If I absolutely had to leave the church behind...

God and His Word of Grace

(Acts 20:32, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, May 5, 2013)

[32] And now

In the verse before us, the Apostle Paul reached the high point of His message to the elders who had traveled from Ephesus in order to meet with him. There were a few more verses, but verse 32 contained the most important points that we could take away from this farewell speech.

Paul was very conscious of the moment. Not just the personal moment for him and for these friends and co-workers in the faith, but the moment in salvation history. Paul had been given a message to present to Jews and Gentiles according to God's instruction. He had accomplished that task through much teaching and suffering.

Many centuries earlier a different message had been delivered to Moses for the people of Israel. That message was summarized in the Ten Commandments, God's Law. The Law was different than the message that Paul had brought to Jews and Gentiles in the decades after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Apostle John summarized this contrast with these words from John 1: “The Law came though Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

I commend you

Paul would no longer be among them as an example and as a teacher. Would they be OK? Their faith and goodness was never built on the rock of Paul, but on Christ, the far more solid Rock, who was Paul's trust and theirs.

Paul was aware of his own limitations. He had a job to do, and he had done it. Now he could not stay with them any longer. They would stand or fall based on someone stronger and better than Paul. In this great verse, their friend and teacher taught them to look elsewhere for the future before them, knowing that he would no longer be with them to guide them on their way.

to God

He set before them, first, one Being: Almighty God. If Paul had shown forth any wisdom, power, and love in the three years of daily ministry in their city, these good gifts had come from the Source. They needed to look to the Lord of Glory.

We can appreciate the good work of a gifted artist, and we should. But who made the painter and the paint? Who gave us this world, speaking it into being so long ago, and sustaining the spacious firmament on high until the day when He will roll it all up like a garment? The One God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit has done all this.

We can read the works of philosophers and theologians. We enjoy the stories written by novelists, and we may even try our hand at writing. So we should. But has their ever been a story like the Scriptures? God wrote it, both the words that He brought forward from holy men of old who spoke as they were told by the Holy Spirit, and even more amazingly, the great events and sure promises themselves have come from Him.

We are thankful for a mother's love, and for a social circle where friendship can felt. We should be with people of like faith, enjoy them, and extend respect to everyone created in the image of God. But how can anyone compare our actions and emotions of love with the greatest love that has ever been known, the love of Christ that was willing to go to the cross for us?

Paul commends the Ephesian elders to God. We like to see one another on the first day of the week, but we come here together to meet with God. We believe that God is, and that He is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

and to the word of his grace,

This God has spoken. He spoke through Moses in the giving of the Law. That was a very good word to Israel, and it is still of great use to the church throughout the world. It has become to us a testimony of the moral excellence of the Law-Giver, and a plea for mercy to God for those who have not perfectly obeyed His holy precepts.

But now, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have a better Word of assurance given for sinners. Christ, the eternal of the Word of the Father, has become the Resurrection Man for us. He is our sure hope. He promises us an eternal resurrection kingdom. He alone is the one who can make that promise to the church with any credibility.

Paul commends the elders to God and to the word of His grace. This word of that has come to us through Christ is different than the Word of the Law. The Law told Israel what to do in order to live. The blessings of the Law were based on the obedience of Israel. The Word of grace was based on the obedience of the Man who became the Lamb of God for us and died for our sins.

which is able to build you up

This word of grace is not just a history lesson about what took place outside of Jerusalem centuries ago. It is not merely a literature class that examines a great work of writing to see what we might glean from it. It is God's Word to us for our lives right now, or it is a lie.

If it cannot help us now, how could we have confidence that it would help us after we die? This word of grace comes from heaven through the Scriptures, by the ministry of the church, in the power of the Holy Spirit, and it enters the souls of vexed and harassed people in a world with much sin and misery.

It is a present word of wisdom, power, and love to God's chosen people. It is able to give life to the dead, and to build-up the children of God into mature and vibrant followers of Jesus Christ. If it seems to fail, it is safe to say that it has not been earnestly tried. What do we mean by this? It was spoken and recorded to be believed. It will do nothing for the man or woman who will not receive it in faith.

and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

This word is not only for the present moment. It contains the plan of God for His people. It is a last will and testament. Is there some will among men that you would like to have a peek at? Do you find yourself wondering about the details of a future inheritance? If you had a few private moments with the right documents, would you be eager to see what was written? How much more should we eagerly look into the details of our inheritance secured for us by the blood of Jesus Christ? The final documents of men can be changed by spending an hour with a lawyer. But the promises of God will never be revoked, and they are of far greater and more lasting importance for all those who are the Lord's holy people.

Old Testament Passage: Deuteronomy 10:1-5 – New tablets of stone

Gospel Passage: John 11:17-27 – I am the resurrection

Sermon Text: Acts 20:32 – Paul commends them to God and to the Word of His grace

Sermon Point: Only God can bring salvation, and He chooses to do this through our continual consideration of Him and His Word of grace.