Widening Witness | Acts 20:25 - 21:14 | Pastor Keith

Your Bibles to the Book of Acts chapter. 20 where we.

Pick up from where we left off on Sunday morning.

Acts 20, verse 25. Paul is doing his farewell tour

Acts 20:25

really led. By the Holy Spirit.

He's visiting the churches. He's being chased.

By a posse of Jews we want to kill him.

He's on his. Way to Jerusalem, that's where.

Paul wants to go, but also. He wants to visit and exhort and

encourage. The churches that have been such

a vital part of his life, particularly in.

Ephesus, he spent. Three years there teaching.

Every day and then. From there the gospel went out.

To all the world. It's only been 20.

Seven years. At this.

Moment from the time of. Pentecost, The Bible tells us

the whole world has heard the Gospel 27 years.

I wonder how? Much impact we can have.

As a church, this church in that period of time 27 years

secondly. Paul is on his way to Jerusalem.

Because he's. Driven by the Holy.

Spirit to go there, but he wants to be.

There to take a. Collection that the Gentile.

Churches are giving him to take. For the mainly Hebrew.

Church of Believers. In Jerusalem to.

Help them, they're struggling. They're.

Starving. So we.

He meets with the. Leaders of the elders of Ephesus

and this is part of what he's. Talking to them.

About as they gather and. He says to them, verse 25 And

indeed, now I know that you all among whom I've gone.

Preaching the Kingdom of God. We'll see my face no more.

He says this is it. I know, I know what awaits me.

So this is a sad, very sad. Time for Paul.

But all the churches and. And we'll read later.

It's not just the. Men that have gathered with him.

We'll see later, wives. Children all.

Soon to be weeping. With Paul as they know he's

going, we know where he's going, we know what's going to happen,

we won't ever see him again. Therefore, I testify to you

this. Day that I.

Am innocent of the blood of all men.

For I have not shunned to declare.

To you the whole counsel of God. Therefore, take heed to

yourselves, elders. In other words.

Make sure. Elders.

Passes that you're living right before the people.

Of God on. Whom you have been.

Given the oversight, take heed to yourselves and to all the.

Flock. Among which the Holy.

Spirit has made you. Overseers and that literally is

what the elders were they were overseeing the body of.

Christ, they were the. Protective.

Watchers. They were the shepherds Paul had

said to. Timothy, make sure you.

Select faithful, faithful men. He gives us the qualities of

those in First and Second Timothy, the people that were

selected to to take. On and carry on the.

Work that Paul had. Initiated.

And they were to. Protect and.

Feed the sheep in John chapter 21.

John 21 · chapter mention

Verse 17. What did Jesus say to Peter?

Peter. Do you love me?

Yeah, feed my sheep. Jesus didn't.

Say anything else? How was Paul the elders at

Ephesus? How were they to feed the sheep?

Well, the example is is Jesus is the.

Example of. How to be a shepherd?

And Isaiah? Chapter 40.

Verse 11. We used to sing this when.

I was first saved. He will feed his flock like a

shepherd. He will.

Gather the Lambs. With his arms.

Notice this says. He'll feed.

His flock like a shepherd. Every day, so they would never

hunger, he would gather the lamb for the young.

Ones he would. Nurture them and raise them up.

And that's what we're doing with the children here.

The children. Don't go off and.

Play during Sundays, the children.

Go off and they're. Fed food.

That they can reach. From the table that fits the

their. Stature in Christ, who gather

the lambs with his arm. And then?

Those that are struggling, it says carry them in his.

Bosom, though, are those. Who are struggling?

Those who couldn't make it. So that's what fellowship is so

important to you. There are times when.

We need to carry. One another when things hit.

Us, you know, and. We just.

We're in church, but. Man, we.

We need the support of those around us to carry.

US. And he would gently lead those.

Who are with young? You lead in the in the Middle

East, it's different. Than shepherding here in

Australia with sheep. Here we drive the.

Sheep with dogs in Israel. The shepherd is in.

Front, and he leads the sheep. And the sheep follow him.

John, Chapter 10. He calls them.

John 10 · chapter mention

By name, and that's you. Jesus is your shepherd.

He. Calls you by name.

And he simply says, follow me. That's what he said to all the

disciples. Matthew, follow me, Peter.

Follow me, Jesus said. Feed my sheep.

Notice he didn't. Say and that's the problem.

Today, entertain the flock. Next week, man, we have.

We got our service for you. Next week we've got jugglers.

In the morning. And we've got.

Fire breathers and we've got a bloke fallen from the ceiling

and and apple bobbing and everything.

And just it's. Going to be on so gather.

And it is. Going to be entertaining.

Jesus didn't say do that. He.

Didn't say entertain the flock he.

Didn't say be clever. You heard the one about the he.

Didn't say be clever. He didn't say be funny to the

flock. Yeah, humour appropriate.

And we find humour in the Bible. The fact that you and I are

saved is pretty funny. He didn't.

Say by the. The way.

Those who have. Itching ears or just.

Need a little? Bit extra.

Scratch their ears. Scratch.

The itch. He didn't say that.

You see the elders, as Paul tells them, it's.

Pastors, ours is not to. Appeal to the crowd.

And so whether there's one person. 40 people or whoever.

The message. Is the Bible stays?

The same nothing will change. Nothing will change.

It doesn't go. Well.

What do we do need to do? How do we need?

To adapt, to get. More.

Backsides on seats here. It's.

Christ Church says here. He.

Purchased. With his own blood.

That's quite significant, so. Each and and every one of you.

Here he's saying to the elders. Everyone that's sitting here.

Jesus Christ bought. And the price was his death.

That's how precious you are. That's amazing.

You, you go well, I don't think I'm worth anything.

Or no. Stop.

That's a lie. Bible says he purchased you.

With his own innocent blood. While you were.

Still a Sinner. He died for.

You on the cross. While you were hostile.

To him he died. For you on the cross.

While you ignored him. He died for you on the cross.

He. Purchased with his own blood

wasn't the blood of animals. There was no substitute.

He, the Son of God, the head of the Church.

He died for you. He died for you.

For I know this now, I notice Paul gives a warning that after

my departure, after I leave. Savage Wolves.

I noticed. This I hadn't.

Really underlined it before. He doesn't just say.

Wolves will come notice. He says savage wolves.

You ever had? A couple of people knock on your

door and. They want to sell you a

magazine. Bring a blessing to your.

House and you say? Well, no, I'm a.

Christian people. Think well, I'm a.

Christian, I got you. Oh.

The smell of blood and they stay they.

Don't go. Oh great.

Fantastic, Jesus Christ, you all say.

Move on. No.

Oh, and where? Do you go?

What do you believe? Look at what we.

Believe we can help. You.

We can encourage you and the wolves.

Are savage, you know. Why they're savage.

Because they tear apart people's lives.

And they leave them for dead. Because.

Satan is the one that's in a cult because each and every cult

denies. That Jesus.

Christ, Son of God. Came in the flesh.

God. Man Incarnate, and that he.

Died on the cross. Son of God died.

On the cross took on the body of man.

He died on the cross. And then he, he a man, rose from

the grave. But he's the Son of God.

Then it says in. Hebrews And this man sat at the

right hand of the Father. But they don't tell you that

there Jesus is a fake. There, Jesus didn't die on the.

Cross. Because he's not the Son of God.

But they'll tell you. I'm a Christian.

Just like you, I. I love the Bible just like you.

And Paul said. Notice Paul, said Savage.

Wolves will come in among you. Wolves aren't interested in.

Going out into the world they want.

Lambs. They want sheep.

Not sparing the flock. And those who come.

From the outside, the poor warned.

The elders at. Ephesus and Ephesus.

Was. A great philosophical location,

the school of Tyranus, where they would philosophy.

And and talk and well, we're. Pontificating the Wonders of.

Man. Studying Aristocrates and

Socrates and. And and all these.

Others. Yeah, there's this is a.

Little bit in this, you know something in there.

And Ephesus was that. Way and what was going to happen

from within the church? It says from among yourselves

men. Will rise up.

Speaking perverse things, why to?

Draw away the disciples, followers of Christ after

themselves. They never want you.

To go to Christ. They never point you to Jesus.

Our job is to point you to Christ.

Our job is to say he's your saviour.

He's the one you go to. He's the one you.

Need to seek wisdom about He's the one you.

Need to know. And our job is to tell.

You about him through the Word of God, the Word.

Peter talks about false teachers in Second Peter chapter 2 verse

2 Peter 2:3

3 he says they with. Feigned words.

What are feigned words in the Greek means perverse.

It means. Distort.

It means corrupt. It's exactly what.

Happened in the Garden of Eden if you eat that.

Fruit you won't. Die God just doesn't want you to

be like Him. And you know what?

Genesis Chapter 5. Death, Death, death.

Genesis 5 · chapter mention

Adam and Eve's. Eyes were open.

They. See themselves ashamed in.

Sin. And they have to be driven out

of the Garden of Eden. Because of false teachers,

perverse, distorted, corrupt. You know.

They'll try and add. Stuff to Jesus.

Christ, yeah, I know. You can study the.

Bible. But you need our book.

You need our way. You need to hear from our

elders. He says.

And they make merchandise that's interesting.

Term Peter uses. They, with fine words, perverse,

distort, corrupt, make merchandise.

That means they'll use people for personal gain, for

trafficking, human trafficking for.

Trade, in other words, the only thing they're.

Interested in? Is.

How they can use you? For their own benefit, it could

be. Power, prestige, Celebrity.

Or it can be most likely. Money.

Money. And you know what?

Paul said this is going to happen.

You know the worst thing is many in the last days.

Will be ravaged. By wolves and Will.

Follow false teachers, therefore.

Watch and remember. That for three years, Paul says.

I did not cease to warn. Every one of you night.

And day with tears I was. Serious about what I was saying.

I taught you the word of God. I taught you.

What you needed to know so that whether you travel or go

somewhere. You know that God died for you.

You know that. Christ is the Messiah.

You know that if you die, where you're going to go.

You know that he saved you by. His own precious blood.

You know that you don't have to do anything else.

It's by grace. That you're saved.

Through faith. Paul did this for three years

with tears. Warning.

So now, brethren. I commend you to God.

And to the word of his grace, OK, elders preach the word, feed

the sheep, which is. Able to build you.

Up you see the. Word of God build you up when

people come up to. Me with weird wonderful.

Stuff I go. You never got.

That by reading the. Bible.

I can tell what I say what? Book have you been reading?

Who have you been? Watching on TV, usually I can

tell. By who they've been.

Watching on TV. As well.

And they'll say, Oh no, the Spirit of God told me.

No, he didn't. Because the Bible doesn't say

that. The Spirit of God, if he's told

you that, he would have told me the same.

Thing you know. While the Spirit of God told.

Me this. No, he didn't.

What? Verse What chapter?

How? Did the Spirit of God tell you

such and such? Oh no, he just.

Told me. No.

Not by private interpretation. God says to.

You. The same thing he says to me.

Not something. Special just be you.

No, no. So now.

Brethren, I commend to you God. Unto the word of His grace,

which is able to. Build you up.

To give you an inheritance. What's our inheritance?

Heaven, The glory and wonder. I wrote in my devotion the other

day. I was driving to do my.

Nephew's funeral been about 8-9 days of.

Maybe 2 weeks? Since he passed.

And as I was driving there with Helen I, I was wondering what's

Mark doing? Now what's he looking?

At now I know we're going to do. His funeral where?

We've got his body to deal with. We're grieving.

What's he doing now? Who's he talking to?

What's he going? Wow, wow, wow.

That's what he's probably doing. Amazing our inheritance.

Among all those. Who are sanctified?

That word sanctified is a great. Word.

We're. Sanctified when we come to

Christ. Set apart, we're his disciples.

Then we are. Being sanctified daily Christ.

I'm becoming more like. Christ each.

Day I'm I'm. Being sanctified.

And then when this. Body dies and I go.

To be with the. Lord, I am sanctified 3 three

parts sanctification is complete, he says.

I have coveted no one's silver. Or gold or apparel?

Yes, you yourselves know that these hands are provided for my

necessities and for those who were with me.

I have shown you in every way by labouring 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. Now we don't.

Have that written and. Quoted by Paul, by Jesus.

In any other patches? That I'm aware of, but.

Paul has spent time. Speaking to the.

Disciples and they have conversed and conversed and plus

Paul. Has met with the.

Lord himself remember but. Also we see.

Here and it's in. In red in our Bibles.

This is a quote from Jesus. It is more blessed.

To give. Than to receive.

Dads and mums. Guess what?

You're going to be. Giving out.

More than you're going to get back.

Count that. Cost of this these shoes these

shoes I had to. Buy the other day.

This. And the uniform now?

They want to play this and I got to pay for that.

Dads and moms, you're. Going to be giving.

Out husbands. You're going to be giving out.

You need to be. Working wives.

You're giving out. In serving.

Your your husband. And and the family.

Running the home, cooking and cleaning and all those other

things. Examples are lived out.

And here's what. Love is because it's the love of

God that flows through us. To do this more blessed to give

them to. Receive because in One

Corinthians 13. It says we expect.

Nothing in return. When I go OK kids cooked your

tea tonight, so tomorrow I want 20.

Dollars each of you. And I want you to get the front.

Landscape the whole front. Hi, Mom.

I pulled those two weeds out that you asshole is that does

that cover you see believers, That's what that's what defines

us. We have a God who gave his.

Life for us. No other in no other religion in

the. World is there God?

Dying for his people. The other religions, the cults.

You got to go banging on doors, you're going to go riding a

bike, you got to do. All this sort of stuff.

Christianity. It's done.

And now because what? He's done to us.

We love to serve him, We love to serve him.

And when he had said these things, pull meltdown.

Prayed with them all. Notice then they.

All wept freely this is. Man, what a.

Pre meeting. A time of gathering.

This is because they know they're not going to see him

again. They fell on Paul's neck and

they 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. Now came to pass when they

departed from them. And that word.

Departed, it's. Interesting the Greek if.

You look it up. It means tore themselves away

from. Them.

And so the. Crowd is.

All over Paul and he's going. Like, we got to go, we got to

go, we got to go. You know you've gone to the.

Airport and so. Well, Yeah.

No. Or remember.

Are you young enough to remember?

No. You hang up.

No, no, You hang up first, then I'll hang up.

No, no, no, no. You go.

First, no. Are you?

Still there. No, you hang up.

You hang up. Some of you won't know what's

about anyway. But the word departed.

Means tore themselves away from them and set sail, running a

straight course we came to cost. That's an island of Turkey.

Now when it says. They're running a straight

course. It means the wind was behind

them. Pump them straight the.

Following day to roads, the island of roads from there to

Patara. Finding a ship sailing over to

Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.

When we had started Cyprus, we passed it on the.

Left, sailed to Syria. And landed at Thai.

For there the ship was to. Upload her cargo it.

Was going to take 7 days and finding disciples disciples.

Were everywhere. We stayed there seven days.

I'm wondering. Is the sorrow.

Phoenician woman, remember? Her brother daughter and said

Lord just can you just help my daughter she's.

Struggling. She's.

Possessed, Jesus said to. Her you know now the crumbs are

not for the. They're for Israel, the.

Bread. And she said, well, just.

Just in the end, just a few crumbs that.

Pull off the table. You know sorrow.

Phoenician. Was she the one?

Because everywhere that Paul. Lobbed, there's a group of.

Believers that met them. A group of believers that met

them finance system and finding. Disciples, we.

Stayed there seven days. They told Paul.

Through the Spirit. Not to go up to Jerusalem.

When we come to. The end of those days we

departed, went on our way and they all accompanying us notice

with wives and children notice. That it's not like.

Kids don't need. You stay home, watch TV, wives

No. Don't.

It's just immense thing. They all went.

The church is. Husbands, wives, sons,

daughters. The church.

Is all of us, church is family, and here we.

See all of them? Going down to see.

Paul. And we knelt down 2nd.

Time on the shore. And prayed to do it again.

And when we had taken our leave of one another, we.

Boarded the ship. And they returned home.

And when we had. Finished our voyage from.

Tyre, now Tyre is Lebanon. We came to Ptolemy greeted the

brethren. Side stayed.

Within one day. On the next day, we were Paul's

companions. We who?

Are Paul's companions. This is Doctor Luke talking,

departed and came to. Caesarea.

We've all been to Caesarea, most of us.

Entered the House of. Philip the Evangelist, who was

one of the seven, remember, one of the seven deacons chosen, he

lived there. Stayed with him now this man

had. Four virgin daughters who

prophesied. Someone's.

Going well. Gee, I must have been very.

Plain they're not married. So it wants to go, people jump

to all these stupid conclusions, you know, and it.

Says they prophesied. It says that they lived, History

tells. That they lived into a fairly

old age. And they they were a vital part

of. The ministry to the church

there. Prophesied doesn't mean.

Oh, this is what's going to happen.

Remember prophesying. In in the.

In the the full strength of it. Really is what I'm doing now.

It's foretelling God's word. This is what?

God has said it's, it's it's. Sharing the word.

Of God. And the interesting thing is.

These. For.

The gift of prophecy. Yet they don't say to Paul don't

go to Jerusalem. Why is that?

Why is that? Because you see.

God speaks through through. Whom he?

Wants to speak it's. Not I have the gift of the.

Prophecy and everything. Is going to.

Come through me. It's.

Going to come through. Me no.

It didn't. And as we stayed many days, a

certain prophet. Now this guy we mentioned, we've

seen him. Before named.

Agabus came down from. Judea, when he had.

Come to. Us.

He took Paul's belt like just like the prophets of old.

Began to describe what's going to happen.

Bound his own hands and feet. Said thus says.

The Holy Spirit. So shall the Jews.

Of Jerusalem, Bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him

into the hands of the Gentiles. And when we heard these things,

both we and those from that place pleaded with him, Paul,

not to go. Up to Jerusalem.

And Paul answered, What do you mean by weeping and breaking my

heart? For I'm not ready not only to be

bound, but also. To die of.

Jerusalem from the. Name of the Lord Jesus.

So when he would not be persuaded, we cease saying.

The will of the Lord we cease saying.

And then? The will of the Lord be done.

So. Here's the deal was.

Paul being rebellious because. Everyone's telling you.

Go to Jerusalem, you know, don't go there.

Can I go there? Every time it's.

Going to be dangerous before we go down.

There, but Paul, remember he was constrained, he was driven by

the Holy Spirit to. Go there.

So what's? The What's the go?

Here. Is it a mixed message?

No. God is speaking to.

Paul. The prophecy that he's going.

To go to Jerusalem. He can eventually.

Die. He'd be arrested.

And he was, we'll soon get to that.

And he would end up in Rome and he'd be executed.

And they're saying this is what's going to happen to you,

Paul, when you get to Jerusalem. This is what's going to.

Happen to you? Don't go, don't go.

You see what happens often for. You and I.

The Lord speaks, and we want. To stop.

What God wants done, it's too difficult.

It's too hard and they were going, Paul, we don't want you

to do this and and, and Paul's going, hey, hold it.

I'm. Called to do this.

This. Is why I'm living, you know, and

it's. Usually the ones.

That I remember my. Dad talking to me and I said.

Dad, you know. We're going to sell.

Up our house. In Dunsborough.

We're going to move to Perth. I've got to quit a good.

Job Helen's coming. Up too, and.

Israel was born down there. If you've got a job to go to,

not as yet, what are you going to do?

I'm going to go to Bible college.

And how's that going? To work.

Don't know I've got. To talk to him about that.

He said. Son, you know, I mean, I'm glad

you, you know what you're doing. You know you like it.

But he said. Seriously.

You. Kind of quit.

Your job you can sell up, live in a house and don't burn.

And do all the. You see?

And this is what what? The people were saying.

To Paul. I can't.

I can't. Understand I can't relate.

Because they're feeling for. Paul.

As my father was feeling for us. But here's the deal.

The reason we live? And the only place we.

Will ever be happy is in the will.

Of God and God. Would go before us.

He would find us a place to live.

He would find me immediately. A job we would go into.

Training. And this is where.

We end up today. Because if we had taken

everyone's advice about man, you've got a great job, you're

living in Dunsford on the beach. Why?

Will you stay there because. We would be unhappy.

Living out of the world of God. So as we close.

Tonight, there are times. That we struggle with.

The things that we have to do. Difficult.

Things. I mean, Paul wasn't.

Going Oh, I can't wait to get to.

Jerusalem get arrested. And put in prison.

Again, can't wait to. To get swept and.

Belted to get on. So looking.

Forward to that, no? So he said.

Hey guys, you're bringing me to tears.

This is what I have to do. You know that's the.

Great. Thing bud, because when?

Paul. Would finally be executed.

He wouldn't say. Man, I had that house in

Dunsborough. We had that great job down

there. Oh, how good was that?

Awesome. No, you would say, Oh, I've run

my race. I finished the work that I've

done. He would leave this world with

joy. And he would enter the next.

With the words well. Done by good and.

Faithful servant. Now enter in.

To the glory of the Lord. You see, this is the key.

You and I here. Sit here tonight and the.

World struggles and fights. To get your attention to.

Draw you away it. Promises to make.

You happy? Have a look at the world.

I don't think they're getting very happier every day.

We know. I go out the streets, not people

on the street. Hi.

How you going? It's a lot better today.

Oh, man. Wonderful.

I mean driving. Down here and I.

Waved to. Someone as they're walking up

the street. No, nothing.

Oh, have a nice day. People.

People are unhappy, aren't they? We should be.

A light and salt. And the happiest people in the

world. Why?

Because we're in the will of God.

Serving the great God has given us the.

Privilege to know him, to serve him, and tonight.

We just you few. Gathered here tonight.

Guess what God says I. Give.

You the privilege tonight. To pray to me.

I will. Hear every prayer you.

Pray I will guide. You what to pray?

And I will answer. Your prayer because you've come

out. That's what we're going to do,

Heavenly Father. I thank you for your word.

We thank you for the faithfulness of Paul.

For the wonder of your word. Now, as we.

Gather to pray, Lord. Lead us and guide us again as

you LED. Paul.

Lead us and guide this church. Guide us as individuals, as

families. Pray.

According to your will so that your will will.

Be done. Here in our lives and in this

church. And in our community and in our

nation, this we pray in Jesus name.

And everyone said Amen. I know you in my sweetest

friend, my friend.