“How to Finish This Life Well” Acts 20:17-38

“A Summer Journey;

Following the Apostle Paul Through His Missionary Journeys”

A Sermon Series

“How to Finish This Life Well”

Acts 20:17-38

 Introduction

Paul’s second missionary journey ends in Acts 18:23 “When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.” After completing his second missionary journey and spending some time in Corinth, Paul then traveled to Antioch in Syria where he spent some time before embarking on his third journey.

He then traveled through the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the churches he had previously established. On the third journey Paul continued to perform miracles (raising a boy from falling to his death, and handkerchiefs that had touched him healing others, etc.) His journey then led him to Ephesus, where he spent a significant amount of time, and from there he traveled through Macedonia and Achaia, strengthening believers, before eventually returning to Jerusalem, thus concluding his third missionary journey.

 In the middle of Paul’s remarks we will look at this morning Paul tells us why he wants to give this speech, (v. 24) “if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” He sees the end of his race of life quickly approaching, and he wants to finish well. Also, all of the other sermons in Acts are to lost people (Greeks, Jews, those in authority, etc.); this is the only recorded sermon in Acts to believers.[1]

To Finish the Race . . . Well (vv. 17-38)

Now from Miletus (MY_LEE_TUS) he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him.

Ephesus was thirty miles from Miletus and could be made in a single day of travel if they pushed it. The word elders is where we get the word presbyterian; later in verse 28 the same men are referred to as overseeers where we get the word bishop (episkopous) and in Titus 1:5, 7 Paul uses both terms elders, bishops and overseeers to refer the same office. These were not apostles, but what we refer to as pastors within the church of Ephesus.[2]

Paul realizes, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that he is leaving all these churches that he has been apart of planting and establishing, and often would go back to revisit them to make sure they were ok, now he will more than likely never see them again – so he wants to speak to them, he wants to give them one last address. He wants to defend his life, he wants to explain why he has done things the way he has done them.

One Must Live an Honorable Life Before Others (vv. 18-23)

18 And when they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.

Paul says from the first day that he set foot in their area, until now he served as a doulos, a slave for the Lord. Two attitudes mark a servant of the Lord; they serve with humility, and a willingness to endure suffering. Jesus suffered, the apostles suffered, Paul specifically suffered – those that lead and proclaim the truth of the gospel should expect to suffer.

Paul’s teaching had integrity, “teaching you in public and from house to house,” – if you were in a home, a private setting, he would teach the same as if he were on a platform teaching a crowd.

He has wept tears while he has served among them, and together they have endured trials. Together they have proclaimed and He has taught them of “repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ,” This is gospel boiled down to its’ two essentials. Repentance; a turning away from sin and turning toward God, and Faith in Jesus Christ as Savior.

Paul “did not shrink from,” nautical phrase to let the sails down so that you slow down. He was as fast and full sail as possible. He knows that his next step is to go to Jerusalem and that imprisonment and affliction are waiting for him. Paul’s focus is not on staying alive, but on faithfully preaching the gospel – all the way until the end.

All of these “Musts” have a dark side – the opposite; the failure. For the honorable life, it is the dishonorable life. Specifically, here the truth teller has “shrunk back” from declaring things that are profitable, no teachings of repentance, or faith in Jesus as Lord. There would be divided messages for private talks, different from what was shared publicly. Testifying only to those who want to hear, and only saying what they want to hear.

One Must Teach the Truth Faithfully (vv. 24-27)

24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

 Paul has given his life to testify to the gospel, so that his life is of no value to him – it does not mean he has no value or that he wants to die, but that he prioritizes others and their hearing the gospel above himself.

(v. 27 “that I am innocent of the blood of all,” – Do we have a responsibility for the actions of other people? The Bible teaches that followers of God have a responsibility to tell others the truth (especially teachers). So, what happens when they don’t respond or accept it? Jesus taught the disciples to shake the dust from their feet when leaving an area that did not receive the gospel. It was a picture that the responsibility of what they were called to do had been done, but it was rejected. Matthew 10:14 “And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.”

Ezekiel 3:16-18 “If I (God) say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.”

(v. 27) faithful leaders teach “the whole counsel of God ,” The dark side – they have shrunk back, they have lowered their sail, and have compromised the whole counsel of God. They teach what they think will make them look good, or not cause people to feel uneasy. Paul in a letter to his protégé Timothy said, “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” 2 Timothy 4:2-4

The danger to the early church was not Jews who would oppose them, or leaders of governments who may seek to strike them – the most dangerous threat to the church has always been teachers from within who do not teach the whole counsel of the Word of God, and seek to be liked over telling the truth. John Milton called this “blind mouths.” “That is the tragedy that is possible to every minister of the Word; instead of seeing, he may be blind; instead of feeding, he may become merely a mouth desiring to be fed.”[3]

One Must Defend What Has Been Built (vv. 28-31)

28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.[4] 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.

(v. 28) Earlier Paul calls the spiritual leaders from Ephesus elders, but now he shifts to “” Elder focuses on the qualifications for the office, overseer focuses on what they do, the function of the office. Their function was to care for the flock – specifically by pay attention.

Paul tells them to watch themselves, and others because once Paul leaves, there will be people who will want to fill the leadership gap. In order to gather a following, they will say twisted things – Paul says, “I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.” – “False teachers constantly attempted to tear down what he had built, often by attacking his credibility (2 Cor. 10:10-12; 11:1 ff.; Gal. 1:6-9; 3:1; 5:12; Phil. 3:2).”[5]

Paul taught the church for three years, day and night, with tears. “Whenever the truth is proclaimed, Satan can be expected to counter it with the lies of false doctrine.”[6] Church first, you must be aware that lies are constantly trying to creep in. And once they are in it causes division, people want to build their little kingdoms, and it destroys churches. Paul is crying (admonishing with tears) because of the consequences if false doctrine makes its way into the church.

Revelation 2:2-4 Jesus says to the church at Ephesus, “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.”

In the years of fighting for the truth, and fighting off men who would say twisted things, and try to build their own little kingdoms, their hearts would eventually grow cold toward the gospel and people receiving Christ. Even some of their number had been dragged or carried of by these false teaching wolves. They were faithful to serve, but they would eventually do it with a cold heart. So, defend the truth but watch your heart.

The dark side – The Teacher stops paying attention (you become distracted from your calling or just get tired of the fight), Something causes your gaze to move from the horizon where the wolves, hyenas, and thieves stay to other things. Sin creeps into your own life, and you stop paying attention to truth among the flock, and the gate opens and the wolves can come in and carry off and devour the sheep.

The is the difference between a person serving from a sense of calling (by the Holy Spirit), and the person who is a hired worker (only focused on what they are getting out of it). John 10:12 “He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.” Jesus is the good shepherd, leaders (specifically pastors) serve as under-shepherds. Jesus laid down his life for the sheep, so should those who are called to be shepherds.

One Must Work Hard and Make Sacrifices For the Work (vv. 32-35)

32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”[7]

 (v. 35) “I have shown you that by working hard,” – Paul regularly referred to the act of Christian ministry as labor. Paul makes it plain, that those that seek to serv ethe Lord must be laborers (1 Timothy 5:18), hard workers, in particular in their labor of preaching and teaching (1 Timothy 4:13–16; 5:17). They are to do the labor of teaching, and then live out a life before the people a life based on that same teaching. 2 Timothy 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,3 a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

“‘It is more blessed to give than to receive,” – This summarizes all of Paul’s instructions, “In a nutshell, their ministry was to be one of giving. Paul gave himself to God and his people. He gave himself to the ministry of the Word. To finish the race set before us we must understand that a ministry that honors God is focused on giving, not getting something in return. Paul gave his life so that others can hear the gospel.[8] Paul has called this group of pastors together, so when their congregants see these leaders suffering for the sake of the gospel, then they will be more willing to suffer and sacrifice as well.

One Must Let Go (vv. 36-38)

36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.

The church in Antioch, before the first missionary journey, could have held on to Paul and Barnabas – they could have demanded that they stay am remain teachers for them. But, no, when the Holy Spirit directed, they laid hands on them and sent them of on their missionary journey.

Paul could have tried to control all the churches that he planted – like some kind of multi-site early mega church – but he doesn’t. In Titus 1:5 Paul tells Timothy “This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you.” Paul was apart of planting and building ministries and churches, then he hands them off to pastors to lead them.

Why the elders of Ephesus? Paul’s pattern of ministry, as an apostle, was to share the gospel, gather those who believe and instruct them for a period of time. Even coming back to check on them, and writing them letters with correction or encouragement. At a certain point leaders would be put in place, and the churches would grow and multiply. By giving this instruction to the elders, he is letting go of these churches, and entrusting the church to their leadership.

Conclusion

It should be the goal of every Christian to successfully complete the ministry God has given them. To do this you begin with the end in mind – every day we plan out how we will do what God has called us to do.

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[1] R. C. Sproul, Acts: An Expositional Commentary (Fanford, Florida; Ligonier Ministries, 2019) 308.

[2] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures In The New Testament, Volume III (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1930) 346.

[3] G. Campbell Morgan, The Acts of the Apostles (Old Tappan, New Jersey; Fleming H. Revell Company, 1924) 473.

[4] Reference to the Trinity – Holy Spirit appointed, the church is the Father’s, redeemed by the blood of the Son.

[5] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Acts 13-28 (Chicago, Illinois; Moody Publishers, 1996) 209.

[6] MacArthur, 226.

[7] This saying is not mentioned in the gospels, but Paul references it as a saying Jesus was known to say. This indicated that not everything Jesus said and did were in the gospels. See John 21:25.

[8] Ephesians 4:28 “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.”