Declare

Text: Acts 20:18-27

Theme: Paul had the confidence and respect to declare some amazing things.

Key verses: “When they arrived he [Paul] declared, ‘You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike…And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me…But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus…And now I know that none of you…will ever see me again. I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know” (v. 18-27).

What I believe God said to me: Good morning, Dwayne. I have much in store for you today. Good to see you start with being before you jump into doing. Just sit a while at my feet, in my Word, listening to my voice of truth. Thinking about Paul’s declaration to the Ephesian church leaders is a good place to be today. Paul’s moments of declaration sprung from his many years of meditation on Scripture in my presence. To declare means to give solemn evidence, testify (declare) solemnly, to call (summon), to witness. In this passage, Paul declared what he’s done, how he’s done it, what he’s preached, where he’s preached it, where he’s going, who he’s following, what he’s finishing, what he’s thinking, and what he’s still declaring. These powerful declarations reveal several things about Paul and his life: 1. Confidence, 2. Success, 3. Humility, 4. Dependance, 5. Peace, 6. Resolve, 7. Sacrifice, 8. Simplicity, 9. Clarity, and 10. Completeness. These ideas are all simple and self-explanatory. No need to go through each of them like some academic exercise. What I want you to take away from this reading today is Paul’s grasp of truth. Foundational to everything he was able to declare was his absolute clarity of what he believed and why. He was ready to (and did) march right toward imprisonment, suffering and death for my name. Who does that? Only those who know that they know that they know. Later, as Paul found himself in the very prison he had afore resolved to march toward, he wrote, “I know whom I have believed in and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto Him against that day.” He never lost his confidence–in me as his God, in my truth as the Truth, or in my ability to keep him secure right into eternity. Dwayne, do you have that kind of deep surety and resolve? You’re going to need it. The days ahead of you in this life won’t all be filled with lightness and frivolity. You have some suffering and darkness coming in your future. You must be sure of who and whose you are. Are you sure? Do you know that you know? Satan would have you to sift you as wheat, but don’t fear, I have overcome him, and I will hold you fast. I close by reminding you of Paul’s words to Timothy right before he stated his persuasion of my ability to keep him. He wrote, “With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.”

What I said to God: Father, my Father, You are the One, True God and Father of the Universe. You are my all in all. You are the Great Defender and Keeper of my soul. Thank You for Your love and mercy, for Your kindness and care. Your peace floods over me as waters cover the earth. I am undone in Your presence and amazed by Your greatness. Thank You for speaking to me today, for meeting with me, for not holding my sins against me, but rather forgiving and restoring me. Your mercies truly are new every morning; that my soul knows very well. Please help strengthen my resolve to serve You no matter the cost and no matter the circumstances. I want to be able to die for You, should that moment ever come to me. But first, I must make a daily habit of living for You and dying to myself. I pray for my family, for my wife and boys, to know You better today and draw closer to Your loving side.