Session Devotional: Acts 20:33-35

English Standard Version Chapter 20

33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

The Apostle was a “tent-making” minister of the gospel. He made tents, along with others, to make an income to sustain himself. This set him free from being dependent upon others for support for gospel ministry. This is why he was free from coveting the gold and silver of others (33). This was also a mark of the false teachers who were motivated by money and made their rounds to take advantage of the church.

Acts 18:1–4 “1 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.”

The Ephesian Elders were aware of Paul’s hard work as a tent maker to sustain himself and to minister to the needs of others who were with him during his past 3 year ministry (34).

It would appear that given the context that Paul knew that the false teachers that would come in like wolves and their motive would be for financial gain. He holds up his own example of what he was willing to do on behalf of the church.

Is this something that we still need to be concerned about today? If so, where do we see it?

Should all Christian ministers be tent makers?

Paul was displaying that we all should labor to help the “weak” as they practice the teaching of Jesus: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

We don’t have a direct quote but certainly the principle is taught by the Lord in Matthew 10:8: “8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.” Paul is talking about the teaching and ministry life of Jesus.

Who should do this?