Lesson #25

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Lesson #02

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RETURN TO THE SYLLABUS

ACTS 20
LESSON #25
THE GOOD EXAMPLE OF A CHRISTIAN LIFE

• MEMORY VERSE: 2TIM 4:7

• IN STUDYING PAUL’S THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY, ACTS 19 ENDED WITH PAUL IN EPHESUS. AFTER THE RIOT RAISED BY THE OFFENDED SILVERSMITHS, PAUL DECIDES IT IS BETTER TO LEAVE THAT CITY.

• READ ACT 20:1-6 PAUL ON THE MOVE AGAIN. THE DATE IS ABOUT 58-59 AD
• FROM THE CITY EPHESUS, PAUL TRAVELS UP THE COAST OF TURKEY TO TROAS. THIS WAS THE PLACE WHERE, ON HIS SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY, GOD GAVE HIM A VISION TO GO TO MACEDONIA (GREECE).
• PAUL STOPS IN TROAS EXPECTING TO MEET UP WITH TITUS WHO IS TO BRING HIM A REPORT FROM THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH. HOWEVER, TITUS IS NOT IN TROAS, SO PAUL CONTINUES ON TO PHILIPPI WHERE HE MEETS TITUS AND HEARS ABOUT THE VARIED PROBLEMS IN THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH.
• WHAT KINDS OF PROBLEMS EXISTED IN THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH?
• SOME OF THE PROBLEMS OF EXCESS AND IMMORALITY:
• THE USE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS.
• THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE CHURCH.
• EATING MEET OFFERED TO IDOLS
• MARRIAGE AND COMMUNION PROBLEMS
• PROBLEMS OF PARTY POLITICS
• FROM PHILIPPI PAUL WROTE THE LETTER (BOOK) OF 2 CORINTHIANS. SOMEWHERE ON THIS TREK THROUGH GREECE, PAUL WROTE THE LETTER (BOOK) OF ROMANS.
• PAUL WRITES THIS LETTER TO THE ROMAN CHURCH. HOW THERE HAPPENED TO BE A CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN ROME, WE DO NOT KNOW. WE DO NOT KNOW WHO STARTED THIS CHURCH OR WHEN IT WAS STARTED.
• FOR THE NEXT NINE MONTHS PAUL IS BUSY RE-VISITING THE MACEDONIAN CHURCHES THAT WERE ESTABLISHED ON HIS SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY AND ESTABLISHING NEW CHURCHES.
• A NEW CHURCH WAS ESTABLISHED AT ILLYRICUM, EITHER BY PAUL OR ONE OF THE OTHER APOSTLES. (ROM 15:19).
• BECAUSE PAUL WAS SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE MANY PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH AT CORINTH HE DECIDED TO SPEND SOME TIME THERE. HOWEVER, AFTER THEY HAD ALREADY RECEIVED HIS CORRECTIVE LETTERS, HE FOUND THE CHURCH AT CORINTH RATHER PEACEFUL AND DOING WELL.
• PAUL WAS ABOUT TO SAIL FOR TROAS WHEN HE HEARD OF THE JEWS LYING IN WAIT TO CAPTURE HIM ON BOARD THE BOAT. IT IS SUPPOSED THAT THESE JEWS WAITED TO KILL HIM ON BOARD SHIP.
• THEREFORE, PAUL RETRACED HIS STEPS FROM CORINTH BACK UP THROUGH MACEDONIA TO TROAS, WHILE HE SENT THE REST HIS GROUP BY SHIP TO TROAS.
• WHY ARE THERE SO MANY WITH PAUL IN THE GROUP?
• PAUL WAS COLLECTING MONEY FROM ALL THE GENTILE CHURCHES FOR THE JERUSALEM CHURCH. EACH CHURCH HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEND ITS OWN DELEGATE BACK TO JERUSALEM WITH PAUL, HAND CARRYING THESE FUNDS.

• READ ACT 20:7-16
• PAUL’S ALL NIGHT CHURCH SERVICE IN TROAS
• PAUL MEETS UP WITH THE REST OF HIS GROUP IN TROAS WHERE THEY ATTEND A SUNDAY EVENING CHURCH SERVICE.
• NOTICE THAT DR. LUKE IS AGAIN PRESENT WITH PAUL BECAUSE LUKE MENTIONS “WE”.
• WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK DOES THE WORSHIP SERVICE OCCUR?
• FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ACTS, WE ARE TOLD WHICH DAY OF THE WEEK THE CHRISTIANS HOLD THEIR WORSHIP SERVICE.
• IT IS NOT ON SATURDAY ACCORDING TO THE JEWISH SABBATH. INSTEAD IT IS ON SUNDAY TO COMMEMORATE THE RESURRECTION.
• IS IT IMPORTANT WHICH DAY OF THE WEEK A CHURCH CHOOSES FOR ITS WORSHIP SERVICES? NO
• READ COL 2:16-17
• PAUL’S LONG-WINDED PREACHING
• THIS CHURCH SERVICE HAD PREACHING, A FELLOWSHIP DINNER, AND COMMUNION.
• PAUL PREACHED TO MIDNIGHT CAUSING EUTYCHUS TO FALL ASLEEP. HE FELL OUT OF THE WINDOW AND DIED.
• REMEMBER THAT PAUL WAS A BRILLIANT SCHOLAR, BUT NOT AS ELOQUENT A SPEAKER AS APOLLOS, SO PEOPLE FELL ASLEEP LISTENING TO PAUL.
• WAS EUTYCHUS REALLY DEAD? YES. DR. LUKE WAS THERE AND WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE FIRST TO EXAMINE HIM.
• PAUL, LIKE ELIJAH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT (1KIN 17:21), STRETCHES HIMSELF OVER THE DEAD BODY AND EUTYCHUS IS RAISED FROM THE DEAD.
• AFTER THE MIRACLE, PAUL RESUMES HIS SERMON AND PREACHES ALL NIGHT UNTIL DAWN.
• THE NEXT MORNING PAUL SAILS DOWN THE COAST OF TURKEY TOWARD EPHESUS.
• IN HIS HASTE, PAUL LEAVES BEHIND SOME OF HIS LUGGAGE INCLUDING BOOKS AND PARCHMENTS, WHICH HE REQUESTS TIMOTHY TO PICK UP AND BRING TO HIM LATER. (2TIM 4:13)
• BECAUSE PAUL IS IN A HURRY TO GET TO JERUSALEM BY PENTECOST, HE DOES NOT INTEND TO STOP IN EPHESUS.

• READ ACT 20:17-35
• HOWEVER, HAVING PASSED BY EPHESUS, WHILE IN MILETUS, PAUL SENDS A MESSAGE BACK TO EPHESUS (30 MILES AWAY) REQUESTING THAT THE ELDERS OF THE EPHESIAN CHURCH COME TO MILETUS TO MEET HIM THERE SINCE HIS SHIP IS DELAYED A FEW DAYS.
• PAUL’S FAREWELL WORDS TO THE CHRISTIAN LEADERS OF EPHESUS.
• THIS IS PAUL’S FIRST RECORDED MESSAGE TO A STRICTLY CHRISTIAN AUDIENCE.
• PAUL’S DEFENSE OF HIS LIFE STYLE:
• PAUL EXPRESSES HOW HE, IN HUMILITY AND TENDERNESS, HAS POURED OUT HIS LIFE TO BRING THEM THE FULL GOSPEL THROUGH SUFFERING AND PERSECUTION.
• PAUL ALWAYS EARNED HIS OWN LIVING BY TENT-MAKING. THE CHURCHES HE ESTABLISHED NEVER SUPPORTED HIM FINANCIALLY. (33-34) WHY NOT?
• EVEN THOUGH PAUL, IN HIS WRITINGS (1COR 9:13-14), TELLS US THAT ONE WHO IS A MINISTER OF THE WORD IS WORTHY OF SUPPORT, HE NEVER TOOK MONEY FROM ANY CHURCH FOR HIS PERSONAL USE. HE HAD A RIGHT TO BE SUPPORTED, BUT HE CHOSE NOT TO EXERCISE THAT RIGHT.
• HIS REASON WAS THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO BRING ANY ACCUSATION AGAINST HIS TEACHINGS. HE DID NOT WANT PEOPLE TO THINK HE WAS PREACHING JUST TO GET MONEY. THEREFORE, THE WORD OF GOD REMAINED BLAMELESS AND HE REMAINED FREE FROM ANY FINANCIAL POLITICS.
• PAUL’S ANTICIPATION OF HIS OWN FUTURE:
• PAUL EXPRESSES THAT THIS IS THE LAST TIME HE WILL SEE THEM BECAUSE HE IS GOING TO JERUSALEM AGAIN NOT KNOWING WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO HIM THERE.
• AT THIS POINT, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO INTERPRETATION.
• MANY FEEL THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS LEADING PAUL TO JERUSALEM, WHILE MANY OTHERS FEEL THAT PAUL WAS IN GOD’S PERMISSIVE WILL.
• “BOUND IN THE SPIRIT” (22) = NOTICE THAT IT IS PAUL’S OWN SPIRIT THAT DRIVES HIM TO JERUSALEM AND NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT. (22)
• THE WORD, “SPIRIT” IS NOT CAPITALIZED. THEREFORE, IT IS PAUL’S OWN SPIRIT THAT IS MEANT HERE.
• WHY WAS PAUL ALWAYS SO DETERMINED TO GO TO JERUSALEM? IT IS HIS DEEP LOVE FOR THE JEWS THAT DRAWS HIM BACK THERE, THIS FOR THE FIFTH TIME.
• THE HOLY SPIRIT WARNS HIM THAT SUFFERING AND IMPRISONMENT AWAIT HIM THERE.(23)
• THEREFORE, I BELIEVE WE ARE ABOUT TO SEE PAUL STEP OUT OF THE PERFECT WILL OF GOD INTO GOD’S PERMISSIVE WILL.
• PAUL’S ANTICIPATION OF THEIR FUTURE: (28)
• PAUL CHARGES THEM WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF WATCHING OVER THE FLOCK OF CHRISTIANS IN EPHESUS.
• THEY SHOULD USE HIS MINISTRY OF LOVE AND TEARS AS A MODEL OF HOW TO SHEPHERD THE FLOCK.
• PAUL GIVES THEM A PROPHECY ABOUT:
• THE COMING OF EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL “WOLVES” OR FALSE TEACHERS THAT WILL DEVASTATE THE FLOCK.
• THIS PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED NOT TOO LONG AFTER BECAUSE THERE WAS A WIDESPREAD REVOLT AGAINST PAUL AND HIS TEACHINGS THROUGHOUT THE AREA OF TURKEY. (2TIM 1:15)
• LATER WHEN JOHN WROTE THE BOOK OF REVELATION, THIS CHURCH HAS LOST ITS FIRST LOVE FOR CHRIST. (REV 2:1-7)
• PAUL COMMENDS THESE LEADERS TO GOD AND GOD’S WORD IN PRAYER. (32)
• PREVIOUSLY THEY WERE LOOKING TO PAUL FOR COUNSEL AND HELP. NOW THEY MUST LOOK TO GOD AND TO GOD’S WORD TO GUIDE THEM.
• THESE LEADERS SHOULD FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE OF GIVING TO THE POOR.
• THE PERSON WHO GIVES IS LIVING IN FREEDOM WHILE THE PERSON WHO IS ALWAYS RECEIVING IS LIVING UNDER OBLIGATION.

• READ ACT 20:36-38 PAUL’S TEARFUL DEPARTURE
• IN GREAT SADNESS PAUL LEAVES THE EPHESIAN ELDERS IN MILETUS.
• THERE IS SADNESS BECAUSE OF THEIR LOVE FOR PAUL AND PAUL’S LOVE FOR THEM. THEY WILL NOT SEE HIM AGAIN.
• IN GREAT SATISFACTION PAUL LEAVES TURKEY.
• HE KNOWS HIS JOB IN ASIA MINOR AND IN GREECE IS FINISHED. HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED MUCH.
• MANY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE SAVED BOTH JEWS AND GENTILES.
• HE HAS STARTED MANY, MANY CHURCHES IN MUCH OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

• APPLICATION:
• FROM THIS CHAPTER, WE SEE EXAMPLES OF THE THINGS CHRISTIANS SHOULD DO IN THEIR LIVES.
• OPENLY EXPRESS CHRISTIAN LOVE AND FELLOWSHIP (1)
• ATTENDANCE AT WORSHIP SERVICES AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK (7)
• ATTENDANCE AT COMMUNION SERVICE (7)
• SERVING THE LORD IN HUMILITY (19)
• ATTENDANCE TO HEAR TEACHING IN THE CHURCH (20)
• ATTENDANCE TO HEAR TEACHING IN HOME BIBLE STUDIES (20)
• WITNESSING ABOUT REPENTANCE AND FAITH TOWARD GOD TO OTHERS (22)
• PRACTICE PRAYER (32)
• LOOK TO THE WORD OF GOD FOR PERSONAL GUIDANCE (32)
• GIVE TO THE POOR (35)
• IF WE ARE TO LOOK TO PAUL AS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A CHRISTIAN, WHAT CHARACTERISTICS DO WE OBSERVE IN PAUL IN THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS OF THIS CHAPTER?
• ACT 20:17-21
• HUMILITY, TENDERNESS, AND LOVE
• ACT 20:22-24
• TOTAL COMMITMENT AND PERSEVERANCE
• ACT 20:25-32
• A CLEAR CONSCIENCE, ENDURANCE IN PERSECUTION, AND A SACRIFICIALLY TENDER LOVE
• ACT 20:33-35
• A TRUST IN GOD FOR PROVISION, NOT COVETOUS, AND HAVING A SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY
• ACT 20:36-38
• SWEET LOVE

HOMEWORK
ACT 21:1-36
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF ACT 20
• WHICH OF THE CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCES, THAT SHOULD BE A PART OF EVERY CHRISTIAN’S LIFE, IS LACKING IN YOUR EXPERIENCE?

• WHICH OF PAUL’S CHRISTIAN CHARACTERISTICS DO YOU FIND LACKING IN YOUR OWN PERSONALITY?

• FOR WHAT REASON DO YOU THINK THESE THINGS ARE NOT A PART OF YOUR LIFE EXPERIENCE?

• PRAY AND ASK GOD TO GUIDE YOU INTO A FULLER, MORE COMPLETE EXPERIENCE OF CHRIST IN YOUR LIFE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS.

• PREPARATION FOR ACT 21:1-36
• READ ACT 21:1-36
• HOW DID THE ELDERS ANSWER, AND WHAT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION? (20-24)

• WHY DID PAUL PARTICIPATE IN THE VOW? (23-26)

• DID PAUL’S PRESENCE IN JERUSALEM ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING POSITIVE IN THE EXPANSION OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD?

• WHAT WERE THE CHARGES AGAINST PAUL? (27-29)

• FROM THIS CHAPTER WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT:
• GOD’S WILL?

• THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?

• MEMORY VERSE: PHILIPPIANS 1:29