Acts 20:17-38 - History in the Making

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

Our passion is to experience and express grace. Join us.

Amen. Thank you all.

There are a lot of people here this morning who've known me a long time.

That's exciting and fun for me.

One who's known me longer than almost all of those is my dad, who is here to open God's Word for us this morning.

I got to introduce you to him this summer when he preached and told you then that he is not only the one from whom I learned what it meant to be a man and a husband and a father,

but also learned of the love of God for me and of what it looks like to share that love with others.

He's been my pastor since I was born. I guess it kind of works that way.

And delighted that he is here to open God's Word for us this morning.

Billy Spink.

I always marvel at how the service fits together, and I had nothing to do with the selection of that offertory,

but I think it was chosen for me.

I need thee every hour, and I certainly need the Lord's help as we move forward in this service.

It's a special occasion for us as a family.

Many of us have gathered to celebrate with you as Will is installed here,

and it's a special joy for us to be able to be together with you at Southwood today,

and especially for me to be able to open God's Word to you this morning.

I would invite you to turn in your Bibles or in the Pew Bible to the book of Acts chapter 20,

Acts 20 · chapter mention

and I've picked somewhat of an awkward passage to use this morning,

but I hope at the end of the sermon you'll realize it's not quite as awkward as it might at first appear.

We are making history today, and it's a rare opportunity for us to actually say that we are a part of history.

History is such a special thing, and most of it happens before our time or after our time or somewhere else,

but rarely do we feel like we are actually making history.

But we are.

History is marked by special dates,

dates that are remembered because of special occasions.

Let me get some audience participation here for a moment.

How many of you recognize the date October 31, 1517?

October 31, 1517.

That's not Halloween.

That is when the Reformation was essentially started through Martin Luther's work.

How about July 4, 1776?

Anybody kind of recognize?

Oh, yeah, I figured we'd get a few that would know that.

How about in Huntsville, Alabama,

the date of July 21, 1969?

Ah, okay, when Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon.

How about December 2, 1972?

December 2, 1972.

The famous Punt Bama Punt Iron Bowl.

Now, I just thrilled some of you and the rest of you have just left.

September 11, 2001.

We all recognize that date.

February 14, 2016.

February 14, 2016.

A day that will go down in history,

at least Southwood history,

as the beginning of a new chapter

in your church's ministry.

Imagine you're holding in your hand a book

that tells the history of Southwood Presbyterian Church.

Well, today you move into a new chapter in that book.

What names will be included in this chapter?

What events will be described?

Whose weddings or baptisms will be celebrated?

Will a revival come to Southwood and to Huntsville

and to this presbytery during this chapter?

What staff will be added?

What new faces will appear in the Southwood family portrait?

What ministries will be offered to children and youth

and men and women?

Only God knows the answer to those questions.

But isn't it exciting to think

that we are on the cusp of history today?

We are opening a new chapter of ministry

at Southwood Presbyterian Church.

Now, if you're interested in thinking about church ministry

and church growth,

there are lots of books waiting for your attention.

Everyone seems to have his opinion about what to do

and what not to do.

What to sing and what not to sing.

What to preach and what not to preach.

Some will suggest that to reach the world,

the church must be more of a reflection of the world.

Others will vehemently disagree with that statement.

What I would like to do this morning

is let the Scriptures be our guide

to the type of ministry God desires to see

in the local church.

This local church.

Acts 20 tells the story of the church at Ephesus.

The Apostle Paul had been there for three plus years.

He had ministered effectively there,

but compelled by the Holy Spirit,

he is moving on to Jerusalem.

So as he bids them farewell,

he calls for the elders to gather

and he shares his heart with them.

And this is what happens.

Acts 20 verse 17.

Acts 20:17

Now from Miletus, he sent to Ephesus

and called the elders of the church to come to him.

And when they came to him, he said to them,

you yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time

from the first day I set foot in Asia,

serving the Lord with all humility

and with tears and with trials that happened to me

through the plots of the Jews.

How I did not shrink from declaring to you

anything that was profitable

and teaching you in public and from house to house,

testifying both to Jews and to Greeks

of repentance toward God

and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

And now behold, I am going to Jerusalem,

constrained by the Spirit,

not knowing what will happen to me there,

except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me

in every city that imprisonment

and afflictions await me.

But I do not count my life of any value

nor as precious to myself.

If only I may finish my course

in the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus

to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

And now behold, I know that none of you

among whom I have 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 counsel of God.

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.

I know that after my departure,

fierce wolves will come in among you,

not sparing the flock.

And from among your own selves

will arise men speaking twisted things

to draw away the disciples after them.

Therefore, be alert,

remembering that for three years

I did not cease night or day

to admonish everyone with tears.

And now I commend you to God

and to the word of his grace

which is able to build you up

and to give you the inheritance

among all those who are sanctified.

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

You yourselves know that these hands

ministered to my necessities

and to those who were with me.

In all things 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 said himself,

it is more blessed to give than to receive.

And when he had said these things

he knelt down and prayed with them all.

And there was much weeping on the part of all.

They embraced Paul and 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.

Let's pray together.

Father, these are your words

and we believe they are living and active

sharper than any two-edged sword

and we pray that by your Holy Spirit

you would take the truth contained therein

and write it upon our hearts and minds

as this new chapter of history

at Southwood Presbyterian Church unfolds

that it would unfold according to

your words prescription

and not our own desires.

Do a mighty work here we pray, oh God.

To your glory through Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Amen.

There is plenty in this text.

It's a very long text

and there is plenty that we could

spend lots of time on

but I would like to take from this text

four principles that I feel are critical

for the next phase of history

for Southwood Presbyterian Church.

Four things that I believe

the word of God would tell you

that you need to remember

as you move forward

and make the kind of history

that brings glory to God.

The first of those

is that we are to be alert

to the reality of spiritual warfare.

And I had to decide

which of these principles to put first

and I didn't originally plan

to put this first

but I thought this provides the context.

This provides the environment.

This establishes the climate

in which everything else comes

and it is my friends

that ministry happens

in the midst of spiritual warfare.

My wife and I enjoy receiving

our monthly copy of Branches.

We love to see and read

about what's going on here

at Southwood

and it is really a wonderful place to be

whether it's Trunk or Treat

or a Half K

or Falla Lodge

or Hay Day.

If I were living in Huntsville

this is where I'd be.

You all know what it is

to have a really good time.

But don't forget

that true biblical ministry

is done

in the context

of spiritual warfare.

It is a battle

to do ministry

not a picnic.

Paul didn't know

exactly what would happen

when he left Ephesus

but he says

I know this

verse 29

I know

that after my departure

fierce wolves

will come in among you

not sparing the flock

and from among your own selves

will arise men

speaking twisted things

to draw away the disciples

after them.

He says

I can't tell you

what's going to happen

specifically

but I know this

I know this

from the outside

and from the inside

ministry

is going to be all about

spiritual warfare.

It may be the consequence

of disobedience

or it may be

in the very midst

of obedience

but it will come.

Adam and Eve

didn't have to wait long

before the tempter

came to them.

The Lord Jesus

began his ministry

in the wilderness

being tempted

by the devil.

Paul will later

write a letter

back to these Ephesians

in which in the 6th chapter

he will talk about what?

Spiritual warfare

and the armor of God.

In fact

in this particular passage

he says

the Holy Spirit

testifies to me

in every city

that imprisonment

and afflictions

await me.

Spiritual ministry

happens in the context

of spiritual warfare.

Most of us would agree

that 9-11

has changed a lot

about the way we live.

The threat of terrorism

of the unknown

the unforeseen

the unexpected

is now just a way

of life for us

in this world

and safety

and security

are on our radar

all the time.

But if that's how we live

in a general way

how much more

should the church

of the Lord Jesus Christ

understand

that as we move forward

in ministry

we should expect

anticipate

prepare for

and respond to

any form of opposition

that should come to us

from the outside

or again

from the inside.

Paul wanted the Ephesians

to remember that

and to tread

carefully

and prayerfully.

I love the words

of the hymn

lead on

O King Eternal

the day of March

has come

henceforth

in fields of conquest

thy tent

shall be our home

through days

of preparation

your grace

has made us strong

and now

O King Eternal

we lift

our battle

song.

May that be

the theme

of Southwood

as it goes forward

in the days ahead.

Principle number two

be convinced

of the centrality

of the gospel.

What the heart

is to the body

the gospel

is to the ministry

of the church.

Neglect your physical heart

and you will pay

the consequences.

You will reap

the benefits

or the lack

of benefits.

Nurture it

treasure it

preach it

live it

the gospel

and the power

of God

may be unleashed

among you.

Listen to what

Paul says

in verse 24.

He says

I don't account

my life

of any value

nor as precious

to myself

if only I may

finish my course

in the ministry

that I receive

from the Lord Jesus

to testify

to the gospel

of the grace

of God.

Why was he

on this planet?

Not to accumulate

a portfolio

of funds

and resources

and mutual funds?

He was on

this planet

to testify

to the grace

of God

the gospel

of the grace

of God.

It was the gospel

that consumed

his focus

and his energy

it was the gospel

that burned

in his heart

it didn't matter

what else he accomplished

if he failed

to herald

the gospel.

And so when he

writes to the Romans

he said

it's the gospel

that's the power

of God

unto salvation

to the Jew first

and also to the Greek.

When he writes

to the Corinthians

and he talks

about all the issues

that they're dealing

with in Corinth

he says

I determined

to know nothing

among you

except Jesus Christ

and him crucified.

When he writes

from a Roman prison

to the Philippians

he says

I'm surrounded

by people

that speak

the gospel

from envy

or selfishness

but hey

I rejoice

that the gospel

is going forth.

And to those

same Philippians

he says

only let your manner

of life

be worthy

of the gospel

of Christ

so that whether

I come and see you

or am absent

I may hear of you

that you are standing

firm in one spirit

with one mind

striving side by side

for the faith

of the gospel.

What a glorious

statement to make

as those of us

who leave town today

we go back

our separate ways

we say

I pray

that you will stand

arm in arm

side by side

hand in hand

for the message

of the gospel.

Sometimes we take

the gospel for granted

and act as if

we can graduate

from gospel application

to deeper things

and higher things.

I can assure you

when we think that way

the devil

smiles.

Principle number three

never forget

the identity

of the people

you serve.

Never forget

the identity

of the people

that surround you.

Look around you

at the people

in this congregation

this morning.

Who are they?

How many times

do we distinguish

ourselves

or identify

ourselves

by age

or vocation

or background

or college allegiance

or something else?

Sometimes we want

to be defined

by our successes

and sometimes

unfortunately

we are defined

by our failures.

But in the ministry

of God's church

all of that

is secondary.

Paul tells

these elders

in verse 28

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

or purchased

with his own blood.

The people around you

are a flock.

Psalm 100 says

we are his people

the sheep

of his pasture.

Jesus saw people

as sheep

without a shepherd

and he had compassion

on them.

He said he was

the good shepherd

and he would lay down

his life for his sheep.

Verse 28 says

that he would purchase

the church of God

with his own blood.

We are not to be defined

by our job

or our age

or our position

or our allegiance

to this school

or that school.

We are to be defined

by our relationship

to God

through the gospel.

These sheep about you

will need tenderness

and patience

but they will also need

instruction

and correction.

They will demand

all the time

that you can give

to them

but they will then

bless you

in ways

that you could

never anticipate.

You know

it doesn't really matter

where you come from

in Huntsville.

What part of Huntsville

you've come from today

to be here at Southwood.

It doesn't matter

if you're still

an intact nuclear family

or whether that family

blew up some time ago.

It doesn't matter

if you appear

squeaky clean

on the outside

or have battle scars

on your faces.

When you come

through these doors

we all come

as sinners

in need of a savior

as sheep

in need of a shepherd

as broken

in need of healing

as strugglers

in need of help.

The diversity

that we see

among us

is trumped

by our common need

grace

and our common hope

Christ.

And so Paul said

to the Galatians

in Christ Jesus

you are all sons

of God

through faith.

There is neither

Jew nor Greek

slave nor free

male nor female

for you are all

one in Christ.

To the Corinthians

he would say

for just as the body

is one and as many members

and all the members

of the body

though many

are one body

so it is with Christ

for in one spirit

we were all baptized

into one body

whether Jew or Greek

slave or free

and all were made

to drink of one spirit.

The unity

that we have

in Jesus Christ

trumps all the diversity

that would separate us

from one another.

And Southwood

Presbyterian Church

needs to move forward

with that sense

of unity

where rich

and poor

black

and white

young

and old

tied

and war eagle

all find

in Jesus Christ

a unity

that propels you

forward

in ministry

to one another

and through this church

to the community.

Finally

principle four

remain devoted

to the priority

of faithful

biblical

instruction.

There are always

temptations

in ministry

to bounce

from one

contemporary issue

to the next

to always want

to sound relevant

and in touch

and to make

the congregation

feel like

they're on the

cutting edge

of current debate.

I confess

the fear

that I have

in my own heart

after 34 years

in the same place

is that someone

would describe

my ministry

as miles wide

and inches deep.

Miles wide

inches deep.

Paul certainly

seemed devoted

to faithful teaching.

He says in verse 20

I did not shrink

from declaring

to you anything

that was profitable

and teaching you

in public

and from house

to house.

I didn't back off

from anything

whether it was

public or private.

He says in verse 27

I did not shrink

from declaring

to you

the whole

counsel

of God.

That's a strong

statement.

The whole

counsel of God.

There wasn't anything

I was afraid

to talk about.

No issue

that I wouldn't raise.

He didn't hesitate

to demand

that people think.

He didn't apologize

for apologetics.

He valued

sound doctrine

and he appealed

for a response

to biblical truth.

Notice verse 21

testifying both

to Jews

and to Greeks

of repentance

toward God

and of faith

in our Lord

Jesus Christ.

Repentance

toward God

and faith

in the Lord

Jesus Christ.

He said I pounded

that over and over

again.

Why?

Because it is

through repentance

and faith

that one comes

into the kingdom

and it is true

that through repentance

and faith

one walks

and travels

in the kingdom.

we cannot assume

that a busy church

is necessarily

a solid church.

There are lots

of churches today

that are keeping

their people

very busy

and very tired

but building

on a very sandy

foundation.

Theologian David

Wells recently

examined the weaknesses

of today's

evangelical church

and prescribed

some steps

toward renewal.

Listen to what

he says.

We must recover

the lost word

of God.

If we do not

recover the

sufficiency

of the word

of God

in our time

if we do not

relearn what it

means to be

sustained by it

nourished by it

disciplined by it

and unless our

preachers find

the courage

again to preach

its truth

we will lose

our right

to call ourselves

Protestants.

We will lose

our capacity

to be the people

of God

and we will

set ourselves

on a path

that leads

right into

the old

discredited

liberal

Protestantism.

we have to

recover a vivid

otherworldliness

by making

ourselves once

again captives

to the truth

of God

regardless of

the cultural

consequences.

That is

the first

thing.

May Southwood's

reputation be in

this next chapter

of its history

that this is

where the word

of God

is faithfully

thoroughly

and carefully

taught

and if people

want to come

and leave

because you

take the word

of God

too seriously

let that not

distract you

from the call

to make disciples

presenting everyone

mature

in Christ.

So Paul

leaves Ephesus

wondering

what's going

to become

of his beloved

Ephesian church

but he does

not wonder

without hope.

In verse 32

it says

and now

Paul says

I commend

you to God

and to the

word of his

grace

which is able

to build you

up and to

give you

the inheritance

among all

those who

are sanctified.

He says

I commend

you to God

because after

all it is

God who

bought his

church

and it's

God who

builds his

church

it's God

who makes

things grow

it is God

who works

in us

both to will

and to do

for his good

pleasure

it is God

who is able

to do exceeding

abundantly

above all

that we

ask or

imagine

it is God

who is able

to make

all grace

abound to

us

Paul says

I commend

you to God

and to

the word

of his

grace

not just

to the

word

grace

we're

great

at taking

the word

grace

and throwing

it around

all the time

using it

all the time

so that it

means relatively

nothing

but Paul

says I commend

you to the

word of his

grace

for it

is the

word of

his

grace

that

revives

the soul

and makes

wise

the simple

and rejoices

the heart

and enlightens

the eyes

and endures

forever

it is the

word of

his grace

which is

living and

active

sharper

than any

two-edged

sword

the word

of his

grace

does not

eliminate

spiritual

disciplines

like prayer

and bible

study

it promotes

those

disciplines

not in a

have to

mentality

but in a

want to

mentality

not to

satisfy

somebody's

list

of

do's

and

don'ts

but to

build a

relationship

that satisfies

you

in the

Lord Jesus

himself

how does

that happen

because the

word of his

grace always

points us

in one

direction

not to

ourselves

and not

to each

other

but to

the word

of grace

made

flesh

the lamb

of God

who takes

away the

sin of the

world

the one

from whom

we have

all received

grace

upon grace

God

and his

word of

grace

are able

to build

you up

and give

you an

inheritance

among all

those

who are

sanctified

February

14th

2016

a day

in history

you were

here

you were

here when

it began

this new

chapter of

Southwood

Presbyterian

Church history

is to

begin

to be

written

today

and I

would

hope

that the

pages

of this

chapter

will be

stained

by the

same

thing

that

marked

Paul's

labor

among

the

Ephesians

see if

you can

detect

it

Paul said

you

yourselves

know

how I

lived

among you

the whole

time

from the

first

day

that I

set

foot

in

Asia

serving

the

Lord

with

all

humility

and

with

tears

tears

therefore

be

alert

remembering

that

for

three

years

I

did

not

cease

night

or

day

to

admonish

everyone

with

tears

and when

he had

said all

these

things

he knelt

down

and prayed

with them

all

and there

was much

weeping

on the

part

of all

as they

embraced

Paul

and kissed

him

tears

you see

Paul's

warnings

were

sounded

in

love

the

gospel

was

declared

in

love

the

church

identity

was

cultivated

in

love

his

instruction

was

given

and

received

in

love

the

important

thing

is not

ultimately

how

big

Southwood

becomes

but

how

deep

not

what

the

community

thinks

about

you

but

how

much

love

the

community

sees

in

you

not

who

rises

to

lead

but

who

bows

to

serve

not

how

much

truth

you

accumulate

but

how

much

love

you

demonstrate

not

even

how

much

recognition

you

gain

in

the

community

but

how

much

glory

God

receives

may

this

chapter

end

as

Paul's

did

with

tears

of

joy

for

all

that

God

did

by

his

power

and

for

his

glory

in

the

lives

of

ordinary

people

who

met

an

extraordinary

savior

in the

classrooms

and

hallways

and

nurseries

and

youth

rooms

and

sanctuary

of

Southwood

Presbyterian

Church

and in

the hearts

of each

of you

as you

begin

today

to write

the next

chapter

in the

history

of your

church

write

well

my

friends

write

well

with the

gospel

before

you

let's

pray

father in

heaven

thank you

for

this

special

day

as we

mark

a new

chapter

in the

history

of

Southwood

Presbyterian

Church

a history

that we

are all

excited

to see

develop

before us

may it

be a

history

that is

marked

by the

gospel

of the

grace

of God

may it

be a

history

that is

marked

by impact

for the

glory

of God

and the

extension

of God's

kingdom

may it

be a

history

in which

ordinary

people

fall in

love

with an

extraordinary

savior

and tell

the world

all about

him

for we

pray this

in Jesus

name

amen

for more

information

visit us

online

at

southwood.org