“Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them: ‘You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.’”
Acts 20:16-21
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MAY 12, 2025
Paul was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem. He knew he couldn’t make a brief visit to Ephesus, undoubtedly because of the close relationships he had formed there. So, he and his companions boarded a ship that sailed to Miletus, a port just south of Ephesus, and requested that the Ephesian elders come to him.
Once the elders were gathered in his presence, Paul recounted his time with them, a picture of a gospel-centered life. He could state truthfully, “I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.” This is the compelling message of the gospel. We turn to God for salvation through repentance.
True repentance not only involves honest confession, but a genuine commitment to avoid repeating the error. None of us do this perfectly, but over time there should be a gradual change of direction toward righteousness. A gospel-centered life is a life marked with ongoing humility.
Paul’s statement, “I served the Lord with great humility,” may well allude to the role repentance played in his ministry. Repentance was not only something he taught but also applied to himself. When a repentant humble spirit is the attitude of one’s heart, genuine humility is manifested in a person’s life.
The other side of repentance is receipt of God’s gracious forgiveness. In human relationships the consequences of confessing misdeeds are unpredictable. But thankfully, for a Christian the wonderful result of confession before God is forgiveness. God mercifully sets our sins aside and remembers them no more. God does not merely sweep our sins under the carpet and pretend everything is fine. The consequences of our sin He takes upon Himself.
Questions for reflection and discussion:
- How seriously do you take repentance?
- If repentance is a process of identifying our sin before a holy God and turning from it, point out for yourself some personal examples of doing so in the past week, month, or year.
- How can our lives demonstrate the high value we place on forgiveness in light of what it cost God?
Church Reading Plan: Numbers 21; Psalm 60-61