Paul told the Ephesian Elders that he was committed to accepting his sufferings, fulfilling his ministry, and declaring the whole purpose of God. May we follow his example his example in these things!
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Commitment To Do The Will Of God
Acts 20:22-27
This morning we continue our study that we began last Lord’s Day morning on Paul’s Farewell Address to the Ephesian Elders. Paul knows that he will never see these men again, and so he delivers to them a kind of Last Will and Testament. He is on his 3rd missionary journey. He has spent 3 years in Ephesus where a massive revival broke out, thousands were healed, delivered from demons, and converted out of the occult and idolatry. Then Paul traveled through Macedonia, spent the 3 winter months in Corinth, from which he wrote the Book of Romans, and is now on his way to Jerusalem with a convoy of at least 9 men who are representing their churches and bringing an offering to the poor saints in Jerusalem. Paul is hurrying to be in Jerusalem by the Feast of Pentecost. In all likelihood it is 56 A.D. Interestingly, though he knew he couldn’t stop in Ephesus, because there was just not enough time, he does dock at Miletus, and calls the Elders of the Church of Ephesus to him, so that he will have one final opportunity to exhort and teach them before he departs for good. This teaches us the tremendous importance Paul put on the Eldership of the local church. If you aspire to be an Elder at The Bridge, listen to Paul’s words with all your heart & burn these truths into your heart. The rest of you should also listen with all your heart so that you can imitate Paul as he imitated Christ.
Last week we saw Paul Reminding The Elders of His Ministry Among them, in verses 17-21. We saw last week that Paul saw his ministry pointed in 3 directions: toward God, toward the church, and toward the lost. First, Paul’s ministry to God was Service. Paul served the Lord with all humility, with tears, and trials. Secondly, Paul’s ministry to the Church was Teaching. Paul taught publicly in the School of Tyrannus and from house to house. He didn’t shrink back from declaring to them anything that was profitable. He taught, and preached, and declared and testified. Thirdly, Paul’s ministry to the Lost was that of evangelism. He preached the good news of the grace of God (vs.24), and then called them to repentance and faith. Repentance is the turning from sin; faith is the turning to Christ. Both are absolutely essential to be saved.
Now, of course Paul is not saying all of these things to brag to these Elders. He’s not on some kind of ego trip. He is using his own life as an example for them to follow. He’s wanting to build his life, character, and heart into these Ephesian Elders, so that after he’s gone, they will continue on faithfully shepherding God’s flock. So, this week we are going to see Paul Teaching the Elders about Faithfulness to God’s Call, using his own life as a model for them.
Now, as we come to verse 22, there is a shift in emphasis. Up to this point Paul has been talking about his past ministry among them. Now, he shifts to the present. Notice in verse 22 and 25 – “and now.” Last week we saw Paul using his Past Ministry as an example for them. Today we will see Paul using his Present Commitment as an example for them. It is as though he is saying, “You know what my life was like over the 3 years I lived among you. Now, let me show you what my commitment is like today as I face the future.”
Paul’s commitment involved three things: Paul was committed to accepting his sufferings, fulfilling his ministry, and declaring the whole purpose of God.
1. Paul Was Committed To Accepting His Sufferings: 20:22-23.
- Paul’s Sufferings Were Appointed by God: The sufferings that Paul was going to face were going to be brought into his life by the Holy Spirit as part of the will of God for his life. Notice that Paul is bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem where bonds and afflictions await him. Paul was constrained to go to Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit had produced an inner compulsion, a passion within Paul that he must go to Jerusalem. It was part of God’s sovereign plan for Paul that he go to Jerusalem, be arrested, imprisoned, and travel to Rome where he would bear witness before Kings and rulers. To put it another way, it was God’s will that Paul suffer. Now I know that there are many today who teach it is never God’s will for His children to suffer. If you believe that, you need to read your Bible again!
- Job 42:11 “all the adversities that the Lord had brought on him.”
- 3:3 “so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this.”
- 4:19 “Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.”
God’s Word can not be any more clear – sometimes it is the will of God for Christians to suffer. It is part of His sovereign plan for their lives. Just consider the vast multitudes of Christian martyrs who have laid down their lives in the cause of Christ over the last 2,000 years. There are still multitudes today who are suffering for their faith. This is not because of some secret sin in their lives or because they don’t have enough faith. It is because God has willed it. But if the Lord brings us into the fire, you can count on Him to be with you in the fire as you pass through it.
- The Spirit Testified About These Sufferings: vs.23. How did the Holy Spirit testify to Paul that he would be bound and afflicted in Jerusalem? He did it through prophets.
Acts 21:4 “After looking up the disciples, we stayed there seven days; and they kept telling Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem.”
Acts 21:10-11 “As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”
Those in the various churches who had the gift of prophecy kept prophesying that these things would take place. So, this is an interesting situation – the same Holy Spirit that constrained Paul to go to Jerusalem where he would suffer is the same Holy Spirit that warned him he would suffer when he got there. Why? Why did the Spirit constrain Paul to go, but then keep warning him of what would happen in Jerusalem? I think we see here the kindness and severity of the Lord. His severity in that He had ordained suffering for His chosen servant. But His kindness, in that he kept forewarning him in order to soften the blow. Because of the Spirit’s ministry, Paul was prepared and ready for the sufferings when they came.
- Paul Willingly Embraced These Sufferings: notice vs.24. “But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.” Paul not only did not shrink from declaring any of God’s truth to the Church, not matter how unpopular they were, but he also did not shrink from the suffering that came to him as he fulfilled that ministry.
Life Application: What about you? Paul was a man of courage, conviction, and passion. Are you imitating him in being willing to embrace hardship and afflictions in order to finish your ministry? It’s one thing to endure sufferings stoically because you have to, and it’s another thing to embrace those sufferings as the vehicle through which you will accomplish your ministry and bring glory to God.
2. Paul Was Committed to Fulfilling His Ministry: 20:24.
- Paul Received This Ministry From The Lord Jesus. The word ministry is just another word for service. Paul’s sphere of service was given to him by the Lord Jesus. Jesus was the One who decided what service Paul would render him. It was Jesus who decided that Paul would be an apostle, that he would plant churches, preach the gospel, disciple men, and that he would minister in Galatia, Asia, Macedonia, and Achaia. It was Jesus who decided Paul would bear witness in Jerusalem and Rome. The ministry Paul engaged in was not his idea. He didn’t think it up. It was the Lord’s idea and plan.
- Paul Valued Finishing This Ministry More Than Life: It is as though Paul had a pair of scales. On the one side was the preciousness of his own life. On the other side was the preciousness of finishing the ministry Jesus gave him. Which side do you think weighed more? There was no comparison! For most of us, our number 1 priority is self-preservation at all costs. That was not how Paul lived. For him, the #1 priority was finishing the ministry. For Paul there was 1 reason to live – to do what Jesus called you to do. And when that was done, Paul was happy to go and be with the Lord. Why was finishing the ministry so important to Paul? I believe it was because Jesus Himself had given it to Paul. This wasn’t some assignment he had received from the Church at Antioch, or from Peter, or John, or James, Jesus had personally assigned this mission to Paul. And so, out of love to the one who had redeemed him at infinite cost, Paul was determined to lay out his life for his Master.
- Finishing Your Ministry is Like Finishing A Race: When Paul mentions “finish my course”, he’s not talking about a course of study. He’s talking about a race course. Notice that Paul refers to it as my course. This was the course specially set out for Paul by Jesus. Now, every Christian has a ministry, but our ministries are not all the same. Jesus has called all of us to run a race, but the course we are to run is not the same. For some, it is a long pleasant run down mountain trails. For others, it is a hard, brutal run up steep hills in the burning sun. For others, it is a marathon. For others it is a short sprint. No two Christians have exactly the same ministry. But every Christian has a ministry. A ministry is just another word for the sphere of service Jesus has assigned you. How has Jesus appointed you to serve? The Lord may want you to serve as an Elder. Or His sphere of service for you may be to be a godly father or mother and to disciple your children. He’s commissioned some of you to serve in evangelism, others in giving, others in showing mercy, others in helping, others in hospitality, others in encouragement. The important thing is that we fulfill Jesus’ call on our lives. You should ask yourself, “Why did God put me on this earth? What does He want me to accomplish before my life is over?”
There is nothing more important in your life than to fulfill Jesus’ calling! Nothing! And, in order to fulfill that calling, you’re going to have to finish the race. You can’t burn it up for a few months or years, only to fall on the sidelines, winded, and hurting. No, you’ve got to keep at it until you snap the tape at the finish line. Maybe some of you are feeling as if you have served the Lord hard and long and you want to sit down and rest. Don’t do it! We will rest in heaven. Stay in the race, until you finish!
- What was Paul’s Ministry? “to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.” I just love that! In fact, I can’t think of a better life verse than Acts 20:24. There are 2 words in that sentence that you must master – “gospel” and “grace.” The gospel is the Good News of what God has done in Christ to save guilty, hell-bound sinners. Grace is God’s undeserved favor. Paul understood that the Good News is not that we should try harder. The Good News is not about what you and I do at all. It is about what God has already done! God has done everything in Jesus. Jesus has already finished the work of redemption. You see the gospel is all about grace. If it was about you tapping into your inner potential to be a better person, it would be about works. But it’s about God’s undeserved favor. You see, the simple truth is that all of us are black with sin and are objects of the wrath of God. We are by nature children of wrath. God’s grace is that which removes us from a state of wrath and condemnation, and puts us into a state of love, favor, and perfect acceptance. What is our role in this process? Repent and believe. And even those two things are gifts from Him.
Life Application: The same message that Paul testified of, is the same message that we are to testify of. There are people all around you who need to hear from your lips about the gospel of grace. They are weighted down with sin and guilt and shame. They think God is requiring them to try harder to get themselves out of the hole they have dug for themselves. You need to help them understand that that’s not the case. Over 90% of the people I have talked to believe God is going to let them into heaven because they are good people. They point to themselves as the reason they are going to heaven! The truth is that the only hope anyone has of entering heaven is what God has done. The gospel is not “get your act together, and then God will love you.” The gospel is “in Christ you are already as loved as you can ever be. You can do nothing to get Him to love you any more, and you can’t do anything to cause Him to love you any less!” Tim Keller said, “The gospel says you are simultaneously more sinful and flawed than you ever dared believe, yet more loved and accepted than you ever dared hope.” Oh friends, preach that! Let our neighbors, family, fellow students, and workmates know that this glorious love and acceptance with God are available to all who come to Christ.
3. Paul Was Committed To Declaring The Whole Purpose of God: vs.25-27.
- What Is This Truth He Was To Declare? It is called “the gospel of the grace of God” in vs.24. It is called “preaching the kingdom” in vs.25. And it is called “declaring the whole purpose of God” in vs.27.
- What Was Paul’s Responsibility? vs.26. Paul is alluding to Ezek. 3:16-19. Paul saw himself as a Watchman. A Watchman had a heavy responsibility. He had to keep himself alert and awake so that he could warn the city of any impending danger. God said that Ezekiel was a Watchman, and that it was his job to warn Israel of impending judgment. If Ezekiel didn’t do it, the wicked would die in his iniquity and God would require their blood at his hands. If Ezekiel did warn them, and they didn’t turn from their wickedness, they would still die in their iniquity, but their blood would be upon their own heads.
- Why Was Paul Innocent Of Their Blood? Because he had not shrunk from declaring to them the whole purpose of God. The word “shrink” tells us that parts of God’s truth are not pleasant, palatable, or popular. The preacher will be tempted to pass over some truths of God’s Word. It’s not easy to tell a crowd of people that they are sinners, spiritually dead and under the wrath of God. But that is part of the “whole purpose of God.” It’s not easy to tell a mixed crowd of Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and Budhists, that Jesus is the only way to God. It’s not easy to tell people that if they die in their sins they will spend eternity in the lake of fire, and at the end of a million ages will not be one second closer to the end of their torments. Remember, the Watchman delivered himself by warning of the judgment to come. I believe that Paul is saying that he was innocent, because he had warned everyone of God’s wrath that was coming right at them. It would also be true that Paul would not be innocent of he did shrink from declaring the whole purpose of God.
1. What Would The Whole Purpose Of God Include?
What does Luke mean by the “purpose” of God? Well, let’s see how the word is used in the rest of the New Testament.
Acts 4:28 “to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.” This purpose is linked with God’s predestination.
Eph.1:11 “also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.” God’s purpose is linked with His sovereignty and His predestination.
Heb.6:17 “In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath.” God’s purpose is unchangeable.
Romans 8:28-30 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” All those who are foreknown are glorified. Only those who are foreknown are glorified. No one who is not foreknown is glorified. This tells us that God’s purpose is absolutely sure and certain. If He called you according to His purpose, you can know that He will complete that purpose by glorifying you together with Christ.
So, Paul declared to them all of God’s sovereign purposes. He told them of God’s eternal plan. He spoke of God permitting the Fall, appointing Christ to be the Redeemer, and then choosing out of all the mass of mankind those whom He would save by Christ.
Life Application:
1) Are you innocent of the blood of all men? Have you faithfully warned those that God has called you to witness to about the judgment to come? Have you explained to them the gospel of the grace of God? Have you been faithful?
This is My Goal! At the end of my life I want to be able to say, “I am innocent of the blood of all men because I did not shrink to declare to you the whole purpose of God.” There are going to be preachers with blood on their hands on Judgment Day! Some have churches with thousands and thousands of people, and they are not warning them that God’s wrath is coming, and they must repent and flee from that wrath. The pastor of the largest church in the United States never speaks about sin, repentance, or judgment! Instead he only speaks about what he considers to be positive. Folks, there is a whole lot of truth in this Book that is not exactly positive – but we still have to preach it! When I stand before the Lord I want my conscience to be clear. You may say, “I didn’t like some of the things Brian preached, but I have to admit, he told me the truth. If I end up in hell, it won’t be his fault – it will be my own.”
2) Are you convinced God’s Plan Can Not Fail? Are you “in Christ”? If so, do you understand that you repented and believed, not because you were smarter or better than others, but because God called you? And, if He called you, He didn’t do it on accident, but on purpose. And this purpose was not something that He does on the fly, but was formed before the foundation of the world. Do you understand that if God called you, He chose to call you, out of all the people on the planet? Do you understand that if God called you, He will keep you and glorify you, and bring you into His kingdom? Do you see that God’s Plan can’t fail? How glorious is that?!
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