Feb 13 - Acts 20:24

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.

Acts 20:24

 

What is your task to complete?

 

What race is God calling you to finish?

 

To give you a lens for thinking of this, let's think about this verse, Paul's final address to the Christians in Ephesus ...

 

To borrow a line from Dickens, "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." At this late stage in Paul's ministry, the church was growing! On the one hand, this is an incredibly exciting time. But on the other hand, forces are beginning to align against the church and the first of the apostles are now being executed for their faith.

 

As Paul is speaking, he senses his time is short. So he testifies to the people (and I'll break this down so you can see Paul's mission):

 

"I consider my life worth nothing to me" - He'll imply it in a moment (and say it clearly in his letters), but what Paul considers worthy and of ultimate value (and, thus, his true mission) is the Gospel. He declares his "task" as "of testifying to the gospel of God's grace" as trumping every other goal ... including his own life.

 

Paul looks at his life like a firefighter. He'll rush into harms way, risking his own life, to save even one. He says it this way: "If only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me." Paul is saying, "The world is burning. Hell is real and only Jesus is life. Therefore, I have to fight the fire, complete the task, finish the race."

 

That's Paul's mission. His purpose. What's yours? What are you willing to run into the fire for? to race beyond exhaustion for? to forsake earthly priorities for, in order that you may complete your task?

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who is called

to be a teacher

which is why I do this

day-after-day