Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev19980712.htm

ACTS: THE LOCAL CHURCH AS GOD'S AGENCY FOR DISCIPLING MEN
Part XLVIII: The Need For Dedication To Completing God's Assignment Above All Other Personal Interests
(Acts 19:21; 20:7-25)
  1. Introduction
    1. Christ provides a gracious salvation by giving the believer hope for eternity. However, though we are given eternal life on a platter, God calls the believer to a lifestyle of self-denial, cf. Mtt. 16:24-27.
    2. Paul tipped his hand in letting us know the enormity of dedication God expects of the believer in fulfilling God's service assignments in Acts 20:7-24 (& 19:21), and we study the passage for direction for today:
  2. The Need For Dedication To Completing Of God's Assignment Above All Other Personal Interests.
    1. In arranging for and conducting his meeting with the church elders of Ephesus at the Miletus seaport, the Apostle Paul gave evidence that he was a very driven man, Acts 20:14-24b:
      1. Paul intentionally chose to sail toward Jerusalem in a ship destined not to stop in Ephesus lest he be drawn by believers there to stay a while and miss the Passover celebration at Jerusalem, Acts 20:14-16.
        1. Luke records the list of ports where Paul's ship docked en route to Syria, Acts 20:3 with 20:14-15.
        2. The port of Miletus where Paul docked according to Acts 20:15 is located 30 miles south of Ephesus, a dock beyond Ephesus in the direction Paul was sailing toward northern Palestine.
        3. Accordingly, Luke explained that Paul had intentionally selected a boat that would not dock in Ephesus as he intended to make it to Jerusalem by Pentecost, Acts 20:16. Had he docked at Ephesus, the many believers he knew there would w ant him to stay and minister, causing him to miss getting to Jerusalem when he had originally wanted to get there, and soon.
      2. Paul nevertheless called for the church elders that he might talk with them in Miletus, Acts 20:17.
      3. In his brief challenge to them, Paul noted that he went bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem, an expression signifying that he felt constrained by the Lord to go there at that time, Bib. Know. Com., N.T., p. 413.
      4. One thing that compelled him to do this was the burden he had that Jerusalem's desperately poor believers receive the offerings other believers under Paul's care had collected for him to give to them, Ibid.; Acts 24:17 with 1 Cor. 16:1. Thus, the love of Christ for believers drove him on.
      5. However, Paul knew by the Spirit's predictions made through many fellow Christian prophets that his trip to Jerusalem would result in troubles and bondage. Paul told the Ephesian elders so, 20:22-23.
      6. Nevertheless, Paul stated he was resolved to head to Jerusalem unmoved by knowledge of such troubles awaiting him there, and stating he didn't even count his life dear to himself in the process, 20:24a,b.
    2. Paul then displayed just WHY he was so driven in his efforts, Acts 20:24-25 in light of Acts 19:21:
      1. Christ had assigned Paul the task of giving the Gospel to the Gentiles and Jews of his day, and of being an Apostle to the Church of Christ, Acts 9:15 with Eph. 3:1-7, 13.
      2. Thus, since Jerusalem was the capitol of the Jews, and Rome of the Gentiles, Paul had set as a goal his ministering the Gospel in Jerusalem while delivering the offerings and evangelizing at Rome, 19:21.
      3. Accordingly, Paul told the Ephesian elders at Miletus that he was unmoved by the troubles from his religious opponents that awaited him in Jerusalem, even if it meant his life, for he was dedicated to finishing Christ's personal assignment to evangelize and minister to the saints' needs, Acts 20:24c,d.
      4. As such, he told the elders that they would not see his face on earth anymore as he knew he was headed toward probable martyrdom in keeping with his ministry assignment, Acts 20:25.
Lesson: Paul laid aside all other personal interests, including saving his earthly life that his religious opponents threatened in order to finish his Christ-given assignment to evangelize and disciple.

Application: (1) Accordingly, if God has personally assigned us a task to accomplish on earth, it is fitting that we subject all other personal interests to fulfilling that assignment, no matter the cost. (2) Now, that assignment will be the use of our spiritual gifting in connection with other believers in the Body of Christ: thus, if we KNOW what our spiritual enabling is, we are obligated to make completing our ministry with that gifting our priority above all other personal interests! (3) Of course, this does not mean we fail in other God-given duties towards families, etc., but that we put fulfilling God's assignment above all other PERSONAL interests!