Paul’s Difficult & Wonderful Future

Paul’s Difficult & Wonderful Future

2014-05-25

Act 20:22-24

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.

More than half of this final message to the elders is an autobiography.

·      18-21 Recounts past ministry as an example, 22-26 shows the future commitment model.

·      We see a pattern: Serving Lord involves willingness to sacrifice/suffer.

The past & present GENERAL warnings prepared Paul for what awaited & assured him that whatever happened, God was in it. Act 9:16, 16:6-9, 20:22-23

·      Constrained: physical binding with chains, cords, and fetters. It is also used figuratively to denote the powerful tie of marriage bond.   Rom 7:2; 1 Cor 7:27,39

o   Paul realized he owed his life to God & therefore he joyfully gave his life to God.

·      Paul’s spirit is willingly held captive by the Holy Spirit to do will of God.

·      Nothing could deter him, even suffering and/or death, because Jesus is  greater and worth more than life itself. Act 20:24, Phil 1:19-21, 1 Cor 9:24-27; Phil 2:16; 2 Tim 4:7

o   If the cause is greater than life itself, then this life won’t bind or control us.

§  i.e. We will risk life and limb to save someone without concern for our own life.

·      Additionally Christians are free to live/die because of the future eternal life with Jesus Christ.

Paul’s priorities: He 1^st served God, then served others, lastly served himself.

o   Exact reverse of our culture and the American way.

·      Paul considered life worth "nothing" unless it was used to serve and glorify God.

o   Faithfulness to the call is more important than a comfortable life or life itself.

·      Paul’s sold-out, single-minded desire: was to FINISH the race WELL no matter cost.

o   That cost was modeled & defined by Christ. Lk 9:23, 1 Cor 15:31,  2 Cor 4:10-11, Phil 2:8

“To take up the Cross DAILY" did not mean to literally be crucified or bear life's troubles. 

• It meant to identify completely with Jesus, and the Gospel, regardless of the cost
• Shame, rejection, persecution, death & the hardest: deny self.

·      Denying oneself isn’t low self-esteem or giving up something. 

• But rather, subjecting oneself entirely to the lordship and resources of Christ, rejecting self-will, self-centeredness & self-sufficiency. Rom 7:18 & 13:14, Phil 3:3
• Putting the Lord & others before self….
• It’s being Spirit-led not just being busy….looks like:

"follow" present imperative: "(So) let him keep following Me".

An Obedient life is just as important as accurate doctrine.

• Although imperfect obedience is inevitable, the basic desire & pattern of life of a true Christian is obedience to Lord. 1 Jn 2:6, Matt 7:21, John 8:31-32, Rom 13:14; Phil 3:7-9

The Holy Spirit enables us to obey, deny ourselves, & walk in the Spirit. 

The Heart of serving God & following Jesus is an overwhelming grasp of the  worth of Christ.

·      He is a priceless treasure that we sell and/or set aside ALL in this life to obtain.

o   He had incredible love toward the unlovable.

·      What God requires for tomorrow is not success in human ventures but faithfulness to him, & complete trust that the unknown tomorrow is in God’s hands.

o   Whatever easy or difficult thing comes our way…God is working in it.

§  Knowing that brings great peace/freedom in this chaotic world.

Lessons From A Farewell

Lessons From A Farewell

2014-05-18

Act 20:17-21 ESV

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.

Famous: Eutychus (U-te-cus) fell asleep in church (many achieve this) but he died and was then ressurected.

·      This miracle takes “2^nd place” when compared to preaching/teaching the Word.

The real focus: Paul’s emotional farewell to dear friends, and the elders in Ephesus.

·      He didn’t expect to return or see as a group again but he did have future contact through writing (Ephesians) & those he sent to them. Timothy and others.  1 Tim 1:3, 2 Tim 4:12

This speech had much in common with Paul’s epistles: there are parallels in wording/thought.

·      Paul looks backward & forward in time.

·      Forward to the dangers ahead for himself, the Ephesian church & these elders.

And back to his conduct & teaching and the work of God in their midst.

·      He is not defending his ministry, but rather presenting it as example to emulate personally & ministerially. 1 Thess 1:6, 1 Tim 4:12, Act 20:18-19, Jn 13:15-16, Heb 13:7, 1 Peter 5:3, 1 Cor 11:1, Phil 4:9,

o   The New Testament teaches the heart of leadership is an example.

§  We need people who talk & do. 

·      Paul reveals characteristics that ought be present in ALL Christians, not just elders.

Integrity: No credibility gap between the truth Paul proclaimed & the way he lived.

·      The message & the man inter-twined and were inseparable.

o   Don’t un-say with your lives what you say with your tongues.

He had compassion: He talked about tears two times: Not “weepy” or emotional but tears of great empathy.

·      He had concern for the spiritual welfare of ALL Rom 12:15, 9:1-3; 2 Cor 2:4; Phil 3:18

o   Paul got emotionally & affectionately involved in ministry.

§  Not just a mere professional doing his job. Pray for me.

Despite his position & accomplishments, Paul was humble. Act 20:19, 1 Cor 15:9, 2 Cor 3:5, Eph 3:7-8, 1 Tim 1:15

·      This is the only time Paul called himself humble.

o   Past ministry was proof that Paul was not being arrogant or proud here.

·      Humility is lowliness, weakness, radical dependence upon the grace of God for every step, word, and person you minister to.

o   The foundation of humility is an understanding of the grace of God toward us.

§  Paul  identified with whom he ministered (Christian & lost).

§  He knew he was no different from anyone else: simply a sinner saved by grace.

·      So he didn’t think in terms of his own rights.

Humility without courage can lead to compromise. Act 20:20-21, Prov 29:25, Gal 1:10

·      Paul’s preaching was comprehensive: He preached the whole counsel of God publicly & privately to the lost & to Christians...no matter the cost, even unto death.

o   Paul did not compromise the Gospel for approval. Diamonds/black velvet.

o   He knew Christians would never reach maturity if they were not exposed to whole Word of God.

Integrity, humility, compassion, and courage are all characteristics upon which to build your life, marriage, family and/or ministry.

·      All can be every Christian’s in increasing measure if we desire to become more like JC by being Word-saturated, Gospel-centered, Spirit-led people.

Social Reform God's Way

Social Reform God’s Way

2014-05-11

Acts 19:24-29 (ESV)

24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. 25 These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. 26 And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. 27 And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.” 28 When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel.

On his third missionary journey Paul was in Ephesus nearly 3 years, prepping to go Rome.

·      It was the tourism center for worship of Artemus (Diana): a multi-breasted fertility goddess.

o   Sometimes we create/embrace a “god” who controls the things we value highly: prosperity, victory in war, safety at sea, good crops, and a Pacifist will not worship war god.

§  Even Christians “make” Jesus Christ into what they want.

·      In Ephesus the temple was 4 times the size of the Parthenon. There were 127 marble columns each 62’ high.

o   It took 220 years to complete the building and was considered 1 of the 7 Wonders of Ancient World.

·      The Gospel was ignored until the sales of idols went down for the pagan merchants. Act 19:24-28

Demetrius led what would have been like a union meeting: because the felt the income, trade, religion & Artemis’ reputation was in danger.

·      Pseudo-religious materialism was at the heart of Demetrius’ appeal.

o   religious piety sometimes becomes a thin cloak for personal and economic interests.

·      Today we sanctify with Christian labels and secular methods/ideas.  Ie. Christian counseling without the Word?

Many were turning away from idols, and the preachers were denying the reality of gods made with hands so they were:

·      goaded by fear, greed & religious zeal: A riot began, leading to 2 hours of   screaming & chanting in the 25,000-40,000 seat amphitheater. Act 19:29-34

o   Demetrius appealed to the emotions through repetition: this method is even used in modern advertising

§  Ironically most of the mob did not know the purpose for rioting.

o   They felt it was enough if the majority believed something; though obviously their belief must be true.

§  The results of opinion polls are increasingly reported as if news/fact.

o   One lie multiplied by 20,000 voices never becomes truth!

§  Today, the “great” Artemis is virtually unknown, but millions of Christians who worship Jesus Christ know who she is from reading the Word of God.

The top civic official (mayor) defused the situation. Act 19:35-41

·      Christianity was again recognized by various officials as no threat to Rome.

o   The mayor told them to pursue a dispute with the Christians thru legal channels. (the court)

o   He said laws were being broken and Demetrius’ mob was guilty, out of control, and illegally assembling.

This is a simple historical narrative with not a lot of doctrine, but it does contain many lessons.

·      Trust God, He is sovereign over all for His glory, our good.

o   Again God protected the Paul thru pagans in positions of political power.

·      Focus on Gospel & the negative takes care of itself…IRS/$  Act 19:37, Mt 10:16

o   Paul evidently majored on positives of Jesus Christ and minored on the negatives of Artemis.

§  In Acts, we do not see “protest/against” but a “proclamation/for”

o   This applies personally as well…our identity in is Jesus.

·      The Gospel has the power to change lives, which should change society/culture. Rom 12:2, Eph 4:22-24, 2 Cor 5:17, 1 Tim 4:12, Col 4:5-6, 1 Pet 2:12

o   The riot proves how powerful & successful the preaching of the gospel had been.

§  Paul’s preaching & lifestyle of Christianity hit Ephesus economically, religiously, and socially.

·      The key to social reform: Christians were becoming serious about being Christians!

o   Following Christ should result in lifestyle changes.

§  It should effect our conversations, our choices, and what we do and don’t do.

o   If enough people turn to Christ & walk in Spirit, the repercussions can be felt all across society.