COV LIFE BLOG

Acts 20:17-38 The Priority of The Gospel

Paul’s only concern was to finish the work. Verse 24, I just love this, “None of these things move me. I mean I don’t care in every town, if they keep telling me, even via the Holy Spirit, that I’m going to get it when I get there, that doesn’t bother me, I do not count my life dear unto myself.” Last on the list, self preservation. Can you say that? Can you say, you know, I don’t care what’s going to happen to me, it doesn’t bother me one bit, because I don’t care about my life. I have only one reason to live, here it is, “So that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” He says I’m here for one reason, that’s to finish what the Lord gave me to do and then I want to go.

That’s the only thing he lived for. The last thing he ever thought of was self preservation. Paul saw his life toward himself as sacrifice. He only lived for one reason, that’s to finish the work the Lord gave him to do, and that’s all. He says, “I want to finish the course and the ministry,” now look at this, “That the Lord gave me. I received it of the Lord.” When you really believe that God has given you the ministry and that he’s in control of your life, you’re not going to worry about dying, you’re not going to worry about anything, you’re going to take it and spend it on him because you know he’s in charge of it.

Do you just coddle ourselves or dote on ourselves? Oh, my, there’s a slight pain here, I best not do that. Well, I don’t know whether I’m up to it this time. Oh, coddling ourselves. I never knew anybody who died from overwork in the service of Christ, who didn’t die right on schedule. You should risk everything so that you fulfill your ministry, and then when you’re done you can go and be with the Lord.

That’s Paul’s passion, he says, I’m not going to be worried about what they do to me, I’m just going to finish the job, when I’m done, I’ll go.

John MacArthur

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Heart Preparation
Read Acts 20:17-38 looking specifically at verse 24. What value do you account to your life apart from the work that God has given to you? How can surrender the non-essentials for the things that have true value?