Day 273: Acts 20:22–24

In town after town the Holy Spirit testifies to me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me (v. 23).

In his attentiveness Paul withheld nothing from the Ephesians. He assumed he was bound to have difficulties when he got to Jerusalem because the Holy Spirit had warned him of hardships in every other city. He couldn’t imagine Jerusalem being any exception. In fact, he probably assumed he would have more problems than ever as he returned to Jerusalem.

He also assumed he would never see the Ephesians again. I have a feeling he might have feared he would be put to death in Jerusalem. Some scholars believe he did see the Ephesians once more. Others believe he did not. At this point he spoke to them as if he would never see them again.

Next he shared with them his chief ambition: “I count my life of no value to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:24 hcsb). He was so determined to be faithful to the task God had assigned him, his certainty of suffering could not dissuade him.

Fear is a very powerful tool. Don’t think for a moment Satan did not try to use fear to hinder the apostle from fulfilling God’s purposes, and don’t think Paul was not terrified at times. Of course he was. To think otherwise would be to minimize his faithfulness. Paul was afraid, but his love for Christ exceeded his fear of suffering and death. His primary ambition was finishing his task faithfully. Notice the phrase in verse 24: “the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus.” Paul felt no responsibility to complete the task Christ had given Peter or Barnabas or Timothy. He believed and taught that God has specific plans for each believer. He expressed the concept clearly in Ephesians 2:10: “We are His creation—created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them” (hcsb).

God has a task for you—one He planned very long ago and suited for our present generation. Remember you are not responsible for completing anyone else’s task, just yours. God desires for us to encourage one another in our tasks (see Heb. 10:24–25), but we are responsible only for completing our own.