“Serving the LORD...

Praying as a Family: Daily Meditations

Orando em Família (which means,

ABOUT THE AUTHOR literally, “Praying in Family”) is an award-winning

João Mordomo has been a
cross-cultural missionary for
nearly 20 years, five of them
in Belgium and 13 in Brazil,
where he still serves. He has
preached, taught and trained
leaders in nearly 40 other
countries on evangelism,
missions and leadership. In
addition to having pastored
and planted churches, he is
the co-founder of a
“Kingdom Business”
consultancy and two mission
agencies, all of which he still
helps lead. He is a member of
the Lausanne “Business as
Mission” task force and
author or co-author of
numerous books, chapters
and articles, including the
Lausanne Movement’s
Occasional Paper on Business
as Mission. Additionally, he
serves as professor of
missiology and biblical
theology at several
seminaries and is currently
finishing his doctorate in
missiology. João and his wife
and two young children live
in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
devotional book that is read by hundreds of
thousands of Brazilian Christians every year,
encouraging them to study the Bible and pray
together as families. We are pleased to make one
week’s worth of these devotionals available in
English. The author, João Mordomo, is the co-
founder and president of CCI-Brasil, a cross-
cultural mission agency (part of the global
Crossover movement) whose passion is!to glorify
God!by assisting and accelerating church planting
movements!among the least reached peoples of
the world. João takes us on a devotional journey
through Acts 20:13-38, in the process helping us
to fulfill both the Great Commandment and the
Great Commission by “serving the Lord in
humility”, “serving the Lord through trials and MORE RESOURCES
hardships”, “serving the Lord among all peoples”, You can find more of João’s resources on
“serving the Lord by boldly proclaiming the his site at www.joaomordomo.com.br.
Gospel”, “serving the Lord at all cost in spiritual You’ll find devotional-type readings (in his
battle”, “serving the Lord through hard work and Livin’ la Vida Doxa™ blog), as well as
generous giving” and “serving the Lord by letting articles, papers and chapters on how to
go of loved ones”. think and live doxologically (the glory of
God in all areas of life) and missiologically
As you read on, we hope you enjoy the devotions (the glory of God among all peoples of
and are enriched, encouraged and challenged to the world). You can also hear his audio
live for the “praise of God’s glory”, in all areas of messages on those subjects on his
life and among all peoples of the world. DoxaCast™ page.

All material © 2009, Encontro

Publicações and CCI-Brasil

SETTING THE STAGE
Acts 18:23 – 21:16 reports on
Paul's third missionary
journey (c. a.d. 52–57), which
took place primarily in
Ephesus, the capital of the
Roman province of Asia
(today’s Turkey), a major
commercial center and home
of the famous temple of the
goddess Artemis (also called
Diana). Our passage recounts
Paul's Miletus address, which
is the only example in Acts of
a major speech to Christians,
and is thus similar to Paul’s
letters, which also were
addressed to Christians. In
his speech, Paul held out his
own life and ministry as an
example, challenging the
Ephesian elders to glorify
God by serving Him in
humility, serving Him
through trials and hardships,
serving Him among all
peoples, serving Him by
boldly proclaiming the
Gospel, serving Him at all
cost in spiritual battle,
serving Him through hard
work and generous giving
and serving Him by letting go
of loved ones. And the Holy
Spirit through Paul challenges
us to do the same.
“Serving the LORD...”
Acts 20:13-38 (English Standard Version)
13 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.
Paul Speaks to the Ephesian Elders
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 of you, 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. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will
come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking
twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years
I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the
word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are
sanctified. 33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 You yourselves know that these hands
ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 35 In all things I have shown you that by
working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself
said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And there was much
weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 being sorrowful most of all because of the
word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.
2

DAY 1
READING
Acts 20:13-19
KEY VERSE
“...serving the Lord with all
humility and with tears and
with trials that happened to
me through the plots of the
Jews” (v. 19)
PRAYER
Dear Lord and Master,
help me always be aware
of your ownership of my
life, always be joyfully
submissive to your
leadership and always
serve you in humility.
Father, help me always live
for YOUR glory!
All material © 2009, Encontro
Publicações and CCI-Brasil
“Serving the LORD...
...in Humility”
There was probably no one in the early Church who had more reason to be proud
than the apostle Paul. Before he came to Christ he was a highly trained, extremely
competent, strongly driven man (see Philip. 3.4-6 and Acts 22.3). And after
coming to Christ, he became one of the key leaders in the expansion of the
Church. But what kind of leader was he? In Acts 20.13-38 we find out. He is
addressing the spiritual leaders, the elders, of the church in Ephesus. It is a deeply
impacting speech. It shows us so much of Paul's heart as well as his doctrine and
his view of leadership. So let's look for the next seven days at what Paul says about
his ministry, at what it means to serve the Lord biblically, remembering that he has
to be honest and transparent, because he had lived and ministered among these
men for three years. They knew him well.
The first thing that Paul says is that he was serving the Lord. What comes to your
mind when you think of “serving the Lord”? All too often Evangelicals forget who
is serving whom. Our attitudes toward God should be like dogs toward their
masters: “You feed me, you pet me, you shelter me, you love me . . . YOU must
be GOD!” Sadly, we too often are like cats, who “say” to their masters, “You feed
me, you pet me, you shelter me, you love me . . . I must be GOD!” Paul teaches
us that God doesn’t exist to serve and bless us, but that WE exist to serve and
“bless” Him. We are to serve our master in humility. This is first and foremost the
understanding that God has absolute rights over our lives. He owns us. We are
His. He can do with us whatever He pleases. He has complete authority to tell us
what is best for us, and we have the privilege of accepting this joyfully! It is a spirit
of total yieldedness and submissiveness to Him as our master. He is the Potter, we
are the clay. He is the Shepherd, we are the sheep. He is the Vine, we are the
branches.
3 João Mordomo

DAY 2
READING
Acts 20:19-25
KEY VERSES
“...with trials that happened
to me through the plots of
the Jews...the Holy Spirit
testifies to me in every city
that imprisonment and
afflictions await me.” (vv.
19b, 23)
PRAYER
Oh Loving Father, please
help me be strong and
joyful in the face of the
trials and suffering of life,
so that your worth and
your glory will shine
supremely, and I will be
transformed increasingly
into Christ’s image.
All material © 2009, Encontro
Publicações and CCI-Brasil
“Serving the LORD...
...through Trials and
Hardships”
William Borden, a graduate of world-famous Yale University and an heir to great
wealth, gave away hundreds of thousands of dollars to missions. But, much more
significantly than that, he gave away his very life for missions, for God’s glory
among Muslims. Having rejected a life of comfort and ease, he chose to face the
trials and hardships of taking the message of Jesus to Muslims. After only four
months of fervent ministry in Egypt, Borden contracted spinal meningitis and died
at the age of twenty-five. The epitaph on his grave is short but meaningful: “Apart
from faith in Christ, there is no explanation for such a life.” Apart from faith in
Christ, it makes no sense to willingly face suffering and hardships, but because of
faith in Christ, of love for Christ, trials and hardships are something we all must
face: “Indeed, all who desire to vlive a godly life in Christ Jesus wwill be
persecuted,” (2 Tim. 3.12) For the sake of the people of Ephesus and other places
where he desired to see Christ’s Church established, and principally “for the sake
of Christ”, Paul was able to write “I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,
in persecutions, in difficulties.” (2 Cor. 12.10; NIV). He even considered suffering
to be a gift from God: “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ
you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake...” (Phil. 1.29). A
gift because it deepens us in faith and holiness (2 Cor. 1.8-9; Heb. 12.10), it
increases the reward of our experience of God’s glory in heaven (2 Cor. 4.17-18),
it makes others bold for Christ (Phil. 1.14), and principally because it shows the
supremacy of God (2 Cor. 12.9-10), whose worth shines through the pain His
people will gladly bear for His Name.
4 João Mordomo

DAY 3
READING
Acts 20:20-21, 28
KEY VERSE
“...testifying both to Jews
and to Greeks of
repentance toward God and
of faith in our Lord Jesus
Christ.” (v. 21)
PRAYER
Dear Sovereign God,
please open my heart and
my mind to the truth of
Scripture, that you desire
and deserve to be
worshipped among all
peoples. Please don’t let
me help me passionately
and sacrificially invest in
your global Kingdom,
beginning right now.
All material © 2009, Encontro
Publicações and CCI-Brasil
“Serving the LORD...
...Among All Peoples”
Paul had spent three years planting the church in Ephesus, declaring the Gospel to
both Jews and non-Jews. Why was he concerned with non-Jews, since he himself
was Jewish? He tells us in Rom. 1.5: “through [Christ] we have received grace and
apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among
all the nations.” Paul understood that he was – and WE are! – called to take the
Gospel to all “ethnic groups” (a better translation than “nations”) “for the sake of
[Christ’s] name”, which is another way of saying for God’s glory. David, too,
understood God’s worth and His desire to be known and worshipped among all
peoples, which is why he wrote things like “Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to
be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.” (Ps. 96.3-4) Count Nicolaus
Ludwig von Zinzendorf and the Moravian Church also were convinced that God
desires and deserves to be worshipped among all peoples, which is why they
began a “round the clock” prayer watch (24 hours a day, nonstop) that lasted,
unbroken, for over 100 years, and why they had an unparalleled missionary zeal,
sending over 50% of their members all over the world as lay missionaries.
What difference would it make if there were more people like David, Paul and
Count Zinzendorf in the world? People radically committed to making Christ
known by praying, giving and going, in order for God to receive the glory due His
Name among all the peoples of the world. The difference can begin now, starting
with YOU, because God is calling YOU to be like these people!
5 João Mordomo

DAY 4
READING
Acts 20:18,20-21,24-27
KEY VERSES
“You yourselves know
how I lived among you...to
testify to the gospel of the
grace of God...for I did not
shrink from declaring to
you the whole counsel of
God.” (vv. 18a, 24c, 27)
PRAYER
Father, YOU are the “good
news”, the Gospel. Thank
you for revealing Yourself
to me. Thank you that I
have experienced You. May
I know You more intimately
and proclaim you more
boldly and more complete-
ly every day of my life, for
your honor and glory.
All material © 2009, Encontro
Publicações and CCI-Brasil
“Serving the LORD...
...by Boldly Proclaiming
the Gospel”
Paul was a corageous preacher of the Gospel. The word “Gospel” (the Greek word
euangelion) is one that we use often, but perhaps without understanding the full
weight of its meaning. Paul understood. He knew that it means “good news”, or
“joyful news”. He knew that the ground of this good news is God’s grace (v. 24,
32). He understood and proclaimed this good news in its fullness, “the whole will
of God” (v. 27). The good news that: there is a living God; there is a Savior and
He is the Lord Jesus Christ; this Christ died for our sins in accordance with the
Scriptures; this Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven; the promised
Holy Spirit has come; salvation is for all who believe; salvation is for people from
all nations; salvation means reconciliation with God; salvation means eternal life.
But what makes the Gospel finally and supremely good news, in John Piper’s
words, “is the enjoyment of the glory of God in Christ...this supreme good is God
Himself, seen and savored in all His glory.” (God is the Gospel, p. 37*) God is
the Gospel!
With such good news as this, it is no wonder that Paul employed a fully
integrated, all-encompassing approach to evangelism and church-planting. He did
not merely live a good life for all to see, nor did he merely preach or teach
verbally. He both lived purely (v. 18) and declared verbally (v. 20,21,24,25,27)
the truth of the Gospel. In fact, Paul used three different Greek words to help us
understand what he did. He used the word anaggello in v. 20 (declare, report,
show, speak, tell), the word diamarturomai in vv. 21,24, and 27 (charge, testify
[unto], witness), and the word kerusso in v. 25 (to herald [especially divine truth];
preach, proclaim, publish). Paul did everything within his power to communicate
the Gospel to the Ephesians and to the ends of the earth!
* You can read or download this fantastic book for free at:
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/OnlineBooks/ByTitle/2008_God_Is_the_Gospel/.
6 João Mordomo

DAY 5
READING
Acts 20:24, 28-31
KEY VERSES
“I consider my life worth
nothing to me...Keep watch
over yourselves and all the
flock...savage wolves will
come in among you and
will not spare the flock.
Even from your own
number men will arise and
distort the truth...” (vv.
24a, 28a, 29b, 30a; NIV)
PRAYER
Oh Lord, please make me
constantly aware of the
battle going on to steal
Your glory, to decimate
Your church, and to
destroy me. Help me be
like Paul, considering my
life worth nothing as long
as I can live (or die) in
battle in a way that is
pleasing to You.
All material © 2009, Encontro
Publicações and CCI-Brasil
“Serving the LORD...
...at All Cost in Spiritual
Battle”
Yesterday I said that Paul was courageous in proclaiming (declaring, showing,
speaking, telling, testifying, witnessing, heralding, preaching!) the Gospel to the
people of Ephesus, one of the largest and most impressive cities in the ancient
world. I say “courageous” because in Ephesus he was “severely tested by the plots
of the Jews” (v. 19; NIV), and he had to contend with rioting worshippers of
Artemis (Acts 19.23-41), and he even had to fight wild beasts there! (1 Cor.
15.32). Paul knew that his battle was not with flesh and blood, but with
principalities and powers. And he knew that in battle there are wounds, suffering,
death. So his attitude was, “It doesn’t matter what happens to me – I’ll pay any
price – if I can just glorify God by telling the Ephesians about the Gospel of His
grace.” (v. 24) Paul had a warfare mentality. He knew that the church is always
threatened, from outside and from within. Satan never takes vacations. Sin lurks at
the door. Paul therefore commands the elders to be alert. The Greek word he uses
in v. 28 means “pay attention to, be cautious about, beware, have regard.” The
word he uses in v. 31 means “keep awake, watch, be vigilant.” Watch out! Beware!
Stay alert! But to what? First, to the internal dangers (doctrinal negligence, moral
carelessness, apathy, egocentrism, etc.), which is why he says to keep watch over
yourselves (you, the leaders of the church), and also all the flock and the church of
God. The internal dangers are real: “Even from your own number men will arise
and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.” (v. 30) We
cannot take this lightly. But look out, because the spiritual battle also holds
external dangers: “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you
and will not spare the flock.” (v. 29)
7 João Mordomo

DAY 6
READING
Acts 20:18, 33-35
KEY VERSE
“In all things I have shown
you that by working hard
in this way we must help
the weak and remember the
words of the Lord Jesus,
how he himself said, ‘It is
more blessed to give than
to receive.’” (v. 35)
PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for
blessing me with talents
and abilities and
resources. May I always
use them faithfully and
well, for your pleasure.
May I always invest the
fruit of my labor in Your
Kingdom, for the glory of
You, my King.
All material © 2009, Encontro
Publicações and CCI-Brasil
“Serving the LORD...
...Through Hard Work and
Generous Giving”
In medieval times, there was only one “genuine calling”, the vocatio dei, the
ecclesiastical calling. Martin Luther was the first theologian of that time to apply
the term “calling” (vocatio) to “earthly” or “secular” activities. He understood that
all work could be considered as a “gift” and a “calling” and it should be done
well, for the greater glory of God (ad majorem gloriam Dei). But this wasn’t a new
concept. Paul was already demonstrating and teaching this nearly 1500 years
earlier! His attitude was, “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1
Cor. 10.31). Paul understood the importance of hard work, how it could glorify
God and serve His Kingdom. He worked hard (he worked with leather, often to
make tents; see Acts 18.3) in order to supply for his own needs, his companions’
needs, and to help those who were weak or poor or unable to work themselves.
He followed Jesus’ own teaching, realizing that he was “blessed to be a blessing”
and that giving is better than receiving. Paul must have realized that 15% of what
Jesus said in Scripture related to money, which is more than His teachings on
heaven and hell combined!
But why would Jesus place such emphasis on money and possessions? Because He
knew that there is a fundamental connection between our spiritual lives – our
relationship with God – and how we think about and handle money. Jesus and Paul
and Luther taught us that God is the owner of everything and you and I are just
two of His many “money managers”, and when we work hard and give generously,
everyone “wins”: God “wins” because He is glorified and His Kingdom is
expanded, and we “win” because we can say with Hudson Taylor, the great
missionary to China, that “the less I spent on myself and the more I gave to
others, the fuller of happiness and blessing did my soul become.”
8 João Mordomo

DAY 7
READING
Acts 20:25,36-38
KEY VERSE
“What grieved them most
was his statement that they
would never see his face
again. Then they
accompanied him to the
ship.” (v. 38; NIV)
PRAYER
Precious and holy Father,
you are great and worthy
to be worshipped among
all nations. Help me to
joyfully let go of, and send,
any loved one that you are
calling to be a missionary
for the sake of your name.
All material © 2009, Encontro
Publicações and CCI-Brasil
“Serving the LORD...
...By Letting Go of
Loved Ones”
As the director of a mission agency, my experience over and over has been that it
is not the missionaries themselves who have the most difficulty leaving for ministry,
but their family and friends! It is not unusual to see well-meaning parents create
obstacles “in the name of the Lord” in order to somehow prevent their loved ones
from leaving for a new place, possibly far-away and dangerous. One father even
tried to convince his daughter that “‘the 10/40 Window’ [where 80% of the
world’s unreached people and peoples reside] is full of missionaries and doesn’t
need any more”! But this was not the case for Paul and his dear friends, the
Ephesian elders. For while they were pained to their souls, to the point of weeping
and grieving at the thought of the possibility of never seeing Paul again, they
nonetheless prayed with and for him, embraced and kissed him, and accompanied
them to the ship to send him off with their blessing. Paul was not the only one
making a sacrifice. Missionaries are not the only ones who make sacrifices
(although they do, normally, make the greater sacrifices). Family members and
friends are often called on by God to let go of their loved ones in order that God
may become known and worshipped among peoples where He is yet unknown. Do
you have a family member or friend who believes God is calling them to be a
missionary? Have you prayed for them, encouraged and supported them in their
calling? Have you let go of them, giving up “your right” to keep them near? If God
is not calling you to serve Him cross-culturally, then it is your great honor and
privilege to send others, including (especially!) the ones you love the most.
9 João Mordomo