ACTS CHAPTER 20:20-28,
“Ephesian Elders Charged To Be Faithful”
By
Jim Bomkamp
1.
INTRO:
1.1.
In our last study, we looked
at Paul’s third missionary journey after he had left the city of Ephesus, and
we saw that he went to Troas and then over to Philippi of Macedonia where he
spent a year, then he went to Corinth for three months, and then he began
heading back from southern Greece up to Macedonia and back over towards Ephesus
1.1.1.
We saw from 2 Corinthians
that Paul had written a letter of rebuke for the church in Corinth, which was
probably the epistle of 1 Corinthians, and that he had sent Titus to carry this
letter to the church and then meet him in Troas
1.1.2.
However, we saw that when
Paul got to Troas that Titus was not there and that Paul had taken Titus’ not
having returned as meaning that the church in Corinth must be in really bad
shape, and then he headed over to Philippi of Macedonia
1.1.3.
Finally, we saw from 2
Corinthians that Titus came to Paul at
1.1.3.1.Titus informed Paul that the church experienced godly sorrow over the
letter which Paul delivered and that godly sorrow led them to a repentence
without regret
1.1.3.2.Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians that the repentence of the church in
1.1.3.3.Titus’ spirit had been greatly refreshed by being with the church in
Corinth, and this greatly encouraged Paul
1.1.3.3.1.We saw from 2 Corinthians that Paul wrote about this time saying that
God comforts the depressed, for he had become depressed as he grieved greatly
over the church in
1.1.4.
Lastly, we saw that Paul had
traveled to Myletus and then he called for the Ephesian elders to come to
himself so that he could give them one last address before leaving them for the
last time as he headed to
1.1.5.
We saw that in beginning
this last address to the Ephesian elders that he first reminded them of the
relationship which he had with them
1.1.5.1.We saw that a man’s authority and leadership in a ministry is something
which is based upon the relationships which have been built with the people in
the ministry
1.1.5.2.Paul reminded them of the character that he had displayed to them from
the very beginning of his ministry to them
1.1.6.
We saw how that in our world
today that a person’s character is not important, and the church often reflects
this mentality, however before God our character is everything
1.1.6.1.We saw how that if we will just simply try to make the church be
pleasing to the Lord that the church will then be blessed by the Lord
1.1.6.1.1.What really matters is what the Lord thinks of us
1.1.6.1.2.So many in the church are concentrating on marketing the church in
order to see it grow, however what they ought to be concentrating upon is just
simple obedience and being pleasing to the Lord, individually and corporately
1.2.
In our study today, we are
going to look at how that Paul charged the Ephesian elders to faithfulness to
pastor (or shepherd) God’s flock which God had been committed to their trust
1.2.1.
We are going to look at the
tremendous cost of discipleship which the apostle Paul was willing to pay for
following Christ in his life
1.2.2.
We are going to see the
tremendous devotion which Paul had as a shepherd of the flock himself
2.
VS 20:20-21 - “20
how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and
teaching you publicly and from house to house, 21 solemnly testifying to both
Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. ”
- Paul now begins to remind the Ephesian
elders of the ministries which he performed when he was with them
2.1.
As we talked about in our last study, this address of Paul reveals the
pastor’s heart that he had for people, as well as his dedication to the
ministry and calling he had from the Lord
2.1.1.
As a faithful
minister, Paul declared the whole truth from God’s Word to the people, as he
says here that he ‘did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was
profitable’.
2.1.1.1.We in the church must hold to the truth in all things,
and we must learn to “speak the truth to one another in love”. We must have the guts to speak and teach the
truth, and not hold back anything.
2.1.1.2.A pastor sometimes has to tell people the truth that
they are not wanting at that moment to hear, for love requires a person
sometimes to tell someone what they need to hear rather than what they want to
hear.
2.1.1.2.1.I thank God that I have had people in my life that
have loved me enough to tell me what I needed to hear rather than what I wanted
to hear many times, even though perhaps at the time the things that they shared
with me were painful to hear and deal with.
2.1.2.
Paul taught
the same things from house to house, when he would visit home fellowships, as
he taught publicly in the big assemblies.
The early church did not build buildings but rather met in houses. Paul would teach the small groups as well as
large ones, if perhaps God might reach even one person with the gospel.
2.1.3.
Paul’s
message was one of ‘repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus
Christ’.
2.1.3.1.This really summarizes what a
person has to do in order to be saved.
2.1.3.2.Repentance always must precede walking in faith as an
absolute prerequisite, and it was always included as part of the gospel message
which must be accomplished before a soul can come to salvation in Christ.
2.1.3.2.1.We in the church must always teach people the
importance of ‘repentance’ of all that is sinful. Without the continual practice of
‘repentance’ in our lives, we shall never be spiritual men and women empowered
and greatly used by God, but rather God will place us on the shelf and use and
bless someone else instead.
2.1.3.2.2.Repentence means to turn over our life to the Lord,
and it means a ‘change of mind’. We are
going in one direction, and we make a 180° turn and start going in the Lord’s direction for our
lives.
2.1.3.3. A person must
‘exercize faith’ in Christ, His death and resurrection, and believe also that
Christ will forgive his sins and come into his life and give him eternal life.
2.1.4.
Paul knew
that he had a ministry of evangelism through the gospel, and to that ministry he
was ever diligent.
3.
VS 20:22-24 - “22
“And now, behold, bound in spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing
what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies
to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. 24 “But I do
not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may
finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to
testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.” - Paul tells the Ephesian elders that the Lord
had revealed to him that ‘bonds and afflictions’ awaited him, yet this did not
deter him
3.1.
From the beginning of his salvation, Paul knew that the calling that he
had involved a great amount of suffering.
In Acts 9:15-16, remember that when the Lord called a man named Ananias to go and to lay
hands on Saul (his pre-conversion name) to be healed of the blindness caused by
his vision of the Lord on the road to Damascus, that Ananias initially
questioned the Lord about sending him to Saul because of Saul’s history of
persecuting Christians, however the Lord told Ananias at that time that Saul
would suffer greatly for serving Christ, “15 But the Lord said to him, “Go,
for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and
kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer
for My name’s sake.””
3.1.1.
The Lord told Ananias that He would show Saul how much he would have to
suffer for His Name.
3.2.
We observe ‘two profound and powerful dynamics’
working in the apostle Paul’s life:
3.2.1.
Paul had a ‘Radical Discipleship’ in his relationship with
Christ.
3.2.1.1.From the moment that Saul
committed his way to Christ, he was 100% committed to following the plan that
God had for his life, there was to be no compromise and no shrinking back, no
matter what it cost him, and he knew that it would cost him everything.
3.2.1.2.In Philippians
3:7-11,
Paul wrote about how he had suffered the loss of all things in order that he
might know Christ, “7 But whatever things were gain to me, those
things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count
all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus
my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish
in order that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a
righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith
in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10
that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of
His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to
the resurrection from the dead.”
3.2.1.2.1.Paul counted everything in
his life to even be rubbish in order that he might gain Christ.
3.2.1.2.2.Paul wanted to know Christ,
not only in the power of His resurrection, but also in the ‘fellowship of His
sufferings’, for he knew that in order to know Christ most fully he would have
to also suffer greatly for Christ.
3.2.1.3.In Phil. 1:21, Paul wrote that for him to
live was Christ, but to die was gain, “21 For to me, to live is Christ, and
to die is gain.”
3.2.1.4.Suffering and trials did not dissuade Paul from
completing the ministry that the Lord had shown him that he must complete, for
he knew all along that everywhere he went to preach the gospel that ‘bonds’, or
jail, awaited him, as well as ‘afflictions’ for the name of Christ.
3.2.1.4.1.We Christians must never allow suffering and trials to
keep us from completing that which the Lord has called to us to do for
Him. We must allow those trials which
will come to accomplish the purpose for which the Lord has intended them.
3.2.1.5.Paul knew that his life belonged completely to the
Lord, and everything that he did, he did prayerfully, and everywhere he went,
he sought the Lord’s leading. He had no
life apart from Christ, and he had no attachments whatsoever to this world or
the things of this world, for he was looking always to the world to come.
3.2.1.5.1.Do you hold your life as dear to yourself? That is, is there anything that you are not willing
to turn over to the Lord in your life?
Is there anything that you refuse to yield in obedience to Him? We Christians must follow the apostle Paul’s
example of not holding our life to be dear to ourselves.
3.2.1.6.When a person commits his
life to Christ for salvation, he trusts Christ by faith to come into his life
to be his Lord and Master as he yields himself to the Lord, however he doesn’t
also automatically understand that he needs to continue on and live his life as
a disciple of Christ.
3.2.1.6.1.In Matthew 24:15-16, Jesus taught that if a
person wanted to be a follower of His that he had to deny himself, take up his
cross, and follow Him, “24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone
wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and
follow Me. 25 “For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever
loses his life for My sake shall find it.””
3.2.1.6.1.1.A person has to die to his
own life and his own plans and desires if he wants to be a disciple of
Christ’s, for as long as a he loves or holds on to his own life he cannot also
have Christ, for a disciple must love nothing or no one more than Christ.
3.2.1.6.1.2.A person has to ‘take up his
cross’, which means to be willing to deal with each and every situation in his
life under obedience to Christ, even if it means that to do so will involve
suffering and persecution, or even death.
3.2.1.6.1.2.1.In Paul’s case, the cross
which he was called to bear, was foretold to him from the beginning to include
tremendous suffering for his faith.
3.2.1.6.1.3.A person has to ‘follow Christ’,
which means to seek to emulate his character in everything, and to be led by
Him wheresoever He may lead.
3.2.1.7.I think
that sometimes many of us who call
ourselves Christians are actually keeping it in the back of our minds that if
this Christian experience gets too tough that we have an alternate plan for our
lives, an escape route if you will, and that
we have not gotten to that place in our lives where we have decided that
no matter what price we must have to pay or what we may be asked to do for Christ
that we shall be faithful to Him in our life..
3.2.1.7.1.We must come to the place in
our lives where we burn the bridges for our escape routes from following Christ
in obedience, and determine that even though no one goes with us that we will
follow Christ fully and faithfully.
3.2.1.8.There are many examples of
people who were willing to make great sacrifices for causes not as noble as
that of following the Lord of Glory who because of His love for us went to the
cross to suffer horror unimaginable to pay the penalty for our sins:
3.2.1.8.1.F.W. Boreham
once wrote, “In his Legend of the Eagles George d’Espartes says
that the most heroic piece of self-sacrifice known to history occurred in the
building of a bridge. In the depths of winter the French army, pressed on all
sides by the Cossacks, had to cross a river. The enemy had destroyed all the
bridges and Napoleon was almost at his wit’s end. Suddenly came the order that
a bridge of some sort must be thrown across the river, and the men nearest the
water were the first to carry out the almost impossible task. Several were
swept away by the furious tide. Others, after a few minutes, sank through cold
and exhaustion; but more came, and the work proceeded as fast as possible. At last the bridge was completed and the army
reached the opposite bank in safety. Then followed the most dramatic scene, and
one of the most touching, recorded in the annals of history. When the men who
had built the bridge were called to leave the water, not one moved. Clinging to
the pillars, they stood silent and motionless, frozen to death. Even Napoleon
shed tears.”
3.2.1.8.2.Richard Newton
once wrote the following story of a man who was an example of a man who was
willing to sacrifice his life, ”In the battle of Sempach, fought between
the Austrians and the Swiss before the use of firearms, a brave Swiss soldier
whose name was Arnold Winkelried, nobly sacrificed his life for the sake of his
country. The Swiss army was very small, and that of the Austrians very large,
presenting such an unbroken ridge of spears that the Swiss soldiers could not
get at their enemies. Arnold told his
comrades to follow him, and he would open for them a way to victory. Rushing up
to the Austrian front, he grasped as many spears as he could reach with his
outstretched arms. Pierced through by spears, he sank down to the earth; the
Swiss soldiers pressed into the opening thus made, and gained the victory.”
3.2.1.9.The greatest sacrifice in history we know was paid at
the cross of
3.2.2.
Not only did
Paul have a ‘radical discipleship’, he also had a ‘Radical Love’ for
those who were lost without Christ in his life, for he was a man who was
‘constrained by the love of Christ’:
3.2.2.1.As I mentioned in our last study, Paul was intending
if at all possible to make it to
3.2.2.2.Paul knew that he would be persecuted if he went to
3.2.2.3.Later in Acts, two prophets tell Paul through the Holy
Spirit not to go to Jerusalem, as he would be persecuted if he went there, yet
he himself had such a burning passion to go there he ded not heed their words,
and for doing this he probably was disobedient to the Lord. However, if he was disobedient we must not
hold too much against a saint who is disobedient to God’s leading due to a
great and burning love and burden for one who is lost.
3.2.2.4.Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans that he wished
that he himself could be cast into hell, if doing so meant that his countrymen,
the Jews, would be saved.
3.3.
People who
know we are Christians are always watching our lives carefully to see how we
deal with different things that happen in our lives, and we Christians must be
careful to endure the fiery trials that we endure with patience and the joy of
the Lord. This will have such a
tremendous impact upon those who are observing our conduct day in and day out.
4.
VS 20:25 - “25
“And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the
kingdom, will see my face no more.” -
Paul tells the Ephesian elders that he knows that they will never see
him again
4.1.
Paul knew
through the Holy Spirit that he would never visit this
5.
VS 20:26-27 - “26
“Therefore I testify to you this day, that I am innocent of the blood of all
men. 27 “For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.”
- Paul tells the Ephesian elders that he
is innocent of the blood of all men
5.1.
We saw in
chapter 18 how that Paul had told the Jews in the synagogue in
5.1.1.
In these
verses, Paul tells the Ephesian elders that he knew that he was ‘innocent of
the blood of all men’, and the reason for this was that he ‘did not shrink from
declaring to you (them) the whole purpose of God’. He had taught them verse by verse through the
Old Testament, and had covered everything God’s Word recorded.
5.2.
It is so
important that pastors in Christ’s church teach the whole counsel of God, as
did Paul. The only way to do this is to
teach the Bible itself, and not teach from the Bible. Every book of the Bible must be taught
through expositorily, verse by verse, as we do in the Calvary Chapels.
6.
VS 20:28 - “28Take
heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy
Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath
purchased with his own blood.” -
Paul charges the Ephesian elders to watch over the flock and to feed
them from the Word of God
6.1.
Paul now
begins to admonish the Ephesian elders about what they need to be careful to be
doing now that he is going to be leaving them for good.
6.1.1.
While Paul
has been with them, he has been protecting them from those who might come into
the church and lead people astray in doctrine or practice, now these elders
must be faithful to shepherd and watch over the sheep under their care.
6.1.2.
As an
exemplary shepherd, Paul had a great love for these people since he has been
shepherding them for three years, the longest time which he spent at any one
church in the book of Acts.
6.2.
These men
were elders, therefore they were representatives of the church, as shepherds,
and as such were responsible for the spiritual well-being of the entire body in
6.3.
As ‘elders’
and ‘overseers’ in the church, these men
were to be good and faithful shepherds over the people. The work that a shepherd of the church does
is to feed the sheep, to guide them, to protect them from the wolves, and to
refresh and give them rest.
6.4.
The first
admonishment of Paul is for these elders to ‘take heed ...unto
yourselves’. They need to first of all
be cautious at all times about where their heart really is, and what the gauge
of their spiritual fervor and growth is reading.
6.4.1.
These elders
are just typical men in many ways, and they probably think that they are much
more spiritual than they really are.
6.4.2.
They are
probably concerned only about everyone else stumbling in their walk and falling
away from the Lord, thinking that they themselves could never stumble or fall
away.
6.4.3.
However, Paul
knew that as shepherds of the flock, these men must first of all be on the
watch for themselves, for in doing so they will be faithful to watch over the
rest of the flock.
6.4.4.
We in the
church today must always be careful to watch our own heart and walk carefully
lest we ourselves be drawn away and fall into some sort of sin. We need to learn to pray for ourselves and
the temptations and trials that we go through.
6.4.4.1.It seems that for most people it is much easier to
pray for the spiritual struggle that brother so-and-so is going through and
that the Lord will teach him the lessons that he needs to learn at this point,
than it is for us to humble ourselves before the Lord and pray in the same way
for ourselves.
6.4.4.2.We tend to be all too self-sufficient and
self-confident, and we don’t even realize just how fragile we really are, and
how desperately we really need the Lord’s help in each and every one of our
struggles each day.
6.4.4.3.In the “Lord’s Prayer”, Jesus taught the most basic
concept of the type of prayer that we as Christians ought to pray, and He
taught that we should pray that the Lord “lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil”, and this sums up what we Christians ought to be praying
and concerned about pertaining to ourselves.
6.4.4.3.1.It is not God’s perfect will for us that we be led
into the midst of “temptations”, so we ought to pray that the Lord would keep
us away from those things which could potentially lead us to be tempted to any
sin.
6.4.4.3.2.We ought to pray that when we are tempted, which will
occur since we are mere men of flesh and God does allow His servants to have to
endure a certain amount of temptation, that we will not fall in that
temptation, but rather that we will be delivered from the evil one himself and
the evil that we are being tempted to carry out.
6.5.
As the
primary part of their duty as ‘elders’ in the church, Paul exhorts these men to
‘to feed the
6.5.1.
Those who are
pastors, elders, and teachers in the church need to realize how important it is
that God’s people get fed the best quality food from His word that they can be
fed. I love pastor Chuck Smith’s,
the pastor of the first Calvary Chapel, philosophy for His ministry, which has always been that he wanted ‘to have
the best loved and best fed sheep on earth’. This ought to be every pastor’s heart for His
sheep.
6.6.
These elders
were overseers of the ‘church’. Jesus
said that upon the rock of truth which Peter declared, “Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the living God”, that He would build His ‘church’. This word occurs 17 times in the book of
Acts, and it refers to the entire group of those whom the Lord has brought to
salvation through His death and resurrection.
6.6.1.
To the Lord,
His church is not some impersonal institution or even a building, rather it is
comprised of individuals, saints who are redeemed, those ‘which he hath
purchased with his own blood’.
6.6.2.
As I have
mentioned before, the church is not a ‘religious organization’, it is ‘a living
organism’ which is connected to and controlled by the head of the body, Jesus.