Acts 20:17–38

 Acts 20:17–38 

In Paul’s farewell address to the Ephesian elders, we have a treasure trove of practical ministry teaching and examples. It is a less theological talk and more of a reminder of how the ministry is to be done. Paul also includes some dire warnings. There are three quick pictures of practical ministry toward which we will offer a glance. This is not a complete study of Paul’s approach to ministry but only the beginning point.

In verse 20 Paul mentions that he taught publicly and from house to house. In-home teaching is all but lost in many churches. There are some ministers who have never seen the inside of a member’s house except for those of their personal friends. We have emphasized the public gathering side of church life to the exclusion of being in and teaching in homes. There is a depth that can happen in homes that will never be replicated in a public worship setting.

The great heartbreak of this passage is not the Holy Spirit warning about Paul’s upcoming hardship. Rather the coming of savage wolves. These wolves will come from both within and without. Of these two dangers, the first is the more destructive. Often the two attacks are in one person; beware the ready-made leader who shows up and is ready to start leading. The main job of the elders of the church is to shepherd. Shepherding is a difficult task. Less than the best men will fail, and even the best men face a very painful and difficult task. Ephesus was the center of a long-standing teaching point for Paul, and this church had an effect on the whole of Asia. In the letters to the churches in Revelation, we see how these churches have been compromised, with some nearly being lost to the influence of false teachers.

Finally, Paul describes his own compensation plan for ministry. Paul worked a secular job to pay for the upkeep of his team and himself. He described it as working “hard” in verse 35. The word ‘hard’ is from two words: the first is ‘exhausting labor and the second is ‘depleted. Currently pastors have a reputation or stereotype of being lazy and not working hard. That is at times false and unfair, but at times it is an accurate description. But that would never apply to Paul and almost never, by the way, to a bi-vocational minister like Paul. The dance of ministerial compensation is the most intricate and complicated of all the dances.

“Lord, help me lead or follow faithfully.  Protect your church from those who would do her harm. AMEN.

Acts 20:1-16

 Acts 20:1-16

After the riot at Ephesus, Paul undertakes a preaching tour in Macedonia and Greece. Word of the chaos of Ephesus would have spread, and Paul is going to travel about and reassure the church with the facts of the Gospel and the truth about the riot. To show them that they too can be faithful when there is persecution. Luke lists himself with Paul in the first person using “us” and “we” along with several other members of the teaching team. Paul finally begins his trip to Jerusalem but spends a week in Troas. There he stays till Sunday, apparently wanting to stay till the church would gather “to break bread.”. The central purpose of the church's gathering was the breaking of bread. Paul’s sermon was incidental and was afforded by the coincidence that he was there.

There are a few details here that would make application in our lives. The gathering likely occurred toward evening after the day's work; note lamps lighted that place. Note also that the teaching preceded the breaking of bread. The meaning and impetus of the breaking of bread would be emphasized in the teaching. Too often when the Lord’s Supper is served, a “short devotional” of such poor quality and insipid meaninglessness as to be useless precedes it. Paul’s long teaching was not the norm, but with the morning departure, he felt compelled to cover as much material as possible. This was no long monologue but likely involved questions, answers, discussions, and application. In all likelihood, at the gathering there would have been a common meal in addition to, as part of, the Lord’s Supper.

We rarely have the opportunity to see a picture of the gatherings of the primitive churches’ worship. And it looks nothing like the worship in the modern church. The emphasis on deep teaching, community, fellowship, and the Lord’s Supper has been replaced with the banality of lights, music, and a pep talk. The tangible reality of the sacrifice of Jesus is either absent or trivialized. At Troas they had one dead boy; now we often have whole congregations that are dead.

“Lord, give me a passion to worship You in the body of the church and in Your body and blood of communion. AMEN”