In Acts 20, Paul is saying goodbye to the Ephesian elders as he continues his journey to Jerusalem, an expedition toward his own pending persecution. In speaking to the elders, he prophesies of coming days in which false teachers would enter into the church and lead them astray, a prophecy which 1 John records as being fulfilled at least in part in his time.
You and I have a limited time here on this earth. Whether we die or the Lord comes back, the time of our departure is approaching. What will we do with the time that we have?
Redeemer is not God’s plan for Omaha or the world. Rather, we simply hope to be faithful to play our part, grateful that God has allowed us to enter into the work. We want to be dedicated to the particular work that God has given us by declaring all that is profitable and diligently proclaiming what God has revealed.
Who knows what Redeemer will look like when we are gone? We can and should certainly be faithful to raise the next generation to continue when we must depart, but we cannot guarantee their future dedication. Rather, we must simply be diligent today to do what we can to make much of God and expand His kingdom.
Reflection and Intercession:
- Consider.
- How are you pouring into the next generation? Are you simply taking their faithfulness for granted?
- How are you stewarding the five, 10, 20 or 40 years that God is giving you?
- Confess.
- Confess deficiencies in your faithfulness to commend God’s works to the next generation.
- Praise.
- Praise God for the opportunity we have today to be faithful.
- Intercede.
- Ask God to grant our generation a faithful 40 years of stewardship of this local body.
- Ask God to steady the coming generation not to take the gospel for granted, but to be built upon the foundation of Christ.
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