Sermon Tone Analysis

Reading of Scripture

Pray

Introduction to Theme

Have you ever wondered how much God loves and cares for His church?

Have you given thought to how God has ordained that His church be led, fed, and protected from harm?

In order to endure, and thrive with an unfading love?

Acts 20 tells us very clearly, that the Church of Christ belongs to God and is led, fed, and protected through the administration of the Holy Spirit.

Introduction to Text

This is Paul’s final address to the Ephesian church.

A church he has spent three years ministry to.

But when he has a chance to see them again, he does not go to Ephesus to visit the church, but he calls for the elders to come visit him.

The group Paul is addressing is important to the context of Acts 20?

That word “elder” is the word “πρεσβύτερος.”

πρεσβύτερος may refer to person of advanced age, but in this context, it is a person with official responsibility and authority for something.

(BDAG)

Paul is not summoning elders of the Jewish synagogue.

He is calling for the elders of the “ ἐκκλησία” — elders of the church — God’s church.

And these elders have been made overseers, not by Paul, but by God, to care (or to shepherd) the church of God, which God obtained with his own blood!

(Acts 20:28).

So these words of Paul are not directed to the whole church, but to these elders.

But they are words that are profitable and instructive for all of us — whether we are an elder, overseer or pastor of a church, or whether we are under the oversight of such elders, overseers or pastors.

Paul begins by reminding the Ephesians elders of the example he set for them (Acts 20:18-21).

An example not in word only, but also in deed.

Paul lived among them.

Paul served the Lord among them — with humility, tears, and trials.

Never hesitating to declare what was profitable to them.

Teaching and testifying to all, both Jew and Greek — of repentance toward God and of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

But in verse 22, Paul begins the first of three statements that form the framework for his speech — what he wants to tell them and leave with them.

These three statements all begin with the words “And now,” drawing attention not only to the work of the past, but also to the circumstances of the present as he prepares them for the future.

I. Acts 20:22-24 “AND NOW...I am going to Jerusalem”

That word “behold” is a word meant to grab our attention.

And certainly Paul wanted the Ephesian elders to pay attention to this point.

Paul says: “I am going to Jerusalem.”

On his second missionary journey Paul was met with resistance from the Holy Spirit preventing him from traveling into places he wanted to go, only to conclude through a dream that the Spirit was leading him to Macedonia.

But now Paul is traveling to Jerusalem and the Holy Spirit is not preventing him, but the Holy Spirit is constraining him.

“I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit.”

(v.22)

The word “constrained” is the word that means “to be bound” or “to be tied” (BDAG).

The Spirit has bound Paul.

And why does he say this?

In verse 22, he goes not to say he’s going to Jerusalem:

“not knowing what will happen to me there,

The word “imprisonment” is the word for “bonds.”

Paul is “bound” by the Spirit, because the Spirit testifies that “bonds” await him in Jerusalem.

This is all that he knows.

He does not know what will happen to him in Jerusalem, but he knows what kind of things will happen to him there.

Serving the Lord, being led by the Holy Spirit — even being constrained by the Holy Spirit — does not guarantee a knowledge of future events.

Paul is not super-human.

Paul is not God.

Like us, Paul cannot see the future.

We cannot know the future.

But the Holy Spirit does prepare Paul for what lies ahead.

God will prepare you for what he is preparing you for!

As Paul travels through these towns, somehow and in different ways, the Spirit makes known to Paul that in Jerusalem there will be bonds and persecution.

And so Paul is “bound by the Spirit” but not deterred.

And this acknowledgement leads to one of the great statements of personal testimony and conviction in the Bible:

Circle the words “if only.”

Those words are a “marker of purpose” (LN/BDAG).

They may be translated as “in order” or “so that” (LN).

In order for Paul to finish the mission and the ministry that the Lord gave to him, Paul must care more about God than about himself.

Paul must value God more than he values his own life and his own soul.

Paul reminds the church later in v.35, of what Jesus himself said, that “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

Paul’s life, ministry and mission was an example of giving.

We reflect this in our 2020 Focus: our first two steps are about Gathering, and our last two steps (Ministry and Mission) are about Giving.

The only thing that could stand in the way of Paul finishing what God called him to, is not the bonds, or the persecution, the trials or the plots of the Jews --- the only thing that can stand in Paul’s way is Paul himself.

So Paul does not place any value on his own life, but values more the mission, the ministry he has received from the Lord.

If we are concerned about finishing our lives well, then verse 24 is profitable for helping us place value in the right things — not in ourselves, but in the purposes of God.

Paul desires to finish his course.

This is his race, his mission (LN).

And for him, his mission is also a ministry, a (διακονίαν) — not something he sought after himself, but a ministry he received from the Lord Jesus.

To the elders of the church, Paul teaches that they did not make themselves overseers, but the Holy Spirit did.

For us — the various callings, offices and ministries of God in His Church are not to be acquired.

They are received.

They are at the disposal and direction of the Lord of the Church by His Holy Spirit.

And Paul’s mission is clear: he has received a mission by Jesus “to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

This affirms what the Scriptures are teaching — Paul is what he is because of God’s grace.

The Ephesians are what they are because of God’s grace.

We are what we are because of God’s grace!

Paul was not deserving of being an apostle.

The elders are not deserving of being pastors and overseers.

We do not deserve what we have received — be it salvation or a ministry from God.

But this is our message — this is what we believe.

This is what we stand upon: God is gracious.

And he calls us, and saves us, redeems us, and empowers us each by His grace.

What Paul has already alluded to, he now says directly with the second “And now” statement:

II.

Acts 20:25-31 “AND NOW…none of you…will see my face again.”

This is the statement that informs all of Paul speech.

This is why he is saying what he is saying, to whom he is saying it to.

This statement will cause all of elders to weep intensely, and to be anxious and distressed.

Paul is going to Jerusalem, and they will not see him again.

Somehow Paul knows that the bonds and persecutions that await him in Jerusalem, will ultimately lead to his departure from this life.

He has already said “I do not account my life of any value.”

And he subtly reminds them of his message — he has “gone about proclaiming the kingdom.”

His message about the kingdom of God brings hope to this life, because it is greater than this life!

It is not just a message about the here and now, but it is a message about our future together with God — the King of all kings — who rules and reigns over a kingdom that is not of this world.

And this causes anxiety to the point that they weep intensely.

Because the work that Paul has done for three years is being passed on to them.

And you can imagine the weight of how that must feel — the responsibility to carry on such an important work of God.

It is the feeling that Solomon must have felt when he was established as king of Israel after his father David — king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth —- when pleaded with God not to give him possessions, wealth, the life of his enemies who hate him, or even a long life for himself — but he pleaded with God to give him wisdom and knowledge, to go out and come in before this great people (See 2 Chronicles 1:7-12).