Reading 2
A.J.G. In the preceding reading, we have considered the features that marked the assembly at the beginning—the features of Jesus—and the power of the Holy Spirit which was manifested; the saints baptised of the Holy Spirit, moving together as “one”, natural features being excluded, while love, unity, and the life of Jesus were evident by the Holy Spirit, as also power in testimony.
It is in order that this should be realised in the assembly that the Spirit is here. The apostles had been established at the beginning having authority to represent the truth so that the first believers “persevered in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles”. This is quite distinct from what was before: there was neither law nor prophets. The apostles had been established in view of what was to mark the assembly. Here is Acts 20, the apostolic service is on the point of coming to an end. No more is said of the twelve in the preceding chapters; only James is mentioned in chapter 21: 18. Paul himself says that his service is on the point of completion. These passages are very instructive, showing that the testimony has to continue in such conditions, the Holy Spirit coming into prominence: “the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city”, chap 20: 23. The Holy Spirit had taken His place in local assemblies. His voice was heard in localities: “… wherein the Holy Spirit has set you as overseers”. Nothing official, but all under the control of the Holy Spirit so that He designated the overseers who had to charge themselves to shepherd the assembly of God. In verse 4 of chapter 21, the voice of the Spirit is again heard among the disciples: “… who said to Paul by the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem”. Agabus gives the prophetic word in verse 11: “Thus saith the Holy Spirit …”. The presence of the Spirit is evident and He is recognised in the circle of the brethren where these particular links are created. It is touching to see the saints’ attachment to Paul, “they ardently kissed him” (chap 20: 37) and in verse 5 of chapter 21, “all of them accompanying us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city”; all were of one heart: brothers, sisters, children. This is what is going to characterise the present movement, the Spirit being fully recognised; it is the Lord’s desire, I am sure of it, that all should have a living part in what takes place among the saints currently. They are “the elders” that the apostle charges with responsibilities, not those who have gifts. It may be that the Holy Spirit assigns a pre-eminent place to a gift, but what is important above all is the service of overseeing in love, with the feeling of what is precious to God: “Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, wherein the Holy Spirit has set you as overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God, which he has purchased with the blood of his own”.
The apostle shows in the preceding verses and those that follow how his ministry to the Ephesians had been complete, covering the whole extent of what was necessary to edify the saints—repentance, faith, grace, the whole counsel of God—his service being accompanied by devoted love. He could show them his hands so as to give them the impression of his service in love (v 34) and also an impression of Christ, making mention of the very words of the Lord, “It is more blessed to give than to receive”, v 35. So that love covered everything (vv 36-8) and that is the line on which the truth must be maintained to the end.
Rem. All this would correspond to “this Jesus”.
A.J.G. Yes, the way in which He served in love. It is remarkable that the apostle draws attention to himself saying, “Be my imitators …”, but it is to direct us to the true Model, to the Lord Jesus, of whom the apostle was imitator.
It is very encouraging to think of the place of the Holy Spirit in the local companies, Paul, travelling from city to city heard the living voice of the Spirit in each city. The exercise for us is to know if we hear the living voice of the Holy Spirit in each of our localities.
Rem. The fact that Paul himself is a gift is very remarkable.
A.J.G. Without doubt, but gift has an end, the prophets ceased, only “love never fails”. The Holy Spirit is occupied with this formation in love. The holy city must come from God having the glory of God, that is to say with the expression of love, for “God is love”.
The apostle stresses the position of overseer, indicating by that that care must be dispensed in each local company. The apostle speaks of the assembly of God as a flock, having the thought that the saints need constant care, and he presents himself in all his dignity fulfilling this service, “serving the Lord with all lowliness” (serving here has the sense of being a bondman).
Rem. The apostle commended the saints to “the word of his grace”, v 32.
A.J.G. It is necessary that the saints should be well established in grace. To the Galatians who were placing themselves under the power of what is legal, the apostle reminds them of the thought of adoption: “God sent forth his Son, come of woman … that we might receive sonship. But because ye are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father”, Gal 4: 4, 5. We have what is in God’s mind in that, it is the word of His grace. It is a word which confirms us; we have confidence in God. He is here with us by the Holy Spirit, and by Him, we will be led in the truth and maintained in it. The word of His grace is very necessary for us, it is that “which is able to build you up and give to you an inheritance among all the sanctified”. God has not only given us the position of sons, but He has also given His Spirit, and with Him the capacity to enter into all the riches of what He has prepared for those who love Him; an inheritance among the sanctified.
So the apostle says to the elders, “take heed to yourselves—to yourselves first—it is the first thing before taking care of the flock. David having delivered the lamb—a figure of our soul—was judged fit to reign over the people. We have, before anything else, the responsibility to watch over our own soul. We have to be faithful in the charge of our soul, so that the wicked one does not touch us; we are with the Lord in this exercise, and become qualified to take care of others.
Ques. The apostle says in verse 22 of chapter 20: “And now, behold, bound in my spirit”. What is the value of this word “bound”?
A.J.G. Paul had the feeling of going into danger, but this prospect did not stop him; he had the thought of finishing his course and the ministry that he had received of the Lord Jesus, drawing this character from Christ Himself, who said, “My food is that I should do the will of him that has sent me, and that I should finish his work” (John 4: 34) and again, “I have glorified thee on the earth, I have completed the work which thou gavest me that I should do it”, John 17: 4. All along His path, the Lord Jesus had had the thought of completing, we find this same mind in Paul. We must all have the same exercise and, without pretension, not be satisfied if we are not entirely available to the Spirit, so as to accomplish fully—to complete—what is entrusted to us. The Lord did not have pleasure in the works of Sardis: “I have not found thy works complete”.
The Lord regards what has the character of a completed work and this must be a subject of exercise for each one of us. If the Lord visits a locality here, or any other, what will He say of the existing conditions? It is a matter to take to heart for each sister, each brother, and especially those who are established as overseers, Heb 13: 17. The overseers are responsible, they have to give account to the Lord as to the condition of souls of which they have taken care.
Rem. Paul exhorts Timothy, “Fill up the full measure of thy ministry”, 2 Tim 4: 5.
A.J.G. He had already done that; in chapter 4 of the first epistle, verse 16, he says, “Give heed to thyself and to the teaching; continue in them; for, doing this, thou shalt save both thyself and those that hear thee”.
Rem. The apostle can present himself as an example of one who has taken watch: “… for three years night and day, I ceased not admonishing each one of you with tears”.
A.J.G. Yes, “night and day” and “for three years”! We may well ask ourselves in what measure we worry about the spiritual state of each one in our localities and if we mention the brothers and sisters with tenderness in our prayers.
Rem. The result of this tender care is seen in verse 37: “And they all wept sore; and falling upon the neck of Paul they ardently kissed him”.
A.J.G. The Holy Spirit dwells at length on the love which found its full development in Ephesus. Paul’s love for the saints is expressed by the sacrifice of himself, it is thus that love must be expressed, in a concrete way and in reality. God Himself is love. He is going to fill the universe of love by means of the assembly formed under Christ’s influence, taking character from Him: love radiating from those who receive Christ’s influence.
Rem. The restoration of Peter illustrates the way in which we are formed.
A.J.G. That must have had a great effect on Peter; he was the object of the Lord’s grace in recovery. The Lord drew near. He says, “Children …”. He Himself prepared the meal. And there was a “fire of coals” there. Grace is evident. Even the Lord put to their credit the haul of fishes. In fact there was nothing they could do by themselves, the Lord directed them in grace. At the end of that occasion, Peter is sounded to the bottom and the Lord entrusted to him the responsibility to take care of His lambs and His sheep, John 21: 15 and 17. We learn from his epistles that Peter had taken the thing to heart: he himself charges the elder to shepherd the flock, and to watch over them, not by necessity but willingly, 1 Pet 5: 1-4. The elders in effect had to be found as models, it is a very important question.
Rem. It is to draw attention to God’s appreciation as to His assembly that the apostle recalls how the assembly of God has been purchased with the blood of His own, Acts 20: 28, 29.
A.J.G. Yes. The assembly is precious to the heart of God; the local assembly is the representation of the whole assembly, and we must have in mind God’s appreciation as to the assembly, “purchased with the blood of his own”.
Ques. Does the expression, “shepherd” in the expression, “shepherd the flock of God” not have a particular value?
A.J.G. Without doubt, it is reference to the flock previously mentioned. The assembly as such needs care; it must be cared for in the light of the value that it has in God’s eyes. And we must keep this in our minds. We must watch that such features should be evident in our localities, that care is dispensed to the sheep by the overseers.
Rem It is not Paul who establishes the overseers but the Holy Spirit.
A.J.G. That is very important. The apostle was going to leave the scene; the Holy Spirit remains.
Rem. The Holy Spirit has full authority to establish.
A.J.G. All authority in the assembly is in the Spirit. Certain brethren have moral authority, but their formation depends upon the Holy Spirit. Paul can say to Titus: “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise thee”. When the Lord was down here, His words were with authority, not as those of the scribes, and that because He Himself was the expression of what He taught.
Rem. This same character is seen also in Paul’s ministry at Corinth, and especially to Ephesus.
A.J.G. Yes. Paul sent Timothy to Corinth as able to set before the Corinthians Paul’s ways as they were in Christ. The assembly must take heed that its ways are in accord with those of Christ.
Ques. Why is Paul warned with such insistence from what he had to complete?
A.J.G. Undoubtedly to show the apostle’s devotion, in full correspondence with Christ. The Lord had warned His disciples of what would happen to Him and knowing it, he went on in His path. The testimony of the Holy Spirit drew attention to these features seen in Paul. In each city, the same testimony manifested the effects of the apostle’s ministry. In each city, the local assembly is established as a vessel of the Spirit and the voice of the Spirit is heard there. It is the present necessity for every locality.
Ques. What is implied by the supplication made by the disciples to Paul (Acts 21: 12): “we … besought him not to go up to Jerusalem”?
A.J.G. In part of chapter 21, Paul has declined in power and has not discerned the voice of the Spirit as to not going up to Jerusalem. The disciples were more advanced than him in this sense; they had said to Paul “by the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem”, v 4. If Paul had discerned it, we are sure that he would not have disobeyed the voice of the Spirit.
A great sensibility is needed by us on every occasion to discern the voice of the Spirit.
The brethren’s affections are brought out in this circumstance; they beseech Paul after the fresh warning from the prophet Agabus. To the disciples, the message was clearly on the part of the Spirit; but they could say: “The will of the Lord be done”, v 14. The Lord is above all.
BEAUVOISIN
5th November 1952
Translated from the French magazine, ‘Ondées’, August 1953
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