![](https://graceevfree.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/With-all-Boldness-and-Without-Hindrance-screen-title.jpg)
After three years of “testifying to the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24)” in Ephesus, “with all humility and tears and trials (20:19),” Paul gives an emotional exhortation and goodbye to the elders of the church.
Paul was headed to Jerusalem where the Lord had made it clear that imprisonments and afflictions awaited him. And the Ephesian church faced its own trials ahead; “fierce wolves” he calls them, “men speaking twisted things to draw the disciples away from them (20:29-30).” How would the church weather Satan’s worst? How would Paul? How will we?
It will require action. “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood (20:28).” But ultimately, their hope of persevering (and ours) lays in the strong and sure hands of the One to whom they were to entrust themselves.
“I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified (20:32).”
This same word of God’s grace is able to build us up, too, and give us the same inheritance among all the saints. And we gather this Sunday to be RE-commended to the word of His grace.
Don Allen will be preaching Acts 20:1-38 and Kenny Clark will be leading us in sung worship. Would you pray for each as they prepare? And let’s ask the Spirit “to guard us by God’s power through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time… rejoicing, though now for a little while, if necessary, we have been grieved by various trials (1 Peter 1:5–6).”
Would you also plan to join us at 6pm Sunday evening for our baptism service and family time?
See you Sunday, Grace. Come hungry!
Song of the Week
He Will Hold Me Fast recorded live by Shane and Shane
When I fear my faith will fail
Christ will hold me fast
When the tempter would prevail
He will hold me fast
I could never keep my hold
Through life’s fearful path
For my love is often cold
He must hold me fast