Af-s126-061106

Alêtheia Christian Fellowship

Dear Churches,

I have only received a few emails regarding the church ambassador program we are trying to start.  Please let me know of anyone who might be interested.  I would be happy to follow up with them.

The informational meeting is on Saturday June 16th at 8:00.  Please plan to have your ambassador attend.  Breakfast will be served.

Sincerely,

Jill McFarlane

Acts 20:1-6 ~ 1After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and when he had exhorted them and taken his leave of them, he left to go to Macedonia. 2When he had gone through those districts and had given them much exhortation, he came to Greece. 3And there he spent three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. 4And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus (peer-ruhs), and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tych-i-cus and Troph-i-mus of Asia. 5But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas. 6We sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days.

uproar - Demetrius

Macedonia Already sent Tim & Erastus 19:21 Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia, “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.” 22 He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia…

Philippi – Lydia & Jail

Acts 20:7-12 ~ 7On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. 8There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. 9And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. 10But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.” 11When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. 12They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted.

first day of the week… break bread,

picked up dead – Dr Luke wrote the death certificate

Little is stressed about the miracle.

Acts 20:13-16 ~ 13But we, going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos, intending from there to take Paul on board; for so he had arranged it, intending himself to go by land. 14And when he met us at Assos (20mi.), we took him on board and came to Mitylene (mit-i-lee-nee, city of Lesbos). 15Sailing from there, we arrived the following day opposite Chios (Island); and the next day we crossed over to Samos; (KJV: and tarried at Trogyllium) and the day following we came to Miletus. 16For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

Acts 20:17-24 ~ 17From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. 18And when they had come to him, he said to them,

“You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, 19serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; 20how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, 21solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22“And now, behold, bound in spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. 24“But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.

bonds and afflictions Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus – We all have a course and a ministry set, not by us, but by Jesus

Acts 20:25-33 ~ 25“And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face. 26“Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27“For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. 28“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29“I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31“Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. 32“And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33“I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. 

I am innocent – Can we say the same?

Holy Spirit has made you overseers… His own blood – SERIOUS!

among your own – Serve the flock as a shepherd or serve yourself from the flock as a wolf

Acts 20:34-38 ~ 34“You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. 35“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.’” 36When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37And they began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, 38grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they were accompanying him to the ship.