Chapter 35

Pastor Paul

Acts 20:17-38

 

If I am counting correctly, the Book of Acts contains 8 sermons of the Apostle Paul preached to various audiences - a Jewish synagogue, a Jewish mob, a Jewish council, a Gentile audience and various government officials.  Our text for tonight is one of those 8 recorded messages of Paul, Acts 20:17-34.  The unique aspect of this message is that was given to a group of church leaders and, unlike any other of the recorded messages of Paul, reveals his pastoral ministry.  Here is where we get a glimpse of Paul, the pastor (not the defender of the faith or the evangelist).  Here is where we see Paul's love for the local church and his view of the ministry. 

 

Paul is in a hurry to get to Jerusalem before Pentecost.  He has only about a month to make the journey in that ancient world from the region known then as Asia by ship to Palestine.  From Jerusalem his intention is to travel to Rome (Acts 19:21) and then on to Spain (Romans 15:24, 28).  In his mind, then, this may be Paul's very last time to see and to speak to these elders from the church at Ephesus, Acts 20:25, 36-38.

 

In spite of his plans, he takes the time to meet with the elders of the church at Ephesus at Miletus.  These men are called "elders" (v. 17).  That word refers, not so much to their age, as to their spiritual maturity.  In verse 28, they are also called "overseers", which is the same Greek word for "bishop" and refers to their authority to oversee (supervise) the ministry of the church.  Verse 28 also says their responsibility is to shepherd and feed the flock (a verb form of the Greek word for pastor which means a shepherd).  These three words describe the same office - elder, bishop (overseer) and pastor (shepherd), I Peter 5:1-2.  And thus, in this passage of scripture, we have a pastor's message to pastors.

 

There are 3 parts to Paul's farewell message to the Ephesians elders.  First ...

 

 

A Review Of The Past, 20:18-21.

 

Paul reminds these men that from the first day of his arrival at Ephesus he had given himself unsparingly to the work of the ministry.

 

Toward the Lord - "serving", v. 19, see Galatians 1:10.  Everyone in the ministry is called to serve God rather than men.  That applies to all Christians, not just pastors.  (The cobblers motto - My duty is to serve the Lord will all my heart and senses, then to mend old boots and shoes just to meet expenses).  Serving God defines the motive for doing what is right in His sight above every other consideration.  For a pastor, it means that he does not serve the will and desires of the congregation or the officers, but God.  The primary meaning of the word "serving" is simply that of obedience. 

 

According to verse 19, two specific attitudes mark the heart of a servant of the Lord.  First, there is "all humility of mind".  To be successful as a servant, one has to be humble.  After all, "a servant is not greater than his lord."  Second, serving involves a willingness to endure suffering.  Paul expressed this by the phrase at the end of verse 19.  The "tears" refers to internal suffering (Romans 9:2-3; II Corinthians 2:4; Acts 20:31).  The temptations are external trials which befall the servant of the Lord. 

 

Toward the Church - "teaching", v. 20.  Paul saw clearly that his primary obligation toward the church was to teach.  The outlets for Paul's ministry of teaching was both public and private.  He did not hold back anything that was "profitable".  So what is profitable?  II Timothy 3:16-17!

 

Toward the Lost - evangelism, v. 21.  No view of ministry is complete that fails to have a proper perspective on reaching the lost.  We may not all be gifted as "evangelist" but we are all commanded to "do the work of an evangelist."  So what is the work of an evangelist?  It is to testify - a word used often in Acts to describe preaching and witnessing; it is an intensified form of telling.  It is to everyone - the Jews and the Greek.  And here is the message - "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ", see v. 24.

 

This is the ministry - obeying God, teaching the church, winning the lost.

 

 

A Testimony Of The Present, 20:22-27.

 

"And, now, behold" shifts the emphasis from the past to the present.  Paul opens his heart and tells his friends just how he feels.

 

Everywhere he went, he was hearing the same thing - "Go to Jerusalem and you will go to jail" (vv. 22-23).  Paul understand that all these voices were the Holy Spirit's way of preparing him.  The people who spoke probably intended it to be warning and an urging not to go.  But Paul interpreted there words as the Holy Spirit's personal preparation.  A lesser man would have found a way to not go, but Paul was determined, he was "bound in the spirit" even though he was uncertain what would happen, v. 22.  "None of these things move me ..." (v. 24).

 

Paul uses six graphic pictures to explain why he would not quit.

 

An Accountant - "neither count I my life dear unto myself" (v. 24).  When he compared his assets and his liabilities, his life was not as valuable or precious to him as his obedience.

 

A Runner - "that I might finish my course with joy" (v. 24).  Paul wanted to finish his race in joyful victory.

 

A Steward - "the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus" (v. 24).  This ministry is not mine.  I received it from the Lord.  It is a stewardship for which I must someday give account.

 

A Witness - "to testify the gospel of the grace of God" (v. 24).  Going to Jerusalem was the equivalent of being called on the stand to be a witness and testify about the gospel to unbelievers.

 

A Herald, v. 25.  The word for "preaching" means to herald.  It was the person who announced what the king was going to do.  It was  a spokesperson for the king.  And that was how Paul saw himself.

 

A Watchman, v. 26-27.  A watchman (Ezekiel 3:17-21) had to stay awake and alert to approaching danger.  If he failed to  warning, the people's blood would be on his hands. 

 

This was Paul's present ministry.

 

 

A Warning About The Future, 20:28-35.

 

Actually, there are several warnings in these verses. 

 

First, beware of yourself, v. 28a.  "Take heed therefore unto yourselves."  This is a call from one pastor to a group of other pastors for careful self-examination and personal holiness.  Being in the ministry, being a pastor, does not automatically make one holy and without struggles with sin and temptation.  It is just as possible to be backslidden in the pulpit as in the pew.  Paul is calling his fellow pastors to a genuine personal walk with the Lord.

 

Second, beware of wolves, vv. 28b-30.  Take heed, not only to yourself but also to the flock.  The Holy Spirit has appointed the pastor to be the overseer of the flock whose responsibility it is to lead and feed the flock - God's blood purchased flock.  There are wolves on the outside who will devour the flock, v. 29.  Sometimes the threat is from without but sometimes it is from within, v. 30.  False teachers can rise up within the flock who allure people into following them (instead of Christ). 

 

Third, beware of carelessness, v. 31.  Failing to be alert ("watch") and failing to remember what you already know and what you have been warned about is careless and dangerous.

 

Fourth, beware of shallowness, v. 32.  The stability of your life is going to depend on the depth of your personal walk with the Lord.  Prayer and Bible study are the keys to edification and enrichment.

 

Fifth, beware of covetousness, v. 33.  Paul reminds them of his own freedom from self-interest.

 

Sixth, beware of laziness, v. 34.  Paul himself did not have a salary from the church at Ephesus and those who are privileged to be drawing a salary should be earning it by their work ethic.

 

Seventh, beware of selfishness, v. 35.  True ministry means giving not getting; it means following the supreme example and teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

The scene ended with Paul kneeling down and praying with and for all his friends, and then they all wept together.  It's never easy to say good-bye to someone you love especially when you will never meet again this side of eternity.  But we have the assurance that one day there will be a great reunion with our Christian family and friends in heaven.

 

Meanwhile- there is a job to do.  So get on with it!