Paul's Farewell Address
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The Heart of a Servant
The Heart of a Servant
NEXT WEEK PRAYER SERVICE
35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great.
A PROFESSIONAL violinist was giving a concert. When he finished, the crowd jumped up from their seats and gave him a standing ovation. He had delivered a magnificent performance.
The young violinist, with tears coming down his cheeks, walked off the stage, dejected. The stagehand saw him and said, "Why are you so sad? Those people are going crazy out there and you are crying. I don't understand."
"Do you see the one man in the center down there? He is still sitting." The stagehand said, "Yeah, so what? There are two thousand other people who are standing."
"This is true, but you don't understand. That man down there in the middle is my dad. He's also my violin teacher. If he doesn't stand, it doesn't matter what two thousand other people do."
If God doesn't applaud when He sees how you live your life, it doesn't matter what everybody else does.
You know when we serve we serve for the audience of one.
Paul was a man that wasn’t concerned with his reputation. He was just concern with serving Christ.
Christ made him self of no reputations
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
Made Himself of no reputation means that Christ emptied Himself.
As a man Christ was fully deity and had all rights of deity. But He didn’t look at the rights of His own glory to be something inspired towards or to be grasped.
See Him empty Himself was not of His Deity but of His self interest.
Christ could have saved Himself but He came to serve.
We are about to dive into Pauls farewell address. He knew that there was a great chance that the church in Ephesus wasn’t going to see him again.
These verses are packed with allot of emotion, in my opinion probably the must broken I’ve studied of Paul.
This is number three of his three prominent speeches in the book of Acts.
His first speech was delivered in a synagogue in Antioch in front of a predominantly Jewish audience. (Acts 13:16-41)
Second speech was delivered before the Athenian Areopagus (Mars Hill address) which was in front of a gentile audience. (Acts 17:22-31)
But This third speech was by far the must intimate and vulnerable speech given, which was in front of a Christian Audience.
Out of all Paul speeches this was most common with his epistles.
This is Pauls farewell address. The final legacy of the Apostle to the leaders of the Asian church.
Others throughout the Bible gave farewell addresses.
Examples are Jacob’s legacy to his sons in Gen 49, Joshua’s farewell address to Israel in Josh 23–24, and Samuel’s farewell to the nation in 1 Sam 12. New Testament examples include Jesus’ words to his disciples at the last supper (Luke 22:14–38; John 13–17).
What will be your legacy?
16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost.
17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.
Paul had a layover in Miletus, so He sent messengers to go 30 miles and get the Elders from Ephesus and bring them to Miletus.
It would’ve took them five days for this journey.
But if it was a five day journey to Ephesus why didn’t Paul just go himself.
1. Maybe it would’ve been difficult to break from the Christians in Asia. which his ship would’ve left.
2. Maybe there was great opposition in Ephesus
8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.
9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead,
10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,
But nevertheless it was important that Paul (while on his layover) stay in Miletus.
Acts 20:18 (NKJV)
18 And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you,
19 serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews;
serving - means that He carried out the duties of the Lord as a slave.
This is reminiscent of his epistles.
9 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
Paul even referred to Himself as a bondservant.
1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God
Servitude is Christ heart for the believer.
24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.
25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
This wheat analogy illustrates a general paradoxical principle: death is the way to life. In Jesus case His death led to glory and life not only for Himself but also for others.
26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
God is not greater if you reverence him, but you are greater if you serve him.
Augustine of Hippo
In order to live this way you must realize your life is not your own.
I wonder how simple life would be if we actually served the Lord with all humility.
Serving the Lord with all humility isn’t based upon if things are going my way.
Not serving based upon some request being fulfilled.
Not if I overcame each and every sin I will serve God.
Just serving The LORD WITH all humility
Thats whatever shape I’M IN I WILL SERVE.
I’m not serving grudgingly but with humility.
I’m not serving while I judge others but with all humility.
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
Now that we receive the forgiveness of sins we should indeed no longer live for ourselves but for Him!
We should be in the ministry of reconciliation!
31 I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
The philosophers of his day “The Epicureans” believed that life was to “pursue pleasure and avoid pain”
But we know the mere pursuit of pleasure inevitably will lead to pain.
19 serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews;
Paul frequently reminding us that humility is the hallmark of the Christian life.
Humility is the proper demeanor for each and every believer.
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,
With many tears and trials
Three times Luke mentions tears Acts 20:31 , 37
37 Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him,
31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.
This is what servant leadership looks like many tears.
The world projects leadership as one who is very cold, emotionless, confident and not afraid to make the hard decisions.
Paul is genuinely cares about the people not his “legacy” but about Gods perfect will in the moment.