The Progress Of The Church By The Word - Acts 20:20-21

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to

him the elders of the church. And when they had

come to him, he said to them, You yourselves

know from the first day that I set foot in Asia

how I was with you the whole time serving the

Lord with all humility and with fears and with

trials which came upon me through the plots of

the Jews. How I did not shrink from declaring

to you anything that was profitable, and teaching

you publicly and from house to house, solemnly

testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance

toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Periodically through the book of Acts, we find

various little summary statements. of the work

and the progress of the gospel and the church

as it moves forward throughout the book. These

short summaries attribute the success of the

work and the ministry to the word of the Lord,

and ultimately and consequently to the Lord himself.

So one of those is Acts chapter 6, verse 7. We

Acts 6:7

read this in Acts chapter 6, verse 7. Listen

Acts 6:7

to what it says. The word of God kept on spreading,

and the number of disciples continued to increase

greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the

priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

Notice that the... Success of the gospel, the

victory of the gospel, is attributed to the word

of the Lord. We read another similar statement

in Acts chapter 12, verse 24. But the word of

Acts 12:24

the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.

Notice it doesn't specifically say the church,

though there are those statements, but the word

of the Lord, the word, the message, the gospel,

the truth, is what multiplied and increased and

spread throughout the world. Now, we also find

one of these statements in Acts chapter 19, while

Acts 19 · chapter mention

Paul is in Ephesus. In Acts chapter 19, We read

Acts 19 · chapter mention

this in verse 20. So the word of the Lord was

growing mightily and prevailing. So while Paul

is in Ephesus, while he is conducting ministry

and he is administering the ministry of the word

in that place, the Lord... blesses that ministry.

The Lord works through the ministry of his word.

Now, our text today, we're going to focus on

chapter 20, verses 20 through 21, which read

as follows. How I did not shrink from declaring

to you anything that was profitable and teaching

you publicly. and from house to house, solemnly

testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance

toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now Paul is reviewing his preaching, teaching

ministry while in Ephesus. That's what he's doing

in these two verses. He's saying this is what

the ministry of the word looked like in Ephesus.

Now what do we know previously? from Acts chapter

Acts 19 · chapter mention

19, that God blessed the ministry of His Word

in Ephesus. We know that God made His Word prevail

and successful in Ephesus. And so here in Acts

Acts 20 · chapter mention

chapter 20, we get this glorious glimpse into

Paul's ministry, his preaching and teaching ministry,

and we get this glorious glimpse. Of what a ministry

looks like that God owns himself. We get this

glorious glimpse of what it looks like for God

to bless a ministry. And what a ministry looks

like that God does bless. And we know this because

he did according to Acts chapter 19. So when

Acts 19 · chapter mention

we think about the text today in verses 20 through

21, we can think about it along this question,

along this line of thinking. What kind of ministry

does the Lord personally own? And say, that's

mine. I will be involved in that. I will have

my hand upon that. I will bless that. I will

work through that. What kind of ministry does

God place His hand upon and give His Spirit to

in greater measure and greater degree? What kind

of ministry does God bless? That's what we'll

consider today. We first see, according to verses

20 -21, that if we were to have this kind of

ministry, that if anybody is to have this kind

of ministry, then the word ought to be proclaimed

with boldness and solemnity. Notice Paul says

in verse 20, how I did not shrink from declaring

to you anything that was profitable. Then we

also read a little bit later in verse 27, for

I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole.

whole purpose of God. But we also read in verse

21, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks.

This word solemnly is used several more times

throughout this discourse of the apostles. So

what does it mean that Paul proclaimed the word

with boldness? It means he did not withhold.

He did not restrain or edit or revise the truth

of God to soften it or to make it more palatable

for the sinner. He gave all of God's truth all

the time, brothers and sisters. He never carved

off the edges. He never softened the rough areas

that people get cut by. He did not shrink back

from the truth, brothers and sisters. He stood

firm and there was a willingness to proclaim

the truth at any cost. Now, Paul struggled with

this. We know that the apostle struggled with

this throughout his ministry. What man would

not? Other than the Lord Jesus Christ. And I'm

sure. That the pressure even got to him. Though

in his perfection. He always dealt with it. And

he always proclaimed the truth. As he ought to.

The apostle had to ask. The church at Ephesus.

At the end of Ephesians. To pray for him. That

he would be bold. In the proclamation of the

truth. Why did he have to do that? Because he

struggled. With boldness in his ministry and

declaring the whole purpose of God. Because when

the truth is proclaimed, not everybody receives

it equally well. Paul knows this, brothers and

sisters, from first -hand experience. Why did

the Jews so severely hate? And persecute the

Apostle Paul. Because he proclaimed. The truth

of the gospel. Clearly. And forthrightly. He

didn't. Trim it up. And edit it. Or revise it.

Or change it. To make it more receptive. With

the people. No he was willing. To proclaim it.

But also we see that the word. And Paul's ministry

was proclaimed with solemnity. Now, this word

is attached to the word testifying in verse 21.

And that's because this part of it is embedded

in that word. The word testify or bear witness.

In a sense, the translators are adding in this

idea of solemnity because of That word. Bear

witness or testify. And that word. Bear witness

or testify. That is used in verse 21. Carries

the idea. Of accountability. Weightiness. And

burden. Because of the subject matter. That is

being communicated. So it's seriousness. It's

reverence. Brothers and sisters. He provides

us in this text, in a sense, with the manner

that a person is to deal with the eternal things

of God. There ought to be boldness and a willingness

to communicate all the truth. And there must

also be a seriousness when dealing with... the

truth of God's holy word. How else is appropriate,

brothers and sisters, to deal with the eternal

gospel? How else is appropriate to handle the

very word of the living God who is so holy and

sovereign and perfect and righteous? If God says,

here's my word, I give it to you, I entrust it

to you, use it. Speak it, proclaim it, and it.

But don't change anything. Leave it the way that

it is. Announce this message. There's great warning

in the prophets, brothers and sisters, for the

consequences of adding to or removing things

from the word of the Lord. And so we find that

Paul dealt with the word with grace. boldness

and solemnity. And why? Because the temptation

is always going to be present to please men over

God and the proclamation of the truth. That will

always be present because there's sin in us and

because there's sin in those hearing the gospel.

We have to remember that when that temptation

arises, that we're actually removing the profit

that is intended for the hearers and replacing

it with some form of temporary ease and pleasure.

Eternal good and edification, as opposed to temporary

pleasure and satisfaction. Or ease of sorts.

Now we also see that it's not just that the word

should be proclaimed with boldness and solemnity.

But we find that the word ought to be taught

and preached in a comprehensive ministry. Now

we see this in this text very, very clearly.

Notice. What Paul says in verse 20, teaching

you publicly and from house to house. This word

teaching carries with it the idea and the nuance

of instruction and the communication of information

and knowledge in an orderly capacity, in a structured

manner, in a way that's understood. It has to

do with clarity, brothers and sisters. Preciseness

in proclamation of the truth. God is a God of

order. Not confusion. Therefore, God's word is

orderly. It is not chaotic. It is not random.

The Word of God and the revealed will of God

is orderly and structured and systematic, brothers

and sisters. Therefore, the proclamation of the

Word of God must be taught in an understandable

manner and fashion so that people can understand

it with their minds. Because God is orderly and

His Word is orderly, teaching, must be present.

The Word, in a sense we could say, indicates

that the truth is meant to be understood with

the mind. So because God has ordained that the

truth of the Scriptures be taught, it teaches

us that God intends for His truth To be understood

and comprehended with the mind, brothers and

sisters. Christianity requires the use of the

mind. When you come to church, you don't leave

your mind outside. When you sit under the preaching

of the word, you don't leave your mind at home.

Brothers and sisters, bring your minds to church.

What if I told you, you cannot worship God without

engaging your mind? You can't, brothers and sisters.

If your mind is not engaged in the truth, then

you cannot worship the living God. He requires

that he be worshipped in spirit and truth, brothers

and sisters. an encouragement for all of us.

And one of the great struggles of being a minister,

as my fellow pastors can bear witness to, is

focusing our minds prior to preaching. Focusing

our minds on the task at hand. Brothers and sisters,

it's trying to discipline and focus our minds

on the task at hand. Is it not? Is there not

all kinds of places that your mind can run off

to? Is there not all kinds of places that your

mind can go and leisurely stroll about and in

ten minutes you return home? Brothers and sisters,

I'm not the only one that deals with this, am

I? If we are to worship God, we must engage our

minds. So as we sing songs on the Lord's Day,

what do you need to do? Engage your mind in the

truth that is being proclaimed. When you sit

under the preaching of the gospel, what do you

need to do? You need to shut everything else

and engage your mind in the truth that is being

proclaimed. What do you need to do when we're

praying? Shut out everything else. And engage

your mind on the fact and reality that you are

by faith coming to the throne of the living God.

We must engage our minds. Teaching shows us this.

One of the greatest things that we learn from

Paul's ministry is that it is God's good design.

that God's people grow largely through understanding

the truth, brothers and sisters. If you want

to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord

Jesus Christ, then that means understanding the

truth about who Jesus Christ is and what He has

done for you and for sinners. And as we continue

to understand and comprehend the truth, we are

continually changed and transformed more and

more into the likeness and image of the Lord

Jesus. We are sanctified by the truth. So Paul

preached the word. Paul taught the word while

he was in Ephesus. There was clarity. There was

order. and there was precision in his declaration.

But we also have to recognize that the mere communication

of the truth is not sufficient for a well -rounded

and comprehensive ministry. There must be more

than the mere communication of the truth in an

orderly, clear, and precise way. There must be

preaching as well. Paul uses two other words

to describe his ministry while in Ephesus. He

says this in verse 20. How I did not shrink from

declaring or announcing or proclaiming. to you

anything that was profitable. And he says in

verse 21, solemnly testifying or bearing witness

to the truth. Now these two words are more associated

with preaching than they are with teaching. Whereas

we could say that teaching is the explanation

of the truth. and it's God -given, it's good,

it's right, it is required, it is necessary.

Preaching conveys the weight, the significance,

and the importance of the truth that you are

teaching and explaining. It shows the gravity

of the realities that you are proclaiming. Preaching,

brothers and sisters, is the persuasion of the

truth that you are teaching and instructing in.

We could say that teaching aims at the mind.

And that leaves the heart and the will still.

Teaching aims at the mind and understanding.

Preaching aims to move the heart of man. Preaching

aims to move the will and to address the conscience

of the hearer through holy persuasion, theological

persuasion of the truth. So Paul bore witness

and he declared the truth. This word for... Testifying

is used periodically throughout Scripture, and

it's a fascinating word. It carries connotations

with regards to covenant agreements and we could

say almost legal code. So there's something that's

legally binding. There's something that is covenantally

obligated about the proclamation of the truth.

Think about an ambassador that has been sent

by a king. They've been saved. They've been entrusted

with the truth. The king says, here's my truth.

Announce it. Don't change it as we've already

alluded to. Announce it and proclaim it. Teach

everything on it. Teach it all. Explain all of

it clearly. But I want you to know, That you

must also seek to persuade and convince those

people who hear this that this is true. That

these realities are true as you yourself know

they are true. Because you have experienced them.

Proclaim that truth. In a nutshell, brothers

and sisters, this is preaching as we see it.

In Paul's ministry. He declared and he testified.

About the truth. And the authenticity. And the

veracity. Of the message of the gospel. The word

must be taught. And it must be preached. For

a well -rounded and comprehensive. Ministry.

To exist. We think about. What we are expounding

right now. God's Word. Eternal realities. What

is the appropriate way of communicating such

grand realities? What is the appropriate way

of listening to such grand, glorious, eternal

realities? How do we handle God's word, not our

own, brothers and sisters? That's really what

is in question here. How do we relate to the

truth of God? And what is the proper way of handling

it and dealing with it? And proclaiming it and

teaching it and communicating it? It ought to

be taught and preached among the people of God.

And we see this clearly in Paul's ministry throughout

Ephesus. Now we also see that the word ought

to be proclaimed publicly and privately. And

we see this in verse 20. How I did not shrink

from declaring to you anything that was profitable

and teaching you publicly. And from house to

house. Now we think about Paul's ministry. What

is Paul referring to when he speaks publicly?

In Acts chapter 19, we know what he's talking

Acts 19 · chapter mention

about. The synagogue and the school of Tyrannus.

He was publicly disseminating the truth of the

gospel. He was... openly proclaiming the reality

concerning the kingdom of God to all that would

hear, to all that would come, to all that would

come and learn about the cross of Calvary and

the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was openly

proclaiming it and his name was associated with

it, brothers and sisters. We know this because

the demons knew about it and the people in Ephesus

knew who Paul and his gospel were. That's how

openly Paul proclaimed the ministry of the word

in Ephesus. I think we get a great picture of

this in chapter 19, verse 10. We read in verses

8 through 10 of chapter 19. There were in all

about 12 men. Then we read in verse 8. And he

entered the synagogue and continued speaking

out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading

them about the kingdom of God. So there's Paul

proclaiming the word openly to Jews, but also

to the believers and God -fearers that may have

been present in the synagogue. Then we read,

In verse 9, but when some were becoming hardened

and disobedient, speaking evil of the way before

the people, he withdrew from them and took away

the disciples, reasoning daily in the school

of Tyrannus. There he continues in this civic

center, in a sense, to proclaim the truth openly

and publicly to that community and to the believers.

This took place for two years. So that all who

lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both

Jews and Greeks. That is a remarkable statement,

brothers and sisters. So that all who lived in

Asia heard the word of the Lord. Why? Because

it was openly proclaimed. of Danasia heard the

word of the Lord because it was publicly announced.

The Lord used the open proclamation to spread

the kingdom and to spread the gospel and to build

the church. Now what does he mean when he speaks

about house to house? Now this would be more

of the private or the personal side of Paul ministering.

the word to that community and that church. There's

varying thoughts on exactly what he is referring

to in this, but I think we can narrow it down

to two things in particular. Paul went about

preaching in homes that had churches planted

in them, or there were house churches. So in

a sense, It was an extension of his public preaching.

We know at the end of 1 Corinthians chapter 16

1 Corinthians 16 · chapter mention

that there were house churches in Ephesus. This

would have been probably because there was too

many believers to have them all present in one

single locale in that pagan city. Therefore,

they planted various churches in the city or

the region in people's homes, and the apostle

would go about preaching in those. somewhat similar

to what he would do in the school of Tyrannus

and in the synagogue. However, it was a more

intimate and personal setting. However, I don't

think that fully explains it. We read in Acts

Acts 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2 a very similar statement regarding

the church. We read in Acts chapter 2, Starting

Acts 2 · chapter mention

in verse 43. Everyone kept feeling a sense of

awe. And many wonders and signs were taking place

to the apostles. And all those who had believed

were together and had all things in common. And

they began selling their property and possessions

and were sharing them with all as anyone might

have need. Day by day. continuing with one mind

in the temple, that's the public, and breaking

bread from house to house. They were taking their

meals together with gladness and sincerity of

heart. So what do we find in Acts chapter 2?

Acts 2 · chapter mention

That the church... was meeting and fellowshipping

regularly because of this sense of awe regarding

what God was doing in their midst, regarding

how God was working in their life. And so what

did they do? They got together and they had meals

and they talked about it. And what did they want

to do there? They wanted to hear the Word. They

wanted to be taught the Word. They were hungry

for the Word. They longed for the Word. They

desired the Word. So what took place? The apostles

would go from house to house and they would exhort

and they would admonish and they would teach

those disciples which so longed for the ministry

of the word in their life. So we find that as

the church lived and existed in its normal routine

in a sense, and as the apostle lived and dwelt

among them, he went about personally teaching,

exhorting, and admonishing, and applying God's

word among them. So we find this public aspect,

but we also find this personal, more intimate

aspect, where the ministry of the word is applied

to smaller, more intimate groups. Not just publicly

and corporately, or formally. but on a smaller

scale as well. We think about this, and we have

to conclude, brothers and sisters, that the Word

of God is fit to be proclaimed, to be taught,

to be preached in every situation, in every venue.

Why? Because God's revelation is open to all.

God's revelation is public. It is meant to be

proclaimed. It is meant to be taught. It is meant

to be discussed. It is meant to be talked about.

So we are doing the corporate right now, brothers

and sisters. What about the personal and intimate

application? Will we seek the Word? privately

and personally? Will we talk about the Word amongst

ourselves today in Fellowship Mill? Will we exhort

and encourage and strengthen and build up each

other in the Word as we leave this place and

go forth into our lives? When we speak with someone

on the phone, will we encourage them in the Word?

When you interact with somebody you see at the

grocery store, do you interact with them and

encourage them and edify them and strengthen

them in the Word? Brothers and sisters, the Word

is fit to be the center, not just of our lives,

but of our speech as well, of our minds, of our

discussions, of all that we are. So we find in

the early church, There was a prominent public

aspect in the ministry of the Word. But there

was also a personal and more intimate aspect

to the ministry of the Word as well. The Word

also is to be proclaimed in all of its breadth

and in its gospel simplicity. If a ministry is

to have this comprehensive, well -rounded, view

or perspective that the apostles did. We see

this in chapter 20, verses 20 through 21. First

we get the broad aspect or the broad scope of

what he taught, what he instructed, what he preached

on. He says, I did not shrink from declaring

to you anything that was profitable. Then we

see in verse 27, For I did not shrink from declaring

to you the whole purpose of God. This is the

broad aspect of the ministry of the Word that

Paul teaches on. The whole purpose of God. In

the Greek, it's called boule. The whole boule

of God. We can think about Ephesians chapter

Ephesians 1:1–13

1, verses 1 through 13. where Paul gives the

progressive plan or the mystery of the gospel,

the plan for the world, brothers and sisters.

It's the whole redemptive scheme and purpose

of God in its entirety. So we could say that

Paul, while he was among the Ephesians, brothers

and sisters, he worked through the entire revealed

will of God. From creation to the end of the

world. And the redemption of all things. To how

a person comes to know Christ. To sanctification.

To glorification. To the whole plan. He walked

through every single aspect of it. He's talking

about the purpose of all things. The end of all

things. And how the world comes to that place.

And what Christ has done to redeem all things.

So it's this broad, broad aspect of the whole

purpose or revelation of God. But we also see

that Paul, the essence and the heartbeat of his

message, was the tip of the spear when it comes

to the gospel. Faith. and repentance. What do

we read in verse 21? Solemnly testifying to both

Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and

faith in Jesus Christ. So Paul proclaimed the

whole will of God, but he also, brothers and

sisters, preached conversion by the gospel to

Jews and Greeks. He preached the elaborate nature

of God's revealed will and purpose for the entire

world. But what was the heartbeat and the essence

of the message? It was what Christ has done to

accomplish all of these things. Faith and repentance.

So now we can see why Paul's ministry was the

way it was. Why did Paul... deal with the word

with boldness and solemnity, brothers and sisters,

because he's dealing with the message that God

has given him about Christ. Because he's dealing

with never -dying souls. Literally, the gospel

has to do with eternal life and eternal death.

What is more or greater significance than that?

What should bring more gravity? then those realities,

money, jobs, career, anything in this life, our

physical well -being, our health, our wellness,

what, brothers and sisters, please, what is more

significant than eternal life and eternal damnation?

Nothing. Every single person in this room is

a never -dying, eternal soul, and you have a

fate somewhere. Heaven or hell. You will be with

Christ and in Christ for all eternity. Or you

will be in hell and you will suffer under the

wrath of God justly for all eternity. How could

Paul not deal with these truths and these realities

with a degree of solemnity? With boldness. He

knows they're true. Now we know why the truth

must be taught and preached. Because we're not

talking about coffee. Because we're not talking

about clothing. We're not talking about temporal

things or things that perish right here. We're

talking about eternal spiritual realities. God's

truth is orderly. The message He has given to

us is structured. And systematic. And it ought

to be taught. But it's not possible. Brothers

and sisters. For a person to know and taste of

the grace of God. And to enjoy these realities

in a vital growing capacity. And to speak of

the gospel lightly. Why? Does he do so publicly?

And privately. Because he wants Jew and Gentile

to hear the gospel. He wants men to come to Christ.

He wants men to believe the message that he has

been entrusted by the risen Lord. Why, brothers

and sisters, does he apply it in a more personal

and intimate setting? Because it is the message

that men's sanctification depends upon. He knows

that if you are to grow in grace, He knows that

if saints are to be matured, if they are to grow

up in Christ, if they are to grow in holiness

and godliness in their life, it's dependent on

their understanding and their reception of the

message of the gospel that He has been given.

And He has a responsibility to proclaim all of

it, and the specifics of it with regards to the

Lord Jesus Christ. This is the kind of ministry,

brothers and sisters, that God owns. This is

the kind of ministry, brothers and sisters, that

God blesses and works through those who see the

sufficiency of His infallible, inerrant Word

and trust in it and it alone. We know how to

honor His Word, don't we, brothers and sisters?

Paul has told us. He's walked us through how

to honor it. And God, I believe, is pleased to

bless the church and the ministry that honors

His Word.