Paul’s Example in Ephesus

Passage: Acts 20:16-27

What’s the hardest good bye you have ever had to make?  Dropping off a child for the first day of school or college is hard, lots of tears.  Having a child move far away, and take grandkids with them is a sad event.  Sending a husband or son off to war tore up a lot of hearts.  Our departures from two churches left a trail of tears.

Have you said good bye to someone you knew you would never see again at least in this life?  In the past three weeks three families have had to say good bye to loved ones who were dying.

To understand Paul’s words in our text it helps to have a painful good bye in mind, you have to feel this text as much as hear it.  This meeting will end with much weeping, hugs, kisses, and deep sorrow over the prospect of never seeing their beloved shepherd again (Acts 20:37-38).