Parting Words

1. Paul’s words to the elders at Ephesus brought sorrow.

1) Acts 20:37-38 says, “And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul???s neck, and kissed him, Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more.”

2) Paul knew that he wouldn’t be back that way.

3) Their earthly relationship was at an end.

4) This was cause for sorrow on the part of the elders because of their love for him.

2. Parting brings sorrow because of the end of an active loving relationship.

1) We don’t like to have things we hold dear taken away from us.

2) It starts when we are children.

3) We soon learn what is important and what is not important.

4) One thing we learn is that relationships are important.

5) This is why we express sorrow when they end.

6) James 2:8 “If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well.”

3. Let our sorrow remind us not of the grief of our loss, but of our love for one another.

1. Jesus provided great comfort to his disciples as well as to all Christians at the occasion of his parting.

1) John 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father???s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

2) Greater words of comfort perhaps have not been spoken to those who are parting.

3) The faithful Christian is assured that he will have a home in the Father’s house reunited with Christ and his brethren.

4) Jesus goes on in the context to them that they know the way to the Father’s house.

5) Thomas asked what that way was.

6) Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

7) We gain great comfort trusting in Jesus as the way to the Father’s house.

2. Parting brings comfort because we learn to trust in God.

1) Jesus wanted his disciples to trust in Him for the way to the Father’s house.

2) Today we have Jesus’ words in which we can place our trust.

3) Paul told the Ephesians elders, “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” (Acts 20:32).

4) It was both to God and God’s words in whose care Paul left these brethren.

5) We can have great comfort by trusting in God and His words.

3. So long as we abide in God’s word, then while we may be parted, we can be comforted in one another’s faithfulness.

1. In Revelation 22:1-5 we read of a place where there will be no more parting.

1) The text says, ” And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.”

2) This is the place where God’s people will “see His face.”

3) This is also the place where God’s people will be together for ever and ever.

4) Verse 14 places a great condition, though, upon who may enter into the gates of the city. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”

5) It is those who “do His commandments” that have right to the tree of life.

2. Parting brings joy because it reminds us of a place where there will be no parting.

1) In times of parting, the faithful child of God is reminded that there will be reuniting with the faithful.

2) 2 Thessalonians 4:13-17 “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

3. If we allow our love for our brethren to motivate us to faithfulness and obedience, then great joy awaits us to be reunited in heaven.