Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: Acts 20 contains Paul's final exhortations to the leaders at Ephesus. First Paul testified. He called them to witness how he had lived and served among them as their founding pastor.

He challenged them to remember his service from the first day on (vv. 18-27). (Google image, The Apostle Paul)

1. He served the Lord with great humility (v. 19).
2. He served the Lord with tears (vv. 19, 31).
3. He willingly faced danger for their sake (v. 19).
4. He gladly preached anything which might help them (v. 20).
5. He taught publicly and in all their homes (v. 20).
6. He proclaimed the whole will of God. (v. 27).
7. For three years he never stopped warning night and day
with tears (v. 31).
8. He did not covet their financial help (vv. 33-44).
9. He set an example of hard work (v. 35).
10. He set an example in helping the weak and in giving (v.35).

In the middle of this testimony Paul urges upon them their tremendous responsibility as leaders. Not only are they to follow his example in these ten ways, but he specially urges them to :

1. Keep watch over themselves (v. 28).
2. Keep watch over the flock (vv. 28, 30).
3. Shepherd the church (v. 28).

The writer to the Hebrews also emphasizes how leaders will have to give an account to God.

"Obey your leaders and submit to their authority
Keep watch over you as men who must give an
account" (Heb. 13:17).

Twice Paul says that all Christians will stand before God's judgment seat (Rom. 14:10-12; 2 Cor. 5:10-11). Hebrews repeats the warning:

"Man is destined to die once, and after that to face
judgment" (Heb. 9:27).

This is true for the Christian as for the non-Christian. No Christian will face final judgment for sins of which he repented, made confession, and as far as possible made restitution. But every Christian will be judged for the way he lived after his conversion.

What teaching have you given to prepare your people for the time when they must kneel at Christ's judgment seat to hear Him evaluate their lives and announce their rewards?

But what I am specially concerned about is that you be prepared when Christ judges your role as a leader. You and I as leaders will stand before Christ's judgment seat for two reasons (Heb. 13:17):

a. We will be held accountable as spiritual leaders. Therefore, we lose sleep (v. 17) to fulfill our responsibility to watch over our members (the Greek word agrupnousin means to be sleepless). The same word is used in Mark 13:33; Luke 21:36; and Ephesians 6:18—"With this in mind, be alert (sleepless) and always keep on praying for all the saints."

b. We will be witnesses concerning what we saw in our members as we led or pastored them (Heb. 13:17).

Have you prepared a list of things which you expect God to ask you when you stand before Christ's judgment throne and are judged for your leadership role? As surely as you are alive today, you will stand there to give your account.

Let me suggest items on which Christ will judge your faithfulness as a leader. Undoubtedly there are many more. If you want to prepare yourself for the judgment day, make your own list.
[The following two posts will help].

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Used by permission of the author and Duewel Literature Trust, Inc., Greenwood, Indiana. Creative writing style by Jean.

Ablaze for God
#48 Your Accountability as a Leader, Part 1
by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
(pp. 158-160) ZondervanPublishingHouse

Woman worshipping

Father, as the Apostle Paul was an excellent example to his followers, we see that he challenged them to remember how he'd lived and served among them as their founding pastor.
We we are to encourage our shepherds and pastors by prayer support, for them to be good examples as they serve and live among us.
As professing Christians, we need to understand too, that we will
also have to answer to Christ for our lives.
May we examine ourselves to see how we are doing, compared with the above list of challenges given for shepherds, for we don't want our shepherds to grieve over our disobedience or lack of faith under their leadership.
We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Today's Bible verses-

Psalm 34:5 "Those who look to Him are radiant; their

faces are never covered with shame."

Rom. 8:37-39 (NIV) "No, in all these things we are more

than conquerors through him who loved us. (v. 38) For I am

convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,

(v. 39) neither height nor depth, nor anything else in (v. 38)

creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God

that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Ps. 105:4 (NIV) "Look to the LORD and his strength; seek

his face always."

Today's quote-

John McArthur- MacArthur is convinced preachers should base their ministries around certain key words including, “biblical, holiness, humility, purity, godliness, separation, self-denial, sacrifice, faithful, and sanctified.” Sadly, the President of the Master’s College and Seminary [in CA] believes a lot of pastors’ ministries revolve around the words “relevant, real, authentic, missional, exponential, cool, disruptive, innovative, multi-site, multi-ethnic, multi-anything, cultural, contemporary, millennial, no eschatology intended, post-church, post-truth, international, formational, social, inclusive, and heroic.”

"You will not be judged on the size of your membership,” he warned pastors. “You will not be judged on the size of your auditorium. You’ll be judged, you’ll give an account, Hebrews tells us, on the Christ-likeness of your people. Agonize over that.”

For Christians, attending churches where they’ll hear the unfiltered, unaltered Word of God every Sunday is vital. Pray that pastors in America and all over the world will worry less about being “relevant” and more about doing what’s right. (Emphasis added).

Taken from "Stop Promoting Soft Version of the Scripture"

Today's question, copied from Tuesday's post-

Why do some Christians think they have to "clean up" the presentation of the Cross?

Do they actually think we can improve on God's work among us in getting people saved? Is it not true that it's the work of the Holy Spirit that draws folks to believe? Do we think our arguments will convince others to believe in Jesus' Atonement on the cross?

If the saving of the Gospel message is what is needed by every nationality and person and needs no embellishments, ought we to leave it as it is, and give it straight as God's Truth?

When we hear of Christ's Crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection, do we really need to dress it up someway to "make it more presentable?" Won't it just become a mundane thing then to those who hear it, and not have the understanding of the great love of the Father for us, and what all Christ went through for us?

It is time to leave it as it is, and to proclaim the truth that Jesus actually went through the agony, shame and sacrifice of His life, to give us eternal life with Him. That's the true Gospel.
All our wealth is in the Cross!

Upcoming posts-

Restored Failures

28th- Saturday's post by Leslie Koh

#49 You will be Accountable for Your Sleeplessness
as a Watchman
5/1- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

#50 You will be Accountable to Warn of Dangers
3rd- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

The Trouble with Religion
5th- Saturday's post by Ron Hutchcraft