How Clean Are Your Hands

17 Now from Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church. 18 When they came to him, he said to them, “You know, from the first day I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, 19 serving the Lord with all humility, with tears, and during the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. 20 You know that I did not hesitate to proclaim anything to you that was profitable and to teach you publicly and from house to house. 21 I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. 22 “And now I am on my way to Jerusalem, compelled by the Spirit, not knowing what I will encounter there, 23 except that in every town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me. 24 But I consider my life of no value to myself; my purpose is to finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace. 25 “And now I know that none of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will ever see me again. 26 Therefore I declare to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, 27 because I did not avoid declaring to you the whole plan of God. 28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Men will rise up even from your own number and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them. 31 Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I never stopped warning each one of you with tears. 32 “And now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who are with me. 35 In every way I’ve shown you that it is necessary to help the weak by laboring like this and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” 36 After he said this, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. 37 There were many tears shed by everyone. They embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 grieving most of all over his statement that they would never see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.

Pray

What we read here is a farewell address to the Ephesian Elders, And is the only sermon recorded from Paul’s third missionary journey. And on top of that it is Paul’s only recorded sermon for a Christian audience.

Now Paul’s epistles were for Christians but this is the only sermon recorded to Christians. The rest were for Jews or Greeks or gentiles, As Paul evangelized.

As we read this we see that this is a man who knows he is going to be Physically defeated. He knows where he is heading. He is heading for chains and eventually death. This is a man who will not be physically victorious. He never will have lots of money. He never will be able to rest in a nice home with a pool. He will be a man that will be physically defeated. Thrown in prison, chained and executed. And he knows that’s where he is heading.

No one wants to be defeated, period, and here we see his sermon to other Christians with his defeat squarely in mind.

Fear & Sadness.

Paul is human. He doesn’t want to be arrested. He wants his freedom. He doesn’t want to suffer. He isn’t a masochist. He is like you and me. A Religious person who enjoys his freedoms and his life. How many times has he escaped death? He likes to live. And he likes being out of prison. How many times has God freed him from prison?

He is Concerned

He is concerned for those that will follow after him. He warns them watch out for those wolfs that will come and bring a destructive message. These are the same wolves we have to watch out for now. People come preaching what seems like a good message: From book of Mormon, Jehovah witnesses, Or seemingly innocent. To like this guy who has been preaching that the end of the world is at hand and that there is no more salvation. Using the bible. Using the teachings of the lord and corrupting them so that it sounds good to your ears. But they are just a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Concerned for those he helped. He tells the leaders to follow his example in helping the poor. Watching out for the week. As I have followed Jesus words you have followed me.

There is also hope in his words

Acts 20:24–27 LEB

But I consider my life as worth nothing to myself, in order to finish my mission and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. “And now behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about proclaiming the kingdom, will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you on this very day that I am guiltless of the blood of all of you, for I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the whole purpose of God.

Look at verse 24-27

Count my life as nothing, Because to die is to gain.

Philippians 1:21 LEB

For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Hope in that this is not his final resting place. There is a mansion for him not this side of his physicality. Not in this temporary life. But in his Eternal life.

Hope in that his hands are clean. Verses 26-27 I am innocent of your blood for I did not shrink down. I am clear. There is no blood on my hands. Because I taught you the truth. Did not back down. Did what God has commanded of me. Not that he was some superhuman. But that he in his fallen state was able to follow the will of the Lord and teach those he was to teach. Live a life of an example. Evangelize to those he was to evangelize. And Be who God had called him to be.

Paul was physically defeated, He was put in chains, He was executed, But he was victorious. Because he had holy spirit in him.

Gave us a recipe of victory too. You are human you will have fears, Joys, sadness. Stand up because God is with you and if God is for you who can stand against you. Look out for those wolves. Guard your heart against false teachings. Buy filling yourself with that which is God.

Live like Christ so that others may follow. Actually live out what you say you believe, Live It.

Next Steps

Be Clean. Don’t want to walk around with the blood of others on your hand. Out damned spot out. Lady Macbeth. You can do this not because this saves you. But because Christ died for you and you have the Holy Spirit In you.

Are you victorious?

Begins with Christ - Accepted

Are you hands Clean?

Have you backed down.

Fallen in with wolves.

Refused to evangelize or teach

How do your hands look?

Pray

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