How to Finish Your Course

In passage, Paul tells the Ephesian elders what he did to ensure that he was able to finish the mission God has given to him. In looking at Paul’s example, we learn what we need to do to ensure we finish the mission God has given to us.

Acts 20:17... 24b.

What were the things that Paul did in order to finish his course?

I. Served the Lord

Service to God is a double sided coin.

The first face keeps God as the object of His service.

Whatever we do in ministry and service, we need to keep in mind that it is the Lord that we are serving.

We are not serving to please people.

Galatians 1:10 “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

People pleasing leads to compromise.

** How did Paul serve the Lord? **

A. He served the Lord with Humility. (19a)

Ephesians 6:5-7 “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:”

For Paul, serving God was not about self-promotion

He didn’t seek success to meet his own need of self-worth.

He served God with humility

Sunday school

Soul-winning

B. He served the Lord with passion. (19b)

“With many tears”

Paul had

C. He served the Lord through opposition. (19c)

II. He served the Lord for the benefit of those around him (20).

This is the second side of the coin, as we serve the Lord, we also serve people.

We serve not to please people but to profit people.

How much do you keep the profit of those around you in mind

III. He served the Lord with Conviction

IV. He served the Lord selflessly