Scripture: Acts 20:28-38
28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, of 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.
He was a really nice guy, but George (not his real name!) had a habit of getting his theology from YouTube. Every once in a while, he would latch on to another far-out idea and start talking to all his friends about it, which led to doubt and confusion amongst many. I would end up doing Bible studies designed specifically to straighten out the confusion caused by his latest “discovery.” Eventually he would calm down, and that would be the end of it. Until the next time.
Then one day, he decided to take it a step further. He started his own church, inviting people from our church to join him. The only reason I found out was because he invited them via Facebook…
In our Scripture today, we read Paul’s final words to the elders of the Ephesian church. It’s a moving farewell, but it also includes a sobering warning: “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.” (Acts 20:29–30, ESV)
Paul's concern isn’t for his own legacy or position. He’s concerned for the health and faith of the church. And the warning is personal: “From among your own selves.” The threat will not always come from the outside. It will come from within.
I’ve had many encounters with wolves in sheep’s clothing. George was one of the nicer ones. I think he meant well and was just confused. After being confronted about his attempted Facebook coup, he repented, and his behaviour improved. For him, it was more about mental health than malice.
But sometimes, the wolves are much more dangerous. They know their Bibles. They know how to twist Scripture to fit their own agendas. And tragically, many of them genuinely believe they’re doing the right thing because they themselves have been led astray by others. False teaching has a way of multiplying.
That’s why Paul pleads with the elders: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers” (v. 28). This is a call to vigilance - not paranoia, but a Spirit-filled awareness that spiritual danger is real and sometimes subtle.
So what should we do?
We need to be alert. We need to know the truth well enough to recognize the counterfeit. That means spending time in God’s Word—not just reading it, but letting it form our hearts and shape our minds. We need to pray for wisdom and discernment, and for the humility to admit when we ourselves have been wrong. And we need community—people around us who will lovingly challenge us, correct us, and walk with us in truth.
Paul closes his speech not with a call to arms, but with a word of grace: “I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up.” (v. 32)
We can’t guard the flock on our own. But God’s grace is sufficient. His Word is strong. And his Spirit is faithful.
Prayer: Lord, help us be alert—not anxious, but grounded in your truth. Protect your Church from harm, and raise up leaders who will care well for your people. Keep us close to your Word and full of your grace. Amen.