Good morning. Then Paul says, I know that after my departure
savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among
your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the
disciples after them. That is not something that any church would expect to
hear. You tend to think that nothing like that could happen at your church;
that everything will go along great with or without a particular person. It
would be especially grievous for it to occur because of people that are already
members of the congregation. Sadly too many times it does happen. People try to
take over when a strong leader is no longer there. Therefore be on the alert.
And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to
build you up and give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, it is more blessed to give
than to receive. He knelt down and prayed with them. They began to weep and
embraced Paul, grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they
would not see his face again. I’m sure our church would feel the same way, if
the pastor said something similar - that we would not see him again. Paul then
got on board the ship and they sailed southward until they came to Tyre. They
had to wait several days for the ship unload its cargo. Father protect the
church from Savage wolves seeking to devour it. Make it strong and secure in
You.
Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me
Good morning. Paul then gives a list of a lot of things that he has gone through as an apostle. I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. There could be many people that you listen to either in church or through the Internet or other means; but there was only one person (as a general rule it was a person) that lead you to Christ. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. He was saying that just like a child imitates his or her father, they were to imitate him. He says that again seven chapters later. Since it is easy to forget some things about people we have not seen in a while, Paul says that he sent Timothy to them to remind them of his ways which are in Christ, just as he taught everywhere in every church. Some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. I shall find ou...
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