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<h2><a onclick="return mV('Act',20,'all');">Act 20</a> - Paul's Farewell to the Ephesian Elders</h2>
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<p>A. Paul in the region of Macedonia again.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Act',20,1);">1</a>) From Ephesus, Paul travels to Macedonia.</p>
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<p class="c2">After the uproar had ceased, Paul called the disciples to <i>himself, </i>embraced <i>them, </i>and departed to go to Macedonia.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">After the uproar had ceased</span></b>: The rioting in Ephesus (<a onclick="return mV('Act',19,'all');">Act 19</a>) had convinced Paul to move on, so he went westward across the Aegean Sea to Macedonia (modern Greece).</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Act',20,'2-5');">2-5</a>) Travels through Greece and Macedonia.</p>
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<p class="c2">Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece and stayed three months. And when the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. And Sopater of Berea accompanied him to Asia; also Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. These men, going ahead, waited for us at Troas.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">When he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words</span></b>: Paul spent his time working with the churches he had already established, as recorded in <a onclick="return mV('Act',16,'1-17');">Act 16-17</a>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "One activity that especially concerned Paul at this time was collecting money for the relief of impoverished believers at Jerusalem...Paul viewed it as a symbol of unity that would help his Gentile converts realize their debt to the mother church in Jerusalem." (Longenecker)</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">When the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia</span></b>. Paul had planned to take the long journey by sea directly back to Syria (where his sending church at Antioch was), but the plotting of anti-Christian Jews made him take a more overland route back through Macedonia, accompanied by many companions.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "It may have been planned to attack him on board ship, especially if the vessel was crowded with Jewish pilgrims for Passover or Pentecost." (Williams)</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Sopater of Berea...Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians...Gaius of Derbe...Trophimus of Asia</span></b>: These traveling companions of Paul were probably representatives from other churches who had sent money with Paul to Jerusalem. They were also present as ambassadors from the churches Paul has founded among the Gentiles, and were there to vouch for Paul's good stewardship in regard to the collection destined for Jerusalem.</p>
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<p>B. Back to Troas and the region of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey).</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Act',20,6);">6</a>) Arrival at the city of Troas.</p>
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<p class="c2">But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days joined them at Troas, where we stayed seven days.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">We sailed away from Philippi...joined them at Troas</span></b>: Paul has now sailed back across the Agean Sea, eastward towards the Roman province of Asia Minor.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Act',20,'7-12');">7-12</a>) A long sermon and Eutychus raised from the dead.</p>
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<p class="c2">Now on the first <i>day </i>of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing <i>him </i>said, "Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him." Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread</span></b>: This is the first <i>certain</i> example we have of Christians making a practice to gather together on the first day of the week for fellowship and the word - though here, it seems they gathered in the evening, because Sunday was a normal working day for them.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Spoke to them and continued his message until midnight</span></b>: Paul sensed the need to carry on long because he was <b><span class="c3">ready to depart the next day</span></b>; he knew he might never see these particular Christians again - so he preached for some six hours to them!</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">A certain young man named Eutychus...fell down from the third story and was taken up dead</span></b>: The combination of the late hour and the heat and perhaps fumes from the oil lamps made the young man Eutychus fall asleep. His fall and death certainly would have put a damper on the meeting!</p>
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<p class="c4">d. <b><span class="c3">Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him</span></b>: Paul, again receiving the gift of faith from God, sensed that God would raise this boy from the dead - and God did.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "Paul's comment that the boy's <i>life</i> was <i>in him</i> refers to his condition after he had ministered to him. Luke would not have devoted space to the raising up of somebody who was merely apparently dead." (Marshall)</p>
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<p class="c4">e. <b><span class="c3">Talked a long while, even till daybreak</span></b>: Paul, obviously getting their attention back, continued preaching until daybreak!</p>
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<p>C. Paul's address to the Ephesian elders.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Act',20,'13-17');">13-17</a>) Paul comes to Miletus and sends for the elders of the church in Ephesus to meet him there.</p>
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<p class="c2">Then we went ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos, there intending to take Paul on board; for so he had given orders, intending himself to go on foot. And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. We sailed from there, and the next <i>day </i>came opposite Chios. The following <i>day </i>we arrived at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium. The next <i>day </i>we came to Miletus. For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost. From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Intending himself to go on foot</span></b>: Paul apparently preferred to walk from Troas to Assos instead of sail with the rest of his group; but he sailed with them from Assos to Miletus (<b><span class="c3">we took him on board</span></b>).</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Paul "stayed till the last possible moment, probably to be assured of Eutychus's complete restoration to consciousness and health, and then took a shortcut by land to join the ship at Assos." (Bruce).</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus</span></b>: Paul's intention wasn't to slight the church in Ephesus, but he knew that it would be impossible for him to have a <i>short</i> visit there, and he wanted to hurry so as to be <b><span class="c3">at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church</span></b>: Though Paul knew he couldn't make a <i>brief</i> visit to Ephesus, he still wanted to pour his heart into the leaders of the church at Ephesus. So, <b><span class="c3">from Miletus</span></b>, he <b><span class="c3">called for the elders of the church</span></b> to come for a special meeting.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Act',20,'18-21');">18-21</a>) Paul begins his farewell to the elders of Ephesus by recounting his work among them.</p>
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<p class="c2">And when they had come to him, he said to them: "You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."</p>
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<p class="c4">a. Most of the time in Acts, we see Paul the evangelist; but here in <a onclick="return mV('Act',20,'all');">Act 20</a>, we get a unique picture of Paul the pastor - what was important to him as a leader and shepherd of God's people.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "It is the only Pauline speech delivered to Christians which Luke has recorded, and it is not surprising to discover how rich it is in parallels to the Pauline letters (especially, in fact, to the later ones)." (Bruce)</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you</span></b>: Paul first calls attention to himself as an example. Not an example <i>instead</i> of Jesus, but an example as he follows Jesus. Paul didn't act like a "religious celebrity" and expect people to serve and honor him; he just wanted to be <b><span class="c3">serving the Lord with all humility</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. If you aren't an example of how to live the Christian life, why not? You might say, "well, because I'm a new Christian." Then are you a good example of how a new Christian should live?</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you</span></b>: Paul could solemnly saw before these elders of the Ephesian church that he <b><span class="c3">kept back nothing that was helpful</span></b>. He didn't only teach the topics that pleased him. He <b><span class="c3">proclaimed it</span></b> all.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. <b><span class="c3">Testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks</span></b>: if Paul didn't limit his message, he didn't limit his audience either. He wanted to preach all the word of God to all people.</p>
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<p class="c4">d. <b><span class="c3">From house to house</span></b> implies that the Ephesian church, lacking any central building, was organized logically in house-churches. Probably, each elder had charge over a particular house-church.</p>
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<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('Act',20,'22-27');">22-27</a>) Paul reveals his heart and mind to the Ephesian elders.</p>
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<p class="c2">"And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you this day that I <i>am </i>innocent of the blood of all <i>men. </i>For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God."</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there</span></b>: Paul didn't know what was ahead of him; he even had reason to believe it was bad. But that didn't trouble him. He could give it all over to God even when he didn't know what would happen. May God give us more Christians who will say <b><span class="c3">none of these things move me</span></b>!</p>
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<p class="c5">i. <i>Uncertainty</i> did not move Paul. Even though he was <b><span class="c3">not knowing the things that will happen to me there</span></b>, he would not be moved from his cause. Paul could sing this Psalm from his heart: <i>I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',16,8);">Psa 16:8</a>)</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me</span></b>: Paul recognized the dangerous road ahead of him; apparently he had received many words of prophecy telling him of this danger already. Yet he is not dissuaded by danger, but willing to lay down his life for <b><span class="c3">the gospel of the grace of God</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. <b><span class="c3">Nor do I count my life dear to myself</span></b>: Paul thought of himself as an <i>accountant</i>, weighing carefully the credits and the expenses; and in the end, he does not count his own life dear to him, compared to his God and how he can serve him.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. <b><span class="c3">So that I may finish my race with joy</span></b>: Paul thought of himself as a <i>runner</i> who had a race to finish, and nothing would keep Paul from finishing the race with joy. Additionally, Paul speaks of <i>my race</i> - he had his race to run, we have our own - but God calls us to finish it with joy.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">I am innocent of the blood of all men</span></b>: Paul declared his heart was clear. He could leave these Christians to God's care with a good conscience, knowing that he has <b><span class="c3">not shunned to declare to</span></b> [them] <b><span class="c3">the whole counsel of God</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. <b><span class="c3">The whole counsel of God</span></b>: Paul thought of himself as a <i>watchman</i>, there to bring forth the whole counsel of God's word. This doesn't guarantee the people will be saved, but it will guarantee Paul is without guilt before God. He has done his job!</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. Where are those who today declare the whole counsel of God? Paul warned that in the last days, people would not endure sound doctrine, but look for teachers who would tell them what they want to hear - teachers who will scratch their itching ears (<a onclick="return mV('2Ti',4,3);">2Ti 4:3</a>).</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. Many preachers today simply use a Bible text as a launching pad, and then go on to say what they want - what the people want to hear. Others throw in Bible quotations to illustrate their points, or to illustrate their stories! But who will simply let the Bible speak for itself and let it declare its own power? Taking Paul's testimony at full strength, we must say that those preachers who deliberately fail to <b><span class="c3">declare...the whole counsel of God</span></b> <i>are guilt</i> <b><span class="c3">of the blood of all men</span></b>. The preacher who preaches what his audience wants to hear, and not <b><span class="c3">the whole counsel of God</span></b>, hurts both his audience and himself!</p>
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<p class="c5">iv. We also must demand that we are being taught the <b><span class="c3">whole</span></b> counsel of God; not just interesting topics, not just what we want to hear, not just the things that will "grab" people, but what God says to all of our lives.</p>
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<p class="c5">v. "That man does not preach the whole counsel of God who does not let God's Word speak for itself in its own pure, simple language...He will not shirk the truth. He will dare to look at it straight in the face himself and then he will bring it up into the pulpit, and there say to it, 'O Word, speak for thyself, and be thou heard alone. Suffer me not, O Lord, to pervert or misinterpret thine own heaven-sent truth.'" (Spurgeon)</p>
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<p class="c1">4. (<a onclick="return mV('Act',20,'28-35');">28-35</a>) Paul exhorts the Ephesian elders to continue in godly ministry.</p>
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<p class="c2">"Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"</p>
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<p class="c4">a. Paul's counsel to the elders is plain: <b><span class="c3">Take heed to <i>yourselves</i> and to all the flock</span></b>. The godly leader knows that effective leadership flows from a life, not just knowledge.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Also important to leaders is the principle that the church belongs to God, because <b><span class="c3">He purchased</span></b> [it] <b><span class="c3">with His own blood</span></b>. The people don't belong to the pastor; they belong to the Lord. As long as they choose to remain under the care and leadership of that pastor, he has a responsibility before God to feed and lead them; but they never belong to him.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Take heed...to all the flock...to shepherd the church of God...therefore watch</span></b>: Taking care of God's people basically amounts to two things. First, being a <i>shepherd</i> to the flock; secondly, <i>watching</i> over them, protecting them from danger.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. The first idea behind being a shepherd is <i>feeding</i> God's people. "They are to <i>be shepherds</i> of God's church, <i>poimanino</i> meaning in general to <i>tend</i> a flock and in particular <i>to lead a flock to pasture and so to feed it</i>. This is the first duty of shepherds." (Stott)</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. But it isn't enough to feed; the shepherd must also protect the sheep. <b><span class="c3">Watch</span></b> applies both to <b><span class="c3">savage wolves </span></b>that come in from the outside and to those who rise up <b><span class="c3">from among yourselves</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. It is often easier for pastors to deal with the wolves that come from the outside - obviously false teachings and goofy winds of doctrine. But it is very difficult to deal with those who rise up <b><span class="c3">from among yourselves</span></b>, because you don't want to believe that they are in fact <b><span class="c3">speaking perverse things </span></b>and trying <b><span class="c3">to draw away the disciples after themselves</span></b>. But Paul insisted that such people were real, and that pastors would have to deal with them!</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Therefore watch</span></b>: Paul knew that spiritual attack would rise up <b><span class="c3">among</span></b> the church itself; we should be aware that Satan likes to attack through infiltration - so pastors must <b><span class="c3">watch</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. <a onclick="return mV('2Ti',1,15);">2Ti 1:15</a> and <a onclick="return mV('Rev',2,4);">Rev 2:4</a> prove that Paul's concerns for the church in Ephesus were justified.</p>
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<p class="c4">d. Though Paul gave his all for the Christians in Ephesus for some three years, at the bottom line, he can only <b><span class="c3">commend</span></b> [them] <b><span class="c3">to God and the word of His grace</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Programs can't do it; the spirit of the age can't do it; slick marketing can't do it; entertainment can't do it; only God and the Word of His grace can <b><span class="c3">build you up and give you an inheritance </span></b>in heaven.</p>
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<p class="c4">e. <b><span class="c3">I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel</span></b>: Paul concludes by trying to communicate his heart, his <i>motive</i> in ministry. He wasn't in it for himself, but for God's glory and for the building up of God's people. <b><span class="c3">Laboring like this</span></b> means that Paul was a hard worker for God's glory!</p>
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<p class="c4">f. His parting words, taken from a quote of Jesus' unrecorded in the gospels, are perfect for all who would minister to God's people: <b><span class="c3">It is more blessed to give than to receive</span></b>. Ministers must be more concerned about what they can give their flock than concerned about what their flock can give them.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. This is the best beatitude of all. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told us how to be blessed; here, He tells us how to be <b><span class="c3">more</span></b> blessed!</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. It should not stumble us to consider that Jesus taught many things unrecorded in the gospels; John said as much in <a onclick="return mV('Jhn',21,25);">Jhn 21:25</a>. But we can trust that God has preserved all that is necessary of the teaching of Jesus.</p>
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<p class="c1">5. (<a onclick="return mV('Act',20,'36-38');">36-38</a>) Paul's tearful good-bye to the Ephesian elders.</p>
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<p class="c2">And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">That they would see his face no more</span></b>: They part with prayer, tears, and a sending-off party, believing they would only meet again in eternity.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. This reminds us that Paul was not a cold dispenser of doctrine, but a warm, pastoral man who loved his people greatly and won great love from them.</p>
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