Who’s Guarding What God Entrusted to You? | Acts 20:28–38 | Alex Sands

Welcome to the Kingdom Life podcast.

What if the greatest danger to your faith is not something obvious, but a voice that sounds spiritual while slowly putting you away from Jesus?

In Acts 20, 28 through 38, Paul gives the elders of Ephesus a final and deeply emotional charge.

Watch yourselves, guard the church, feed God's people, and stay alert.

He reminds them that spiritual leadership is not about position or recognition, it's about faithfully feeding, leading, and protecting the people Christ purchased with his own blood.

In today's message, Pastor Alex says challenges us to examine what has our attention, what is shaping our thinking, and whether we know God's word well enough to test every voice we hear.

Are the influences in your life drawing you closer to Jesus or making you depend on a person?

This passage also reminds us that truth and compassion were never meant to be separated.

We must defend the truth without allowing a lack of love to disguise itself as faithfulness.

The church belongs to Christ.

Every person in it has value.

Ultimately, his people are safe as a whether you lead a church, a family, a team, or simply with those around you.

This message is a call to remain watchful.

I'm a faithful chapter.

Serve the body of Christ and stay grounded in the word of Christ.

Whether you are joining us from Sunsetville or somewhere across the world, we believe God has something for you today.

So take a moment, lean in and quiet the distractions, and allow his word to strengthen your faith, challenge your heart, and shape the way you care for the people of God has placed in your life.

Now, here as Pastor Alex says as he opens God's word in Acts 20, 28 through 38.

Acts chapter 20, verses 28 through 38.

Acts 20:28–38

That's going to be our lesson text this morning.

And I want to begin with this.

How many of you know that there is a difference between carrying something that belongs to you and carrying something that belongs to someone else and is precious to them?

Let me state it again.

How many of you understand there is a difference between carrying something that belongs to you and carrying something that belongs to someone else and is precious to them?

You go to a friend's house for Thanksgiving dinner.

You assumed it would just be paper plates and styrofoam cups.

That's how you always roll.

But then you go to your friend's house and realize, oh, it's at the formal dinning table.

And you realize these plates, they're so nice.

And these cups, and they tell you, oh, yeah, these china has been handed down from my grandmother, and she gave it to me, and it's so precious.

I only bring it out on special occasions.

How would you handle that cup?

Those plates.

I assure you, you would handle them better than when you handle what you've got at home because it's precious to them and it's irreplaceable.

It has value.

It can't be replaced.

You'd be holding that little teacup, you know, holding it tight.

If you brought kids with them with you, ah, don't you touch it.

Let me cut it for you.

In fact, let me just give you the styrofoam cups.

Because it belongs to someone else and it's precious to them.

Young people, your parents, let you borrow their car.

You should exercise great caution because it's valuable to them.

You are more valuable than an automobile, but you want to treat it well because it belongs to somebody else.

You drive extra carefully.

You drive the speed limit.

You look both ways twice.

How much you value something will determine how you handle it, how you care for it.

The value of something determines how you treat something.

Saints, that gives up, brings us to the tension, if you will, in today's text.

Because as we talked about last time, when we looked at verses 20, verses 17 through 27, that contains Paul's farewell address to the Ephesian elders.

He had called them to a beach, Miletus.

He had called them about this, about 30 miles between Ephesus and Miletus.

He had called them there because he didn't want to stop in Ephesus.

It might have taken him too long.

So he pulled into the port city of Miletus and he sent some messengers to bring the elders down to meet.

We need to have a talk.

And as I shared last time, it's in the format of a farewell address.

And the components of a farewell address, first of all, is that someone, the speaker, is going away, either by death or geography, going away and won't see the recipients again.

Hence, farewell.

And it have three components.

One part would be a retrospective look.

The speaker giving a retrospective look at their walk, their past, their the way they lived out their faith before them.

A look back.

The second part would be a warning about what's to come.

A warning to the audience, the listeners, of what is to come because the speaker is transferring responsibility to the hearers.

So there'd be a warning.

And the third component of a farewell address would be the call to courage.

The call to strength.

A call to surrender to God.

Retrospective look.

A warning and a call to courage.

Last time in verses 20 verses 17 through 27, we saw Paul give the retrospective look.

He would say, he said things like, You yourselves know da-da-da-da-da-da-da.

How I lived among you, how I did such and such.

Because look, he lived his life with the with the Ephesians.

When he was doing a ministry with them, he did life with them.

They saw his righteousness, they saw how he handled situations with grace and with love.

He said, You know my example.

And then he let him know about his next plans.

Let them know that he was going to be going to Jerusalem.

This is what is coming around the corner, if you will, his in going to Jerusalem.

And in verse 22, one of the things we see in this in this uh address is this opening, and now.

This is the transition phrase, and now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit.

Why are you on your way to Jerusalem?

Paul was anxious to get to Jerusalem because he was bringing an offering that was collected amongst the Gentile churches for the poor Jewish believers in Jerusalem.

He said, I'm constrained by the Spirit.

I've been, the Holy Spirit has got a hold on me, and I have to do this.

I don't know what's going to happen, except the Holy Spirit testifies to me that in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.

But, he says in verse 24, I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself.

If only I may finish my course.

Can you say that?

Finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Paul isn't saying that he hates life.

He knows life is a gift.

But if it's a choice between life and fulfilling the work that the Lord had called him to do, running this race, he would choose finishing the race over life itself.

So he's been constrained and he's going to do this by the grace of God.

And now he says, verse 25, another and now, behold, I know none among you whom I've gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again.

Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all.

For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole council.

Not the little bit, all of it, the whole council of God.

The retrospective look, here are the plans going ahead of me.

And so I he's look, you know my life.

Anyone comes behind him and tries to claim that he didn't live a faithful, righteous life, he'd say, You elders, you know the life that I lived among you.

You can refute them.

Now, as we begin verse 28, you have the charge.

The charge.

The call, the encouragement, the warning and the call are embedded in here.

And there are three words to keep in mind as we go through this and what the instruction that Jesus is going to give the Ephesian elders.

He's going to warn them to be careful.

He's going to tell them to guard the flock courageously.

And he's going to exhort them to entrust everything to God.

Watch, guard, and entrust.

See it here beginning at verse 28.

Verse 28.

Read it with me.

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to care for the church of God which he obtained with his own blood.

Amen.

Key verb, key term in verse 28 is that first word there.

It's a verb, pay careful attention.

It is the first command that we see in this entire address.

It's besides the, and now behold.

This is the first command, pay careful attention.

That word pay careful attention, pay careful attention, is one Greek word that means to hold the mind, to remain focused and continually attentive.

It was used to describe as a is used as a nautical term.

Describe a ship staying on course.

Staying on course to its intended direction.

Keeping the mind on, staying mindful on something.

In other words, elders, stay fixed.

Keep your attention fixed.

Pay careful attention.

And now notice the order.

Pay attention to who?

Yourselves and good.

Yourselves and to all of the flock.

Let's deal with that.

The order is important.

Pay careful attention.

Stay mindful.

Keep close attention to yourselves, elders.

Pay careful attention to yourselves because you can't be of help and service to anyone else if you're not feeding your soul and providing for your soul.

You can't give to others what you don't have.

And you know, sometimes elders, leaders, teachers, we can be so focused on lesson preparation, sermon preparation, delivering the word.

We can be so focused on that that we miss receiving from the word.

We can be so wrapped up in counseling others that we forget to confess our own sins.

We can get caught up so much in the busy, busy, busyness that we miss that our first call is to be before we do.

Calling and giftedness doesn't make anyone immune to Satan's attacks.

Calling, giftedness, it does not preclude anyone from staying in the presence of God and growing to maturity in Christ.

We all have a responsibility to do it, and that is the first responsibility.

I don't have it in the in our scriptures, but 1 Timothy, I believe it's chapter 4, Paul admonishes Timothy to look.

Pay attention to yourself.

Therefore, you'll be able to save both yourself and your hearers.

Take heed to yourself.

416, all right.

Good to have some help.

1 Timothy 4.16.

And this isn't a warning just for elders, leaders.

This is for everybody.

You need to feed yourself the word.

You need to spend time with God before you take care of your children.

Close the doors.

And now, Daddy, is no, you know that it's not time yet.

Can't play right now.

I need more of Jesus before I take heed to your walk.

Take heed to your actions.

Are they done out of a spirit of love?

Are you allowing something to become a habit that will ultimately become your master?

Because a good thing couldn't can become your master if you're not careful.

Pay careful attention to yourself.

Secondly, he says, to all the flock.

Does he say to some of the flock?

A portion of the flock.

All the flock.

Not just the easiest, not just the most agreeable, not just the generous ones, all the flock.

That means the mature ones and the immature ones.

That means old saints and new saints.

That means those that encourage and those that put you down.

Just always entitled.

Jesus loves them too.

He said, all of the flock.

Why is he so in intent on it being all of the flock?

Take a look.

We're gonna see here three reasons.

Three reasons here in the text.

In the which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

So look, I I'm gonna go a little bit out of order.

But first, let's talk about the fact the church of God, to care for the church of God.

The word church just means assembly, a collection of people.

It was used in the Greek to talk about a people gathering for a meeting, you know, a civic meeting, discuss some issue.

It's just an assembly.

But the believers, disciples, followers of Christ, they are the assembly that belongs to God.

God's called out assembly.

And they're local expressions of the church.

There is the Big C Capital C church, which is the universal church.

Some folks you know, some you don't.

And then there are local expressions of the Big C church.

There's the Little C church, Kingdom Life Church is a little sea church.

There's an assembly here of believers.

The key part to bring out, though, is that the church, the flock, God's sheep belongs to God.

It's the church of God, the church that belongs to him.

God owns his flock, his assembly, they belong to him.

Not an apostle, not a pastor, not a deacon, not some ancestor from back in the day.

This is our church.

If it's your church, then it's not God's church.

It belongs to him.

Church, the Greek word ecclesia, is not a building.

Now we use terminology like I'm coming to church.

Okay, we use that terminology, but understand the church is not a building.

This building could collapse and we would still be a church.

If we met in the lawn, had nothing but the word, had no speakers, no amplifiers, nothing like all we had was be able to sing a capellam.

That is church.

It's God's people gathering together.

It's God's assembly, not a building, and it's not about programs.

Paul's message to the elders is not about maintaining an organization or maintaining the church calendar or anything like that.

His message to them is none of those things.

He says, care for the flock, which is the church of God.

I think in some ways maybe we we have a way of just kind of taking church for for granted or too casually.

You know, I think some people think about churches being, you know, places that you do religious shopping at.

You know how we do our grocery shopping?

You look for sales.

Fresh markets got ground beef on sale every Tuesdays.

You go and grab a little bit there.

You go to Food Lion.

You know, they got Boston butt on sale certain days of the week.

We just shop according to, well, I want a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

But church isn't about that.

Church is a place where you are with God's people in fellowship and you are committed to them and they are committed to you.

You can take it too casual.

We can take it as just an event.

Some people think of church as just being an event they go to one day of the week if they feel like it.

If they don't have a headache that day.

If they're not tired, it's just an event.

A church, church is not an event.

We are the church 24 7.

God's called at once, his assembly.

We belong to him.

That's the first reason he's saying, pay careful attention.

And I have paid careful attention in red because it is the crux of the rest of this message.

This part, be pay careful attention.

This is the call, the charge that forms as the umbrella for everything else.

First, because the church belongs to him.

Secondly, it's because that's the elders' responsibility.

Notice, he says there, that in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.

Has made you overseers.

The Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers.

Important for us to understand that word.

All right, an overseer.

Overseer is a watchman, a superintendent, generally an overseer of public works.

That's how it was used in general in Greek culture.

But understand, it it points to this watchman, superintendent, someone who is leading, superintending.

But then also, do you notice the word care?

That's an important word.

It means to shepherd, to provide for, to tend to someone or something.

Now, who is this address given to?

Who?

The who?

The elders at Ephesus.

That's a title.

But you see, overseer in here too.

He says the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.

Not you made yourselves overseers, not the church made you overseers.

The church acknowledged what the Holy Spirit was doing, but the Holy Spirit made you overseers.

So second title, overseers, and and then you see there what they're doing is caring for or shepherding.

Shepherd.

Elder, overseer, which is another saying, another way saying bishop, and pastor.

All are titles that point to the same office.

Same individuals.

This provides these terms just provide light, insight into their work.

So this is important to keep.

This is why as a church we structure, we're structured the way that we are with elders.

And I'm one of the elders.

Elder, the term elder emphasizes spiritual maturity.

Overseer emphasizes authority and duties.

And shepherd emphasizes the feeding, leading, and protecting of the flock.

Three titles.

All wrapped up into one office, elder.

An elder does these things, overseeing, shepherding.

Reason why it's important to pay attention is that's what the Holy Spirit has called you out to do.

That's Paul's message.

You've been called out to care for the flock.

Not out of popularity.

This is what the Holy Spirit has called you to do as part of your race.

For those who are called to do this.

Heavy responsibility, nothing to be, nothing to play around with.

1 Peter chapter 5, verse 1, Peter said, So I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed.

1 Peter 5:1

Notice Peter says to the elders, then continuing, verses two and three, shepherd the flock that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you, not for shameful gain, but eagerly, not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

See those terms there, oversight.

You can see shepherd there, elder, bishop, pastor, all pointing to the same office.

There were multiple elders in the church at Ephesus.

The local church had more than one elder.

We find it the church at Philippi had more than one elder, more than one pastor.

You see it in uh the church of uh in Ephesus.

Same way.

In the church at Antioch, we studied in Acts chapter 13.

Acts 13 · chapter mention

The elders had assembled together.

It's all pointing, and they're multiple ones.

So there are different ways church is structured.

But what we see here, and I see in the New Testament, is a multiplicity of elders doing the work of shepherding, which means feeding, it means leading, it means protecting.

All of that wrapped up, and it's too much for one person because one person can't see all the dangers that are around us.

One person that can't has all of us have blind spots, and all of us have different gifts that we bring to and that assist in the shepherding process.

There's wisdom in this, in God's design for multiple, for multiplicity in leadership.

I'm grateful to serve with 21 elders that God has called out and have been a blessing, and I want all of them that are here to stand, please.

I want all you guys to stand and look around, we've got a fine group of men.

They're not not all, some are serving, some weren't able to be here today, but I am honored to serve with all of these godly men who have accepted this call to shepherd this flock.

Three elders, cohorts that are helping each other to shepherd about 60 some people apiece.

So seven groups of three elders holding each other accountable.

And we as a group, I'm number 22.

We all hold each other accountable, we pray for one another, we pray for each other's our families that we are accountable for.

All of that, there's such beauty in this, and I am grateful that it doesn't fall on my shoulders.

Holy Spirit has made you overseers.

That's why to pay attention to this.

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to the flock.

And third, because he has obtained it with his own blood.

He has obtained it, and that means he has purchased it with his own blood.

And you can make the case that that is the most important one of them all.

God has blood.

Whose blood?

That's Jesus' blood.

We took communion because of Jesus' shed blood for us.

It took the blood to purchase us.

He has purchased us with his own blood.

Now it says the church of God, which he's obtained with his own.

That with his own means like one and only unique, like John 3.16.

God's one and only unique, God's unique blood that's shed, it's the shed of it, the blood shed by his son Jesus Christ.

And Jesus is fully God.

So all of this all points to the church has value.

It has worth all of the flock.

And we talk, I mentioned this first Peter chapter 1, verse 18, 19, knowing that you were ransomed from the feudal ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things like silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, the one who bore our guilt and endured our judgment.

1 Peter 1:18

He paid it all.

That's why the flock is to be paid careful attention to.

All the flock.

The Father owns the flock, the son paid for the flock, and the Spirit appoints leaders to care for the flock.

And so our kingdom truth principle, looking at this first part, is that Christ's blood shows the value of his church and everyone in it.

Everyone in the body of Christ has value.

Everyone in the flock has value and worth because Jesus paid the price for everyone.

Again, mature, immature, the blood, his blood shed for them.

The ones who test our patience fought with the blood of Jesus Christ.

Precious.

Those that require extra sacrifice, precious, purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ.

And can I say this to someone who may feel like, you know what, I don't feel like I'm a really good Christian.

Can I tell you that his love for you is not established based on your performance?

He doesn't love you more one day than the next day.

His love for you is consistent and steady.

Others may think that you are worthless, but Jesus saw you worth sacrificing his life for.

And so, irrespective of what you think about yourself or what others may think about you, you have value.

You are loved today.

Not one day when you get it all together, but today, and God could not possibly love you anymore.

And he loves enough that he's given, he is the chief shepherd, but he's provided the church under shepherds.

By his spirit equipping to express his love and to shepherd and to care for his flock.

Here's our application.

Honor your shepherds.

Their service strengthens you and the church.

Honor them.

Why do I think that's important?

Why did I spend extra time on verse 28?

Well, you know, we don't often have times that we come across passages like this that deal with like the structure of the church, elders, and so on.

So I wanted to make call attention to this.

But another reason, and very important, is we live in a culture that seeks to deconstruct every institution.

To tear down everything, burn it down.

We live in this culture that has an element to it that just says everything is wrong.

Burn it all down.

And many look to the church in the same way.

Now, not saying, listen, don't hear what I'm not saying.

There are some uh criticisms of the church that is justified.

There are leaders who have behaved uh poorly, they have sinned, and they will give an account.

But don't judge first our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ based on the actions of his people, even leaders.

And secondly, don't allow the whole attitude of destroying everything to block you from the gift God has given.

God has provided some with the spiritual gift of shepherding, because we need it.

We need it.

So honor their service.

Don't get into that spirit.

With that attitude, well, I know as much as he knows.

I think I'm just as good as maybe.

You know what?

There are plenty of people who know more scripture than me, but I'm called to this.

I'm called today for this.

I may not always be.

So it's not about how much scripture somebody knows.

We're all growing in process, but this is something the Holy Spirit made overseas.

It would be the best thing for you and me to say, I'll follow your lead.

I'll follow you as you follow Christ.

I may have a better idea, I think it's a better idea to do something, but you're gonna be accountable before God for this and not me.

I want to get on my knees and pray, Lord.

Oh my goodness.

Listen to Hebrews 13:17.

Hebrews 13:17

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will have to give an account.

Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, but that would be of no advantage to you.

When they call, answer the phone or call them back.

Ah, it's just an elder elder such and such.

They just want to serve you.

No clicks or anything.

They just want to serve.

They want to fulfill the function that God has called them to.

If you're not answered, able to answer, call them back.

Maybe you need to call some of them back today.

Brother, I'm sorry.

I didn't pick up the phone that time.

I just I was served, but everything is good, and I'm praying for you.

We need y'all's prayers.

Hmm.

The enemy is busy.

We truly need, amen, to pray one for another.

Speaking about the gift, Ephesians 4, 11, and 12, God has given.

He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ.

Cooperation, prayer.

Coming alongside.

Amen.

It's the way the Lord has designed the body to function.

Alright, verse 28 leads to verse 29, because again, the key verb there, pay careful attention.

Now, specifically, listen to what Paul says in verses 29 through 30, 29 through 31, we have the warning section of the farewell address.

Here is the warning.

I know that after my departure, fierce wolves.

Fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

Let's deal with that first.

Fierce wolves.

Wolves were shepherd's number one enemy.

Sheep don't have any defenses against wolves.

They can't outrun them, they can't overpower them.

Wolves come and they scatter the flock and they attack the most vulnerable and they leave carnage everywhere.

Wolves were shepherds' number one threat.

So they were on the lookout.

Here, when Paul is speaking, he says, There, after I leave, after I'm gone, these fierce wolves are gonna come in because they're gonna say to themselves, Paul is gone.

They don't have that defense.

Speaking spiritually, those who are wanting to fleece the flock and take advantage of them, they're gonna come in.

And they're not gonna spare the flock.

They're coming in from the outside, and they're not gonna come just like acknowledging themselves, like I have come to destroy your faith.

Jesus said Matthew 7, 15, beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

They don't come just saying, hey, I'm coming to bring false truth, and I've come to destroy your faith, make your faith shipwreck.

No, that's not how they do.

They use Christian language, Christian term.

They may talk about God's love, but not say a word about truth.

May talk a whole lot about God's blessing, but not say anything about repentance.

May talk a whole lot about all of God's favor and Jesus being Savior, but not talk about Jesus being Lord.

God's just got this great plan for you.

Yes, He does, but you need to repent of your sins.

You need to believe the gospel.

Sometimes it's not what's said, it's what's not being said.

And I'm talking about consistently, consistently being left out.

And before you know it, the only voice you hear is a theirs drawing them to you and not hearing the voice of the Lord.

Coming in.

Now, this is an external threat.

Look at verse 30.

Here is another threat.

And from among your own.

Oh.

From among your own selves.

Means you elders here on the beach with me.

Some are going to arise from right here.

Now one of the brothers might say, I knew that Joker right there, he wasn't no good.

The point is, Paul saying, after my departure, savage wolves are coming in, but there are even some among you right now.

Some will arise among you.

For what purpose?

They're speaking twist, they will speak twisted things.

For what purpose?

To draw away the disciples for themselves.

Speaking perverse things, speaking things that contort and twist the gospel.

And why are they doing it?

Because they want disciples.

They want an audience.

They want a crowd.

They want people to follow behind them, even if it means they stopped following Jesus.

Turning them, drawing them.

External threat and internal threat.

The thing about it is, even Paul didn't know who they were.

Paul had some partners.

Demas was one.

He you know talked about it, but hey, he went on to the world.

Many the point is, Jesus said you'll know them by their fruit.

Over time, if someone's heart has been corrupted with the love of this world and the love of things, and the desire for attention, it eventually comes out in what they're teaching and what they're saying.

Inevitably, what's in the heart comes out.

And if it's not filled with Jesus, it's filled with self.

Look at their fruit, look at their actions, not just how they take it.

We live in the age of the influencers.

People want to be an influencer, and people are evaluated by how well of an influencer or how much of an influencer they are, by how many like them, you know, how many likes they get, and how many things are reposted and how popular they are.

Just because the speaker is popular or gifted doesn't mean they are anointed by God and are speaking the truth of God.

Titles don't, and that doesn't mean someone is speaking truth.

And even someone who could have been speaking truth 10 years ago, it doesn't mean they're faithful today.

You have to listen.

You have to discern.

Because Paul said, Among you.

He didn't say when, he didn't, but some among you.

The Holy Spirit had revealed that to him.

So his message to them is.

Be alert.

This is the second command.

The first one's pay careful attention.

The second is be alert.

Well, that that there means stay awake.

Remain watchful.

Stand guard.

Elders, you are called to care for, protect, the feed.

This word is different.

This be alert is different than pay careful attention in the sense that that word be alert is like a soldier in a war.

Standing guard, watching, looking for the enemy.

Now the pay careful attention means to tend to, pay attention to the flock.

But this term here means be on the lookout, because there are wolves and there may be wolves in sheep's clothing.

He says, listen, remembering my example, remembering that for three years I did not cease, night or day, to admonish every one of you, everyone with tears.

For three years, three years, I continue to admonish, I continue to warn, I continue to exhort, but also to correct.

For three years, I did it with tears.

Why is that important to remember?

Because that's what it takes.

We don't learn everything in one sermon.

We don't learn everything in a Bible study, in one Bible study lesson.

We need multiple applications of the truth.

Just like a wall need most needs multiple coats of paint.

We need multiple applications of the word to digest it for it to build us up because we can know what's right and not do right.

We can know the right thing to do, but that doesn't mean we're going to do the right thing.

And if you're not careful, if you continue to do the wrong thing, your heart will become callous and you'll begin to justify the wrong.

Because understand this, church, listen, listen, listen.

Some 80% of decisions that people make are based on emotions, not logic.

Emotions first, and then find a reason to justify it.

We can even stand over the word if that will enable us to justify ourselves.

We need exposure, consistent exposure to the word.

We ourselves get into the word and then we get amongst God's people and get that word among ourselves, how He is working in all of us.

And if you are new in the faith, please don't understand, please understand, if you see a mature believer, understand they didn't get there quickly and they didn't get there alone.

We are all babes at some point.

Don't be ashamed of asking questions.

And you might think, well, they're foolish, I don't want to raise my hand and I might be embarrassed.

Look here, we've all had to ask.

We've all had to ask dumb questions.

You never know.

You may have a perspective no one else has thought about.

Hey, growth is part of the process.

Paul did this for three years.

He encouraged, but he warned.

He told them, look, the path that you're on, it's wrong.

Don't do that.

He would tell them, look, that belief is distorted.

Now, did he like it?

That's no, that's why the tears part is there.

He didn't do it in arrogance, he did it in humility.

It broke his heart when people didn't live right.

It broke his heart when he shared the gospel and was rejected.

It broke his heart when people backslid.

But he kept going on and on.

Because sometimes when people hear the truth, even if they're believers, they're not hit right.

Oh, I don't like that.

That joke, I don't like that.

And instead of surrendering to the word, even if the word is right, they get mad at the mailman.

But if you're a leader, if you're a teacher, you gotta take it.

And come back tomorrow.

Because it's still the truth.

Whether you don't, whether you like it or not, it is the truth.

Pay pay attention to yourselves, so you can do that.

So, Saints, stay alert.

Know the word of grace well enough to test every voice.

Make that your goal.

I want to know more.

I want to learn more.

Because look, the adversary is out there and he is busy.

1 John 4 1, listen to what John said it, beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.

For many false prophets have gone out into the world.

That was in the first century.

Can you imagine today?

All of the avenues that false prophets have to share and peddle their lies.

Don't believe every spirit.

Open your Bible, examine the context, ask questions.

People that you know are mature.

There are plenty of mature believers.

You can go right to your elder, and I can assure you, elders, we don't know everything.

The elders, but they'll be humble enough to say, I don't know, but I'll go check.

I'll go look and come back to you with it.

That's that's but the main thing to look out for and to listen for is grace.

Is that voice drawing me closer to Jesus?

Is it drawing me closer to Jesus?

Or away from it.

That's how the adversary comes up from within.

And real quickly, historical.

Not even a few years later.

See, Paul had Timothy.

He sent him to the church at Ephesus to set in order the things that were wrong and to appoint elders and to set some down.

And here's what it says in 1 Timothy chapter 1, verses 6 and 7.

1 Timothy 1:6

Certain persons by swerving from these have wandered away into vain discussions, desiring to be teachers of the law without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they are, they make their confident assertions.

That was about the the some of the people, some of the quote, leaders in Ephesus just wanting an audience, teaching what they didn't know.

Praise God though, the church at Ephesus got it right because Jesus said in Revelation 2, he commended them for standing up for truth, but their love had grown cold.

Now let's look at the last section, verse 32 and following.

And now, you can see that transition, that phrase, and now, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace.

I commend you, I commend you to God.

That means to commit or to entrust, to deposit for safekeeping, or to place into another's care.

Remember, I shared you earlier the three words.

Watch carefully, guard courageously and entrust to God.

Paul says, I have, I commend you to God.

He is releasing them to God because he knows God will not release them.

And commend you to God and to the word of his grace.

I'm turning you over to the Lord and his word.

You can't you can't have God and disobey his word.

If you have his word, you have him.

And the word has power to do what?

It is able to build you up.

You all understand the word, the word of grace, the gospel, and everything that's wrapped up in it, how you live and serve God, all of that, the word has power.

It is able.

And that verb comes from where we get dynamite from.

Dynami.

It has power.

1 Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 13.

1 Thessalonians 2:13

We thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as what it is in truth, the word of God which is at work in you believers.

Church, listen, there aren't any words I can bring you that will transform you and make you like Jesus.

Nothing I can create.

The word of God has the power to do it.

My responsibility is to expound on it so you can understand it and get it downloaded, but I can't transform you by anything, no clever speeches, nothing like that.

It is only the word of God that transforms.

That's why Peter said in 1 Peter chapter 2, desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby.

1 Peter 2 · chapter mention

The pure milk of the word.

It is able to build you up.

And so Paul could say, I turn you over to it.

You will never see me again, but I'm commending you to the to God and the word of his grace.

All scriptures, 2 Timothy 3.16, all scriptures breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness that the man of God may be complete.

Equipped for every good work.

The word that saved them, the word that will sustain them.

The word of grace is the word that will keep them.

The word keeps, strengthens, and so he says, I entrust you to it.

And now he talks about how that grace worked in his life.

I coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel.

I didn't want anything that anyone else had.

Verse 34.

You yourselves know that these hands, and I can almost imagine him just lifting up his hands, these hands, callous and everything else, these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me.

He was a tent maker.

He worked in leather, cutting leather and all that in the morning and goat hairs.

He he worked hard.

But it wasn't just for himself, it was for his partners too.

These hands ministered to my needs and to those who are with me, and in all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way, I have shown you.

Once again, he's looking and he says, You remember my life.

I have shown you.

That by working hard in this way, we must help the weak.

And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

You know, those words aren't in the gospels.

It's more blessed to give than to receive.

That's not in the gospel, but it's the words that are uttered by Jesus.

He gave that.

But Paul's point is I have shown you, I have given you an example by working hard, but it wasn't just for my needs.

It was also for those who are with me, and I did it to give you an example.

That yes, you keep the church theologically sound, yes, you stay alert, yes, you be on the lookout.

But don't allow, don't allow truth to cause you to lose compassion.

Because if you really understand truth and really understand grace, you'll be compassionate and gracious and not look out just for what you can gain for yourself.

But you'll be on the lookout for those who are weak.

And those who are weak were the ones who could not work for themselves.

We're talking about widows, we're talking about those with infirmities, we're talking about those who are destitute.

That's what he speaks of in being weak.

They will always be among you, Jesus said.

And Paul said, work so you'll have extra to give.

God is prepared to give it to those who sow, he will resupply their seed.

These are the words of Jesus.

It's more blessed, more blessed to give than to receive.

You know, the world says that you're blessed when you acquire and hoard.

Get more and more and more and hold on to it.

Jesus is the opposite.

You give for the work of the kingdom.

Jesus said, You are laying up treasure in heaven.

You're not losing, it's an investment.

You're investing on the other side.

And so you give.

You do more, so you can give more.

And that's what he passes on to the elders to do.

And he has given them commands, he's given them an example.

And now we see verse 36 through 38.

When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

And there was much weeping.

They embraced Paul, kissed him, being sorrowful most of all, because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again.

And they accompanied him to the ship.

Most of the time, the typical posture would be to stand and to pray.

But this was a time to kneel and pray.

Paul led them in prayer, knelt with him, prayed along with them.

This kneeling to pray was a sign of humility.

It's a posture expressing one's being empty, bankrupt, not able to provide for oneself.

When you kneel and pray, it's like, God, I have no help, no strength of my own to accomplish what you want accomplished.

Paul led them all down upon their knees because what laid ahead of them was more than they could handle in their strength.

I'm entrusting you to God and the word of his grace, and it begins right now as I come down on my knees and I pray with you and for you.

The elders begin to break down their crying and weeping because Paul had invested his life in them.

They loved them.

I mean, they all loved him, and they would never see him again.

The church is a family.

You know, when family's going away and you love that family, but they say, I will, you will never see me again.

That causes you to grieve.

Being a Christian doesn't take away your humanity.

They grieved and they prayed.

They grieved and they prayed because they knew they needed God.

Church, be here tomorrow at 6 a.m.

As we begin our week of prayer, praying for the church, for one another.

We need Jesus.

Amen.

We'll have a time of worship, we'll have a devotion, and we'll have a time of prayer.

We need prayer.

We don't have a beach to kneel on, but hey, we at least got air conditioning.

Come along because we need the Lord more than ever before.

We need him.

We need him.

Let us cry out unto the Lord together.

Kingdom truth, guys, the Lord's word builds up the church and it is safe in his hands.

Can I get this one for you?

We can't separate truth from compassion.

Alright, the Lord's word builds up.

The church is safe.

John 10, 27, my sheep know my voice, hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me.

I give them eternal life.

And they will never perish.

No one will ever snatch them out of my hand.

If you're a young believer, don't ever think that you can lose your salvation.

You didn't save yourself, and you can't lose what was given to you.

Jesus said, You are in my hand.

The fact that you want to stay in his hand is proof that you're not lost.

And kingdom life application, last one, don't allow a lack of compassion to masquerade as a defense of the truth.

I've seen it so many times.

People who can quote scripture, oh, they can quote it and they can point everything that's wrong in society.

But they won't give 50 cents a nickel to a soul because they'll say, Well, you're wrong because of that sin and you're wrong because of that.

Don't allow your knowledge of the truth to cause your heart to become cold and don't masquerade your lack of compassion as defense of the truth.

I'm standing for truth.

That's why I won't help those people who are such terrible, terrible sinners.

Don't you know Jesus walked amongst sinners?

Don't you know that he went to their homes?

He fellowshipped with prostitutes.

He did all of that.

Don't you ever think you're too good?

Why do we find this dichotomy in so many churches?

You have churches who are staunch on the gospel and they are theologically sound and correct, but they won't help their next door neighbor.

They won't tell their next door neighbor about Jesus.

They won't give them any water to drink, any fruit.

They ignore people who God puts right in front of them.

And then on the other hand, you have folks who give and give, churches who give and give and give, but don't have an ounce of truth.

Listen, God calls for both.

Truth produces compassionate hearts.

If you love the Lord, you'll love people.

Paul, he had tears.

He shed tears and he worked extra overtime.

Not because he needed it, but because somebody else needed it.

Would you stay overtime?

Not for you, or for somebody else?

Maybe someone you don't know?

It's a different mindset.

Would you save?

Would you do overtime just so you'll have something, if maybe somebody asks?

1 John 3.17.

We're done.

But if anyone has this world's goods and sees his brother in need yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?

It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Call.

Watch carefully.

Guard courageously and entrust them to God.

The church, it is God's church.

It doesn't belong to a person, it doesn't belong to an organization.

The church isn't a club.

The church is not a social society, wherever it is none of those things.

The church is the blood, blood.

It is special and it is precious to our Lord Jesus, and everyone that's a part of it is precious to the Lord.

Let us watch out for each other.

Let us protect the church against the wolves coming and also those coming from within.

Because we're all to admonish one another.

It's Colossians 1.28.

We're all to do this.

And at the end of the day, church, all I got for you is the word.

I cry sometimes.

I bet you everyone who has served and loved for others, they have their hearts have been broken.

But at the end of the day, all we can do is entrust you to God.

And his word that is able to build up and do what only the word can do.

So that's all we got.

All we have is him.

It turns out that's all we need.

Thank you, Lord, so much for your word and your grace.

Thank you, Lord, for this truth and help us to live it out, Father.

Help us to be faithful to you and in everything God to point people to you.

Thank you for the church.

Thank you for how you've organized it.

You've set things up.

Thank you, Lord, for the strength that it provides, Lord.

Thank you, Lord.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thank you for purchasing us.

We love you in the name of Jesus, saints.

Let us all say amen and amen and amen.