The Power of Words
Introduction:
After observing the
Lord’s Supper with the disciples at Troas and then raising the young
man Eutychus from the dead, Paul decides to walk to their next stop,
Assos. This was about a twenty-mile trip while Luke and other
traveling companions took a forty-mile journey to Assos by ship.
Paul boards the ship there and sails on to Mitylene, Chios, Samos,
Trogyllium and then to Miletus. Since Paul was in a hurry to get to
Jerusalem by Pentecost [probably only a little over a month away] he
decided to bypass Ephesus. It is from here he calls for the elders
at Ephesus.
Text:
Acts 20:17-38
Body:
I.
Declare the Whole Counsel of God –
An Admonition to Preachers
Acts
20:17-27
“From Miletus he sent
to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. And when they
had come to him, he said to them: ‘You know, from the first day that
I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, 19
serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials
which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; 20 how I kept back
nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you
publicly and from house to house, 21 testifying to Jews, and
also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord
Jesus Christ. 22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to
Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, 23
except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that
chains and tribulations await me. 24 But none of these things move
me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my
race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord
Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 And indeed,
now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the
kingdom of God, will see my face no more. 26 Therefore I testify to
you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I
have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.’ ” NKJV
These eleven verses constitute a divine
definition of what a preacher is to be and do. Many concepts of
preaching prevalent in the Lord’s church today come from
denominational practices, not from the Word of God.
A.
A Humble Servant
Acts 20:19
A preacher
must “not think of himself more highly
than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to
each one a measure of faith.” (Romans
12:3)
“For I say, through
the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of
himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as
God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” NKJV
Paul had written these words a short time
before our account occurs.
B.
Compassionate
Acts 20:19-21
“with tears” Read
II Corinthians 2:4.
“For out of
much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many
tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the
love which I have so abundantly for you.” NKJV
Preachers should feel for those to whom they preach.
They must truly love their souls. “A lover of souls”
C.
Not a Life of Ease
Acts 20:19
“trials” He had suffered much at the
hands of Jews. (Acts
20:3)
“and stayed three
months. And when the Jews plotted against him as he was about to
sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.” NKJV
Verses 22, 23, and 24 inform us that Paul had heard from brethren
[probably those with gifts of prophecy] that chains and tribulations
awaited him. Preaching is not a job where you go to an office from
eight to five, M-F. Notice
Acts 20:31.
“Therefore watch, and
remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night
and day with tears.” NKJV “night and
day” Conscientious preaching is a very physically and
mentally demanding work. It is one which should not be entered into
for the purpose of making money or having a job with
security. Those things are very important, especially in our day
and age, but not the reason a gospel preacher works. I do believe
though that Scripture teaches that the congregation has
responsibility to help the preacher bear this burden.
D.
Preach the Whole Counsel of God
Acts 20:25-27
(Ezekiel
33:1-9)
“Again the word of
the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Son of man, speak to the children of
your people, and say to them: When I bring the sword upon a land,
and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make
him their watchman, when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if
he blows the trumpet and warns the people, then whoever hears the
sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes
and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. He heard
the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall
be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. But
if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet,
and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any
person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his
blood I will require at
the watchman’s
hand.’ So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the
house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and
warn them for Me. When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you
shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his
way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will
require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn
from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his
iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.” NKJV
The
preacher’s main responsibility is to
preach! This is where the denominational world has wrongfully
influenced the role of preaching in the Lord’s church. Paul says a
preacher should spend his time preaching. But preaching
what? All of God’s Word! He must preach the negative as
well as the positive. Read Verse 20. For the faithful gospel
preacher, his duty is not to make people happy and feel good
or to increase our attendance number or our contribution. None of
these things are his responsibility. The primary question he
needs to ask about his preaching is: “Is it the truth?” Is it all
of the truth? A preacher can preach truth and be lost.
II.
Do Not Cease to Warn Everyone – An
Admonition to Elders
Acts
20:28-31
“Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which
the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of
God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that
after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing
the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking
perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31
Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease
to warn everyone night and day with tears.” NKJV
This is the heart of Paul’s message to elders
he had worked with for three years was. This concerns their
responsibilities as shepherds – what is involved in being a
scriptural overseer. “Take heed” What Paul is about to say is
extremely important. They need to give it careful attention. They
must diligently examine their own selves to see if they are
fulfilling duties of an elder.
A.
Made Overseers by the Holy Spirit
When men meet qualifications precisely as laid out by the Holy
Spirit in the Scripture and then are installed by the congregation,
it can be said that the Holy Spirit made them overseers. One day
they will give account to God for their oversight. The overseers
must assume the ultimate responsibility, much like a plant
superintendent does. The buck stops with the elders. There is no
one to pass it on to! Being an elder is not about glory and honor,
but work and responsibility.
B.
Must Possess an Appreciable Measure of
Spiritual Maturity
The word “elder” implies one who has grown, not just chronologically
older, but spiritually more mature. They must have the capacity to
make wise, sound decisions. (I
Timothy 3:6)
“not a novice, lest
being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the
devil.” NKJV
C.
“Above All, Being an Elder is about
Shepherding”
Shepherd or pastor: the elders are to shepherd the flock, not the
preacher. Shepherding is where an elder should concentrate most of
his time and efforts. Paul paints a picture here of a dedicated
shepherd caring for the flock. Being a shepherd was a duty, a
smelly job because one was constantly with his sheep; he lived with
them. As shepherds, elders are to know their flock very well. This
comes by spending much time with all the flock. “Until a man is
ready to shepherd all the flock, he is not qualified to
shepherd any of the flock.” Many elders fail in this area.
Shepherds feed the flock by teaching the Word,
insuring worship is in spirit and in truth. . . Elders guide the
flock by example, not by acting as lords or masters. (I
Peter 5:1-3)
“The elders who are
among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the
sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be
revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as
overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain
but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but
being examples to the flock;” NKJV
A shepherd helps the sick and hurting sheep to heal.
He does whatever he can for the sheep. He tries to keep them from
straying and if they do, does all in his power to bring them back to
the fold. The elder must watch for savage wolves and protect the
flock. As Jesus put it, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you
in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew
7:15) Elders must be aware of false
teachers so they can protect the flock. (Titus
1:9-14)
“holding fast the
faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound
doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. For
there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers,
especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped,
who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not,
for the sake of dishonest gain. One of them, a prophet of their
own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’
This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they
may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and
commandments of men who turn from the truth. NKJV
Elders are entrusted with a great responsibility to care for the
flock – one from which they can take no time off.
III.
Remember the Words
Acts
20:32-38
“So now, brethren, I
commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to
build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are
sanctified. I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel.
Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my
necessities, and for those who were with me. I have shown you in
every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak.
And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more
blessed to give than to receive.’ And when he had said these
things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. Then they all wept
freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of
all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no
more. And they accompanied him to the ship.” NKJV
The gospel reveals God’s amazing grace. By
availing ourselves of this grace which is offered through the
gospel, we receive an inheritance with all those who are sanctified,
eternal life in heaven. Christians are built up. (Colossians
2:7)
“rooted and built up
in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught,
abounding in it with thanksgiving.” NKJV
Christians are sanctified – set apart. This
occurs when the penitent believer confesses His Savior and is
immersed in water for the forgiveness of sins.
Conclusion:
Words do indeed
possess great power. Listen to
I Corinthians 2:12-13.
“Now we have
received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from
God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us
by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom
teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual
things with spiritual.” NKJV
Bobby Stafford
August 7, 2016
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