We’ve been studying Paul’s farewell address to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:17-21:1. We’ve considered what this portion tells us about Paul and those elders. Now let’s focus our attention on what it reveals about Jesus Christ.
Structuring what I found I came up with three points: His sacrifice, His advice and His availability. Paul told the elders they were to shepherd the church of God “which he bought with his own blood.” Two things to notice. God bought the church with his own blood. Since it was Jesus Christ who shed His own blood on the cross, He is here referred to as God, purchasing the church with his own blood. The Bible declares, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” That was the price Jesus paid so we could belong to Him.
His sacrifice is exhibit A for the advice Jesus gave in Acts 20:35: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” This very well might have been Paul’s life verse, since he said, “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the week, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said” and then he quotes, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
This impact statement captures all that Paul said in this farewell address. Now that we’ve considered His sacrifice and advice, let’s focus on His availability. Paul declared that we must “turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.”
You don’t need to look for Him. He’s available. Just turn to Him and trust. He will respond to you. You can count on it.
