Looking Back, Looking Ahead
Acts 20:17-25
We arrive at Acts 20 in our ongoing series through the book of Acts this morning. My goal has been complete this series by Christmas. We have 10 Sundays, including today, until Christmas - and we have 9 chapters remaining in the book of Acts. We're going to spend two of those 10 Sundays on this one chapter.
In chapter 20 Paul on his 3rd missionary journey. Now throughout Paul’s 3 missionary journeys, the process in each city has been pretty consistent. He shows up, goes to the synagogue, preaches there, a few converts are made until he gets kicked out. He then turns his attention to Gentiles in the city, a few more get converted until finally for one reason or another, violence breaks out against him and he has to get out of Dodge. He’s usually in a new city for a few weeks to as long as a few months. But in each city he sees God grant salvation to many through his preaching, but that always came at a high price – a hostile reaction from those who rejected the message.
But when Paul arrived in Ephesus, it was different. He didn’t minister there for a few weeks or months, but for nearly three years - his longest stay in any city. This obviously resulted in tremendous fruit and some very meaningful relationships being built. But eventually, like virtually all the other cities before, there was an uproar that effectively forced Paul to leave. That's where we left off last week.
At the beginning of chapter 20 we find Paul departing Ephesus, embarking on his long-anticipated return to Jerusalem. His desire was to arrive at Jerusalem for Pentecost. Now the year is about 56 AD - some 25 years since Christ's death and resurrection and that first outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. I wonder if Pentecost - a Jewish holiday - was also now a thoroughly Christian holiday and Paul desired to celebrate it in Jerusalem. Regardless, Paul was hastening, verse 16 says, to be in Jerusalem by Pentecost.
Now, the first 16 verses of chapter 20 focus on Paul traveling as a passenger on a merchant ship, making its way on the Aegean Sea, heading toward the Mediterranean Sea. The ship made stops at various port cities throughout Macedonia and Greece - cities where Paul had already been and had established churches. Paul used those stops as an opportunity to encourage and instruct the believers there.
At one stop, they were in the city of Troas for 7 days, and that's where Paul preached until midnight and a young man named Eutychus, sitting in the 3rd floor window, fell asleep during Paul's sermons, fell out of the window and died. Let that be a warning to you about falling asleep in church! Now Eutychus was miraculously brought back to life, but I can't guarantee the same outcome here - so it's best to just stay awake while I preach.
Paul apparently had some influence on the ports of call because verse 16 says HE decided to sail past Ephesus and stop at the port of Miletus. The reason Luke gives for Paul wanting to sail past Ephesus is because time was of the essence. We can read into that Paul's reasoning: by stopping in Ephesus where he ministered for 3 years, no doubt there would have been significant time spent saying goodbye to all the believers there.
So instead of stopping in Ephesus, they stop in Miletus, and Paul sends for the elders of the church in Ephesus to make the 14 mile journey by land. That's where we pick up the account in our reading this morning - look at verse 17: 17Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. 18And when they came to him, he said to them:
“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; 20how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, 21testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 24But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, 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. 25And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again.
Luke's record of the formation of the worldwide spread of Christianity here in the book of Acts is, for the most part, a fast-paced record. Going from city to city and region to region seeing the incredible expanse of the gospel. But from time to time he slows down and includes a particular sermon or speech given by Peter, or Stephen, and here by Paul.
But this speech is different than all the other sermons or speeches: It's the only on addressed exclusively to Christians. All the other speeches recorded in Acts are addressed primarily to unbelievers. For that reason it has the same didactic tone of Paul's epistles. Because it's so full of powerful truth, we're going to take 2 Sundays to examine it.
Now, the first half of the speech which we'll cover today has Paul recounting his own personal commitments and sacrifices in fulfilling the call to take the gospel to where it has not been heard. Next week we'll see in the second half of the speech, Paul gives specific instruction to the elders on how they are to lead the church in Ephesus. Luke, the inspired author of this book, was there on that beach in Miletus with them. So this is a first-hand account of what happened there.
Now why did Paul just call the elders of the church? Again, because of time-constraints - he sailed past Ephesus. But also because this illustrates a fundamental principle of church life: as the elders go, so goes the church. We cannot underestimate the necessity of godly, committed, and faithful elders to the ongoing spiritual health and wellbeing of a local congregation. As Ephesians 4 says, elders are a gift from Christ to his church.
In this final instruction from Paul to the elders overseeing this church, he first holds himself up as an example to them. In 1 Corinthians 11:1 he told the church in Corinth, "You imitate me as I imitate Christ." So as he puts himself forward to the elders as an example to follow. And as he presents his own ministry as an example to them, he does some looking back, and some looking ahead. First, when looking back, Paul is...
I. CONFIDENT In The Past
As he recounts the three years he spent in Ephesus to the elders who observed his leadership there, he expresses confidence in the way he led among them; he expresses confidence in the example he set. The opening line of his speech was, “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia...
These men were eyewitness to his manner of life. They had firsthand knowledge of his ministry. They saw him, they heard him, they lived with him. He reminds them what his ministry among them was all about. First, he describes his ministry as…
A. Humble DEDICATION
19serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; I want you to underline that word “serving.” This is where the idea of dedication comes from. That word there is the verb form of the now doulos. The word doulos means slave or bond-servant. Paul used this verb 17 times throughout his letters to describe obedience given to the King of kings and Lord of lords
Paul recognized that ultimately his allegiance was not to men, but to Christ. That’s why he said in Galatians 1:10: For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10
Paul was a doulos, a servant of Christ, a slave of the Lord. And in verse 19 he also describes the attitude with which he performed that service. He says he served the Lord with all humility. I want you to circle that word “humility.” You see, it's one thing to serve the Lord, it's another thing to serve the Lord with ALL humility. That’s the attitude Paul had while serving – a humble, compliant attitude.
Like all good parents, we have given each of our children specific chores they’re responsible for around the house. And believe it or not, we have to remind them, regularly, to do those chores. Now we are probably cruel parents in this way, but we not only require our kids to accomplish the task of each particular chore, but we require they do it with the right attitude. It is not acceptable that one pout while taking out the trash; it is not acceptable that one snarls while cleaning the bathroom – you with me. The attitude demonstrated while doing the job is just as important as the job itself.
Remember, Paul is talking to the leaders in the church in Ephesus. He's holding himself up as an example for them. And the first character trait he mentions when serving the Lord is humility.
Ill. I ran into former congressman Zach Wamp on Friday, in of all places - Walmart. Our conversation turned to the current political environment. He said something very profound in that conversation. He said, "Troy, one of the most critical character traits that defines any good leader no matter where he's leading, is humility." That's pretty insightful from someone who spent 16 years in Washington, DC observing a lot of leaders come and go.
Paul had a humble, compliant attitude when serving the Lord. There was never any, “That’s not fair!” from him. He never said, “Why doesn’t Peter have to do what I’m doing. I don’t ever see John out here doing this. Why do I always have to be the one?” He humbly served the Lord, look again at verse 19: with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews;
There was constant pressure, constant threats, and a constant weight of responsibility connected to his ministry in Ephesus.
We talk about having joy in the Lord. Last week I talked about being a happy warrior instead of an angry mercenary. There is joy in the Spirit; there is joy in the presence of the Lord. But let’s get real, gut-level honest. There are a lot of tears associated with ministry. When you put verse 18 & 19 together, the indication is that he lived among the Ephesians the whole time…with tears. Paul’s saying, I was always crying around you guys – you know that about me. Even at the end of this chapter as they're saying goodbye, it says there was much weeping among them all – more crying.
Why did Paul cry so much? I might be able to speak to this a little bit after 20 years of full time ministry. I never started crying as a man until I went into ministry. I think he wept over the lostness of the city. He looked at Ephesus, and he knew the vast majority of them, thousands of people, were lost and heading to hell. So like Jesus wept over Jerusalem, he wept.
I think he also wept over the struggles of the saints. He knew there were believers in the church in abusive marriages – and he wept; struggling with addictions – and he wept; dealing with terminal illness – and he wept; church members pursuing worldly affections – and he wept. And can I tell you, these are the kinds of things I weep about.
But do you know what else I weep about. Just Thursday I wept as I heard testimony about one of our members who a year ago was on a path of destruction; was pursuing selfish desires and today is growing, spiritually alive and pursuing Christ. But you know, I find the times I weep the most in ministry is when I think about the goodness of God; when I ponder his great salvation for sinners like me; when I consider the grace he’s lavished on me – I cry.
So Paul is confident in the past ministry he fulfilled among these elders in Ephesus – why? Because of his HUMBLE DEDICATION. But not only that, secondly he has confidence in the past because of his…
B. Honest DECLARATION
He reminds them... 20how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, 21testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul clearly saw that his primary obligation and fundamental responsibility was to proclaim the truth of the gospel; he was called to Ephesus to preach, to declare “anything that was profitable.” And he says to these elders, you’re my witnesses, you can vouch for me on this – I did not shrink back. He’ll use the same word in verse 27 when he says, I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God, - a word that’s only used 4 times in the NT is used twice here in Acts 20 to describe HOW he proclaimed the gospel. He did not shrink back, he didn’t hem and haw around the tough issues; he didn’t sidestep the difficult doctrines. Anything that would be profitable for them to hear, he spoke it.
One passage that every preacher ought to commit to memory is Proverbs 29:25. It says, The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man is a snare, it’s a trap. And there’s too many preachers standing behind too many pulpits in too many churches on too many Sunday mornings who allow their preaching to be modified by the fear of man, the fear of what people will think, the fear of disapproval, the fear of rejection. God help me to not shrink back from declaring to you anything that is profitable.
Notice the two-fold venue he declared this truth – in public and from house to house. Paul was always on, the message was always on his lips.
Notice the two-fold audience – both Jews and Greeks. You see, the gospel message is for everybody.
Notice the two-fold message – repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. That’s the only appropriate response to the gospel, that two-sided coin of repentance and faith.
He did not shrink back from declaring the truth, in any venue, to anyone who would listen. Well, after spending time looking back and reminding the elders of the marks of his ministry – his Humble Dedication and Honest Declaration, we see he’s confident in the past; he puts himself forward as an example. But now, he takes some time to look ahead. And when looking ahead Paul has, secondly...
II. COURAGE For The Future
Paul was confident in the past ministry in Ephesus, but that time of ministry is over. Now he directs his focus forward and he demonstrates tremendous courage for the future. Knowing what's ahead, knowing what's in store...
I love John Wayne’s quote about courage. Look at what the Duke “Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.” Paul was not like the Duke, a big, burly hulk of a man. He was not physically impressive, but oh what courage he displayed.
I think - like humility - this quality of courage is particularly lacking in men today. Listen to how men’s leader and author Dave Jenkins describes the need for courage among men today. He says,
“Men today are confronted with challenges on every side. With the rise of the internet and social media, we are more distracted than ever (even to the point of ignoring God and our families). /The temptation to do everything except be in the Word of God, in the habit of prayer, and regularly gathering in a local Church each week to sit under the preaching of the Word, is a real challenge. /When one combines this with the plethora of resources on the internet by which we as men are led into sexual temptation, we can see that there has never been a greater need for godly courage.” Dave Jenkins
Where did Paul’s courage come from? How was he able to faithfully press on against what seems like insurmountable obstacles? 3 things to notice:
A. Internal PERSUASION
22And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there,
I want you to circle that word “constrained” on your outline. That word means to be bound up with chains or ropes. Paul’s soul had been gripped by the Spirit of God; his spirit had been bound up by the Spirit of God; he was constrained to accomplish the will of God, empowered by conviction, driven courageously by this internal persuasion.
There will be times of doubt, there will be times of confusion; there will be times in ministry when you begin to question who you are and what you’re doing. And one of the most fundamental things to do at that moment is to remind yourself of the call of God that’s been placed on your life. Paul faced the future with courage because of an internal persuasion; constrained by the Spirit. And he courageously did so knowing there would be
B. Inevitable PERSECUTION
he says I don't know what's ahead, 23except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me
Paul moves toward the future courageously, knowing there would be persecution ahead – it was inevitable – the Holy Spirit testified to the fact, the Spirit does not lie. He had a tough road ahead of him. But he willingly and faithfully moved forward with incredible confidence and courage.
Ill. Our family started a new devotional this week. Each morning I’m up before the rest and I usually look over the devotional for that day to preview it before we read it together as a family. Friday morning the devotional was on Jeremiah 29:11 and I thought, “Oh no, here comes another lightweight application of this popular coffee cup verse.”
You know what I mean by a coffee cup verse, right? Those are the short verses you can put on coffee cup, tee-shirt or bumper sticker that just kind of brighten your day, right? And there's nothing wrong with that, so long as they're applied correctly. But this one, Jeremiah 29:11, doesn’t mean what most people think it means. But fortunately, our devotional Friday got it right. Here's the verse: "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Now most people quote this verse when they or someone they know is going through a difficulty or hardship. And the application they make with it is this: "Things may be tough now, but I've got prosperity right around the corner; things may seem hopeless now, but I've got hope right around the corner. It's gonna get better, I just know it. Prosperity is coming my way!" Now we may not verbalize it like that, but that's essentially the way most people apply this verse.
Here's the context. The people of Israel had fallen into rampant idolatry. God had made numerous overtures to them to repent and return; he sent prophets to proclaim the truth, but they rejected and killed the prophets. So do you know what God did - he used the nation of Babylon to utterly destroy them. The uncircumcised Babylonians under the evil king Nebuchadnezzar come in and ransack Jerusalem. They destroy the city, tear down it's walls, the temple - which was the pride of Judah - they raze it to the ground. But not only do they do that, but most of those who weren't killed in the process are rounded up like cattle and taken on a 900 mile trip through the desert to be captives and slaves in Babylon.
This message from Jeremiah in chapter 29 comes to the people of Israel while they're captive as a people, in Babylon. And the first thing to understand about the meaning of this famous verse is it's spoken to a people, not to a person. It's spoken to Israel as a whole. But look at this verse in its context and see if it means what most think it means: 10This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.12Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. Jeremiah 29:10-12
When is the "Then." When was the promise of prosperity, and hope, and future to be fulfilled? When 70 years of exile in Babylon are completed. In other words, none of the people who were alive to hear the promise of Jeremiah 29:11 would be alive to experience the promise of Jer. 29:11.
The promise was FOR them, but it would actually be realized by their children, and their children's children. The point is this: we've got to open up our understanding and our view of God's global redemptive activity to something bigger and beyond the here and now; God's up to something much bigger and beyond our present situation; something bigger and beyond the current election cycle that we get so wrapped up in.
I share that because it illustrates so well what Paul knew. Because the Holy Spirit testified to him, that his life would be filled by assaults and attacks; filled with persecution and imprisonment in every single city he entered - he understood the fact that God's plans and purposes were much bigger and beyond him.
Now most level-headed people might ask Paul, "Then why are you going into those cities if you know that's coming?" And Paul would say, "Because I've got a view of God's purposes that's bigger and beyond himself; bigger and beyond the here and now." In fact, that really leads to my next point. Paul had courage because of an internal persuasion; he had courage with full knowledge of inevitable persecution, but thirdly, he had courage because of what I'm calling an...
C. Inverted PERSPECTIVE
What do I mean by that? All of us are wired for self-preservation. That's natural. We do what we do so that we might stay alive, that we might live. Paul had an inverted perspective when it comes to the value of his life. Look again at verse 24: 24But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, 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.
He did not count his life as precious to himself, and what that resulted in him was a resolute, determined purpose to finish the course. He wanted to finish well! He wanted to finish strong!
But you know what the average American would say to Paul? But Paul, you're getting old. You've already done more in your ministry than most people could do in five lifetimes. It's time to rest. Let the last 20 years of your life be travel and golf and puttering around. Let the young people take over, you've done your share. Let Timothy have a chance. He's young. If you go on mission in hostile locations like Jerusalem, or Rome, or Spain - you'll get yourself killed. Paul, it isn't . . . American! It's not the American dream of what to do with the last years of your life. To pour it out in ministry. You with me?
And I'm afraid this American ideal of "retirement" has crept its way into the ethos, the fabric of the American church. Let's just coast the last years of our life, let the young people take over, let's retire! I looked up the word "retire" in the Merriam-Webster dictionary. It gave four definitions:
1: to withdraw from action or danger ; retreat
2: to move back; recede
3: to withdraw from one's occupation
4: to go to bed
My dad is my hero. He came to this country from Europe in the early 1950's, and he's the poster boy of fulfilling the American dream that so many immigrants sought when arriving on the shores of the USA. He served in the military, got married, raised a family and built a successful business that enabled him to retire - to stop working - with considerable resources. But in the process, he got Jesus - he was born again. So at 65 years old, the first month after my dad retired from an entire life of hard work, do you know what he did? He didn't go on a cruise or spend time in a mountain vacation home. He spent his first month of retirement painting the entire exterior of FBC Riverview, FL by himself. He scraped and prepped, he bought the paint, he moved the ladders and hauled the paint up and down.
For him, only one of those definitions for retirement apply - withdrawing from one's occupation. He serves as a deacon, he teaches an adult Sunday school class of 40-50 people week in and week out; he serves as a Gideon passing out Bibles; he works in the church nursery.
Back in April he turned 80 years old. We had a birthday party for him and there were over 100 people there - 90% of whom I did not know. Now all 4 of his kids got up and spoke how impactful he's been in our life. But then 1 by 1, people I didn't know, starting talking about how he's influenced their lives. Then it was time for dad to get up and make his speech. He had 3 pages of handwritten notes. He started talking about Moses and how 80 was a significant age for Moses. Because it was at 80 years old that God called Moses to lead the people of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. And Dad said, could it be that God's most significant work that he's going to do through me is at 80 years old?
Now you may say, "Well that's just his personality, that's just the way he's wired; that's just the Swiss ingenuity coming out. Not everyone is wired that way." I would say that may be partly true. But the goal of his life is the same as Paul's here: , if only, IF ONLY I may finish my course He wants to finish well!
Oh how I pray the American church; how I pray THIS church would be rescued from the lie and the seduction of the American Dream of retirement - pursuing endless amounts leisure and entertainment and recreation. And I'm thankful we have some folks like that in our church - that have not taken their withdrawal from formal employment to be a withdrawal from humble, sacrificial, courageous Kingdom activity. No retreat, no falling back, no withdrawing from action or danger. Finishing the course strong.
Look at our last verse we'll touch on today, verse 25: And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again.
He says to these dear brothers in Christ, I'm about to go be poured out for the kingdom; I'm about to spend the remaining years of my life - whatever that may look like - proclaiming the kingdom. You'll never see me again.
What about you - what do you see when you look back? What do you envision when you look ahead? In fact here's a question to ponder: What is it that forms and shapes the ideals, priorities and goals of your life?
I love this quote by DL Moody, and I'll close with it today...
“The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to him. By God’s help, I aim to be that man.” D.L Moody
Last Thought: Allow the truth of the WORD not the attraction of the WORLD to determine your life’s pursuit.
