November
12 Bible Reading: Acts Chapters 19-21
We should AIM to FINISH our MINISTRY with ‘JOY’!
"But
none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I
may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord
Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." (Acts 20:24)
In his
farewell message to the elders of Ephesus, Apostle Paul reviewed his past ministry (vv. 18–21), shared his present concerns (vv. 22–24), and revealed the impending dangers that awaited the church in Ephesus
while he would be gone (vv. 28–31). In the words of the Bible Teacher Warren
Wiersbe, as Paul reviewed his ministry in vv. 24–26, he saw himself as an
accountant (“I count”), a runner (“I may finish my race”), a steward (“the ministry which I received”), a
witness (“to testify”), a herald (“preaching the kingdom”), and a watchman
(“innocent of the blood”). What a responsibility it is to be a servant
of God!
Even as Apostle
Paul was delivering his farewell message, he was convinced that God wanted him
to go to Jerusalem even though some brethren equally led by the Holy Spirit had warned him that his imprisonment
was imminent in Jerusalem (v. 23). Paul’s evaluation of his personal endangered
situation was that none of the threats concerned him any longer (v. 24). Life on earth was no longer a real concern
except as it related to the completion of his mission!
As Apostle Paul
weighed his future, he did not think that his own life was of any great
consideration as his fierce ambition was to obey God and to please Him alone. While
fulfilling his ministry if he would be called upon to offer up his very life,
he was willing to do so gladly. No sacrifice he could make would be too great
for his beloved Lord Jesus who had died for him. All that mattered for Paul was
that he finishes his race and completes the ministry which he received from his
Lord, which was to fully testify to the
gospel of the grace of God!
Thus, Apostle
Paul was determined to finish his course of life with joy and to testify the gospel of the grace of God to as many people
as possible. This gospel of the grace of
God is the thrilling message of God’s undeserved favor to guilty, ungodly
sinners who deserve nothing but everlasting hell. This gospel explains how Jesus
Christ, God’s only begotten Son, came from heaven’s highest glory to suffer,
bleed, and die on Calvary in order that those who believe on Him might receive
forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. By
spreading this gospel, Paul sought only the furtherance of God’s kingdom and
the honor of Christ, no matter what cost he had to pay!
We should
admire Apostle Paul’s absolute dedication to the service of Christ and how well
he was prepared for the worst outcome. His goal in life was to multiply the
followers of Christ. He would find his mission accomplished when he would be
able to finish his ministry with joy even though he faced prison and hardship.
When our goal in life is to honor God in everything that we do, then God will
guide and guard us during each step of our way.
