Acts 20:17-38 TO THE ELDERS Some events that happened in our life-time are indelibly imprinted on our soul to the extent we can remember where we were, who else was there and how we were affected by it. Such an event would doubtless have left a lasting impression on the elder of the Ephesus assembly. On the thirty mile walk to Miletus they might have had mixed emotions as to why this long walk was necessary. On the way back they would have realized they had been supremely privileged to have been at Miletus and heard Paul speak to them with such passion and pathos. They would never forget that day. We may consider the inconvenience of traveling to a conference or making the effort to attend an assembly meeting, to be a waste of time that could be used in a better way. The summons to "gather My saints together unto Me," is never something to be taken lightly. "Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together," has divine authority behind it and should be obeyed. No oversight meeting should be put off or ignored as if it is unimportant. God chooses His time and place to speak to us, and we are in danger of missing one of the most important meetings of our life if we are not there.
The nature of the meeting at Miletus was that Paul had some final words and an important charge to give to the elders of the Ephesus assembly. Those men had been given a great responsibility by the Holy Spirit and needed to hear of the character of the ministry of an overseer as well as hearing of the example of the character of an overseer himself. We need to be reminded of what is expected of one who represents God's Word to the people and represents God Himself by his manner of life when living in a community. Paul was the ideal servant of God who was devoted to his calling and to the work of God day after day. From the very first day they knew him and for three years of faithful activity for the Lord in Ephesus, they could testify to his genuine humility and open and honest preaching. He was undaunted by the pressures laid upon him and undefeated by opposition against him. They knew of his tears of compassion and his victory over temptations by those who were enemies. In spite of all that happened to him and the pressures, he consistently preached the word of God and went to visit the homes of the Lord's people personally so he could know the people and what they needed to hear.
This example of leadership wouldn't be lost on those brethren, and it shouldn't be lost to us. To lead God's people effectively, we need to be consistent in our service for the Lord both publicly and privately. We cannot lead the saints if we are not at the meetings of the assembly. Some excuse themselves because of the work they do. When that happens, we have to decide what is most important: a well-paying job that interferes with assembly life, or the care and needs of God's people and a much lower standard of living. The true shepherd will choose to be with the people of God over money. One who leads, guards and guides God's people in the way he should, will know where the saints live and know the needs they are facing in their lives. Sometimes all that can be done for people is to pray and read the scriptures with them. Others times there may be opportunity to assist them in some other need in their lives. Tears and temptations are to be expected when we "bear one another's burdens."
The content of Paul's ministry was to preach "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." His Gospel message was not a complicated exegesis on some obscure point that didn't fit the people to whom he was speaking. Those who heard Paul speak knew they had to personally repent of their sin. They knew, and had to admit, they were wrong in their thoughts about God. They also knew from his preaching there was no other way of salvation apart from faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. The Gospel preaching of any brother who speaks on behalf of an assembly must be consistent with what the scriptures teach and should be given in a way that represents the believers who live there. The same holds true of anything that is profitable to the growth and welfare of the believers in the assembly. The example of Paul's leadership is a template for sincere, honest, gracious spiritual elders of and assembly.
For some reason Paul felt compelled to go to Jerusalem to pass on the needed aid, but also to minister spiritual truths to the believers there. Others could have delivered the funds but he believed what he had to pass on in spiritual things was necessary. He knew there was going to be imprisonment and trouble because the Holy Spirit had told him that through his own prophetic knowledge and perhaps through other prophets. But life wasn't as important to him as the ministry he was given. It is far more important what we put into our life for God than what we get out of life. Paul knew what he was to do and he did it. He was to testify the Gospel of the grace of God. He had experienced it personally and now was to pass that on personally. The elders of Ephesus knew what they were raised up to do and now they were to diligently do the work of an overseer. When we know what God wants from us, we are responsible to Him to do it with our might. It is wrong for us to let any other consideration take precedence over the work God has given us. To live with a clear conscience toward God and men is essential to live with joy and finish our course with joy.
The charge Paul gave to the leaders of the assembly at Ephesus gives very clear guidance as to the importance of the work of the elders in any assembly. There needs to be those elders who guide and guard God's people. Plurality of elders preserves the saints from self-opinionated men who claim a position of preeminence over others. A balanced leadership is an effective leadership. When spiritual men take counsel and work together, the many needs of a gathered-out company of God's people can be met. One person cannot meet those needs by his own intellect and education, nor by his ability to labor effectively enough to accomplish the many things that have to be done.
The first responsibility of elders is first to take heed to themselves. Self-evaluation means that I carefully consider the state of my own soul and life to remove any hindrances to the guidance of the Spirit of God. By applying myself to all that can be for the benefit of my own spiritual well-being so as to aid my own family and the family of saints of which I am a part. God has called us to a work. Let us never ignore that call or down-play its importance in any way. I need to recognize the fact the Spirit of God has given me this responsibility. Others will recognize it as I do the work God knows is needed. One who takes heed to the flock, is a shepherd who knows the condition of the sheep and lambs. He feeds those who are healthy that they may mature and produce what can benefit the Master and His kingdom. Shepherds can sense when a member or more of the flock is less than they should be or when their spiritual health is deteriorating. Each person in an assembly is important to God and to the others in the same fellowship. "When one member suffers, all suffer with it."
The value of the church of God is way beyond our ability to calculate. The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ indicates the assembly of God is of the same value to Him as His own life. This means the affairs of the church of God: the testimony, the prayers, the worship, the praise, the sacrifices, the people - are eternal in their impact and importance. Such an evaluation makes every spiritual shepherd who oversees such a flock, give due diligence to every aspect of the work to which he is called, and to the consequences that accompany such a work. There needs to be obvious spiritual maturity in view of the work given and the effect of decisions to be made. There needs to be a number of faithful men who can teach others the lessons they have learned from those who taught them. The transfer of leadership from one generation to another is not done by elections but by the obvious raising up of men who in the course of time are able and qualified to act for God and for the blessing of God's people.
The warning Paul gave to those brethren is relevant to us today. We must be on guard because there are those from outside the assembly who will seek a place and will have an agenda of their own that is not consistent with what the scriptures teach. In our day there has been an on-going effort to unite "Christian churches" into one great body so that we will be able to put a "united front" before the world. That unity, unfortunately, is not based on the word of God but on the desire for human power to influence political and public decisions to suit men's ideas. There are the wolves of cultic practices, of comparative religions, of the prosperity gospel, of the emerging church and a whole lot of other "isms" that are being promotes. But probably most disconcerting, are those who rise up from within the assembly itself. After some time among us and seemingly glad to be a part of the testimony that has been established for years, they start to sow the seeds of division. "What is wrong with that?" "Why don't we do this for a change?" "What difference does it make?" are a number of questions that should make shepherds realize there is a problem from within. By God's grace may all elders remain alert to the dangers from without and within.
Commendation to God and the word of His grace is the highest possible commendation a group of men could have. It states plainly who and what we serve and why we are given such a privileged responsibility. Paul again uses himself as an example of selfless giving of his time, his labor and his motivation for the blessing of God's people and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. He gave those men a rehearsal of his own life as an example for them to follow. He gave them a charge to keep and closed his discourse with a final word of review and challenge - and then they all knelt as Paul prayed and they cried. What a blessed benediction and what a display of genuine affection at this final parting. It is a powerful reminder that the work of God goes on even after we are gone. Our responsibility is to try to see there are those who are ready, able and willing to carry on the work of God in His way.