Acts 20 – Final Instructions to the Church
Ice Breaker: How do you say goodbye to people you love? (Quick and painless? Long and drawn out? Weeping and wailing? Like it is no big deal? Other?)
The Bible says to give thanks in all circumstances. Can you remember a trial in your life where it was really hard to give thanks to God?
Through Macedonia and Greece
Acts 20 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. 2He 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. 4He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaiusfrom 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.
1. What was the uproar that ended? (Acts 19:35-41)
2. Paul’s ministry is summarized by the repetition of one word in verses 1 and 2. What is that word?
3. How is this word a key to our discipleship (building up) of one another? How can we improve our discipleship skills?
Eutychus Raised From the Dead at Troas
7On 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.
4. Why did Paul speak until midnight?
5. How might the miracle of Eutychus be thought of as a validation of Paul’s ministry?
Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders
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. 24However, 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.
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.
6. Why does Paul skip visiting Ephesus? (v. 16)
7. What are the several ways Paul leaves an impact for his audience?
Note: At Miletus Paul made his final farewell address to the Ephesian elders (20:17–35). This farewell message was similar to those given in Deuteronomy 29–31, Joshua 24:2–27, and Matthew 24–25. It contains the elements of farewell, blessing, and warning against falling away from the faith. Paul discussed past faithfulness (Acts 20:17–21), the uncertainty of the future (20:22–24), and the potential of the present (20:25–31) Hughes, Robert B., and J. Carl Laney. Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001. Print. The Tyndale Reference Library.
8. Even though Paul knew that difficult times lay ahead in Jerusalem, why is Paul so resolute about going forward with his plans to go there by Pentecost? (v. 22, and Acts 9:15,16)
9. How do you face trials when you know there will be opposition, but also know that you need to persevere?
10. What does Paul warn his audience of? (Acts 20:29, 30) How are we to know false teaching? (Galatians 1:8)
11. In Paul’s final words, he suggests that we must be ready to help who? What do you think he means when he says it is more blessed to give than receive? (John 13:14-17)
12. What were the words that sorrowed them the most? What emotions did they experience? Why are good-byes so difficult for us?
13. In verse 32, Paul commits his audience to God. What does he include in that commitment?
14. How can we, as disciples, build others up and assure them of their inheritance? (Ephesians 4:29, Hebrews 10:24,1 Timothy 4:6)
Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
1 Timothy 4:6 If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed