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THE DEPARTURE
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
CHAPTER 20
Hello again, and welcome back to Daily Bread. Well, as you’ve seen so far,
Luke seems to be focusing his writing of the Acts of the Apostles ... On
Paul. In reading about his endeavors to spread the Word of the Lord, you’ve
gotten to know that there were many highs and lows, elations and
disappointments, anticipation, dread, joy and sorrow on the path Paul was
called for and chose to follow..
When we ended our
study last time, some of the Ephesians were upset with Paul because he
converted many people there, and in doing so, he affected the income of the
craftsmen who fabricated idols. A crowd gathered at the theatre to speak
against Paul, and naturally, Paul wanted to go there to speak the word. What
better audience could he get, right? Many people who held Paul dear to their
hearts, however, knew that this could endanger his life, so they dissuaded
him from going there.
When the crowd
dispersed, Paul called the disciples and bid them farewell, then he was off
to Macedonia. When he had revisited the churches he created there, and
encouraged them in their faith, he went to Greece. Here’s a little Daily
Bread Crumb. Now wait a minute, you’re thinking. I thought you said that
Macedonia is Greece. Actually, I did say that. Macedonia is what is
now modern day Greece. But in those times, the northern part of what is now
Greece, was called Macedonia, the central region was called Achaia, and the
southern peninsula was then the only area that was called Greece.
Paul stayed there
for three months and then as he was about to sail into Syria, the Jewish
people planned to attack him, so he changed plans to return through
Macedonia. Going with him into Asia were:
From Berea - Sopater
From Thessalonica - Aristarchus and Secundus
From Derbe - Gaius and Timotheus
From Asia - Tychicus and Trophimus
And they went
ahead of Paul and Luke and waited for them in Troas. They sailed from
Philippi after the feast of unleavened bread, and met the others in Troas in
five days, then they stayed there for seven days.
On the first day
of the week, when the disciples gathered together to break bread, Paul
preached to them, ready to leave the next day, and he talked until midnight.
There were many lights in the upper room where they were meeting. Now, Paul
was long winded, and there was a certain young man named Eutychus, sitting
in a window on the third floor, who fell into a deep sleep while Paul spoke.
He fell out of the window, and was taken up dead.
Paul went down,
and fell upon the lad and embracing the man said to thos around him ...
Don’t worry, he’s still alive. When the man therefore came back to life,
and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of
day, so he departed. And they brought the young man alive, and were very
comforted.
The group
sailed to Assos, intending to take Paul on board there, because he had
arranged for himself to go that far on foot. From Assos, they sailed along
the coast, stopping in several places until they came to Miletus. Paul
wanted to pass by Ephesus, because he didn’t want to spend the time in Asia.
He was in a hurry to try and be back in Jerusalem for the day of Pentecost.
(The day the
Holy Spirit introduced Himself to the 120 in the upper room)
From Miletus, he
sent message to Ephesus, calling for the elders of the church and when they
came to him, he said,
You know, from the first day that I arrived in Asia,
how I’ve been with you at all seasons, serving the Lord with all
humility of mind, and with many tears and temptations, that happened to
me by the persecution of the Jewish people. I kept back nothing that
could benefit you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly,
and in your homes, testifying both to the Jewish people and also to the
Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
And now, I’m determined to go to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that
will happen to me there. But the Holy Ghost witnesses in every
city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But none of these
things affect me, neither do I count my life dear to myself, so that I
might finish my mission with joy, and the ministry, which I have
received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the Grace of God.
And now, I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the
kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. I tell you today for the
record, that I have a good conscience. I have not hesitated to declare
to you all the advice of God. Take care of yourselves, and of all the
flock, over which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers, to feed
the Church of God, which He has purchased with His own blood. For I know
this, that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you,
not sparing the flock.
Also among your own selves shall men arise,
speaking contrary things, to draw away disciples after them.
(Such is the division of the Church) Therefore watch, and remember, that
over the last three years I never stopped warning every one, night and
day, with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God (put you in
God’s hands), 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
(set apart).
I have asked for no man's
silver, or gold, or clothing. Yes, you yourselves know, that these hands
have ministered to my own needs, and to them that were with me. I have
taught you all things, how that working you 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 finished,
he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. And they all wept freely, and
fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him, sorrowing most of all because he said
that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.
I don’t know about
you, but I’m all choked up myself, imagining those people and how they
longed for Paul’s visits and to sit and listen to that spiritual giant talk
with such fervor about the Lord and His Grace, and about all the heart
touching things that motivated the early Christians to walk the walk. What
was that he said about bonds and afflictions awaiting him? We think that in
our time, it’s far more difficult of a world to be a Christian in, but
friends, those people back then had their share of tough times too. So many
in fact, that God chose that time to send Jesus to save them, because things
were so bleak. He’s coming again soon, can you just feel it? Oh, one more
thing. The Pauls of our time deserve the same kind of gratitude that the
saints of Biblical times did. Don’t forget to keep them in your prayers.
Catch you again soon as we complete Paul’s third journey and find out what
the future holds for him next, right here at Daily Bread.
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