Sermon, 020203pm

Jim Huskey, Walking Through Acts # 28

As we finished our study this morning, the apostle Paul was going into

Macedonia, having left Ephesus after the uproar over the images that

Demetrius and the silversmiths made for the goddess Diana. Picking up

in Acts 20 we begin.

"And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much

exhortation, he came into Greece, and there abode three months. And

when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria,

he purposed to return through Macedonia. And there accompanied him

into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and

Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus

and Trophimus. These going before tarried for us at Troas. And we

sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came

unto them to Troas in five days, where we abode seven days. (In

addition to the seven mentioned above, Luke is also with them on this

journey for the words "us" and "we" are used) And upon the first day

of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul

preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his

speech until midnight." Acts 20:2-7. Now I want to pause right here

and look at a couple things.

There are those who would have us believe that this breaking of bread

referred to here was just a common meal that the disciples ate

together. "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came

together to break bread...." - apparently this was a regularly

scheduled event. We find it occurring on the first day of the week.

If we read secular history regarding the church in the first century,

we find out that they gathered together on the first day of the week

to eat what was called a common meal of the fruit of the vine and

unleavened bread. Now that doesn't sound like the disciples were just

getting together to have a fellowship meal, does it? No, it doesn't!!!

They could get together and eat any time they wished to; but this was

something special. It was something Paul could count on the disciples

beging gathered together to do. The activities that occur would

suggest that this was not JUST a common get-together, potluck dinner.

For one thing, they were come together to break bread and Paul preached.

Since Paul was going to be departing, he preached rather long,

continuing his speech until about midnight. There are those who have

made a big deal of the breaking of bread on the first day of the week.

I say they've made a big deal of it - in a negative way. They've said

first of all that it becomes too commonplace if they observe it first

day of every week. So they have reserved it for days about which the

scriptures say absolutely NOTHING, to observe it then. They observe

it on Easter or around Christmas, neither of which the original text

has reference whatsoever. That's just another one of those occasions

where man has "messed up" the simple directives God has given.

But the disciples were there on the first day of the week.

Interestingly enough, Paul would plan some of his journies around that

day so he could be in a partiular area where the church was gathered

on the first day of the week, which suggests further the importance of

that and that it was a regular thing, first day of EVERY week!!! He

would know when the disciples would be coming together.

Something occurred there during that meeting which is very interesting.

"And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were

gathered together. And there sat in a window a certain young man

named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep; and as Paul was long

preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft,

and was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and

embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.

When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten,

and talked a long while, even till break of day, he departed. And

they brought the young man alive and were not a little comforted."

Acts 20:8-12. I've heard several "takes" on that particular

incident, about people who fall asleep during preaching service.

That's one of the most tragic that occurred of which I've heard.

Of course, we don't have too many people sitting in the window of the

third loft now days. But this happened and no doubt the end result of

it just gave additional impetus to the gospel that was being preached

in that city.

Paul departed. He wanted to go by Ephesus again, but because he had

determined to be in Jerusalem for Pentecost, he didn't go. They

rather went to Miletus. Acts 20:17 begin,"And from Miletus he sent

to Ephesus and called the elders of the church. And when they were

come to him, he said unto them....." and he begins his lesson.

I want us to notice an interesting thing about this particular passage.

There are an awful lot of people in the religious world who have tried

to make three different classes of rulers ("officers" might be a

better term to use) in the church from the various terms that are used

in the scripture regarding them. There is the word "elder" which comes

from the word "presbuterous" and that term is still around today in

various ways. The optometrist told my wife she had presbyter's eyes.

Well, what did that mean? It meant her eyes are getting old. Well

that's basically what the term "elder" designates. Then there's also

the term "pastor" or "shepherd", then there is the term "bishop" or

"overseer. Some have tried to make out of each of these, a separate

and distinct office or position. One of the interesting things that

occurs in the course of this passage is, as Paul speaks with these

elders, he brings into play every one of those ideas and ascribes them

to the same group of people. He called for the elders. We know that's

who came. "And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye

know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I

have been with you at all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility

of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the

lying in wait of the Jews: and how I kept back nothing that was

profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly,

and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews and also to the

Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing

the things that shall befall me there; save that the Holy Ghost

witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto

myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry,

which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the

grace of God. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I

have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.

Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood

of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the

counsel of God." Verses 18-27. He has emphasized and is emphasizing

the fact that he could say with surety he was free or pure from their

blood. Why? because he hadn't kept anything back that was profitable;

and he had succeeded in declaring the whole counsel of God. In other

words, he hadn't failed to tell them the things that were there in

God's word. He'd preached it all, whether they liked it or not,

whether they wanted it or not, whether it was popular or not. I'm

afraid there are a lot of folks today that just don't fall into THAT

category. If it's not popular, they won't preach it. If it is

likely to get into their pocketbooks, they won't preach it. But Paul

said he hadn't failed to declare the WHOLE counsel of God. That's

going to be important in light of some of the things he's about to

say to them.

Now, we said he called for the elders and when "they", that is the

elders, were come to him, he says, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves,

and to all the flock...." Now what reference is that? the shepherd.

Remember Peter wrote that the Great Shepherd will appear and he

counselled those who are shepherds. The word commonly used today is

pastor, but the word is reinforced when Paul says "feed the church";

the word there is from the idea of the shepherd. It's "poimaino", the

verb form of the noun for "shepherd", to find pasture for the flock,

to feed them. So we have the word elder, the word pastor, the word

bishop (overseer). Who are we talking to? elders; they're pastors,

overseers. Those terms are used interchangeably and they're used

to refer to the same group of people when we are talking about the

office."...If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good

work." I Tim. 3:1. We're talking about the same group of people -

elders, pastors, overseers, or presbyters as some would call the

elders; that's what they are - older people.

Let's continue the reading at verse 28. "Take heed therefore unto

yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath

made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath

purchased with his own blood." You know, there's an interesting lesson

that can be drawn from that. We're told here that the Lord purchased

the church with his blood. If somebody gives you a ten dollar bill

and you take that ten dollar bill, go to the store and buy with it a

hat, how are you going to get the value from the ten dollar bill?

You'll have to get it out of that which you purchased with it. So if

you get the value worth from the ten dollar bill, you'll have to get

it from the hat you purchased with it. "...feed the church of God,

which he hath purchased with his own blood." Where would the Lord

be able to get the value out of his blood? Would not the same

reasoning follow, that it would have to be obtained through the thing

purchased with the blood???? "....feed the church of God, which he

hath purchased with HIS OWN BLOOD."

Then Paul looks into the future. It's in harmony with some of the

other things he'll write to the young man Timothy and to other

congregations. "For I know this, that after my departing shall

grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of

your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away

disciples after them." Verses 29,30. Two dangers here!!!! External -

things will come in from the outside. They will have an affect on

the church. You cannot fellowship darkness without being effected by

it. Then he says that from among themselves men would arise, speaking

perverse things to draw away disciples after them. Oftimes the

greatest danger is not from the outside, but from the inside. In

inside job is usually easier to pull off - pardon the reference there.

But in the criminal world, it seems to be they try to get somebody on

the inside, because it's easier to do what they want to do. So he

said from the very leadership this would occur. That would later

happen, too. You watch the development of the papacy, beginning with

the elders. Men would arise, speak perverse things and eventually

the church would be led away. Patterns would be developed that were

not scriptural, that God had not intended; and it began in the

leadership.

"Therefore watch, and remember that by the space of three years I

ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And now,

brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is

able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them

which are sanctified." Acts 20:31,32. Notice when he began this, he

said he'd not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God to them.

He hadn't held anything back that was profitable to them. Now he says,

"..I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to

build you up, and to give you an inheritance...", and that's just as

true today because the word of God is just as powerful. "I have

coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know,

that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that

were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye

ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus,

how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. And when he

had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. And they

all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him, sorrowing

most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face

no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship." Acts 20:33-38.

Now think about something for a minute. Paul said that's the last

time he'd see most of those fellows. Paul had the ability, because of

the gift of the Holy Spirit, to know what was going to happen in the

future. How would you like to be meeting with people for the last

time, people you love, people you've spent time working with, and as

you sat there talking to them you knew with surety you'd never see

them again, and you told them that, but you knew more......that some of

them would be instrumental in leading the church away from the truth.

You remember when John is told to pick up the pen on the isle of Patmos,

"To the angel of the church at Ephesus, write.." "....because thou

hast left thy fist love." Rev. 2:1,4. Paul know what he was talking

about and it came to pass, not very long afterward. It wasn't because

they weren't taught right. I dare say Paul did everything in his

power to make sure they were grounded, to make sure they knew the

truth; he stayed there three years, longer than anywhere else we

have record of his stay, but still it happened. This simply suggests

that men do not for a long time, as a group, remain true to the word

of God. You can see it in the Jews, you can see it in the church,

you can see it in our brotherhood in the past thirty years. So Paul

would leave, they would return; he would leave, go on his way,

eventually to Rome and to prison. What a sad parting that was. I

think maybe one of the things we should notice is the "sorrowing most

of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face

no more...", not that they would be instrumental in leading the church

into apostasy, but that they wouldn't see him again. I'm sure they

loved Paul, Paul loved them; but Paul's greatest concern was the

church. Sometimes we get our loyalties and priorities in the wrong

place. We're not the first ones to do that.