Finishing the Course

As I have referenced before, for many years I was a competitive sailboat racer. And for a large part of those years I crewed for a single skipper, who along with his wife became good friends of Grady and me. Bill and I raced up and down the southeast coast and traveled each year to the National championships, where although we never one, were always in the top third of the championship group, often taking home some silver.

And it was a joy racing with Bill because after a while we could anticipate each other moves around the race course. I knew to automatically change the sails as Bill would point the boat up or down, and we could tack in perfect synchronicity as we went around the race course. And because we didn’t have to think about what we were doing, it gave us a lot of time to discuss strategy on how we were going to finish the race course.

When Grady and I moved to Florida, I still raced with Bill for another year, but it was apparent that he would need to find a new crew, and I a new skipper. So through some friends I did find a new skipper living in Melbourne. We met and got along fine, so we decided to try to race together. That first regatta, was a mess for both of us. We were sailing out of Melbourne, and luckily the weather was fine. But we couldn’t get our efforts synchronized. He assumed that when he changed course, that I would pull in the sail to a certain point, but I assumed the exact opposite. Poor Bob almost did make it that regatta, I will never forget when I beaned him in the head with the spinnaker pole because he was not standing where Bill always stood!

The next regatta was in Sarasota and when we got there, early Saturday morning it was blowing stink. Which means that the winds were ripping! It was one of those kind of days, that even getting the small 21 foot boat launched in the water was difficult. And the minute the sails went up you could not hear above the roar of the flapping wind and you would just have to take off, white knuckled and pray that you wouldn’t capsize. It was a kind of wind that I loved racing with Bill in. When you are perfectly synchronized it can be a true test of skill and knowledge to finish the course without capsizing or seriously injuring yourself.

But that day, I wanted no part of racing, because I knew that my new skipper and I were not yet practiced enough together to weather such a challenge. I truly doubted that we could make it around the course, even though both of us had done it before in similar winds with different people.

None the less, we did it. Bob threw me a life jacket and off we went. Was it scary? You bet? Did we almost not finish? Several times – but we did. Were we as competitive as before? No, but there was hope that the two of us would come to get to know each other well enough that soon we would be in competitive racing form. And by Sunday, as we pulled the boat out of the water, we were satisfied with our efforts and for finishing the course.

Now I start with this story because Paul in our scripture reading today, is worried about the Ephesians finishing the course. Paul has been with the Ephesians for 3 years and Luke tells us that many miracles and healings were done by Paul, in the name of Christ. Even in the midst of quite a few challenges , Paul’s ministry amongst the Ephesians was probably the most productive seasons of his ministry in any other place and time, and the hope, probably of both Paul and the Ephesians was that Paul would remain there for a long time, using Ephesus as kind of a base for his missionary work in the area.

But then God steps in, in that pesky way that God has and challenges Paul to change course. The Holy Spirit calls Paul to go to Jerusalem and then onward to Rome. So he calls the Ephesian leaders together to say goodbye and give them parting instructions.

And that is where our scripture reading begins today. Reading from Acts chapter 20, verses 24-27.

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may accomplish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that all you among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

Paul emphasizes to the Ephesians that his ministry is to testify to God, and this Paul has done faithfully in the midst of the Ephesian community. He never shirked his duty and he always testified and witnessed to the marvelous purpose of God. Paul declares what we all should declare, that our value only comes in how our words and actions

point to Christ and the cross.

And even though it might sound cold to us, Paul tells the Ephesians that he is not responsible for how the Word of God is received, but that our responsibility is only to share the hope and promise with others.

But Paul does not end his goodbyes there, for although he is not responsible for the Ephesians, he

wants to help them finish the course that God has set for them.

And so he gives them four words of advice:

1). Watch out – Beware the wolves.

Acts 20:28-31 Take heed 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 the blood of his own Son. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.

Paul did not have to get an MBA from Harvard Business School to know that when a leader leaves, there often is a vacuum that Satan uses to exploit a community. And he gets real specific in saying that the attack can often come from within, as people grab and scheme for power and distort the truth. Paul cautions the Ephesians to be alert to this and to be on guard. His tears are a reference to the how this type of activity can tear apart God’s work and God’s church which has been built on the blood of Christ.

2). So to guard against such an attack, Paul encourages the Ephesians to remain in the word.

Acts 20:32 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.

God’s message of grace, God’s self-emptying love as revealed in Christ’s life, death and resurrection. Remain in God’s word, in order to receive and be reminded of God’s promises and hope. This prepares a community to receive a new leader, in order to finish the course. Because it reminds us that God uses people in seasons to tend to his flock and to lead them.

When the going is good, sometimes easy to stop staying in the word. But when hard times fall, it is the practices we have done that helps us remember whose we are.

Marianna McKinney recently had surgery for a brain tumor. She had to undergo many tests before and after the surgery including multiple MRIs. She told me how she got through them, with all the humming and the claustrophobia was to sing all the old familiar hymns.

Another parishioner on her deathbed in hospice, had her family surround her as they recited scriptures that they knew by heart. She passed from this world to the next with the word of God as her escort.

But it is more than just personal comfort. When we read scriptures as a community, we understand whose we are, and how we are to follow the cross of Christ.

3). Another way to Guard against attack, is to follow Paul’s example.

Paul makes this point in verses 33-35. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, `It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

Not because Paul’s example should be idolized, but because it pointed to the cross of Christ. When a leader leaves, it is important to celebrate their ministry and to the ways that they pointed to the cross of Christ. Their examples help us to imagine how we ourselves are leaders and point to the goodness of Christ, without it all being about ourselves.

Our leaders help us to understand our calling, both personally and as a church. We see their example, and it helps us to believe that we too may be faithful to our calling to follow Christ. Newbigin wrote “The deed and the word do not always have to go together. But they must both be seen to be part of the same reality – the reality of a new power, a new reign which has broken this world." We can't say we believe one thing and act another way.

4). Finally, Paul prays with the Ephesian leaders in their grief.

Acts 20:36 - 21:1 And when he had spoken thus, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And they all wept and embraced Paul and kissed him, sorrowing most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they brought him to the ship.

Paul does not ignore their grief, does not tell them to buckle up and get over it. No, Paul knows that the answer to our grief is prayer. That when we pray together, we have a stronger sense that Jesus in our midst and that he is equipping us to continue the course so that we may complete it.

Our tears remind us of the tears Christ shed on the Cross And we know that our tears are not for naught. Rather as we surrender our tears in prayer to Christ, He gathers them up and redeems them. And this act of Jesus gives us hope and strength to move onward and forward with Him to the cross.

So we see, that whenever there is a change in leadership, whether in sports, or at work or even in the church, it is important to keep four things in mind:

1). Be watchful for evil in our midst and beware the wolves.

2). Guard against evil by faithfully staying in the Word and message of Christ.

3). Celebrate the ministry of the outgoing leadership. Their example taught us a lot what it means in concrete terms to take up the cross of Christ and claim it as our foundation.

4). Pray, pray, pray, and not just alone but with each other and with our leaders, acknowledging our grief even as we claim the Cross of Christ as our past, present and future hope.