THE LIVING CHURCH
Meditations in the Acts of the Apostles
Acts 20:32-38

=====

PAUL COMES to the end of his farewell message to the elders in the church at Ephesus and in these words he actually says goodbye. He commits them to God and in this committal directs them to the place where God is to be found and heard. This is the Bible, which Paul speaks of in this farewell as the 'word of His grace', that is the word of God's grace. The whole Bible is an expression of God's grace towards us. After Adam's sin, God had no obligation to fallen humanity, yet he continued his grace towards us. This grace is seen in that he reveals himself directly to us through the revelation of himself he gives in the Bible.

God's grace is revealed in the whole of the Bible message, even in the commands and threats. These are grace as they show the way we should live and receive God, and warns us of the dangers which we will find ourselves in if we forsake God. The particular Word of His grace in the Bible is, of course, the revelation of the gift of God's Son to redeem us. It is this Word of grace which I am sure Paul has particularly in mind.

Paul speaks of being built up by the word of God's grace, and of the possession of the inheritance amongst those who are sanctified. Those who are sanctified in this context is another way of speaking about believers. The root meaning of sanctified is 'to be set apart for God'. All believers are chosen by God to be set apart for him, and this is why we repent and believe. We are sanctified because God has set us apart for himself and raised us to new life in Christ. The sanctified are those who belong to God and receive the inheritance which God gives to all who are redeemed by Christ. We must not interpret the word sanctified here as those who are holy except in the sense of those redeemed ones who have already reached glory through death. This would make good sense because those who have died have entered into the heavenly inheritance purchased for them by Christ, and as we believe in Christ as our Saviour we share in the same inheritance. If those who are sanctified are those who are still living and not yet passed into glory, then to interpret sanctified as meaning those who have achieved holiness would mean that our inheritance depended on our achieving holiness, and not in the perfect work of Christ's redemption for us. This would exclude most people, and make salvation depend on our works.

The Word of His Grace that builds us up and causes us to share in the inheritance of those who are sanctified is the word of God's grace in Jesus Christ. It is the whole story of Christ's coming into this world as a human being in order to save us from our sins through dying in our place on the cross. It is the word which expounds this living and dying of Jesus and revealing to us the wonder and completeness of Christ's work for us. As we are more and more secure in the faith of this salvation, we are more and more secure in the enjoyment of God and fellowship with God which salvation brings, and in the assurance of the inheritance of glory to come. Further we dwell more in the joy of God in this life, and in his love, so that we can face trials and temptations and overcome them through Christ who strengthens us. We are more able to mortify the lusts of the flesh, and desire to live as our Saviour would have us live, because the word of his grace has filled us with love for Christ. It is the Gospel that builds us up and causes us to be full of faith in the inheritance which is ours in Christ.

In verses 33-35 Paul speaks of the way he lived amongst the Ephesians. His life was marked by a strong desire not to be a burden to the Ephesians in any way, and also by a strong desire to be supportive of them in any way he could. For this reason Paul supported himself in employment. This enabled him to provide for himself and to have something over to help as many people in Ephesus that had some temporal need. Paul's chief concern was for the soul, and so his priority was to preach the gospel, but he was not indifferent to peoples temporal pains and needs. He cared for people as people and not just as souls to be saved, and so he loved those to whom he preached and ministered and cared for them in whatever way he was able.

By this caring life Paul sought to be an example of caring Christ-like love. He also wanted to show the true Christian spirit which does not set affection on the things of this world, or covet riches and possessions. He also sought by this example to live out the principle that true blessedness is found in giving to others and caring for others, rather than to be concerned about ones own happiness.

The actual act of farewell as described here is precious. Paul knelt and prayed with these Ephesian elders. Prayer is where we meet together in the presence of Christ, and we commend each other into the care and keeping of Christ. There is nothing more expressing of love for a person than to pray for and with them, and commit them to Christ. There is nothing better and more worthwhile that we are able to do for people than to pray for them and place them in the hands of Jesus. There is no greater solace than prayer. All our anxiety and needs for the future can be placed in God's hands through prayer, and then we have peace because we know our lives are hidden with Christ in God, and so are safe in God's wise and loving providence.

Then there was a show of emotion and expressions of love. We are told they wept, embraced and kissed. There is nothing wrong about such expressions of emotion and human love. Such expressions convey our love to others, and by these we are assured of the love of others to ourselves. All this expressed in the love of Christ is wholesome, helpful and strengthening, and given by God as a blessing to us, but let us always be filled with the presence and love of Christ so that our emotion and loving is always Christ-like.