My only aim

What is your aim in life? What is your goal?

Our aim needs to be followed up with actions, steps to achieve what we are aiming for.

Today we pick up the journey of Paul in Acts 20. We have seen Paul stay on mission, being a witness of Jesus Christ, praying and proclaiming the good news of salvation in Jesus’ name for all who believe.

Today, we are going to see Paul revisit some of the churches he was a part of establishing, and work his way back toward Jerusalem.

We know that from some of the letters he sent to the Corinthians, and to the Romans during this time period, that he was taking financial aid from these Gentile churches back to Jerusalem to help the people there because of famine.

What I love about this chapter is Paul sharing his heart for and with the believers.

We are going to read through the beginning part of the chapter which summarizes his journey, but then focus on verses 18-35 where Paul is sharing his minister’s heart, and final instructions for the believers.

So let’s dig into Acts 20.

The chapter picks up with Paul in Ephesus, and planning to go back to see some of the churches he had previously established.

Acts 20:1–3 NIV

When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.

Acts 20:4–6 NIV

He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days.

Acts 20:7–17 NIV

On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted. We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost. From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.

Acts 20:18–21 NIV

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. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 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. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

Humility and Tears

Proclamation

What was helpful

publicly

house to house

To everyone

Repentance and Faith

Turn to God in Repentance and have Faith in our Lord Jesus

Acts 20:22–23 NIV

“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.

Heading for Trouble

Acts 20:24 NIV

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.

My Only Aim

Acts 20:25–27 NIV

“Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.

I am Innocent

because I proclaimed

Acts 20:28–31 NIV

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. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

Final Charge

Only sermon in Acts to believers

Keep watch

Be Shepherds

Be on your Guard

Acts 20:32–38 NIV

“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. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 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.’ ” When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.

Commit you to God and to the Word of His Grace

You know how I lived

(follow my example as I follow Christ)

1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Do not covet

Work hard

Help others, be Giving

They wept over him

What about me?

How will people respond when I am at the end of my life, when they will not be seeing me again?

How did these people view Paul? What was their reaction to the thought of never seeing him again?

Was Paul’s conscience clear? Yes! Free from the blood of all men. Innocent. Why?

How did he get to that point?

Because of what he did. Because of how he lived.

- Not coveting, working hard, helping others

Because of how he kept on mission

proclaiming what was helpful to them.

humility and tears

Because of his aim, his target, his goal

Finish the race, complete the task - testify to the good news of God’s grace

Aim, Attitude, Actions