Here’s the notes and audio from my sermon on Acts 20:1-16 “Learning from Paul’s Gospel Ministry” preached at Cross of Christ Fellowship in Naperville.
Acts 20:1-16: Learning from Paul’s Gospel Ministry
Intro: A KEY WAY we learn how to do something is through imitation: cutting a big piece of ham, trumpet, preaching.
-This is also true in Christian life & service: one way we learn about Christian ministry & life is through imitation
-We imitate mature believers around us, those in the past, and those in Bible
-1 Cor 11:1: “Imitate me as I imitate Christ”; Eph 5:1 “Be imitators of God, as beloved children”
-Our passage today especially helps us in this: we learn how engage in Christian ministry by imitating Paul.
*Faithful Christian ministry involves encouragement, serving alongside others, teaching, and single-mindedness.
CONTEXT:
Acts: The establishment and expansion of God’s kingdom on Earth
-Luke tells us about how God brought this about, especially how he worked through Paul the apostle
-Paul is now on his 3rd missionary journey, last 2 weeks we learned about his 3 years in Ephesus
–TODAY: Paul leaves Ephesus and travels to churches he planted earlier, ministering as he went.
-In this passage learn about gospel ministry as we see Paul minister the gospel.
1. Encouragement; 2. Serving Alongside Others; 3. Teaching; 4 Single-mindedness
*Faithful Christian ministry involves encouragement, serving alongside others, teaching, and single-mindedness.
1. Encouragement (1-2): Faithful Christian ministry involves encouragement…
How do you feel when someone gives you heartfelt, genuine, sincere encouragement?
How does encouragement work to help you do what it is right?
-A big part of gospel ministry to each other believer is ENCOURAGEMENT
-We encourage one another with the truths of God’s Word.-NOTICE with me Paul’s ministry of encouragement:
-Ephesus (1): Post-riot
-Other churches (2): Churches he planted earlier
TODAY:
-We need to encourage each other as Christians
-We need encouragement ourselves
-Best encouragement is from God’s Word
*Clarification: BECOMING A CHRISTIAN DOES NOT START W/ENCOURAGEMENT…
-When you first learn about the gospel, what you need is not encouragement repentance and faith in Jesus
-Begins: TRUTH about God; the BAD NEWS of our SIN; GOOD NEWS of the Gospel; RESPONSE
–Repentance: acknowledging you are a sinner and turning to Jesus
–Faith in Jesus: trusting in Jesus as the one who died for your sins.
-After you become a Christian, you need encouragement to keep following him.
-God provides this in His Word and through encouragement of his people.
*APPLICATION:
-Are you encourager to others, or a critic? When is the last time you offered heartfelt, sincere encouragement to another?
-How might our church look different if we gave each more, frequent, and genuine encouragement?
-How might your marriage look different? Friendships? Fellowship?
2. Ministering with Others (3-6): Faithful Christian ministry involves serving alongside others
What if I said that I play for KANSAS CITY CHIEFS, but have not use for attending practice or playing in games?
-You would say I’m deeply mistaken. -Sometimes you meet people who say they are Christians but have no use for the local church.
-What wrong with this?
-1 Contrary to God’s design; 2 Harmful to oneself; 3 Harmful to other believers
-We were meant to serve and engage in gospel ministry with other Christians!-Paul ministered with others (3-6)
-Different workers from different cities: 7 DIFFERENT PEOPLE
-ONE PURPOSE: Paul’s particular situation: carrying gift to Jerusalem (accountability)—Romans 15.
-OBSERVATION: Paul ministered with other believers.
*ENCOURAGEMENT: In CCF there is much of this: Consider all the ways everyone serves!
–CCF PEOPLE (John, Andrew, Paul & Alison, etc)
*APPLICATION:
-God made us with different gifts to serve in different ways: 1 Cor 12:4-7, 12-26
-May God grow us as Christians who engage in gospel ministry with each other.
3. TEACHING (7-12): Faithful Christian ministry involves a commitment to Bible teaching
-Las Vegas morning commute on radio: J Vernon McGee’s Bible bus ministry (5 years through Bible) -An essential part of growing and ministering as a Christian is Bible teaching.
-We need to hear solid Bible teaching, so that we might grow
-We need to teach others the Bible, so they might grow and be protected from error
-Paul the Teacher! (7-12)
-SUNDAY MORNING GATHERING: Preaching of God’s Word and Lord’s Supper and teaching (7)
–NOTE: “first day of the week” (7)
-WHY DO WE WORSHIP ON SUNDAYS? Early Christians did.
-1 Cor 16:2; Revelation 1:10 “Lord’s Day”
FF BRUCE: “The reference to the meeting for the breaking of the bread on “the first day of the week” is the earliest text we have from
which it may be inferred with reasonable certainty that Christians regularly came together for worship on that day.”
-Lord’s Supper: “gathered together to break bread” (7b)
-The Lord’s Supper is an important part of our Sunday morning gatherings
-Paul’s Teaching Ministry (7b-12)
-Paul taught the Christians at Troas (and it went long!) (7c)
-Eutychus fell asleep and fell from 3rd story (8-9)
-Paul miraculously brought him back to life (10)
-Paul’s sermon carried on, until daybreak! (11)
-Rejoicing and comfort over the boy being alive (1)
APPLICATION:
-Importance of Bible Teaching
-We need to hear it
-We need to teach it
-Col 3:16
-Importance of Sunday worship gatherings
-We need it!
-We also help each other by being there.
APPLICATION:
-Are you teachable?
-Are you willing to teach others?
*Faithful Christian ministry involves a commitment to Bible teaching
4. SINGLE-MINDEDNESS (13-16): Faithful Christian ministry involves a single-mindedness to God’s calling
There are many good things you can do as a Christian, but not all of them may be the right thing for you to do right now.
-God has given all Christians a ‘general’ calling to obey God and pursue holiness
-God has given each Christian a ‘particular’ calling to be faithful in: relationships, job, ministry, giftings.
-I’m called to be Rachel’s husband, my children’s father, your pastor.
-Part of a faithful gospel ministry is being single-mindedly focused to particular calling God has for you.
-This will mean say no to some things and yes to others.
-We see this in Paul’s travels in 20:13-16
-Luke records some of Paul’s travel as he sought to return to Jerusalem and then go to Rome (13-16)
-Paul chose NOT to return to Ephesus (16) -Paul was focused on the task before him: gospel motivated and directed him.
-Particular task: take offering to Jerusalem to help poor (Gentiles helping Jews) -Paul even forsook good things (time in Ephesus) for what was the right thing
-Story from Laansma (skiing)
-God has given each of us a ministry task. -Are you being single-mindedly faithful with the ministry God has given me?
-Col 4:17
QUESTION: What might hinder us from a single-minded focus in Christians ministry?
-MANY things, but ONE in particular: OUR RELATIONSHIP TO OUR PHONES
-Our phones can steal our affection and distract us from good works of ministry.
-SOLUTION: Not to get rid of them, but learn how to be godly and wise.
*Faithful Christian ministry will include encouragement, serving alongside others, teaching, and focus.