But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land. 14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. 15 And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we went to Miletus. 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.
17 Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. 18 And when they came to him, he said to them:
“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
Where would you go if you knew only that afflictions and imprisonment awaits you? Better yet, would you go any place where you knew these awaited you? Thankfully, most of us don’t have to make that decision. We go here and there with little danger of imprisonment or afflictions apart from traffic jams or flight delays.
Paul is heading for Jerusalem in spite of the fact that these things await him there. Perhaps he is resolved to go there because he had learned what God had told Ananias, “I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:15). He is committed to go where God is leading him because he is deeply aware of God’s grace and truth found in Jesus, and found only in Jesus. He has been set apart by the Holy Spirit for this work. He is committed to declaring to the people everything that was profitable for their salvation. And he will face these trials by the strength that comes only from God.
As he leaves the Ephesian elders he reminds them of their solemn responsibility to feed the flock of God, and take to heart their responsibility for them. The Holy Spirit had made them overseers (pastors) of these gatherings, and Paul reminded them that these precious people were purchased by the blood of Jesus. The Ephesian elders were in places of great privilege and responsibility – as is true of all pastors.
We who serve God’s people do well to remember that they are precious to God, bought with the precious blood of Jesus, and worth whatever burden we must bear in order to serve them well. That’s true no matter where we go and whether that path takes us to green pastures and still waters, or through the valley of the shadow of death. Thankfully God is with us through the journey wherever we go.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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