Praying through Acts- Acts 20

Intro:

Acts 20:36–38 NKJV

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.

As we continue to pray through the book of Acts, I want to focus on chapter twenty.

Each week, we’ve focused on an aspect of prayer in the book of Acts. I have preached out of Acts many times. I have studied and read this book over and over.

One of the reasons is my desire to be a New Testament church. I thoroughly believe what God did in the book of Acts is to serve as a model for how the church should look and function.

Of all the times I have studied and read this great book, I looked at WHAT the church did. I focused on WHAT they accomplished.

It was not until this year that I payed attention to HOW they did all they did. I

But, since we are in a year of prayer, I have preached and taught from the perspective of prayer. Now, as I look at Acts, I do not see a book of miracles, signs, or wonder.

Instead, I see a book of prayer. I see how much the church prayed and how God answered their prayers.

Now that we are in chapter twenty, I had this thought, a life of prayer is a life of adventure.

Adventure is defined, an unusual and exciting experience or activity. Another definition is a daring or exciting activity.

Prayer includes allowing God to do whatever He wants to in and through us. Sometimes, He does something we expected. Other times He surprises us by His power.

Regardless, it is always an adventure.

Acts 1 - promise of power

Acts 2 - received power

Acts 3- exercised power

Acts 4 - prayed for more power

Acts 5- people lied and God displayed His power

Acts 6- conflict arose and God used people of power to help the church

Acts 7- Stephen reminded them of God’s power in history

Acts 8- walked in power to spread Gospel in Samaria

Acts 9- Saul was converted through an encounter with God’s power

Acts 10- the power of God fell on the Gentiles as Peter preached

Acts 11- Peter defended Gentiles receiving power

Acts 12- the church prayed and Peter was released from prison

Acts 13- God sent Barnabas and Paul as a result of prayer

Acts 14- Paul and Barnabas took the gospel to new regions proclaiming God’s message with power

Acts 15- they prayed and God gave powerful discernment

Acts 16- Paul and Silas prayed and praised in prison, and God set them free

Acts 17- Paul stayed consistent in the face of hardships because of his prayer life

Acts 18- Paul prayed and God helped him reach the city of Corinth.

Acts 19- Paul put what he prayed for and believed into practice and God answered

Paul’s live was an adventure in prayer. God used him in ways that could have one time seemed impossible. As we look at this chapter, think of the adventure Paul enjoyed.

A life of prayer includes, [Unplanned Experiences], [Unusual Expectations], and [Unpleasant Explanations].

Let’s begin

1. Unplanned Experiences

Acts 20:7–9 NKJV

7 Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. 9 And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead.

After leaving Ephesus, Paul retraced his steps to encourage many of the churches he started. He arrived to Troas, where he stayed for one week.

On the first day of his trip, he went to a home of a local believer to have communion. While there, he decided to preach. Because he knew he would not be there long, he spoke for a long time.

In fact, he spoke until midnight. As he spoke, one of the young ment named Eutychus got tired.

I will not lie, I have dozed off in church. In fact, I did at youth camp one year. I learned a valuable lesson though. I fell alseep and woke up to the evangelist saying, IF YOU WANT TO GIVE IT ALL TO GOD, come down.

I promptly stood and went to the altar. I noticed none of our youth group joined me. After a while, it finally clicked. I went down for a first time salvation altar call.

Eutychus was not as fortunate. Instead of being embarrassed in front of his friends, he fell out of the window, dropped three storied, and died.

So far in Paul’s life, we have not read of this type of experience. But when we serve Jesus, we will have unplanned experiences. However, if we will commit to prayer, we will know what to do!

Acts 20:10–12 NKJV

10 But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, “Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.” 11 Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. 12 And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted.

Because Paul was a man of prayer, he knew what to do with the unplanned. The Holy Spirit led Paul to pray for the man. He did just that and the Eutychus came back to life.

Paul then returned to his message and talked until the morning.

What an adventure.

We will have unplanned experiences, but God will lead and guide us into what He wants us to do.

Even when a situation seems dead, we can pray and trust God and He will bring resurrection life and power!

A life of prayer is a life of adventure, which includes unplanned experiences.

2. An Unusual Expectation

Acts 20:22–23 NKJV

22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me.

After leaving Troas, Paul passed by Ephesus. Though he wanted to stop, he knew if he did, he would not get to leave quickly. Instead, he went to Miletus and called for the Ephesian leaders to meet him.

I wonder what they expected from Paul. He lived in Ephesus for two years. I would say that they expected to hear something encouraging and enlightening.

Instead, Paul told them what awaited him. He planned to go to Jerusalem for the upcoming feast. However, the Holy Spirit told him when we got there, they would get ready to place him in chains and place him in jail.

What an unusual expectation. He did not tell them of the family or friends he would see. He did not even tell WHY he would end up in chains.

However, he did know that the Holy Spirit promised this would happen.

What would keep Paul going to a place where he knew jail was inevitable? None of it bothered him, he knew a life of prayer was a life of adventure.

On top of that, it would not be the first time he would go to jail, and he trusted God to protect or free him.

Perhaps the crowd grew concerned for Paul, so he explained:

Acts 20:24–25 NKJV

24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 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.

Paul was not worried or moved by the impending hardships. Instead, he viewed it all in light of what God had for him. He had one goal, to run His race and do what Jesus had him to do.

That is how he lived. He knew he would never see the Ephesians again, but that was okay. Though he was sad, he wanted to stay in the center of God’s will.

I wonder what the Ephesians thought. I doubt they expected Paul to tell them that he was about to endure hardships and that this was the final time they would get together.

But that is part of being people of prayer.

God’s plans are often unexpected, but we have to trust that He knows what is right, even when we do not.

3. An Unpleasant Explanation

Acts 20:28–32 NKJV

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.

After telling them of his final departure from them, he tells them news that is unpleasant.

Sometimes we have to have an unpleasant conversation because there is conflict between two people. Then there are times we have to be the bearer of bad news.

Paul had to tell the Ephesians something that was not pleasant. Once he leaved, the enemy will come in and try to destroy the church.

In fact, he compared those who would come to cause trouble as savage wolves. If Paul knew this was coming, why didn’t he stay and protect them?

In part, it was because Paul knew that serving Jesus was an adventure. Not once did God promise us a life of easy, void of difficulties or trials.

Instead, Paul knew the hardships that come from serving God. However, hard times do not change the fact that God is good and His will is perfect for us.

Therefore, Paul wanted to be honest with them, even though it was unpleasant.

Now, as problems came against the church in Ephesus, the could remember, Paul explained that this would happen to us. He told us that the enemy would come and try to destroy us.

But Paul also explained that in times of unpleasantness, God’s grace would cover them and give them an inheritance.

Life is not always pleasant, but God’s ways and plans are always perfect.

Paul did an excellent job of preparing the Ephesian church to fulfill the plan God had for their lives.

Their parting from Paul was not pleasant either. In fact, it was not a short goodbye. People wept, prayed, hugged, and cried. They knew when Paul boarded the ship, the would never see him again.

But Paul had an adventure to fulfill, and God revealed it to him through prayer.

Close:

A life of prayer is a life of adventure. There are many times God takes us to places we never expected to go. That is why it is so important to pray.

When we pray and seek God, we have this hope and confidence, no matter what we face or endure.

Sometimes following Jesus includes unplanned experiences. But I have learned and noticed that in those unplanned moments, God shows up and surprises us with His miraculous power.

Then there are times we know something that seems unusual. There are moments when God shows us something is coming, and might not be what we expected.

In those instances, we have to stay the course and trust God will help us no matter what we face.

Then there are seasons where we deal with unpleasantness, specifically in facing attacks of the enemy. But we ensure because we know the adventure is not over.

Generally speaking, adventures are memorable. When they are over, they are exciting to tell about.

Imagine the stories we will have in heaven. Think about what we will hear in heaven.

And it can all start with, I committed my life to pray, and God took me places I never thought I could go!

Adventuring in prayer is worth it because Jesus walks with us through everything we face.