Bread of His Presence

Lechem Panim #220 “What GOD Had Done” (Acts 21:17-20) Pastor Cameron Ury

Greetings! It’s good to have you with us today. In our passage today here in Acts 21, we find Paul returning from his third missionary journey. He has been visiting the churches in Asia Minor and Greece with the purpose of edifying and building them up. And as he is visiting all these Gentile churches he had previously helped to establish, he has been collecting an offering for the Church in Jerusalem; an offering of money that was much needed by the believers there and one which would help solidify the bond between the Jewish and Gentile Christians. Now everyone is warning Paul not to go to Jerusalem because of how the Holy Spirit of God is revealing through many Christians the fact that awaiting for Paul in Jerusalem are trials and persecutions. And Paul accepts that, but continues onwards because he senses that the Holy Spirit (despite the danger) is compelling him to go; the mission of helping to minister to the needs of and unite the Church is more important than his own personal safety. Here was a man who was utterly and completely sold out in his love for God, his love for the Church, and his desire to pour his life out as an offering to both.

An Ambassador In Chains— And today’s passage is Paul’s last one as a free man. From here on (in his own words in Ephesians 6:20) he will be an ambassador in chains. This passage is a transitional one in that it tells of the events leading up to his arrest. Now you would think that chains would limit (or at least severely handicap his ministry). But instead we will see that despite the intentions of others, those chains will have no effect on his ministry whatsoever. God was able to use him even in his chains. And that is something that God has done (and continues to do) often. If I were to ask each of you to name your favorite verse, I’m sure at least several (perhaps more) of you would say Romans 8:28. It reads…

Romans 8:28 (NIV)— 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Still True— Now this verse is a great source of comfort to any person who is going through any trial or tribulation because it reminds us that God is in control and that whatever suffering we are going through He will go with us and give us victory. But do we really believe that? Do we really believe that in any situation God can bring something good. It is hard to think that way. But it is true. There is no situation you are going through that God cannot bring His glory. But we have to trust Him. We have to believe that He is going to remain faithful to us.

Brengle’s Trials— Lately I have been (with my grandfather) reading through the works of Samuel Logan Brengle, who wrote some of the most helpful books on holiness ever written; such as Heart Talks on Holiness, The Way of Holiness, and When the Holy Ghost Is Come. But what is really incredible about these books is the story behind them. [Brengle was a brilliant young preacher whom God led into the Salvation Army. He became the Salvation Army’s great spokesman for the message of personal holiness. One night a drunken man continually interrupted a service Brengle was leading. Finally, Brengle put the man outside the service. After the meeting was over, Brengle was the last one to leave, so he turned the lights off and stepped into the street. The drunken man was waiting for him. He struck one side of Brengle’s head with a …{brick}…, and smashed the other side against the building. Samuel Brengle was in the hospital for an extended period, hovering between life and death. When he finally began to recover, it was a long time before he could resume his former activities, so the editor of the Salvation Army’s magazine asked him to write] [a series of articles on holiness. These were later gathered and published as a little red book entitled Helps to Holiness. That book would become an international success, and the first of nine by Samuel Logan Brengle, causing him later to remark, “If there had been no little brick, there would have been no little book!”[4] By the time of his death in 1936, Commissioner Brengle was an internationally renowned preacher and worldwide ambassador of holiness. His influence continues today, perhaps more than that of any Salvationist in history other than the founders, William and Catherine Booth.]
    And his story is a reminder to us that [We must believe that God is running our lives. The devil can create minor complications, but God is in control whether you are in a hospital bed like Brengle, in a prison like Paul, or anywhere else. God can and will use your circumstances to accomplish his purposes. He is the only one who can produce fruit out of an apparent disaster.] And (as we will see in the coming chapters) incredible fruit will be produced by God through Paul even in the midst of his chains.

Gentile Companions— Now as Paul comes to Jerusalem, he has with him a group of Gentiles who are representatives of those Gentile churches Paul helped start who have come to actively show love, compassion, and solidarity with the Jerusalem church. And they arrive (most likely) at Pentecost. Now the text doesn’t say explicitly that it was Pentecost, but it being Paul’s plan to arrive at Pentecost coupled with the fact that (as we will see) there are multitudes there in Jerusalem, it would seem that Paul made it back in time to celebrate this very important Jewish feast.

Pentecost— Now [Pentecost means “fiftieth” because this feast was held fifty days after the Feast of …{Passover}…. The calendar of Jewish feasts in Leviticus 23 is an outline of the work of Jesus Christ. Passover pictures His death as the Lamb of God (John 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:7), and the Feast of Firstfruits pictures His resurrection from the dead (1 Cor. 15:20–23). …Pentecost….pictures the formation of the church. At Pentecost, the Jews celebrated the giving of the law, but Christians celebrate it because of the giving of the Holy Spirit to the church.] And really it is a celebration of when God took the Law of God and gave it again, not on tablets of stone this time but wrote it upon our heart in and through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. And Paul is no doubt reflecting about these realities as he himself prepares two celebrate. Now it says in…

Acts 21:17-18 (NKJV)— 17 And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. {Now this was an initial, unofficial reception; the meeting before the meeting, so to speak. But the next verse says…} 18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.

From Apostles to Elders— Now notice it says James, and all the elders; but it does not mention the apostles. Why? Because they aren’t there anymore. Well, where are they? Well, as you know, they had been very key in the establishing of the Jerusalem Church. And they were the leaders of the Church in the beginning (2:42; 4:35-37; 5:2). But remember, as the Church grew, they recognized the need for assistance in running the whole administrative side of thing; and so they chose seven to serve under them and help with these tasks (6:2-6). Elders are mentioned for the first time in 11:30 and we see that by the time the Jerusalem Council convenes, the elders had taken a very prominent role in the leadership of the Church (15:2,4,6,22,23; 16:4). Now the elders are the full leaders and the apostles are gone. Now where did they go? Well at least one (James the brother of John) had already been killed (Acts 12:2). But the rest (after turning over the leadership of the Church to the elders) had [left the city to engage in missionary work. Elder rule was thus being established as the New Testament pattern of church government (cf. Acts 14:23; 20:17; 1 Tim. 5:17; Titus 1:5; James 5:14; 1 Pet. 5:1, 5).]

Number of Elders— Now we are not told the number of elders present. Some speculate that there may have been seventy, paralleling the number of members in the Jewish Sanhedrin. And when we consider the enormous number of Christians there in Jerusalem, there were probably at least that and probably more. But however many there were, we see they receive him and his team gladly. Now having a large offering with them no doubt helped. But that wasn’t the only reason; most likely not even the main reason, which is evident in that it is not even mentioned here in the text. No, they focus on (at least at first) what Paul and his team has been up to.

Missionary Sunday— In one congregation I pastored there was an unusually high emphasis placed on missions; and once a month we would have missionaries come to share. But even in a congregation as mission-focused as that, I remember there was a small handful who were very religious about not being in Church on missionary Sunday. They didn’t think we had any business galavanting across the world when there were plenty of local needs right there. It was kind of like a silent protest every month in our Church from these people. But let me tell you, none of them ever visited a foreign country; and so they never saw the need. And the heart cannot feel what the eye has not seen. Now there were other people who would never miss a missionary Sunday. And you could see in their eyes this hungry eagerness to hear about all that God was doing and were eager to support and come alongside those missionaries. And often these were people who had gone on missions trips before; and so they knew. These elders were like the latter group. They were hungry to hear from Paul and his team.

Key Characteristics— Now in and throughout Paul’s ministry, we have seen demonstrated quite a number characteristics that made him a truly godly man. We talked about his powerful preaching, his powerful teaching, His persistence, his discipline, his courage, his commitment, his convictions. And last week we focused in on his courage. And as we move through this passage, we are going to see another one of Paul’s characteristics that we will see envelops and permeates the events that transpire here; and that is the characteristic of humility. We are going to see that this quality saturates virtually everything he does. It says in…

Acts 21:19 (NKJV)— 19 When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things {(he had so wisely and thoughtfully done by his own whit, charm, and speaking ability. The elders gave him a standing ovation and presented him with a plaque he hung on the wall of the office he never had and he admired it for years to come. Does it say that? No. It says he told in detail those things)} which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

Geempa’s Epitaph: Behold The Lamb— You see it was it was all about what God had done; not what he had done. It was never about him. He reminds me of my Grandfather on my dad’s side (we called him Geempa). Just about every time I am able to make it back to Kentucky to visit my family, I stop by his grave site. And let me tell you, there are thousands in heaven right now (and more to come) because of the ministry of that man; because of his ministry stateside, but also throughout Asia. But on his epitaph are three very simple words printed below his name: “Behold the Lamb”. And let me tell you, that is how he lived his life. He did a lot of tremendous things for Christ. But he never took glory for a single one of them. It was all about pointing people to Jesus. And let me tell you, that is the supreme mark of a sanctified person; a deflection of all glory to where it truly belongs, the face of God.

Paul’s Humility— And it is that kind of humility we see in Paul. [Paul expressed his humility in his rebuke of the hero-worshiping Corinthians. Writing to them in 1 Corinthians 3:5–7 he declared: What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Later in that same letter he added, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me” (1 Cor. 15:10). To the Romans he wrote, “I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed” (Rom. 15:18). {You see,} It is the mark of a godly man that he exalts the Lord and not himself. “He who boasts,” wrote Paul in 2 Corinthians 10:17, “let him boast in the Lord.”] Now that kind of orientation is contagious. And we see that in the very next verse, where the elders (as Paul did) gave the glory where it belonged. It says…

Acts 21:20a (NKJV)— 20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord.

Let Us Point To God— And so this week, let us also be careful (in everything) to give glory to God. Let us be people who choose to say (in whatever way fits the situation in which we find blessing) “Behold the Lamb of God”. Let’s do so. Amen.

Lechem Panim #219 “A Rough Road Ahead” (Acts 21:5-16) Pastor Cameron Ury

Greetings! It’s good to have you with us today. In our passage today here in Acts 21, we find Paul and his companions on their way to Jerusalem to deliver a special offering. And they are about to leave the city of Tyre, where (if you were with us last week) you’ll remember they found a community of believers with whom they stayed seven days. And now they are getting ready to leave. And in looking at this passage, I found it so astounding how quickly these believers in Tyre grew to love Paul. Or perhaps it’s not so amazing. It seems to be the case in many of the churches Paul goes to. It is easy to fall in love with somebody who genuinely loves and shows care for you. Maybe you know somebody who, whenever they enter a room, immediately makes you and other people there feel like the most important people in the world and who seems to communicate that you are the best thing to have happened to his/her day. There are people like that. I know people like that. I want to be a person like that. And Paul definitely was, which is why we see that even after just one week Paul and his missionary team are accompanied to the shore not just by the church leaders; and not just by the men, but by everyone; all the men, accompanied by their wives and children. Look at verse five. It says…

Acts 21:5 (NKJV)— 5 When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed.

Kneeling— And one scholar notes that normally the custom during that time was to stand when praying. We see that in Mark 11:25 Luke 18:11-13. And so here the fact that we see them kneeling together publicly shows just how intense, solemn, and sincere their prayers for Paul’s protection really were. Now after they pray together, it says in…

Acts 21:6-7 (NKJV)— 6 When we had taken our leave of one another, we boarded the ship, and they returned home. 7 And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one day.

At Ptolemais— Now Ptolemais was only a few miles south of Tyre. Paul and his missionary team stay there just one day, but take the opportunity to greet the believers there and spend some time with them. After that, it says…

Acts 21:8 (NKJV)— 8 On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

Philip The Evangelist— Now Philip of course had been one of the original deacons (Acts 6:1-6) of the church who also served as an evangelist (Acts 8:5ff). He was both a public evangelist, which we saw in his ministry in Samaria; but he was also a personal evangelist, as he was the one who remember led the Ethiopian eunuch to Christ (Acts 8). But he had also been an associate of Stephen, who’s murder Paul had been a part of. So in another very personal way, it is amazing to see how God can bring good out of bad, as we see these men (20 years later) coming together under the banner of ministry for Christ. Now it says of Philip…

Acts 21:9 (NKJV)— 9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

Philip’s Daughters— Now this is an interesting little detail given to us. The Greek word that Luke uses here to describe them (parthenoi) probably indicates that they are a young, under the age of sixteen. And prophecy wasn’t unusual in the early church. In fact it was one of the most cherished gifts (1 Corinthians 14:5, 39). But why this verse is important (and maybe why Luke includes it) is because women (and especially unmarried women) usually did not have a very high standing in culture. And so this little verse shows that people of low status in society were often included in positions of prominence in the Church. Now we do know a little bit more about them outside of the Bible. [Eusebius refers to these daughters twice, mentioning that they lived and were buried in Hierapolis, which is in Phrygia in Asia Minor. Papias, bishop of Hierapolis, said that these daughters were sources of valuable information of what happened in the early years of Christianity. Philip and his daughters may have been one of Luke’s information sources.] Now it says…

Acts 21:10 (NKJV)— 10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

Agabus Comes Down— Now this prophet Agabus was not a stranger to Paul. Fifteen years prior he had worked together with Paul in a famine relief program for Judea (Acts 11:27-30). It was he who had predicted the famine (accurately) which remember prompted a collection from the church in Antioch. And here we see that he comes to deliver a message to Paul. And it is a very dramatic and visually powerful acted prophecy, which was a familiar method used by many of the Old Testament prophets. It says in…

Acts 21:11 (NKJV)— 11 When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”

Fighting For Unity— Now note that the Holy Spirit does not forbid Paul to go to Jerusalem here either. Agabus doesn’t say that. He just merely tells what will happen to Paul if he does go. And Paul, who sees the growing division between the “far right“ legalistic Jews and the believing Gentiles, sees the task of fighting for the unity of the church as being more important than his very life. He knew that he was part of the answer to the problem and that he could not solve it remotely through a representative. No, he had to go to Jerusalem personally. Now the believers try to convince him otherwise. It says in…

Acts 21:12-13 (NKJV)— 12 Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place {(so not Agabus, which is something to observe)} pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Was Paul Right or Not?— Now people have argued back-and-forth about whether or not Paul was right or not in making this trip to Jerusalem. And for us it may seem wrong to question an apostle; but we need to remember that Paul wasn’t infallible. He was a human being just like us. His writings were inspired, but that doesn’t mean that everything he did was perfect or that he always made the right choice. To the believers Paul encountered, as well as to us, these repeated messages to Paul through the ministry of prophetic Christians do sound like warnings for Paul to stay out of Jerusalem. And over 20 years prior, the Lord had commanded Paul to get out of Jerusalem because he knew that the Jews would not receive Paul’s testimony (Acts 22:18). But that was not a permanent command, and we see afterwards that the Lord did allow him to return to Jerusalem on other occasions: with famine relief (Acts 11:27–30); to attend the Jerusalem Conference (Acts 15:1ff.); and after his second missionary journey (Acts 18:22 – “going up to greet the church” refers to Jerusalem). But Paul seems to see things differently here. He doesn’t sense any prohibition from God. As we said before, he felt compelled by God. But even before these prophecies, Paul was aware of the dangers that awaited for him should he go to Jerusalem. Paul had written in his letter to the Romans concerning the dangers in Judea (Acts 15:30–31) and had shared these same feelings with the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:22–23). So he was obviously fully aware of the dangers. But these warnings (and this is what Paul sensed) may not in fact to be prohibitions at all. Rather than God saying “You must not go”, God may in fact be saying “Get ready!”.

Acts 21:14-16 (NKJV)— 14 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.” {Now after this it says… } 15 And after those days we packed and went up to Jerusalem. 16 Also some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and brought with them a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to lodge.

From Caesarea to Jerusalem— And so the Christians in Caesarea leave and travel with Paul to Jerusalem, probably intending to celebrate the feast themselves. Now this was a sixty-five mile trek that took three days if they went on foot – two days if they had animals. So they had some time together, no doubt fellowshipping, praying with one another, worshiping together, sharing stories about what God had done in and through them, but also anticipating the challenges that they ahead of them; and particularly the persecution that awaited Paul. But Paul was no doubt greatly encouraged by their companionship as he took this difficult journey up to Jerusalem.

Arrival At Jerusalem— Now it’s a long trip, so they stop somewhere along the way at the house of a man named Mnason, who is described as “an early disciple”. We don’t know exactly who he is. It is possible that he came to faith after hearing Peter preach at Pentecost at the beginning of the book of Acts. Or he may have come to faith later in and through the ministry of Barnabas (Acts 4:36). We don’t know. But what we do know is that now he is traveling with them. He had been visiting Caesarea (where they just were), but he had a house somewhere along the route to Jerusalem. And so, apparently being given to hospitality, he opens his home to Paul to help him and his team at this very important time in his ministry. Now after this Paul and his team make the rest of the trek to Jerusalem and arrive there. The city is crowded with other pilgrims who have come up for the feast. And Paul and his missionary team are received by the Church there.

How Was The Gift Received?— Now we don’t know how the first meeting with the church leaders in Jerusalem went. It would’ve been nice for Luke to give us more detail on that. We do know that James and the other leaders in Jerusalem received Paul and his missionary team gladly; but it would’ve been great to see their reaction at receiving this gift from Paul. Did they all receive it gladly or did some of them look on it with suspicion? A few years after this, the Roman writer Martial said “gifts are like hooks!” And maybe some of the Jewish leaders looked at Paul’s gift that way. The legalistic wing of the church would certainly have questioned anything that Paul said or did.

What To Worry About— But you and I can’t always worry about how other people will look at or receive the good things we do. And we shouldn’t. All we need to worry about is pleasing our Lord. Paul did not let what his adversaries thought of him affect either the way he viewed himself or the way that he did his ministry. He didn’t even allow well-meaning believers to dissuade him from what he thought was right. He always acted confidently and with full assurance, knowing that his security was in his relationship with God. And the same is true of us. You and I must always remember that when we live our lives on purpose for Christ, He can give us confidence and courage to accomplish all that He wants us to accomplish. And so let’s live on purpose for Him. Amen.

Lechem Panim #218 “Warnings on The Way” (Acts 21:1-4) Pastor Cameron Ury

Hello, it’s good to have you with us today. If you have your bible, go ahead and turn with me to Acts chapter 21. We’ll get through just the first several verses today. That’s Acts 21 chapter 21. But before we get into the meat of the text, I’d just like to draw your attention to a characteristic of Paul that we see crop up again and again, not just in this chapter but in and throughout the course of his whole ministry. And that is courage. What is courage? As I say the word “courage”, I wonder what images might come to your mind? What stories? Maybe there is somebody you know who has shown an extraordinary amount or level of courage.

Columbine— Not long ago I read of a couple of stories that came out of a very dark day in American history: April 20th 1999, the date of the Columbine High School massacre, when two young men (Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold) gunned down a dozen students and a teacher. It was one of the worst school shootings to ever have taken place in our nation. To this day I am sure many of you remember just how much that event grieved and shocked our nation. And afterwards we learned of some incredibly heroic acts of courage that people performed during those events, perhaps the most well-known being that of Cassie Bernal. She was in the library quietly reading her Bible when one of the killers confronted her and put a gun to her head. Now it wasn’t widely reported at the time, but these two killers had made videotapes in which both of them showed a very intense hatred of Christianity and Christians. And three students were apparently targeted because of their faith in Christ. And Cassie was one of them. Now I can’t imagine the fear this young teenager must have felt as that gun was put to her head. But the killer asked her a very simple question. He asked her “Do you believe in God?” And it was clear that her life hung in the answer to that question. “Yes, I believe in God”, she replied. “Why?” asked the killer in the dark trench coat. And before Cassie had a chance to answer, he pulled the trigger. And Cassie tragically lost her life. What would you have said? What would I have said if you and I were put in a similar situation? Where does that kind of courage come from? For her, it came from knowing who she was in Jesus Christ and knowing where she was ultimately going.

Live on Purpose— Well, that is definitely something we see in the life and ministry of Paul. Here is a man who knew who he was and where he was going. He had a goal, a vision, a plan for his life; and that was to do God’s will for him in expanding the Kingdom of God in any way that he could be reaching the lost. Now everything else (including care for his own life) came second to that. Now many people never experience this kind of courage because their lives are stuck on idle; they aren’t doing anything. If you were to ask them what their vision or goal in life is, they might just look at you with a blank stare. Now that is not a good place to be. It speaks to a life that is aimed at nothing. And if you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time. Every one of us ought to know who we are and what our reason for being here is. Paul never went more than five minutes without thinking about his purpose. And it kept him active. No matter where he went, he was always strategizing about the place after that and the place after that. He was fiercely intentional. He lived life on purpose. And it was in the midst of fighting the good fight that he had opportunity, time and time again, to show courage. And we see that especially demonstrated in this chapter.

At Miletus— Now as you’re turning there you will remember that Paul is on his way to Jerusalem. He has stopped at Miletus, from which he calls the elders of the Ephesian church to come so that he can admonish and encourage them one final time. And so they come and Paul gives to them a beautiful exhortation. But afterwards he and his missionary team leaves, as Paul (like Christ) sets his face towards Jerusalem. It says…

Acts 21:1a (NKJV)— 1 Now it came to pass, that when we had departed from them

Wrenching From— Now the Greek word here, ἀποσπάω, can actually mean “torn from, wrench away from, drag away”. And that is very much what was happening. Paul’s heart had become entangled with those of the Ephesian elders. They loved each other very dearly. But Paul was on an important mission. He had to deliver the offering he had collected over the past few years for the Church in Jerusalem. And he’s trying to get there by the feast of Pentecost.

Strengthening The Jew-Gentile Bond— Now why was this trip so urgent? Well, first bear in mind that the Jerusalem church had many who were very poor; pilgrims and those dealing with alienation and persecution. Though the church there had given generously in the early years, by this time it no doubt had depleted its resources (Acts 4:32-37) and consequently needed help. Now at this time there was a lot of potential for division between the Jewish Christians in Judea and the new Gentile believers that had come to faith in and through the ministry of Paul. Jewish extremists (the Judaizers) wanted the Gentiles to basically become Jews and live like them and live under the full weight of the ceremonial law of Moses (Acts 15:1ff.). And they were always trying to hinder the work of Paul and steal his converts. But it was Paul’s hope that his visit to Jerusalem with this offering that he had collected from the Gentile churches would help strengthen and solidify the fellowship of love shared between the Jews and Gentiles, as it was a way for the Gentile believers to repay with a very practical kindness their Jewish brothers for sharing the Gospel with them (Romans 15:25–27). And so Paul and his missionary team tear themselves away…

Acts 21:1b (NKJV)— and set sail, running a straight course we came to Cos, the following day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

A Bigger Boat— Now in the summer the north wind on the Aegean Sea only blows from very early morning until late afternoon. And so they, no doubt in a small local coastal ship, would sail within that window, stopping at every port for the night along the way. And so progress is somewhat slow. And so what Paul decides to do is (rather than to continue to hug the coastline) to instead sail directly across the Mediterranean to Phoenicia; a five day, 400 mile trip on the high seas. And so it says…

Acts 21:2-3 (NKJV)— 2 And finding a ship sailing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.  3 When we had sighted Cyprus, we passed it on the left, sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre {(which was a Phoenician port city)}; for there the ship was to unload her cargo.

A Bigger Boat— Now though the text doesn’t say specifically how large the boat was, we can surmise that it must’ve been pretty large, perhaps similar in size to the ship he would later take on his voyage to Rome; a ship that carried 276 people (Acts 27:37). Now the reason this is probably accurate is because just the process of unloading and reloading it takes a week. But they have made good time and are still on track to get to Jerusalem before Pentecost. Now while they are in Tyre they connect with the church there, a church that was probably born out of the great persecution that begin with the stoning Stephen, because remember it said back in…

Acts 11:19 (NKJV)— 19 Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. {So it says…}

Acts 21:4a (NKJV)— 4 And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days.

The Church at Tyre— Now the church apparently was not very large, because there was no synagogue and Paul and his team had to really search for this church. The word translated “finding“ here in verse four means “to learn the location of something by intentional searching.” But they eventually find this small group of believers and stay with them. Now this would’ve been Paul’s first contact with the believers here in Tyre. And when you think about how Paul had been the one to lead that great persecution that had led to the birth of this church, it’s quite incredible to see him visiting and ministering to these believers who came out of that persecution. Whereas once they were enemies, now they are brothers. Now while they are staying with them, it says…

Acts 21:4b (NKJV)— They told Paul {(the literal Greek actually says “kept on saying to him”)} through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.

Warning From The Believers at Tyre— Apparently they had received a prophecy from the Holy Spirit of the dangers that awaited Paul if he was to stay on course. But it is important to note here that the Holy Spirit was not forbidding Paul to go to Jerusalem, but only warning him of what he would face if he did. The phrase through the Spirit simply means that he was warned by someone with the gift of prophecy. And the word not in the original Greek is not the word used in an absolute prohibition, though it reads a bit stronger in our English translations. Rather it is a softer Greek word that shows the believers were advising Paul in light of what the Holy Spirit was revealing to them concerning his impending persecution. However, we see that (because of their love for Paul) they see this prophecy as the Holy Spirit’s means of stopping Paul. But Paul does not see it that way. In fact in 20:22 he says that his trip to Jerusalem was “compelled by the Spirit”. And so for him, the Holy Spirit was just allowing him to see (and perhaps emotionally prepare himself for) the difficulties he was going to face. Paul knew that suffering was just a part of God’s allotment for him. Remember all the way back in Acts chapter 9, when God first approaches Ananias and tells him to go and baptize Paul (and Ananias is all afraid, knowing what kind of man Paul had been) it says…

Acts 9:15-16 (NKJV)— 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

A Destiny Wedded With Suffering— You see, Paul never experienced suffering and looked up to heaven and said “Why God?!” Nor did he think that because he suffered, he must therefore be on the wrong path. No, Paul saw his destiny as being necessarily intertwined with suffering. Jesus Himself had decreed it. And Paul had already made peace with that. And that is something you and I need to do as well. We must never allow suffering to deter us from the will of Jesus; because it is often through our suffering that God may use us to make the greatest difference. And if we are faithful; if we are courageous enough to move forward through God (even if it may mean suffering), we will (like Paul did) get to see the mighty moving of the hand of God and may even get to see the gates of hell shaken in our suffering that may never have been shaken otherwise; people warmed to and set free by Christ. And so let us not flee from suffering, but to courageously face it knowing that no pain will go without bearing fruit if we keep our hand in the hand of Jesus. Let’s live courageously this week. Amen.

Lechem Panim #217 “Paul’s Commission & Farewell” (Acts 20:28-38) Pastor Cameron Ury

Hello, it’s good to have you with us today. Last week, you will remember we began looking at Paul’s famous final farewell address to the Ephesian elders who had come to see him in Miletus before he continued on his journey to Jerusalem. And in the first section of his address, he relates to the Ephesian elders the example he has set (20:18-27). He had identified with those under him in every way possible. He had taught them (v.20). He was a witness to the gospel (v.21). And last but not least, he had suffered because of his obedience to Christ’s call upon his life. And that is characteristic of all God’s faithful ones; the life of the cross. But now let’s move on to the next section, which we find in verses 28-31. He says…

Acts 20:28-31 (NKJV)— 28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

SECTION 2: PAUL’S CHARGE & WARNING (20:28-31)— Now this second section of Paul’s message is his charge and his warning (20:28–31). Paul knew how quickly things could go bad in a church; and especially at a church located in a place like Ephesus, where Satan really had a stronghold and where the spiritual forces at work against them were very strong. Keep in mind Ephesus is where the whole “sons of Sceva” episode happened, where these runners of an exorcism business get thrashed, beaten, and sent away naked by a man they (being unbelievers) tried to exorcise in the name of Christ, unsuccessfully. It’s a very dark place. And so Paul charges the Ephesian elders with three things:

Keep Watch Over Yourselves— (1) First, they are to keep watch over themselves (v. 28). That is because even mighty men of God who may even be spiritual leaders in their congregations are susceptible to the attacks of Satan. And Satan knows that if he can get a Christian leader to fall, he can wound his flock through that leader. Plus a leader who falls into sin becomes (because of that sin) distant from God and less susceptible to the leading and anointing of the Holy Spirit. That can lead to (1) messages without the power of God and (2) leadership for the church that is man’s leadership rather than God’s, because the minister may no longer be able to discern the voice of God. That is why a minister must always remember that, as Robert Murray McCheyne once so eloquently put it, “My people’s greatest need is my personal holiness.”

Keep Watch Over The Flock— (2) Secondly, Paul charges the elders to watch over the flock as “overseers”. And the word “overseers” here in Greek is “episkopos”, a word that has often been translated “bishop” but is used elsewhere in scripture as a synonym for “elder” (see v. 17). By the way, “elder” is the word “presbyteroi” in Greek. It simply refers to a mature man; one who is mature not in age, but spiritually. The term “elder” focuses more on the maturity of the minister, whereas the word “overseer” focuses on the function, which is to care for the people as a shepherd/pastor. Now what does a shepherd do? He/she keeps watch over sheep; and that involves feeding, caring for, and guarding them from predators. And so it fits with Paul’s imagery to begin the next section by talking about savage predatory wolves who will (not might, but will) seek to ravage the flock of God.

The Lions of Tsavo— Some time ago I re-watched a movie called The Ghost and The Darkness. If you are unaware of that movie, it tells the true story of the building of the railroad across the continent of Africa. And there was a bridge that needed to be built over the river in the southern Kenyan region of Tsavo; and a particular Christian architect (Lt. Col. John Henry Patterson) had been hired to oversee its construction. But for 9 months in 1898, during the construction of the bridge, two lions began attacking and terrorizing the crew. Now this had never happened before. Man-eating lions always hunted alone. But these lions hunted and coordinated their attacks together. They would sneak into men’s tents and drag them off. But they didn’t eat the men. They would just drag them off and have fun killing them. In fact you see in the movie that they eventually find their den, in which there are piles of human bones that these lions collected, both from the railroad and elsewhere. And there are varied reports about how many men specifically working on the railroad were killed; some go as high as 135. That may be exaggerated. But they still killed a very high number of people. They would attack during the day as well as during the night. Men would shoot at them and hit nothing but air. And this among other things suggested to many then and afterwards that those lions were somehow being influenced by the demonic. Even in the movie Patterson reflects on how they might be Satan’s means of trying to keep the railroad (a means of spreading the Gospel further into Africa) from happening. Now Patterson and another gentleman eventually track down and are finally able to kill these lions; and they then go on to build the bridge. But you get this sense (even in the movie) that not only were two lions killed, but a much deeper darkness had been conquered. Now Patterson had the lions stuffed and you can go and see them today at The Field Museum in Chicago. But in the movie you really get this sense of fear; because all around the encampment is this very tall grass. And you never knew what or when something might come out of it. Now all of this was a very real and tangible representation of the truth we read about in…

1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)— 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

The Wolves— Now in a spiritual sense, this is what Paul is worried about regarding these elders and those under their care; he knew (with amazing foresight that must have come from God) that they would come under the influence of those who would seek to destroy their faith. Now these wolves he said would come from both without and also from within the church, and would be those who seek to distort the truth (vv. 29-30). They would be twisters of the Word of God. And Paul here reminds them that when he was with them in Ephesus, he warned them about these wolves day and night with tears (v. 31). And here he does the same.

Costly Liquid— Now just recently I had to do something very painful; I had to fill up my car with gas. Costed me almost an arm and a leg. I couldn’t believe it; and that was at one of the cheaper stations. And unfortunately the cost of gas is expected to rise even more. Is there any more fluid more precious and costly than gas right now? Well yes, there is.

A High Price— (3) The third element to Paul’s charge is that the elders must shepherd the flock because of its value in having been purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ blood is the most costly currency there ever was. And so these elders need to tend, care for, feed, protect, and lead their flocks with that in mind. And what’s more (and we’ll come back to this) just as Jesus gave his own blood as the good shepherd in order that they might live (cf. John 10:11), so also these elders were to give their lives for the people under them. Now go ahead and look with me at the third section in…

Acts 20:32-35 (NKJV)— 32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. 35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

SECTION 3: COMMITTING THE PEOPLE TO GOD AND HIS WORD (20:32)— Now this third section of Paul’s message to the Ephesian elders finds Paul committing them “to God and to the word of his grace.” The teaching of the message that they received from him would enable them to stay close to God, to stay pure in their doctrine, and to be safe from the wolves. Now at that time they did not have a New Testament, and so they had to rely strictly on what they had been taught through Paul in order to understand what that message was. But today we have the full Word of God, which gives us that message in its fullness. And so we (like they) need to devote ourselves to knowing that message. Heresies and divisions most creep in when people do not know and abide in the Word of God.

Back To Example— Now in verses 33 to 35 Paul again returns to his own personal example, finishing his speech by once again presenting his own life as an example for these elders to follow. When he had been with them, he showed undying and sincere commitment. Also, he says he did not covet anything that anybody else had (v. 33). Instead he worked hard with his own hands to provide for his own needs and the needs of his team (v. 34). And in doing that he really demonstrated one of the chief aims for the Christian’s earning of money: helping those who are in need. In fact, he wrote to them in…

Ephesians 4:28 (NKJV)— 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.

Paul’s Generosity— And so whenever Paul appealed for money for the poor, his request always rang with credibility because it was not just an dictatorial command he gave for the members of his congregations to obey, but was something that he himself led the way in, being extraordinarily generous with everything God had given him. I mean even now he is bringing with him to Jerusalem an offering for the impoverished Christians there. And some of that money was his own; tent-making money he had made by the sweat of his own brow. May we also be just as generous and oriented towards meeting the needs of the weak and poor as he was. Now let’s look at the final section. It says in…

Acts 20:36-38 (NKJV)— 36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, 38 sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.

SECTION 4: A GRIEF-FILLED FAREWELL— Now this last section of this passage is of course the farewell itself (20:36-38). This is where he actually kneels down and prays with them, they all weep bitterly, and then fall upon Paul’s neck and kiss him. And, like we said before, this overflow of grief and emotion reveals to us just how much these Christians had to come to love Paul; because first and foremost he loved them and poured out his life to them, opening his life to them in every possible way. And here they return that love in a very real and powerful way. They accompany him to the ship and he (like his Master Jesus before him) sets his face towards Jerusalem, knowing that suffering would await him there.

The Example of Christ – Now one of the things that we need to remember is that shepherds are leaders who are willing to lay down their lives and even die for their flock. We don’t often think about that element of leadership, but it is one of the chief ones given to us in Scripture. And of course Jesus is our primary example of this. As Jesus had said in…

John 10:11 (NKJV)— 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

Not So Easy— Now that is all fine and dandy when Christ does that for us. Most of us have been raised to understand that basic element of the Gospel; and we who are naturally self-oriented don’t have much trouble receiving that. But the idea that what Jesus did for us, we are to do for others? That’s not so easy. But Jesus says clearly in…

John 15:12-13 (NKJV)— 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

Miniature Good Shepherds— So we see that He laid down his life for us; therefore we must be willing to lay down our lives for our friends. And that is what Paul was (even at that moment) demonstrating to them and calling them to do as well. As miniature “good shepherds,” they were to lay down their lives for their flocks just as he (and Christ) had done. And it is Christ’s call to us today to live that way for each other. May we embody all of Paul’s love, generosity, selflessness, and devotion to truth and to the Word; because we know that that was also the pattern of Christ. Let’s do so. Amen.

Lechem Panim #216 “Following Paul’s Example” (Acts 20:17-27) Pastor Cameron Ury

You know, I don’t know if you have ever had to write a farewell speech before. Maybe for you, it was a letter of resignation. Maybe you got hired somewhere else and had to say goodbye to your boss, your coworkers, or perhaps even your parents if you had to then move long distance. Twice I have had to do that; in fact very much what Paul is doing in our passage today; and that is say goodbye to men and women I loved and ministered to and served alongside with for years. And both times were very very painful, even when people (after I explained in those board meetings and during those worship services) understood how God was leading and accepted it. But honestly, I have never fully accepted it. I miss those people. That is one of the blessings and the curses of ministry; getting attached to people and then sometimes having to say goodbye. And during both those transitions and in the years that have followed, I have hoped that (1) those churches were blessed by my being there and (2) that my ministry will have produced lasting fruit. And if God ever calls me to leave the church I am pastoring now (if so, hopefully many years down the road), I want to leave the church thriving, growing, and anchored deeply in Christ Jesus and in the Word of God. Well that is the situation we find Paul in in our passage today here in Acts chapter 20. He and his team have arrived at Miletus and are probably waiting for their ship to be unloaded and re-loaded. And the elders of the Ephesian Church he had helped start come to see him for what Paul knows will be the last time. And so he wants to encourage and exhort them. And so he gives this beautiful farewell speech to these Ephesian elders. And it is a very special speech, because it is the only record we have of a speech that Paul gave specifically to believers. And in it we have three primary themes. (1) First, Paul defends his behavior; but even more so was able to present it as an example to the Ephesian elders (vv. 18-27, 33-35). (2) Secondly, Paul presents both a charge and a warning to them. (3) And third, Paul commits these Ephesian elders to God and to His Word (v. 32). And so those three elements will form the outline of our discussion today and in the weeks ahead. Go ahead and look with me at the first section in of Paul’s speech here in Acts 20, verses 18-38. Starting with 17, it says…

Acts 20:17-27 (NKJV) The Ephesian Elders Exhorted— 17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. 18 And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, 19 serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; 20 how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, 21 testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. 24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
25 “And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.

SECTION 1: PAUL’S EXAMPLE (20:18-27)— And so in this first section we find Paul relating to the Ephesian elders the example he has set (20:18-27). And in Paul’s example we see him highlighting four major things in his example that he wanted the Ephesian elders to emulate:

     (1) The first was that he had identified with the people, having lived among them (v. 18). He knew what their own personal struggles were and identified with them in those struggles, much as Jesus Himself did. He had served God with humility and tears (v. 19), going from house to house (v. 20). And he did that because in doing that he was able to identify what his people’s own personal needs were and then share specific points of the gospel message that were directly relevant to their own situation. He didn’t have a “one-size-fits-all“ approach to ministry. He knew his people. And what this also shows us is that he was very available to people, which we see not only in this passage, but also earlier in this chapter while he was in Troas (vv. 9–10), where he spent a whole night eating with, chatting with, and teaching the believers there. He wasn’t just a preacher, who comes and preaches and leaves and nobody really cares. No, he was a shepherd; a pastor who was deeply involved with his people, which is why we see people grieving whenever and from wherever he leaves.

    (2) Now the second element of Paul’s example was that he was a teacher. He identified what the Ephesians needed to hear and taught them constantly both publicly and from house to house (v. 20). He wanted to make sure that they were fully equipped to be able to endure in their faith in the midst of a very pagan and worldly context.

    (3) Now the third element of Paul’s example was that he was a witness to the gospel (v. 21). And the Greek word behind this word “witness” actually means “declared”. And it carries the idea that evangelism is a very serious and awesome responsibility because in it you are calling people to repent of their sins and turn to faith in Jesus Christ. Both in this verse, but also in verses 26–27, there is this reminder to us that we are called to be watchmen. We have an awesome responsibility to warn people of God’s coming judgment and implore them to seek life in Christ. And in Paul’s talking about his being innocent of the blood of all men, he is drawing directly from the Old Testament book of Ezekiel (particularly chapters 3 and 33). Just to give you a glimpse, listen to the words of just the first part of Ezekiel chapter 3. It says in…

Ezekiel 3:16-19 (NKJV)— 16 Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 18 When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

A Faithful Watchman— And so what Paul is saying here is that he has been a faithful watchmen. He has been faithful to warn and instruct the people and now their fate is in their own hands. And that is something you and I need to be sure we are doing as well. God will not hold you guilty of the blood of your brother or sister if you witness to them and they don’t listen. He won’t even hold you guilty if (in trying your best) you don’t even do it all that well. But He will hold you accountable if you keep silent. All of us are watchmen. The question is whether or not we are faithful watchmen.

    (4) Now the fourth element of Paul’s example is something that is intimately tied to his commitment to evangelism. And that was that Paul suffered because of obedience. We see in verses 22–23 that there are two key things that he says the Holy Spirit is doing in his life. First, the Holy Spirit is compelling him towards Jerusalem. And secondly, through the voices of prophetic believers he has encountered, the Holy Spirit is revealing that he will suffer if he does go to Jerusalem. And what that shows you and me is that our ultimate goal is not “long life and happiness”. No, our ultimate calling in life is to be faithful to “declare” the message of the Gospel. And that may mean having to go through some very unpleasant circumstances. It may mean facing persecution, suffering, imprisonment, or even death. But our goal is to strive towards the Kingdom of God and the storing up of wealth there, not becoming comfortable here; because this world is not our forever home. All of it will pass away.

Olaf’s Dilemma— Just recently I watched with my kids the movie Frozen II. And in it there’s this little magic snowman named Olaf, one of my favorite Disney characters, perhaps because he is so much like me; oddly shaped and slightly misunderstood. But in this movie he is having an emotional crisis. He’s laying in the grass next to Princess Anna and starts pondering the deeper questions of life. And he says to Anna, “Tell me, you're older, and thus all-knowing, do you ever worry about the notion that nothing is permanent?” Anna replies, “Uh, no.” “Really?”, asks Olaf. “Wow, I can't wait until I've aged just like you, so I don't have to worry about important things.” And of course she is a little taken aback by that. But Paul knew what Olaf pointed out; and that is that nothing in this world is permanent. However, there is a world that is. And so if we want to make investments that last, we need to make them there.

You will not see my face again – Now after revealing to the Ephesian elders what the Holy Spirit has been communicating to him, he tells them very frankly that because of this they will not see him again (v. 25). And this of course prompts his declaration that he is “innocent of the blood of all men” because he had been faithful to warn them of God’s truth (vv. 26-27).

On That Day— Now that phrase prompts me to ask some questions. What about you and me? Have we been faithful to warn people of God’s coming judgment? When we get to heaven, are there going to be people there because we had the courage to speak up? Or is there going to be blood on our hands? Have we been faithful watchmen? When I get to heaven, I want Jesus to say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” I want Him to say, “Cameron, just look at how much fuller heaven is because you were faithful to do the most important thing I told you to do in the world.” I want Jesus to start pulling people from the crowds in heaven; people who will come up to me and say “Hey Cameron, you may not know this, but I am here because of you; because you took the time, because you had the courage, because you valued me enough to (in whatever small way you could) put my hand in the hand of Jesus.” What will be said of you and me? Let that scene so permeate your mind that any fear or hesitation that might come the next time the Holy Spirit prompts you might evaporate and be squelched by your even greater desire to see that your life made not just a long-lasting impact, but an everlasting one; an eternal one. Let’s live under that weight of glory. Amen.

Lechem Panim #215 “Paul Pours Himself Out” (Acts 20:13-16) Pastor Cameron Ury

You know, if you had to pinpoint the number one characteristic of the Christian; the one that would most clearly identify him or her as a follower of Jesus Christ, that one characteristic would (without question) have to be a holy love for God that spills over into a consequent holy love for other people.

John 13:34-35 (ESV)— 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Romans 12:10-13 (ESV)— 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

1 John 4:21 (ESV)— 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Devoted to The Church— Now I say all of this because we see here in Acts 20 Paul’s love spilling over on those he is lovingly nurturing and mentoring. He and his traveling companions have just left the city of Troas. And Luke writes…

Acts 20:13 (LSB)— 13 But we, going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos, intending from there to take Paul on board; for so he had arranged it, intending himself to go by land.

Investing in People— Now why does Paul choose to walk by land? Well, here we get another window into the heart of Paul. When we read between the lines here, we see just how dedicated Paul was to investing in the lives of other people. Now keep in mind that Paul had recently finished an over two year teaching stint in Ephesus. While he was there, for five hours a day, seven days a week he was teaching there in the school of Tyrannus. Like we said before, he would wake up in the morning (probably early), make tents till 11:00 AM, teach in the school of Tyrannus from 11:00am till 4 PM, then go back to making tents till 8:00 PM, then teach till 1:00 AM or 2:00 AM; then he would go to bed, get up, and repeat. And that doesn’t even take into account the Bible studies that he did in peoples’ homes. He never missed an opportunity to give himself for his greatest love, the people of the church, which was an extension of his love for Christ. His whole life was a living sacrifice for the church, the bride of Christ. And we see the same thing in this chapter. He comes to Troas (no doubt exhausted) and yet still makes the time to pour into the believers from the moment he arrives at that church service until midnight that night, when Eutychus falls asleep at the window and falls down and dies. Then Paul rushes down and raises him from the dead. And even after he raises Eutychus from the dead, what does he do? He goes right back up into that upper room and continues to teach; and they go until dawn. I mean the man is absolutely incredible; just 100% sold out in love for the Church. And it gets even more unbelievable, because look at the very next verse. Remember that Paul is anxious to get to Jerusalem before Pentecost and then wants to begin making his way to Rome. So after this he leaves. And he has a very long journey to take. And so Luke writes…

Acts 20:13 (LSB)— 13 But we, going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos, intending from there to take Paul on board; for so he had arranged it, intending himself to go by land.

On Foot For The Church— Now your translation may say “on foot”, which is also correct. Paul went by land, on foot. The rest of his ministry team gets on a boat, but he goes for 30 miles on foot. Now you might ask, “Well, why does he want to do that.” Well, saying goodbye was very different in the ancient world than it is in our culture. When you and I have a guest leave we wave at the door and often times we will continue to wave until they’re out of sight. But in the Biblical world it was customary to actually go with your guest part of the way on their journey. You would walk with them quite a ways. It was a very long, drawn-out kind of a thing. And so now we see why Paul walked. He could have easily got on board the ship with the rest of his ministry team and sailed away and been done with the believers in Troas. He could have laid down in the boat after teaching all night and finally gotten some rest. But no, he chooses to walk 30 miles so that the believers in Troas could have the opportunity to walk with him and he could teach them and pour into their lives for as long as they wanted to walk with him and receive that teaching. I mean, imagine it. I often walk with my family on a local trail. We walk about 6 miles; and let me tell you, by the end of it we are tired and ready to rest. And that’s often after having had a good night’s sleep. But Paul walked 30 miles, just to spend time with these believers who were hungry to be discipled. You know he probably only walked alone the last 5 or 10 miles of the trip. Can you begin to see why this chapter might just be on par with 1 Corinthians 13? And guess what he was not doubt doing that last 5 or 10 miles by himself; praying and thinking about what he is going to say to the Ephesian elders, whom we find him ministering to in the very next section. Let me tell you, I almost got kind of emotional in my study on this because I felt like I came to see Paul’s heart in a way I hadn’t before. I mean I always saw him as a powerful, brilliant speaker who was devoted to fighting for truth. But I think I just never really noticed the heart of Paul. And my heart began crying out for Jesus to help me to love and serve my people as this man did.

Gifts Not Our Own— But you know, what we see demonstrated here in this passage (and in his life as a whole) is the reminder that our gifts are not our own. God has given you a gift(s). And whatever that is, whether it’s teaching, preaching, hospitality, encouragement, mercy ministry, even cooking; whatever your spiritual gift is, that gift is meant to be a blessing not just for you, but for the Church; it is to be available through you to all of God’s people. And Paul knew that. His gifts he made available to God’s people in every possible way. You want a picture of what a 1 Corinthians 13 kind love looks like? That’s it. Now from here, Luke says in…

Acts 20:14-15 (LSB)— 14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. 15 And sailing from there, we arrived the following day opposite Chios; and the next day we crossed over to Samos; and the day following we came to Miletus.

The Miletus Stop— Now I am not going to go into the geography of all of these cities. But one interesting thing to note about these cities is that each [is about 30 miles past the next one, all down the little coast of Asia Minor. And the thing was that the winds only blew from early morning to late afternoon; so, they would just travel from early morning to late afternoon, 30 miles, stay overnight; 30 miles, stay overnight; 30 miles stay overnight; 30 miles, stay overnight. That’s how they journeyed. And so, that’s why it tells us about all those little stops. And it says they came to Miletus. And Miletus was a town, the ancient capital of Ionia. It was not too far from Ephesus. It was originally composed of a colony of Cretans; {it} became extremely powerful and built one of the world’s great, magnificent temples dedicated to the God Apollo. So, it was somewhat famous. But they came to Miletus, not too far from Ephesus. Verse 16 tells us]…

Acts 20:16 (LSB)— 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

Calling For The Ephesian Elders— Now I want to make something clear to you that may not be obvious on a first reading of the text. Paul is not by any means seeking to avoid the Ephesians. He wants to make time for them as well (and we will see that he does). But what is happening here is that the ship going to Ephesus was apparently going to stay too long; it was going to linger longer in Ephesus than he was able to stay, because remember he is trying to make it to Jerusalem for Pentecost. So he chooses not to take the ship to Ephesus, but rather took the one that was going to stop at Miletus. Apparently he had a choice which ship to take. But notice verse 17, which (although it’s a part of next weeks passage, you need to see here. It says…

Acts 20:17 (LSB)— 17 Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church.

Still Pouring Out— Now you might ask why that is important. Well, here’s why. Paul is in the middle of his journey and has stopped here in Miletus. He has a few days before his ship leaves. So what does he do? Get some much needed R and R? No, he sends for all the elders of Ephesus to come and meet him there in Miletus so that he can teach, exhort, and pray over them some more. I mean, he’s unbelievable. What a radical commitment to the people God placed under him. When Jesus had asked Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?” and Peter said “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.” and Jesus said “Feed my sheep.”, this is exactly what he meant. And what happens next is one of the most beautiful scenes in all of scripture. When the elders get there, they give back to Paul all the love he gave them. And we’ll talk about in the coming weeks. But you know, what are we to take from all of this? You know, sometimes we look at men and women in the early church (like Paul) as spiritual giants. We mythologize them and make them more than what they were. They weren’t superheroes. They didn’t have limitless power and energy. They were just men and women who allowed Jesus to change their hearts; and the rest of their lives was an explosion of that love; not a weighty chore, but a joy-filled outpouring and expression of love for their Savior. And what you and I need to understand is that you and I can have that same kind of love they had. In fact, listen to what Paul writes in…

Philippians 3:17 (ESV)— 17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.

Not Arrogance— Now some might say that’s a little arrogant, thinking that people should imitate him as the supreme standard. But that is not what he is saying at all. Note how he says to the Corinthians in…

1 Corinthians 11:1 (ESV)— 11 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Paul’s Greatest Gift— You see, it was all about modeling what it means to live like Jesus. And perhaps that is Paul’s greatest gift to the Church; not his preaching or his teaching, but the proof that you and I really can walk in the love of Christ. Why? Because Paul did it; a human being just like us. It was his being like Christ and having the love of Christ that drew people to him in such an amazing way. And when we allow Jesus to create that love in our hearts, one of the first expressions of that love for Christ will be (as it was with Paul) our love for the Church. Paul writes to the Philippians again in…

Philippians 4:9 (ESV)— 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Love The Church— Paul loved the Church. You need to; I need to as well. And so let us ask the Holy Spirit to create in us that kind of love, which flows from hearts fully given over to Jesus Christ. Let’s do so. Amen.

Lechem Panim #214 “Paul’s Love For The Church” (Acts 20:13-16) Pastor Cameron Ury

Greetings! So good to have you with us today as we continue our study of the book of Acts together. In our passage today in Acts chapter 20 Paul has been traveling with a group of representatives of some of the gentile churches to bring a financial offering to the church in Jerusalem, which had a tremendous amount of need. And they have come to the city of Troas, where they end up staying for a week. And while there they take part in an evening worship service held in the upper room of a house. And all the believers are very eager to hear Paul and so he teaches them a very long while. And midnight comes and he’s still going strong. And a young man by the name of Eutychus was getting tired, and so he moved by an open window where he was hoping the fresh air would keep him awake. That didn’t work. He fell asleep anyway; and lo and behold he fell out of the window, fell three stories, and died. But Paul immediately runs out, throws himself upon the boy (just as Elijah and Elisha had also done to a couple of young men who had died during their ministries) and God brings Eutychus back to life. And afterwards they go right back into that upper room, have communion together and Paul resumes conversing with them a long while, until daybreak. Now at this point Paul and his party start to leave, first the rest of the party and then Paul. It says in…

Acts 20:13-16 (LSB)— 13 But we, going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos, intending from there to take Paul on board; for so he had arranged it, intending himself to go by land. 14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. 15 And sailing from there, we arrived the following day opposite Chios; and the next day we crossed over to Samos; and the day following we came to Miletus. 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

[The Perfect Pastor— {You know, I read some time ago about how now,} After hundreds of years the perfect pastor's been found. He is the church elder who'll please everyone.

1. He preaches exactly 20 minutes and then sits down.
2. He condemns sin, but never steps on anybody's toes.
3. He works from 8 in the morning to 10 at night, doing everything from preaching sermons to sweeping.
4. He makes $400 per week, gives $100 a week to the church, drives a late model car, buys lots of books, wears fine clothes, and has a nice family.
5. He always stands ready to contribute to every other good cause, too, and to help panhandlers who drop by the church on their way to somewhere.
6. He is 36 years old, and has been preaching 40 years.
7. He is tall on the short side, heavy-set in a thin sort of way, and handsome.
8. He has eyes of blue or brown, (to fit the occasion) and wears his hair parted in the middle - left side, dark and straight, right side, brown and wavy.
9. He has a burning desire to work with the youth, and spends all his time with the senior citizens.
10. He smiles all the time while keeping a straight face, because he has a keen sense of humor that finds him seriously dedicated.
11. He makes 15 calls a day on church members, spends all his time evangelizing non-members, and is always found in his study if he is needed.
Unfortunately he burnt himself out and died at the age of 32.]

Number One Quality— You know, if I was to ask you today what the most important qualities of a minister of God are, what would you say? You might say preaching and teaching, boldness, or godliness. You might say shepherding ability, wise oversight, or the ability to work with people. All of those are critical. But behind all those things (the driving force behind them) ought to be a passionate, burning love for the Lord, for the truth, and for the Church. Now we’re not talking about the building or the organization, but rather the people.

History’s Loving Pastors— One author I was reading said: [There have always been dedicated pastors who sacrificed in life and death for the church. It was love for the church that drove the busy Reformers Luther and Calvin to preach constantly to their flocks—not merely on Sundays, but throughout the week. Many Puritan pastors continued to preach the Word after being forbidden to do so by the authorities. They knew they risked being imprisoned (as was John Bunyan), but love for the church compelled them to take that risk. Love for the church consumed the godly nineteenth-century Scottish pastor Robert Murray McCheyne. Ill health could not deter him from his loving service, and, consequently, he died at a young age. It was his love for the church that motivated Charles Spurgeon to speak out against the modernism that was creeping into the evangelical church of his day. During the resulting “Down-Grade Controversy,” Spurgeon was sharply criticized for his stand. Some of those close to him deserted him. Yet he refused to back down, although the stress the controversy generated hastened his death. Church history is replete with examples of those who sacrificially loved the church.]
Paul’s Love Expressed— But standing over and above them all (without doubt) was the Apostle Paul. You cannot read anything he ever wrote to any church (even his letters of rebuke) and not sense the overwhelming love that he felt for those persons who were under his care. And I mean you read some of the things that he wrote and the language is almost like that between a husband and a wife; or a mother and her nursing child. I mean, [To the Philippians he wrote:

    I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart. (Phil. 1:3–7)

    “You are our letter, “he told the Corinthians, “written in our hearts” (2 Cor. 3:2). He also wrote to them, “You are in our hearts to die together and to live together” (2 Cor. 7:3). In 1 Thessalonians 2:7–8, Paul expressed his intimate love for the Thessalonian church: We proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having thus a fond affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.]

In Deed & Truth— But Paul [did not merely “love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:18). Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”]

Laying Down Your Life— Now of course Paul did end up dying for the Church. But you know, I’ve always found Jesus’ choice of wording in that verse very interesting. He doesn’t say, “Greater love has no one than this, that one die for his friends.” Now of course that is part of what He meant, because keep in mind He was preparing His disciples in order that they might understand His atoning work on the cross. But over the years I have come to believe that Jesus meant more than just dying for people (though that alone is a very big deal). But no, He says “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” It’s one thing to die for someone and quite another to live for them and then die for them. I know that I would die for either of my kids (or my wife) in a heartbeat. But I do find it a struggle to live for them; to give of my time, my ears, my heart. But you know I think that is what Jesus (and Paul) did so well. They (in every sense of the word) laid down their lives for their people because they loved them.

Love Demonstrated— You know, when we think of the passages in scripture on love, one of the first ones we think about is that written by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, which has become known as the great love chapter of scripture. And you know (when it comes to the verbal description of what love is) it probably is. But one commentator I read pointed out that this chapter (Acts 20) is just as much a love chapter as 1 Corinthians 13. The word “love” isn’t mentioned once; no, Paul just lives it out in some amazing ways, pouring out all his time and energy into serving and meeting the needs of the Church. So you might say that 1 Corinthians 13 is Pauls description of love. Acts 20 is his demonstration of that love. And you need both.

Love is a verb— I am reminded of that old DC Talk song where they remind us that “love is a verb”; or that song by Michael W. Smith in which he says “love isn’t love until you give it away.” Love is more than emotion; it is making a conscious effort to live sacrificially for those you claim to love.

The Disintegrated Aqueduct— [Unamuno, the Spanish philosopher, tells about the Roman aqueduct at Segovia, in his native Spain. It was built in 109 A.D. For eighteen hundred years, it carried cool water from the mountains to the hot and thirsty city. Nearly sixty generations of men drank from its flow. Then came another generation, a recent one, who said, "This aqueduct is so great a marvel that it ought to be preserved for our children, as a museum piece. We shall relieve it of its centuries-long labor."
They did; they laid modern iron pipes. They gave the ancient bricks and mortar a reverent rest. And the aqueduct began to fall apart. The sun beating on the dry mortar caused it to crumble. The bricks and stone sagged and threatened to fall. What ages of service could not destroy idleness disintegrated.] How sad this is. But it can also be true of the Christian. When we cease to live outwardly in holy, self-giving, sacrificial love, our Christianity (no matter how solid our belief may be) will begin to disintegrate. This is why Paul writes in Galatians 6:10…

Galatians 6:10 (ESV)— 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

“when we have opportunity”— Now notice how it doesn’t say “when we have opportunity”, but “as we have opportunity”. It is now that we have [opportunity. This Gr. word refers to a distinct, fixed time period, rather than occasional moments. Paul’s point is that the believer’s entire life provides the unique privilege by which he can serve others in Christ’s name. especially… the household of faith. Our love for fellow Christians is the primary test of our love for God (see notes on John 13: 34, 35; Rom. 12: 10– 13; 1 John 4: 21).]

Let’s Recognize— And so this week, recognize the opportunities that God has given you to do good in the lives of other people (and especially the Church). Seize those opportunities. And in blessing, may you also be blessed. Let’s do so. Amen.

Lechem Panim #213 “Raising Eutychus” (Acts 20:7-12) Pastor Cameron Ury

Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. It’s good to have you with us today as we continue our study of the book of Acts together. But before we get into our passage today I’d like to first ask you if maybe at some time in your life you have fallen asleep at time or in a place you shouldn’t have; and then maybe things got a little awkward?

Nudged to Pray— At the Christian college I attended, in chapel on time, one of the students fell asleep during the preacher’s message. And his buddy, noting that he was fast asleep, nudged him and said, “Hey, wake up. The preacher just called on you to pray.” And, startled awake and not yet coming to his full senses, the young man quickly stood up and began praying right there in front of several hundred other college students. Now imagine his embarrassment when he realized what had happened; and what his friend had done to him. I’m not sure they were friends after that. Now something very similar happens in our story today; only this time there are deadly consequences. And yet it gives God an extraordinary means of showing His power through the apostle Paul. Go ahead and look with me at chapter 20 of the book of Acts. You may remember from our episode last week how Paul and a group of pastors from various churches that he had helped plant are making their way towards Jerusalem with an offering for the church there. And they stop at the city of Troas, of which Luke writes in verse 6: and there we stayed seven days. And on Sunday they gather for a local evening worship service in a house likely belonging to one of the believers. They eat, have communion together, and then Paul begins teaching them. It says in…

Acts 20:7 (LSB)— 7 And on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began speaking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.

A Final Message— Now Paul knew that this would likely be his last meeting with these Christians here in Troas. And so, understandably, he preaches a longer sermon because he wants to make sure that he leaves them with as much as possible that can help them in the days ahead when they will no longer have him. And it is in the context of that prolonged message that something very unexpected happens. It says…

Acts 20:8-9a (LSB)— 8 Now there were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. 9 And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the windowsill, sinking into a deep sleep.

Young Man— Now the word used to describe Eutychus’ age here in verse 9 (manias) [means a man from twenty-four to forty years of age.] However, the word in verse 12 (pais) means [a young child or youth. Dr. Howard Marshall, an eminent Greek scholar, says he was a “young lad of eight to fourteen years.] My son falls within that age range, and so this could have been him! Now [Since the word pais can mean “a servant,” Eutychus may have been a young man who was also a servant.] So he might very well have been weary from working hard that day. That coupled with the fact that it was late in the evening (and the possible stuffiness of the room) caused him to be very tired. Plus all those oil lamps (which is what they were) combined with a lot of people served to make the room nice and warm. It was most likely not because Paul’s sermon was boring, as everyone else (including those who probably should have been watching Eutychus) seemed to be so engrossed, they don’t even notice Eutychus falling asleep next to a window he could potentially fall out of. And poor Eutychus; he’s trying his best to stay awake. [The tense of the Greek verb indicates that he was gradually overcome, not suddenly.] But he just can’t stay awake. Now his name adds to the humor of the story because his name actually means [“lucky, fortunate.” {And so} The "many lamps" (v. 8) and long sermon likely led "Lucky" to seek air in the window {(where there was better ventilation and the cool air might help to keep him awake)}, but he fell asleep anyway]. It says in…

Acts 20:9b (LSB)— And as Paul kept on talking, he sunk into that sleep and fell down from the third floor

Falling Out— And so, no doubt leaning and then tipping out the window, Eutychus fell three stories to the ground below. Now I don’t know if you’ve ever had a dream before where you are falling and you suddenly wake up. But it’s terrifying!!! Well here Eutychus is, awakened by that sensation, and (to his horror) it’s not a dream. He hits the ground and is killed. It says of him that he…

Acts 20:9c (LSB)— fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead.

All Dead, Or Just Mostly Dead— Now some of your translations may say “as dead”. And so the question obviously arises, was he completely dead or just mostly dead? Just recently I watched one of my favorite scenes in one of my family’s favorite movies The Princess Bride. This scene came to my mind when I was reading this passage because in this scene a man who has died recently is being carried by his friends to somebody who they think  might be able to restore him to life; a miracle-worker by the name of Miracle Max. And when Miracle Max looks at him he says, “The good news is that he’s not all-dead, just mostly dead. There’s a big difference between mostly dead and all-dead.” What’s the difference, one of the friends asks. “Well, if mostly dead, he’s slightly alive. But with all-dead, there’s really only one thing you can do.” What’s that, asks the friend. “Go through his pockets and start looking for loose change.”

All Dead— So was he “mostly dead” or “all dead”? Well, there is actually less room for misinterpretation in the Greek; as the Greek word is νεκρός, which in its adjectival form here means “dead/lifeless”. As a noun it would mean “a dead body/corpse”. And so he is picked up νεκρός/dead (not "as dead”). He has actually died.

His life is in him— Now this story has a touch of humor because of the circumstances involved (and plus we know how it ends). But keep in mind what a horror this must have been to the boys mother and father, who were no doubt there; and even to Paul. I mean we don’t know if it was the scream of somebody who say Eutychus fall or if it was the scream of Eutychus himself that alerted everyone. But when Paul realizes what has happened (maybe even seen it himself) he obviously stops teaching and (in horror) quickly runs down the stairs, which keep in mind ran outside the house. And it says…

Acts 20:10 (LSB)— 10 But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.”

Fell Upon— Now as I was reading Paul’s response here “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.”, I was really hearing him say, “Don’t worry, he’s not all-dead; he’s only MOSTLY dead.” And so which is it? Is Paul lying or bending the truth a little? No, because before he says that, it says first that he went down and fell upon him. And that phraseology is key because remember God had also performed resurrections through Elijah and Elisha after they had fallen upon and embraced two young boys who had died. So Paul’s falling upon Eutychus was the means through which God brought him back to life, after which Paul (seeing the boy alive) then cries out “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.”

Acts 20:11-12 (LSB)— 11 And when he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. 12 And they took away the boy alive, and were not a little comforted.

He kept preaching!— By the way, I love how Paul went right back to preaching. And I guarantee you Eutychus was now awake the whole time; partially because of what had happened, but also because when God brings you back to life, you come back refreshed, walking and leaping and praising Him. He had a lot to be thankful for.

Sacred Spots— You know, sometimes you don’t know what you are thankful for until you don’t have it. Now this story has a happy ending because Eutychus lived to die another day (perhaps as an aged man after having live a rich and full life). We don’t know. But can you imagine being his mom or his dad that day? You know, I often worry about my kids. I’m not a put-your-kid-in-a-bubble parent, but I am very protective of my kids. And almost every day I worry about them having a Eutychus moment; losing attention for that split second; that little blip of time that can end or forever change the course of their lives. And that’s compounded by the fact that I know there’s no Apostle Paul to bring them back if anything like that happens to them.
    Our kids and I were in a car accident now about two years ago, right near their school. Another car (not watching) veered into us and hit us very hard; every airbag in the car deployed. Airbags came out of places I didn’t even know airbags could be. The one that deployed just left of my head knocked my hearing out for a little while. And after impact I (ears ringing) turned to see my kids; and I saw the fear written all over their faces. And for months afterwards, often when I would drive through that spot (now extra-cautiously), I had this kind of gut-clenching, physical reaction. Now I know we are not to live in fear; and on the other side of that I have seen so many times how God has protected them, as He did then. But I am also aware of how quickly life can change. And whenever I go through that spot I feel this overwhelming gratitude for my kids’ lives; and for my life too.
    There is another spot that holds similar significance to me; and I know it does to you as well. It is the site of the cross. What a horrible place to be; at the foot of a cross. And yet was there that Jesus (in such a brief window of time) gave us back everything we might have lost; eternal life in fellowship with God. I don’t know what your plans are this week, but I would like to encourage you to make time to give thanks to God for saving you in that sacred place. Like these early Christians did, orient yourself around a remembrance of what God has done for you in and through Jesus. Let’s do so. Amen.

Lechem Panim #212 “Sunday Night Church At Troas” (Acts 20:7) Pastor Cameron Ury

Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. If you have your Bible, go ahead and turn with me to Acts chapter 20. As you may remember, Paul is traveling with a group of men who each represented churches that Paul had started in Asia. And each of them is [carrying an offering from his home church to be given to the believers in Jerusalem], which remember had a tremendous amount of need. [Having each man deliver the gift {really offered} a personal touch and strengthened the unity of the believers.] The Church was being the Church for one another. You know, this coming Sunday at our Church (Renton Park Church) I am preaching on the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus; and what is remarkable to me about that prayer is how often Jesus prays for the unity of all believers; that they may be one even as He and the Father are one. Now I can’t even begin to unpack that today. But Jesus says in that prayer…

John 17:21 (ESV)— 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

John 17:23 (ESV)— 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

Testimony to the world— The fundamental purpose of our unity is to bear testimony to the world of the fact that the Father did indeed send His beloved Son Jesus (and that He is their salvation) and that God loves them just as He loves Jesus. That is what our unity points the world to. Jesus had said in…

John 13:35 (ESV)— 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

No Excuse— Now if there is disunity; if there is a lack of love and care for one another; this gives the world an excuse not to take us seriously. But when we are unified and loving and caring for one another, we pave the way for the Holy Spirit to bring conviction to them and often a longing to be a part of that same kind of unified body of believers. And that is part of what this love offering helped to demonstrate. It was a very personal and tender-hearted gesture.

A New Goal— Paul had wanted to arrive in Jerusalem by Passover; but they had been delayed, so that didn’t happen. So now he is trying to get there at least by Pentecost (Acts 20:16). And here we see that they have come to the city of Troas, of which Luke writes in verse 6: and there we stayed seven days.

“We” to “Us”— Now note how in verse 5 and here in verse 6 there is a [pronoun change {from “he”} to “us” and “we,” for Dr. Luke has now joined the party (see Acts 16:17). He had probably been ministering at Philippi where he joined Paul for the last leg of the journey. {And} Paul must have rejoiced to have Luke, Titus, and Timothy at his side again. {But} The men remained at Troas a week so that they might fellowship with the believers there. Perhaps they were also waiting for the departure of the next ship. {But they are waiting there; and as they are waiting there,} Luke gives us a brief report of a local church service in Troas, and from it we learn something of how these early Christians met and worshipped the Lord.] It says in…

Acts 20:7 (LSB)— 7 And on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began speaking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.

“On the first day of the week”—  Now note the very first phrase: on the first day of the week,. This is actually the first reference in the book of Acts to Christian worship taking place on Sunday rather than on the seventh day (the Sabbath). And this day of course came to be known as “the Lord’s Day” because it was the day on which the Lord Jesus had risen from the dead (Rev. 1:10). So that alone gave the first day of the week an amazing significance. But keep in mind that it was also on the first day of the week that the Holy Spirit had come at Pentecost and birthed the Christian Church. And so the first day of the week became (for multiple reasons) the primary day of worship. Now as the Church was just starting off, they would (during those early years) still [maintain some of the Jewish traditions, such as the hours of prayer (Acts 3:1). But as time went on, they moved away from the Mosaic calendar and developed their own pattern of worship as the Spirit taught them.]

In The Evening— Now the second thing that we see from this verse is that the church met in the evening. And the reason [the church met in the evening {was} because {keep in mind that} Sunday was not a holiday during which people were free from daily employments.] Some of you may remember the days when that was the case here in the states. But sadly, that is not the case now and certainly wasn’t during these times.} And keep in mind that some of these believers were slaves; and so they couldn’t come to church until they had finished their duties. Now these early believers didn’t have any church building in which they could meet, and so they would meet in the private homes of believers. And this room was likely in the private home (or was the home) of one of the believers. And these believers would have been of all different nationalities and social statuses. But none of that mattered anymore. As far as they were concerned, they were “all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28).

to break bread— Now the fellowship of these early believers was a beautiful thing. They would fellowship around a “potluck” meal that they called a “love feast” (agape). And after they would finish eating, they would observe the Lord’s Supper together (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 11:17–34). And that is what we see here in their breaking bread together. Here in Acts 20:7 we have reference to Lord’s Supper and then Acts 20:11 describes the regular meal that would have preceded it. And remember how we talked before about how (in that culture; particularly Jewish culture) to eat with someone was to show commonality with them. That is why if two parties were at enmity with one another and sought restoration, that restoration would never be considered complete until they had shared a meal together. That is part of what made the story of Zacchaeus so powerful. Jesus shared a meal with him that showed they had commonality and peace between each other; and more so, that there was peace between Zacchaeus and God. And of course we also need to understand the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in light of that custom because in that meal is the consummation of our restoration to God. And these “love feasts” were beautiful pictures of the healing that had taken place across social and racial lines in those communities, as men and women of different races and social statuses (think about it, even slaves and their masters) were eating, sharing, and enjoying fellowship with one another as equals under Jesus Christ. That was something never heard of before; and that alone bore such an incredible witness to those communities (and to the world). And I love how that fellowship and unity was built around Thanksgiving; the remembrance of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us.
    Now you and I sometimes worry that taking communion too often will cause it to become simply routine and we will miss (or grow cold to) the blessings involved. And that may be true. But the early Christians had it at least once a week as a group and many of them likely, even when they were by themselves during their regular meals at home, would conclude their own personal meals by taking the bread and wine. Now Scripture doesn’t give us any specific command to do this (“as often”, 1 Cor. 11:26); but what it shows is that they wanted to keep before them always that reminder of what Jesus had done for them. For them, Thanksgiving (Eucharist, which comes from the Greek word for Thanksgiving) wasn’t once a year, it was all the time. And that is a beautiful thing. And it challenges us also to live every day in that spirit of Thanksgiving.

The Lord’s Message— Now another thing we see in this passage is the centrality of the Word of God, which was always preached in these Christian churches. And this involved [the public reading of the Old Testament Scriptures (1 Tim. 4:13) as well as whatever apostolic letters had been received (Col. 4:16).] Now sadly, in many churches nowadays, we find the Word of God being neglected. Many (even Christians) know very little of what the Word of God actually says and therefore are unequipped to defend themselves against those who (by twisting the original meaning of the Word of God) might lead them astray. That is why any strong Church will be a Biblically literate one. Paul himself writes in…

2 Timothy 4:2 (ESV)— 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

The Decadent Periods— And as Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said “the decadent periods and eras in the history of the church have always been those periods when preaching has declined”]

The Power of The Book— An unknown writer said, "This Book is the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding; its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's character. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. Follow its precepts and it will lead you to Calvary, to the empty tomb, to a resurrected life in Christ; yes, to glory itself, for eternity."

Bearing Testimony— And so today, let us commit to know and walk in keeping with the Word of God; and in doing so we will (through our unity and holy love for one another) bear testimony to the world of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Lechem Panim #211 “Paul Leaves Ephesus” (Acts 20:1-6) Pastor Cameron Ury

Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. If you have your Bible, go ahead and turn with me to Acts chapter 20. We will look at verses 1-6 today. And as you are turning there, let me remind you that Paul is preparing at this point to leave the city of Ephesus due to a riot that has taken place, caused by Demetrius (a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis/Diana). He saw how Paul’s message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was pulling people away from worship of Artemis and therefore hurting his business; and so he riles up all the other craftsmen in similar trades and instigates a riot. Now the riot is quelled, but apparently Paul took this riot as a sign that it was time for him to put his plan to go to Jerusalem (and eventually to Rome) into motion. And so it says…

Acts 20:1 (LSB)— 1 Now after the uproar had ceased, Paul having summoned and exhorted the disciples, said farewell and left to go to Macedonia.

Visiting His Church— Now the reason the Paul wanted to visit Macedonia first was because he wanted to collect an offering for the much poorer church in Jerusalem; but also he wanted to pay at least one more visit to these various churches that he had helped to found in that region. And that was because he deeply cared for every single one of those churches. We see in 2 Corinthians 11:23–28 that the "The care of all the churches" was his greatest joy and (at the same time) his heaviest burden. He wasn’t just a preacher; he was a pastor; he was a shepherd, one who truly loved each and every person he ministered to. He was the kind of pastor who worried constantly about his spiritual children and would do anything he could to minister to their physical and spiritual needs.

Departing for Macedonia— And so he leaves Ephesus and begins heading towards Macedonia and Achaia (Acts 19:21). He probably went first to Philippi. Now we know that sometime during his final days in Ephesus, after writing 1 Corinthians, Paul had had a considerable amount of conflict with the Corinthian church. He visited them (likely by sea); and what he saw grieved his heart. And upon returning to Ephesus he wrote to them a “tearful” letter, which we see in 2 Corinthians 7:8-9 that he at first regretted having sent. He had sender’s remorse. I don’t know if that has ever happened to you.

The Angry Letter— I remember a number of years ago, when I was just starting off in ministry, I made some typical mistakes that many new pastors make. And one was that I was too willing to absorb elements of ministry I had no business absorbing. I was preaching three times a week, visiting many people in their homes and in the hospitals (most of which were far away) leading prayer meetings, sometimes leading Sunday school, leading a monthly men’s breakfast, leading a monthly Veteran’s home ministry, and then being the chief organizer of most of our church events. Anywhere where there was slack, I thought it was my duty to be a nice pastor and pick it up. And I remember one day in particular when the lady doing the bulletin at that time said that it had become too much for her and she would have to give it up. Well, who do you think volunteered to do it? I did. And while I was at it, I also absorbed all the secretarial duties (us not having a secretary at the time). And all the while I felt I was being a good pastor. It was only later I realized how much this absorbing way of doing ministry can actually damage a church and cripple its ministries (because nothing is getting done as well when one person is doing most of it); and so I learned to take a more biblical approach and started delegating. And I also learned the freeing power of “no”; politely refusing those things that are not part of what God wanted me to do; and which are also opportunities for somebody else to step up and find their place within the body of Christ. But it was in that time and context of absorbing that I had a member of my congregation criticize me in a very harsh and unfair way, implying I wasn’t doing enough. And I went home very angry. And I sat down and wrote an angry letter, which basically laid out everything I was doing and was lashing back at this person. But (thank the Lord) I showed it to my mentor first, a wonderful man of God that I owe so much to, especially in those early years of ministry. He listened as I read aloud my angry letter and said “Cameron, everything you said was true. But you can’t deliver it.” And I was bummed about that. But I listened and instead allowed myself to cool down and addressed the issue in a much calmer and wiser fashion. And you know what, looking back I realize now that virtually no one in my church had any idea how much I had absorbed. Not even my board knew. Stuff was getting done but I never was communicating what it was I was doing. It was a complete failure of communication on my part. And so this person’s criticism (although not based on fact) was actually my fault, not theirs. And if I had delivered my angry letter, I would have wounded that person (and maybe my church) irreparably.

Burning the First Letter— You know it’s interesting, [When Abraham Lincoln had to write a letter to someone who had irritated him, he would often write two letters. The first letter was deliberately insulting. Then, having gotten those feelings out of his system, he would tear it up and write a second letter, this one tactful and discreet.] And that is a very good practice.

Testing The Waters— Now here in this passage, Paul wasn’t worried about the truth of what he wrote as much as whether or not he was too severe. And we will never know exactly what he wrote because that epistle has been lost; and maybe that was a God-thing. But whatever the case, he had sent it. And now that he’s getting ready to leave Ephesus, he wants to visit Corinth again. However, in light of this harsh letter that he sent, he is afraid of how he might be received by the church there. And so what does he do? He sends Titus ahead of him to “test the waters” at Corinth. And in the meantime (after leaving Ephesus (Acts 20:1), he doesn’t head directly to Corinth by sea. Instead he goes north, [visiting the Christian communities along the way and hoping to meet up with Titus returning from Corinth.] And so he goes [to Troas, and then possibly on to other churches in Macedonia (2 Cor. 2:12-13).] And it is in the region of [Macedonia (perhaps at Philippi, Thessalonica, or Berea) {that} Titus finally joined him and brought the good news that the church {in Corinth} had repented of its opposition to Paul's leadership and had become reconciled to him (2 Cor. 7:5-16). {And so no doubt with huge joy and relief} Paul then wrote 2 Corinthians.] So he’s in Macedonia. And it says in…

Acts 20:2-3 (LSB)— 2 And when he had gone through those districts and had given them much exhortation, he came to Greece {(the greek word is [“Hellas”, which is simply another name for the province of Achaia, where Corinth was located.])}. 3 And there he spent three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

Paul’s Stay in Corinth— And so we see that Paul stays in Corinth for three months. He [had originally planned to make two visits to Corinth (2 Cor. 1:15-16), but instead he made one visit that lasted three months (Acts 20:3; 1 Cor. 16:5-6).] These were [likely the winter months (see 1 Cor. 16:6), when sea travel was more dangerous.] And it is during this final trip to Corinth that Paul writes his letter to the Romans (c. A.D. 57). And in that letter he explains why he wants to go to Jerusalem, and that was {not just to encourage and strengthen the Christians in those churches, but also} for the purpose of taking an offering [from his Gentile churches to the needy Christians in Jerusalem]. The Church there was very poor and needed a lot of support. And Paul sought to provide that by any means possible. And that was one of his main reasons for revisiting the churches of Macedonia and Achaia this final time, which took Paul [to the churches of Berea, Thessalonica, and Philippi.] He wanted to collect money for that offering. And verses 4-5 tell us…

Acts 20:4  (LSB)— 4 And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.

Church Representation— Now these [men who accompanied him (Acts 20:4) were {official} representatives of the churches, appointed to travel with Paul and help handle the funds (2 Cor. 8:18-24).] [Their presence would give safety from robbery and also would provide a public guarantee of Paul's integrity in handling the funds. The men listed here (Acts 20:4) as accompanying Paul represent all the areas of his missionary work. And it says…

Acts 20:5 (LSB)— 5 But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas.

A Jewish Plot— Now although Paul would have sailed from Corinth, we see that there is a plot by the unbelieving Jews to kill him at sea. And sadly (as was almost always the case) that plot came from Paul’s own fellow countrymen (cf. 2 Cor. 11:26). And remember that [The Jewish community of Corinth {in particular} hated Paul because of its humiliating debacle before Gallio (18:12-17), and the stunning conversions of two of its most prominent leaders, Crispus (18:8) and Sosthenes (18:17; 1 Cor. 1:1).] And so some of that Jewish group there in Corinth are plotting to kill Paul. Now [Luke does not record the details of the Jews’ plot, but it undoubtedly involved murdering Paul during the voyage to Syria. The apostle would have been an easy target on a small ship packed with Jewish pilgrims.] They could very easily have pushed him overboard and made Paul (as a Cicilian might say) “sleep with the fishes.” And so (because of this plot) he has to instead travel north [overland through Achaia and Macedonia, {then cross the Aegean Sea to Asia Minor,} sailing from Philippi to Troas, where his “team” agreed to rendezvous.] And so it says…

Acts 20:6 (LSB)— 6 And we sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas within five days; {(it was no doubt due to unfavorable winds that this crossing took 5 days, because when Paul had crossed earlier from Troas to Neapolis (Philippi’s port) it had only taken two days (16:11). But nevertheless, they arrive there at Troas and Luke writes:)} and there we stayed seven days. And next week we will see what happens to Paul during those seven days. But as we close out time together today, I want to encourage you to be courageous enough to speak the truth in love (as Paul learned to do). Learn to burn the first letter. Secondly, we (like Paul) need to always be seeking to meet the needs of other people. There is always at least one person who needs our compassion and love. And we need to be faithful to help them (as Paul was). And thirdly, let us (as we follow Christ) expect opposition and neither be surprised nor afraid when it surfaces. God will be our shield during those times and (even in persecution) will work out His plans and purposes in an amazing way. And so let us trust in Him. Amen.