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Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
Acts Chapter 20:29. Paul the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ is addressing his final word to the elders of the Church in Ephesus. I know this - after I depart wolves will infiltrate the flock and seek to devour the sheep, and also from among you some shall arise and speak false and dangerous things. They will persist in this, and they will draw away disciples after them. One group of elders in a town can prevent that happening.
Wherever there are sheep there are wolves. That is a spiritual theorem - a spiritual truth - a spiritual reality.
Watch - pay attention - be on your guard - remember that I warned you of those things. Look out for these two elements - vicious savage wolves attacking you from the outside, and people on the inside speaking things that are dangerous and false. For three years I warned you about this - attacks from outside - and undermining from within - and I did this with tears.
I commend you to God - to the word of His grace - to His gracious Word which can build you up. Be built up so that you can build up others. His word will keep you and preserve you and you will have your place and your reward among all those who are holy and godly.
Paul is so concerned about quality when teaching on leadership. The church of Jesus Christ requires leaders with integrity, wisdom and character.
Among his final words he says - I have set you an example - I coveted nothing - I did not try to line my pockets with silver and gold and fancy clothes.
I worked hard the whole time I was with you - and I have shown you how we must help the weak. And if you want to be blessed by God this is how to receive God's Blessing.
Then there is this emotional farewell scene - so beautiful - not out of hand - not hysterical. Here is emotion at its richest, and it is real. It is not manufactured. The scene on the beach as they finally part is highly charged - but not out of control. God is at the heart of all of this.
These elders were upset. They were sorrowing because Paul had said they would not see him again. Here is love - real love. These are real men of God - with real tears streaming down real faces. Now, they had to make their way back to Ephesus from Miletus, and get on with leading and pastoring the Church, over which the Holy Spirit had made them elders - feeding and teaching all the young disciples.
Get on and do whatever God has called you to do.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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