Acts 20:13-24

Direction.

Joel 2:12–13 ““Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.”

True repentance is a rending of your heart, be broken in deep grief over sin and come fully into the Lord’s arms.

Amos 3:3 ““Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?”

You can’t walk with God unless you are in agreement with Him. Unless you are with Him.

Acts 20:13 “But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land.”

The Party sets off from Troas towards Jerusalem!

Paul has decided to go by land and meet up with the rest of the party who sailed from Troas to Assos.

Paul seems to want to walk through the land to Assos as apposed to be on a boat. This would allow him to minster to the people as he journeyed. In Assos there have been remains of temple worship toward Athena. It is likely that Paul knew this, and wanted to preach and teach on the way.

Acts 20:14 “And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene.”

Now Paul joins them on the boat, heading for the island of Mitylene.

Acts 20:15–16 “And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we went to Miletus. For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.”

Paul is careful to plan a route that would avoid going back into Asia, to the church in Ephesus.

He wanted to be back in time for Pentecost.

This festival is celebrated 50 days after the Passover. It is one of the three pilgrim feasts mentioned in the Law

In Acts 2, on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit came upon the believers who were gathered together. Under the influence of the Spirit, they went out and preached, in various languages, the gospel to those who were in Jerusalem for the feast.

Paul knows that if he were to go into Asia to the church in Ephesus, it would be too long and hard to say goodbye to all of the people. 3 years of ministry would create a lot of relationships and strong bonds.

You need these in your life. You need these kinds of brothers and sisters in your life. That is why Church is so important.

Paul was pressed to get back to Jerusalem…

Paul meets with God, is in agreement with Him and finds direction. He knows where he is to go, and feels the urgency to get there.

There will be times and seasons where you will need to be efficient and swift to go where God calls you. There will be distractions, sometimes good ones, that will get you off pace.

God has a desire to grow and use you. To lead you to and through new things.

It was important to Paul to be responsible with his time. Not overstaying his welcome, not lingering too long. Paul had good pace.

Don’t get caught up in the sight seeing. God has called you to something, and don’t wait too long to step into that. Don’t run the risk of using up too much of your life doing what you want, when God has kingdom work for you to do also. Balance. I waited long before stepping into ministry…

There is an urgency to get to the destination God is leading you too.

Saying something about Jesus to that friend. Starting that ministry…

Don’t wait too long to obey and follow the call.

When God speaks, you should be excited to move towards where He is speaking. Be careful to use your time well.

Praying and reading and meeting with God will help you know.

Keep your focus on the goal! To the next place God is waiting. For Paul its Jerusalem, for you God might be waiting for you to pray with Him, to read His word. Meet with Him!

Acts 20:17 “Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him.”

Paul decides that the best way to say his final words to the church in Ephesus is to call the leaders together. That they would return with Paul’s words.

Even though he went around Ephesus, he still wanted to disciple and encourage.

Sometimes a note, or a text can go a long way. Just reaching out to that person God puts to your mind. You can do a lot with a little. God proves this over and over.

Acts 20:18–19 “And when they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews;”

Know that without God we can achieve nothing. You may have movement, but no achievement. Stay in step with God and serve in your purpose, your gifting. Humbly understand God is for you and with you.

James 3:13 NLT-“If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

1 Peter 5:6-7 NLT-”So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. [7] Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

Amos 3:3 ““Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?”

You need to be in agreement with God to know the direction. Humble yourself, come low before Him…and He will lift you up.

Acts 20:20 “how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house,”

Paul stood firm through trial, and persecution. Through threat, beatings.

Paul had a public ministry.

The majority of the work of the church is out in the public!

Be true in His presence, be genuine in your worship, then be bold in public.

Don’t shrink from opportunity to talk about the most important person in your life, who changed your life, who saved you!

There is always a time and place to talk about Jesus, if you don’t agree then spend more time in conversation.

Acts 20:21 “testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Tell anyone! Jew, Gentile, black, white, asian! The Gospel message is for all.

what do you talk about?

repentance toward God, Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is best conveyed through your personal experience. Thats why your testimony is vital.

Joel 2:12–13 ““Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.”

Repentance towards God…

Acknowledgement that God, our Heavenly Father is Absolute. Awesome, Holy beyond Holy and is in Complete control.

He sent His son to die for you. To make you clean from sin.

You must acknowledge God, see His existence, surrender to Him, in order to fully understand that a life of sin spiritually kills you. Sin separates you from God. This should cause us to tear our hearts in deep grief! If you aren’t torn by sin then you have not experienced true repentance. Knowing that our sin deeply grieves God helps us to avoid it!

Amos 3:14 ““that on the day I punish Israel for his transgressions, I will punish the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground.”

The sin of His nation, unchecked, blatant sin ushers in God’s anger, His judgement.

God’s judgment against Israel’s altars would show that he was rejecting Israel’s entire religious system because it was so polluted by sin. The horns of the altar stood for power and protection (1 Kings 1:49-53), and the false, pagan altars would soon be gone. Then the people would have no sanctuary, protection, or refuge when judgment came. All because they did not care that they were sinning. They got mixed up with idol worship of the world at the cost of sanctuary, protection, refuge when God judges each in accordance.

Amos 3:2 ““You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”

God loves you like no one else. His love is intimate, and personal and perfect. When you sin, you sin against the most loving, caring, faithful Father. Who is perfect and without fault.

True repentance is not a “whoopsie”. It is an internal deep grief of your sin, and how helpless you are from it. You recognize that you need forgiveness and a Savior.

You will have a deep desire to please our Loving, Caring, Faithful Father Who is perfect and without fault. Meaning, our sin is our fault. Our own selfishness, our weakness in flesh.

Don’t be outwardly repentant…putting on a display. But humble yourself in recognition of God…from the sorrow of your sin, confess.

I am dirty by sin…I am ashamed by sin…I need Jesus Christ as Lord to cleanse me, to restore me…

This is faith. And…

BPM#1: Faith follows Christ…

Follows Christ towards God’s kingdom, His will, His heart.

You can’t go in that direction without being in agreement with God. It is through Jesus that we become in agreement with God.

When we look to Jesus on the Cross and know that we should be in his place…tearing our hearts, confessing and faithfully following Him. We are given the Holy Spirit to fill us, and guide us.

Acts 20:23 “except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.”

Paul displays faith that follows Christ.

Paul knows discomfort awaits, prison is possible, pain is inevitable…Yet not I but through Christ in Me.

Acts 20:24 “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

Our life on Earth isn’t the prize, it isn’t really valuable, it’s not our identity…

God’s will for us, the testimony we bring, the ministry each of us should be doing.

The Gospel of the Grace of God was Paul’s recieved ministry from the Lord.

What is yours? You have one. Everyone Christian has one. How do you know?

God has given every person who has ever drawn breath a gift. Something that they personally are really good at. Something that is natural and effective.

Ephesians 4:11–12 “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,”

The Holy Spirit has given each Christian special gifts for building up the church. Now that we have these gifts, it is crucial to use them. Are you spiritually mature, exercising the gifts God has given you? If you know what your gifts are, look for opportunities to serve. If you don’t know, ask God to show you, perhaps with the help of a church leader or Christian friends. Then, as you begin to recognize your special areas of service, use your gifts to strengthen and encourage the church.

We are united as a church Body, Our oneness in Christ does not destroy our individuality.

All of this, your gifts, is for the ministry outside of the church! In public, in your workplace, in the coffee shop, everywhere to everyone! You are the tool that God is wanting to use to bring healing to a world dying in Sin.

You have a deep purpose in God’s family…Jesus as the head of the Body, each of us under Him in unity through Him! He controls, He tells us, He uses us to witness.

Rend Your hearts! Consider choices!

will this bring God honor? Or lead me to sin?

Live closely with God! Avoid sin, be in agreement in His direction, His will.

Use the analogy of breaker box…

Know that God loves you like no one else ever could.

This is an immovable, sturdy, some would call firm foundation. A foundation that you should be building your life on. This foundation will last and carry into Glory!

Follow Christ faithfully! Know that He is with you each step.