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RE Verse reading–Luke 12:13-21, 16:19-31, James 5:1-6 (day one)  “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” (12:14)  Jesus had boundaries.  He was no push over.  He did not accept every request for help simply because it was requested.  Our RE Verse passage this week continues a summer series on the subject of generosity.  It tells of a day when the Lord’s teaching was interrupted by a younger brother (probably) who was frustrated (legitimately or not–the passage doesn’t say) with his older brother and the disposition of their father’s estate.  He wanted Jesus to get involved.  Jesus refused.  What He was willing to do was teach about greed and lead the young man (and all of us)  into a new heart and better approach.  Interesting! God by nature and promise is generous.  He is a God of grace.  This does not mean, however, that He always gives us what we want.  It is not His job to do so.

RE Verse reading–Acts 20:17-35 (day seven)  “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus. . .’it is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” (vs 35)  Who are the weak?  When Paul gives this command  who did he have in mind?  The word is asthenos.  Literally “those who have no strength”.  So perhaps Paul meant the poor.  Those without financial strength.  “He must labor. . .so that he will have something to share with one who is in need”  (Ephesian 4:28)  Perhaps Paul meant the theologically challenged.  Those who lack strength to fight off the wolves mentioned in vs 29.  Maybe it is those who lack motivation or vision–who without example and encouragement will be selfishly satisfied in the shallow end of God’s promises.  Whoever.  While we were helpless Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6) Those who desire His blessing must actively and generously help those who are weak.

RE Verse reading–Acts 20:17-35 (day six)  “You yourselves know. . .how I was with you, the whole time”  (vs 18)  As we said earlier in the week, finishing was important to Paul.  It should be important to us.  A job partially done should be regarded as a broken promise.  A few years is not enough when we commit ourselves to forever.  Faithfulness at the end of a project is more valuable than enthusiasm at the beginning.  Do not be surprised that discouragement comes.  Work through it and stay on the job!  Is there work still to do in your marriage?  Your parenting?  Your commitment to Christ?  ” I have finished the race”, Paul will say in 2 Timothy.  Not safety, not success (in the eyes of the world), not fulfillment.  Finishing the assignment that God gave him was his priority.  It must be ours as well.  “I was not disobedient to this heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19)  May the same be said of us!

RE Verse reading–Acts 20:17-35 (day five)  “I know that after my departure savage wolves will arise. . .speaking perverse things, to draw the disciples away. . .and now I commend you to God and the word of His grace which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”  (vs 29-30, 32)  Strange comfort.  Paul’s attitude.  He sees hardship ahead, savage stuggle.  It isn’t pessimism.  Kingdom progress has always been opposed. “The days are evil”( Ephesians 5:16).  Problems should not surprise or discourage us.  They should motivate us to pray.   Hard times are NOT the full story.  Hope is.  To commend these elders and their young church to God and to the word of His grace was Paul’s expression of confidence.  No matter what they would face in the coming days, God had promised grace (help, power, courage, wisdom) that would be more than sufficient.  Now unto Him who is ABLE. . . even when hard times come.

RE Verse reading–Acts 20:17-35 (day four)  “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak”  (vs 35)  Many modern believers misunderstand the place of work in our gospel.  Starting as we should from Ephesians 2:9 (“Not by works (ergon) lest any man should boast”), we rightly claim salvation as a gift by grace through faith alone.  Many, however, never find an appropriate balance for Philippians 2:12 “work out (kata ergon) your salvation with fear and trembling”.  In Acts 20,  Paul’s word choice is picturesque.  It was the word used for harvest.  It pictured the hot, sweaty, urgent work of bringing in crops.  The first hearers all knew exactly what was being required.   May the Lord give us the same vision for our own lives.  Hard work is God’s will for us.  It is the only way  the weak can be helped.  As the old hymn says, “We’ll work till Jesus comes.”  Sing with me, will you?

RE Verse reading–Acts 20:17-35 (day three)  “I am innocent of the blood of all men, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God”  (vs26-27)  As Paul reviewed his life,  he was glad for the times he did not back down from telling the truth.  It is hard to do.  Fear of people’s reaction, avoidance of tension or conflict is enough to silence most of us, most of the time.  Two times in this short sermon Paul says, “I did not shrink”  (vs 20, 27) which translates a Greek word meaning “to stand down”.  One of the signs of  Holy Spirit- filling is boldness.  (Acts 4:13)  The Spirit gives us the courage to tell truth even when it is unwelcome or unpopular.  Strange irony.  We are most generous when we are least concerned with people’s reaction to our words.   We speak the truth in love. (Ephesian 4:15). Our gift to others is to not be afraid of them.

RE Verse reading–Acts 20:17-35 (day two)  “You yourselves know. . .how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews”  (vs18-19)  Not to get political (as if there is any place safe from it), but those who care about anything must bear the conflict that comes.  To say that President Obama “cares” may be political spin, but the fact that his sweeping new health care law was (and will be) a fight is not a surprise to him or anyone else.  No leader can be naive at this point.  Whether building a church or proposing a new entitlement program, all leaders face difficulty.  Those who lead (and those who oppose them) must pay the price of conscience and conflict.  God forbid that we grow soft and self-indulgent.  To avoid conflict is to not care. Paul is our example.  So is Jesus.

RE Verse reading–Acts 20:17-35 (day one)  “You yourselves know. . .how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials” (vs 18-19)  Do you like unselfish people?  I do.  They attract and inspire me.  In 2 Corinthians 9, the Bible says that God loves cheerful givers.  Acts 20 says that people love cheerful givers too.  Paul is meeting with the elders of the church in Ephesus for the last time.  He loves these men.  They love him.  It may sound egotistical, but Paul is actually making a point that he has been unselfish in his service and that the same will be required of them when he is gone.  The church cannot exist unless people give unselfishly.  Can you think of examples in your own life?  People who have been generous, courageous, sacrificial in the cause of Christ?  If so, then God is calling you to follow their example and become an inspiration to others.

RE Verse reading–1 Corinthians 16:1-4, 2 Corinthians 8:1-15, 9:6-15 (day seven)  “Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience. . .(and) yearn for you”  (9:13-14)  Paul’s enthusiasm for an offering from the Greek churches for the struggling Jerusalem church came, partly, from his hope for unity.  The ancient world was torn to pieces by the prejudice between Greeks and Hebrews.  Paul believed that generosity from the Greeks would serve as proof (vs 13, dokima–“a test for authenticity”) that God was at work.  He also hoped that it would result in thanksgiving to God (vs 12) and a new, dramatic “yearning for friendship” (vs 14) in the hearts of the Jewish believers.  What better evidence that the Prince of peace had come than a bridge of friendship between former enemies?   Would it work today?. .  Between people who have a “history” of conflict and mistrust?  “Every man is a friend to him who gives gifts”  (Proverbs 19:6)  Simple wisdom.  Time-tested.  A path forward!

RE Verse reading–1 Corinthians 16:1-4, 2 Corinthians 8:1-15, 9:6-15 (day six)  “This is to your advantage who were the first to begin a year ago. . . to desire to do it.  But now finish doing it”  (8:10-11)  It has become a theme for me.  After 38 years in ministry, my concentration these days is on finishing.  It is easy (common) to start on a noble journey but become distracted, discouraged, fatigued or bored along the way.  The early excitement fades.  Paul knew that  certain forces work to keep us all from “finishing the race”(2 Timothy 4:7)  We get weary.  We get satisfied with some obedience but not all.  It is to our own advantage to defeat these promise-weakening pressures. (vs 10)  Part of the joy of the Christ comes from the satisfaction of having finished the task assigned to us by the Father.  Every Saturday of outreach, every morning in prayer, every sacrificial dollar. . . All that He wills!  All of our days.  Don’t drop out now.  Finish!