May 25, 2026 | Be Connected
Recalling the Blessings & Burdens of Ministry
Scripture: Acts 20:16-21(NIV)
16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
Devotional
At this point, Paul was ending his third, and what would be his final, missionary journey. He wanted to say goodbye to Ephesus, but he didn’t want to get bogged down doing it. So, he had the leaders of the Ephesian church come to him.
You can almost hear Paul’s voice as he recalled the blessings and burdens of his ministry in Ephesus. The name of Jesus was exalted. People got saved. People got mad. Folks were baptized. Others were hardened. Demons were exorcised. False prophets tried their own version of magical exorcism. Sorcerers burned demonic scrolls because of Christ. Shopkeepers instigated a riot against followers of Christ. The church continued. So did false religions.
There is nothing about following Jesus that guarantees unimpeded pebble-less pathways. Sometimes we succeed. Other times we fail. At all times we are called to obedience, regardless of outcomes.
In reiterating his story through tears, Paul was encouraging the elders of the Ephesian church. When this meeting was over, they would be returning to a city which still had shrines to Roman emperors and monuments to Greek gods and goddesses. Ephesus still boasted the temple of Artemis, one and a half times larger than a modern professional football field. And silversmiths still fleeced tourists with mini statues of the goddess that promised fertility for their family and crops.
We need to hear this story. Often, we think that things are really tough. We point to modern politics, social skirmishes, philosophical differences, and religious challenges. We worry and wonder whether it makes a difference to be a Christian in such a secular society. But we are not the first. Nor will we be the last. Christ calls us to steadfast faithfulness, not guaranteed success.
Paul reminded the Ephesian elders, “You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house.” That’s not a bad formula for faithfulness. From the living room to the public square, we are called to proclaim Christ. Indeed, at all times we are called to obedience, regardless of outcomes.
