Paul's final act as their pastor is to let them go. He commits them to God and to the word of His grace, using the Greek term for depositing something valuable at a bank. Three years of sweat and tears, deposited in the only vault strong enough to hold them. Then he holds up his hands. Calloused. Tent-making. The hands of a man who refused to turn ministry into a way of getting rich. He warns them to watch for the love of money, the kind of wolf that destroys ministers as fast as anything from the outside. He seals the warning with a saying of Jesus that no Gospel writer recorded: it is more blessed to give than to receive. Then comes the moment that breaks the room. Paul kneels. The elders fall on his neck and weep. They kiss him over and over, like a father holding his son. Real love hurts when it leaves.
What is Acts Daily Devotional Podcast?
What if the story of the early church isn’t just history, but a blueprint for following Jesus today? The Acts Daily Devotional Podcast is a 141-day journey through the book of Acts in the Bible, hosted by Pastor Derek. Each short episode combines Scripture and practical teaching to help inspire your daily chair time with God, whether at home or on your drive to work. Starting April 26, discover how the Holy Spirit empowers ordinary people to advance the mission of Jesus from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.