FINISHING THE WORK
Text: Acts 20:22-38
Introduction
1. The 1992 Summer Olympics featured two tremendously poignant moments. American sprinter Gail Devers, the clear leader in the 100-meter hurdles, tripped over the last barrier. She agonizingly pulled herself to her knees and crawled the last five meters, finishing fifth--but finishing.
2. Even more heart-rending was the 400-meter semifinal in which British runner Derek Redmond tore a hamstring and fell to the track. He struggled to his feet and began to hobble, determined to complete the race. His father ran from the stands to help him off the track, but the athlete refused to quit. He leaned on his father, and the two limped to the finish line together, to deafening applause. (John E. Anderson, "What Makes Olympic Champions?", Reader’s Digest, February 1994, p. 120).
3. Paul too, was determined to finish the race. He knew that many troubles still lay ahead of him, but he was determined to finish the race God had given him to run.
4. Read Acts 20:22-38
Transition: What we learn from Paul is the necessity of…
I. Completing the Race (22-27).
A. Unless I Use it for Finishing the Work
1. In the previous section, Paul gathered the elders of the church in Ephesus, where he talked about his ministry among them. Now, his speech to them shifts to where his future is headed.
2. In vv. 22-23, Paul says, “And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, 23 except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead.”
a. Paul begins by saying that he is headed to Jerusalem because he is “bound by the Spirit.”
b. The word bound means “to compel someone to act in a particular manner—‘to compel, to force.’ (Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 475).
c. In other words, the Holy Spirit was telling Paul, “This is where you are going!”
d. In addition to telling him where he was going, the Holy Spirit also told Paul what was going to happen to him there.
e. The Spirit told Paul he would be imprisoned and face suffering. In some of his letters Paul reflected on the knowledge of what lied before him.
f. “Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit. 31 Pray that I will be rescued from those in Judea who refuse to obey God. Pray also that the believers there will be willing to accept the donation I am taking to Jerusalem.” (Rom. 15:30-31).
g. Despite the fact that Paul knew what awaited him, he did not shy away from it. In doing so, Paul provided a strong example to follow for these elders, whom many would also suffer for Christ.
3. As Paul continued, he made it clear that he was more than willing to do what he had to do. In v. 24 it says, “But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.”
a. What Paul says here is not only important for him and the Ephesian elders, but it is also important for us today.
b. He says that his life is secondary compared to the mission he had been given by Christ.
c. Paul often used the illustration of an athlete finishing the race as an example of finishing the mission he was given.
d. He was determined, regardless of the cost, to finish the race well.
e. As he later wrote in his letter to the Philippians, “For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.” (Phil. 1:20).
f. He was a committed person whose life’s goal was to tell others about Jesus. This is why he was the greatest missionary who ever lived.
4. As Paul continues, he says in vv. 25-27, “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again. 26 I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, 27 for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.”
a. It seems clear that Paul was convinced he would never see these elders ever again.
b. Although we do not know for certain if he ever did, many of whom he personally led to Christ, it was obviously a sad moment.
c. Paul was saying farewell to these leaders that he naturally had great affection for.
d. He makes it plain that he has done the mission for which Jesus Christ commissioned him.
e. He goes so far as to say, if anyone goes to hell, it was not his fault, He had done everything possible to prevent that from happening.
f. What a great testimony that would be for any of us. It would be such a blessing to stand before our Lord and be able to honestly say, “Lord, I have finished the race, and I have done what you asked of me!”
g. Let’s make it our goal, to be able to say if anyone we’ve known does not make heaven, we have done all within our power to keep that from happening.
B. The Prize Awaits Me
1. Illustration: The Greeks had a race in their Olympic games that was unique. Oddly enough, the winner was not the runner who finished first and fastest. It was the first runner who finished the race with his torch still lit. “I am not trying to outrun others. I just want to run all the way to the finish line of life with the flame of my torch still lit for Him. (J. Stowell, Fan the Flame, Moody).
2. God has given each of us a race to run, and in this race the goal is not to finish first, but to finish well.
a. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.” (2 Tim. 2:7-8).
b. The race that God has given us is to tell people about Jesus with our words.
c. The race that God has given us is to tell people about Jesus with our actions.
d. The race that God has given us is to make disciples.
e. The race that God has given us is to be faithful and never give up.
f. When we finish the race, God has a prize waiting for us, and that prize is to hear Him say to us, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”
Transition: Paul also tells us about…
II. Guarding The Flock (28-38).
A. Guard Yourselves and God’s People
1. Paul continues his message to the Ephesian elders in vv. 28-31, saying, “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. 31 Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.”
a. Now, Paul commissions them to care for the flock of whom they were made overseers.
b. The first thing that Paul tells them to do is to look out for themselves. I have learned the hard way that I cannot look out for my flock if I am not taking care of my own spiritual health.
c. Second, Paul tells them to look out for the flock.
1) The most important thing that the shepherd can do for the flock is to feed them.
2) Of course, this is done through the ministry of preaching and teaching the Word of God.
3) This is something I have always taken seriously in my ministry, and I can say that I have always done so faithfully.
4) Once a woman left our church because she said she wasn’t being fed, and I told her to belly up to the table. I can set the food in front of you, but I can’t make you eat it!
5) Any shepherd of Christ should take this sacred responsibility seriously because the church we lead has been bought by the precious blood of Christ!
d. He also tells these leaders to watch out for the flock and protect them from the vicious wolves from outside the church. These elders had to first protect themselves, and secondly, they had to protect the sheep, because these wolves are bound to come.
e. He also warns them that attacks will also come from within the church.
1) Pastor’s must constantly be on the look out for wolves in sheep’s clothing.
2) In my first pastorate, there were more problems within the church than this young pastor knew what to do with. One night we had a congregational meeting with the Presbyter, and there was a wolf there who was causing me trouble. The presbyter asked him if he wanted to pastor the church. He said, “yes!” The presbyter took out a piece of paper and wrote something on it, and then handed it to me. On this piece of paper was one word, “wolf!” It’s something I’ve never forgotten.
2. Then Paul pronounces a prayer of benediction over them. In v. 32 it says, “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.”
a. Paul had given all of himself to these leaders. He had led them, taught them, and prayed for them.
b. Now, he does for them the greatest thing anyone could do for another; he commends them to God.
c. He also commends them to message of God’s grace, that tremendous blessing of God that none of us deserve.
d. In addition, he prays encouragement for them. Next to praying for your pastor, the most important thing is encouraging him.
e. There are many things that come against the man of God, but none more detrimental than discouragement.
f. Thank you for the encouragement that you give me on a weekly basis. It means more to me than you will ever know.
B. Care for the Flock
1. Illustration: The first Queen Elizabeth asked a man to go abroad for her on a business matter. He said, "I sincerely wish I could, but I can’t. My own business is so demanding, it would suffer if I left." The Queen replied, "Sir, if you attend to my business, I will take care of yours." When he returned, he found the Queen true to her word. She had indeed taken care of his business. In fact, he was better off than if he had taken care of it himself. If you take care of His business, He’ll take care of yours.
2. Church, we need to take care of each other.
a. “Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.” (1 Pet. 5:2).
b. As your Pastor, I pledge to do my best to love you, and care for you spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
c. What I ask in return, is that you pray for me, encourage me, and help me. I can’t do this alone!
d. But there is more to it than that for you. You also have a flock to care for.
e. If you are a husband and father, you need to care for your wife and children.
f. If you are a wife, you need to care for your husband and children.
g. If you are a son or daughter, you need to care for your parents.
h. We all have a flock to tend to, and we have a Good Shepherd who will watch over and guide us if we will let Him.
Conclusion
1. From Paul’s farewell to the Ephesian elders, we learn…
a. Finish the race
b. Take care of each other
2. What’s the point preacher? As Christians, we all have a job to do, which includes telling people about Jesus, and showing them Jesus by the way we treat each other.
