My friends, living for the Lord is always worth it, but sometimes it’s not easy. Just take it from Paul.

“And now I am bound by the Holy Spirit. To go to Jerusalem,” Paul says, “I don’t know what waits for me there, except the Holy Spirit tells me in every city there is jailings and sufferings before me. But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus, the work of telling others the good news about the wonderful grace of God.”

Acts 20:22-24

These are some of Paul’s final words to the Ephesian pastors and elders. These were good friends to the Apostle Paul. He enjoyed ministering with these brothers in Christ, and this is the context of what he’s saying:

• Spiritual leaders must be humble.
• Spiritual leaders can expect hardships in ministry that often cause tears.
• Spiritual leaders will face adversity and opposition as they seek to live for the Lord.

The reason living for the Lord is not always easy is because the devil opposes us. The devil doesn’t want the gospel to go to the nations, so he wants you to live for yourself and not for Christ. But Christ will supply you with power to live the life God’s calling you to live.

So, Paul tells these Ephesian elders to be resolved to keep on preaching the word. The most important thing a minister or a believer can do is faithfully share the word of God and point everyone to the Lord Jesus.

But now, here’s the real emphasis of this passage. The Christian Standard Bible says it like this: “I consider my life of no value to myself.” The English Standard Version says: “I do not account my life as precious to myself.” The NIV renders the verse: “I consider my life worth nothing to me.”

Now, to be clear, every life matters, and Paul knows this because he’s already said this. God created you and planned you before the beginning of time. In Acts 17, Paul says that God chose who you would be and where you’d be born at the time you were born.

We see this affirmed in Psalm 139. God had a plan to put you in your mother’s womb.

Paul’s point in this passage is this: Your life has far less value or impact if you’re resisting God’s call. If God’s called you to do a certain thing or to give a certain thing or to live in a specific way and you’re ignoring that, what a waste of your life! The best use of your life is to walk toward God’s specific plan for your existence.

God has glorious plans for you. He has the best plan for you, and it’s impossible for you to truly succeed if you think happiness can be found in disobeying God. 

The bait of Satan to Eve in Genesis 3 is the same old tactic the devil is still using today. Satan wants you to question and criticize God’s Word. We see this in the chaos and the confusion of our modern world. The world’s confused about gender and marriage and truth and moral relativism. But I want you to know this. God is clear.

In your life, as He created you to be, it matters. Jeremiah 29:11 says: “‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans to bless you as you seek me with all your heart.’” Psalm 138:8 says: “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.” Psalm 37:5 encourages us in this way: “Commit your way to the Lord. Trust in Him. He will act.” 

So, run your race today. Don’t compare yourself to other people. God has a unique, specific plan for you. It’s a personal plan, and it’s the best plan. All of us at First Woodstock are praying for you and pulling for you.