Advice from the greatest pastor who ever lived

Barring the Good Shepherd Himself, it is probably true that Paul was the greatest pastor who ever lived, and in our passage, we can see his pastor's heart.

[vs17 Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. vs18 And when they came to him, he said to them:]

This meeting that took place on the beach at Miletus was the last time the Ephesian elders would see Paul. As these would be the last words to the Ephesians, Paul, who had become their spiritual father, would have said what he most wanted to convey.

Paul's last words could be itemised under the following words: Teach, Watch, Protect, and Depend.

TEACH

[vs26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, vs27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.]

He set an example in his humility, his emotional involvement in the lives of the flock, and in steadfastness in the face of trials, but most of all he set an example on how he taught.

He taught the church the WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD, holding nothing back. Pastors must seek to cover the whole council of God. Expositional preaching structures the sermon straight from the passage of focus. Topical sermons have also been preached by godly men and has a place, when there is a topic that needs to be studied, by looking at verses in the Bible that have a bearing on the given topic.

If the goal is to preach the whole council of God, then expository preaching is the better way for the regular preaching. The expository preacher has far less options and less wiggle room. Topical diet of preaching allows for the preacher to choose what to say about the topic and which scriptures to draw on. So it is better to preach the series of sermons that God has put together in the various books of the Bible instead of settling for topical sermons. As you work through a book, you are not restricted to that book. The doctrines of scripture are repeated in particular ways, contexts, and purposes.

There are two ways an Old Testament prophet could fail. Firstly, he could fail by giving a false prophecy. Secondly, he could fail by delivering a half prophecy Ez 33:7-9. From Vs 26-27 we see that had Paul failed to preach the whole council, and had the flock had been harmed by the wolves when they came, Paul would have had blood on his hands. This is a serious matter for pastors to keep in mind.

WATCH

[28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.]

Pastors have to pay careful attention to themselves as they are called to higher standard of morality and knowledge. Their own spiritual and psychological well-being is very important, not just for themselves but because it is advantageous for the church.

"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you Heb 13:17."

The point that elders be allowed to serve with joy is that it would be for the good of church, to get the most out of their pastors. Pastors also need to pay close attention to the flock, because the flock of God is the most valuable thing on earth, because it was purchased by the blood of Jesus, which is of infinite value. The purchase price of an item is indicative of the value of the item.

PROTECT

[vs29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; vs30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. vs31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.]

Part of duty of shepherds is to protect the flock. Paul says wolves come from 'without' and from 'within' the flock. They may come from outside in the form of government officials, political activists, other religions, and so on. These wolves look like wolves and act like wolves. The danger is from the wolves who come from within the church. They are to be feared as they are hard to detect, because they come in sheep's clothing but are inwardly ravenous wolves, as Jesus warned: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves Matt 7:15." The people of God have seen examples of these wolves in the evil kings and false prophets of Israel, church leaders and even some missionaries. They are difficult to detect because the sheep are not expecting to find wolves in the church and leave their guard down.

Paul tells the elders to be alert, to know the word of God really well, and to know the flock really well. Pastors need to live in a way that gives the flock confidence. Another reason why expositional sermons are important is that it is easier for wolves among the preachers to hide behind topical preaching.

Paul set a tremendous example in the way he knew his flock well, in the way they knew him well, and in the way he preached God's word well. [vs18 And when they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, vs19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; vs20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house]

DEPEND

Such being the case, who on earth would want to be a pastor! Perhaps the Ephesian elders were thinking in this way. They would be held accountable for those who fall away if the pastors had not taught them the whole council of God. Moreover, fierce wolves were definitely coming and were in fact already there.

[vs32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.]

Pastors face financial troubles, time constraints, limitation of skills, lack of strength, unmet expectations of the flock, and small but regular criticisms. These things can discourage pastors, so they are told to flee "to God and to the word of his grace" to be built up.