Acts 20:32 And now, brothers, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up… I. HOW A MINISTER CAN COMMEND HIS BRETHREN TO GOD. 1. By prayer. As by preaching the minister commends God to his people's acceptance, so by prayer he commends his people to God's benediction. The apostle made prayer the Alpha and Omega, the preface and ending, of his epistles. 2. By faith. We commend our business to a friend when we cast on him the care of it, and trust him with it. Ministers commend their friends and affairs to God, by beseeching His favour towards them, and believing that He will be tender of them. Prayer is the key that openeth God's treasury, but faith is the hand which takes His bounty. Prayer must have a promise, or else it is a vessel without a bottom; and that promise must have faith, or else the vessel lieth still, and cannot stir at all. When a full gale of faith fills the sails, then the vessel of prayer launcheth forth most hopefully, and returneth with its riches freight. He that prayeth for himself, and not for others, is fitly compared to a hedgehog, who laps himself within his own soft down, and turns his bristles to all the world beside. And he that prayeth for others without reliance on God through Christ for audience, works at the labour in vain, and, like Penelope, undoeth by night all that he wrought in the day. The truth is, we lie to God in prayer, if we do not rely on Him after prayer. II. WHY THE PASTOR MUST COMMEND HIS BRETHREN TO GOD. Because of — 1. God's propriety in them. None so fit to take care of the child as its father. They are God's by election; by redemption; by regeneration; by promise. Now, because they are His, therefore they go to Him for protection (Psalm 119:94), and therefore He affords them His special and gracious presence (Jeremiah 2:3). 2. The world's enmity against them. They who have many and mighty enemies, surely want some faithful, able friend (John 17:14). 3. Their own impotency. Children which cannot go alone, need their mother's helping hand. The strongest Christian is but a child, and except God hold him by his right hand, will every day get many falls and knocks. All our power for sacred performances is wholly from God (2 Corinthians 3:4). He must give us fresh supplies of His Spirit in every duty, or they cannot be rightly performed. The greatest fulness of a Christian is not the fulness of a fountain, but of a vessel, which, because always letting out, must be always taking in. The Christian's disbursements are great and constant; therefore such must his incomes from God be, or he will quickly prove a bankrupt.To proceed to the application of this point. 1. It informeth us of the piety of a true pastor. He commends his people to God; this is his character. When others curse their people, and commit them to the devil, he blesseth his parishioners, and commendeth them to God. The mouth of some indeed, like Rabshakeh's, are full of railings, and their tongues are even black with blasphemies against God and His people; though their curses are but like false fire, which may flash a little, but will do no execution; but the faithful ministers of the gospel have learned other language — as they are blessed men, so they are blessing men. 2. It discovereth the great privilege of a gracious people. When they are deserted by man, they are commended to God. III. WHAT THE PASTOR COMMENDS HIS BRETHREN TO. 1. To God's special favour and affection. "I commend you to God." The goodwill of God is such a lump of sugar as will sweeten the bitterest cup. His general love is like the ordinary beams of the sun, which convey light and heat for the refreshment of all the world. So the Lord is good to all; His mercy is over all His works; but His special love is like the beams of the sun united in a glass, which, passing by others, fires the object only. If a heathen could say, "I care not for those petty gods and demi-gods, so I can have but Jupiter's goodwill"; surely a saint may say, I care not for men's frowns, or devils' fury, so I may obtain but the blessed God's favour. This special favour is a pearl of such price, that it was bought with the blood of Christ, and none can beg a greater for themselves or others. Now to this God, in whose favour is life (Psalm 30), nay, whose loving kindness is better than life (Psalm 63), I commend you, and my prayer shall be, "God be merciful to you," etc. (Psalm 67:1). 2. To His special care and protection. Angels are the Church's guardians: "He shall give His angels charge over thee"; but God Himself is Captain of the saints' lifeguard. He is Lord of hosts. He keepeth them diligently (Isaiah 27:4), and tenderly (Zechariah 2:8). 3. His universal benediction; to His blessings in all your undertakings and concernments; as to His grace to affect you in the midst of the world's hatred, and to His power to protect you in the midst of all hardships, so to His presence to prosper you in all the works of your hands. The fruitfulness of the earth depends wholly upon the influence of heaven. If the sun withhold its heat, and the clouds their moisture, all things decay and wither. The success of all your actions depends on God's benediction. If He deny His concurrence, nothing prospers (Psalm 127:1). It is said of David, that he prospered whithersoever Saul sent him (1 Chronicles 11:9); but what was the spring of the watch which caused all the wheels to move so regularly. For God was with him. It is His gracious presence alone which gives success to every enterprise. His blessing can turn not only water into wine, temporal mercies into spiritual benefits, but even poison into wholesome food, every stone thrown at you by your enemies into a precious stone. The scorching sun of persecution doth but ripen him for a glorious harvest. 4. For your further comfort, know that — (1) God is the most able friend. To have a friend at court is a great courtesy, because such a one can command much; but what is it then to have God for your Friend, who can command all things? God is able to do more for you than you can ask or think. He is able to defend you from whatsoever is hurtful. A heathen asked a Jew how he and his countrymen could hope for any safety, "because," saith he, "every one of you is a silly sheep compassed about with fifty wolves." "Ay, but," saith the Jew, "we are kept by such a Shepherd as can kill all those wolves when He pleaseth."(a) Are your dangers bodily? He can bear off those blows. No evil can arrest you without leave from this King. If afflictions be near, He will not be far off (Isaiah 43:2). If the Church be a burning bush, it will not be consumed, because God is in it. (b) Are your fears spiritual? God is able to be your defence. The world is a slippery place, but He is able to keep you from falling (Jude 1:24). As He is able to defend you from what is hurtful, so to relieve you with what is needful. God's estate is infinite, and therefore will bear a liberal provision for all His children. 2. He is the most loving Friend. Jonathan ventured far for David's safety, and the reason was he loved him as his own soul. They who have God's heart, are sure of His helping hand. God loves His people — (1) As they are His eternal choice. (2) As they are His own picture, like Him in grace and holiness. Men have loved others the more for resembling them in sin; God loves His children the more for resembling Him in sanctity. (3) As they are His Son's purchase. They which were so dearly bought, are not easily loathed. (4) Above all the world besides. All others are dross; they are His gold. He loves them as His own Son (John 17:26, 27). Hence it is that they are so happy who are committed to God's keeping, because He is so loving a Guardian. All the while that His people suffer, He doth sympathise, and He will support them. As a tender Father He proportions the burden to the strength of His children's back. He doth like a lutanist, who will not let the strings of his instrument be too slack, lest they mar the music, nor suffer them to be hard screwed up, lest they break. His love will set all His other attributes at work for His people's good. His wisdom will contrive, His power will act, and His faithfulness will perform whatsoever He promiseth for the comfort of His Church, and all because He loveth them. 3. He is the most faithful Friend. He is constant in His love. Some are able, and loving also for a time; but their love, like a candle, though it burn a little in a close room and calm weather, is easily blown out by a stormy wind; but God is an everlasting Friend. His love, like the sun, can never be abated, much less extinguished, by the greatest tempest, but is always going forth in its full strength (Proverbs 17:17). When men are mutable, and appear all in changeable colours, use their friends as we do sundials, look no longer on them, nor regard them, than the sun shineth on them, "God is a faithful Creator" (1 Peter 4:19); will be sure to mind the house that He hath built, and that most of all when it is out of repair and ready to fall. He is faithful to His promise (Joshua 23:14). God is usually better, but never in the least worse, than His word. His promise is equivalent to possession. (G. Swinnock, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. |
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