Acts 20 notes

Outline

Introduction: Love for God, love for those born of God (1 Jn. 5:1)

Paul’s pilgrim sojourning.

Love overcomes worldly attachments.

Paul’s seven coworkers. Significance of 7 deacons in Acts 6:1-6 now echoed in Paul’s ministry. Faith allows us to meet like-minded companions.

Sopater from Berea

Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica

Gaius from Derbe

Timothy from Lystra

Tychichus and Trophimus from Asia minor.

Paul sends them to places on his behalf, to minister to the churches.

Paul’s teaching through the night. Love overcomes tiredness and sleepiness (2 Cor. 11:27).

This reminds us of the Last Supper. Jesus preached John 13-16 with His disciples, giving them the deepest Word about the Father Son and Holy Spirit, and then He prays His high priestly prayer in John 17. And then He brings His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. And what happens? Like Eutychus, the disciples Peter James and John fall asleep.

Can you imagine if this Sunday, after Sharon choir sings the choral anthem, pastor Sam walks to the pulpit and starts preaching. You check your phone. 12pm. He’s still going strong. 12:15. You start fidgeting. 12:30. 1pm. 1:30. 2, 3, 4pm. It says in Acts 20:7 that Paul carried on until 12am, and only took a short break when the young man Eutychus fell off the third storey window and died. Then they have some bread, and they fellowship until the sun rises.

Was Paul an insomniac so he couldn’t sleep? No. He was simply so concerned that these people understand the truth about God and what God has done in Christ Jesus. He was to leave for Jerusalem the next day, and he knew he would probably never see his beloved Troas church members again. Acts 20:22-23 says that the Holy Spirit constrained him to go to Jerusalem, and there he would be imprisoned and afflicted. So he earnestly tells them of God, and he does so with tears in his eyes (Acts 20:31).

Paul’s growth in Christ-likeness throughout his ministry.

From remaining in Damascus for many years, to moving all over the place, and going to Jerusalem despite the warnings of danger.

Gathering and raising up disciples who can do the work of ministry in his place.

Raising up the dead. Eutychus.

What happens in Acts 20?

Paul travels from Ephesus to Macedonia, and then to Greece (Achaia), then back to Macedonia

1 John 5:1 ESV

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.

2 Corinthians 1:15–16 ESV

15 Because I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a second experience of grace. 16 I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea.

Hymn 524. God be with you till we meet again.

Till we meet, till we meet, till we meet at Jesus’ feet

Till we meet, till we meet, God be with you till we meet again.