Halfway through his emotional address to the Ephesians elders, Paul now issued a couple of imperatives to these men. He commanded these men that they MUST care for both their own souls and the souls of the sheep entrusted to them with the utmost diligence … as watchmen upon the wall. The church is so precious to God because it was purchased through the shed blood of His only begotten Son.
Paul instructed these pastors that after his departure to Jerusalem, spiritual onslaught would continue against their congregations. Threats from within AND without would arise, as predatory men would seek to destroy the sheep for their own purposes. Because of the reality of such devastating threats, Paul told these men they MUST be in a constant state of heightened protective awareness, remembering his pattern of ministry: how he continuously cautioned and warned the Ephesian Christians, many times with tears of compassion, love, and care.
Paul knew that their only means of success in such an endeavor was through the power of God, and so he commended them to God and to the word of His grace, trusting that the Word Himself would build them up and give them their eternal inheritance. Paul also reminded these pastors of the great need to work hard for the good of the congregation. Instead of looking to accumulate wealth of their own, their duty before God (informed by the beatitude of Jesus) was to help the weak!
There was nothing left for Paul to say. Together, these men knelt before God and prayed – what a time of prayer that must have been! These men were especially pained that Paul would no longer be among them, showing them the example of godly ministry. Their parting was filled with loud weeping and tender embraces and kissing Paul goodbye as they escorted him to the ship. Their emotive display was not that of weeping with no hope, but it still reflected the sorrow that saints have when parting for what seems to be the last time here on earth.
What does Paul mean that the Holy Spirit made these men overseers? How can Paul say that the church was obtained with God’s own blood? What are the twisted things Paul mentions? What does the word admonish mean? Who are the weak that Paul tells these elders that they must help? Where/when did Jesus speak this beatitude referenced by Paul? You can find the answers to these questions (and more!) by listening to this teaching on Acts 20:28-38 by clicking on the following link: The Faithful Pastor’s Charge to Fledgling Pastors: Part 2
