Title: The Important Thing is to …
Scripture: Acts 20:1-38
Introduction:
The important thing is to …
Just what is the important thing anyway? One book tells us to focus on our successes and we’ll be successful. One book tells us that the important thing is to think only positive thoughts and we’ll get along well in life. One speaker will tell us that the important thing is to identify with nature, to look to the god in all of us and we’ll be just fine. Just what is the important thing anyway? Just what is the important thing?
I. Encourage Your Brothers and Sisters (vv. 1-6)
II. Tend to the Old and Sick (vv. 7-12)
III. Testify of God’s Grace (vv. 13-27)
IV. Be On Guard (vv. 28-31)
V. Show God’s Grace (vv. 32-35)
VI. Pray With Your Brothers and Sisters (vv. 36-38)
I. Encourage Your Brothers and Sisters (vv. 1-6)
1 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said good-by and set out for Macedonia. 2 He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, 3 where he stayed three months. Because the Jews made a plot against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. 4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5 These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6 But we sailed from Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days.
When the uproar had ended…
Remember the large public gathering where a man named Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen wanted to get rid of the Christians in Ephesus? That was back in Acts 19, and in that chapter we see where Paul is encouraging his disciples while that situation is taking place.
It is very important to encourage one another during trying circumstances, or difficult situations. But, it’s just as important to encourage your brothers and sisters even after the circumstances or the uproar has ended.
When there is a really big situation, everyone is looking, everyone is observing what is going on. That’s the time when the crowd pleasers come out. Sure, they do a lot of good, but their heart is not in the right place. One way you can tell if a person means what they say is to see if they come back around and see how you’re doing.
That’s what Paul did. He went back around checking out the lives of his disciples. Looking to see if they were all right in the Lord. Seeing if they were growing in the Savior.
After the crowd is gone, that’s when the loneliness sets in, that’s when the self-pity begins to grow, that’s when you need an encourager the most.
How’re you at encouraging? Do you come back around after a situation and check on the people? Do you look into their lives and see where their needs are?
The important thing is to…
Encourage your brothers and sisters.
II. Tend to the Old and Sick (vv. 7-12)
7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. "Don’t be alarmed," he said. "He’s alive!" 11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.
Greatly comforted…
Tending to the old, the infirmed, the needy, the sick, or the hurt, brings great comfort to not only those that are afflicted, but to those that are in close relation to that person also.
The Word was getting out, the Word of God that is. Paul is preaching up a storm and that was the important thing to these people. That is, up to the point where young Eutychus fell out of the window. But, Paul didn’t hesitate. Paul didn’t miss a beat and went straightway to the young man’s aid. There’s a leadership lesson embedded in this narrative. A lesson that tells us that all eyes will be on the leader of the meeting, the crowd, or the study when something happens. When you are leading a group or a study, everyone will look to you when something happens. It doesn’t matter that it has nothing to do with you, everyone will look to you to resolve the situation.
This young man fell from a window at least 25 feet from the ground. Why? Because the carbon dioxide levels in that room were probably so high with the candles and the stale air, and add to that that it was late, and that the young man probably had worked a full day at work, and … well, he just fell asleep and fell out of the window.
Don’t hesitate, run to their aid. Don’t delay, run to their side. Don’t vacillate, run and help, because the important thing is to tend to the old and sick. Especially if it happens while you’re the leader of the group.
III. Testify of God’s Grace (vv. 13-27)
13 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. 14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. 15 The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Kios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. 16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost. 17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. 22 "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. 25 "Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.
TESTIFY!! TESTIFY OF GOD’S GOOD GRACE.
Preach only what is helpful and declare the whole counsel of God! Is there anything else that we should do? In verse 25, Paul tells us that he preached the kingdom which means he taught the whole counsel of God to the Ephesian church.
Paul thinks a lot of the church in Ephesus. But, because of the uproar that had happened there with Demetrius and the metal craftsmen, he decided to sail passed it and sends a group to Ephesus to accompany the elders of the Ephesus church back to Miletus.
He declares his testimony to the elders. He declares his heart to the elders. Paul is not boasting here. He is letting the elders of the Ephesus church know what has led him to the decision of going to Jerusalem. And, he is letting them know to what lengths he and the other evangelists have gone to, to bring the Word of God to Ephesus. Yet, he also wants them to know that he is not going to be held responsible for someone else deciding not to follow Jesus Christ. He wants them to know that its not the preacher that is held responsible for the listener not obeying the word of God.
The important thing is to testify to the grace of God, and Paul does just that. He tells us that he has had everything that he has ever needed and that he has just about done all that he was called to do. Just about. That is, he still believes that there is a little bit more to do in Jerusalem
Paul gives them some information. He tells them that there are some important things to watch for.
IV. Be On Guard (vv. 28-31)
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
Paul tells the Ephesian elders that the important thing for an elder of the church is to Be on Guard! Paul rightly evaluates that once a leader has been brought down, or moved out of the way, the flock will be attacked by those that desire to follow their own selfish ways.
Paul tells the Ephesian elders that the important thing for an elder is to be on guard. That not only will wolves come in from outside, but opportunistic wolves from the inside will attempt to interpret the word as they think they know it. That opportunistic wolves from the inside will attempt to bend and distort the truth of Jesus to get the people to follow after them.
Christians don’t follow people. Christians don’t follow Pastors. Christians don’t follow distortions. Christians only follow JESUS!
Be on your guard, he says. Is it enough to say that once a week or to read it once a month, or to see it in our quiet times once a year? NO! Paul warned the Ephesians every day for three years that they needed to be on their guard or insiders or outsiders would come in and try to snatch them from the hands of God.
We also need to remind ourselves that there may be those that come in from the outside, or, rise up from the inside that will distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. We must always be on guard, even more so for those that are leaders, teachers, deacons, and deaconesses. BE ON GUARD.
V. Show God’s Grace (vv. 32-35)
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. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ’It is more blessed to give than to receive.’"
Another important thing is to show God’s grace. Paul tells these elders that he was committing them to God and to the word of his grace. All of this based on the hard work that Paul did in Christ while he was in Ephesus. He tells us that while he was there he, himself, provided for his own needs, and this displaying God’s grace which was intended to build up the Ephesians.
How does that work? By example. Paul is letting these men know that what he did was to try and set an example that they could follow in helping the weak and poor, and, that the example he was following was the example of Jesus Christ, Himself.
Hard work has a way of discerning the ALIVE in Christ from the selfish imitators of this world that want everything for themselves. Paul calls on these overseers to remember what Jesus had said, it is more blessed to give than to receive. That truly espouses the important thing is to show God’s grace, especially to those that are clueless in Christ.
VI. Pray With Your Brothers and Sisters (vv. 36-38)
36 When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
Paul has had an emotional time as he has talked with the Ephesian elders. They must have held a special place in his heart. He has opened up that heart to these men and asked them to carry on the good work in Jesus Christ to the end. And, he didn’t forget that the important thing is to pray with your brothers and sisters.
Conclusion:
The important thing is to remember where you are going and how you’re going to get there. Jesus continues to show us, through the apostle Paul and through your teachers, leaders, pastor and friends what the important things in Kingdom life are:
The important thing is to:
I. Encourage Your Brothers and Sisters (vv. 1-6)
II. Tend to the Old and Sick (vv. 7-12)
III. Testify of God’s Grace (vv. 13-27)
IV. Be On Guard (vv. 28-31)
V. Show God’s Grace (vv. 32-35)
VI. Pray With Your Brothers and Sisters (vv. 36-38)
