Loving Your Neighborhood
Text: Acts 19:13-38
Introduction
1. Illustration: In the book, The Externally Focused Church, it says, "People need exercise for physical health and service for spiritual health. We learn from the Scriptures, but we grow by serving others" (Chp. 4).
2. It's simple, really, when we stop serving we stop growing. When we stop growing we die!
3. For years the church has made the mistake, including us, that outreach involved convincing people to come to us. But outreach by its very definition means us going to them.
4. Paul shows us what it means to serve others by giving us...
A. An Example Of Humility
B. An Example Of Commitment
C. An Example Of Compassion
5. Let's stand together as we read Acts 19:13-38.
Proposition: In order to follow Christ requires serving others.
Transition: First Paul gives us...
I. An Example Of Humility (16-21).
A. Done The Lord's Work Humbly
1. Paul concludes his third missionary journey and heads for Jerusalem. He knows that he is leaving Asia for very last time, for he knows that what awaits him in Jerusalem is imprisonment and most likely death.
2. In vv. 16-17 we read, "Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus, for he didn’t want to spend any more time in the province of Asia. He was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if possible, in time for the Festival of Pentecost. 17 But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him."
A. Paul did not want to take too much time in the province of Asia.
B. He had indeed settled it with God, and now he was "in a hurry to reach Jerusalem" by the next great pilgrimage feast, the Day of Pentecost (in May), if possible.
C. This would be a time when the Jewish believers in Palestine would be together and the offering from Greece and Macedonia would be most helpful (Horton, 337).
D. Paul did not bypass Ephesus because he lacked concern for the church there.
E. In fact, he "sent... for the elders of the church" to meet him at Miletus.
F. These would be the presidents of local congregations meeting in house churches.
G. This was a very serious occasion for Paul because he believed it would be the last time he would ever see them.
H. His farewell address to them "is the only example in Acts of an address by Paul to a believing audience" (Horton, 337).
I. His talk to this group follows the form of farewell speeches familiar at that time.
J. The language of this speech is more like Paul's than Luke's.
K. Keener observes that "because presumably Luke had little access to Paul's letters (they were not collected from various churches until long after Paul's death), he must have learned Paul's style from direct contact with him" (Fernando, NIV Application Commentary, The – Acts, 531).
3. When they arrive he tells them, “You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now 19 I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews."
A. He began, therefore, by reminding them how all the time he was with them he served the Lord "with great humility."
B. Paul often called himself the Lord's slave.
C. This noun, normally translated as “humbleness, lowliness,” does not occur in classical Greek, being found only in the early centuries after the birth of Christ.
D. When it does appear it denotes something “poor, weak,” something “groveling” and “submissive.” Outside of Biblical writings it always has a negative connotation.
E. This “humility,” however, has nothing to do with “groveling” or “weakness.”
F. It describes a humility that naturally evolves out of a heart of love for the exalted Lord.
G. It is the attitude of the Christian servant, first exemplified by Jesus.
H. In fact, it is only in an attitude of humility, a contrite heart, that the spiritual life can prosper (The Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary – Sigma-Omega)
I. He served also "with tears" because of his love for people he wanted to see saved, and with testings brought on "by the plots of the [unbelieving] Jews"(Horton, 338).
4. Then Paul continues his speech by saying, "I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. 21 I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus."
A. At the same time, Paul did not let danger cause him to shrink from telling them anything that was beneficial, teaching them both publicly and in their homes.
B. He taught the Ephesians everything that was helpful to them, and did so publicly and from house to house (v. 20). His teaching was relevant to their needs (Fernando, 533).
C. To both Jews and Greeks he declared their need to "turn to God in repentance" (a change of mind and attitude that caused them to hate sin and love Him for who He is) and "have faith in our Lord Jesus" (accepting His salvation provided by the shedding of His blood on the cross)(Horton, 338-339).
D. Paul uses the word diamartyromai, translated "message" here (cf. comments on 18:5).
E. This word conveys the idea that evangelism is a serious responsibility as it calls people to repentance and faith (Fernando, 533).
F. This idea of Paul telling them not only what they want to hear but also what they needed to hear shows us that meekness is not weakness!
G. We need to serve people not only with what they want, but more importantly, with what they need.
B. Came Not To Be Served But To Serve
1. Illustration: Howard Hendricks of the Dallas Theological seminary made this statement involving discipleship. He said, "We begin to grow when we take responsibility for the growth of another person" (Externally Focused Church, Chp 4).
2. The Christian life is a life of service to others.
A. Matthew 20:28 (NLT)
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
B. Not only do we have the example of Paul, but we also have the example of Jesus himself when it comes to service.
C. Serving others is not an option in the Christian life; it's a necessity.
D. There are far too many Christians asking the question, "What's in it for me?"
E. How does it benefit me? What am I going to get out of it?
F. But the idea we should be reaching for is not what's in it for me, but rather how can I serve and help someone else.
Transition: In addition to being an example of humility, Paul was also...
II. An Example Of Commitment (22-26).
A. Finishing The Work
1. Now Paul tells his dear friends what awaits him in Jerusalem.
2. He says, “And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, 23 except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead."
A. Paul then told the elders that he was going to Jerusalem not of his own will but "compelled by the Spirit."
B. That is, the Spirit had made it clear to Paul that divine necessity was still upon him to go to Jerusalem.
C. Paul suffered because of obedience. In verses 22-23 he attributes two actions to the Holy Spirit: a compulsion that is now driving him to Jerusalem and a regular warning (diamartyromai) that he will suffer if he goes to Jerusalem (Fernando, 533).
D. He did not know what he would encounter there, except that the Holy Spirit in city after city gave solemn warning (undoubtedly through the gift of prophecy) that "prison" (chains) and "hardships" awaited him.
E. Further warnings would be given at Tyre and at Caesarea. In this way, the Holy Spirit was preparing Paul for the persecution and distress God purposed for him (Horton, 339).
3. However, Paul shows his commitment when he says, "But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God."
A. These warnings of the Holy Spirit were not intended to stop Paul from going, for he was still compelled by the Spirit to go. In fact, he was willing to go.
B. On no account did he consider his life valuable when compared with finishing his race, accomplishing the task (the ministry) he had been assigned by the Lord Jesus: giving serious testimony to the good news of the grace of God.
C. The goal of life is not to preserve our lives but to be faithful to our calling to testify to the gospel. If such faithfulness involves suffering and imprisonment, then such experiences will be taken on willingly (Fernando, 533).
D. Other passages show Paul was always willing to risk his life for the gospel's sake. To the end of his life he kept before him the purpose of finishing his race.
E. Then he wrote "I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Tim. 4:7). He had indeed followed God's plan for his life and ministry (Horton, 339).
4. Paul now tells them that they are an illustration of his commitment. He says, “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again. 26 I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, 27 for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know."
A. Paul next let the elders know that this was a final farewell. He did not think that they would ever see him again.
B. He planned to visit Rome and Spain, never expecting to return to Ephesus (Rom. 15:24, 28).
C. For this reason he bore witness that he was "innocent of the blood of all." Ezekiel was appointed a watchman for, and an admonisher of, the people of Israel who were in exile by the Chebar Canal in Babylon.
D. If he failed to warn the people and they died in their sins, he would be accountable for their blood.
E. Paul recognized he had the same heavy responsibility for the people to whom the Lord sent him to minister.
F. No one could say Paul had failed to give warning. Even more important, he never shrank from telling "the whole will [Gk. boulē, plan, wise purpose] of God." Nor did he stop now (Horton, 340).
B. Singular Focus
1. Illustration: Garibaldi had an incredibly committed volunteer army. He would appeal for recruits in these terms: "I offer neither pay, nor quarters, nor provisions; I offer hunger, thirst, forced marches, battles and death. Let him who loves his country with his heart and not with his lips only, follow me!" Jesus invites you to discipleship. But He lets you know up front that it is a commitment that will cost you something. It’s not going to be easy. To paraphrase Garibaldi, "Let him who loves the Lord with his heart and not with his lips only, be Jesus’ disciple!"
2. Salvation is a free gift, but discipleship will cost you everything!
A. Luke 9:23-24 (NLT)
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
B. It has been said, "you get what you pay for!" The idea being that if you want the better things in life it's going to cost you.
C. Well the same can be said for disciples of Jesus.
D. It's one thing to pay up your fire insurance, but God offers us more.
E. If we want the abundant life that Christ offers it will cost us our lives.
F. But if we surrender our wants, desires and the things of this life for the sake of the gospel our reward will be great.
G. Nothing in this life is worth hanging onto in comparrison to what God has to offer us.
H. The things of this life will come to an end, but the things that Christ offers us will last for eternity.
Transition: We have an example of humility, an example of commitment, and...
III. An Example Of Compassion (27-38).
A. Many Tears For You
1. If ever there was a person with a Pastor's heart it was Paul. Now he asks these church leaders to follow his example.
2. In v. 28 he says, “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders."
A. Paul warned the elders to "watch over" (give attention to) themselves. At the same time he expected them to exercise the office of overseer (Gk. episkopous, superintendent, ruling elder, president of the local congregation) of the local congregation, to be its executive or administrative head.
B. Although Spirit-filled people who were led by the Spirit had elected the elders to the office, the Holy Spirit had really given it to them.
C. More important, they were dependent on Him for the gifts of administration (governments) and ruling necessary to carrying out the office.
D. Through the Holy Spirit they could give wise counsel, manage the business affairs of the church, give spiritual leadership, and show the people the kind of love, concern, and care that Jesus had shown His disciples when He was on earth.
E. He required service of them, not domineering leadership. In addition, Paul expected the elders to "be shepherds" of the church.
F. The chief duty of the shepherd was to lead the sheep to food and water. The elders therefore needed to have the Christ-given, Spirit-anointed, Spirit-gifted ministry of pastor and teacher.
G. This was a great responsibility. They were not simply leading and teaching their church but "the church of God," the Lord's assembly (Gk. ekklēsia, "assembly," as in 19:41), an assembly made His own at a tremendous price, the precious blood of Jesus.
H. His blood is the ground of the new covenant, and the shedding of His blood put the new covenant into effect and brings believers into right relationship with God (Horton, 340-341).
3. Then Paul says, "I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following."
A. Another part of the work of a shepherd was to protect the sheep from enemies.
B. The shepherd's staff guided. The shepherd's rod broke the bones of the wolves that came to destroy the sheep.
C. Paul therefore warned these elders that after his departure "savage wolves" would come in among them, "not spar [ing] the [little] flock," but injuring them severely.
D. Not all of these wolves would come in from the outside. "Even from [their] own number," even from among the elders themselves, some would rise up.
E. By "distort[ing] the truth," that is, by using half-truths or by twisting the truth, they would seek "to draw away disciples," a following, for themselves from the members of the local assemblies.
F. This indicates that their real purpose would be to build up themselves rather than the assembly.
G. They would also attempt to draw away disciples who were already believers; they would have little interest in winning the lost for Christ, nor would they desire to build up the churches that were already established (Horton, 341).
4. Next Paul reminds them of the example he set for them. He says, "Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you."
A. The elders needed to be on their guard against wolves such as these. Paul then challenged them to remember his example in this too.
B. For the three-year period he was with them, "night and day" he "never stopped warning" each one of them "with tears."
C. That is, he was ready in season and out, and was always moved by tender love for them.
D. From what we read in Paul's epistles, we see also that during those years he was opposed by many wolves and false brothers (people who claimed to be Christians)(Horton, 342).
5. Then in v. 35 he says, "And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
A. Paul worked with his hands, also, to set an example for all. The object of every believer should be to give, not just to receive.
B. We should become mature and strong, and work hard so we can give to help the weak (including the physically sick or weak, as well as those who are spiritually weak).
C. Hard work also includes mental effort, teaching, promoting the gospel in order to help others.
D. In doing this they would be remembering the words of Jesus: "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
E. This saying of Jesus is not recorded in any of the Gospels. Paul, in Galatians, says he did not receive his gospel from men but directly through revelation by Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:11-12).
F. That is, even the sayings of Jesus were given him by Jesus himself. In a number of instances in his epistles, he indicates he has a word or saying of Jesus to confirm what he says.
G. He had taught these sayings of Jesus during his stay in Ephesus. Here to reinforce his counsel to these Ephesian elders he reminds them of one of these sayings (Horton, 343).
B. Heart For People
1. Illustration: A man fell into a pit and couldn’t get himself out.
A. A subjective person came along and said, "I feel for you down there."
B. An objective person walked by and said, "It’s logical that someone would fall down there."
C. A Pharisee said, "Only bad people fall into pits."
D. A mathematician calculated how deep the pit was.
E. A news reporter wanted the exclusive story on the pit.
F. An IRS agent asked if he was paying taxes on the pit.
G. A self-pitying person said, "You haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen my pit."
H. A fire-and-brimstone preacher said, "You deserve your pit."
I. A Christian Scientist observed, "The pit is just in your mind."
J. A psychologist noted, "Your mother and father are to blame for your being in that pit."
K. A self-esteem therapist said, "Believe in yourself and you can get out of that pit."
L. An optimist said, "Things could be worse."
M. A pessimist claimed, "Things will get worse."
N. "Jesus, seeing the man, took him by the hand and lifted him out of the pit."
2. Compassion is the idea of helping someone else not because of how it makes you feel, but simply because of how it makes them feel.
A. Matthew 7:12 (NLT)
“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets."
B. If you're asking the question, "What's in it for me?," you're asking the wrong question!
C. If you're asking the question, "What will this do for other people's impression of me?, you're asking the wrong question!
D. But if you're asking what this will do for the other person.
E. If you're asking how can I be blessing to someone in need.
F. If you're asking what would Jesus want me to do.
G. Then you are acting out of compassion and not out of compulsion.
Conclusion
1. For years the church has made the mistake, including us, that outreach involved convincing people to come to us. But outreach by its very definition means us going to them.
2. Paul shows us what it means to serve others by giving us...
A. An Example Of Humility
B. An Example Of Commitment
C. An Example Of Compassion
3. What are you willing to do to bring someone else to Jesus?
