Paul’s Farewell to the Elders of Ephesus

Berean Bible Baptist Church

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Paul’s Farewell to the Elders of Ephesus

The Growth and Expansion of the Church to the Ends of the Earth

August 18, 2024 • Roger Skepple • Acts 20:17–38

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The Acts of the Apostles

The Growth and Expansion of the Church to the Ends of the Earth

Acts 13:1-28:31 (35)

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey (18:23-21:16) (6)

D. Paul’s Third Missionary Journey (18:23-21:16)

1. The Commencement of the Journey (18:23)

2. Parenthesis: Apollos in Ephesus(18:24-28)

3. The Outreach in Ephesus (19:1-20:1)

4. Outreach in Macedonia and Greece (20:2-6)

5. The Journey to Jerusalem (20:7-21:16)

a. The Layover in Troas (20:7-12)

b. The Layover in Miletus (20:13-38)

1) From Troas to Miletus (20:13-16)

2) Paul’s Farewell to the Elders of Ephesus (20:17-38)

a) Paul Called for the Elders (20:17)

b) Paul Reviewed with the Elders (20:18-24)

(1) His Ministry in Ephesus Recalled (20:18-21)

(a) His Connection to Them (20:18b-d)

(b) His Disposition in Serving Them (20:19)

! serving doulos (noun); douleo

(verb)

slave; to slave, to act

as a slave

! humility low, flat, servile,

lowly

The Resurrection of Christ 1 Corinthians 15

The Incarnation of Christ Philippians 2

Spiritual Gifts 1 Corinthians 12

Eldership and Its Importance

! The Immediacy of Eldership

! The Role of Elders (20:28)

! The Duty of Elders (20:28, 30, 35)

! The Danger of Eldership (20:29-30)

The Character of Christian Ministry

! The Nature of Christian Ministry (20:19)

! The Emotional Intensity of the Ministry (20:19, 31)

! The Determination of the Ministry (20:20)

! The Scope of the Ministry (20:20, 26, 31)

! The Sphere of the Ministry (20:20, 25)

! The Seriousness of the Ministry (20:21, 31)

! The Message of the Ministry (20:21, 24)

! The Courage of the Ministry (20:22-23)

! The Sacrifice of the Ministry (20:24)

! The Intention of the Ministry (20:24)

! Trustworthiness in Ministry (20:26, 33)

The Nature of the Local Church

! Objects of Instruction (20:18-20, 27)

! Trans-ethnic (20:21)

! The Kingdom (20:25)

! Flock (20:28-29)

! Purchased (20:28)

! Disciples (20:30)

! The Sanctified (20:32)

1) the conversion of lost men

2) those converted lost men faithfully attending the fellowship

3) the Christian character of some of them standing out profoundly in recognizable ways

4) the application of biblical principles to their household being fruitful

5) the gift of teaching being manifested in their lives and apparently in teaching

opportunities of some sort, so they became known.

The Response to the Danger

September 22, 2024 • Roger Skepple • Acts 20:31–32

The Acts of the Apostles The Growth and Expansion of the Church to the Ends of the Earth Acts 13:1-28:31 (40) Paul’s Third Missionary Journey (18:23-21:16) (11) (3) In Light of Their Duty (20:28-32) (a) Their Duty Described (20:28-30) (b) The Sphere of Their Duty (20:28b1-2) (c) The Peculiarities of Their Duty (20:28b3-d) (d) The Dangers Associated with their Duty (20:29-32) (1) The Nature of the Danger (20:29) (2) The Origins of the Danger (20:30) (3) The Response to the Danger (20:31-32) (a) They Must be Watchful (20:31) (i) The Call to It (20:31a) ! be alert lay awake, guard, watch; vigilant, aware (ii) The Expression of it (20:31b-c) ! admonish to impart understanding; to set right, to lay on the heart; instruction, warn, remind, correct (b) They Must be Secured (20:32) (i) In God and His Word (20:32a) ! commended to place before; to entrust (ii) In Their Salvation (20:32b) (a) The Power of the Word (20:32b1-3) ! able power; inherent power, capability (b) The Accomplishment of the Word (20:32b4-19) (1) Spiritually Constructing Them (20:32b4-7) ! build construct (2) Spiritually Enriching Them (20:32b8-19) ! give produce, grant ! sanctified consecrate, make holy, set aside Preparational sanctification focused upon the work of the Holy Spirit prior to and during the conversion process whereby He makes the sinner ready and able to repent and believe the gospel, so that he might be saved (1 Pet. 1:1-2). Positional sanctification refers to the new status of the sinner accomplished by the working of the Holy Spirit that has set him apart from the masses of condemned humanity and placed him in an unchangeable standing with and before God, a saint (1 Cor. 1:2; 6:11). Progressive sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit in conjunction with the believer in which the Spirit perfects the believer’s new status of holiness through the steady reduction of sin’s hold and influence in his life and the steady increase of the manifestation and control of God’s influence in his life, by His various means (Rom. 6:12-22; 2 Cor. 7:1; Phil. 2:12-13; 1 Pet. 1:14-16). Most of us, when we hear of the idea of sanctification, this is the meaning that comes to our minds. Finally, there is prospective sanctification. Prospective sanctification, the conclusion of the progressive sanctification process, at which time the Christian, having experienced within them the continual conforming work of the image of Christ, will be brought into absolute and perfect conformity to the purity of Jesus Himself (Eph.1:4; 4:13; 1 Thess. 5:23-24; 1 Jn. 3:1-3). We would tie this to glorification.

The Dangers Associated with the Elder's Duty

September 15, 2024 • Roger Skepple • Acts 20:28–30

The Acts of the Apostles The Growth and Expansion of the Church to the Ends of the Earth Acts 13:1-28:31 (39) Paul’s Third Missionary Journey (18:23-21:16) (10) (3) In Light of Their Duty (20:28-32) (a) Their Duty Described (20:28-30) (b) The Sphere of Their Duty (20:28b1-2) (c) The Peculiarities of Their Duty (20:28b3 -d) (1) Arranged by the Holy Spirit (20:28b3-8) (2) Intended for Oversight (20:28b9 ) (3) Intended to Shepherd (20:28c-d) (d) The Dangers Associated with their Duty (20:29-30) (1) The Nature of the Danger (20:29) (a) Its Surety (20:29a1-2) ! know intelligent comprehension; understanding; seeing clearly (b) Its Time (20:29a3-6) (c) Its Source (20:29a7-13 ) (d) Its Intent (20:29b) (2) The Origins of the Danger (20:30) (a) From Within the Church (20:30a) (b) From False Doctrine (20:30b) ! perverse to twist, bind, or steer ! speaking various types of communication (c) From a Divisive/Factious Intent (20:30c) ! draw away draw out, to attract, to tear away

The Elder's Duty Described

September 8, 2024 • Roger Skepple • Acts 20:17–28

The Acts of the Apostles The Growth and Expansion of the Church to the Ends of the Earth Acts 13:1-28:31 (38) Paul’s Third Missionary Journey (18:23-21:16) (9) 2) Paul’s Farewell to the Elders of Ephesus (20:17-38) a) Paul Called for the Elders (20:17) b) Paul Reviewed with the Elders (20:18-24) c) Paul Admonished the Elder (20:25-35) (1) In Light of His Departure (20:25) (2) In Light of His Service/Ministry (20:26-27) (3) In Light of Their Duty (20:28-32) (a) Their Duty Described (20:28-30) (b) The Sphere of Their Duty (20:28b1-2) (c) The Peculiarities of Their Duty (20:28b3 -d) (1) Arranged by the Holy Spirit (20:28b3-8) ! The elder, who is also an overseer, is gifted by the Holy Spirit with the ability to teach. ! The elder, who is also a pastor, is part of the gift given to the church by Jesus Christ. (2) Intended for Oversight (20:28b9) ! overseer (episkopos) bishop (3) Intended to Shepherd (20:28c-d) (a) The Duty of Shepherding (20:28c) ! shepherd to tend a flock ! Jesus is the Shepherd ! Jesus Appointed Human Shepherds ! pastor (poimenas) shepherd, sheep- herder (b) The Context of Shepherding (20:28d) ! An Assembly " church (ekklesia) assembly ! An Assembly of God ! An Assembly Purchased by God " purchase preserve, reserve; acquire, bring about, effect ! Elders are part of the church not simply over the church. ! True biblical preaching is based in instruction. ! There are not levels of ordination. ! Official offices of the church should be limited to biblically identifiable categories. ! Elder, overseer, and pastor are three terms which describe the same person ! The assembly headed up by these individuals is God’s not their’s.