Watch Out!

²⁸ “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood^[c]—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.^{[d] 29} I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. ³⁰ Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. ³¹ Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.
 ³² “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.
-Acts 20:28-32 (NLT)

We've been in this study of the last words of Paul to the Elders of the church at Ephesus. So far, we've discussed the desire of Paul to finish the work he was put here to do (Acts 20:22-24). We discovered the importance of sharing our faith with others, and how Paul shared the Gospel with them (Acts 20:25-27). And now, we see Paul giving them instructions as the leaders of the church, but also warnings about the future. Let's take a look.

Verse 28 says, "So guard yourselves and God's people. Feed and shepherd God's flock-his church, purchased with his own blood-over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders." Paul is giving the elders of this church important instructions. Paul was leaving, was going to Jerusalem, they would now be in charge of the church. Paul was turning it over to them. He first instructed them to "guard yourselves and God's people." They had to stay on guard for themselves, and those in the congregation. What do they have to stay on guard for? Verses 29-30 reveal that, "I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following." Paul was warning them to guard themselves, and also their congregation against false teachers. False teachers tear apart the church and cause many to lose faith. False teachers only goal is themselves, not to tell others about Jesus. Maybe we'll take a look at characteristics of false teachers soon. False teachers were a problem in Paul's day, and they are a problem today. Paul tells them that "False teachers...will come in...even some men from you own group....distort the truth....to draw a following." False teachers were going to come in and destroy the church. Notice what they do, "distort the truth in order to draw a following." That is why the second part of Paul's instructions are so important.

"Feed and shepherd God's flock-his church, purchased with his own blood-over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders." They had to watch out for false teachers. It's important to teach the Word to others, so that they can see the errors, or distortions, in a false teachers teaching. Paul told these elders of the Ephesian church that they had to "feed and shepherd God's flock." In other words, they had to feed the flock a proper diet of the Word of God. Paul wrote about this in Second Timothy 4:2-4, "² Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. ³ For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. ⁴ They will reject the truth and chase after myths." We must preach the word of God. We must  teach others sound and wholesome teaching. It seems that verses 3-4 are pointing to our day and time. I just read a post on Facebook from a local Pastor friend that a colleague, another Pastor, told him not to preach too hard about sin, because it will cause people to leave his church. What? That is directly what Paul was teaching Timothy, and what Paul was warning the elders at Ephesus about. "For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear." May God have mercy on the teacher who doesn't teach what God puts in their hearts, and listens to what man wants taught instead. My.

Friends, you don't have to be a preacher in a church to spread the Word of God. You just have to share it. Get into the Word, and allow the Word to get into you. Do you take time to study the Word? If someone came to you with a false teaching, would you know it was a false teaching? If you're a Pastor today, are you imitating Paul's instruction to "feed and shepherd God's flock?" Paul had further instructions for the elders of the church. Verse 31 says, "³¹ Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you." Paul reminded them that during the three years he was with them,  he watched and cared for the flock night and day, and shed tears for them. This is a great example of the work of the Pastor. Too many times Pastors feel they have a 9 to 5 job, but that isn't so. Paul watched, cared for and shepherded the flock night and day. Are you willing to do that? Think About It.