| Introduction Our church is in a season of saying goodbyes. A few weeks ago we said goodbye to the Mottos. Today we are saying goodbye to J.C., Ellie, Hannah, Daniel, and Caleb. In a few more weeks we will be saying goodbye to Robbie and Kaiya who will be moving to Savannah, Georgia. Maybe others will be leaving us too. Saying goodbye is difficult. Every time someone leaves us for whatever reason, a little piece of us goes with them. Saying goodbye is painful, but it should be that way. Hopefully, the little piece of us that goes with those who leave will help them to bless those they come in contact in their new place. The apostle Paul experienced many goodbyes, but perhaps none was more difficult than saying goodbye to his beloved Ephesian brothers. We can see how difficult it was for both the Ephesians and Paul by what Luke says in the waning verses of the chapter (36-38a). I would like us to focus on verse 32 this morning because those are the actual farewell words of Paul to his beloved Ephesians. I. He Calls Them Brethren. A. A brother or a sister is someone we are united to because of our faith in and union with Jesus Christ. Rom. 6:5– For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likenessof Hisresurrection…. B. A brother or a sister is one who God has brought together into one body. Eph. 4:1-6– I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There isone body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who isabove all, and through all, and in you all. C. A brother or a sister is someone who is united together with us with a common goal: the glory of God and the discipling of the nations. D.A brother or a sister is a blood-bought citizen of heaven. E. A brother or a sister is someone we minister to and they minister to us. 1. We can see that in Paul's speech. 2. They were together in the trenches of the Gospel. 3. Jonathan Edwards, in his last letter to his wife Sarah just before he died from taking an experimental smallpox vaccine, said that in their marriage they had an uncommon union. 4. That is true of the brethren! a. We have been joined together by an uncommon union. b. Christ has brought us together. F. It is this union, this being part of one another, that allows us to serve God together. A. This word means to place something before someone else. B. It also means to entrust oneself to, to commit oneself to the care of. C. It is used of Christ's placing bread in front of the hungry multitude in the feeding of the 4,000. Mk. 8:6– So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke themand gave themto His disciples to set before them;and they set thembefore the multitude. D.What does Paul set before them as they are saying goodbye? Not just bread, but the Bread of life. III. He Places God before Them. 1. This is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2. So, Paul says, "We are saying goodbye and that hurts. But as we do so, I don't want to place myself before you. I want to commit you to God. See him! Look at him! Trust him! Love him!" B. The God Paul sets before the brethren is the God of all comfort, the Father of mercies, the one who didn't spare his own Son for our sake. C. Setting God before each other is something we must be doing all the time, not just at times of saying goodbye. 1. Can you imagine if all our relationship at home and at the church revolved around placing God before each other? 2. We would be pointing each other to his loveliness. 3. We would be displaying his grace bestowed upon us by the Lord Jesus Christ. 4. We would be reflecting his glory as Moses did. Mt. 5:16– Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. 5. O that we would place God before each other as a regular practice in our lives. IV. He Places the Word of God before Them. A. Notice how he qualifies it as the Word of his grace. 1. The Bible is about a lot of things, but it is centrally about God, in his grace, redeeming his people in Jesus Christ. Gal. 4:3-4– Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 2. Notice that placing God's Word before the brethren was something that marked Paul's Christian life, not just times of saying goodbye, 26-27. B. Paul places the Word of God before them because it is that Word that builds them up. 2 Tim. 3:16-4:2– All Scripture isgiven by inspiration of God, and isprofitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. I charge youtherefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season andout of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 1. Remember that these words were originally written to the young pastor of the Ephesian church perhaps 4 years after Acts 20. a. He is just telling Timothy to continue doing what he had done during all his ministry. b. So, Paul charges him, "Preach the Word!" 2. But this is not something that only happens in preaching. 3. This is everyday life. Eph. 4:29-30– Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 4. We cannot place before others what we don't have and what we don't love. Ps. 119:97-98– Oh, how I love Your law! It ismy meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they areever with me. C. Paul places the Word of God before the brethren because in it we find out about our inheritance as those who have been set up apart by God for his own purpose and glory. 1. It is God who gives us an inheritance, not his Word, but God's existence and his Word are so tied together that Paul uses one for the other. 2. What is our inheritance? d. Ability to see Jesus and fellowship with him as he is and with each other. e. The new heavens and the new earth. f. The kingdom of God in Christ. Acts 26:18– to open their eyes, in orderto turn themfrom darkness to light, and fromthe power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me. Eph. 1:13-14, 18– In Him you also trusted,after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory…. the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints…. Eph. 5:5– For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 1 Pt. 1:3-5– Blessed bethe God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
So, we say goodbye, but we say a Christian goodbye, committing the brethren to God and his Word.
http://olympiabp.blogspot.com/2018/05/saying-goodbye-acts-2032.html
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