Acts 20:32-38 

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.

You Fool!

Are foolish people not aware that they are acting foolishly? Have you heard a cliché that goes—when rich people speak others listen? What did the Lord Jesus teach about the foolishness of a rich man?

In Luke 12:16-21, ¹⁶ And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.¹⁷ He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ ¹⁸ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. ¹⁹ And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ ²¹ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Many people including Christians are infatuated with wealth, power, social status, fame, or connections, and forget that life is a preparation of eternity.

Paul said goodbye to the elders of the church in Ephesus exemplifies that every good thing will come to an end. May our toil translate to eternal treasures!

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. 

The Ephesian elders were grieved that they will not see him again. Paul was very sure that God’s grace takes care of them like all those who are set apart. Paul knew what he was saying. Amidst persecution, God’s grace sustained him in his toil.

1.  Toil

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. 

Why did Paul recollect that he laboured for their support? Do you know of preachers who preach the gospel for profit? Paul has implied about such kind of activity in 2 Corinthians 2:17, ¹⁷ Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.

Have you heard of a Christian station pleading for more donors because their ministry relies upon donations? Donations could be God’s work but should not Christian ministries rely primarily upon Chris instead of donations? Have you heard of preachers who are scared of offending those big time givers?

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.’ ”

Paul labored and toiled to help the needy. He exemplified how “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  The word “more” is comparative. The Lord compared the blessedness in giving and receiving. Practically, blessing is to be received but giving yields more blessings according to the Lord Jesus.

Whatever Christ says is true and functional. How does giving bring more blessing to the giver than receiving to the receiver?

Balikbayan

Filipinos from abroad going back to the Philippines are called “Balikbayan.” “Balikbayans” normally share their abundance to relatives in the Philippines.

Which do you prefer: Balikbayan or relatives waiting for dole out?

Here’s another: Would you rather be the one giving forgiveness to the offender or the one waiting for forgiveness of the offended?

Or would you rather be a care-giver or care-receiver?

Paul explained how giving yields more blessing in 2 Corinthians 9:7 & 10, ⁷ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver….  ¹⁰ Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.

As he embarked for his next mission assignment, Paul reminded the Ephesians that he toiled not only for his needs but also as life example for them to imitate. It was an emotional farewell because they might not see him again. His ministry tenure to the Ephesians has ended. Next tenure in missions stood by.

2.  Tenure

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.

That’s a very dramatic ending of Paul’s ministry adventure in Ephesus. Paul was called to preach on God’s grace. God allowed him to be constantly persecuted wherever he went. But God’s grace sustained him to keep on keeping on. After Paul sensed God’s purposes for him were completed, Paul would assign elders or pastor to the church he planted. Timothy was the pastor of the church in Ephesus.

In 1 Timothy 1:3, ³ As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer… 

Some Bible scholars suggest that Paul gave a biblical example when he assigned Timothy to the Ephesian church. Paul chose Timothy because he knew him personally. Even with much prayer, it is not uncommon for people to elect those they are comfortable with. Why is it that we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit when electing our God-called leaders?

King Xerxes

It was not known why King Xerxes promoted Haman. In Esther 3:1-2, ¹ After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. ² All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.

In Esther 10:2-3, ² And all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Media and Persia? ³ Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.

God established leaders. He allowed King Xerxes to promote Haman or to install Mordecai. Both Haman and Mordecai had served God’s Divine Purposes. Haman was a villain and Mordecai was a hero.

Electorates are privileged to elect leaders. Will you be choosing like King Xerxes? Do you know if you are electing a Haman or a Mordecai? Do you elect leaders you are comfortable with?

If you are promoted to lead, will you be Haman or Mordecai? Will you be God’s instrument of persecution or blessing? Will you be hero or anti-hero?

Praise belongs to the Lord our God. He allows decisions [right or wrong] to accomplish His Divine Purposes. Pray for Canada, the Philippines, and TMEC—that leaders who would serve God’s Divine Purposes will be elected.

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