Good-bye!

Friday 2-13-15 (Home)  

Scripture reading:        Lev 20-22              Acts 20

S.  Acts 20:25 And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again.  Vs 31-32 Remember the three years I was with you — my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.  And now I entrust you to God and the word of his grace — his message that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself. Vs 36-38 When he had finished speaking, he knelt and prayed with them.  They wept aloud as they embraced him in farewell, sad most of all because he had said that they would never see him again. Then they accompanied him down to the ship.  NLT

O.  Paul the Missionary Apostle was always saying good-bye, but this time it was different.  He had spent 3 years of his life mentoring these church leaders.  He had rejoiced with them in their victories and wept with them in their losses.  And now he announces that he is not returning to Ephesus ever again.

A.  Missionaries are always saying good-bye.  It comes with the package.  This morning I read the story of a Moravian couple, John Montgomery and his wife that around 1800 said a tearful good-bye to little James, their 6 year old son, leaving him with a Moravian group as they sailed for Barbados.  It proved to be a final good-bye as they would both die on the mission field.  James grew up to own a newspaper that included Gospel messages and his works of poetry.  At least one of these poems became the famous Christmas song, “Angels from the realms of Glory” with the refrain repeating, “Come and worship, Come and worship, Come and worship the newborn King!” 

Frances and I were always saying good-bye.  We poured our lives into beautiful, young couples, trying to help them get their start in effective ministry.  Often we had to leave them in poverty with only their trust in Jesus.  Some of them far exceeded our highest hopes, bringing many thousands into the Kingdom of God.

P.  My Lord Jesus, I love You.  You care about your servants.  You took the Apostle Paul’s efforts and reached a whole area called Asia Minor with Your powerful Good News.  How many times have Frances and I embraced young couples with what we thought was a final good-bye?  Sometimes You allowed us to return to witness the astounding, multiplied harvest.  Some of them, like my darling Frances, have already been carried into Your loving arms.  In just a few weeks You will allow me to return again to Argentina.  There will be joyful “hellos” and again sad “good-byes.”  But there is one thing that makes, Brother Paul’s tearful “good-byes” and mine sweeter.  We know that, by Your grace, we will meet again at Your feet and never have to say “good-bye” again!  Amen.

Ralph