor, yet Paul emphasized his role as an artisan (see also 1 Cor 4:12, 1 Thes. 2:9, 2 Thes. 3:7-8). Why was this important? How does his example provide a model for the global church today?

 Those who exhort and pray for one another, may have many weeping seasons and painful separations, but they will meet before the throne of God, to part no more. It was a comfort to all, that the presence of Christ both went with him and stayed with them.

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