August 14th, 2012
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Watch It!

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Healing God, thank You for Your peace, Your abiding presence, and Your strength equal to all my stress.

Read Acts 20:17-38

[17] From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. [18] When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. [19] I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. [20] You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. [21] I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. [22] “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. [23] I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. [24] However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. [25] “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. [26] Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. [27] For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. [28] Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. [29] I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. [30] Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. [31] So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. [32] “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. [33] I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. [34] You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. [35] In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” [36] When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. [37] They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. [38] What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

Jesus Christ is “the faithful witness” (Rev. 1:5). Reflect on the meaning of this phrase, turning your thoughts into praise to God for the Lord Jesus.

Think Further

John Bunyan captures the importance of faithfulness for Christian life and service when he describes what it takes to be a pilgrim: “He’ll fear not what men say; He’ll labor night and day.” Perseverance, refusal to be distracted, willingness to face hardship, reliable communication of the truth and absolute integrity are all key to Christian ministry. Paul claims that all these apply to his service among the Ephesians. It’s quite a claim! Today we tend to play up our failures rather than our accomplishments in Christ’s service. Paul has no such misgivings, not because he is proud or arrogant, but because he is faithful. He has simply done as he was asked. And because he claims no rights of his own, he does not question the demands the Lord Jesus makes on his life (24). Like Jesus (John 17:4), he has completed the work he has been allocated.

We prize our comfort and security. We protect ourselves from criticism. We make allowances for ourselves. These responses reflect the molding we have undergone by our culture. The author Ian McEwan creates the character of Professor Michael Beard in his novel, Solar. Beard is obsessed with his status, his reputation and his sexual appetite. He is a glutton and a liar. McEwan acutely dissects the human condition; we are interested primarily in ourselves. Following Christ is a totally different path. The Gospel always provokes challenge. Where faithful work is done, there will be a backlash, questioning the validity and veracity of what has been said and done. That is why modeling Christian leadership is so important. We are the beneficiaries of those who, down through the centuries, have kept watch, guarded the truth, worked hard and helped the weak. The next generation depends on our faithfulness.

Apply

Bring the Lord your repentance for any unfaithfulness, thanks for his past faithfulness and your intercession for those who have responded negatively to your presentation of the Gospel.

Closing prayer

Father, I’m challenged by the words of Jesus, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (35). Empower me to put self aside so I can serve better.

Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.

© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.

Encounter with God is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.

View all readings

Get ENCOUNTER:

in your email:

in Print:

Become a Member | Visit our store