Acts, chapter 20

Please, read the chapter in your Bible.

Verses 1, 2 , 3: “When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them said good bye and set out for Macedonia. He travelled through that area speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, 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”.

Apart from Paul’s various travel companions there must have been one who never left Paul by himself. Doctor Luke was meticulous. Day after day, one event after the other, the whole journey was recorded. Not a detail overlooked as if unimportant.

Verses 4, 5, 6: “He (Paul) was accompanied by Sopater, son of Pyrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derby, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 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”.

Uproar and plots, yes, BUT . . . GOD Travel here, journey there AND . . . GOD.

Verses 7, 8, 9: “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. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 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 as dead”.

If his congregation did not already have enough of a good thing, the incident surely stopped Paul.

Verses 10, 11, 12: “Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. ‘Don’t be alarmed’, he said, ‘he’s alive!’. Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left.

The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted”.

It had been a day not easily forgotten. In more ways than one, Paul was the instrument in the hands of a Master. This Master’s worth and work are of everlasting glory. Paul and his listeners did already pass into that glory. While we are reading this account, we are rejoicing in expectation.

Verses 13, 17, 18, 19 “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.

Verse 17: “From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 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. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews”.

Paul served, not like a chief executive officer. Not like a manager, who only had to whistle, and they would come, running, from as far away as from Ephesus

Verses 20, 21: “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. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus”.

In public places, in private properties, this humble servant of God must preach, and teach Jews they must turn to God in repentance; not confident in sacrifices of animal blood or attempted obedience to God given laws; Jews must now repent from all that, and now trust that their most Holy God is a most gracious God; the God Who gave and forgives on the basis, not of law but of grace.

The Greeks must turn in repentance to a God not made by human hands The God Who cannot be seen or touched. The God Who cannot be broken or destroyed but is, was and will be eternal. Whether or not the preaching teacher receives a rain of rocks or a storm of scorn, his message is going out to the ends of the earth, because the eternal God is the Speaker. Today we read, preach and teach the message. Paul did not know that, BUT . . . GOD!

Verses 22, 23, 24 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 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’ ”.

Paul was not careless in the choice of his words or expression. His life was very dear to him, most precious in one peculiar aspect: ‘if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me’! A race being run and a task begun, that I may finish it. Without that finish ‘ I consider my life worth nothing to me.’

‘I know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me, however . . . . . . ! But . . . God!

In his journey of life on earth Paul faced all of it and tens of millions of disciples of Jesus have become, are being blessed by this one disciple’s testimony.

Verses 25, 26, 27 ‘Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood o all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God”.

On that day at Miletus Paul did not know that he was going to be a prisoner for two years. Nor did he know that those two years would be the most profitable of his life. During that time his great shepherd heart would have him write letters that are still precious and daily being read by thousands. Those New Testament letters form the framework for today’s preaching and teaching that will shape congregations into practical Christ like living.

Ephesian elders, and elders of all times, everywhere:

Verses 28, 29, 30, 31 “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 has bought with His own blood. I know that after I leave savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears”.

Elders, be on your guard! For three years Paul taught elders. Love each other, teach, admonish, guard, guide, serve each other. As a strong, healthy body in the Lord, protect the congregation

Verses 32,33, 34, 35 “Now I commit you to the Lord and to the Word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of our Lord Jesus Himself ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ “.

Paul knew that he would never again see them. He loved them and now his heart was heavy.. From now on, for him it would be ‘hands off’. He must leave them in stronger hands, the strong and safe hands of his God.

Verses 36, 37, 38 “When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them, and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship”.