Paul Speaks to the Ephesian Elders, Acts 20:17-28

GOSPEL MEDITATION # 60

Paul Speaks to the Ephesian Elders

Acts 20:17-38

  1. Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions.
  2. Be comfortably alert, still and at peace.
  3. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer.
  4. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
  5. Carefully read the passage of Scripture. Reread it.
  6. From memory, determine the central points.
  7. Paul invites the Ephesian church’s leaders to join him at Miletus, the city’s harbor, 10 miles east. He intends to bid them farewell as he is bound for Jerusalem.
  8. This is the first and only sermon delivered by Paul to Christians. He reminds them of his service and states he did not hold anything back from them but declared the whole counsel of God, both publically and from house to house.
  9. Verse 21 is a key Biblical passage where Paul describes his evangelical work: for both Jews and Greeks he preached repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
  10. Paul knows what is coming as he heads for Jerusalem. He is willing to suffer even death, as first and foremost, he will continue the work he had been given by Jesus Himself.
  11. Paul knows that after he leaves, thus leaving a power vacuum, fierce wolves from even within the Ephesian church will attack the flock, people attempting to draw people away to themselves.
  12. These wolves will teach messages that combine truth with error, twisted things. Paul says, “be alert.”
  13. Paul can only commend the church “to God and to the word of his grace.” (Likely the wolves will teach a works based faith.)
  14. Paul did not seek money from the Ephesians but worked with his hands to supply his needs. The wolves will not.
  15. Before departing, Paul and Ephesians leaders are on their knees praying and bidding Paul farewell. Their sorrow was that they would not see Paul again.

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