Resource Detail

Acts 18:23-20:38

Key Verse: 20:32

 

“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.”

 

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

1.  Read 18:23-28. What was Paul's emphasis as he began his third

    journey?  Where did he go? Who was Apollos? What was wrong with his

    preaching?  How did Priscilla and Aquila help him?  What can we

    learn here?

 

2.  Read 19:1-12. What did Paul teach the disciples he found in

    Ephesus?  What did he teach in the synagogue? Why did he move to

    the hall of Tyrannus? What was the result of his ministry there?

    (8-12)

 

3.  Describe the comical event in 19:13-16. What was the result of

    this? (17-20) What decision did Paul make here? (21) What was the

    reaction to the work of God? how was the mob stopped?  (23-41)

 

4.  Read 20:1-17. Describe his journey to Troas. What happened in

    Troas?  When and where did Paul meet the Ephesian elders?

 

5.  What was Paul's attitude toward God and toward his sheep?  (17-20)

    What was his message to everyone? (21) What does this mean? (Ro

    3:10; Jn 14:6) What was Paul's attitude toward his mission? (22-24)

    Why was he so determined to go to Jerusalem? (19:21; Ro 15:25-27)

 

6.  Read 20:28-31. What warning and instruction did he give the elders?

    What does it mean to be a shepherd? What example did Paul set?

    (25-31)

 

7.  What did it mean to commit them to God's grace? (32; 2Ti 2:1) What

    did he teach by word and example about giving? What did Jesus say?

    (33-38) Describe the parting scene.

 

Acts 18:23-20:38

Key Verse: 20:32

 

“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.”

 

   After the third missionary journey, Paul wanted to visit Jerusalem

and go to Rome. Today's passage covers Paul's third missionary journey,

during which the main event was Paul's farewell speech to the Ephesian

elders.

 

I. Paul strengthened all the disciples (18:23-28)

 

   Look at verse 23. "After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out

from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of

Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples." On his first and

second journeys, he mostly did mass evangelism; he did not pay

attention to discipleship training. But on his third journey he makes a

strenuous effort to train disciples. Obviously he decided to raise many

disciples. Maybe this was the reason he made a vow by shaving his head

at Cenchrea (18:18c). He did not shave his head to become a Buddha

monk, but to train disciples.

 

   At Ephesus there was a brilliant and eloquent scholar of Alexandria

named Apollos, who spoke with great fervor about Jesus, accurately. But

his message was incomplete because he knew of the baptism of John the

Baptist but not about the Holy Spirit. He mainly taught the baptism of

repentance but not the grace of Jesus Christ or the help of the Holy

Spirit. So Priscilla and Aquila, who had joined Paul at Corinth,

invited Apollos to their home and explained the way of God more

adequately (24-26). As a result, Apollos was able to prove from the

Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ (27,28). We must teach the work of

the Holy Spirit as a part of discipleship training. There are many

incomplete Bible teachers who teach many other good things. These days

many preachers do not teach the meaning of Jesus' suffering, death and

resurrection. They also do not teach the sacrificial life of Jesus.

Rather, many preach welfare Christianity. But we must know that

Christianity is not a philosophy of Esau. As the main point of

discipleship training we must teach people the work of the Holy Spirit,

and that Jesus is Christ the Lord.

 

II. God's work at Ephesus (19:1-41)

 

First, teaching about the Holy Spirit (1-7). While Apollos was at

Corinth, Paul came to Ephesus, a metropolis in the western part of the

Roman Empire, now known as Asia Minor. Ephesus was a strategic city,

and it was the seat of Diana worship, which was a symbol of impurity

and drew great throngs of people to its festivities. When Paul arrived

in Ephesus, he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive

the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, only John's

baptism." Paul explained that John's baptism was a baptism of

repentance, but the baptism of Jesus is the baptism of the Holy Spirit

(Lk 3:16). What happened when Paul explained about Jesus who gives the

baptism of the Holy Spirit? Verse 5 says, "On hearing this, they were

baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus." There was a great work of

the Holy Spirit. They were eager to be baptized in order to identify

themselves as Jesus' people. The Holy Spirit came on them. According to

John's Gospel, the Holy Spirit is the invisible Jesus; the Holy Spirit

teaches the truth of God and comforts his people and empowers them when

they are fearful. They also spoke in tongues. This speaking in tongues

is different from the kind done by modern people, who want to escape

from present realities. This tongue-speaking meant that they spoke the

secret things of God, forgetting all their profane language. They also

prophesied. In the past they were slaves of petty desires, and could

not see beyond their noses.  Now they could see the future and say

something about it.

 

Second, teaching about the kingdom of God (8-22). Paul entered the

synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively

about the kingdom of God. The theme of his three-month lecture was the

kingdom of God. Our theme in Bible teaching should be the kingdom of

God. But some Ephesians refused to believe and publicly maligned the

Way. So Paul left the synagogue and rented the lecture hall of

Tyrannus. There he witnessed to Jesus and planted the hope of the

kingdom of God for two years. The result was remarkable. All the Jews

and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord

(10). God also did extraordinary miracles through Paul. Even

handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick,

and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them (12).

 

   In the midst of a great work of God, a funny event happened through

seven comedians who were the seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief

priest.  They went around and tried to invoke the name of the Lord

Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name

of Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." What happened?

"One day the evil spirit answered them, 'Jesus I know, and I know about

Paul, but who are you?' Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on

them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they

ran out of the house naked and bleeding" (15,16). Because of this

event, people were seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was

held in high honor. Many who believed in Jesus came out and openly

confessed their evil deeds. In this way the word of the Lord spread

widely and grew in power (20). Paul's work was fruitful when he

preached the good news of the kingdom of God.

 

Third, reaction to the work of God (23-41). A riot arose in reaction to

Paul's preaching (23). A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver

shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen. He

stirred up his coworkers and slaves, saying that the honor of the

goddess Artemis of the Ephesians had been damaged because of Paul. But

in actuality, he was more worried about his income source. Demetrius

stirred up his fellow workers and the whole city. "When they heard

this, they were furious and began shouting:  'Great is Artemis of the

Ephesians!'" (28) How was the mob stopped? The city clerk worried about

the possibility of a riot. Rome was tolerant but Rome did not like any

social disorder that would cause trouble to its government. If a riot

ever occurred, the city's mayor was held responsible for it. So the

city clerk did his best to put down the riot; he succeeded. God used

the city clerk to protect his servants.

 

III. Paul's farewell to the Ephesian elders (20:1-38)

 

   Paul left Ephesus and set out for Macedonia, and finally he arrived

in Greece. Macedonia was the northern part and Achaia the southern part

of the country commonly called Greece (1-4). After staying there three

months Paul came to Troas, where around seven years before he had seen

the vision of the Macedonian begging him to come there. The disciples

at Troas observed the Lord's Supper weekly and studied the Bible

diligently. Paul was teaching the Bible. He talked on and on, until

midnight. Eutychus, who had worked hard all day on the bottom of

society, sank into a deep sleep; then he fell to the ground from the

third story and was picked up dead. Paul came down and threw his arms

around him and said, "Don't be alarmed. He is alive." Then he went

upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight,

he left (11).

 

   Then Paul's mission team sailed for Assos. From Assos they went to

Mitylene. They arrived off Kios and crossed over to Samos and on the

following day arrived at Miletus. From Miletus Paul sent to Ephesus for

the elders of the church. When they arrived, Paul made a farewell

speech to them. We learn several things from his farewell speech.

 

First, Paul served the Lord with great humility and with tears. Look at

verse 19. "I served the Lord with great humility and with tears,

although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews." Paul served

the Lord among the Ephesians with great humility, just as Jesus had

served the flock of God. In order to serve sinners Jesus renounced the

glory and power of the kingdom of heaven and emptied himself and made

himself nobody. The greatness of Jesus is based on his humbleness. In

his humbleness he became a friend of tax collectors. He became eyes to

the blind. Jesus humbled himself like a man of many iniquities and

transgressions so that he might take up all our infirmities and

transgressions. Jesus humbled himself to obey God's will to die on the

cross like a criminal. Here we learn that Paul is great because he

learned Jesus' humbleness. One young man wanted to be a great servant

of God like Paul. So he asked a guest speaker who had 2,000 members in

his church, "What is the first secret of a successful ministry?"

"Humbleness," answered he. "What is the second secret?" he asked.

"Humbleness," answered he. "What is the third?" he asked in

desperation. "Humbleness," answered he.  This young man wanted to be

proud and at the same time be a great servant of God. So he despaired

at the answer. Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit

the earth" (Mt 5:5). Humble people not only win many converts, but also

they inherit the earth.

 

Second, Paul taught them to turn to God in repentance and have faith in

Jesus. Look at verse 21. "I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that

they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus."

Paul helped people to acknowledge God who is Almighty and who is holy,

holy, holy. The people of Paul's time lived without God. They were

godless and merciless.  Paul taught them to turn to God in repentance.

Repentance exactly means turning to God. Those who live as slaves of

money must turn to God and live for the glory of God. There are many

who say, "I'm okay; I don't have to repent." But Romans 3:10 says,

"There is no one righteous, not even one." Paul also taught people to

have faith in Jesus. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the

life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (Jn 14:6).  Let's

remember, "turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus."

 

Third, Paul's attitude toward God's high calling (22-24). Look at

verses 22-24.  "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to

Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that

in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are

facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I

may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given

me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Paul

determined to visit Jerusalem before going to Rome. On his third

journey, while in Ephesus, Paul realized that God was leading him to

Rome.  Rome was the center of the Gentile world. Paul saw God's vision

to spread the gospel to the whole world through Roman roads. So he said

in 19:21b, "After I have been there (to Jerusalem), I must visit Rome

also."

 

   Why did Paul want to visit Jerusalem? At that time Paul had one

great purpose. The Jerusalem church was materially very poor. So Paul

aimed to take offerings from all his Gentile churches as a contribution

to the church at Jerusalem (Ro 15:25,26). Paul was compelled by this

plan for two reasons.  First, he wanted to emphasize the unity of the

church; he wanted to see the Gentiles belong to the body of Christ,

together with the Jerusalem church. In short, he wanted to enlighten

his people to their high calling as "a light for the Gentiles." Paul

wanted the Jerusalem church, by the help of the Holy Spirit, to

recognize that the offering from the Gentile churches was the work of

God. Paul had a broken spirit because of his own people's obstinacy.

Secondly, he wanted the Gentile believers to learn a giving spirit. For

Christians, acts of love are more important than just talking. Paul

showed his acts of love in order to move the hearts of the Jerusalem

church members. To complete his mission, Paul gave his life.

 

Fourth, "Be shepherds" (28-31). Paul had many things to say as his

final words. But he did not say, "Be nice;" he said to the Ephesian

elders, "Be shepherds." Of course Paul knew that shepherd life was not

easy. But he encouraged them to be shepherds because Jesus was a good

shepherd who laid down his life for sinners. Read verse 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, which he bought with his

own blood." Paul knew that after he was gone, savage wolves would come

in among them and not spare the flock. Paul gave the Ephesian elders an

example of how to be shepherds over the flock of God. Look at verse 31.

"So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped

warning each of you night and day with tears." Shepherding is different

from being an office clerk. A shepherd must keep his flock day and

night, not for one or two days, but for at least three years.

 

Fifth, "Live by the grace of God" (32). Look at verse 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." In short,

Paul committed the elders to God's grace. What could Paul say to them

when he would not see them again? Paul committed them to God's grace

through his Son Jesus.  God's grace is that he did not punish us

because of our sins; instead he gave his Son to save us from our sins

(Jn 3:16). God's grace is God's sacrificial love. God's grace is God's

forgiving love. There are two kinds of people. One kind lives by

emotional feeling. This kind of people live sorrowfully and die

sorrowfully (Ro 8:6). The other kind lives by God's grace. Paul

encouraged them to live by God's grace so that they might build

themselves up in God's grace. Paul prayed that they might live by God's

grace and inherit the kingdom of God. When we remain in God's grace, we

lose many bananas. But we can have the peace of God. Also, we can

forgive others, remembering God's immeasurable grace. Finally, we can

inherit the kingdom of God. In his greetings to Christian brethren Paul

always used the word "grace." "Grace, mercy and peace from God the

Father and Christ Jesus our Lord" (1 Ti 1:2b).  2 Timothy 2:1 says,

"You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." We

must help our sheep to build themselves up in God's grace.

 

Sixth, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (33-38). Paul was

not a salary man; he supported himself as a tentmaker, even though he

worked harder than anyone else. Read verses 33-35. Paul supported

himself because he remembered Jesus' words, "It is more blessed to give

than to receive." Let's see how they loved each other through this

farewell scene. Look at verses 36-38. "When he had said this, he knelt

down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him

and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they

would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship."

 

   In this passage we learn that we must preach the good news of the

kingdom of God. Also we deeply realize that we must be shepherds of our

sheep like Paul. Above all, we must build ourselves up in God's grace

and inherit the kingdom of God.