Reflecting on Sunday! ?’s for Acts 20:17 – 38

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Paul’s address to the Ephesian elders in vv.17-38 is the last recorded message to a church in Acts and is the only one addressed to a Christian audience in all of Acts. Let’s look more closely at who he is addressing, what he has to say them and why.

1. Who was Paul addressing and what terms did he use when referring to them in this speech? What is the significance of these terms?

2. What do you think was Paul’s intention in reviewing his ministry among them? Why do you think that?

3. What evidence is there here of the sincerity of Paul and the integrity of his ministry?

4. In Paul’s review he used a number of verbs that make it clear that his ministry revolved around the word of God. What are they? From this address, what do we learn was the content of the message Paul proclaimed throughout his ministry?

5. What did Paul warn the leaders about in vv. 28-31? What was he calling them to do?

6. In the middle of Paul address (vv. 22-24), he looked to the future as he focused on going to Jerusalem. Looking at this whole chapter, what similarities do you see between Paul and Jesus’ journeys to Jerusalem?

7. Finish this sentence. According to Paul in his address, being a leader of God’s people consists of….

8.  What’s the main theme of the passage?

Preparing for Sunday! “Taking a Day off”

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This week’s Text  Acts 20:17 – 38  ”A Fond Farewell”

[17] Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. [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. [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. [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. [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. [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.’”
[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.

Taking the Day! Making Sunday Special

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Reflecting on how God spoke this past Sunday to you!
“Encouraging the Sleeping”
Read Acts 20:1 – 12

Paul seems to have discerned a change in the direction of his ministry. As Luke told us in 19:21 after going to Jerusalem, Paul’s intention is to go to Rome. In this chapter, Paul has set his face towards Jerusalem and is hurrying to be there (20:16, 22), before he leaves for Rome. He takes time for one last visit to several churches.
1. Briefly summarize the passage. What are the main ideas/themes emphasized in this section?

2. As Paul swept through Macedonia in vv. 1-6, what characterized his ministry there?

3. Why do you think Luke included the story of Eutychus at Troas (vv. 7-12)?

4. What does the incident tell us abut early Christian worship?

5. What is the main theme of these two passages?

Reflecting on the Weekend! Making Sunday Special!

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Some reflection questions on our text from yesterday – May 6th  Acts 19:21 – 41

 

1.  What was the root cause of the riot in vv. 23-41? How did Demetrius disguise this?

2.. Once again we see Paul coming in contact with secular authorities.

      a.) What points does the town clerk make in his skillful argument to quiet the rioting crowd? What was the result?

     b.) Why do you think Luke recounted the riot and the outcome as he did?

3. In a sentence or two, summarize the main point (the ‘big idea’) of this passage. 

Taking the Day off? That’s what Sunday is for the Christian!

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The Christian Sabbath is on Sundays where as Scripture teaches us is:

1. A day to cease from our work that provides us income.

2.  To Gather with God’s people to hear from His Word, and to receive His Mercy in the Lord’s Supper / Communion / Eucharist.

3.  To minister to others in Acts of Mercy

In the spirit of “Making Sundays Special” – Here is this week’s text in order to prepare your Heart to more fully worship the Lord this Sunday. A Day for You!   “For the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath  (Mark 2:27)”.

(Acts 19:11-20 ESV)

[11] And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, [12] so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. [13] Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” [14] Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. [15] But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” [16] And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. [17] And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. [18] Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. [19] And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. [20] So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

Does God exist? The Cosmological argument

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Both the Weds. night group in Avon Lake, and Weds. Confessing My Faith Group discussed how to discuss the existence of God with people who don’t even believe that God exists.  Below is the deeply philosophical “Cosmological Argument” for the existence of God.  Remember, this discussion is the beginning point and is by no means exhaustive. Below is borrowed from Dr. DA Carson of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield IL.:

1.  Some things undeniably exist.  (I exist)

2.  My nonexistence is possible (One day I will die)

3.  Whatever has the possibility to not exist is currently caused to exist by another. (I have a heritage – parents, grandparents etc.)

4.  There cannot be an infinite regress of current causes of existence.  (The is a logical starting point)

5.  Therefore, a first uncaused cause of my current existence exists.

6  This uncaused cause must be infinite, unchanging, all-powerful, all – knowing, all benevolent, and all perfect.

7. This in finely perfect being is appropriately called “God”.

8.  Therefore, God exists.

9.  This God who exists is identical to the God described in the Christian Scriptures.

10.  Therefore, the God as described in the Bible exists.

Reflecting on How spoke to us @ Christ Church. Acts 18:1 – 17

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Paul visited Corinth after leaving Athens, as one of the last cities he evangelized on his second missionary journey. Corinth had the political prestige of being the capital city of Achaia and boasted of its wealth and culture. It was also a great commercial and trade centre, situated between two ports, positioned ideally to take the gospel ‘to the ends of the earth’. Corinth was widely associated with immorality. The temple of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, stood behind the city and was served by a thousand female slaves who roamed the streets as prostitutes. It was into this culture that Paul ‘decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and much fear and trembling…’ (1Corin. 2:2-3)

1. Look back over Paul’s second missionary journey and the five main cities he visited (Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens and Corinth – 16:6-18:22). Summarize briefly the themes Luke has been developing in these chapters.

2. Identify how, on this second journey, each hindrance to the gospel and rejection of it opened up new opportunities for ministry.

3. How does this encourage you as you/we face opposition to the gospel, both individually and corporately?

4. How do we even see that opposition to the gospel has brought encouragement to Paul in 18:1-4?

5. What now familiar pattern of Paul’s ministry does Luke describe in vv. 5-11? What evidence is there to encourage Paul that this was the right decision?

6. What do you think is significant about the actions of Gallio in vv. 12-17?

7. We have seen in these last chapters, and will see increasingly in Acts, that Paul had to defend himself before secular rulers. In what ways do we see the secular authorities interacting with the gospel today in our culture?

9. In a sentence or two, summarize the main point (the ‘big idea’) of this passage.