Sermon Tone Analysis

Acts 20:28-38.

"Renewing Your Mind about Leadership"

Safe Haven Community Church.

Sunday November 6th, 2022.

Acts 20:28-38.

28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one 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.

(ESV)

The crucial component in any organization, institution, or business is its leadership.

Good leadership can lift an organization to the heights of success, whereas poor leadership can plunge it into the depths of ruin.

Not surprisingly, a vast amount of material is available for those wishing to sharpen their leadership skills.

Leadership is treated as an essential element because it is.

God is even more concerned about leadership in His kingdom.

The Bible, both in its teaching and the examples it presents, speaks about leadership.

The pastoral epistles set forth the high standards for leaders in the church (1 Tim.

3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9).

All of those requirements are summarized in the requirement that a leader be "above reproach" (1 Tim.

3:2; Titus 1:6).

The standards are high because the re sponsibility is great.

Before giving them the priorities for leading the church, Paul laid a foundation by summarizing his own ministry at Ephesus.

Yet, he opened on a sad note, informing them in Acts 20:25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming/preaching the kingdom, will see my face again.

The term kingdom encompasses God's rule in the sphere of salvation(cf.

Acts 28:31).

Proclaiming/preaching the kingdom meant proclaiming the gospel, the good news that sinners in the realm of Satan, death, and destruction ("the kingdom of darkness") could enter the realm of salvation, life, and glory ("the kingdom of God's Son").

Paul preached this gospel thoroughly and clearly, as he indicated in verses 20 and 27.

He had served with them for three years, and his work with them was done.

Having been taught and discipled by the apostle, they were ready to minister on their own.

These elders were given a charge to take up the very work that the apostle had begun.

They were being given a glimpse of life without apostolic support, the "normal" life of the church from day to day in the years ahead.

Central to the church's survival was the role that these elders would play.

(Thomas, D. W. H. (2011).

Acts (R. D. Phillips, P. G. Ryken, & D. M. Doriani, Eds.; p. 575).

P&R Publishing.)

* This is a sad time for me because today my 4.5 years with you is coming to an end.

I leave knowing that God in your midst and His hand upon you for the future.

Because Paul thoroughly fulfilled his obligation to teach, he could testify to them in verse 26, that he was innocent of the blood of all of you-both Jews and Gentiles.

He had not only taught the church but also evangelized the lost.

He had not been unfaithful in any aspect of ministry.

We see Paul toward the end of his ministry among these people looking back and pointing out, not in any boastful manner but rather in an honest way, what he considered to have been the important features of his work, those blessed by God and for which he praised God (Boice, J. M. (1997).

Acts: an expositional commentary (p.

344).

Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.)

* I leave you today not because of personal failure, but because I believe that I have fulfilled what God has called me to do here and He is calling me to minister another group of His flock

Paul declared himself innocent as he says in verse 27, because he did not shrink from declaring to them the whole counsel/purpose of God.

The implication is that those elders must follow Paul's example of preaching a complete gospel of God's redemption of sinners or face God's chastisement.

That is still true for all who would teach God's word.

Daily, for two years, Paul had faithfully preached and taught at the lecture hall of Tyrannus (Acts 19:9-10)!

Why?

Because he understood that there can be no growth in Christ without the transmission of truth.

(Barton, B. B., & Osborne, G. R. (1999).

Acts (p.

349).

Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.)

* In my time here, I have endeavored to proclaim and call forth the breath of God's expectations.

In considering your path forward, resist the urge for worldly popularity.

In the days to come there will be great pressure to avoid anything controversial.

But, those who would lead God's flock must be ready to proclaim the whole counsel of God regardless of worldly popularity for it is often when we are bold but loving in the truth that God shows the power of His wisdom.

As you now consider God's will and direction for your future as a congregation, I present before you today God's expectation for leadership.

I pray you go forth today with both excitement and clarity of purpose.

After that personal note from verses 25-27, in Acts 20:28-38, Paul charged the church leaders in Ephesus to maintain five priorities that should shape any godly ministry.

Leaders must: 1) Be Right with God (Acts 20:28a), 2) Shepherd the flock (Acts 20:28b), 3) Guard the flock (Acts 20:29-31), 4) Study and pray (Acts 20:32), and 5) Be free from self-interest (Acts 20:33-38).

God charges church leaders to:

1) Be Right with God (Acts 20:28a)

Acts 20:28a 28 Pay careful attention to yourselves (and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood).

(ESV)

The first priority for anyone involved in spiritual leadership is his own relationship with God, he needs to, as Paul instructs, "Pay careful attention to yourselves".

To "pay careful attention" is a PRESENT ACTIVE IMPERATIVE.

This is not an instruction of something to keep in mind, but a continual duty.

(Utley, R. J. (2003).

Luke the Historian: The Book of Acts (Vol.

Volume 3B, p. 235).

Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International.)

Overseers of God's flock are called to "pay careful attention to yourselves.

Effective ministry is not mere outward activity; it is the overflow of a rich, deep relationship with God.

No one is ready to face the pressures and responsibilities of ministry who is not right with God.

Those pressures, as well as the demand to set the example, require that leaders constantly be on guard (Mark 13:9; Luke 21:34).

As John Owen wisely observed: "A minister may fill his pews, his communion roll, the mouths of the public, but what that minister is on his knees in secret before God Almighty, that he is and no more".

(Cited in I. D. E. Thomas, A Puritan Golden Treasury [Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1977], 192)

* If those in spiritual leadership are just concerned about what they would outwardly do without an inward devotional life, then what comes out will be the shell of words, instead of the richness of a spirit-produced overflow.

This also applies to the man's family, as 1 Tim.

3:4-5 instructs.

"4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?" (ESV) How he cares for his wife, and shepherds his own family is indicative of how he will care for the saints of God.

Please turn to 2 Timothy 2

Paul summed up what he had said to Timothy by calling him to examine himself (1 Tim.

4:16): "Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things; for as you do this you will insure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you."

He charged Timothy to scrutinize his life and doctrine to make sure both honored God.

Such was crucial to his own perseverance and to the salvation and perseverance of others.

Paul expressed that same truth in his second letter to Timothy:

2 Timothy 2:20-21 20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable.

21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

(ESV)

* In a house there were vessels for dishonorable uses, such as garbage and other waste.

There were also vessels for honorable uses, such as food and drink.

Only clean ones of high quality were fit for honor.

Since God uses clean and holy instruments, vessels of honor, self-examination and forsaking sin are essential for leaders.