In a bittersweet scene, Paul lays it all on the line for the leaders of Ephesus as he departs for Jerusalem. He knows they will not see each other again, but he is confident in what he has taught them and the legacy he’s left there. Could you say the same about your life? If you had to say goodbye to those who God has entrusted to you, would you, like Paul, be able to say, “So stay awake and keep up your guard. Remember those three years I kept at it with you, never letting up, pouring my heart out with you, one after another.”
The second challenge I want to leave you with is from a very practical and realistic perspective. Paul says, about his journey ahead to Jerusalem…
“And now I am on my way to Jerusalem, bound in my spirit, not knowing what I will encounter there, 23 except that in town after town the Holy Spirit testifies to me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me. 24 But I count my life of no value to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.”
Acts 20:22-24 HCSB
Man, I love these words!
Paul knows he needs to continue to move forward. He knows there will be suffering. And finally, he knows he is to do the will of the Father above all else. That sounds a lot like daily life doesn’t it? We desire to move forward in life, but we know that suffering and hardship will come at some point. That’s a guarantee. Paul’s advice to us: “That matters little.” What really matters is completing the race and finishing the journey. What really matters is pouring himself out for the sake of the Gospel. And with tears in their eyes, the men in Ephesus join Paul as he kneels and utters one final prayer.
Bottom line: Paul knew how to finish the race. It wasn’t by his own merits. It was by doing what God told him, no matter what the circumstances or consequences. Do you know how to finish the race?