Live for Something Greater Than Yourself (Acts 19-20)
Naturally, as humans, we want what is best for us to make us happy. But maybe Acts 19-20 can help us change our perspective and see what is better.
Acts 19-20
Today's Scripture Passage
A Few Thoughts to Consider
What’s more important than your life and your happiness?
For many, this is what it’s all about. But not the Apostle Paul. In Acts 20, Paul gives his farewell speech to the church elders in Ephesus. After spending an extended period ministering to them, Paul is journeying toward Jerusalem, aware that trials and imprisonment await him. He meets the Ephesian elders in Miletus to bid them farewell. In this poignant moment, Paul reflects on his ministry, and he makes the following statements in verses 22-24:
22 “And now I am on my way to Jerusalem, compelled by the Spirit, not knowing what I will encounter there, 23 except that in every town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me. 24 But I consider my life of no value to myself; my purpose is to finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.
As F.F. Bruce writes, “Self-preservation was not a motive which he esteemed highly: his main concern was to fulfill the course which Christ had marked for him to run, preaching in the Spirit’s power the good news of God’s free grace in Christ.”[1]
Paul goes on to assert that he did not avoid declaring to them “the whole plan of God.” Paul warns them to be vigilant shepherds, as false teachers will arise to distort the truth and mislead the believers. He encourages them to rely on God's grace and help the weak and then recalls his own example of selfless service, emphasizing that “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Paul realized that, as Tony Merida writes, “The goal of life is not to have a long life but a full life, one lived to the glory of Jesus Christ.”[2] It’s not about accumulating possessions, building a portfolio, or developing a pristine reputation. It’s about giving glory to God.
Because of his faith in Christ, Paul would be beaten, stoned, and executed. But this didn’t matter. By saying, “I consider my life of no value to myself,” Paul wasn’t saying he discounted the reality that he was made in God’s image. Rather, this was a statement about priority. Paul viewed his life not in terms of personal gain, comfort, or safety, but as a vessel for fulfilling God's purposes. His desires and well-being were secondary to completing the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace.
