Saying Farewell August 13th, 2023
God of wisdom, as we gather to hear your Word this day, calm our spirits and still our minds so that we can receive your message with clarity and respond in faithfulness. Amen.
My first reaction is to say that it’s lucky that today’s lesson from our series on the book of Acts ties in perfectly with what is taking place in our church here in Thorburn, but I don’t really believe in luck, I believe that all things that take place are a part of God’s plan.
And part of that plan is that Katey, having just graduated high school in June, is now getting ready to begin the next part of her life, leaving for Mount Allison to take a degree in music. For us, that means that next Sunday will be her last service here as our Music Director.
Now you might think I’m getting a bit ahead of myself, the final farewell won’t be until next Sunday, so we still have another week to go. But this coming week is the Thorburn Fair and we’ve been blessed by being asked to hold a special service as part of the activities but it’s probably not the best time to be talking about departures. And besides, as I said at the beginning, through the providence of God, our reading from Acts is about the Apostle Paul’s saying his final farewell to the leaders of the church which he founded in the town of Ephesus, so we must believe that this is God’s plan for us this week.
With all that being said, let’s have a look Paul’s farewell and see what we can learn from it that can help us today as we prepare to wish Katey “bon voyage”.
These are the opening words of Paul from our reading from Acts, “‘And now I know that none of you, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom, will ever see my face again.’” Pretty serious, aren’t they? What was taking place is that Paul was on his way to Jerusalem. He is well aware of the hostility of the leaders of the Temple there toward him, and quite uncertain as to what his future will hold once he arrives. You’d expect him to be very nervous and apprehensive about returning to Jerusalem, but Paul has a quiet calmness about him. It is evident that although Paul is unsure what his future holds, he is confident in the one who holds his future, being God.
But before leaving for Jerusalem, Paul called for the elders of Ephesus to meet him in a place called Miletus, which was a town on the coast of modern day Turkey. He had served the church in Ephesus for about three years and remained fond of those who were there. Before departing Paul wanted to speak with the elders one last time. He wanted to share his heart and encourage them in the faith.
Bear in mind that members of the church in Ephesus were very dear to the heart of Paul. He had spent nearly three years with the church there. During that time Paul had developed a great love for the people. He believed that after departing for Jerusalem, he would never see those friends of his in Ephesus again in this life. Although such separation often happens, it is never easy, but Paul endured the thoughts of leaving them through the strength he found in Christ.
And yet, separation is a part of life. Everyone here has experienced leaving family and friends in some form or another. Sometimes it is only for a short time, and at others it is for extended periods. Many of us have lost loved ones in death. That separation would be impossible to bear were it not for the hope of the Gospel. We have the promise from the word of God that the dead in Christ will live again. So, we too can endure because of the hope of the Gospel and the help found in the Lord.
Paul then continued on to say this to those elders of the church in Ephesus, “‘Therefore I declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.’” From this we can see that Paul was a man who possessed unshakable confidence in the word of God and who refused to allow the difficulties of life to discourage him. Paul remained committed to the work he had been called to perform. And what allowed Paul to possess such confidence? How did he face his struggles with indisputable peace? Through his own admission we will find that Paul’s life had been shaped by the Gospel. He was able to endure because he was focused on the Gospel. Paul could say that he was innocent of the blood of all people not because he had presented the gospel to every individual personally, but because he had carried out the mission that God had given him of evangelizing the people of Ephesus.
He then continued on to warn them with these words, “‘Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Some even from your own group will come distorting the truth in order to entice the disciples to follow them. Therefore, be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to warn everyone with tears.’”
When things in life change, saying goodbye can be difficult and complicated, challenging, and sad. But God has already provided a helper who will be there for us, and with us, always. Our hope for a brighter future is constantly being renewed through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is always with us to guide and support us. It still lives through us. And it lives, and will always live, through all who love God.
God has a plan for all our futures and that is what really matters. There always have been and always will be times when we must say goodbye, or see you later. Yet we must let go, to claim the future that has been promised to us. God has his plans for our us. Jeremiah, a prophet who lived 600 years before the birth of Christ, was called on by God to warn the people of Israel of their sins and of the upcoming destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army. Yet despite all the trials and tribulations which Jeremiah experienced, he is known as “the weeping prophet”, God did promise him, and the people of Israel, a better future. This is what he said to Jeremiah, “For surely, I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.” (Jeremiah 29:11-14) Let’s never forget that God has plans for our future, as well.
Goodbyes can be difficult and emotional whether in life or death. They can be a time of sadness and sorrow, but they can also be a time of hope and new beginnings. Although often sad, we can look on goodbyes as an opportunity to reflect on the past and look forward to the future in anticipation of God’s plans.
In the Bible, there are many examples of goodbyes. One of the most famous is Jesus’ farewell sermon, which he gave to his disciples before his crucifixion. This is what he said to them at that time, “‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now, I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’” (John 13:31-35)
Ultimately, goodbyes are a reminder that life is constantly changing and that we must learn to adapt and grow with it. They are an opportunity to embrace new experiences and opportunities and to move forward with hope and optimism.
Although Paul loved the church at Ephesus and would miss them dearly, he enjoyed peace and comfort from the Lord. He knew he had completed the task God had given him at Ephesus. He had built relationships that would endure, even if they never saw each other again. The church was strong and vibrant. Paul was able to go to Jerusalem knowing he had done all he could to equip and encourage the Ephesians.
I pray that we too will live our lives in much the same way. We have no way of knowing how much time we will have with each other. We must ensure that we do all we can with the time and opportunities we have. Separation is never easy, but it is easier to endure when we have loved one another, doing all we can to enrich the lives of others, and with the assurance of a reunion one day in heaven.
When Paul said his goodbyes to the elders of the church in Ephesus, he was convinced that he would never see them again, but he was wrong about that. He did see them again. In the first letter which he wrote to his protégé and fellow missionary, Timothy, we learn that he paid another visit to Ephesus after this one. But he did not know that he would at the time, and so they all thought that this was their last glimpse of their beloved leader. What a touching scene as they fellowshipped together, facing the dangers that lay ahead, but strengthening one another in the Lord, supporting, praying for one another, feeling the heartache of the occasion and yet the joy of sharing together in the life of Jesus Christ, knowing that they belong to the Lord and to one another.
Gilda Radner, who was a TV star from the seventies, died of cancer at the age of 42. Before passing she left these words about farewells, “I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment, and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next.”
With Katey preparing to go off to university, this is not the “perfect” ending for us as we will miss her and her contributions to our worship services, but it is an exciting time for her as she looks to the future God has given her. With faith in Christ, we don’t need to know what’s going to happen, we simply need to follow in his steps and remember: whatever God calls us to do he will empower us to accomplish. Let’s look to the future with faith that God has a plan for us.
Let us Pray:
Heavenly Father, let our faith always remind us that you have a plan for us all. As we prepare to say not “farewell”, but “bon voyage” to Katey, we entrust her into your care. We pray for happiness and joy to be ahead of her, for wisdom and guidance to be beside her, and for grace and truth to be behind her, leading her onwards into your goodness. We know that you will always love and protect her, wherever she goes. Amen.