Acts 20:32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified (ESV)
Paul knew his time had come. In his final address to the Ephesian elders he tells them they will never see his face again. This strikes them with much weeping and sorrow, but Paul held it together and did what he does best, admonished them to the end. We can learn much from the ministry of Paul, but this verse stood out to me more so then the others in this address. Paul could confidently tell of his departure because he knew he was leaving these elders in the hands of the Helper. The same Helper Jesus told his disciples about before he departed from them. “Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). Paul knew that he was but a vessel that the Lord was using, he himself said it is God who gives the growth. He understood that his role was to plant and water seeds but that ultimately regeneration and sanctification belong to the Lord.
I could only imagine the peace that filled Paul in this time. To know that as he left, he was placing these elders before God and his word. To commend means to literally place alongside or present; to entrust, set before or commit to ones charge. Paul knew that these were never his, they had been entrusted to him for a time and he was know to entrust them back into the care and leadership of the Lord. Trusting and believing they were safe in his hands. Paul had done all he could do, for he tells us that for three years he did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears. Paul’s tears were a manifestation of his burden to preach the whole counsel of God. He was in anguish, his heart was broken and he was deeply pained, knowing the bondage the Jews were in, for he was one. He would tell us in Romans 10, “Brothers my hearts desire and prayer to God for them (Jews) is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” Paul wished to see the good news preached among the Jews and gentiles. He wished to see the captives set free, that they too might walk in freedom. This desire so pressed in on him day and night it brought him to tears as he stood before the people. He was a man who could truly say; “I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” He would follow the Spirit to his own death for the sake of the gospel. Today through one mans obedience, Christians are still being sanctified by Paul’s inspired words penned during his imprisonment. Talk about walking in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.
Paul’s says he leaves them with the word of grace; which is able to build them up and usher them into the inheritance of all those who are sanctified. Believer do you hold this same view of the word today. Have you forgotten God is not served by human hands, as though he need anything from us, since life and breath and everything come from him. Why have we taken upon ourselves the duty of defending the gospel? We are only standing in the way, limiting the power waiting to be unleashed. We must come back to a right standing before the Lord. We must find ourselves knelt down in prayer as Paul did in the end of this address. For he knew that’s were the sanctification took place. In communion with the Lord; guided and directed by his word of grace. Let us get back to the basics. Need I tell you of the power of the resurrection? Spurgeon states it best. “Defend the gospel? The gospel is like a caged lion. It does not need to be defended, it just needs to be let out of its cage.” Christian, it is time we stop limiting the power of the gospel. We must move from out the front of the cage and open the door. This will require death to self. This will require walking in the freedom of Christ. For do you not know, it is for freedom you have been set free! We must lay aside our fleshly opinions and believe in the whole counsel of God, as Paul so zealously admonished.
This verse reminds me back to my time in Kenya. Our six months was coming to an end and it was time to say goodbye to my students. Now I knew they were not mine, God had entrusted them into my leadership for the time being but it was now time to commit them back to Him. This was a process that brought much sorrow to my students. No surprise we read in this scene the Ephesian elders were filled with sorrow, just as Jesus disciples has been when he foretold of his departure. But in this time there was a peace that ruled my heart, I was sad to leave them, but I knew I was leaving them in good hands. I left them with a knowledge of the Helper, and Gods word of grace, trusting and believing that sanctification is His. As Paul would say the good work began will be carried out to completion in the day of Christ Jesus.
We should never fear a time of departure. Actually I see Gods working in the time of departure, knowing that it will force for them to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. Paul knew there came a point when man was only capable of accomplishing so much. We have to give the rest to God. Finding ourselves in prayer, persistently pleading that God would sanctify believers in the truth; for His word is truth.
Application:
Daily as we depart from the ministry placed before us on that given day; we should commend or commit all those works before the Lord, trusting and believing we did our part and God will do the rest. As we boldly proclaim the truth in love, point believers to observe the whole counsel of God, we can be assured that the Lord will continue to work through the sanctifying process of His Holy Spirit.
