Will You Have Clean Hands?

Introduction

Text: Acts 20:17-32

Illustration: When it had come to the end of the day, we would gather at the dinner table for supper. However, it was always asked, “Did you wash your hands?” Clean hands for supper is not exactly the same as clean hands for Jesus Christ. You wash with soap for mom but you serve your Master.

When we come to such a passage that speaks of such an autobiography, we think to ourselves, “That was a time when super Christians lived. Those don’t exist today.” There is something vital important that we must understand; there have never been any super Christians in any part of human history. What I can affirm to you is this, there were those who were true believers who lived with a desire to surrender fully to the leadership of the Holy Spirit (soul, mind, and body). It is to whom you yield too that makes you who you are and shapes how you live!!!

What we witness here is the description of a life who grew into a Christianity that was Biblically authentic. He was not molded by a cultural definition or the status quo within Christianity. He was a vessel shaped by the hand of the Divine. He was someone who learned to allow God to be as much Lord as He was Savior. He was someone who lived in light of the future. He was someone who trusted the armor of God (i.e. marched forward into the difficult and uncomfortable). We read of someone who simply followed His Master.

We often say thing like, “I want to be just like him/her.” We would even be brave to say, “I want my life to be just like Paul’s. However, that would be a mistake. Let us not ultimately and exclusively follow Paul, but rather follow the ONE he followed; Jesus Christ!!!

1)Paul called them to remember his conduct and character that has consistently been displayed before them.

He was speaking of him serving the Lord.

He served with HUMILITY, TEARS, and through TRIALS.

Humility is needed when???

When fellow believers are your discouragers.

When the results don’t seem to match your investment.

When you start to crave the praise of men.

When you make your life more about your life than the one who gave you NEW LIFE.

What about the TEARS???

Tears no doubt came from personal affliction and pain.

Tears came when rejection of the Gospel was people’s response.

Tears came when sin was preferred and salvation ignored.

Tears came when God’s will was not his own.

What about the trials???

These were concerning his own people hindering GOSPEL ministry.

Concerning his people hindering moving forward.

He held nothing back that would help them spiritually.

Every truth and every method that would ADVANCE THEM FORWARD!!!

Paul speaks about he “whole council of God.”

Salvation, Christian growth, practical Christianity, holiness, prayer, sin, righteousness, repentance, regeneration, God’s sovereignty, man’s responsibility, future judgement, eternity, etc…

The church will truly fail certain generations when following a paradigm that sees everyone learning and growing that exact same way as everyone else (i.e. children to adult / large auditorium to small groups / younger couples to senior adults, etc).

Paint and artwork on the wall as opposed to seeing studded walls.

The key is this — HOLDING NOTHING BACK that is in our ability to steward to assist every believer to grow in the Lord.

Without shame, he taught them the vital importance of repentance toward God and faith toward Jesus Christ.

This combination is the only path to receive forgiveness and new life.

It is God who designed the path, NOT RELIGION!

God and God alone is the hero of anyone’s soul!!!

2) Pauls’ life investments were determined by the Holy Spirit.

Paul desired nothing more than what the Spirit had in store.

This is not to say he never battled the flesh, but he always came back centered on the Gospel.

Paul practiced honesty with God, however it was coupled with humility and therefore conformity.

Notice Paul’s perspective (v24)

Prison and tribulation was not something he feared.

Paul’s decisions were not centered on his life, but on the ONE who gave him life eternal!!!

Paul identifies life’s race as a Gospel race.

The believer CAN end their race with JOY.

(v24) What needs to be TRANSFORMED from one’s paradigm that they might end their life’s race with JOY?

I will commit to nothing that may take time away from doing the things I WANT TO DO.

I will commit to nothing that does not fit the schedule I have for myself and my ambitions.

I will commit to nothing that may hinder what my children have planned for me.

The first thing I must cut back when money gets tight is my financial gift of worship to God.

Finishing well with JOY and GOSPEL success Is determined by one’s paradigm transformation (Paul’s own life illustrates that for us).

3) Paul ended his life’s race with CLEAN HANDS!!!

Stewarding the Gospel in his generation.

Don’t overlook the freedom Paul speaks to us about with this statement:

His job was NEVER to bring RESULTS! He was called to GO AND TELL, SOW AND WATER.