Acts: The Gospe Unleashed - Part 34
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
1 After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia.
2 When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece.
3 There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.
4 Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.
5 These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas,
6 but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.
Why did Paul feel the need to encourage the church before his departure?
Why did Paul feel the need to encourage the church before his departure?
Following Christ is fraught with the dangers of discouragement.
Following Christ is fraught with the dangers of discouragement.
Faithfulness is difficult.
Faithfulness is difficult.
Fight for faithfulness with God’s people.
Fight for faithfulness with God’s people.
7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.
8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered.
9 And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead.
10 But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.”
11 And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed.
12 And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted.
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.
14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene.
15 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.
16 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.
God expects me to prioritize gathering with the people of God.
God expects me to prioritize gathering with the people of God.
συνάγω - To Gather, Assemble - It is where we find the origins of the word Synagogue.
This the same word Paul uses speaking of the worship gathering in the Book of 1 Cor.
4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus,
We have a prayer closet mentality - where Christianity is only personal and divorced it from the Biblical reality - Namely that Christianity is Corporate.
We have a prayer closet mentality - personal & private. But scriptures places far more emphasis on the corporate reality.
When did they gather?
When did they gather?
7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.
They gathered on Sunday.
They gathered on Sunday.
What did their gathering consist of?
Worship
Worship
7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.
Broke Bread is a technical term for the Lords Supper - Communion.
Paul Talked - AKA - He was preaching and teaching the word.
Hope of the resurrection comforts the people of God.
Hope of the resurrection comforts the people of God.