Dear Pastor:

This ministry ‘is described in verbs, not nouns: Tend, feed, not Be a pastor, hold the office of pastor. And the sheep are Christ’s sheep, not Peter’s. Not, Tend your flock, but Tend my sheep’

D. A. Carson

Love Well and Teach Truth/A Model for the Pastorate

Acts 20:35–38 ““In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And they began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they were accompanying him to the ship.”

Observations:

1. Verse 18: You Yourselves…Emphasis on his audience.

2. How I was with you…in what way? and by what means?

3. Verse 19: expands on that.

a) serving (slave, servant) the Lord with ALL HUMILITY

b)and with TEARS

c)and with TRIALS

4. Didn’t shrink: avoid, withdraw, hesitate. Implying fear or timidity…None of these in declaring anything that was profitable.

5. TEACHING: authoritatively…of Repentance to God and faith in Jesus Christ. Verse 22: Bound by the Spirit. Subjected in obedience. Unsure of what awaited him…but...

6. verse 24: But I did not consider (esteem great value, worth respect, etc) my life as dear...

7. Why would you not cherish? So that !…So that I may FINISH my COURSE. Single minded. Not driven but called. By course he means to talk of his life, journey, purpose, path, race and the ministry. which I RECEIVED (passive)…in order to do what with the ministry?…to TESTIFY (active)…to respond to the gospel of the grace of God.

8. And now behold…I KNOW...

9. Exhortation: Be on guard for yourselves, and the flock, which GOD purchased (not you) with the blood of His Son Jesus.

10. Savage wolves will come ->he is certain about this…not sparing the flock.

11. Therefore…BE ALERT. Remembering that NIGHT AND DAY FOR 3 YEARS…I didn’t cease from admonishing you with tears.

12. And Now..I Commend you to God and the Word of His grace.

13. Which is able to build you up…not tear down, edify not destroy. To also give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

14. you yourselves know…emphasis on the direct object. You know that these hands ministered to my own needs, and that to the men who were with me.

15. In everything…not just somethings, but in everything. I showed you, made you aware, and made evident and visible that you MUST help the weak. and remember Jesus Himself.

16. After all this, they kneeled and prayed. Kissed and embraced. Image of the prodigal son, and same usage of the word. They walked him over to the ship…The pronoun “we” is used…is it also Luke?

17. Paul mentions past ministry experiences, present plans, and future of the church. Paul wanted to be faithful not comfortable. Paul concludes with a challenge…so SHOULD YOU.

Observations from the service:

finish with a clean and joyful conscience.

what is man that you should take note of him?

what are the characteristics of the flock? Israel and Moses? Peter and Jesus? Judas and Jesus?

4. It’s not done by herself…it’s a team…the leaders help, build up, edify, support...

5. Pastor’s desire…active members when they see a need. even insignificant needs…those that cook, and clean...

6. Pastor needs faith …its not a blind leap into the dark but into the light. to have faith is more than believing that He exists, its about TRUSTING Him. Faith is only as strong as the one in whom we believe and trust. it doesn’t rest upon the intensity with which we believe, but in the reliability in whom we believe. intense faith you can fly, but i don't recommend you jumping off a building. its pointless to trust passionately in someone who is not worthy of trust. even a weak faith in someone reliable is vastly superior to an intense passionate faith in someone or something that will never keep their promise. The Pastor knows their God.

7. Pastors are not immune to doubt.

8. God invites you into the ministry of the Pastorate.

9. Circumstances are used by God to expose the heart of the person He has called.

10. Paul says a lot of trouble awaits him, but he doesn’t end that with a somber note. He says I will finish my race in joy!

11. Setting: Paul, the elders, Luke, by the ship…He’s called them ahead to say their goodbyes. what if this was the last time you would see someone…what would you say to them… its different when you’ve done life with people versus someone at the IT department…

12. Whats the tone of the text? Who are the elders? what do they mean? what are their responsibilities..What was the elders response…not only did Paul cry but so did the elders…

13. What is the universal message about life here…what experience can we see. What is the W.I.O.T.T.?

14. is this the last time Paul sees the Ephesians?

15. It is interesting to note that the word for compassion in Hebrew is Rachmin derived from the word for WOMB Rechmen. Gods compassion for His people is like that of amother towards her child.

16. Obama said it was honor to serve…

17. there are moments in life very emotional that words can hardly express…it was time to say goodbye,

18. Mujica loved life...

19. He saved you from something, but He also saved you FOR something… theres a call becasue when God calls we respond to Him.

20. CALL/PATH SERVICE/MINISTRY REWARD…

Sometimes the Christian’s crown is here and now, as when Paul thinks of his converts as his crown (Phil. 4:1; 1 Thes. 2:19). More usually it is in the hereafter, as the ‘crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day’ (2 Tim. 4:8). There are references also to a ‘crown of life’ (Jas. 1:12; Rev. 2:10), and to ‘an unfading crown of glory’ (1 Pet. 5:4). The crown may be lost, for Christians are exhorted to hold fast lest it be taken from them (Rev. 3:11). God has crowned man ‘with glory and honour’ (Heb. 2:7), and Jesus was crowned likewise, ‘so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one’ (Heb. 2:9).

diadēma is not frequent (Rev. 12:3; 13:1; 19:12). In the NT it is always a symbol of royalty or honour.

L. L. Morris, “In the New Testament,” ed. D. R. W. Wood et al., New Bible Dictionary (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 247.