SERMON: THE GOSPEL ON TRIAL (Acts 22:30-24:27)

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

Naylor, Georgia

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Acts 22:30-23:11

 

Acts 22:30 The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews. So the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.

 

Acts 23:1 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” 2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”

 

4 Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!”

 

5 Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’[a]”

 

6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” 7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)

 

9 There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.

 

11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

 

            -- since the officially sanctioned church in China is nothing more than a political arm of the Chinese Government and pastors are restricted in what they can preach from the Bible, the true church in China exists in hidden, small communities of faith that are known as part of the underground church

            -- these underground churches consist of only a handful of members in each community – they don’t travel together – they meet in homes and basements and hidden locations – they meet behind locked doors – and they change their meeting times and days to keep the Chinese government from noticing them

            -- I read about the time that one of these underground churches was having a worship service – they were huddled in a small, closed room – the door was locked – and the believers quietly praised God so that their neighbors would not hear

            -- when suddenly, there was a booming sound at the door and it was kicked open – armed Chinese soldiers filled the room – and the people huddled together in fear – the leader of the soldiers announced, “Anyone in here who is not a Christian or who is willing to recant their faith may leave” – at that pronouncement, several of the people there jumped up and rushed out into the night air

            -- after they had left, the remaining members looked at one another in the knowledge that their lives were about to end or that they were facing imprisonment and torture – the leader of the soldiers walked to the open door, closed it, and locked it behind him

            -- he turned around and faced the group and said, “Now that we have gotten rid of all the unbelievers, let the true church worship God together,” – and he fell to his knees and lifted the group up in prayer

 

            -- what do we do when our faith is under trial? – what do we do when we are faced with persecution or legal action because of our belief in Jesus?

            -- these questions are everyday occurrences in the lives of so many of our brothers and sisters scattered across the world – for they face the threat of persecution, imprisonment, torture, and even death on a daily basis – they live in the knowledge that their faith may put them on trial at any moment – but still they persist in their steadfast belief in Jesus as their Lord and Savior

 

            -- this is exactly the situation in the passage that we are looking at this morning from the Book of Acts, as we are continuing in our sermon series through this book

            -- as we looked at last week, the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul have ended, and Paul has come to Jerusalem at the prompting of the Holy Spirit to deliver an offering to the saints and to share the good news of the Gentiles who had turned from paganism to true faith in Jesus through Paul’s sharing of the gospel over the last twenty years

            -- but here in the sunset of Paul’s ministry, life was not a bed of roses – or maybe it was – because the thorns were still there, and we’re going to see Paul get pricked by thorns in this passage – as the persecutions – the trials and the tribulations that he experienced on the mission field – have followed him into Jerusalem and into the temple of God

            -- our passage this morning spans from Acts 22:30 to the end of Chapter 24 – and addresses Paul’s arrest by the Romans and his trials before the Sanhedrin and Governor Felix

            -- and if you back out of this passage and look from it as a whole, you will see it reflects the same pattern that Paul experienced throughout his missionary journeys – first, the gospel was preached to the Jews, who then rebelled against the word and against the messenger – and then, the gospel was preached to the Gentiles – as we look at this passage, you will see the same exact scenario play out, just on a larger scale

            -- so, with that long introduction, let us turn back to Acts 22:30 and let’s see what we can learn from God’s word about sharing the gospel, the threats and the dangers that come against those who do, and how we should respond in the face of hostility or unkind audiences

–but, before we do so, let me remind you also that even in the face of trials and tribulations – even in the midst of dangers and persecutions – God is still with us, as He was with Paul

– no matter what you are going through – no matter what our country or this world is going through -- God is still on His throne – He is still in charge – and if He allowed these things to happen to us, then it is for His glory and good will ultimately come from it – if not in this life, then in the next  

 

II.  Scripture Lesson (Acts 22:30-24:27)

            -- look back now at Acts 22:30 and let’s read the first part of that verse

 

Acts 22:30a The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews.

 

            -- stop there – this sentence captures the heart of this entire passage – the commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews

– in other words, God is about to use Paul to share the gospel to both the Romans and the Jews, for that is the reason Paul was on trial – and this time, God is going to have Paul speak to the leaders of both nations – the Jewish Sanhedrin and the governors, kings, and the very emperor of the nation of Rome

-- this verse reminds us of what is important – like we mentioned last week, we can get hung up on things that are not important at all – we can spend our time arguing over nonessential items and miss the big picture of sharing the truth of Jesus with a world longing for truth and life and light

-- for instance, the story is told about the time Hannibal, the Carthaginian general, threatened Rome with his army and how the leaders of the church at that time -- rather than providing wise counsel or advice to Rome -- chose instead to gather in conference to argue about how many angels could dance on the head of a pin

-- and while this story is probably not historically accurate or true, it does paint the picture that we are talking about here – too often we spend time arguing over nonessential things like angels dancing on the head of a pin while Rome burns down around us

-- we need to stop getting upset over the little things – even the little injustices or personal violations that we face – and instead focus on the big picture – which is sharing the truth of God’s word with all those around us – just as Paul is being given an opportunity to do in this passage

 

-- verse 30

 

Acts 22:30 The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews. So the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.

 

Acts 23:1 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” 2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”

 

4 Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!”

 

5 Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”

 

 

-- at the request of the Roman commander, Paul was brought before the Sanhedrin – the Jewish ruling council that oversaw all aspects of Jewish life – religious, political, social, cultural

-- the commander wanted to find out why Paul was being beaten by the Jews the day before – as Paul is brought before them, he looks around at this group of Jewish leaders and proclaims that he has fulfilled his duty to God in all good conscience – in other words, Paul is saying that he has been a true and faithful Jew and followed the law, just as we talked about last week

-- this was the crux of the issue that caused the Jews to rush Paul out of the temple in the first place and to begin beating him – they believed that Paul was living contrary to God’s word and was teaching others to do the same – so, Paul’s proclamation here was a direct refutation of the charges against him – and it infuriated the high priest and the members of the Sanhedrin

-- the high priest ordered him struck and then Paul rebuked him for doing so – when we share the gospel with others – when we try to live for Christ as the Bible directs – we are going to get struck by this world

-- as Jesus told His followers, the world was going to hate them because of Him – in John 15:18-19, He said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”

-- the world is always going to lash out and strike true followers of Christ – the same way the Jews struck Paul in this passage

 

-- when Paul was told that he had insulted the high priest, he said he did not realize that he was the high priest – and that can mean several different things – first, it could simply mean that Paul didn’t physically recognize him – most scholars agree that Paul had poor eyesight – it could be that he didn’t see the high priest’s face clear enough to know who he was

-- or it could mean that Paul didn’t recognize the high priest from a spiritual standpoint – that the high priest was not acting like a man of God when he had Paul struck or when he had Jesus put on trial or when he used politics and political scheming to gain personal power

-- it could also be a jab back at the Jews because they were still clinging to the law and man’s appointed high priests instead of Jesus – who the Bible says in Hebrews is our High Priest who made sacrifice for us once and for all – never to be repeated again

 

-- verse 6-10

 

Acts 23:6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” 7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)

 

9 There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.

 

 

-- Paul was a brilliant man and his skills in debate had been honed to a sharp edge over twenty years of presenting the gospel to hostile groups across Europe and Asia – and knowing that the Pharisees and Sadducees were already at odds – and knowing that his position on the resurrection was not that different from what the Pharisees taught – he used that as a wedge to divide the Jewish council and make the case that the whole controversy revolved around whether the resurrection of Jesus was true or not

-- the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, so they could not accept Jesus risen from the dead – the Pharisees believed in a future resurrection, so they could accept Jesus’ resurrection as believable, even if they had not reached the point of accepting Him as their Messiah yet

-- so, Paul was able to move the Pharisees closer to the truth, while scoring points in his legal favor – when Paul shouted that the whole issue was about the resurrection, the Sanhedrin erupted in chaos – arguments and physical fights broke out – and several attacked Paul

-- the Roman Commander was afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by the crowd, so he had his troops go into the midst of the fight and pull Paul out and take him back to the barracks, where Paul was imprisoned

 

-- verse 11

 

Acts 23:11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

 

-- Paul was no stranger to prison – we have seen him thrown into jail multiple times in the Book of Acts, and this is not different – but Paul must have been questioning the situation in his mind – to what end was this imprisonment? – was this the end of his ministry?

-- but the Lord Himself came and stood near Paul in the middle of the night and spoke to Paul’s wavering heart – “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome”

-- God was with Paul even in the midst of this trial – and God had allowed this to happen, so that Paul might be sent to Rome, where he would testify to the leaders of Rome about Jesus and the good news of salvation and eternal life through Him

-- for Paul, this act of grace from Jesus was like a drop of water on a parched land – Paul’s desire had been to go to Rome – to the heart of the empire – to the very seat of power on earth in his day – to carry the gospel

-- in Acts 19:21, Paul wrote, “I must visit Rome also” – and in Romans 1:15, he wrote to the church in Rome that he was eager to preach the gospel to those who were in Rome

-- Paul’s plan to reach Rome to preach the gospel certainly didn’t include prison, but God is using this situation and turning it to the best – fulfilling both Paul’s desire to go to Rome and bringing glory to God’s name, at the same time

 

-- following the disturbance in the Sanhedrin, a group of zealous Jews – probably either belonging to the sect of the Sadducees or the Zealots – came to the chief priests and elders and told them they had taken a vow to kill Paul

-- they concocted a scheme to have Paul taken from the Roman prison back to the Sanhedrin, and they planned on killing him while he was enroute – Paul’s nephew heard about this and told Paul – who, in turn, sent the boy to the Roman commander

-- when the commander heard about this, he decided to send Paul out of Jerusalem – not only for Paul’s safety – but also for pragmatic reasons – first, he didn’t want the death of a Roman citizen on his record, because that wouldn’t go well for him – second, he could curry favor with the Roman governor and promote himself as a loyal Roman citizen and superior commander, at the same time – and third, he could stop the riots within his own jurisdiction

 

-- so, the commander wrote a letter about Paul and the issue to Governor Felix and sent Paul by night with a strong Roman escort, almost 500 people – seventy horsemen, two hundred soldiers, and two hundred spearmen – to Governor Felix’s palace in Caesarea

-- they stopped for the night in Antipatris, which was a town located about 30-40 miles northwest of Jerusalem near the Mediterranean Sea – and then the horsemen carried Paul on to Caesarea

-- skip down to verse 31-35

 

Acts 23:31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. 32 The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. 33 When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. 34 The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.

 

 

-- when Paul arrived in Caesarea, the Roman soldiers passed on the letter of introduction from Commander Lysias to Governor Felix – Felix was the governor for the region of Judea from 52 to 60 AD, so this gives us an idea of when Paul was brought before him

-- Felix asked Paul what region of Rome he was from – and when he heard Paul was from Cilicia, he agreed to hear his case – Felix was not the governor over Cilicia, but Felix had the authority to handle cases involving Roman citizens within the regional sphere of jurisdiction that included Cilicia and Syria -- so, Felix chose to hear the case himself rather than transferring Paul to a different regional ruler

-- he had Paul transferred to Herod’s palace to await trial -- Herod's palace was originally built for Herod the Great, but was now used as the home and office for the Governor of Judea – Governor’s homes and offices were called praetoriums, so you may see this in some translations of the Bible

-- there were several praetoriums scattered throughout the Roman Empire for the various regional governors, with praetoriums in Rome, Ephesus, Jerusalem, Caesarea, and other places

-- so, Paul was held there until his case could be heard, which would occur as soon as his Jewish accusers came to Caesarea

 

-- Governor Felix was not a Jew, but his wife Drusilla was – and Felix was familiar with the Christian faith – which Paul and the early Christians called, “the Way” – they took this name from Jesus’ proclamation that He was the Way and the Truth and the Life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him

-- so, when the Jews showed up in Caesarea with their lawyer Tertullus and begin to make their case before Felix, he already has a foundational understanding of the situation – he was not a Christian – but he knew enough about the faith and the differences between Judaism and the Way to grasp what was going on

-- the Jews presented their case and then Paul gave his statement about the incident – pointing out that he had done nothing wrong and that there was no legal grounds for him to be in chains – the true issue was spiritual and revolved around the truth of the resurrection of Christ, which Paul proclaimed as the gospel and which the high priest and the elders steadfastly opposed

 

-- skip over to Acts 24:22-23

 

Acts 24:22 Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings. “When Lysias the commander comes,” he said, “I will decide your case.” 23 He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs.

 

-- after hearing both sides, Felix didn’t make a decision one way or the other – and as we go forth to share the gospel and live our lives for Christ in the world, we need to be aware that this is going to be the same response from so many we speak to

-- people are going to ride the fence – they are not going to make a decision one way or the other – but are going to try to keep one foot in the world and one foot in heaven

-- that’s why polls show confusing statistical trends among Americans – for instance, about 70% of Americans believe there is a literal heaven – and about 60% believe they will go to heaven when they die

-- but at the same time, only about 20% of Americans attend worship services weekly – and almost 60% have never attended a worship service

-- so, we say we believe in heaven and we think we are going to go, but we don’t go to church and are not Christians in any real sense of the word

-- by and large, we just won’t commit to the truth – we are indecisive – fence-sitters – just like Felix – we won’t make a decision for or against Jesus

 

-- Felix apparently did get the idea that Paul was innocent of any real charges, though – because he had him moved from a prison cell to a home where he would be under guard, but with some freedoms – he also allowed Paul’s friends to take care of his needs – although that wasn’t simply an act of grace on Felix’s part – it was also pragmatic, since Paul’s friends would be responsible for providing Paul’s food, clothes, and any necessities – it was a common way for the Roman government to keep people as prisoners without having to provide them with anything to keep them alive

 

-- verse 24-27

 

Acts 24:24 Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” 26 At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.

 

27 When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.

 

-- Felix routinely would have Paul come before him and Drusilla and speak to them about his faith in Christ Jesus and the beliefs that led to him being arrested – Paul spoke truth to power – sharing with Felix and his wife the truth about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come

-- the Spirit was working on Felix’s heart – and he was convicted and became afraid – but, once again, he wouldn’t take that step of faith that would lead to freedom and salvation and eternal life in Christ

-- when Paul’s words became too much – too real – too convicting for him – he would send Paul away until a later time – we also read that he was hoping that Paul would bribe him to get out of jail – but Paul wasn’t going to do that, because he was fulfilling the promise that God had given to him – that he would preach the gospel to the Gentile leaders, even in Rome

-- after two years passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus – this would have been in 60 AD – but even as Felix left office as Governor, he refused to release Paul because he wanted to grant a favor to the Jews – this was simply Felix’s way of keeping the peace, because he knew the Jews would react harshly if he turned Paul loose

 

-- so, we come to the end of today’s passage with Paul in jail because of the gospel and his belief in the resurrection – and we will pick up the story of the gospel on trial next week as we move on in the final chapters of the Book of Acts

 

III.  Closing

            -- what can we learn from this story of Paul that we can apply to our lives today?

 

            -- first, Paul’s story reminds us of the calling that all of us share – we began this study in the Book of Acts focusing on Christ’s command in Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”

            -- just like Paul, we are called to share the good news of the gospel with all we come into contact with – as Christians, we can do no less

            -- evangelism – the sharing of the gospel with others – has been described as one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread – with that Bread being the Bread of Heaven

            -- everyday, you tell a story about the gospel to others – sometimes, you do so in words – but most often, you do so with your life – how you live – what you say – what you spend your money on – where you spend your time – how you treat those around you – these are all part of the gospel message you are sharing – and we need to be mindful of who we are and who we are called to be in Christ

 

            -- second, Paul’s story reminds us that the world is generally hostile to the truth of the gospel – the Bible tells us that this world is under the control of the prince of the power of the air – Satan himself – and Satan uses his authority in this world to spread evil and to confront the truth of God’s word and God’s people where he can

            -- if you are living for Christ, you will always find yourself in conflict with someone or something – the world and Satan hates Jesus and the people of Jesus, and so they will always be opposed to Him and His word and His people

            -- sometimes this takes the form of ridicule and mockery – sometimes it takes the form of legal action – sometimes it takes the form of persecution and imprisonment or even death

            -- but be aware it is a reality of being a follower of Jesus – as Peter wrote in 1 Peter 4:12, “do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” – persecution and opposition are not strange, but normal for the people of God

 

            -- third, Paul’s story reminds us that God redeems our trials and tribulations and uses them for His glory – Paul did not intend on getting arrested when he went to Jerusalem, but it happened – and God allowed it to happen and used it to get Paul before kings and queens and Gentile rulers, eventually Nero himself

            -- no matter what trial or tribulation you face, know that God has not abandoned you – God is with you and God will take care of you – and He will use your trials to bring glory to His name

 

            -- Christ calls us to carry His message to the world, regardless of the cost – and He promises to be with us – to never leave us or forsake us – but to empower us through His Spirit to be who He has called us to be and to do what He has called us to do

            -- so, take heart in the name of Christ – stand firm in the faith – and carry His message of life and hope to this world – for that is our calling

            -- let us pray

SERMON: BECOMING ALL THINGS (Acts 21:17-36)

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

Naylor, Georgia

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Acts 21:17-26

 

Acts 21:17 When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. 18 The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. 19 Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

 

20 When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. 22 What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23 so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24 Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. 25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”

 

26 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.

 

            -- one day, a young blonde woman was shopping and found a great bargain in the store – she went up to the salesman and told him, “I would like to buy this TV” – the salesman responded, “Sorry, but we don’t sell to blondes”

-- She hurried home and dyed her hair, then came back and again told the salesman, "I would like to buy this TV." – he said, “I’m sorry, but we don’t sell to blondes," -- "Darn,” she thought, “he recognized me."

            -- so she went back home and went for a complete disguise this time; haircut and new color, new outfit, big sunglasses -- she waited a few days before she again approached the salesman – when he walked up, she said to him, "I would like to buy this TV."

            -- and once again, he replied, “Sorry, but we don’t sell to blondes."

-- Frustrated, she exclaimed, "How do you know I’m a blonde?"

            -- he said, “Because this is a microwave”

 

            -- just because someone is sure of something doesn’t mean it’s true – and that’s true for microwaves, TVs, and spiritual matters

            -- for the last several weeks, we have been following the Apostle Paul on his three missionary journeys – and we have seen how the Apostle Paul patiently helped new converts grow in the faith

-- once they responded to the gospel and became believers in Jesus, he continued to teach them what it meant to be a Christian – he helped strengthen and encourage them in their faith as he led them into greater understandings and revealed deeper truths about the gospel of Christ to them – and even after he left those churches, he continued to reach out to them in his letters to answer their questions about faith, to correct wrong understandings about salvation and Christianity, and to help them become mature believers

-- so, we have seen in our study in the Book of Acts that it takes time, and it takes growth in the faith, to fully understand the truth of the gospel and the good news of salvation through Christ and to become mature believers

 

-- as we move forward into the final major section in our study in the Book of Acts, we find the Apostle Paul back in Jerusalem – and once again, he is confronted with several groups of people who are just not fully mature in their understanding of the faith, salvation, and the relationship of Christianity to the Law

-- so, let’s take a look now at this passage and see how Paul reacted to these immature believers, so that we might learn how to respond similarly in our own lives as we seek to mentor and disciple new Christians in the faith

 

II.  Scripture Lesson (Acts 21:17-22:27)

            -- look back at Acts 21:17-20a

 

Acts 21:17 When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. 18 The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. 19 Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

 

20 When they heard this, they praised God.

 

            -- this is Paul’s fifth and final visit to Jerusalem – he ended his third missionary journey in Caesarea, and then came to Jerusalem at the prompting of the Holy Spirit – carrying with him an offering for the saints in Jerusalem from the churches that he had founded throughout Asia and Macedonia

            -- when he arrived in Jerusalem, Paul sought out the church and was greeted warmly by all the saints in Jerusalem – on the next day, he went to meet with James and the other leaders of the church, sharing with them the good news of what Christ had done among the Gentiles in all the areas where Paul had established churches

            -- the leaders of the church praised God for the report – which reminds us that we should always celebrate the good news that we hear from other churches and praise God for how He is using all His people in so many ways to continue to grow the faith and spread the word of Christ to all

 

            -- look back at the second part of verse 20 – 20b-26

 

Acts 17:20b Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. 22 What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23 so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24 Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. 25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”

 

26 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.

 

            -- when Paul finished sharing how God had moved in the Gentiles, James and the other leaders told him that they had seen a similar response among the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea – thousands of Jews had become believers in Jesus as the Messiah – and had become Christians since Paul’s absence

            -- but note what they say at the end of verse 20 – all of these Messianic Jews – all of these Jewish believers in Christ – were zealous for the law

            -- what does that mean? – well, this could be a problem, although the leaders in Jerusalem didn’t seem to be worried about it

 

– to be zealous for the law meant that these Jewish believers were still following the law of Moses to the letter – they were zealous for it – they were dedicated to the law – they tried to fulfill the law and all its commands

-- this meant that these Jewish believers were still following the Jewish dietary restrictions – they were still making the required sacrifices and offerings at the temple – they were still doing all they things they did before they came to believe in Jesus as the Messiah

-- in other words, these Jewish believers were not living fully under the grace that came through Jesus for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life – for them it was not Jesus alone – it was Jesus plus Judaism – and this was something that Paul had opposed from the very beginning

-- if you remember, the first major controversy in the church was about the salvation of the Gentiles – what was required for a Gentile to be saved? – did they have to become Jews first? – to be circumcised and follow the law before they could receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior?

-- the council in Acts 15 had decided that the Gentiles didn’t have to do that – the council agreed that salvation for the Gentiles was by grace through faith – and the only extra thing the council asked of the Gentiles was that they would abstain from sexual immorality, not eat meat sacrificed to idols, and abstain from blood and the meat of strangled animals – not because this was required for salvation, but as a concession to the Jews in their midst

 

-- based on this passage, it seems that when the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea became believers, they remained fully Jews in a religious sense – because verse 20 says they were zealous for the law – this means that they still practiced Judaism as they had been taught – they simply added Jesus to their existing Jewish faith

            -- this would not agree with Paul’s clear teaching throughout the book of Acts and in his epistles that salvation was by grace through faith alone – and not by works – which would include following the law and the offering of sacrifices in the temple for cleansing from sin

 

            -- so, how do we make sense of this? – there’s several possible answers to this

 

            -- first – following the rule of Occam’s Razor, which says the simplest explanation is usually correct – we can assume that these Jewish believers being zealous of the law is exactly what we just talked about

            -- they have not accepted Jesus’ atoning death on the cross as the payment for sins and eternal life – they are still fully religious Jews – making sacrifices for sin in the temple and following all the Jewish laws – they’ve simply come to the understanding that Jesus is the promised Messiah – they’re just not putting their faith in Him alone for their salvation

 

            -- second – it could be that their adherence to the Jewish law was simply from a cultural understanding – remember that to be a Jew in the first century meant that you belonged to a system that was not only religious, but included their government and their culture

            -- so, to follow the law may mean that these Jews continued to follow all the cultural and societal practices of Judaism – they respected the traditions – they only ate foods that were clean and approved in the Torah -- they would still go to the temple to worship God – but they put their faith in Jesus for salvation in the same way Paul taught

            -- they would follow the law because they were part of the Jewish community, but they were not depending on following the law for their salvation – instead, they believed that Jesus was the fulfillment of the Law and had paid the penalty for all their sins – just as we believe

 

            -- or, third – it could be that these were immature Christians – they were babes in Christ – and didn’t fully understand what it meant to believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior

            -- they still followed the Law because it was all they knew – it was what they had been taught as children – it was what all their family and friends did – but they believed in Jesus as their Messiah and Savior – they just didn’t understand that Jesus had fulfilled the Law through His life, death, and resurrection and that they didn’t need to follow the law anymore – they continued to do so – not because they thought it was necessary – but because they didn’t fully understand the truth

 

            -- so, it comes down to one of three things – Judaism plus Jesus – following the law as a cultural and societal practice – or they were just immature and didn’t fully understand the truth of the gospel yet

            -- to be honest, we just don’t know what the true situation was – and I don’t know if the Apostle Paul fully knew, either – so, when the leaders told Paul that the Jews in Jerusalem were concerned that he had been teaching Jews in Asia and Macedonia to stop following the Law, Paul made a concession for them in order to keep unity and peace in the church – in the same way he had allowed the Gentiles to be told to abstain from blood, eating meat sacrificed to idols, and sexual immorality

 

            -- even though Paul always maintained that salvation was by grace through faith alone, he was still a Jew – and he never did anything that would cause any of his fellow Jews to stumble

            -- it’s the same way he taught in 1 Corinthians that if eating meat sacrificed to idols caused someone concern, then you shouldn’t do it – in this case, he realized that if the freedom in Christ that he had been teaching to the Gentiles in Asia and Macedonia was going to cause these Jewish believers concern or distress, then he was going to do what was necessary to keep the peace until they matured in the faith and truly understood the significance of the cross, the atoning death of Jesus, and the resurrection

            -- there were four men there in Jerusalem who had taken religious vows, and the leaders asked Paul to join them and pay for the expenses of their purification rites – which would end with the men going to the temple, making a special offering, and having their heads shaved as evidence of the end of their vow

            -- since this would not violate Paul’s belief in Jesus as the sole means of salvation, he agreed to do so, because this would demonstrate to the Jews in Jerusalem that he was not teaching contrary to the Jewish traditions in that community

 

            -- verse 27-36

 

Acts 21:27 When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, 28 shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” 29 (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)

 

30 The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. 31 While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

 

33 The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. 35 When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Get rid of him!”

 

            -- when the time of purification was over, Paul went to the temple along with these four men who had taken the vows – but while he was there, some Jews from Asia – Jews who were not believers in Jesus – saw Paul there and got upset

            -- they knew that Paul had been living with Gentiles in Asia – which was not an accepted practice for any Jew – and when they saw Paul in the temple, they jumped to the conclusion that Paul had actually brought Gentiles into the temple with him, which was not true

            -- these Jews yelled for help and convinced the crowd to attack Paul, because they thought he had violated the law and was teaching people to not follow the law

            -- this led to an uproar in Jerusalem as the Jews dragged Paul out of the temple and began to beat him – the Romans got word of the uprising, and responded to put a stop to it – they saw the crowd beating Paul and arrested him and put him into chains for his own protection – as the crowd continued to shout, the Roman centurion couldn’t make sense of what was going on and had Paul led to the Roman barracks to find out what was going on

 

            -- I’m not going to go into detail about this uprising and Paul’s response for time’s sake – so, just to summarize – when Paul was taken to the barracks, he asked to speak to the crowd – and when he spoke to them in Aramaic – the language of the common Jew in Jerusalem – the crowd quieted because they realized that only a Jew would be able to do that

            -- Paul gave them his testimony – sharing with them the events that occurred on the road to Damascus and how he saw Jesus in a blinding light on the road – he told of how Ananias restored his vision through the power of the Spirit – and how God had called him to be His witness to all men

            -- but when Paul said that God had called him to share the good news of salvation with the Gentiles, the crowd erupted in fury again and called for his death

            -- the centurion ordered Paul flogged, but stopped once he found out Paul was a Roman citizen – and the passage ends with the centurion asking his commander for direction since Paul was a Roman citizen and it was against the law to chain or punish a citizen without a trial

            -- we’ll pick up on the action and find out what happens to Paul next week as we continue our series in the Book of Acts

 

III.  Closing

            -- but as we close this morning, we need to consider what we should do when we are confronted with people who oppose us or find fault with what we are doing

            -- in our churches today, there are a lot of people and a lot of denominations that have particular and strong beliefs about a variety of subjects, including baptism, worship style, communion, and other aspects of our faith

            -- for instance, some people claim that the only valid form of baptism is immersion – and that any other form is wrong

            -- some people claim that the only acceptable type of music is hymns – and to have guitars or contemporary worship music in a church is wrong – others have even gone so far to say that you can’t have musical instruments at all

            -- some people maintain that communion is only for believers – while others say that the Lord’s table is open to all

            -- and some people say that using any Bible other than the King James Version is a sin

            -- there are just so many gatekeepers in the church today that think it has to be their way or the highway – that only they know the truth, and everyone else is wrong

 

            -- when the Apostle Paul got to Jerusalem and was told that the Jews there had concerns about him teaching Jews in Asia and Macedonia that they didn’t need to follow the law for salvation, he had a choice to make

            -- he could have gotten confrontational – which we all know was something he did from time to time – we see that in the Book of Acts and we see that in his epistles – he could have just stood his ground and yelled at them – but he didn’t

            -- he could have condemned the elders in Jerusalem for teaching a false gospel – for not sharing the full truth of salvation by grace through faith with the Jews there – he could have split off and formed his own sect and followers

            -- but he didn’t do that either – instead, Paul was patient and considerate – he considered the audience – he considered what they had been taught – he considered their maturity level in the faith – and he considered what would happen if he confronted them and told them they were wrong

            -- in the end, Paul decided to show grace to these Jewish believers – to show understanding – to show empathy and compassion – although he had become convinced that the law had already been fulfilled by Jesus and that nothing else was required for salvation beyond faith through grace, Paul didn’t demand that of these Jewish believers

            -- instead, he decided to become one with them in unity, since doing so would not be a violation of what he believed – and probably with the idea that as these believers matured, they would come to fully understand the freedom they had in Christ

            -- just as Paul would not eat meat sacrificed to idols before those who were concerned about it – although he knew that doing so was nothing and meant nothing – Paul continued to follow the cultural and societal laws as a good Jewish member of the community – this is an example of Paul continuing the practice of being considerate towards less mature believers to keep them from stumbling

 

            -- it is worth noting that the sacrifices and offerings made as part of this vow that Paul participated in here did not have to do with the atonement of sin, but were simply offerings of righteousness made to God in accordance with this particular vow

– I have to believe that if Paul was asked to make an offering for the atonement of his sin in the temple, he would have refused, because that would have been a direct violation of his understanding of salvation – but that was not the case, so to follow the law in this instance would not be a violation of the truth of the gospel that he followed and would demonstrate to the Jews that he was still a Jew himself and still held to the cultural and societal rules for Jews

 

-- so, what about us? – what should we do when we are confronted with similar issues and concerns in our churches today?

-- if it is a non-foundational area – if it is an issue that doesn’t involve salvation – then I think we should follow Paul’s example, and try to avoid doing anything that might cause a weaker brother or sister to stumble

-- for instance, a couple of years ago I was asked to be a pallbearer in a funeral at a church that did not believe in musical instruments – I could have said no – I could have said that I believed it was okay to use instruments in church and if they weren’t going to do so, then I wasn’t participating – but this was a non-foundational area – something that didn’t matter in regards to salvation – so, I went and served as a pallbearer and sang acapella, to the horror of those around me

-- in the same way, when I go to churches where members are more charismatic – or maintain that baptism is by immersion alone – I just go with what they are doing – because in the whole scheme of things, it doesn’t matter – our salvation and the forgiveness of our sins is not dependent on our worship music or the amount of water used in baptism or whether we speak in tongues or not – so, I just try to not do anything or hold any position that would cause a more immature brother or sister in the faith to stumble – which is what I see Paul doing here

 

-- on the other hand, if it is a foundational area, then I think we need to take a stand and not do something that is contrary to our faith – several years ago, I had a friend who joined the Mormon church and she asked me to attend her baptism – I do not believe the Mormon faith is compatible with Christianity – their understanding of the Trinity and who Jesus is and what happens after we die does not line up with any understanding of orthodox Christianity

-- I felt that my presence there would imply my concurrence with their beliefs, and even though this person was a dear friend of mine, I told her I could not go

 

            -- we need to choose our battles – be firm on foundational issues – but be full of grace in those areas that don’t matter – just like Paul in this passage

            -- and with that, let’s close in prayer – and let’s consider how we may continue to be good witnesses for Christ, no matter where we are or who we are with

            -- let us pray

SERMON: APPROACHING THE FINISH LINE (ACTS 20:17-38)

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

Naylor, Georgia

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Acts 20:17-24

 

Acts 20:17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

 

22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

 

      -- I’m sure everyone here is familiar with the story of the Lord of the Rings – as you remember, four hobbits have been tasked to leave their home in the Shire to carry the One Ring to be destroyed in the fires of Mordor in order to destroy the power of the evil Sauron, who threatens the entire world

      -- so, for the first time in their lives, these four hobbits leave home – they leave their familiar surroundings – they step out of their comfort zones and into the unknown – and find themselves in the middle of an amazing journey that they share with wizards, warriors, dwarves, and elves

      – this is so far from what they have known – this is so different from anything they ever imagined – they find the world much more vast – much more good – and much more evil – than they ever imagined

      -- as the story progresses and the four hobbits find themselves in the middle of this great quest -- as they are yet confronted with more difficulties in their struggle against the evil of their day -- the hobbit Sam Gamgee turns to his friend Frodo and asks, "What sort of tale have we fallen into?"

 

      -- that question has been on my mind from the very first moment that I read these books – “What sort of tale have we fallen into?”

      -- in that question, Tolkien opened our eyes to the truth that we are here for a reason – our lives are part of a bigger whole – we find ourselves in the midst of a great story that started in the Garden of Eden – and that continues to this day and beyond

      -- it is the ultimate story of good versus evil – of redemption and renewal and rescue from the evil of sin and death that stalks all of us

      -- and it is a story that we are not just reading, but that we are part of

 

      -- the Apostle Paul was certainly mindful of that – and as we turn now to the end of his third missionary journey, we see him looking back on the roads that he has traveled and remembering the people who journeyed with him – the adventures they had – the success and the hardships they enjoyed as they shared the gospel with so many people -- and we see him looking ahead towards the end – as the finish line of his part of the story is almost in sight

      -- this morning, we are finishing up the third major part of our study in the Book of Acts – we began this study with Part I -- “A New Hope – the Beginning of the Church of Christ on Earth” – which covered Acts 1 through Acts 8 – it was in this section that we learned of Christ’s mandate to the church in Acts 1:8 to carry the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth – and we saw how the coming of the Holy Spirit empowered the early Christians with a bold message, bold prayers, and bold hearts

      -- the Second Part was called, “Unexpected Gospel Growth,” which covered Acts 8 through 12 – in this second part, we learned that the term unexpected growth did not only apply to growth in numbers, as we saw the church begin to grow with more and more people coming to faith in Jesus -- but also that the growth in the early church was unexpected in terms of who responded to the gospel – it was in this section that we saw the first Gentiles come to a saving knowledge of Christ, to the astonishment of Peter and the other leaders of the church, who initially thought that salvation was only for the Jews

      -- in this third section of our study in the Book of Acts – “The Mission Continues” – which covers Acts 13 through 21 – the focus of the Book of Acts is on Paul and his missionary journeys throughout the Roman Empire, as he finds himself in the midst of a sweeping story to share the good news of Jesus to the very ends of the earth

 

II.  Scripture Lesson – Acts 20:17-38

-- as this passage in Acts 20 opens, Paul knows his time on earth is short – his journey is coming to an end

-- the Spirit has told him he would face prison and hardships on this journey -- his very death has been prophesied -- but still he is faithful and turns his face towards the finish line and the end of his part in this story of salvation and evangelism -- pressing on to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus Christ had given him

 

-- last week, we left Paul in Ephesus, as he spent a considerable amount of time ministering in the local church there – strengthening their faith and encouraging them as they began their own journey with Christ

-- Paul was forced to leave Ephesus because his teaching incited a riot among the silversmiths and other tradesmen who made household idols for pagan worshipers – as the church in Ephesus grew and the people turned to the truth of the gospel, fewer people were buying these idols – and the idol-makers were afraid that their livelihood was threatened

-- so, after the uproar ended, Paul left Ephesus and traveled through Macedonia, finally arriving in Greece, where he stayed three months – he originally planned to sail from Greece back to Syria, but he heard of a plot against his life from the Jews – so, he changed his plans and traveled back on foot through Macedonia until he reached Philippi – he sailed from Philippi to Troas – and then continued to travel down the coast by ship – ending up in the city of Miletus, on the western coast of present-day Turkey

-- which brings us to Acts 20:17 – let’s turn there again and look at this passage together and see what we can learn from Paul as he meets with the elders from the church of Ephesus and shares with them his thoughts on this amazing journey of faith that is now coming to an end

 

-- Acts 20:17-21

 

Acts 20:17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

 

 

            -- as his ship stops at the port of Miletus, Paul calls for his friends, the elders from the church of Ephesus, to meet with him there on the shore – Paul had intentionally not gone back to Ephesus, because he was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem – and he knew that if he went to Ephesus, he wouldn’t be able to leave quickly – for his heart was with the people in that church

-- instead, he called for the elders to come meet him -- and when they arrive, they gather around him – all of them know the truth of the matter – they are aware that Paul’s time is short – and they know that this will be the last time they will see each other on earth

-- their tears begin to flow -- they share remembrances of their life together -- they talk about the success of the church and Paul's hope for their future

            -- he encourages them to stand firm in the future -- and he reminds them of the example he has given through his own life of faith -- from the very beginning, Paul's courage to persevere in the face of difficulty was evident – and he reminds them that this was not of himself, but from the very power of God through the Holy Spirit

            -- Paul had stood up in the face of persecution from his fellow Jews -- both from within and from outside the church of Christ -- he had stood against the heresies of the Judaizers -- Jewish converts who demanded the Gentiles become Jews if they would seek salvation through Christ -- in the face of their demands of the Gentiles, Paul had boldly stood up and said, "No, salvation is by grace through faith alone -- not by works, lest any man should boast" -- Christianity was not Jesus plus Judaism, but Jesus alone

 

            -- Paul's stand against them is a reminder that the opposite of courage is not cowardice, but conformance -- and sometimes courage is simply the ability to lean into your wisdom and do something different -- to stand against the traditions of religion and what the world says is the right way in order to uphold the true doctrines of faith

            -- Paul had never wavered in his faith when confronted with the schemes and the plots of the Jews against his life, but continued to serve God in the face of floggings and imprisonment and stoning -- through shipwrecks and hardship -- through trials and defeats

            -- Paul reminds us here that courage does not necessarily mean you will be successful in all your endeavors – but that true courage can be seen when you continue on and press forward in faith – trusting in the Spirit to empower you to keep on doing what you know to be right despite what adversities come your way

            -- Paul tells the Ephesian elders that he did not hesitate to preach anything that would be helpful -- but that he declared to both the Jews and the Greeks the true gospel of Christ – that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in the Lord Jesus – Paul’s example to the elders and to us is that courage can be as simple as being obedient to God's word in a Christ-rejecting world while we walk with Him on this amazing journey to which we have been called

 

            -- verse 22-24

 

Acts 20:22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

 

            -- throughout his journey with Christ, Paul displayed faith and trust and courage, because he knew that God was with him – even now, as he was headed to Jerusalem, he knew that prison and hardship was ahead – but, he tells the elders, this is nothing to me – the important thing is to be faithful to the gospel – to finish the race – and to complete the task the Lord Jesus has given to me

            -- In John 16:33 Jesus told his disciples, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart -- have courage -- I have overcome the world." -- as Bill Gothard wrote, courage is "acting on the knowledge that He who is in me is greater than he who is against me."

            -- Paul tells us it was the Holy Spirit Himself who compelled him to go on into the unknown at Jerusalem -- Paul could face the future unafraid because he knew God was with him and he knew God was greater than anything and anyone he was going to face – and he knew why God had called him – he knew his purpose and his mission on earth

            -- the whole point that Paul is trying to get across to the elders and to us is that we are here for a reason – our existence in this place is not the result of coincidence or chance – but we have been put into the midst of this great story of faith so that we might fulfill the purpose for which God calls us

            -- Paul says, “I know why I was called – I was faithful to the end – and you must do the same”

           

            -- verse 25-31

 

Acts 20:25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

      -- in his books, John Eldredge points out that our favorite stories all revolve around three eternal truths – truths that God has written on our hearts – truths that have propelled people of faith forward since the Garden of Eden

      -- the first eternal truth is that things are not what they seem -- there is more going on than meets the eye

      -- the hero of the story is always living just an ordinary life -- just caught up in day-to-day living of life -- totally unaware of anything but simply making it through their day

      -- but then, the second eternal truth comes into play -- the hero is made aware that there is some great battle or quest or struggle underway

      -- and then they are told of the third eternal truth -- they have a crucial role to play in this battle or quest

 

      -- that is the truth that Paul is trying to get across to the elders of Ephesus – that is the truth that we see written for us in the stories of faith in the Book of Acts

      -- if we will just open our spiritual eyes – if we will look at this world through eyes of faith – then we will come to realize that things not what they seem – that there is more going on in this world – that there is more at stake in this world – than what we see on the surface

      -- and that we are not who we think we are – but that we are something more – that we are the people of God – washed in the blood of Christ and called to be part of something greater than ourselves – empowered by the very presence of God through the Holy Spirit

      -- and called to go forth on this amazing adventure of faith to carry the good news of Christ to the ends of the earth – so that others might know of the grace that brings forgiveness from sin and eternal life

 

      -- that is the message that Paul is trying to get the elders to grasp here – that is the message that we need to take to heart – Sam Gamgee figured it out when he asked Frodo, “What sort of tale have we fallen into?” – the answer to that question is given to us here in the Book of Acts

      -- we see it in the life of the Apostle Paul – and as his part in the story comes to an end, he is passing on the flame of faith to the elders at Ephesus and to us – and we must go forward in the name of Christ as His church in this place – serving and ministering to the world around us – as we continue on in the journey that began in the Garden of Eden

 

      -- Paul says here that he has fulfilled what the Lord had called him to do – he had not hesitated to proclaim to them the whole will of God – and now he challenges them to do the same – to keep watch over themselves and the church that that the Holy Spirit has given them to oversee

      -- he tells them that his part in the story is over – and now their part is beginning – they are to shepherd and lead the church – to protect them from those who will try to come in and harm the sheep – to keep them safe from false teachers and false teachings – to stand up against persecution from the religious people and from the Government – to be faithful and to continue on in their own journeys of faith, just as Paul had been faithful in his to the end

 

      -- verse 32-35

 

Acts 20:32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

 

      -- for several years, Paul had stood as the leader and shepherd of the church at Ephesus – he had founded the church – he had ministered to the people – he had shared the gospel with them and strengthened them in their faith

 

      -- but now, it is time for the elders to assume this role in full – so, he commits them to God and to the word of His grace – in essence, Paul is placing them in God’s hands – and he is telling them to trust in God and His Spirit – because it is God who will continue to build them up and strengthen their faith – it is God who will give them the ability to minister and lead the people – it is God who will lead them through sanctification to help them become more and more like Jesus every day

      -- Paul tells them to rely on God as he did – reminding them that he never asked for anything from them – he never took silver or gold or anything else from them – but that he trusted God to meet all his needs and to supply all his requirements as he poured himself out for them – and they are to do the same as they step into his shoes to lead the people in the church at Ephesus

 

      -- verse 36-38

 

Acts 20:36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.

 

      -- when Paul was finished speaking – when he had given his challenge and passed on the mantle of leadership to these elders and committed them to their journey of faith – he knelt down and prayed for them

      -- it was a moving moment for the church – and the elders embraced him and poured out their love on him as they accompanied him to the ship that would take him to his final destination – knowing that they would never see him again – but trusting that God would be with Paul, wherever his journey may take him

 

III.  Closing

      -- so, what are we to take from this last moving experience of Paul at the end of his third and final missionary journey?  -- quite simply, it is this

 

      -- we may think that we are just living ordinary humdrum lives, but we need to be aware that things are not what they seem – we are not what we seem – in fact, we are just like the Apostle Paul and all of the others we read about here in the Book of Acts

      -- we are in the middle of a great quest -- a grand epic battle -- a struggle between good and evil -- that is being played out around us every single day

      -- and God is reminding us that we are part of this story -- we have a role to play -- we have a purpose – each and every one of us – we have all been gifted by the Spirit in different ways, so that we can reach and minister to different people along the way

      -- our calling – our purpose – our mission – is the same one that Paul shares with the Ephesian elders in this passage – as members of Christ’s church – as His hands and feet and lips in this world today – we are to go out into the world and to help others see the truth -- to show them the light -- and to point them to the life that can come only through Jesus

 

      -- but as we see in Paul’s life – as we see in the lives of the many heroes of faith who have gone before us – know that this journey will not be easy -- there will be trials and struggles along the way -- roadblocks and detours and danger mixed in with the joy and the happiness

      -- “what sort of tale do we find ourselves in?” – it is a tale of faith and courage and perseverance – and as we travel along this journey, we will be confronted with conflicts and challenges – with familiar friends and new characters who come into our lives for a reason – because they are part of our story, too

 

      -- you know that waitress who was so busy she couldn't bring you a refill when you asked? -- you know that cashier who was rude to you the other day in the store? -- you know that person who cut you off while driving to work? -- you know that student that looks to you for help and support? -- you know that lady who comes up to you in the parking lot asking for money to buy gas?

      -- they're all part of this story, too -- they're the reason for the story – they are the whole point of the story – because the Bible tells us that an evil enemy is after them – he is trying to steal away their joy -- to destroy their hope -- to kill their eternal life

      -- and he will do whatever he can to keep you from pointing them to the truth -- from pointing them to life -- from pointing them to Jesus

 

      -- we don't have any idea where our story will take us -- we don't have any idea who we will meet along the way or what adventures we will have

      -- but we know our mission -- we know our calling -- we know why we are running this race – we are reminded of this in Paul’s farewell address to the elders of the church of Ephesus

      -- we are called to love the Lord our God with all our heart and all our soul and all our mind -- we are called to love our neighbor as ourselves -- and we are called to go and make disciples of the whole world, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that Jesus taught us

      -- and we know what our reward is at the end of the race -- eternal life with Jesus in Heaven

 

      -- the Apostle Paul has given us a model to follow – from the moment of his dramatic conversion to faith in Jesus on the Road to Damascus through his three missionary journeys, Paul has been a faithful witness for the Lord

      -- he has run his race with faith, putting his whole trust in the Lord Jesus – who empowered him and protected him through the Holy Spirit

      -- and now we are to follow his example – to follow his footsteps – to take up our cross – and to follow Jesus on this great adventure of faith – not knowing where He might lead – but trusting in Him to help us accomplish our calling and our purpose in Him – as we press forward to the end – eternal life with Him forever

 

      -- so, with that challenge before us, let us come together now in prayer to commit ourselves to God – let’s ask that He would build us up and strengthen our faith – and that He would lead us on this amazing journey to which He has called us

      -- let us pray