The Hope of the Resurrection

 Acts 22:23-23:11

Peter Milne was a Scottish missionary to an island country east of Australia, known today as Vanatu.  His mission was to reach a tribe of cannibalistic headhunters with the gospel.  Other missionaries had gone before him and been martyred.  He was able to live their for 54 years, bringing light to a dark world.  The way the story is told is that he packed all of his belongings in a coffin.  He knew there was a great possibility that he was going to die in this effort.  He was willing to accept this.  Paul was a man like this.  He had accepted his mission and anything that would go along with it.  Paul was free of fear.  That enabled him to speak the gospel boldly.  That’s where our story begins today.  The crowd was yelling that they would “rid the earth of him” because he was “not fit to live.”

As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, the commander ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and questioned in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?” When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.” The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” 

“Yes, I am,” he answered. Then the commander said, “I had to pay a big price for my citizenship.” “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied. Those who were about to question him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains. – Acts 22:23-29

They were getting ready to stone him.  They took off their jackets.  This is just like Acts 8 when Stephen was stoned to death.  They laid their jackets at the feet of Paul before he came to Christ.  They would take off their jackets in order to really be able to sling some stones.  His stoning was only interrupted by a flogging.  The commander wanted to get information out of him, as to what all the commotion was about.  Paul’s Roman citizenship would save him from more torture.  When you decide to follow Jesus you will find trouble.  But God has ways of rescuing us which sometimes come out of surprising places.  For Paul, it was through his Roman citizenship.  When you follow Christ you will be accused of things that you never did and your message will sometimes be misunderstood.  Jesus promised that these things will happen to us as we follow him.  I’ve had college administrators falsely accuse me of things I said.  One of them began questioning people I knew in order to find out where I was.  I was able to slip through her grasp.  She never found me.  Luke continues on in Paul’s story.

The next day, since the commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them. Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!” Those who were standing near Paul said, “You dare to insult God’s high priest?” Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’” Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead.” When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) – Acts 22:30-23:8

Paul said that he was “on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead.”  Why would this be such an issue to the Jewish culture, especially the Pharisees and Sadducees?  Where in the Old Testament does it talk about the resurrection of the dead?  The following are verses in the Old Testament.  Keep in mind that the Sadducees believed that the Pentateuch was the only divinely inspired text in the Old Testament.  One verse is in Daniel, 

Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. – Dan. 12:2  

The Jews, minus the Sadducees, believed that dead people would be resurrected either to an eternal place of blessing or to an eternal place of cursing.  Looking back at Abraham’s test to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, the book of Hebrews says, 

Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death. – Heb. 11:19  

There were various stories that gave hints of resurrection.  In Genesis, Joseph seemed to have been dead, at least to his Father’s knowledge.  But he symbolically came back to life.  Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights.  The picture of death is in mind as to Jonah’s experience as he says, 

“Water encompassed me to the point of death.  The great deep engulfed me, weeds were wrapped around my head.” – Jonah 2:5 [NASB]  

He was swallowed by the fish, and then, by the word of the Lord, he was given a new life as the fish spewed him onto the land.  Speaking to this image of death and resurrection Jesus said, 

“A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” – Matt. 12:39-40  

Jesus used a well-known illustration of death and resurrection that the Jews would know in order to prophecy his own resurrection.  There’s a prophecy in the Old Testament about the resurrection of the Messiah when David said, 

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. – Ps. 16:9-10  

In Acts 2, we see Peter preaching about Jesus rising from the dead.  He stated that Jesus was the fulfillment of that prophecy.  It was a centerpiece of his preaching of the gospel.  Paul said that the resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone on which Christianity is built: 

“But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. - 1 Cor. 15:12–19

The defeat of death and sin through the death and resurrection of Jesus.  This “resurrection” that the Messiah went through for us had already happened.  Paul said, 

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.” – Rom. 6:4-9  

This is not a resurrection that we have to hope for.  Paul had obtained it, and we can have it today as well.  In Ephesians 1:13-14 Paul says that we enter into Christ when we believe the gospel.  In other words, we were saved from death and sin as we entered into Christ.  This is the spiritual baptism that Paul talked about in Romans 6.  The sinful woman is talked about in Luke 7:50.  Because she looked forward, in faith, to the future resurrection of Jesus he could tell her that she had experienced salvation, 

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” – Luke 7:50  

She had been saved from death and sin.  While she would have to go through physical death, she no longer was dead spiritually and she wouldn’t have to face eternal death.  But there was a salvation that she would need to hope for.  There is another resurrection that she and we eagerly wait for.

There was a resurrection that hadn’t happened yet as of Acts 22.  It hasn’t happened for us either.  We hope for this type of resurrection because we haven’t received it yet.  It’s the physical resurrection of our bodies.  We will be glorified.  Jesus is coming to save us.  He has saved us and he will save us.  This is like the kingdom of God.  Jesus said that “the kingdom of God is among you” and yet, his kingdom has not fully come because he has not returned.  This is what Paul talked about,

 
Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.” - 1 Thess. 4:13-18

It’s important to understand why the resurrection of Jesus is so important in people coming to repentance.  Norman Geisler, a Christian apologist, wrote a book called, “Twelve Points that Prove that Christianity is True.”  I found it helpful in helping people take one more step closer to salvation.  The first nine points are as follows: 

1. Truth about reality is knowable.
2. The opposite of true is false.
3. It is true the theistic God exists.
4. If God exists, then miracles are possible.
5. Miracles can be used to confirm a message from God.
6. The New Testament is historically reliable.
7. The New Testament writers, and Jesus, claimed that he was God.
8. Jesus proved he was God.
9. Therefore, Jesus is God, and anything he teaches is true.

Even if a person doesn’t come to believe the gospel you can use this to help them understand that it’s reasonable to believe in the message of the Bible.  The Pharisees and Sadducees both believed that there was only one true God.  Even though the Pharisees believed in a resurrection from the dead, it was still a big pill to swallow to say that Jesus’ resurrection confirmed his message.  The miracles he performed, and his own resurrection, demonstrated that he was telling the truth.  The miracles backed up his claims that he was God and that no one can come to the Father except through him.  If the Jews accepted that Jesus rose from the dead, then that meant the next logical step was to say that all that he said was true.  For one brief moment in time Paul and the Pharisees were on the same team, but only to an extent.  The text only says that the Pharisees acknowledged the resurrection from the dead.  It doesn’t say that they acknowledged the resurrection of Jesus.  The resurrection was the hot topic.  It was the button that launched the first nuclear missile.  Next, we will see the tremendous explosions as a result.  

There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks. The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” – Acts 23:9-11

The Pharisees knew exactly what to say to the Sadducees.  They said, “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”  They knew that the Sadducees didn’t believe in spirits or angels.  It’s just like a sibling argument.  They knew the weaknesses in their arguments and what would get them all riled up.  At this point it kind-of ended up as a “Is not!  Is so!  Is not!  Is so!” intelligent argument between siblings.

We end this by Jesus reminding Paul what he promised him from the very beginning.  He told him that he would be a witness to testify to his resurrection.  He was appointed to speak to Jews, Gentiles and kings.  Before Acts 22, God told Paul that he was going to Jerusalem.  Now, he was telling him that he was headed to Rome.

Going Against the Crowd

Acts 21:27-22:22

Setting the context from where we left off last week in our Series of the book of Act, Paul said:

When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers received us warmly. The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. When they heard this, they praised God.(Note they praised God not Paul) Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.  (Note these are Jews in and around Jerusalem this presumably included the three thousand that were saved on the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2) They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. What shall we do?  They will certainly hear that you have come, so do what we tell you. – Acts 21:20-23a

This question (What shall we do?) of course is a rhetorical question.  They seem to already have in mind what they want Paul to do.  Actions speak louder than words and in this case they want Paul to demonstrate by his actions that he still lives according to the laws and customs of Moses.  So they explain their plan to Paul in the next few verses.

There are four men with us who have made a vow. Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.” The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them. – Acts 21:23b-26

So that brings us to today’s Message: Going against the Crowd. 

When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, shouting, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place.” (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple area.) – Acts 21:27-29

Now picture Paul and these other four men all looking like skin heads in the first week of boot camp. It may be hard to distinguish the original four from each other with their head shaved.  Paul however could very easily be spotted in a crowd of shaved heads.  Why?  Because he would still have all the scars from being beaten and stoned visible on his shaved head.  His hair probably covered most of them so that they would not be as noticeable but with his head shaved every scar would have been exposed.  In any case Paul was recognized by these Jews from Asia.  One or more of them may have even been from Antioch and Iconium and may possibly have been involved in stoning Paul outside the city of Lystra leaving him for dead. Note: Lystra is in the Province of Asia as is Antioch and Iconium. We also read about Jews from these cities in the province of Asia in Acts 14 when Paul was in Lystra.  It says there:

But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. – Acts 14:19  

Note that they didn’t even consider him worthy enough to bury his body. They just left him for the buzzards to eat. Like I said these may be the same Jews that stirred up the crowd in the temple here in Jerusalem in today’s passage of Acts 21:27-28.   Let’s continue in today’s passage:

The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. – Acts 21:30-32

If you were a Police detective, you would say that these Jews had the same Method of Operations (MO) as the those that stirred up the crowd in Lystra.  Well what was their MO?  First stir up the crowd. Second drag Paul out. Third beat or stone him to death and leave him for the buzzards.  Fortunately, the Roman commander intervened before they were able to complete the third part.

The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Away with him!” – Acts 21:33-36

It is interesting here that the commander was seeking the truth.  However, just like the Police in riots that happen in our current times it is hard to get the truth from rioters.

As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” he replied. “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the desert some time ago?” Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.” – Acts 21:37-39

The fact that the Roman commander thought that Paul was the Egyptian who started a revolt and the leader of four thousand terrorist may explain why He bound Paul with two chains versus one chain.  Paul identifies himself as being a citizen of Tarsus.  

Note also the two chains may have been the fulfillment of the prophesy by prophet named Agabus recorded in Act 21:10-11 that we heard last week where the Holy Spirit said that Paul would be bound hand and feet in Jerusalem and handed over to the Gentiles.  One chain for his hands and one for his feet.

Having received the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic: “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.” When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. – Acts:21:40-2:2

Note how Paul respectfully and reverently addresses the younger men as brothers and the older men as fathers.  This opening address was in their native tongue.  Paul’s respect and reverence for the hostile crowd had a way of defusing their anger (at least temporarily).  We may want to remember this when we have to address a hostile crowd either in public or in a closed door meeting.

Then Paul said: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, as also the high priest and all the Council can testify. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished. – Acts 22:3-5

Here again Paul appeals to them to verify his previous action by asking the High Priest and all of the Council.   Surely some or all of them may have been present.  Also note how he said that he had persecuted to the death the Followers of the Way.  That is what they called Christians back then.

“About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. – Acts 22:6-8a

Note Paul does not pretend to know who it is that is accusing him of persecution.  He probably thought I have never persecuted anyone that looked like this.  

“‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me. “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’  – Acts 22:8b-10

Remember Brian shared last week about Paul’s (What shall I do Lord?) question referenced here in Acts 22.

 

My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.  “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him. – Acts 22:11-13

Note that Ananias already addresses Paul as a brother here.  This has to be as a brother in Christ because when He first talked to the Lord about Paul in Acts chapter 9 where Ananias was speaking to the Lord about Paul.  It was not as a brother but as an enemy of the saints in Jerusalem and an enemy of all who call on the name of Jesus.  It would be good to look back on that passage now in Acts chapter 9:

 

The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is My chosen instrument to carry My Name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for My Name.” Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized… - Acts 9:11-18

So it appears that Paul was already saved before Ananias addressed him as Brother Saul (otherwise why else would he address him as brother) but he had not regained his sight nor had he been filled with the Holy Spirit yet. So then we come to our next passage for today in Acts 22:14 to see what Ananias said after Paul received back his sight.

“Then he said: ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from His mouth. You will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on His Name.’ – Acts 22:14-16

So if Paul was already saved why does Ananias tell him to get up and be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on His name in this verse?

As with any single verse or passage we discern what it means by first filtering it through what we know that the Bible teaches on the subject at hand.  In the case of baptism and salvation, the Bible is clear that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by works of any kind, including baptism.  

  

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. – Eph. 2:8-9

 

So any interpretation which comes to the conclusion that baptism, or any other act, is necessary for salvation is a faulty interpretation.

So in order to discern what this verse means we must answer the question of when was Paul saved based on what we read here and elsewhere in the Bible.

First, Paul tells us in Galatians 1:11-12 that he did not receive or hear the Gospel from Ananias, but rather he heard it directly from Christ.  

I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. – Gal. 1:11-12

So Paul heard and believed in Christ on the road to Damascus.  Remember last week Brian taught on this What should I do Lord?  That Phrase is recorded here in Acts 22 with details of Paul’s conversion.  Also in Acts 26 Paul repeats some of these details of that event recorded here and in Acts 9. 

“‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. “‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of Him who was speaking to me. “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ – Acts 22:8-10

Second, it should also be noted that at the time when Ananias prayed for Paul to receive his sight, Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit.   Note that this was before Paul was baptized.

Third, the Greek aorist participle, epikalesameno, translated here “calling on His name” refers either to action that is simultaneous with or before that of the main verb.  In this case the main verb is “be baptized”.  

Here Paul’s calling on Christ’s name for salvation preceded Paul’s water baptism.  The participle may be translated “having called on His name” be baptized which makes more sense, as it would clearly indicate the order of events.

When we Baptize someone, we first have them give a brief testimony about how they came to know the Lord.  Then we normally state their name and say because of your profession of faith in the Lord Jesus as your Lord and savior I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and then we submerge them into water and bring them back up out of the water to symbolically represent that their sins were washed away when they believed and that they were been born again spiritually.

Fourth, concerning the words, “be baptized , and wash away your sins,” these words must refer to the symbolism of baptism because Paul was already cleansed spiritually at the time Christ appeared to him and appointed him.

Fifth, it is also interesting that when Paul recounted this event again later in Acts 26:12-18, Paul does not mention Ananias or what Ananias said to him at all.  Not that Ananias didn’t actually say this but it appears that it was just not that important.  Perhaps, Ananias may have stated it that way to Paul to relate to the thousands of Jewish believers who believed Peter’s message and repented and were baptized on the day of Pentecost in a similar fashion when Peter made a similar statement. 

“On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of Me and what I will show you. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ – Acts 26:12-18

Acts 26:18 would again confirm the idea that Paul received Christ as Savior on the road to Damascus since Christ is telling Paul he will be a servant and witness for Him concerning forgiveness of sins for Gentiles and Jews as they put their faith in Him.  It would also seem unlikely that Christ would appoint Paul for this task if Paul had not yet repented and believed.

Sixth and finally, Jesus was symbolically Baptized by John the Baptist. to fulfill all righteousness.  I say Symbolically because Jesus was already righteous.  But no real leader will command someone to do something that he hasn’t already done or would not be willing to do himself.

Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him. – Matt. 3:13-15

Now back to today’s passage in Acts 22 picking up at verse 17 we read:

“When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance and saw the Lord speaking. ‘Quick!’ He said to me. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’ “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these men know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ – Acts 22:17-20

Note in verses 17 through 20 Paul is recounting what happened to him the first time he returned to Jerusalem before he was sent to the Gentiles.  It just so happens that the same thing is happening again on his final return to Jerusalem after the completion of his third missionary journey.  The only difference is that the Lord is not telling him to flee immediately this time like he did the first time. Don’t be surprised when you are recounting your testimony about Jesus and your conversion to unbelievers if they don’t accept it.  Remember they didn’t accept Jesus’ testimony nor did they accept the Apostle Paul’s testimony.

So Paul continues his discourse here in today’s passage recounting this event of the past.

“Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’” The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!” – Acts 22:21-22

Now these are not the many thousands of Jews that came to Christ mentioned in Acts 21:20.  Remember those Jews were just concerned that Paul was preaching that Jews should abandon the law of Moses and not circumcise their male children and not live according to the Jewish customs. .  No these Jews in Acts Chapter 22 that were spewing hatred and death to Paul were hardcore radical Jews that hated all Gentiles.  When they heard this last statement they could take no more.  They wanted Paul’s death and they wanted it immediately.

It is not by accident that the account of Paul’s conversion is recorded in so many places.  It is by the Holy Spirit of God’s design.  God has taken a murderer of His people and used him as an example of His Grace and Mercy.  He has taken a Pharisee to communicate to all of the Jews including the Pharisees and the Scribes that even though they were responsible for delivering Jesus up to the Romans to be crucified could still repent and be saved by Jesus’s death on the cross if they would just repent.  We as Gentiles should be eternally grateful to Him because He has expanded His promised Salvation and forgiveness for sins to us also.  Like Paul we should pray for the Jews and Jerusalem to turn back to God before it is too late.

Applications:

1. Be guided by the Holy Spirit not by fear when sharing your testimony about Jesus.
   
   
2. Let the Lord use your past failures and or your scars to accomplish His purpose for you.
   
   
3. Address those hostile toward you with respect and gentleness this can defuse their anger. 

The Lord's Will Be Done

 Acts 21:1-26

Paul was determined as ever.  Every step that his dusty, cracked sandals took it seemed as if he was gaining more confidence.  He was fully assured that he was doing God’s will.  Nothing was going to get in his way of ridding the world of those heretics called “Christians”. But, on his way to do more of “The Lord’s work” his trajectory was changed forever.  Jesus confronted Paul with his sin.  In that moment, Paul found himself face-to-face with God who is holy and pure. He didn’t argue or defend himself.  He surrendered.  Then, he said five words that changed the world.  In the end, I’ll share what I mean by that.  Right away, Jesus told Paul what he must do.  He didn’t share the gospel or share any assurance of salvation.  He said, “Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.” (Acts 22:10)  In Acts 9:15-16 we see what he was appointed to do: “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”   From the very beginning, Paul knew that he was going to face suffering.  He understood his mission.  By the grace of God and the power of the Spirit, he worked hard to this end.  This is the kind of person Paul was.  

I believe the story we’re going over today is a story of clarity and conviction.  It’s about surrendering to the lordship of Jesus.  I also think it’s a story of brothers and sisters in Christ having a genuine concern for one another.  The story begins in Acts 21.

After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. After saying good-by to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home. We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day. Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. – Acts 21:1-9

At this point, about 20 years had passed since Jesus died and rose from the dead.  Paul was on his third missionary journey.  I’m guessing that the church elders in Ephesus traveled about 50 miles to Miletus in order to tell Paul goodbye.  This shows you what kind of care the church had for Paul.  Like I said earlier, this is a story of brothers and sisters in Christ caring for one another.  That’s where we ended in Acts 20 last week.  

Luke says that he, Paul and the others stayed with the disciples at Tyre.  I don’t know if they were able to call or text ahead of time letting them know that they were coming.  Probably not.  I think the hospitality of Christians back then was something quite different.  I think there was a real devotion they had to one another. Speaking of the disciples in Tyre it says, “Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.”  I’ll come back to that statement in just a minute.

They came to Caeserea where Philip and his family lived.  Philip was an evangelist that was mentioned as one of the deacons in Acts 6.  The last we heard of him he had kind-of-a “beam me up, Scotty” moment when God made him disappear and reappear in Azotus.  He stopped in Caeserea.  He had four daughters.  It sounds a bit like March’s story.  I don’t know how it works but a female has some kind of special intuition.  You can call it “eyes in the back of the head.”  It might be some kind of radar.  I’m not sure.  There have been countless times that Miriam knew what I was doing or thinking even though I might have been totally silent or unseen.  It’s scary.  Very often I’ve asked her, “How did you know that?”  “I don’t know.” she’ll say innocently.  I’m thinking that there are secret cameras or a secret society, always watching and listening.  She doesn’t know how she knows it.  It just is, and that’s all it is.  I can never get it out of her how she knows.  Philip not only had five females in his house, four of them were prophets.  He didn’t get away with anything!

After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’” When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” After this, we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples. – Acts 21:10-16

At this point, I think it would be good to try to make sense of whether or not Paul should have gone to Jerusalem.  Some people think that Paul was right in going to Jerusalem.  Some say that he shouldn’t have gone. I want to make some observations about what was actually said in Acts 21, then back away from this passage to get a big picture.  

1. Luke says,
   
   Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. - Acts 21:4  
   
   Somehow, the Spirit was involved in the disciples’ ministry to Paul.  The scripture doesn’t say what the Spirit said or who said what.  We do know that they urged Paul not to go.  Also, we don’t see anywhere where someone says, “The Holy Spirit says…”
   
   
2. Later, speaking of Agabus the prophet, it’s stated,
   
   Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, ‘The Holy Spirit says, "In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles." - Acts 21:11
   
   We know that Agabus is a prophet of God.  It doesn’t say that he interpreted what the Holy Spirit said.  It says, “The Holy Spirit says…”  Another thing to observe is that he doesn’t say that the Holy Spirit said for Paul not to go to Jerusalem.  Neither does Agabus interpret the prophecy as the Spirit telling Paul not to go.
   
   
3. We read about Paul’s response,
   
   Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” - Acts 21:13-14
   
   We see here that Paul cares about they think.  He didn’t say, “Oh, I don’t care what you think!  Your opinion means nothing to me!”  Instead, we see that what the people said really did affect him.  His heart was broken.  He showed that his heart was gentle in his response.  We also see that he seemed to have a right motive for going to Jerusalem.  He was going to do this for the name of Jesus.  He was willing to die for Christ.  Regardless if he was supposed to go or not, it seems as if his heart was in the right place.  The text doesn’t say that they had an argument over who was right.  It does show that people on both sides of the issue cared for one another.  For both, their greatest desire was, “The Lord’s will be done.”

So, was Paul supposed to go to Jerusalem or not?  What was God’s will in this situation?  These are some of the possibilities as to what is going on:

1. Paul made a mistake. 
   
   
2. Paul purposefully disobeyed the Holy Spirit.  
   
   
3. The disciples in Tyre misinterpreted what the Spirit was actually saying.  

Now, I would like to step out of this story and look at the bigger picture, then I’ll come back to Acts 21.  

1. From the very beginning (Acts 9) Jesus told Paul that he was going to suffer as he preached the gospel.
   
   
2. The Holy Spirit had communicated with Paul that he was supposed to go to Jerusalem,
   
   “And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me.” - Acts 20:22-23
   
   
3. Paul consistently had unselfish motives:
   
   I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. - Phil. 3:10-11
   
   
4. He consistently obeyed what the Spirit commanded as we see throughout Acts (i.e. 16:6).  
   
   
5. In some instances, prophets spoke or wrote about what the Spirit was saying, but they didn’t understand the interpretation.  Peter talks about the Old Testament prophets in 1 Peter 1:10-12.  They wrote about the messiah who was to come.  They searched and inquired about who this person would be and the timing of certain events associated with him.  They spoke exactly what the Spirit said even though they didn’t fully understand what it meant.  This may have been the situation in Acts 21 when the disciples of Tyre said that he shouldn’t go.  I think this is important for us to remember.  Christians will sometimes get a sense that the Holy Spirit is telling them something about another person.  It might be true that he is telling you something.  But, we need to be careful because we might not have a complete understanding of what he's trying to say.  Then, God brings another believer along, like Agabus, to clarify what the Spirit has been trying to say all along. 
   
   The way we get clarification is through the body of Christ.  God tells us how he wants the Body to work together to understand what he is trying to say: “Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said. (1 Corinthians 14:29)  When we come together for sharing time for example, someone might have strong sense that God is saying something about a certain situation.  What God wants the rest of the body to do is evaluate what is being said.  So, don’t take offense if this happens.  God has told us that we need to do this.  He has designed the body of Christ so that we will be interdependent.

In Acts 20, Paul stated that he understood part of God’s will, but he didn’t understand all of it.  In Acts 20:22-23, what did he understand?  What did he not understand?  He said,

“And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me.” - Acts 20:22-23

God’s will was for him to go to Jerusalem.  He said that he was “bound by the Spirit.” to go to Jerusalem. He was told by the Holy Spirit that he was going to face suffering in every city.  But he didn’t know exactly what was going to happen to him in one particular city, Jerusalem: “what will happen to me there [Jerusalem].”  One thing that’s really important to understand is that Paul didn’t let what he didn’t know to keep him from obeying what he did know. To me it makes more sense why Agabus said what he did.  God was using Agabus to show what would happen to Paul when he went to Jerusalem.  This situation is like what we go through.  We know certain aspects of God’s will but we still have questions.  God will sometimes send a person along to bring clarity.

When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers received us warmly. The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.” The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them. – Acts 21:17-26

Paul and his companions were finally in Jerusalem.  They spent quite some time traveling on the sea.  Paul had plenty of time to think about the persecution that was waiting for him.  I don’t know about you, but when I’m facing a tough situation I like to face it as soon as possible.  I don’t want to have a lot of time to think about it.  Not much is said in the scripture about what happened on that ship.  But God was doing something in Paul.  He was being prepared.  It seems like those that God uses the most get prepared the most.

Why would Paul take part in something that was from the old covenant, the old testament?  The vow mentioned here was probably the Nazirite vow that’s found in Numbers 6.  For some reason, these four men needed to go through the purification ritual.  Also, Paul had been in contact with many Gentiles on his trip.  In the eyes of the Jews in Jerusalem, he would need to go through the same purification as well.  The Apostle James and the Apostle Paul felt like involvement in the Nazirite vow was permissible as a Christian, as one who was under the new covenant. I think there are three things to keep in mind about this situation.  First, they knew that obeying the Law didn’t make them righteous.  It was impossible for someone to keep all the requirements of the Law.  Paul gives the purpose of the Law, 

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. - Romans 3:19-20. 

Second, they understood that their righteousness only came through Christ.  Jesus was the only one on this Earth who always did what the Father wanted. In John 8:29, he said, “I always do what pleases him.”  Jesus didn’t need to be purified.  He was pure.  He obeyed the Ten Commandments perfectly.  He never lied, never stolen, never lusted (therefore committed adultery in his heart), never murdered, never worshipped idols, always honored his parents, etc.  Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17)  He was the fulfillment of the Law.  In speaking about the old covenant, the Law, Paul said, “These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” (Colossians 2:1).  

Third, James probably had a good idea of what Jesus would have thought to be permissible.  James spent a lot of time with him.  Paul spent one-on-one time with Jesus.  He personally revealed the truth to Paul (Galatians 1:12).  

So, they felt it was permissible to continue doing the vow of the Nazirite.  They did it for the sake of the gospel.  Paul said, 

Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. - 1 Cor. 9:19-23  

How do you think you can follow Paul’s example in your daily life?                                                                                                   

What were the five words Paul said that changed the world?  I’ll go back to Paul’s conversion.  As he was retelling the story in Acts 22 he said, “What shall I do Lord?”  He recognized that Jesus was Lord.  He found repentance.  Surrendering to his Lord wasn’t just words he said.  In today’s time, there are many people who will say that Jesus is their Lord but their actions show that he’s not their Lord.  They’re holding something back.  When I talk with someone about Jesus being their Lord I’ll share an illustration.  Imagine that you have Jesus over to your house for supper.  You gladly welcome him into your home.  Of course, you spent the past two hours running around the house trying to clean up as fast as possible!  You eat together in the dining room, then go into the living room to talk for a while.  You take him to the room that he will be sleeping in.  To hide the lingering smell of dirty socks you use a Glade Plug-In that has the scent of frankinsence and myrrh.  Jesus looks across the hall and asks, “What’s in that room?”  “Oh nothing,” you say nervously…. “It’s just a bunch of junk.”  You surely don’t want to give him access to that room.  He can go everywhere he wants except in there.  Do you have a room that’s off-limits to Jesus?  Maybe it has to do with your money, your relationships, your sexuality, or your job.  Maybe it’s your free time.  “After all, Lord, this is my time,” you say to him.  Well, you might not ever say it to him directly like that, but that’s what your actions show.  In a way, to say that “Jesus is Lord” is to say that you’ve given him the key to every room.  I’m not asking if you’re scared to give it to him.  It can be a scary thing.  I’m asking if you’ve given it to him even though you might be scared.  

I was sharing the gospel with a student at Tri County recently.  He seemed to understand his sinfulness.  He didn’t argue with that.  He understood the gospel.  I then began to share that he needed to confess Jesus as Lord.  I shared the story with him and asked, “Is there any room in your life right now that’s off-limits to Jesus?”  He said that there was.  He didn’t share what it was but he wasn’t ready to let Jesus have authority over every area.  He wasn’t ready, so I backed off.  

Paul had given Jesus the key.  He had come to a point of surrender.  He wasn’t making any excuses.  As he was on the road to Damascus he told Jesus five words that I believe changed the world, “What shall I do, Lord.”  Here was a man who understood the lordship of Christ.  He called him “Lord.”  But he also knew that Jesus had the authority to tell him what to do in every area of his life.  When the disciples in Tyre were telling him that he shouldn’t go to Jerusalem Paul didn’t let that dissuade him.  Jesus was his Lord.  Jesus had authority over his life even when faced with trials.  After he said those five words he shared the gospel with countless people.  He trained others to do the work of evangelism.  He started multiple churches.  Much of the world that’s Christian today owes it to Paul’s surrender to Christ as Lord.  Just imagine what the Lord can do through you and I lived as if Jesus is Lord.  We would forgive when Jesus tells us to forgive.  We would give when he tells us to give.  We would share the gospel when he tells us to share the gospel.  We would obey him when he tells us to pursue other believers in our church.  We would be a different people.  This is what I pray for us.

Compelled by the Spirit

 Acts 20:1-38

Good morning!  Today, we are going to tackle the whole chapter 20 from the book of Acts.  It’s a time of major transition in the life and ministry of the apostle Paul.  If you remember from the last few weeks, Paul has been on his third church planting journey.

In the last two weeks, we have been following Paul during his time in Ephesus, a major city of ancient times where Paul spent at least two years and three months.  Through that time, the gospel went forth powerfully in the region of Asia Minor, the western half of modern-day Turkey.  Acts 19:10 tells us that all the people of the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord which would have been two million people or more.  What an incredible impact, especially when you consider the limitations of communication and travel in antiquity.

As so many people came to the Lord and gave up idol worship, sorcery, and other areas of sin, entire industries were impacted.  They weren’t destroyed outright, but certain businesses also needed to go through a transformation, as well.

Of course, not everyone was willing to give up what they had depended on for so long.  Carl explained for us last week how the guild of craftsmen including workers in precious metals, this group, incited a riot in Ephesus as their leader implied a slight against their trade of making idols and shrines of idols and even against the goddess of their city, Artemis.  Demetrius, who prompted the riot, explains Paul’s message in a powerfully accurate way, saying, “This fellow Paul … says that man-made gods are no gods at all.” (Acts 19:26)

That’s exactly what God had been showing to the people of Ephesus over the previous two years.  Acts 19:11 says that God did many extraordinary miracles through Paul.  Many, many people had been healed.  Many, many were freed from demons.  And one demon even had testified to the authority of Jesus.  It was an incredible time where the schemes of men and their man-made gods were shown to be powerless.

And yet, Demetrius was effective in pushing the right buttons of the proud citizens of Ephesus, and they give way to a riot involving thousands, many of whom didn’t understand what the riot was even about.  Through it all, God protected Paul and kept him from going in front of the crowd, but it seems that Paul would have been more than willing to speak to such a large audience.  After some hours of chaos, the city clerk was able to quiet and dismiss the crowd.  That concluded chapter 19.  Let’s pray and then dive into chapter 20.

Lord Jesus, speak to us through Your Word, we pray.  Help us to see the truths that we each need to have reinforced today as we cover such a broad pallet of events and experiences.  Glorify Your Name, we pray in Your Name Jesus, Amen.

Chapter 20, verse 1 ...

When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, where he stayed three months.  –Acts 20:1-3

Three of Paul’s letters were written just before and during this time.  I Corinthians was written from Ephesus.  II Corinthians was written during Paul’s time in Macedonia described here.  Then, Romans was written from Greece during this three month stay.  Using Acts 20 and these three letters, we can see additional details and motivations behind their travels.

After the big riot, Paul had several things in mind.  First, it was time to leave Ephesus.  Then, II Corinthians tells us that Paul had a plan to go to Troas to preach the gospel (II Corinthians 2:12-13).  He had also expected to meet Titus at Troas with a report on Corinth as Paul had written the first letter to the Corinthians from Ephesus.  When Paul did not find Titus at Troas, he went on to Macedonia.

I kind of start to feel bad for poor Troas.  In Acts 16, Paul went to Troas, and that was the place where Paul had the vision of a Macedonian man standing and begging Paul to come over to Macedonia and help them.  They all got ready and went at once to Macedonia.  Now Paul is not staying in Troas again.  In a few verses, we will see Paul does return to Troas, and that wasn’t his only visit.  We don’t get the full story of Paul’s work in Troas, but in II Timothy 4:13, Paul tells Timothy to bring his cloak that that he left with Carpus at Troas.  That makes me think that Paul had spent time later at Troas making disciples and even leaving some of his belongings there.  Troas is not forsaken.

The little phrase “traveled throughout the area” is an open door to understand something Paul wrote in Romans 15:19.  There he says that he had fully proclaimed the gospel from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum.  If you don’t remember Illyricum, that’s okay because it’s not in the book of Acts.  So, we haven’t gotten to see when that happened.  If you remember in Acts 17, we talked about the Via Egnatia which ran through Macedonia which is on the west coast of the peninsula of Greece.  Illyricum is the province on the west side bordering the east side of the Adriatic.  It seems Paul most likely visited Illyricum during this time.

It’s just fascinating that there is so much that we don’t know about even in Paul’s life not to mention in the lives of Luke and Timothy and Titus and Trophimus and Apollos and others.  God was constantly at work then, and He is constantly at work through the ages and to the current day.

During the journey to Greece, Paul focused on encouraging the saints.  But then ...

Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. 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. These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days. – Acts 20:3-6

And so, there had been one more reason why Paul had left Ephesus and returned back through Macedonia and over to Greece again.  He was collecting another offering for the church in Judea.  It’s been a while ago, but if you remember at the end of Acts 11, a prophet named Agabus had been filled with spirit and prophesied that a famine would occur in all the Roman world.  At that time, the church in Antioch had taken up an offering and sent it with Barnabas and Paul to Jerusalem.  Now ten years later, there are significant needs in the church at Jerusalem again. 

Both I Corinthians (16:1-4) and II Corinthians (8:1-9:15) talk about the gathering of an offering from the predominantly Gentile churches.  And so, we have this group of people from different churches.  It seems quite likely that they are the representatives from different churches and regions of churches who are traveling with their gifts to help meet the needs of the church at Jerusalem which Paul described in Romans 15:25-27.

Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord's people there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord's people in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. – Romans 15:25-27

The orginal plan was to gather the offering through Macedonia and Achaia and head to Syria by ship.  We talked about how Romans would have been written while spending these 3 months in Greece.  In Romans 16:1, Paul mentions Phoebe a deaconness from Cenchreae.  If you were at Corinth, Cenchreae would have been the place where you would catch a ship for Syria.  Corinth was the big city, but on the west coast of the isthmus.  Cenchreae the smaller one.  It was on the east coast.  A somewhat sizable group of travelers led by Paul waiting in a small coastal port would probably not have been inconspicuous.

And so, there is another conspiracy among the Jews to get Paul.  Somehow, they are made aware of the danger, and Paul changes course for the safety of the trip and those traveling with him and the gifts they were carrying, and the go back around the same route from Corinth by land to the province of Asia coming to Troas.

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 dead. 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.  –Acts 20:7-12

This is a serious situation, but I think most readers find humor in it.  As a teacher of God’s Word, there is some comfort that even the apostle Paul had drowsy listeners.

They had stayed in Troas for a week so that the could come together on Sunday to break bread, to have communion together.  Even though Paul was in a hurry, it was that important.

Keep in mind that Sunday would have been “just another day in the week.”  Paul’s listeners had likely had a full day’s work.  They didn’t meet in the morning, but rather the evening.  Even still, Paul had been teaching for 6 hours when poor Eutychus fell asleep.

Then, there is the miraculous resurrection after which they had a literal midnight snack, and then Paul resumed talking with the believers there until morning.  That was a high impact conference right there!

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. When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. 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.  –Acts 20:13-16

So, they split the group.  Perhaps the ship was set to sail at dawn, and Paul wanted every possible moment with the believers in Troas.  Getting from Troas to Assos is 40 miles by sea and 20 miles by land, so depending on the weather, it can be a toss up who gets there first.  After that, they are together on the ship and start this daily hopping along the coast which was so typical of sea travel in that time period.  Sail during the day, anchor or at least come to rest in a sheltered area each night.

They made more than 300 miles in 3 days which is far better than by land.  You’d do well to make 90 miles in 3 days especially traveling in a group.

There was no way for Paul to make a short visit to Ephesus.  There were just too many people he would want to visit and who knows what else might come up while he was there.  But, he did want to have a touch with the church, so ...

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 and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 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. – Acts 20:17-21

Miletus was 36 miles from Ephesus, so it was a bit of a haul for the elders of Ephesus.  Definitely a full day’s journey one way.

Paul addresses the Ephesian church leaders, and he starts with a refresher of what he did among them.  He reminds them of his example lived out among the Ephesians.  Paul was not a spiritual celebrity among them.  Rather, he was humble.  He served them in spite of the opposition of the Jews.  He didn’t give up.  He loved them and even served them through tears.  Paul sincerely cared about the Ephesian believers.

Paul was faithful to the message of the gospel.  He taught publicly and in homes.  His message was simple.  Repent and turn to God and put your faith in Jesus Christ.

This is a good reminder to us no matter where we are in our walk with Christ.  Even a new believer can be a good example of how to be a new believer.  We can all serve the Lord with humility.

With that introduction, Paul goes on ...

"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; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace. – Acts 20:22-24

Compelled by the Spirit, Paul will not be dissuaded.  He will not be turned aside from going to Jerusalem.  He’s not going to change his mind.  Paul was following the Lord even though the future appeared to be bad.  Paul’s thinking is incredibly challenging.  He considered his life worth nothing to himself.  Why?  He had a higher aim.  That aim was to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus had given to him.

You’d think Paul might name a special task which we couldn’t relate to, right?  But that’s not what he sets before the Ephesian elders as his most important task.  Paul tells them and us that his most important task is testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

"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 of any of you. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 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. – Acts 20:25-28

What a mic drop?  You will never see my face again.  They must have been blown away by that possibility.  Paul immediate follows this shock with the things he wants them to know.  Therefore … in light of the fact that you won’t see me again in this life … you need to know …

Paul had a clear conscience toward the Ephesians, why?  Because he had taught them the full counsel of God.  We talked about Paul’s two years of teaching daily in Ephesus, thousands of hours of instruction.  They were equipped and ready.  The Lord would watch over them.  His Spirit was in them.  The church in Ephesus would continue under their leadership.

His counsel to them is interesting.  Keep watch over yourselves first and then all the flock.  The word pastor comes from the Latin where it means shepherd.  Guard and care for the church of God.  Most importantly, feed the sheep as Jesus reminded Peter three times in John 21.  Even though we are sheep, we are valuable sheep purchased with the blood of Jesus.

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. – Acts 20:29-31

It is probably not overly surprising that there would be dangers from outside the church.  They had just recently experienced the riot about the gospel message not to mention the opposition of the Jews.  In addition to dangers from the outside, there would also arise distorters of the truth from those very leaders who were listening to Paul.  Why?  Why would they distort the truth?  In order to gain their own following.  Hmm.  That would be the thing, human pride.  No, not really surprising.

So, what were they to do against these dangers?  Be on your guard.  And, warn one another.  There are people and demons for that matter who would like to see you turn away from following Christ with your whole heart.  Do not be deceived.  Do not give up.  God is with you.  He is for you.  Stay the course.  Run the race in faith.  Remember Jesus’ words and be encouraged.  “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

"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. I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have 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 the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " – Acts 20:32-35

Again, it is the Lord who builds us up.  It is the Lord who gives us an inheritance.  Paul commends the Ephesian leaders to the Lord’s guidance and care.

Again, Paul reminds them of his example.  He worked hard in the gospel.  He was a burden to no one.  His quote of Jesus is not found in the gospels.  It doesn’t mean that Jesus didn’t say it.  It’s just unique in that way.  The gospels record many instances supporting this thought (as do the Psalms and other places in Scripture).  In Luke 14:13-14, Jesus said, “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.”  In Matthew 10:8, Jesus said, “Freely you have received; freely give.”

When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship. – Acts 20:36-38

Paul obviously cared deeply for those he ministered to.  We get another glimpse of that here.  These are people have a deep care for Paul.  They love him and are grieved that they will not see him again in this life.

They don’t return to Ephesus at this parting.  Rather, they go to the ship to see him off.  I can imagine them standing and waving as the boat slowly moved out to sea.  It was not an easy parting as chapter 21 opens with Luke saying, “after we had torn ourselves away from them ...”

Partings are not easy, especially when we know we won’t see someone we love for a long time.  Especially when we don’t even know when that next time will be.

Let’s close here.  I will encourage you to be on your guard against things that distract you from following Jesus.  And, may we all look for opportunities to testify to the good news of God’s grace.  God is good.  Amen?

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, we love You.  Thank You that You watch over us.  Thank You that Your Spirit is in us.  Help us to stand strong.  Help us to remain devoted to You as our first love.  Help us to love one another we pray in Your Name we pray, Amen.