Parting Words from The Rev. Ben Sharpe
Acts 20:17-38
May 23, 2004 (Non-Lectionary)

Audio Version

As I considered what to say on this my last Sunday at Cornerstone United Methodist Church the Holy Spirit brought this passage to mind.  In this scripture lesson we witness the tender scene of Paul’s farewell to the leaders of the Church in Ephesus.  I want to take the spirit of Paul’s remarks as a model for my parting words.

First of all we want you to know how much we love you all.  You are precious to us.  Our children have grown up together.  Some of us have become middle-aged together!

Thank you for supporting my family and me.  Thank you for genuinely caring for us.  Thank you for praying for us.  Thank you for letting us share in your lives – letting us rejoice with you and weep with you.

Thank you for forgiving my failings and mistakes.  There have been many!  Sometimes I failed you unintentionally.  Sometimes I failed you out of pure human sinfulness.  You have been so gracious to me in spite of my inadequacies.

I.  Now in his remarks Paul reminds the elders about the conduct of his ministry.  I can honestly say with Paul that I have worked diligently among you.  I haven’t coveted anyone’s possessions.  I strived to be motivated only by the desire to please God and love those given to my care.  I have tried to model Christ in my ministry and personal life.  I know I have fallen far short of that high goal, but that was indeed my endeavor.

A.    You can testify that “I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.”  With Paul I can say that I am innocent of any man’s blood, i.e. I have not shrunk back from speaking the Truth of Christ to everyone under my care.  From God’s Word I have

·        comforted those who needed comfort

·        instructed in righteousness those willing to learn

·        corrected those who were in error

·        rebuked those who needed reproof.

B.    You know that I am leaving you because of God’s call on my life to be a part of a mission in Durham.  My family and I do not know what joys and hardships lie ahead.  Yet I am compelled by the Spirit to be faithful the carry out the ministry God has entrusted to me: to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

C.    I have learned so much among you that will be used of God in the ministry ahead of me.  Now I commend you to one another’s care.  Remember that you are precious!  Cornerstone is NOT YOUR CHURCH.  Rather YOU are GOD’S CHURCH PURCHASED AT THE PRICE OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST.

II.  Like Paul, I want to offer you some final instructions and warnings.  Paul begins by instructing them in the perils of leaders who are motivated by an agenda other than the gospel.  He calls such persons “savage wolves.”  Now let me be very careful to say that God is indeed raising up new and vibrant leadership among you.  I am thrilled that God continues to call men and women into positions of influential ministry within our church.  You folks who have stepped forward to raise up new ministry and to continue existing ministry in this church are being faithful to the apostle’s command: Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. [1 John 3:18 (NIV)]  During this time trust your established leadership, those who have already worked hard among you and shown themselves trustworthy in God’s work.

A.    With that in mind I need to warn you that the enemy will use this time of transition to attempt to sow destruction.  Be VERY CAREFUL AND ALERT because it during such time that certain people will suddenly rise up from among you or come in from outside and wish to LEAD or serve in some CRITICAL MINISTRY.  If such a person appears and:

·        WILL NOT ACCEPT CORRECTION or

·        is LIVING IN UNREPENTANT SIN or

·        REFUSES TO SUBMIT TO AUTHORITY

DO NOT LET THEM GAIN INFLUENCE IN THE BODY OF CHRIST!

B.    Do not allow overbearing, abrasive, domineering people who are driven by an appetite to control gain power over you.  Such a person is operating out of “selfish ambition or vain conceit.”  They come with their own agendas that have NOTHING to do with serving Jesus Christ.  In a church I once led a parishioner who was on the upper end of the socio-economic scale remarked to me: “I think that giving a substantial amount to the church entitles me to a greater influence.”  I could not believe this person actually would articulate such a sentiment!  Because their family’s income was larger the dollar amount of their tithe was larger and thus she assumed that this gave her greater say in direction of the Church.  This is directly contrary to our Lord’s teaching:

      Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.

      Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44 (NIV)

She had revealed her heart, she believed that she could purchase influence and control in the body of Christ.  She had disqualified herself from leadership in God’s church.  She had fallen into the error of Simon the magician who thought he could purchase the power to bestow the Holy Spirit with the laying on of hands by offering the apostles money. In response to this base request…

      Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” Acts 8:20 - 23 (NIV)

The difference between manipulation and leadership is motive.  [Dennis Sawyer, Leadership, Vol. 14, no. 3.]

C.    One of the wonderful qualities of Cornerstone United Methodist Church is that we have a “sweet spirit.”  We genuinely love one another and those God sends our way.  Do not let anyone gain influence in this church who will take you away from that quality of love. Let me warn you that just a small handful of “mean” people can ruin a church if the people of God passively sit by and do nothing.  The kind of leaders God approves of have the following characteristics:

·        They have a lively faith in Jesus Christ!  They have genuinely experienced conversion and are growing in their faith.

·        They KNOW and are continuing to LEARN God’s Word.

·        They have a SERVANT heart.  They are the one’s who serve because they love Jesus and other people.  Not so that they can receive recognition.

·        They GIVE OF THEIR FINANCIAL RESOURCES, but do not see the tithe as a means of purchasing power.

·        They are DEEPLY CONNECTED to the body and love their brothers and sisters.

·        They DO NOT FORM FACTIONS, GOSSIP, or CONIVE TO ACHIEVE PERSONAL AGENDAS.

·        They are TEACHABLE and SUBMIT TO GOD-ORDAINED AUTHORITY.

D.    Do not tolerate false teaching from any leader.  We live in a time when many have wandered away from the truth of God’s Word.  They distort and deny the clear teaching of the Scriptures so that they can justify immoral behavior.  Do not put up with such a person for even one minute!  Watch out for those who devote a great deal of time and energy to explaining why God’s Word doesn’t mean what it clearly says.

III.   Finally I want to offer you some words of encouragement just as Paul did with the Ephesian elders when he said: “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” Acts 20:32 (NIV)

A.    God is going to continue to grow and bless this church if you remain obedient to Christ and steadfast in prayer.

·       God DESIRES to continue a good work among you:  I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:3 - 6 (NIV)

·        God is ABLE to do greater things than you can imagine in this church.  [God] is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20 (NIV)

·       God has a PLAN to bless this church. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV)

B.    The second point of encouragement I would offer is that you welcome your new pastor with love and enthusiasm.  Treat him and his family with respect.  The Word of God instructs us:

The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 1 Timothy 5:17

Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. Hebrews 13:17

·        Love him and help him succeed.

·        If you sow blessing into your pastor’s life you will reap blessing in return.

·        Remember, before you criticize your pastor ask yourself: Have I earnestly, diligently and repeatedly prayed for my pastor?

C.    The final point of encouragement I offer you is that you make Acts 2:42 the model for your life together as a church.  Devote yourselves to PRAYER, the TEACHING OF THE APOSTLES (Scripture), the observance of HOLY COMMUNION, and to FELLOWSHIPING WITH THE BELIEVERS.

CONCLUSION:   “Finally, [beloved in the Lord], good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you...May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” 

2 Corinthians 13:11,14 (NIV)

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Acts 20:17-38

17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

22 "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

25 "Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

32 "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

36 When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
NIV

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