Latest / Admonition Podcast / How To Say Goodbye (Acts 20:16-38) - Jacob Kennedy - June 17, 2026

Transcript

How To Say Goodbye (Acts 20:16-38) - Jacob Kennedy - June 17, 2026 · Admonition Podcast

0:00
Good evening.
0:03
About that time to get started with the Wednesday evening Bible class here at Collierville.
0:11
Aaron is still in Texas, uh trying to finish up working on a job.
0:19
So he will be back, Lord willing, by Friday.
0:22
But for tonight you'll have to deal with me as a poor substitute.
0:29
We're going to be discussing A Acts chapter twenty.
0:32
So if you would go ahead and be turning to Acts chapter twenty.
0:35
Uh we'll pick up there after our after we say a a quick word of prayer.
0:42
If you would bow with me.
0:46
Almighty God, most holy, most righteous heavenly Father, we thank you for who you are.
0:51
We thank you for your love, for your mercy that you show to us every day.
0:55
Thankful for the sunshine, for the beauty of your creation that surrounds us.
1:00
Thankful, Lord, for the family that we have here at Collierville, that as members of your church, members of your kingdom, we are family.
1:09
Brothers and sisters in Christ united in our common goal of serving you and of reaching the lost.
1:15
Lord, we pray that our minds will be ever focused on the task that's set before us, and we'll always be striving to be those people who will honor you, who will praise your high
1:26
and most excellent name.
1:28
We pray that as we enter this portion of Bible class and Bible study, that we will be attentive to the lessons that we can learn from the book of Acts, and we can learn all
1:37
that we we can from the inspired word that you have left for us.
1:41
We pray, Lord, that we will be those who are students of your word.
1:45
Always learning and always stri striving to apply what we learn so that we can be better servants in your kingdom.
1:53
This we pray in your Son's most holy name.
1:56
Amen.
2:01
In deciding on what to uh study tonight, I thought about just continuing on with the study of prayer, but then I realized this will be my last opportunity to speak to you guys uh
2:13
before I leave school and before I stop working here at Collierville.
2:18
And so I wanted to end on a on a high note, though it is a little little sad to think about the idea of saying goodbye.
2:27
There's
2:28
As we'll notice when looking at this at the text, there's some encouragement to be gained, some uh some strength to be had.
2:39
And looking at this idea of how to say goodbye and how Paul said goodbye to the brethren there in Ephesus.
2:46
And so as we're setting the stage for this study, we know in verse sixteen, starting, for Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus
2:55
Because he would not spend the time in Asia, for he hasted, if it were possible for him to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.
3:05
What we see here is with Paul he is wanting to speak to the brethren there in Ephesus, but he knows he doesn't have the time.
3:12
He knows that he doesn't have time to stop and to make a long visit there, and so he's trying to go past Ephesus and goes to Miletus, as we know when we as we continue.
3:25
But what we are dealing with here is an apostle Paul who is on a mission.
3:30
He has a goal in mind.
3:32
He has a focus in mind.
3:34
He's trying to reach Jerusalem before the day of Pentecost.
3:38
And some have theorized this is because he wanted to show to the brethren of the great works that the Gentiles were doing, and he knew that the most number of of Jews, the most
3:49
number of people who would be most impressed by these acts, these
3:54
the faithfulness of these Gentile brethren would be those Jews and the Jewish brethren that were there for the day of Pentecost.
4:01
Whether or not this is the case, we don't know for sure, but what we do know is this is the fact that Paul has a mission.
4:10
He has a goal in mind and he's striving for that goal.
4:13
He's going towards Jerusalem.
4:15
And in verse seventeen he says, And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church.
4:24
Now, we'll note this later, but Paul spent about three years in Ephesus, ministering to the church there, growing the church there, helping to build up this church in Ephesus.
4:38
And so no doubt he built strong relations and dear friendships with those brethren there.
4:44
But why is it that he calls the elders?
4:48
Why doesn't he just send a general anyone who can come to my leaders and let's talk?
4:54
Why does he single out the elders or the the leaders of the church in Ephesus?
5:08
Giving them a reinforce and a reinforcing message, absolutely.
5:11
It's the idea of you take what I'm about to give you and spread it to everyone else.
5:16
But there's also a specific emphasis that Paul places as we look at this final goodbye he gives of the duty that is laid on these brethren's shoulders.
5:26
As the leaders of the church there in Ephesus, as the elders, they had a responsibility that Paul was saying, This is now your responsibility.
5:34
I was.
5:35
Holding up this mantle.
5:36
I was bearing this burden, but now it's your turn.
5:39
I can't do it any more.
5:41
This is up to it's up to you.
5:43
And we'll notice this more as we continue, but noting the fact that he calls the elders specifically.
5:49
And then in verse 18, and when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons.
6:04
Verse nineteen, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews, and how I kept back nothing
6:16
that was profitable unto you, but have showed you and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, and testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks repentance toward
6:28
God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
6:33
As Paul begins his conversation with the elders, he opens by noting the fact that they can bear witness of him.
6:42
He's calling them to give account of saying, You know what I showed you, you know how I lived, you know what I taught you, you know these things that I have given to you by
6:53
inspiration for you to internalize, for you to exemplify.
7:00
We note in 1 Corinthians uh
7:03
Chapter 11 and verse 1, where Paul says, Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
7:10
Wherever Paul went, as he is living this Christian life, as he is living a life that is faithful and service to God, as he is doing the duty set before him as an apostle of Jesus
7:21
Christ, and as a preacher of the gospel, he's saying, I have lived a life that's an example to you all.
7:31
I've lived a life and you can bear bear record of this.
7:33
You you can test me on this that I've showed you what you need to do.
7:43
And what's interesting is noting how he served them, serving the Lord with all humility.
7:51
When you look at Paul, you really don't see a prideful man.
7:57
You can't help but see someone who has great station, who has great knowledge, who has even could have had great prominence.
8:07
And yet, as Philippians tells us, he counted all but loss for the cause of Christ.
8:13
He was a man who was humble in his actions.
8:16
Corinthians would tell us that he did not come with an excellency of speech, but rather he just simply came proclaiming the gospel.
8:26
In other words, it wasn't about Paul, it was all about Christ.
8:31
That was the example he showed as he was serving the Lord was that, brothers, it's not about me.
8:37
And the example that he's giving to these elders is it's not about you.
8:42
It's not about you as individuals, but it's about God.
8:45
It's about serving Him.
8:47
It's not about making a name for yourselves, but it's about doing what God needs you to do.
8:53
Serving Him with humility.
8:58
And note also that he says, and with many tears.
9:03
We'll see this phrase or denotion of tears several times throughout this goodbye, but what is Paul meaning when he's saying, with many tears he served the Lord among them?
9:16
What's the implication of this terminology?
9:26
What does it show about Paul's care?
9:32
Do I know?
9:41
Absolutely.
9:43
Absolutely.
9:43
He loved the brotherhood and whatever he was whatever they were going through, he was going through.
9:47
He had that sympathy, that empathy for them.
9:52
What we see when the example of Paul is one who truly cared for not only the church as a whole, but also as individual Christians.
10:05
He cared deeply for the Brotherhood.
10:09
for those brethren there in Ephesus, but not just for the brethren.
10:12
Because keep in mind one of Paul's duties, one of his obligations and one of his works as he was serving the Lord was in proclaiming the gospel to the lost.
10:25
So not only was Paul caring deeply for those who were saved, for those who were his brothers and sisters in Christ, but he also cared very deeply for those to whom he
10:34
preached, for those to whom he ministered.
10:40
And that's the example that is set before these Ephesian elders.
10:46
The example that they ought to show to the brethren there in Ephesus and brothers and sisters, the example that we ought to set for each other.
10:54
That we truly love not only one another, absolutely, and having that emotional connection to one another, that deep care and concern for one another, absolutely, but also for your
11:08
neighbor who's lost.
11:11
For your family member who's lost, for your friend who's lost.
11:16
Do you care about them as deeply as Paul is talking about caring for those to whom he taught?
11:27
Picking up in verse nineteen, he still is he continues on by noting the fact that there were temptations which befell befell me by the lying and weight of the Jews, despite the
11:38
physical hardships that he faced, despite the struggles and the trials that he underwent, despite the lies that the Jews were telling, and the false accusations they were bringing
11:51
against him.
11:54
Paul remained faithful to his mission.
11:59
He did not stray from the path.
12:01
He did not abandon the course, but rather he stood true to the cause of Christ.
12:07
He did not let hardship interrupt or stop him from serving God.
12:17
And that's the same thing he's telling the brethren to do.
12:20
As he's giving them this final goodbye, he's saying, Look, you've seen this in me, exemplify it in exemplify it in yourselves.
12:29
Internalize this teaching.
12:34
And picking up in verse twenty of ch of Acts twenty, he says, And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you.
12:43
Paul taught them, and we'll see this again later in verse 27.
12:46
He taught them everything they needed to know.
12:50
He showed them what they needed to learn.
12:52
He taught them the things that they needed to understand from God's word.
12:58
And note that it's not just in a public setting alone.
13:03
As you read the end of the verse, he says, And I've taught you publicly and from house to house.
13:10
Paul was not only one who stood before the brethren and taught.
13:13
He was not only one who would stand before crowds and teach the gospel of Christ.
13:18
He was not only one who would stand before a synagogue of Jews and set and proclaim to them that the old law had been nailed to the cross, and that we're now under the new
13:26
covenant.
13:28
But he also was connected to individuals, teaching from house to house.
13:39
There's a difference when we are teaching the gospel from a place like a pulpit and we're talking about the Bible across the kitchen table.
13:50
Why do you think it is that when Rob talked when Rob was giving us the evangelism training, he talked about the importance of setting them down around the kitchen table?
14:00
Getting them in your home to teach them.
14:03
Because there is a connection there, there is a uh calming nature there.
14:09
It's not of you're the student, I'm the teacher.
14:12
It's not a you're lesser than I am, I'm greater than you are.
14:15
It's a we're in this together striving to learn.
14:20
We're equals in the
14:25
This goes back again to the idea of the humility that Paul showed.
14:30
But this is the example he's leaving for these brethren.
14:36
And note in verse 21, testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, during this time of great separation between the Greeks and the Jews, between the Gentiles and those of the
14:48
circumcision, during this great division, this time of great.
14:54
even hatred towards one another, Paul says, I preach to both.
14:57
I didn't care who you were.
14:59
If you had ears, I'm going to teach you the gospel.
15:03
That's the mindset that Paul had.
15:05
And that's the mindset that he's a encouraging and really commanding these Ephesian brethren to also have.
15:14
And that's also the same mindset we should have as Christians today.
15:18
It doesn't matter who you are.
15:20
If you can hear the gospel, then we're going to do our dead level best to teach it to you, to show you the gospel.
15:31
But what is it that he taught?
15:33
He says he taught repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
15:38
Now, when we think about the idea of repentance, what is what is this?
15:43
What is repentance?
15:50
Change of mind, which brings a change of life.
15:52
Absolutely.
15:53
It's the idea of you're walking this way, but instead of continuing to walk this way, you do an about face and you start walking the other way.
16:02
It's the idea of one who is living a life of sin, who is living away from God, he turns around and starts following Christ.
16:10
Starts following God.
16:14
And the idea of faith here is is this idea of the faith that was once delivered.
16:21
Jude three would talk about.
16:23
It's the system of faith that Christ has laid out for us of how one is to be saved, of how one is to come to a knowledge of Him, and of how one is to be added to the church.
16:36
What's really interesting, we don't have time to go through all of this, but go through the book of Ephesians.
16:43
And note the connections to faith that are found therein.
16:47
It appears uh I wanna say it's a I didn't write down the exact number.
16:54
It's about seven times that faith appears in the book of Ephesians.
16:58
Now, some of y'all can double check me on that if you have a Bible software open real quick.
17:03
But what the point is that in the book of Ephesians, when he's writing to these Ephesian brethren, he emphasizes faith, just as he's emphasizing it to the elders and at Ephesus,
17:16
when he's talking to them at Miletus.
17:19
But this faith, we must understand.
17:22
is the one faith that Ephesians four talks about.
17:26
It's the faith that brings someone to Christ to understand who Christ is.
17:32
That He is exactly who He claimed to be the Son of God.
17:35
And understanding that one believes in that, that fact.
17:41
And doesn't just stop there.
17:45
See, a lot of people will want to take the Bible and they'll say, well, we'll pick this passage and we'll say that this is all one has to do to be saved.
17:54
Well, Paul just taught repentance and faith, so that's all we need to teach, right?
17:58
Just repentance and faith.
18:02
But what is faith?
18:04
We just talked about the fact that it's not just this idea of saying, well, I believe that Christ is the Son of God.
18:12
Faith is much more than that.
18:15
And you would even find in in reference to Paul, he wasn't just saved by saying, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
18:23
Acts 22, 16 tells us that Anis came to him and said, Why are you waiting?
18:29
Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
18:37
The Bible is very plain that there are things we must do to be saved.
18:42
There is a a qualification, if you will, that we must meet.
18:51
But nevertheless, Paul taught them what they needed to know.
18:57
And that's the point he's driving at here is that just as he taught them what they needed to know, these Ephesian elders needed to go and teach the brethren what they needed to
19:05
know.
19:06
The same thing.
19:09
The gospel doesn't really change.
19:12
What we have recorded for us, while it's not in Greek, it's in English, is the same gospel that Paul was teaching.
19:22
It's the same message that the inspired writers wrote all those years ago.
19:32
Continuing on in verse twenty two.
19:37
Paul begins to note this fact that there's danger on the horizon.
19:43
For him he says, And now, behold, I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there.
19:52
Save that the Holy Ghost witnesses in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
20:02
But none of these things move me.
20:05
Neither count I my life.
20:07
dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
20:22
And now behold, I know that ye all I know that ye all among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God shall see my face no more.
20:36
This is the part where we get this idea of a final goodbye.
20:42
Paul looks at these brethren, these men with whom he labored for three years, and he says, You're not going to see my face anymore.
20:52
I'm going to Jerusalem and and the Holy Spirit has told me, and as we note in the next chapter, actually, uh, prophets were sent to tell Paul that, hey, you're going to be bound
21:06
in Jerusalem.
21:07
Bad things will happen to you in Jerusalem.
21:11
He understands this and he says, I don't know for sure what's going to happen, but I know something's coming.
21:17
I know persecution of some kind is coming my way.
21:24
And he knows he's not going to see these brethren again.
21:34
Was so amazing.
21:38
is how he speaks in verse twenty four that despite the fact that he knows bad things are coming, despite the fact that he knows this is going to be the last time he's going to see
21:48
these brethren, these brothers and sisters whom he loved.
21:53
Despite the fact that these elders this was the last time that he would see these men who were elders in the church, he says, But none of these things move me.
22:04
Neither count I my life dear unto myself.
22:11
If there is one word that you could use to to describe the apostle Paul, I would argue that it would be dedicated.
22:20
He was dedicated to the Lord, to the service of his God.
22:28
Are we the same?
22:32
Are we the same that when we look danger in the eye, when we look persecution in the face, when we look the devil in his eye?
22:45
Do we say I'm not moving from serving God?
22:50
I am not going to abandon my post.
22:54
I'm going to keep serving.
22:56
I'm going to keep trying to spread the gospel.
23:01
I'm going to keep striving to be the best Christian that I can be.
23:08
Growing as much as I can.
23:16
Are we as dedicated as as Paul was?
23:20
We can be.
23:23
But it takes a strength of will.
23:25
It takes a commitment to God
23:29
And what motivated Paul so much was the fact of how he knew what he had done.
23:37
He knew the persecution that he had brought upon the church, the harm that he had brought to the body of Christ, and he you can almost see this idea of him having this feeling of I
23:48
owe God for all these crimes that I've committed against him.
23:55
And yet, despite my sin.
23:57
Despite the fact that I was in the wrong and persecuting and harming his church, he still gave me an opportunity to be saved.
24:08
He still washed me and cleansed me of my sin.
24:13
That resonated with Paul.
24:17
He understood what he truly had as being a Christian.
24:23
He was thankful for it.
24:26
So thankful that he wanted others to experience the same joy in ministry.
24:39
Verse twenty six.
24:43
Paul says, Wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
24:59
When Paul references this idea of him being free from the blood of these men, from the blood of the brethren there in Ephesus, what is he talking about?
25:10
What does he mean that his hands are clean?
25:23
He w he did what he thought was right.
25:25
He was doing it living with a clear conscience.
25:27
That's true, but that's not exactly what he's getting at here.
25:31
Walker, did you
25:40
He's done his part.
25:42
When we look at Ezekiel, Ezekiel chapter 3 and verses 18 through 20, God talks to the prophet Ezekiel and he says, I've set you to be a watchman on the wall.
25:52
Now, if the watchman doesn't warn the city, the blood of the innocent are on your hands.
25:58
The blood of those in that city are on your hands.
26:02
You're guilty because you didn't do your job.
26:05
But if you wa if if as the watchman you warn of the coming enemy,
26:10
And they still ignore you, well then you're free from the guilt of their sin.
26:15
You're free from the guilt of their deaths.
26:20
Specifically the application that God places uh on Ezekiel is saying, Ezekiel, you have a message to deliver.
26:27
And if you don't deliver it, then I'm going to hold you accountable.
26:31
I'm going to hold you accountable for the blood of these Jews, for the blood of your brothers and sisters, that you didn't teach.
26:40
And what Paul is saying here is that he's innocent of that blood.
26:44
Because he taught.
26:46
He did what he could to explain to them, to show to them what they needed to know.
26:54
This goes back again.
26:55
You cannot depart or separate, if you will, twenty six with twenty seven.
27:01
Because he's he connects them with that that preposition for, or rather that conjunction for.
27:09
For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
27:12
Why was he free?
27:14
Why was he justified?
27:16
Why was he innocent of their of the blood?
27:20
Because he taught them.
27:22
In essence what Paul is saying is that I did my part.
27:26
Now it's up to you.
27:30
Kind of reminds me of the song we sing, What Will You Do With Jesus?
27:34
He's knocking at the door.
27:38
There's an emphasis in that song of Jesus has done his part.
27:42
He's asking you to come.
27:46
He's done all that he can do save for taking away your free will.
27:51
But what will you do?
27:54
And Paul is saying the same thing.
27:55
I've done my part.
27:57
But what will you do with the message that's been given?
28:02
And verse twenty eight he says, Take heed therefore, because you know these things, because the responsibility is now on your shoulders to take up this mantle.
28:13
Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own
28:24
blood.
28:25
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you.
28:31
Not sparing the flock.
28:34
Also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after themsel after them.
28:43
Therefore, because this danger is here, therefore watch and remember that by the space of three years I cease not to warn every one night and day with tears.
28:56
And now, brethren, I command I commend you to God.
29:00
And to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
29:10
Paul saying a final charge of warning.
29:15
A final call to the fact that there is danger on the horizon.
29:21
That after his departing there were going to be grievous wolves coming in.
29:27
When Paul is saying this, he's he's pointing them to the fact that he was helping them of being a bastion of truth, if you will, of giving them the tr the the knowledge that they
29:40
needed, but with him being gone, with him no longer being there to help them, to excuse me, to support them, to be their strength.
29:51
He says, Now that job is on your shoulders.
29:56
Now that duty is yours to take up the want.
30:03
Take up the call of defence against those who would seek to harm the church.
30:11
Well, brethren, that call is still to us today.
30:16
We have to watch.
30:20
We have to watch ourselves as he begins in verse twenty eight.
30:24
Take heed therefore unto yourselves.
30:31
Now Paul is specifically speaking to elders here.
30:34
Absolutely.
30:36
There is a difference.
30:39
in the role of an elder as opposed to that of a of a s of a regular member.
30:49
But is it not the case that we as Christians are to be watching out for each other?
30:54
Is it not the case that we as Christians are to be looking out for the well being of each other, trying to help each other and striving for the same goal of reaching heaven?
31:09
But how can we do that if our own souls are not right with God?
31:15
How can we help others to avoid the wolves if we ourselves among the pack?
31:23
We have to guard our hearts, brethren.
31:28
Brothers and sisters, we have to watch ourselves and also each other.
31:36
Caring for each other and helping each other to withstand the onslaught that Satan sends against us.
31:45
He wants us to fail.
31:49
Have you ever thought about that?
31:52
Satan does not want these doors to be open.
31:55
He doesn't want the Collierville Church of Christ to exist.
32:02
And he will do what he can to stop us.
32:07
But if our roots go deep into the Word of God, if as Ephesians 6 talks about, we put on the armor of God and we stand together as Christians, as brothers and sisters in Christ,
32:20
as fellow soldiers in the army of the Lord, we can resist the devil.
32:28
And not only push back his advances, but also grow the church.
32:35
But it only comes if we're working together.
32:39
It only comes if our focus is on each other and in making sure that our lives are right with God.
32:50
Now notice that Paul says, I commend you in verse 32 to God and to the word of his grace.
32:57
As Paul's departing, he points them to the one who never will depart.
33:02
He points them to the one who is always with them, the one who is ever present, the one who can strengthen them in trial.
33:13
The one who, as Peter talks about, calls us to cast our cares on him.
33:20
The one who gives us every single piece of the armor of God that we are to be putting on in defense against Satan.
33:30
And to the word of his grace.
33:34
Which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among them which are sanctified.
33:40
What Paul leaves these brethren with.
33:45
He leaves them with a God who's well able to take care of them, who will never leave them.
33:52
And he leaves them with the word of truth, the word of God's grace, which is power.
34:00
Hebrews would describe it as sharper than any two edged sword.
34:04
It's living.
34:07
dangerous in the wrong hands.
34:10
But in the hands of one seeking the truth, it's a powerful weapon.
34:16
In the hands of one who is seeking to know God?
34:19
Brothers, this is all the strength, all the encouragement we need.
34:27
Trust in God and in his word.
34:36
As we look at Paul, we see a man who loves these brethren.
34:43
We see a man who has verse 33 tells us he coveted no man's silver or gold or peril.
34:49
In verse 34, he calls them again and show and reminds them again that they know.
34:56
Ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities and to them that were with me.
35:03
Paul took care of himself.
35:05
He didn't show himself to be a burden on them or just say, Hey, give me some money.
35:10
His point is that he wasn't in it for the money.
35:13
He was in it to save souls.
35:16
I have showed you all things how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to
35:27
receive.
35:28
And when he had thus spoken he kneeled down and prayed with them all, and they all wept sore and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he
35:39
spoke, that they should see his face no more.
35:42
And they accompanied him into the ship.
35:48
In this last goodbye, Paul ends by saying, Give.
35:52
Give of yourselves, yes.
35:55
Give of your means, yes.
35:59
The focus of a Christian is not on storing up wealth.
36:03
The focus of a Christian is not on self, but on how can I help you?
36:10
How can I help you?
36:11
How can I serve you?
36:15
Those who are weak, I'm going to try my best to make them strong.
36:20
That's the mindset that Paul exhibits.
36:22
That's the mindset that we as Christians are to exhibit.
36:27
And brethren, if I may be allowed to brag on you all a bit, that's the attitude I see here.
36:36
A church that loves one another.
36:39
A church that cares for one another.
36:43
A church that says, Oh, you do you need you need something?
36:45
I'll I'll help you any way I can.
37:00
And for that I'm eternally grateful.
37:09
But looking at a few lessons learned as we close tonight.
37:14
Lesson number one, balance emotion and spiritual responsibility.
37:19
As Paul is giving his final goodbye, he has emotion.
37:22
He has tears.
37:24
He cares for the brethren, but he also balances that emotion, that love for the brethren, by saying, There's a job to do.
37:32
We have a responsibility to uphold.
37:37
In the second place, he we have this idea of strengthening those who are left behind.
37:44
Paul doesn't leave the brethren by s with with words that are tearing them down, but rather words that are building them up, that are showing them how they can be faithful,
37:57
that are showing them that just as Paul did these things, so too can they.
38:05
A faithful goodbye strengthens those left behind.
38:09
Number three, share stewardship, not just sentiment.
38:16
Well, Paul showed as he talks to these brethren, he doesn't just sit and reminisce with them.
38:23
He doesn't say, you remember old brother so and so?
38:25
You remember when he did this?
38:28
Those times are good.
38:30
It's fun to laugh.
38:31
It's good, it is good and healthy to have those times where we reminisce.
38:37
But Paul doesn't take these few minutes he has just to sit and reminisce.
38:42
But rather he has a purpose in mind.
38:45
He reminds them, yes, of the things that happened, but it's with the mindset of we share stewardship.
38:54
We share stewardship of the gospel and of our responsibility to share the gospel with others.
39:03
Everyone in this room has been entrusted with the gospel.
39:09
Every single person here who is a Christian knows what needs to be done to be saved.
39:15
And as such, we are stewards of God's truth.
39:19
Stewards of God's good news.
39:23
And our job is to share it.
39:27
Number four, he calls the leaders to watch themselves before they watch others.
39:34
This is true with leaders, absolutely, but it's also true for all of us as Christians.
39:38
We have to examine ourselves.
39:42
We have to watch ourselves before we can watch others.
39:46
We have to make sure that we are people who are diving into the Word of God, striving to learn from it all we can before we can start trying to correct others.
39:57
If our heart is not right with God, then how can we help others' hearts to be right with God?
40:02
Now does this mean that you have to know everything about the Bible, every single question that can arise before you can teach others the gospel?
40:11
No.
40:12
Nor is it saying that you have to have perfect knowledge of everything that happened in the scriptures and every single nuance to any kind of question that might happen before
40:22
you can strengthen the brethren, or before you can call a false doctrine what it is.
40:30
But the point of emphasis here is don't be a hypocrite.
40:34
But just as you encourage others to study, just as you encourage others to be people of the Bible, people whose focus is on what God wants, be that yourself.
40:47
Show them, don't just tell them what it means to be a Christian.
40:53
Number five, pass on the pattern of love, work, and tears.
41:01
Love, this idea of caring for one another, of wanting what's best for you, of saying I'm willing to serve you.
41:10
Work being this idea that we don't shirk labor.
41:14
Say, well, this is just too much work, so I'm not going to do it.
41:18
Brethren, if it's for the Lord, there is no such thing as too much work.
41:22
If it's for the Lord, we need to do our best, everything that we can give to serve the one who gave all for us.
41:34
And tears this idea of sympathy and empathy that we cry when others cry.
41:43
And we laugh when others laugh.
41:46
We share in each other's heartaches and joys.
41:52
That's what it means to be a Christian.
41:56
And finally, number six, entrust people to God.
42:03
The biggest mistake anyone can make is trusting in a man over the Lord.
42:12
Whenever we start putting our faith and trust solely in individuals and not on the Lord God, then we will fall away.
42:24
We will stumble.
42:27
Because our faith is rooted in the wrong source.
42:30
Paul doesn't call them to entrust in him as the as the source of all what it means to be a Christian.
42:37
He exemplified, yes, a Christian life.
42:41
And he calls them to follow that example, but so far as it follows Christ.
42:47
He calls them rather to trust in God, to serve Him, to focus on what He says to do, to study His Word, to learn from it what we need to know.
43:04
Second Timothy three tells us that Scripture has given us all, all that we need to know to be perfect, truly furnished unto every good word.
43:17
We have what we need, but only if we're trusting in the right source.
43:29
Brethren.
43:34
We have a job to do.
43:38
We have a duty that's been laid before us.
43:42
A responsibility that is placed on our shoulders, and it's up to every single one here in this room to uphold the call of Christ.
43:53
To uphold the commands that we read in Scripture, of growing in our own faith, of learning all that we can learn about God's word and what we need to do in our lives, but also in
44:06
sharing the gospel to Holy.
44:14
Paul leaves these brethren with a charge.
44:19
And while I don't claim to be anywhere near the apostle Paul.
44:23
So too I leave you with a charge.
44:26
Keep fighting the good fight.
44:30
Keep serving the Lord.
44:34
Keep growing.
44:35
Keep loving each other.
44:38
Keep being what makes the Collierville Church of Christ so great.