by Pastor Rich Carlson

After seven days in Troas, Paul preached a long farewell sermon that began on Sunday night and went late into Monday morning when he was supposed to leave. Apparently, long sermons could get boring back then too, because a young man named Eutychus fell asleep. He was sitting in the third floor window, fell out, and was declared dead down below! Paul went down, raised him back to life, and then went back to the potluck and kept on preaching until daybreak. Then he left.

Paul traveled on for one last stop in Ephesus where he reminded the people there what was most important to him:

• He served the Lord with great humility–even with tears, and was severely tested for his beliefs (Acts 20:19)
• He did not hesitate to preach anything that would be helpful (20:20)
• He taught publicly and from house to house (20:20)
• He declared that everyone, Jew or Gentile, must do two things: turn to God in repentance, and have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (20:21)
• He considered his life worth nothing unless he could finish the task that the Lord Jesus gave him (20:24)
• His task was to testify to the gospel of God’s grace (20:24)

He said he would never see them again (20:25) but encouraged the Ephesian believers to:

• keep watch over themselves and the flock God had given them (20:28)
• be good shepherds of the church of God (20:28)
• be on guard because savage "wolves" would seek to destroy the flock (20:29)

Then Paul committed the Ephesian believers to God and the word of His grace which would build them up and give them an inheritance among all those who are sanctified (20:32). He knelt down with them all and prayed, embraced and kissed them and left (20:36-37).

I love the focus of Paul’s ministry. Everything seemed to be about being faithful to the call of God and building people up. And lest I get tempted to think that was because he was a full-time paid missionary, he made it very clear in this chapter that his hands had provided for all his physical needs as well as those who accompanied him. He was no paid professional! He was a layperson with passion. He worked hard all day and preached all night. No wonder he holds such a special place in the hearts of Christians. What an example to follow.

Rich Carlson is campus chaplain at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. “God Is Faithful” is adapted from the email devotionals he writes regularly for the Union College family. Rich enjoys filling his life with God, his family, and especially his five grandchildren.