After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the
disciples. And when he had exhorted them and
taken his leave of them, he left to go to Macedonia.
When he had gone through those districts and
had given them much exhortation, he came to Greece.
And there he spent three months. And when a plot
was formed against him by the Jews as he was
about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return
through Macedonia. And he was accompanied by
Sophater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by
Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians,
and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, Antiochus and
Trophimus of Asia. But these had gone on ahead
and were waiting for us at Troas. We sailed from
Philippi after the days of unleavened bread and
came to them at Troas within five days, and there
we stayed seven days. There are several common
sentiments among evangelical Christians that
are fairly prevalent throughout the world. And
I would say especially in rural parts of the
U .S. as well. Some of those sentiments might
come like this. I don't need the church, corporately
or organizationally. I have my Bible. I know
how to read it. And I have the Holy Spirit. I
don't need the church. And a modern rendition
of that is I don't need to go to church when
I can just watch church or view church through
the internet or through a live stream. I can
benefit that way. That is my church. There's
all kinds of sentiments. that are related and
interrelated to those. Today in our text we'll
find that the text addresses these very clearly,
and that the church is integral and primary to
the Apostle Paul's plans in the book of Acts.
The church is integral and primary to the book
of Acts itself. That's what the book of Acts
is all about. We have been outside of the book
of Acts for some time. So if we just think back
and remember what the book is about, you'll recall
that the disciples were waiting in the upper
room. And they were waiting for the promise of
the Holy Spirit so that they could bear witness
to the truth about who Christ is. And we find
in the book of Acts that the ascended, the risen
and ascended Lord Jesus sends his spirit to dwell
within his church. And then from that period
on, we see that the Lord Jesus is building his
church mightily and powerfully. We see that the
Lord Jesus Christ is bringing saints in. He's
gathering them in. He's growing and building
and blessing. And it is gradually and progressively
expanding outward into the world. Because the
gospel is going from the Jewish nation out to
the Gentile nation. And so we see this work its
way out throughout the book of Acts. We see Pentecost
in Acts chapter 2. And then we see the same thing
when... Philip is preaching in Samaria to the
half -Jews, half -Gentiles essentially, where
Christ pours out His Spirit on those in the preaching
of the Word. And then what happens in Acts 10
with the household of Cornelius? The same thing.
This time the Spirit is being given and men are
being saved who are Romans. So it's going further.
It's expanding further. And then in Acts chapter
19, we see the same thing again. We see the gospel
crossing these boundaries that it's never done
so before when it saves full -blown idol -worshipping
pagans in Ephesus. In Acts chapter 19 is just
a whole narrative about Paul's blessed and powerful
ministry in the city. Of Ephesus. This is really
what the book of Acts is all about. The establishment.
And the expansion. Of the church in the world.
And the preaching of the gospel. That builds
the church. And calls in the church. In the power
and strength. Of the Holy Spirit. Today we find
a summary. Of Paul's missionary endeavors. If
you remember Paul. Has three missionary journeys
essentially. The first and the second. And our
narrative today falls into his third missionary
journey. So today we have to consider really
two things. We have to consider the apostles
travels. And then we have to consider the apostles
ministry. in those travels to the churches. So
first, the apostles' travels. In verse 20, in
verse 1 of chapter 20, we read this. After the
uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples,
and when he exhorted them and taken his leave
of them, he left to go to Macedonia. So remember
the big riot, the big uproar in Ephesus that
was stirred up by Demetrius, the silversmith,
and many other individuals? It's after that.
It almost seems as though Paul's ministry in
Ephesus is no longer as effective and productive
because of that. And so he realizes it's time.
to move along and to go more and to continue
in his apostolic function and checking on the
churches and building and establishing the churches.
And so we find that he leaves Ephesus following
this uproar. And where does he go? Macedonia,
which is where we find the book of the church
of Philippi. If you recall in Acts chapter 16,
I believe, Paul has a vision of a man from Macedonia
that's calling for him, appealing to him, come
help us, evangelize us, preach the gospel here.
So Paul had planted churches there. So he leaves
Ephesus to go to Macedonia. He arrives and stays
in Greece. Most likely this is referring to Achaia.
or the area of Corinth. He's there for three
months, most likely during the winter, when sailing
and travel would have been much more difficult.
And it's during this time that he writes the
book of Romans. Now that's significant for us,
brothers and sisters. It's on this journey, while
he's in Greece, while he is... ministering to
the churches that he writes the glorious in the
great book of Romans. We can see that throughout
several sections of Romans where he's referencing
Ephesus and his third missionary journey. Now
Paul originally intends to go back to Syria and
Antioch. which is his sending church, the one
that sponsors his missionary journeys, the one
that approves him and has ordained him as a minister
to go and do such things. Syria and Antioch,
if you recall, it's the ethnically diverse church
with Jew and Gentile, but it's primarily a Gentile
church. And so Paul intends to go back to Syria
and Antioch, but he doesn't. Why not, according
to the text? Why doesn't Paul sell to Syria and
Antioch? Because he discovers a plot to kill
him. Most think that there was a group of zealous
Jews that would get on the ship with him and
take his life prior to his return to Syria and
Antioch. Somehow, in God's providence, in God's
grace, This is brought to the apostles' attention.
So he reorients, he shifts, and he changes his
plans last minute. And what's he do? He just
goes back the same way that he came, over land
travel, and he returns through Macedonia to Troas,
which is where we'll pick up next week, starting
in verse 7, when it says, on the first day of
the week, when we were gathered together to break
bread, Paul began talking to them. He's in Troas
here, and it's his return from this last ditch
or this last trip that he's taken. Now, when
we think about these travels, we forget oftentimes
how much common grace we have in... traveling
and in trips. We think about the progression
of travel and journeys throughout the history
of the world. Things have progressed and changed
quite a bit. We think about how difficult it
would have been for the apostle. This would have
taken great effort and diligence thinking about
these trips and these travels and these journeys
and these... these missionary endeavors to check
in on the churches. It was dangerous. It was
hard. We can think a little bit later in the
book of Acts. Do you remember when he's being
transported on the ship? And what takes place
on the ship? It crashes. It runs aground. They
have to go on to the island of Malta. That's
what it was like, brothers and sisters. We can
read about many of the... events and circumstances
in the Old Testament where men were traveling
from this part of the tribe to this part of the
tribe, especially in the book of Judges, when
Israel is chaotic, and how dangerous it was for
traveling. That's very similar to how it was
in Paul's day. He didn't hop in a car and drive
to his destination in comfort and safety for
the most part. No, they had to deal with the
threat of weather, the threat of robbers, theft,
death, sickness, disease, and typically they
traveled by foot, which required a great deal
of determination and energy for the person that's
traveling. So we think about this. Why in the
world is the Apostle Paul pressing on in these
endeavors? Why in the world is the Apostle Paul
continuing to press himself in the ministry and
the service of the Lord Jesus Christ? Well, it
demonstrates and shows us his continued willingness
to serve the living God that has saved him. It
demonstrates and shows us his ongoing willingness
to sacrifice. for the kingdom of God. It demonstrates
and shows us his zeal for the gospel and the
church and lost and dying souls. In a sense,
we really see the continued results and fruit
of his dramatic conversion and change in Acts
chapter 9 on the road to Damascus. If we go ahead
and turn there, we'll read some of this. We read
in Acts chapter 9. Now Saul, still breathing
threats and murder against the disciples of the
Lord, went to the high priest and asked for letters
from him to the synagogues at Damascus so that
if he found any belonging to the way, both men
and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
As he was traveling, it happened that he was
approaching Damascus and suddenly a light from
heaven flashed around him. And he fell to the
ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul,
Saul, why are you persecuting me? And he said,
Who are you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus, whom
you are persecuting. But get up. and enter the
city, and it will be told what you must do. This
is the conversion and call of the great apostle.
And he was never the same after this, brothers
and sisters. After this day, all the zeal, all
the focus, all the obsession, all the attention
that he had previously given to the persecution.
And slaughtering of the way or the church. He
now reorients because of the power of God apprehending
him. And it is directed into ministry and service
of Christ and his church. And that work of grace
in Paul's life never ever ceases. It never stops.
The reason he perseveres in his ministry, the
reason he perseveres in his calling as an apostle,
the reason he perseveres in his travels, in his
labors, the reason he is diligent, is because
of this work of grace in his soul that sustains
him and drives him forward. It's the grace of
God working in him to compel him and preserve
him and sustain him in his salvation and in his
calling in his life. We read the same thing in
1 Corinthians chapter 15, where Paul says this,
After that he appeared to more than 500 brethren
at one time. Most of him remained until now,
but some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared
to James. Then to all the apostles. And last
of all. As to one untimely born. He appeared
to me also. This is the apostle speaking. For
I am the least of all the apostles. I am the
least of the apostles. And not fit to be called
an apostle. Because I persecuted the church of
God. But by the grace of God. I am what I am.
And his grace toward me did not. prove vain.
But I labored even more than all of them. Yet
not I, but the grace of God with me. What is
it that's compelling the apostle forward in his
missionary endeavors, brothers and sisters? It
is the powerful and the effective grace of God
working in him. God's work in his saints is always
powerful and is always effective. His zeal is
manifest and evident, brothers and sisters, in
this text. Every single person who is genuinely
and truly converted will have a desire and longing
to serve Christ and to bring glory to His name
in some way, shape, or form. Every single one.
That does not mean that every believer will get
in a pulpit and preach. That does not mean that
every believer will be a deacon. That does not
mean that every believer will serve in the same
capacity, in the same way. But listen, brothers
and sisters. When you have experienced the grace
of God in your heart, When you've experienced
the power of God in your very own soul, and He
has changed you and transformed you, and He has
forgiven your sins, there will be a longing and
a desire in you to bear fruit for His kingdom
and for His glory, to do good for His namesake.
That is what it means to serve Christ as a believer,
to work and labor and minister with an eye to
His glory and His name. Every believer will have
that. His grace will not prevail in any believer.
His grace is always effective in the life of
his people. So we see this in the apostles' travels.
But what of his ministry? on his travels and
in and through his travels. Paul wasn't simply
traveling, he wasn't just gallivanting around
nonchalantly trying to figure out what he would
do. There was purpose in his travels. There is
a reason he went to the places that he went.
And what was that reason? It was the church.
It was the church local and the church abroad
in that area in that day. Paul's ministry was
for the church. It was toward the saints. This
is why we read in Acts 20, after the uproar had
ceased, Paul sent for the disciples. Then we
see, when he had gone through those districts
and had given them much exhortation, he came
to Greece. Why did he go to Greece? Because there
was churches there. Why did he write Romans while
he was on that three -month stay? Because he
cared about the church at Rome. Why did he want
to go back to Syria and Antioch, brothers and
sisters? Because the church at Antioch was there.
He wanted to encourage them and report back the
works and the wonders that God had been doing
and through the ministry that he had been entrusted
with. Why did he call the disciples to himself?
Because he wanted to minister to the disciples
before he left. and before he went to Macedonia.
Why did he go through Macedonia? Because there
was Philippi. He traveled the way that he did
and he went to the places that he did because
there were churches in those places. His ministry
as an apostle was two and four. The church of
Jesus Christ. But he also longed. To reach those
who had not heard the gospel. So when he writes
Romans. On that three month stay. During this
time. He mentions his desire. And his plans.
And his intention. To go to Spain. Where people
had not been evangelized. So Paul. His ministry
is directed toward the church for the saints,
but he's always got an eye on unbelievers as
well. Ultimately, Paul's aim and the object of
his ministry is the glory of God and Christ Jesus.
But in this world, do you know where that object
rests? Do you know where that zeal, Finds its
sweet spot. The church of Jesus Christ. We love
Christ. And we honor Christ. By loving the church
in this world. If we want the aim and object
of our lives. And our work and our service. To
ultimately be for the glory of God in Christ.
Then brothers and sisters. We must. have as our
object in this life, in this world, the church
of Jesus Christ, those whom Christ died for.
Now there's a unique aspect of this because Paul
is an apostle. His heart is bound not just to
a single local church, but it's bound to the
church universal. Because he had authority over
every known and established church in the world
at that time as an apostle of Jesus Christ. So
there's a unique aspect of this with the apostle.
But nonetheless, the principle still applies,
and we see that clearly in Scripture. Christians'
hearts ought to be bound. and intertwined with
the people of God in this world. His ministry
was for the church, but his heart was also bound
to the church. This is clear and obvious from
the text, isn't it, brothers and sisters? Paul
has a heartfelt longing and desire. He has an
affection for the people of God. He has a burden
for them. He cares for them. And he has a concern
for them. We see this in places like 2 Corinthians
chapter 11. Paul literally says this same thing.
In verses 28 and 29 we read these words. And
he's been listing all the physical trials and
hardships. Of his ministry. And here's what he
says. Apart from such external things. There
is the daily pressure on me of concern for all
the churches. He was weak without my being weak.
He was led into sin without my intense concern.
If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains
to my weakness. If we turn to the book of Philippians.
We read this. I thank my God in my remembrances
of you, always offering prayer with joy in my
every prayer for you all, in view of your participation
in the gospel from the first day until now. For
I am confident of this very thing, that he who
began a good work in you will perfect it until
the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right
for me to feel this way about you all. And listen
to what he says. Because I have you in my heart.
Paul is saying that he has the Philippian church
in his heart. Since both in my imprisonment and
in the defense and confirmation of the gospel,
you all are partakers of grace with me. For God
is my witness how I long for you all with the
affection of Christ Jesus. Paul had a heartfelt
desire and longing for the people of God. His
heart's affections were intertwined with the
names and faces of the people that made up the
churches that he ministered. This motivated and
drove him in ministry and this pulled him and
compelled him and pushed him in his service.
It's out of this affection, it's out of this
love, it's out of this concern and this burden
that he has for the people of God that he definitively
marks his ministry by exhortation. We notice
this in Acts 20, clearly. He says in chapter
20, verse 1, when he had exhorted them, and then
we read in verse 2, when he had gone through
those districts and had given them much exhortation.
Now, Luke is summarizing the entirety of his
ministry work in that trip. As exhortation. So
what is this exhortation that Paul thinks is
so valuable, so significant, so important that
he has to facilitate it and administer it and
provide it to the people of God? This word exhortation
means to urge or appeal or comfort. Strengthen
or persuade. There's many examples of this throughout
scripture. Peter exhorts his hearers to be saved
in Acts chapter 2, verse 40. The Ethiopian exhorts
Philip to sit down and teach him what the scriptures
say. There's a heartfelt imploring. Almost a
pleading. Listen. Have your ears open. There's
a heartfelt desire that is almost sensed in the
words that are conveyed and communicated. Barnabas
was an exhorter. He was an encourager. He was
a strengthener. We read in Acts 14 .22. That
exhortation is what was strengthening disciples
to remain strong in the faith. Do you remember
in Acts 16, the Macedonian vision of the man
from Macedonia pleading with Paul to come? He
was exhorting Paul. He was imploring, urging
Paul to come to Macedonia. And what is it that
exhortation is in? It's in the Word of God, the
Scriptures. So Paul, out of his affection and
his love, defines his ministry by exhortation
in the Word of the living God. And this is coupled
with prayer. When he wrote Romans 1, He talks
about how he longs to come and impart a spiritual
gift to them through the preaching of the gospel.
But we also find in Romans 1 that he says, God
is my witness how I pray for you all. So Paul's
exhortation in the word is coupled with Paul's
prayer and intercession for the people of God.
It's because he was so concerned for them and
because he cared for them that he gave himself
to exhortation in their lives. He knew this was
their greatest need in their lives. If you had
one thing that you could say to a group of disciples
prior to leaving, whether you would see them
ever again, what is it that you would say? Would
you give them worldly wisdom? Sentimental stories
from your childhood or your life or your situation
or your relationship? Or would you choose to
exhort them, encourage them, and strengthen them
in the Word of God? What does Paul do whenever
he calls the disciples to himself as he's leaving
Ephesus to go to Macedonia? He exhorts them in
the truth of the scriptures. Why? Because he
knows the greatest need of their soul is not
food. The greatest need of their life is not
worldly wisdom or fairy tales or fun ideas. But
they need the word of God and they need to be
encouraged and strengthened in the word of God.
It's the need of the soul, brothers and sisters.
God has ordained that exhortation in the Word
coupled with prayer be a means of grace by which
Christians and churches are established and strengthened
in their faith, in their sanctification, in their
holiness. In their pursuit of Christ and who
He is. He knew this was what they needed more
than anything else. The greatest need of the
church today is not what many churches think
the greatest need of the church today is. The
greatest need of the church today Is exhortation
in the word of God coupled with prayer that it
might be effective and powerful? It is in person
exhortation in the truth of the Holy Scriptures
in the form of teaching and preaching. This is
one of the reasons. That Grace Fellowship Church
is fairly simple in its structure, its format,
and its programs and ministries. While there's
all kinds of things that the church can do to
pretty itself up, to try and reach the carnal
man, there's only a few things that the church
needs to do, that it must do, in order to be
honored by God. And what is that? preaching the
Word, teaching the Word, and have it blessed
by the Spirit of God because men have sought
to pray for the Word. That's the reality of it,
brothers and sisters. If churches will give themselves
to this, I genuinely and truly believe that the
living God will bless that place. We don't need
all the fluff. We don't need all the distinct,
targeted programming. We need the Word of God,
brothers and sisters. That is what your soul
needs as a disciple in Christ. That is what this
church needs as a body in Christ. The Word of
God, whether it be preaching from the pulpit
or teaching in Sunday school. What God has to
say. And that is the most significant, the most
important thing that we can give ourselves to
as believers. Do you want to be established in
your faith? As an individual believer? Do you
want to be strengthened? and your holiness and
your godliness in your life? I want you to be
strengthened in your holiness and godliness.
Do you want your joy to be increased and bolstered
in life? Do you want to know further depths of
sanctification and holiness in your life? Do
you want to know the depths of grace in your
soul? Then hear me well, brothers and sisters.
Open up your ears and open up your hearts to
receive the Word of God and you will be strengthened.
You will be built up. You will be edified. Because
that is what God has ordained exhortation and
prayer to do in the life of his people. Reject
it. Close your ears. Shut off your heart. And
you will stagnate. Your joy, it will be turned
off like a water faucet. You will be dry and
you will be cold. But give yourselves to the
means that the sovereign God of the world has
ordained and you will be built up and you will
be grown and you will be shaped and you will
be further molded into the image and the likeness
of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and all His
glory and all His righteousness and all His holiness.
We need the Word of God. You need the Word of
God. I need the Word of God in my life. We must
keep the primary things primary. The Word and
prayer. And we must be blessed by the Spirit
of the living God. When we think about this text
overall and we think about what the heartbeat
of this text is, what is it? It's the local church
brothers and sisters. That's what's motivating,
driving. That's what the cause. It's the underlying
current of all that is going on in this section
of Acts. And the local church is what is driving
Paul in his ministry. And listen, Paul has prioritized
the church. And it's because he has prioritized
the church that he, and it's out of an affection
for the church, that he prioritizes the ministry
of the Word and prayer for the church. Think
about how much the Lord Jesus himself values
his people. Every single person that knows Jesus
Christ, wherever they're at on the scale of sanctification,
wherever they're at on the growth in holiness
and godliness, However much of God's grace they
know, whether they're a newborn baby or they're
a mature saint that's grown up into godliness.
Do you know how much Jesus Christ values that
individual? Do you know where the church is at
on the priority scale of Christ's heart? Will
we ever prioritize the church as much as Christ
prioritizes the church? Will we ever have such
a concern and a burden and a love for the people
of God like Christ has for his people? Brothers
and sisters, why did Christ die? For the church.
Why did Christ raise from the dead? For the church.
What is Christ doing mediating now? He is working.
And he is mediating for the church. Why will
Christ return brothers and sisters? To save his
people. The church. If we want. To prioritize.
And love the church. as Christ does, as much
as we are able to do so, then that means prioritizing
the Word of God and the people of God. The apostles'
travels clearly demonstrate and show that Paul's
life and orientation is built Around the church.
And the glory of God in Christ. The apostles
ministry. And the defining characteristic. Of
his ministry. Exhortation out of concern. And
burden. Demonstrates and shows. The priority
and the importance. Of the church. May God grant
us. The ability to know. A little bit. of that
concern, of that desire, of that love, of that
prioritization that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself
has for the people of God.