Disciples Love The Church Together Series

ACTS OF DISCIPLESHIP

DISCIPLES LOVE THE CHURCH TOGETHER

Acts 20:18-38

Introduction

I love the church. Because I’m imperfect and I’m a part of the church, the church as we see it is imperfect. But I still love the church.

Karl Vater : four main reasons why we should love the church

-Jesus Loves the Church.

-The Church Loves Christ.

-Through the Church, I Came to Love Jesus – And Know that He Loves Me.

-The Power of the Church. Vater: “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known. (Ephesians 3:10) .

Acts of Discipleship: Disciples Get Together, Work Together, Reach Out Together, Overcome Differences together. Today we think about how disciples love the church.

We have a great example in the Apostle Paul’s passionate service. (20:18-20) He serve through Tears and Trials!

-Paul was a rough, tough, rugged individual. One of the most influential disciples in the Kingdom.

-Paul had a tender heart for the people of God. (1 Cor 13)

-His amazing love for the church is a great example for all of us - and in this text we have several elements of how we can love the church like he did.

-I want to love the church the way Paul loved the church!

1. LOVE THE MESSAGE (20:21 “testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”)

The methods and ways of a church may change, but the message must always remain the same. The message of faith and repentance is a part of God’s plan from the beginning. It was a part of the birth day of the church!

Acts 2:38 “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (3,000 responded!)

The church is calling the world to repentance and faith. Repentance is turning away from sin - sin that has caused so much misery and pain in our lives. Faith in the Lord Jesus is trusting God to save us and help us grow.

2. LOVE THE MISSION (20:24 “..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.”)

Paul certainly had an amazing testimony! But notice the message of his testimony: the good news of God’s grace! Every saved person has a testimony of the good news of God’s grace. It is our mission to share that with our world in every way that we can.

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

3. LOVE THE PURPOSE (20:27 “I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.”)

Helping the world to know what God wants us to know is a key part of the purpose of the church - all of us.

God bless our Bible teachers - making lifetime impressions on our young people! We all teach - in our actions, in conversations, in what we present in social media, in our lives.

4. LOVE THE LEADERS (28-31)

Paul had a special love for the leaders of the church and often addressed them in his letters. In this text he speaks with the Ephesian elders. His concerns for them are a great example of how we can love and pray for our elders.

Loving Leaders Means Encouraging Them To…

-Guard Yourselves (28)

- Guard God’s People (28). Guard his Church bought with Blood (28). “This is perhaps the most direct, certainly the most striking, statement of the meaning of Jesus’ crucifixion to be found anywhere in Acts, and it opens up vistas both of the love of God and of the responsibility of the shepherd.” - N. T. Wright

-You are Holy Spirit Appointed (28)

-Watch out for wolves (29)

-Watch out for dividers (30)

Follow Paul’s example of love (31)

Conclusion

1. N. T. Wright reminds us, “…He is not here to preach, but to say farewell. And not just farewell, but to reflect on his time with them, the longest period he had ever spent with a church…”

2. In this time of saying goodbye, Paul gives a charge that we should all hear and receive in vs 32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

-Be committed to God

-Be committed to His Word

-Be built up by His grace

-Be focused on the promised inheritance

-Be holy / sanctified / dedicated to God.

3. These are the things that help build a strong Christian - and therefore a strong church.