(28) “Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which He purchased with His own blood. (29) I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; (30) and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. (31) Wherefore watch ye, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears. (32) And now I commend you to God, and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you the inheritance among all them that are sanctified. (33) I coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. (34) Ye yourselves know that these hands ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. (35) In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
(36) “And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down and prayed with them all. (37) And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him, (38) sorrowing most of all for the word which he had spoken, that they should behold his face no more. And they brought him on his way unto the ship.”
Golden Text.—“Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) What admonition does Paul give to Christians? To what does he liken the church? What officials did he particularly address? What duty had the Holy Spirit laid upon them? Of what great purchase price did Paul remind them? Verse 28. Note 1. (2) What did Paul declare he knew concerning the future history of the church? To what does he liken these who should thus prey upon the church? What would they do to the flock? Verse 29. Note 2. (3) Against what danger in their own midst did he warn them? What would be the purpose of these persons? Verse 30. Note 3. (4) What does he again urge them to do? What did he ask them to keep in remembrance? What shows Paul's earnestness in preparing the disciples for the trials that would come? Verse 31. (5) To what did Paul commend his hearers? What was that grace able to do for them? Verse 32. Note 4. (6) What does Paul say of his own course while among them? Verse 33. (7) What had ministered to Paul's necessities? What else had his hands done? Verse 34. (8) What was Paul's purpose in this? What did he intend that his example should show to them? What did he ask them to remember? Verse 35. Note 5. (9) Having thus spoken, what did Paul do? Verse 36. (10) How did Paul's hearers express their feelings toward him? Verse 37. (11) What caused them the deepest sorrow? When the meeting was over, what did the disciples do? Verse 38.
NOTES.
1. “Take heed unto yourselves.”—Paul seems to be speaking particularly to those who were holding offices in the church. It was their duty to take heed to themselves as to whether they were in the truth; whether they were standing firm on the principles of the Gospel; whether they were filled with the spirit of the work, taught of God, and willing instruments in His service. Then they could carry on the work with energy and along right lines. He likened the church to a flock. The flock relies for its safety upon the one who has charge of it. It has no weapons to use against the wolf and the bear; but it relies upon One who can conquer both. The flock thus is a most fitting example of the church, weaponless on its own behalf, but amply protected by One who can conquer all its foes.
2. “Grievous wolves shall enter in.”—A fitting symbol again, especially when unfaithful shepherds come to positions of trust in the church of God. The watchful shepherds forestall all such attacks; but Paul saw that there would come a letting down on the part of the overseers which would result in disaster to the flock. Their lack of watchfulness would permit the inroads of the enemy.
3. “From among your own selves.”—The great danger was not from without; but would come from those within who had been trusted, who perhaps held positions of responsibility in the church. This came about gradually until the church was nearly lost in the blackness of the Dark Ages. Half-hearted converts from heathenism brought with them into the church their customs and philosophy, and the backslidden church permitted the transformation which came about through them until that caricature of Christianity, the Papacy, was fully established. Paul foresaw this, and so he warned them day and night with tears.
4. “Which is able to build you up.”—The Christian is to be built up upon that one true foundation, Jesus Christ, the chief Cornerstone. Christianity through “the word of His grace” is the mightiest reconstructing and building force that has ever been manifest in this world. Men's thoughts and lives are reconstructed by it, and the man made new, recreated in Christ Jesus unto good works. Before that, the process of decay and destruction was working in him. The same process that reconstructs the individual, recreates the race, and will recreate this world. It is with that power that God will finally “make all things new.” And through that building process the recreated ones enter into the eternal inheritance.
5. “More blessed to give than to receive.”—Although not recorded in the Gospels, the words quoted were in common knowledge in those days, else Paul could not have asked them to “remember” them. The truth of the words themselves is seen in the life of the One who spake them, the One who found joy in giving His life that others might have life. He who cherishes selfishness in his heart cannot see the truth of these words of Christ; but when self has been banished, he will see that the joy he had previously experienced in receiving is not worthy to be compared with that joy which comes into his heart from the bestowal of gifts upon others.
