060 Paul's Farewell Address
Notes
Transcript
Handout
25 “And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to 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 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.
32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. 35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, 38 sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.
Introduction:
There are so many directions we could go with application this morning.
Unfortunately there are things I would like to talk about but we will not be able to this morning.
It can be easy for me to feel like I can’t make a significant difference for God’s kingdom.
I see celebrity pastors with huge churches.
They are writing books.
They are speaking at major conferences.
They have a huge social media following.
And it’s easy to start thinking that what I do doesn’t matter or that it isn’t enough.
Just the same, it can be easy for you to look at other Christians, even other people in church and think you are not enough.
You can start thinking that your impact is insignificant.
We often say: do what God has called you to do - do your part- and God will do the rest.
But what is that?
What is it that you and I are called to do faithfully?
Paul will give us an example.
He is addressing the elders/pastors of Ephesus.
But we know that we are ALL to be leading someone.
1. Lead with a clear conscience.
1. Lead with a clear conscience.
26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.
Paul is innocent of the blood of all men.
He is no longer responsible for their spiritual fate.
If they give way to false teachers.
Paul seems to be taking this thought from Ezekiel:
1 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, 3 when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’
7 “So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me.
The Lord tells Ezekiel that if the watchman warns of danger and the people don’t listen, their blood is not on his hands.
Paul is innocent because he has not shrunk from teaching the whole counsel of God.
20 how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house,
Even if it was hard to talk about Paul didn’t hold back.
You and I need to lead with a clear conscience.
We will give an account for those we lead.
We need to make sure we can stand before the Lord and say that we have done ALL we could.
We didn’t keep back anything that was good for them.
“Biblical slave leadership is a stewardship from and to God requiring the surrender of one’s life to God for the development of others in the will of God.” - Daniel L. Anderson
2. Prepare to pass the torch.
2. Prepare to pass the torch.
25 “And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more.
You will see my face no more.
Paul planted the church in Ephesus and is now saying good-bye for the last time.
It is officially time to pass the torch.
Paul gives one last charge, but he had been preparing them for this.
Paul passes the torch to Timothy and Timothy is told to look for people and train them so he can pass the torch off to them.
His charge is his last effort.
28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to 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 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.
Paul prepared them beforehand for the dangers that were ahead.
Now Paul is handing they keys to them!
He’s passing the torch.
And reminded them of something he’s talked about for three years!
Savage wolves will come - I KNOW THIS!
Be watchful for this!
Savage wolves will come into our church.
Savage wolves will come into our ministries.
He had already prepared them for this moment.
Not only passing the torch but training up men to pass the torch off to was in Paul’s DNA.
As leaders we have a responsibility to protect our ministries by doing the same thing.
1 You, therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these things to faithful people who will be competent to teach others also.
Paul passes the torch to Timothy and Timothy is told to look for people and train them so he can pass the torch off to them.
What if there isn’t anyone to pass the torch off to?
Start praying.
Start looking.
Start training.
Start investing.
Sunday school teachers, Awana leaders, Youth leaders, Disciple-makers.
Myself as a pastor.
To protect this church.
This is something I can’t understand.
If a pastor is to shepherd the flock, why abandon it for another one?
Why not, at the very least, help find the next shepherd?
To train up the next pastor/shepherd.
One of the most dangerous times for a church is when they don’t have a shepherd.
I have a responsibility to protect this local church.
Jesus purchased this church with His blood and then called me to be the under-shepherd.
The one who is responsible for the health and wellbeing of it.
Yet our ministries within the local church are no different.
We have a responsibility to fill the gap coming behind us.
Some day God will call us home or move us to something different.
We can’t just walk away and leave others to pick up the pieces.
Too often we get so caught up in the present that we fail to think about the future.
We then fail to be a good leader.
3. Remember it is God’s work not ours.
3. Remember it is God’s work not ours.
32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Paul understood that the church in Ephesus was God’s work. Not his.
It is with great faith that Paul is placing them under God’s protection.
We generally fear two things when our time in a certain ministry comes to an end.
1. Will it fall apart when I’m gone?
If we think it will we haven’t done the job we should have to prepare for that day.
We also forget that the ministry wasn’t built on our strength.
2. We fear it will do better when we are gone.
Again we have the wrong focus.
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
Paul recognizes the God’s power is far greater than his own or anyone else’s.
So he places then in God’s protection and grace that is able to build them up.
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4. Be a giver not a taker.
4. Be a giver not a taker.
33 I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. 35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Paul didn’t take their money or nice clothes.
Paul taught them to work and give.
He even reminded them of Jesus’s words that it is better to give than to receive.
If you are going to lead as Jesus and Paul led, we must be prepared to give of ourselves.
25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Our Shepherd was not a taker. He was a giver.
He gave the greatest sacrifice.
In any ministry you need to know that you will give far more than you receive.
If I were to ask you: “What do you want to get out of this ministry”. you probably shouldn’t be doing it.
The question is: “What can I give those I am leading.”
5. Don’t put yourself above those you are leading.
5. Don’t put yourself above those you are leading.
18 And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you,
36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, 38 sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.
Paul lived among the people. He was one of them.
Pastor Mike mentioned his “home church” then changed it.
Lapeer is where I grew up.
First Baptist of Lapeer is no longer my home.
Howard City is my home!
We follow the example of Christ: living among the people.
Doing life together (Life on life)
I am called to shepherd this local flock but I am no different than you.
I too am a sheep.
Jesus is my shepherd as He is yours.