The above is a quote from the twentieth chapter of the book of Acts at verse twenty-eight. The apostle Paul is here recorded addressing the elders from the church at Ephesus. I have often wondered exactly what he meant when he said this.

As I see it, there are at least four possibilities, neither of which is necessarily exclusive of the others.

#1. Perhaps these men had all of their lives followed the word of God as revealed by God’s Spirit, and in so doing had become qualified by allowing the Spirit’s influence to shape them into men who made good shepherds.

#2. Perhaps Paul’s statement means that since the Holy Spirit is the one who laid down the qualifications for shepherds recorded in such places as 1st Timothy chapter three and Titus chapter one, that by these very qualifiers they were “made”, or fit into the prescribed form, identified, if you will, as overseers.

#3. It is entirely possible that during the years while Paul was in Ephesus (Acts 19:8-10 & 20:31) the Holy Spirit could have revealed to him personally and specifically which men were to be appointed as elders there and overseen or supervised, so to speak, their appointment.

#4. It may be that the idea that the Holy Spirit made these men overseers encompasses the entire scope of the Holy Spirit’s involvement from beginning to end. In other words, perhaps it was in-deed the Spirit’s influence in their individual lives to shape and mold them into servant shepherds, as well as the laying down of the very qualifications fit by these men and in still in addition to this some specific instruction to appoint them.

Which of the above explanations explains what the apostle meant? Hmmm, maybe none of them perfectly describe what happened. But, what do we know for certain?

·         We know for certain that the Holy Spirit made sure that the early church had shepherds.

·         We also know for certain that qualifications for men to serve as shepherds have been recorded and preserved for us to follow.

·         We can know that we are expected to follow the Spirit’s guidance as provided in the revealed, written word of God to identify and appoint men to serve as shepherds of the Lord’s people.

It is not what we don’t know that challenges us in life nearly as much as the things we do know. But God’s challenges always lead us to something better.