Acts 20 - Finish the Race

Acts 20

1. What stuck out to you from this chapter?

One of the most recent memorial services I have attended was that of an old friend. He had lived a long and full life, so while this service came with tears of farewell it was primarily filled with joy and celebration. One of the people who spoke shared one of this man's favorite verses in the Bible: Acts 20:24, "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace." Up until that funeral, I don't think I had ever really noticed this powerful verse. I'm sure I had read it, but I must have just read right through it. As I read it again today, I was reminded of how powerful that verse is as a life verse or a mission statement. As Paul is heading toward Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit had already warned him that he was headed for trouble. He knew this would be one of the last legs of his journey as a missionary. That's why he uses the language of finishing the race and completing the task. What a great example, both in Paul and in my old friend, Gordon.

2. How does this passage relate to any other Scripture I know?

Paul wasn't the only one in the New Testament who had a sense of when his life was nearing it's end, nor was he the only one who was heading to Jerusalem for the final leg of the journey. Jesus was keenly aware of his mission, to suffer and die in the place of the people. Several times he predicted his death and resurrection, and that he would suffer. Matthew 20:17-19 is one of those places. On their way to Jerusalem, Jesus pulled his disciples aside, drew them close and shared about the coming suffering and glory. It reminds me of the way that Paul pulled the elders (his disciples from Ephesus) aside and did the same.

3. What does this mean for my life?

When preaching late at night, don't let people sit in open third story windows. :) Just kidding. I think the verse I shared in question number one is probably the thing I'll take home most from this chapter. Whatever desires I have for my life, I consider worth nothing if they don't line up with what God has asked me to do. They are all secondary to whatever God has put before me. To get real practical, my wife and I have always been interested in international missions, but right now we have been called to invest in a ministry that impacts thousands of youth, adults, and families each year. So we have put those desires (which may very well be from God, and may be used in the future sometime in some way) on the back burner to give ourselves fully to finishing the task God has called us to now.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

I would like to know when Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." This chapter attributes that saying to Jesus. As recorded in the gospels we have several teachings similar to this, like when Jesus said, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many," and "Whoever wants to be first must first be your slave". But I don't know where Jesus says this. I also know that not every word that Jesus spoke made it into these four gospels (or Acts). I wonder if there are any other verifiable, legitimate teachings or sayings of Jesus like the one Paul recorded here.

I hope this enhances your reading of the chapter, and I hope you feel blessed by God's Word just as I feel blessed by reading it. It's life giving.

In Christ,
Dan