Sermon #1102 Farewell to the Ephesian Elders

Transcription

1 Sermon #1102 Farewell to the Ephesian Elders What qualities come to mind when you think of the apostle Paul? Strength, courage, conviction, love, honor, humility, industry, intensity, influence, faithful, resilient, longsuffering, tenderness, passion. The Holy Spirit breathes that last trait, passion, into the apostle Paul s epistle to the young evangelist, Timothy in what rings out like a eulogy he wrote for himself as one who has not cast away his confidence. 2 Timothy 4:6-8, For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. This powerful poetry rouses any who trust in the truth of the Lord s resurrection. The apostle Paul was a strong example of a man who wouldn t do anything for God halfway. We look today, though, at a similar yet lengthier version of that inspiring farewell to Timothy. We have every bit of the passion from the apostles letter to Timothy now mixed with one of his greatest displays of conviction, tenderness and love of the brethren. I get excited when I think about being privileged to soak in the emotion of the tear-filled benediction to the Ephesian Elders at Miletus in Acts 20. Although it was not Luke s primary intent, the Holy Spirit uses this discourse in Acts 20 to bludgeon doctrinal errors that persist even at this late date. Take, for instance, the hierarchical distinctions made between elders, bishops, and pastors. One group with 1.2 billion adherents place a bishop over a diocese with scores of congregations under their authority. Other groups place teenage elders under the authority of a bishop. Still others distinguish the pastor from the elders as the chief pulpit minister and the face of the congregation. Meanwhile, in addressing the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:17, the apostle Paul refers to them in Acts 20:28 as shepherds and overseers. The word pastor is synonymous with shepherd; the word bishop is synonymous with overseer. So the Spirit shows us through Paul s message that the elders, bishops, overseers, pastors, and shepherds refer to the same individual. The church at Ephesus plays a prominent role in the New Testament. Besides this important message and the incidents in Acts 18 and 19, we have the apostle Paul s letter to the Ephesians, the assignment given to Timothy at Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3), and the chilling letter to the church at Ephesus that is called out for leaving her first love in Revelation 2:1-7. The apostle bares his heart on both his unwavering commitment to God and to their welfare despite many trials and tears in Acts 20: Yes, he preached publicly but the apostle did not sit in some ivory tower. He supplemented those labors with the equally critical house to house instruction. He knocks in the head the erroneous idea that Jews and Gentiles get different gospels in Acts 20:21. Then he shares his dark uncertainty for the near future in Acts 20:22-23, And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. Intimidation was foreign to this man. Nothing would deter him from doing his duty. Determination to follow through to persevere against all interference and opposition just like the Christian soldier he wrote about in Ephesians 6. As the elders concern begins to mount, Paul reassures them of his focus and the joy that persists knowing he can preach the gospel to the end. Listen to the content of this very personal, intimate conversation. Acts 20:24, But none of these things move me In other words, these concerns do not bend me out of shape. These issues will not 1

2 Farewell to the Ephesian Elders by Brett Hickey, sermon # of 5 change the trajectory of my future plans. What moves you this morning? The potential for occupational advancement? Politics and politicians? The bizarre behavior of rogue national dictators? Will these concerns determine your attitude, behavior, and plans for the future or like the apostle Paul will your determination to live out God s will and promote His kingdom dictate your behavior? The apostle continues his open reflection: nor do I count my life dear to myself His number one guiding principal is not self-preservation and self-promotion. What is dear to you? Hobbies, recreation, possessions and financial security, intellectual and educational attainments, and secular dreams? All of those considerations were too trivial to be priorities for this devoted child of God. As long as he was not inhibited from sharing the good news, he was complete. Acts 20:24, But none of these things move me nor do I count my life dear to myself so [in order] 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. The Christian life is a race. You get on the right track and you stay on it. The goal is to finish. If a man gets in the wrong race and on the wrong track, he can never experience to the full the joy that only God can give. No doubt the eyes of the Ephesian elders begin to water as they reminisce over the thrill of hearing Paul s preaching on so many occasions when he utters these words in Acts 20:25, And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. This is it! On earth, you will never see my face again. Next, the apostle Paul challenges the Ephesian elders to act on the truths he has preached. He reminds them that he has pulled no punches; he has not coddled them; he has not tickled their ears, but preached the whole counsel of God. If they are lost -- if they fail their flock it is on them. Alexander MacLaren writes, we are pure from the blood of all men only when we have not shrunk from declaring all God s counsel. We are not required to know it completely, but we are required not to shrink from declaring it as far as we know it. Now he charges them to fulfill their obligation to the sheep under their charge. Acts 20:28, 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. The apostle demands introspection of these leaders. They must first take heed to themselves to their own spiritual welfare for ultimately no leader can be of lasting benefit to anyone else if he cannot handle his own spiritual obligations. The apostle insists that they take heed to ALL the flock. No sheep are to be neglected or overlooked either because of favoritism or carelessness. If ninety-nine sheep are well, but one is unaccounted for, the focus must be on the one and not the ninety and nine. The Spirit here demolishes the doctrines of those who deny 1) the Deity of Christ, 2) the glory of the church, and 3) the importance of belonging to a local congregation. Of course, there can be no flock to shepherd unless the disciples of Christ are faithful to the home church family as they are commanded in Hebrews 10:23-25, Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir 2

3 Farewell to the Ephesian Elders by Brett Hickey, sermon # of 5 up love and good works, not forsaking [not neglecting English Standard Version] the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. How irreverent of those who claim to follow Christ who would marginalize the church to which the Spirit attaches the unmatched purchase price of Jesus precious blood. Then, the apostle says, God purchased the church with His own blood, demonstrating incontestably that Jesus is God. After itemizing some of the trials and burdens that he endured, the apostle singles out the greatest load of all. It was not all the external weights, but his care and concern for the churches. At the climax of his message in Acts 20:29-31, he elaborates on this as it pertains to the church at Ephesus and as it has for multitudes of congregations since then. Imagine how chilling it would be to hear as an elder, teacher, or any member really, the following words: For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. Acts 20:29, For I know this This was not a hunch, not an educated guess or a probability but something that was absolutely going to happen. The apostle Paul recognized the devil and his work more readily than most. Savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. The apostle Peter was not the last disciple that Satan desired to sift like wheat. The devil is like a roaring lion, a vicious beast, a ravenous wolf and you know how each of those will react to sheep in their midst. Danger! They re coming! The failure to see evil in its more subtle forms is what places any congregation in grave danger like the buck that saunters nonchalantly out of the forest into the clearing fully visible to the awaiting hunter. Even more spine-tingling is the next thought. Some of the moral and doctrinal perversions will come from inside the flock. One of the sheep will transform himself into a wolf. While our object is to point the flock to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles in the New Testament, men on the inside and on the outside will insert their human ideas and ways into the Christian system, corrupting it into a hybrid instead of the purely divine product we read about as the first century church. When additions and changes are adopted, believers jump ship no longer giving allegiance to Jesus and the teaching of the Spirit, but transferring their loyalty to the men who initiate the novel ideas. Incidentally, the word perverse or pervert here indicates to twist or distort. Now, taking advantage of the rapt attention of the Ephesians elders, the apostle Paul s eyes likely begin to moisten. Perhaps his voice even cracks as he says in Acts 20:31, Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. His warnings and pleadings were daily, persistent, and expressed with great feeling. In Acts 19:8, 10 we find him two years disputing daily at the school of Tyrannus and teaching at the synagogue in Ephesus for three months making up two big chunks of his three years in Ephesus. This great investment of body, heart, and soul left a mark on the apostle that reached down to the core of his existence. He couldn t stand the idea of seeing any of the fruit of this great work crumbling and disintegrating. Compare the apostle s fervency for doctrinal purity with the popular pastoral statement, Oh, we don t give attention to doctrine. Doctrine is not important or attend the church of your choice when the divergence of doctrines in the denominations is ever increasing. What a contrast when you compare 3

4 Farewell to the Ephesian Elders by Brett Hickey, sermon # of 5 such carelessness to the apostle Paul s intense concern over doctrinal faithfulness. The apostle Paul says, Look out for the wolves! Many today welcome the wolves and let the fox in the henhouse. We better care about what is taught and what a congregation stands for doctrinally for the wolves are on the prowl! I need to note that although righteous indignation is understandable under such circumstances, the apostle Paul does not express anger, but deep sorrow. The more fully I synchronize my spirit and understanding with the apostle Paul, shouldn t my reaction to this potential threat and the willing vulnerability of Christians be increasingly similar? The apostle Paul aired his concern with twice daily tears. When have we last shed tears over the listless reaction to such perceived dangers? The apostle Paul strikes a much more optimistic note in Acts 20:32, 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. He also unmasks the error that only 144,000 faithful disciples will be able to make heaven their home. God is able to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. The one hope of Ephesians 4 is heaven. The Spirit assures us in 1 Peter 1:3-4, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, RESERVED IN HEAVEN for you Back to Acts 20. Then the apostle exposes the mercenary ministers of his age and all other ages in Acts 20:34-35, Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. 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. " We read about the work the apostle Paul did with his hands in Acts 18:3, So, because [the apostle Paul] was of the same trade, he stayed with [Aquila and Priscilla] and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers. He shames the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 11:8, I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. He uses the hyperbolic robbed to suggest, as A. T. Roberton puts it in his Word Pictures of the New Testament, He allowed other churches to do more than their share. In 1 Corinthians 9:4-7, the apostle Paul tells the faithful, Do we have no right to eat and drink? Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working [a secular job -- BH]? Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock? In the extended passage, the apostle uses seven illustrations to teach the same truth that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:14). This is a far cry from the millions made by so called pastors and preachers today who live in mansions, own fancy yachts and their own luxury airplanes. 2 Peter 2:1-3, But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. 4

5 Farewell to the Ephesian Elders by Brett Hickey, sermon # of 5 The apostle then quotes Jesus who highlights the fundamental honor of giving, It is more blessed to give than to receive." If anyone ever knew that by experience, it was Jesus who gave up so much for our benefit. He gave it all for you. Have you reciprocated? Have you given your life to Him? Before our song and wrap up, we want to encourage you to begin a life-changing Bible study by mail at no cost to you. I ll be back in a moment for a final word. Please send us any comments or questions you may have about today s message or any related question about the church of the Bible. Tune in every Lord s Day and join us for worship at one of the congregations listed shortly. Call or write for a transcript, CD, or DVD of #1102, Farewell to the Ephesian Elders. As the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 16:16, the churches of Christ salute you. Until next week, goodbye and God bless! Are you searching for the truth of God's word and have a sincere desire to learn about the Bible? Do you want to know what the Bible says about salvation and about Christ and His church? If you are looking for Bible Founded discussion on these topics and many others, then please accept this invitation to explore "Let the Bible Speak" and then contact us for additional studies. We are members of the church of Christ as found in the New Testament. We are not members of a denomination or earthly religious organization. We are a brotherhood of believers, joined by a common bond, Jesus Christ. We try to live and worship following the patterns found in the New Testament. (For manuscripts of other sermons visit: COPYRIGHT Let The Bible Speak. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. IMPORTANT COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Express permission is granted to distribute any video, audio, or transcript of any broadcast message as long as the material is: unedited and attribution is given to Let The Bible Speak; a hyperlink to LetTheBibleSpeak.com is included for electronic distribution; a text reference is included to for printed distribution; and the original author receives attribution. An irrevocable, world-wide, royalty free license for distribution is granted as long as such distribution has the intent of: supporting the truth as presented; giving glory and honor to God; and spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. 5