Acts 20:17-38 Preaching Outline

A departing goodbye

Opening Tyler Texas youth group illustration

“standeth principally upon this, that he may exhort those pastors of Ephesus, by his own example, to do their duty faithfully.”

So Paul’s genuine love for this church and these elders lead him to exhort them one last time, as he is sure that he won’t see their faces again.

Background of the text

3 years in Ephesus

Hurry to get tp Jerusalem

English Standard Version Chapter 20

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.

Miletus 30 miles south, Paul sends for elders instead of going himself.

I know when my wife is not just reminiscing just for the sake of it.

English Standard Version Chapter 20

33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

So this morning we will extract three points from the text.

1. Emphasis on preaching and teaching (God’s Proclamation)

2. Paul’s expectancy of evangelism (God’s Production)

3. Why do we have to say goodbye? (Gospel Partings)

God’s Proclamation (Emphasis on preaching and teaching)

Why does Paul emphasize teaching three times to these elders?

This is clearly a repeated emphasis in this text.

English Standard Version Chapter 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, 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

English Standard Version Chapter 20

26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

English Standard Version Chapter 20

31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.

3 sub points to consider

The first is this; elders, pastors, leaders within the Church have a God-ordained responsibility to teach the Word of God.

This may seem like a no-brainer to some, but there is a difference between one simply agreeing to this on a surface level, as opposed to an actual commitment to biblical teaching. And then there are those who blatantly ask the question, is Bible teaching actually still relevant for the Church today? Maybe we have matured to the point of no longer needing the word exposited, which simply means explained in its proper context, and then applied in a relevant manner in our lives. Perhaps what we need today is more topical and practical messages. For some this consists of picking a certain topic and finding as many proof texts as possible that appear to support this position. Providing the original authorial intent in the text is not a priority in this model. Many of you have seen what this has led to in our culture.

Messages that are surrounded around topics such as finding the perfect spouse, or “the one,” as opposed to exposited texts that point to the perfect one who was lifted up for the sins of his people. Sermon series that instruct you on how to get out of debt as opposed to teaching the texts concerning the one who paid your eternal sin debt. A series that teaches you how to financially prosper as opposed to one that teaches the Pauline text that states that he who was rich became poor that you may be rich in spiritual blessings.

I am be no means stating that any of these topics in and of themselves are evil, as they are certainly not. I am opposing a philosophy that appraises the spiritual needs of the people by anything other than the Word itself. One of the problems with this philosophy is that this topical or deductive method of approaching the Scriptures never leads to the people of God being exposed to the full counsel of God’s Word. But this is exactly what Paul stated as his endeavor.

The Bible doesn’t address every single topic that is known to man. We don’t need to hesitate to admit this simple truth. And yet, the Word of God does indeed provide us with all we need in regards to life and godliness. The Bible is indeed sufficient. Paul deals with this issue when writing to his pupil Timothy.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

And what does he say is the remedy right before these verses?

English Standard Version Chapter 4

2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

Preach the Word! Pastors and elders are not called to therapists, CEO’s, case managers, politicians. Pastors and elders are charged with teaching and preaching the Word! It is through the Word that the people of God experience revival. This is clearly seen in Nehemiah 8. Jesus during his high priestly prayer asks that the Father would sanctify his people in the truth, for his Word is truth. And now he allows us to participate in that sanctification process through the teaching and preaching of the Word.

Why does it carry such power? Because teaching and preaching the Word all points to the gospel, if it is accurate bible teaching. Notice what the Apostle says:

English Standard Version Chapter 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, 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

His teaching was centered around the person and work of Jesus Christ, IE the gospel. This same Apostle would tell us that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. What a wonderful opportunity to join God in his work.

The second sub point is this; Considering the high call of the pastor/elders to teach the Word of God, the congregation is called to consider the weight of such teaching.

Consider how the Israelites respond to the Word of God being both read and explained to them in the Nehemiah 8 passage.

English Standard Version Chapter 8

5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

English Standard Version Chapter 8

9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.

Hearing the Word is worship

They wept under the Word

It is through the preaching and teaching of the Word that God sustains his people. This truth being analogous with the fact that his Word sustains the universe.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

Question and answer 27 of the Heidelberg Catechism expounds on Hebrews 1:3 , noting that providence includes God’s upholding “heaven and earth and all creatures.” John Calvin writes, “All things would instantly come to nothing, were they not sustained by his power.”

In similar fashion the preaching of his written Word sustains you beloved, even when you don’t remember all that was preached.

Sermons are like meals that sustain your well-being.

Neglect not the teaching of God’s Word beloved.

Last sub point, verses 28-31 provides another reason why such teaching must be priority.

English Standard Version Chapter 20

28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.

Satan is the father of false teaching.

First with Adam’s bride, now with Christ’s.

English Standard Version Chapter 11

2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Nicolatians in Revelation 2

False teachings in cities today

God’s Production

Is Paul expecting the elders (and Ephesian Church as whole) to evangelize?

Our second point this morning leads us to answer a question that has been an emerging topic, particularly after the 1950’s: Did the Apostle Paul expect the early Christian communities to evangelize? I want you to think for a moment. Can you give me a text that commands Christians to evangelize to the lost? Okay you have Matthew 28, but with your Bibles closed can you think of another? And not only verses that show God’s heart for the nations, I mean actual imperatives to evangelize in the market place. If you keep thinking you’ll see that its not as easy as it sounds to come up with these texts.

This has led some scholars, such as David Bosch and John P. Dickson to conclude that Paul did not expect the churches he planted to evangelize. This is why I believe the book by Southern Baptist professor Robert Plummer, Paul’s Understanding of the Church’s Mission, is so important. He deals with this very issue. I agree with his conclusion that Paul did indeed expect the churches to evangelize. I’m going to oversimplify his position for the sake of time, but his argument that there is indeed continuity between the Apostle’s mission and the mission of the church is three-fold.

Plummer points to the fact that Paul viewed the gospel as a dynamic and effective force which inevitably goes forth and accomplishes God’s will. The gospel doesn’t sit still, that’s not its nature. He makes reference to texts such as 1 Corinthians 14:36 where Paul portrays the “word of God” (ie. the gospel) in the active role of going out. and arriving. Two verbs frequently used in Acts to describe persons on a journey. But in this text, it’s not the missionary, but rather the gospel itself that establishes a church, and then continues on via the church who has been impacted by the gospel.

The second point is a little more straight forward. Here Plummer looks at the Pauline commands to witness both actively and passively.

Lastly, he looks at incidental evidence such as the purpose of miracles, prayer, teaching, and suffering in his life and the life of the Church.

I would add history as well.

All of this as a preface to the point I would like to make in this text. I believe Paul is doing something similar in exhorting the elders, and through the elders the church as a whole, to commit themselves to evangelistic efforts. Let’s reread verses 20-24.

English Standard Version Chapter 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, 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 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.

Little “s” or big “S”

I think the best thing to do in a case like this is to ask, “Now, what difference would it make here, one way or the other?” I ask myself the question, “If it’s a little s, Paul is saying in verse 22, ‘I am going to Jerusalem because my spirit has a big rope tied around it pulling me there.’” I would ask the question, who tied the rope and who’s pulling? My answer to that would be God and God’s Spirit and that would be big S. Well, it doesn’t seem to make too much difference then because if it’s Paul’s spirit that’s bound, it’s the Spirit of God binding. If it’s the Spirit who is binding, it’s Paul’s spirit who’s bound.

And then he continues to tell his audience that this mission is more important than life for him. It reminds me of when he tells Timothy that he endures all things for the sake of the elect. The elders are indirectly exhorted, as we are today beloved, to join God on his mission in saving his people.

Hollywood interactive films/shows

You see God has written a story, a motion picture if you will. And he has already determined the scenes that took place in this film, this is what it means to be sovereign. In this motion picture we have four acts; creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. So he is the writer, producer, and director of this film. The primary motivation behind this story is God’s glory on display. He’s not more and less glorious through this story, rather this story is meant to place his glory on display. And he glorifies himself by saving and redeeming a people from every tribe, tongue, and nation.

English Standard Version Psalm 86

9  All the nations you have made shall come

and worship before you, O Lord,

and shall glorify your name.

10  For you are great and do wondrous things;

you alone are God.

God gets it down, Revelation 7

“American Dream” is nothing. Spread gospel to all.

Paul recognized this. Which is why he was so emphatic on going to spread the gospel despite warnings on going back to Jerusalem. He realized that there was a good chance that this may be the end for him, but his life was vertically focused. This is why these last verses can be so emotional.

English Standard Version Chapter 20

36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.

Gospel Partings

Why do we have to say goodbye?

Long distance relationship with Krystal, and the joy of marriage.

There’s a reason why gospel goodbyes such as the one found in this passage are also necessary. There was a time where that wouldn’t have been the case. Before the fall, this idea of separation, particularly for this reason, was non-existent. But unfortunately the fall of Adam took place. And now the most significant separation that exists is the separation of God and mankind. But God, through Christ Jesus, has found a way to fix the separation between God and mankind and between his people as well. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we now are one with the Father again. And it is by the cross and resurrection that he is reconciling all things unto himself, and there will one day be a new heaven and a new earth where Paul and the elders were reunited and there is no more need for gospel goodbyes. But only gospel hellos. This is what this wonderful God has done for his people.

This is why like Paul, we as elders teach his word with integrity, and why you’re called to receive the Word with humility. This is why like Paul we join God on his mission to proclaim this gospel to the lost world around us.

Let’s praise him for his goodness at this time.