Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20090524.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Acts: The Continuing Earthly Ministry Of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Part VI: The Ministry Of The Universal Church In Its Spread To The Ends Of The Earth, Acts 8:26-28:31
E. Christ's Use Of The Apostle Paul to Spearhead Worldwide Outreach, Acts 14:4-28:31
22. Christ's Use Of Paul's Foes To Divert Him Toward Best Edifying The Church
(Acts 20:1-12, 13-38)
  1. Introduction
    1. We believers in Christ often view conflicts with spiritual foes as an unproductive trial, but Christ is so sovereign over His Church, He uses such conflicts to augment the discipling process, a fact that should lead us to be very optimistic in facing such conflicts!
    2. Such was the case in Acts 20:1-12, 13-38, and we study this part of Paul's life for appropriate lessons:
  2. Christ's Use Of Paul's Foes To Divert Him Toward Best Edifying The Church, Acts 20:1-12, 13-38.
    1. When Paul left Ephesus, he retraced his second missionary journey, traveling to Macedonia and on into Greece to strengthen the churches he had founded, Acts 20:1-3a; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, map 13.
    2. Paul intended to sail from Greece to Syria where his "home" church of Antioch was located before apparently going down to Jerusalem in time to celebrate Passover, Acts 20:3b with Acts 20:6a, 16.
    3. However, when he was told of a plot by his Jewish foes to kill him on the ship and apparently secretly dispose of his body at sea in order to escape Roman retaliation (since Paul was a Roman citizen), Paul changed his plans: he retraced his steps once again back through Macedonia and sailed from Philippi across the Aegean Sea on to Troas before continuing to Jerusalem, Acts 20:3c-6, 16.
    4. This diversion at first glance may have seemed to be a frustrating trial for Paul, but from the broader view of Church history, we note it was very edifying for the Church Universal (as follows), Acts 20:6-38 et al.:
      1. First, Paul's diversion was necessary for the edification of the Universal Church in Paul's era:
        1. The Lord knew, and repeatedly testified by way of the Holy Spirit to the Christian prophets, that were Paul to go to Jerusalem at this time, he would be bound and soon martyred, Acts 20:22-23, 25.
        2. Were he thus to go directly to Jerusalem, it would shorten his work with new churches, Acts 20:37f.
        3. Well, Paul was undeterred in his will to get to Jerusalem to minister (Acts 21:13-14 with 22:17-21).
        4. Thus, Christ let a threat by his foes occur to divert him from sailing directly to Syria from Greece so he might have one last, impressionable ministry with those he had discipled in Macedonia and Asia!
      2. Second, Paul's diversion was important for the discipling of the Universal Church down through time:
        1. Because of Paul's diversion from sailing from Greece to Syria, we learn from Acts 20:7 that early in Church history, Christians met on the first day of the week in honor of the day of Christ's resurrection! This verse makes the clearest case in Scripture for Sunday to be the meeting day of the Church, and supplies an apostolic precedent for it as well, Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 412-413.
        2. Because of Paul's diversion from sailing from Greece to Syria, he raised a dead believer to life, Acts 20:7-12. The way he did this assures us of Paul's divine gifting, for, as in the work of renowned Old Testament prophets, Elijah and Elishah who raised the dead by prostrating on their bodies, Paul raised Eutychus from the dead the same way, 1 Kings 17:21-22; 2 Kings 4:34-37.
        3. Because of Paul's diversion, we have a record of his final address to the elders of the Church of Ephesus, Acts 20:16-38. That address, especially at Acts 20:28-32, offers great insight and force to the Pastoral Epistles on local church leadership, enriching Church ministry down through the ages!
        4. Because of Paul's diversion, we have a record of Christ's words, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" in his Acts 20:35 address to the elders of Church at Ephesus, for this saying of our Lord exists nowhere in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke or John! (Ibid., Ryrie, ftn. to Acts 20:35)
Lesson: The DIVERSION in Paul's plans CAUSED by the EVIL PLOT of his FOES was USED of the LORD to AUGMENT the discipling of the UNIVERSAL Church in Paul's day and in Church history!

Application: (1) May we not be distraught over facing conflicts with unjust foes that force us to a change in plans, for God USES such diversions to further His plan! (2) If the actions of foes force us to change our plans, may we LOOK for the BETTER opportunities God is granting us in the process!