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LEADING WITH INTEGRITY (9 OF 10)

by Tim Melton

Scripture: Acts 20:17-38
This content is part of a series.


Leading with Integrity (9 of 10)
Tim Melton
Series: Acts
Acts 20:17-38

A person's last words tell us a lot.

Hugo Grotius, (1583-1645) a humanistic, lawyer and legal theorist, diplomat and political philosopher.: "I have lived my life in a laborious doing of nothing."

Supposedly Socrates said: "All of the wisdom of this world is but a tiny raft upon which we must set sail when we leave this earth. If only there was a firmer foundation upon which to sail, perhaps some divine word."

William Wilberforce, a Christian British politician who led in the effort that ended slavery, "My affections are so much in heaven that I can leave you all without a regret; yet I do not love you less, but God more."

Jim Elliott, a missionary who was martyred for his faith, "Only one life will soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last."

Today we continue our sermon series through the book of Acts as we consider Acts 20:17-38. These are some of the apostle Paul's final words to a group of elders from the church in Ephesus that God has used Paul to start. Even though Paul would live longer, he knew that he would never see them again.

Have you ever had to say good-bye? Maybe good-bye to coworkers, classmates or even family members. It can be difficult. But the more difficult it is, likely the more meaningful the life that you shared with them.

The Apostle Paul surely had said many "good-byes." He had traveled so much, met so many people, and started so many churches. In this passage Paul sensed that the end was near.

While Paul traveled from Rome back to Jerusalem he stopped near the city of Ephesus and called for the church elders to come meet with him near the port. Paul sought to be encouraged by them and to exhort them to even greater faithfulness.

These elders were from Ephesus, a city that was a crossroads between continents. All the roads from as far of as the Euphrates and Mesopotamia reached the Mediterranean at Ephesus, where their good ...

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