Today's Scripture
A Party With Presents – Acts 20:32-35
32 And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified. 33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions. 35 In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
RJ's Devotion
What the passage says
V. 32 We are entrusted to the message of the Lord. The Message has the power to build us up and give the inheritance of the kingdom.
V. 33-34 There were people against Paul. They said he was taking advantage of the church. However, Paul testifies that he made his own living, and anything he received was justified by the work.
V. 35 This is the last word of Paul to the church of Ephesus. He reminds them to live worthy of the mission, as they give the message of hope to the world.
What does the passage say to me/us?
Paul is on a journey to Jerusalem. He understands how this will end his life. He says, “But nothing, not even my life is more important than my completing my mission. This is nothing other than the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus: to testify about the good news of God’s grace” (v. 24 CEB). Therefore this might be the last meeting with the people in Ephesus.
He shares many thoughts on how to live faithful to the call. However, he shares his final comment by saying, “In everything I have shown you that, by working hard, we must help the weak. In this way we remember the Lord Jesus’ words: ‘It is more blessed to give than receive’ (v. 35 CEB).
It shows how Paul lived a life that reflected the life of Jesus. In order to share the message of hope, Christ gave his everything to us and Paul is committed to do the same. For Paul and Jesus, it was literally giving up their life. God is asking us to give up our lives, however, the form of ‘giving up’ will be different according to each individual.
How is God calling me to give up my life to share this message of hope?
Prayer
Lord, we are thankful for the message of hope you brought to this world. Help us to share the message to the world through us. Give us your wisdom to know what you ask from us. We pray and rely on you.
In your name, we pray. AMEN
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