READING THE BOOK OF ACTS: CHAPTER 20
READING THE BOOK OF ACTS: CHAPTER 20
Thursday, December 29, 2022
INTRODUCING ACTS, CHAPTER 20
This chapter records the last stages of Paul’s 3rd missionary journey. He visited the churches that he and Barnabas had planted in modern-day Turkey. Form there, he traveled southwest to the province of Asia to the church in Ephesus. We read about these experiences in Acts, chapter 19. In Acts 20, Paul is visiting the churches in Macedonia and Greece before returning to Judea. He meets briefly with Philip and evangelist in Caesarea before going to Jerusalem and there getting arrested. For the next two years Paul will remain under house arrest before taking a dangerous sea voyage to Rome. We will see this beginning in Acts. 21. (https://www.bibleref.com/Acts/20/Acts-chapter-20.html)
1) Verses 1-6, Through Macedonia and Greece, Pt. I JEANNIE
When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the
disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for
Macedonia. 2 He traveled through that
area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived
in Greece, 3 where he stayed three
months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to
sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. 4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of
Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and
Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5 These men went on ahead and waited for
us at Troas. 6 But we sailed from
Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later
joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days.
NOTATIONS:
The uproar mentioned in verse 1 happened when Demetrius thought he might lose money as a result of Paul's
teaching. So, he stirred up opposition among the people. But God also had a plan. God can work
through anyone to bring about his will. In this situation, God used the city
clerk, an unbeliever, in chapter 19 to persuade the rioters to stop. God will
cause his plans to manifest any way he wants and he often works through people
who are not believers to cause things to work in favor of those who love Him.
Despite everything Paul was going through he continued to encourage the disciples and the people who listened to the good news of hope he shared. Verse 6 mentions that Paul sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread. Mama added a notation in the Lagniappe section about what this festival celebrated.
SECTION QUESTIONS:
1. Why did Paul go back through Macedonia? (V.3)
2. Why was 'unleavened' bread used in this festival celebrating the success of the Israelis' journey through the wilderness following the Passover and the Exodus out of Egypt? (Read Deuteronomy 16:3)
2) Verses 7-12 Eutychus Raised from the Dead at Troas, Pt. II, DESTINY
7 On the
first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to
the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking
until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the
upstairs room where we were meeting. 9 Seated in a window was a
young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on
and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story
and was picked up dead. 10 Paul went down, threw
himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,”
he said. “He’s alive!” 11 Then he went upstairs again
and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12 The people took the young man home alive
and were greatly comforted.
NOTATIONS:
SECTION QUESTIONS:
1. What happened to Eutychus? (V.9)
2. What did Paul do to Eutychus? (V.10)
3) Verses 13-24, Paul's Farewell to the Ephesian Elders, Pt. I MRS. ELNORA
13 We went
on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul
aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. 14 When he met us
at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. 15 The
next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we
crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. 16 Paul
had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of
Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the
day of Pentecost. 17 From Miletus, Paul sent
to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When
they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with
you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I
served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of
severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20 You
know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to
you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I
have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in
repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. 22 “And
now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what
will happen to me there. 23 I only know
that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are
facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to
me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the
Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
NOTATIONS:
Verse 23 - Paul laid his life on the line. He was not afraid of death. He knew he could be killed at any minute but to be obedient to "the task that the Lord Jesus ha[d] given [him]" was the highest priority for him.
SECTION QUESTIONS:
1. Why was Paul in a hurry to reach Jerusalem? (V.16)
2. What did Paul say about the Holy Spirit? (V.23)
4) Verses 25-38, Paul's Farewell to the Ephesian Elders, Pt. 2 MRS. ELNORA
25 “Now I
know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the
kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I
declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For
I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep
watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made
you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God,[a] which he
bought with his own blood.[b] 29 I know that
after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the
flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and
distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So
be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning
each of you night and day with tears. 32 “Now I
commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and
give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I
have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You
yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the
needs of my companions. 35 In everything
I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak,
remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It
is more blessed to give than to receive.’36 When
Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 They
all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38 What
grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face
again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
NOTATIONS:
SECTION QUESTIONS:
1. Why did Paul say he was innocent of the blood of anyone he taught? (V.27 )
2. How was the church of God paid for? (V.28)
3. What did Paul say would happen after he leaves? (V.29-30)
4. Who did Paul commit his followers to? (V.32)
5. What did Jesus say about giving? (V.35)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com
The Feast of Unleavened Bread:
This holiday celebrates the journey of the children of Israel through the wilderness, when following Passover and the Exodus. They ate unleavened bread for thirty days which then was substituted by the manna which was provided for them for the rest of their journey.
The Day of Pentecost:
Pentecost is reminiscent of the Last Supper; in both instances the disciples are together in a house for what proves to be an important event. At the last supper the disciples witness the end of the Messiah's earthly ministry as He asks them to remember Him after Hid death until He returns. At Pentecost, the disciples witness the birth of the New Testament church in the coming of the Holy spirit to indwell all believers. Thus the scene of the disciples in a room at Pentecost links the commencement of the Holy Spirits' work in the church with the conclusion of Christ's earthly ministry in the upper room before the crucifixion.
Prayer Confession:
Lord God, thank you that you have given us the power of the Holy Spirit! In your power is the courage to to do everything you have commissioned us to do. We can walk through difficulties, obstacles, tears and anything else we may have to confront as we move towards the finish line. Fill our minds, hearts and thus our mouths with your Word. Let your light guide us through the darkness of this world. Deliver us from the evil that surrounds us, and our children (present and future grandchildren). In your power, we will "keep up the good work." until we have finished our course, with joy, in Jesus' name, amen.
Comments
Post a Comment