WEBVTT 00:00:10.060 --> 00:00:14.199 After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the 00:00:14.199 --> 00:00:17.660 disciples. And when he had exhorted them and 00:00:17.660 --> 00:00:22.120 taken his leave of them, he left to go to Macedonia. 00:00:22.739 --> 00:00:25.000 When he had gone through those districts and 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:28.679 had given them much exhortation, he came to Greece. 00:00:29.019 --> 00:00:32.560 And there he spent three months. And when a plot 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:35.399 was formed against him by the Jews as he was 00:00:35.399 --> 00:00:39.420 about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return 00:00:39.420 --> 00:00:43.219 through Macedonia. And he was accompanied by 00:00:43.219 --> 00:00:47.880 Sophater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by 00:00:47.880 --> 00:00:51.479 Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, 00:00:51.479 --> 00:00:56.159 and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, Antiochus and 00:00:56.159 --> 00:01:01.539 Trophimus of Asia. But these had gone on ahead 00:01:01.539 --> 00:01:06.799 and were waiting for us at Troas. We sailed from 00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:10.200 Philippi after the days of unleavened bread and 00:01:10.200 --> 00:01:15.079 came to them at Troas within five days, and there 00:01:15.079 --> 00:01:22.260 we stayed seven days. There are several common 00:01:22.260 --> 00:01:29.799 sentiments among evangelical Christians that 00:01:29.799 --> 00:01:35.739 are fairly prevalent throughout the world. And 00:01:35.739 --> 00:01:41.239 I would say especially in rural parts of the 00:01:41.239 --> 00:01:45.640 U .S. as well. Some of those sentiments might 00:01:45.640 --> 00:01:54.640 come like this. I don't need the church, corporately 00:01:54.640 --> 00:01:59.159 or organizationally. I have my Bible. I know 00:01:59.159 --> 00:02:03.480 how to read it. And I have the Holy Spirit. I 00:02:03.480 --> 00:02:07.989 don't need the church. And a modern rendition 00:02:07.989 --> 00:02:13.389 of that is I don't need to go to church when 00:02:13.389 --> 00:02:17.389 I can just watch church or view church through 00:02:17.389 --> 00:02:22.030 the internet or through a live stream. I can 00:02:22.030 --> 00:02:28.129 benefit that way. That is my church. There's 00:02:28.129 --> 00:02:32.979 all kinds of sentiments. that are related and 00:02:32.979 --> 00:02:37.340 interrelated to those. Today in our text we'll 00:02:37.340 --> 00:02:41.680 find that the text addresses these very clearly, 00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:49.120 and that the church is integral and primary to 00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:54.080 the Apostle Paul's plans in the book of Acts. 00:02:54.259 --> 00:02:58.400 The church is integral and primary to the book 00:02:58.400 --> 00:03:01.879 of Acts itself. That's what the book of Acts 00:03:01.879 --> 00:03:05.800 is all about. We have been outside of the book 00:03:05.800 --> 00:03:09.219 of Acts for some time. So if we just think back 00:03:09.219 --> 00:03:13.240 and remember what the book is about, you'll recall 00:03:13.240 --> 00:03:18.439 that the disciples were waiting in the upper 00:03:18.439 --> 00:03:22.439 room. And they were waiting for the promise of 00:03:22.439 --> 00:03:25.280 the Holy Spirit so that they could bear witness 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:29.819 to the truth about who Christ is. And we find 00:03:29.819 --> 00:03:32.120 in the book of Acts that the ascended, the risen 00:03:32.120 --> 00:03:36.240 and ascended Lord Jesus sends his spirit to dwell 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:40.240 within his church. And then from that period 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:45.419 on, we see that the Lord Jesus is building his 00:03:45.419 --> 00:03:50.539 church mightily and powerfully. We see that the 00:03:50.539 --> 00:03:54.599 Lord Jesus Christ is bringing saints in. He's 00:03:54.599 --> 00:03:57.180 gathering them in. He's growing and building 00:03:57.180 --> 00:04:02.560 and blessing. And it is gradually and progressively 00:04:02.560 --> 00:04:07.479 expanding outward into the world. Because the 00:04:07.479 --> 00:04:11.560 gospel is going from the Jewish nation out to 00:04:11.560 --> 00:04:15.379 the Gentile nation. And so we see this work its 00:04:15.379 --> 00:04:19.779 way out throughout the book of Acts. We see Pentecost 00:04:19.779 --> 00:04:23.740 in Acts chapter 2. And then we see the same thing 00:04:23.740 --> 00:04:27.199 when... Philip is preaching in Samaria to the 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:30.660 half -Jews, half -Gentiles essentially, where 00:04:30.660 --> 00:04:34.160 Christ pours out His Spirit on those in the preaching 00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:36.639 of the Word. And then what happens in Acts 10 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:41.660 with the household of Cornelius? The same thing. 00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:45.639 This time the Spirit is being given and men are 00:04:45.639 --> 00:04:50.000 being saved who are Romans. So it's going further. 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:52.819 It's expanding further. And then in Acts chapter 00:04:52.819 --> 00:04:57.920 19, we see the same thing again. We see the gospel 00:04:57.920 --> 00:05:01.139 crossing these boundaries that it's never done 00:05:01.139 --> 00:05:08.300 so before when it saves full -blown idol -worshipping 00:05:08.300 --> 00:05:14.139 pagans in Ephesus. In Acts chapter 19 is just 00:05:14.139 --> 00:05:18.639 a whole narrative about Paul's blessed and powerful 00:05:18.639 --> 00:05:26.839 ministry in the city. Of Ephesus. This is really 00:05:26.839 --> 00:05:30.500 what the book of Acts is all about. The establishment. 00:05:31.139 --> 00:05:35.399 And the expansion. Of the church in the world. 00:05:35.819 --> 00:05:38.680 And the preaching of the gospel. That builds 00:05:38.680 --> 00:05:42.160 the church. And calls in the church. In the power 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:48.120 and strength. Of the Holy Spirit. Today we find 00:05:48.120 --> 00:05:52.680 a summary. Of Paul's missionary endeavors. If 00:05:52.680 --> 00:05:56.459 you remember Paul. Has three missionary journeys 00:05:56.459 --> 00:06:00.579 essentially. The first and the second. And our 00:06:00.579 --> 00:06:04.860 narrative today falls into his third missionary 00:06:04.860 --> 00:06:08.920 journey. So today we have to consider really 00:06:08.920 --> 00:06:12.379 two things. We have to consider the apostles 00:06:12.379 --> 00:06:16.720 travels. And then we have to consider the apostles 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:22.509 ministry. in those travels to the churches. So 00:06:22.509 --> 00:06:28.569 first, the apostles' travels. In verse 20, in 00:06:28.569 --> 00:06:32.730 verse 1 of chapter 20, we read this. After the 00:06:32.730 --> 00:06:36.889 uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, 00:06:37.329 --> 00:06:40.430 and when he exhorted them and taken his leave 00:06:40.430 --> 00:06:45.920 of them, he left to go to Macedonia. So remember 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:49.680 the big riot, the big uproar in Ephesus that 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:54.180 was stirred up by Demetrius, the silversmith, 00:06:54.420 --> 00:06:58.560 and many other individuals? It's after that. 00:06:58.939 --> 00:07:02.160 It almost seems as though Paul's ministry in 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:07.319 Ephesus is no longer as effective and productive 00:07:07.319 --> 00:07:13.899 because of that. And so he realizes it's time. 00:07:14.430 --> 00:07:19.589 to move along and to go more and to continue 00:07:19.589 --> 00:07:24.350 in his apostolic function and checking on the 00:07:24.350 --> 00:07:27.550 churches and building and establishing the churches. 00:07:27.870 --> 00:07:32.730 And so we find that he leaves Ephesus following 00:07:32.730 --> 00:07:37.009 this uproar. And where does he go? Macedonia, 00:07:37.089 --> 00:07:40.930 which is where we find the book of the church 00:07:40.930 --> 00:07:45.399 of Philippi. If you recall in Acts chapter 16, 00:07:45.439 --> 00:07:49.420 I believe, Paul has a vision of a man from Macedonia 00:07:49.420 --> 00:07:52.579 that's calling for him, appealing to him, come 00:07:52.579 --> 00:07:57.279 help us, evangelize us, preach the gospel here. 00:07:57.420 --> 00:08:01.420 So Paul had planted churches there. So he leaves 00:08:01.420 --> 00:08:06.899 Ephesus to go to Macedonia. He arrives and stays 00:08:06.899 --> 00:08:11.579 in Greece. Most likely this is referring to Achaia. 00:08:12.220 --> 00:08:16.259 or the area of Corinth. He's there for three 00:08:16.259 --> 00:08:19.899 months, most likely during the winter, when sailing 00:08:19.899 --> 00:08:22.579 and travel would have been much more difficult. 00:08:23.019 --> 00:08:27.019 And it's during this time that he writes the 00:08:27.019 --> 00:08:32.019 book of Romans. Now that's significant for us, 00:08:32.019 --> 00:08:36.639 brothers and sisters. It's on this journey, while 00:08:36.639 --> 00:08:41.659 he's in Greece, while he is... ministering to 00:08:41.659 --> 00:08:44.799 the churches that he writes the glorious in the 00:08:44.799 --> 00:08:50.200 great book of Romans. We can see that throughout 00:08:50.200 --> 00:08:52.960 several sections of Romans where he's referencing 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:58.759 Ephesus and his third missionary journey. Now 00:08:58.759 --> 00:09:03.980 Paul originally intends to go back to Syria and 00:09:03.980 --> 00:09:07.980 Antioch. which is his sending church, the one 00:09:07.980 --> 00:09:11.440 that sponsors his missionary journeys, the one 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:16.279 that approves him and has ordained him as a minister 00:09:16.279 --> 00:09:20.259 to go and do such things. Syria and Antioch, 00:09:20.259 --> 00:09:23.799 if you recall, it's the ethnically diverse church 00:09:23.799 --> 00:09:28.039 with Jew and Gentile, but it's primarily a Gentile 00:09:28.039 --> 00:09:32.120 church. And so Paul intends to go back to Syria 00:09:32.120 --> 00:09:36.500 and Antioch, but he doesn't. Why not, according 00:09:36.500 --> 00:09:40.620 to the text? Why doesn't Paul sell to Syria and 00:09:40.620 --> 00:09:44.799 Antioch? Because he discovers a plot to kill 00:09:44.799 --> 00:09:49.940 him. Most think that there was a group of zealous 00:09:49.940 --> 00:09:54.720 Jews that would get on the ship with him and 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:59.179 take his life prior to his return to Syria and 00:09:59.179 --> 00:10:02.519 Antioch. Somehow, in God's providence, in God's 00:10:02.519 --> 00:10:06.029 grace, This is brought to the apostles' attention. 00:10:06.590 --> 00:10:10.710 So he reorients, he shifts, and he changes his 00:10:10.710 --> 00:10:15.110 plans last minute. And what's he do? He just 00:10:15.110 --> 00:10:19.129 goes back the same way that he came, over land 00:10:19.129 --> 00:10:24.529 travel, and he returns through Macedonia to Troas, 00:10:24.529 --> 00:10:27.649 which is where we'll pick up next week, starting 00:10:27.649 --> 00:10:32.049 in verse 7, when it says, on the first day of 00:10:32.049 --> 00:10:34.590 the week, when we were gathered together to break 00:10:34.590 --> 00:10:38.970 bread, Paul began talking to them. He's in Troas 00:10:38.970 --> 00:10:43.870 here, and it's his return from this last ditch 00:10:43.870 --> 00:10:49.950 or this last trip that he's taken. Now, when 00:10:49.950 --> 00:10:54.570 we think about these travels, we forget oftentimes 00:10:54.570 --> 00:11:00.870 how much common grace we have in... traveling 00:11:00.870 --> 00:11:04.909 and in trips. We think about the progression 00:11:04.909 --> 00:11:08.870 of travel and journeys throughout the history 00:11:08.870 --> 00:11:12.190 of the world. Things have progressed and changed 00:11:12.190 --> 00:11:17.309 quite a bit. We think about how difficult it 00:11:17.309 --> 00:11:21.429 would have been for the apostle. This would have 00:11:21.429 --> 00:11:25.370 taken great effort and diligence thinking about 00:11:25.370 --> 00:11:27.669 these trips and these travels and these journeys 00:11:27.669 --> 00:11:30.620 and these... these missionary endeavors to check 00:11:30.620 --> 00:11:35.820 in on the churches. It was dangerous. It was 00:11:35.820 --> 00:11:38.740 hard. We can think a little bit later in the 00:11:38.740 --> 00:11:40.279 book of Acts. Do you remember when he's being 00:11:40.279 --> 00:11:44.860 transported on the ship? And what takes place 00:11:44.860 --> 00:11:47.960 on the ship? It crashes. It runs aground. They 00:11:47.960 --> 00:11:51.059 have to go on to the island of Malta. That's 00:11:51.059 --> 00:11:53.100 what it was like, brothers and sisters. We can 00:11:53.100 --> 00:11:56.360 read about many of the... events and circumstances 00:11:56.360 --> 00:11:58.559 in the Old Testament where men were traveling 00:11:58.559 --> 00:12:01.500 from this part of the tribe to this part of the 00:12:01.500 --> 00:12:04.320 tribe, especially in the book of Judges, when 00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:09.720 Israel is chaotic, and how dangerous it was for 00:12:09.720 --> 00:12:13.259 traveling. That's very similar to how it was 00:12:13.259 --> 00:12:18.399 in Paul's day. He didn't hop in a car and drive 00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:22.259 to his destination in comfort and safety for 00:12:22.259 --> 00:12:25.460 the most part. No, they had to deal with the 00:12:25.460 --> 00:12:29.980 threat of weather, the threat of robbers, theft, 00:12:30.340 --> 00:12:35.360 death, sickness, disease, and typically they 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:38.960 traveled by foot, which required a great deal 00:12:38.960 --> 00:12:42.580 of determination and energy for the person that's 00:12:42.580 --> 00:12:46.559 traveling. So we think about this. Why in the 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:52.279 world is the Apostle Paul pressing on in these 00:12:52.279 --> 00:12:56.100 endeavors? Why in the world is the Apostle Paul 00:12:56.100 --> 00:13:01.299 continuing to press himself in the ministry and 00:13:01.299 --> 00:13:06.659 the service of the Lord Jesus Christ? Well, it 00:13:06.659 --> 00:13:11.200 demonstrates and shows us his continued willingness 00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:17.480 to serve the living God that has saved him. It 00:13:17.480 --> 00:13:21.320 demonstrates and shows us his ongoing willingness 00:13:21.320 --> 00:13:26.850 to sacrifice. for the kingdom of God. It demonstrates 00:13:26.850 --> 00:13:34.190 and shows us his zeal for the gospel and the 00:13:34.190 --> 00:13:39.649 church and lost and dying souls. In a sense, 00:13:39.649 --> 00:13:42.889 we really see the continued results and fruit 00:13:42.889 --> 00:13:48.529 of his dramatic conversion and change in Acts 00:13:48.529 --> 00:13:52.529 chapter 9 on the road to Damascus. If we go ahead 00:13:52.529 --> 00:13:56.629 and turn there, we'll read some of this. We read 00:13:56.629 --> 00:14:01.269 in Acts chapter 9. Now Saul, still breathing 00:14:01.269 --> 00:14:04.850 threats and murder against the disciples of the 00:14:04.850 --> 00:14:08.909 Lord, went to the high priest and asked for letters 00:14:08.909 --> 00:14:12.350 from him to the synagogues at Damascus so that 00:14:12.350 --> 00:14:15.710 if he found any belonging to the way, both men 00:14:15.710 --> 00:14:19.149 and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 00:14:20.240 --> 00:14:23.139 As he was traveling, it happened that he was 00:14:23.139 --> 00:14:26.200 approaching Damascus and suddenly a light from 00:14:26.200 --> 00:14:30.259 heaven flashed around him. And he fell to the 00:14:30.259 --> 00:14:33.519 ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, 00:14:33.860 --> 00:14:38.720 Saul, why are you persecuting me? And he said, 00:14:38.779 --> 00:14:43.360 Who are you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus, whom 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:46.830 you are persecuting. But get up. and enter the 00:14:46.830 --> 00:14:51.389 city, and it will be told what you must do. This 00:14:51.389 --> 00:14:57.549 is the conversion and call of the great apostle. 00:14:58.970 --> 00:15:02.809 And he was never the same after this, brothers 00:15:02.809 --> 00:15:07.830 and sisters. After this day, all the zeal, all 00:15:07.830 --> 00:15:11.629 the focus, all the obsession, all the attention 00:15:11.629 --> 00:15:14.970 that he had previously given to the persecution. 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:18.600 And slaughtering of the way or the church. He 00:15:18.600 --> 00:15:22.919 now reorients because of the power of God apprehending 00:15:22.919 --> 00:15:28.059 him. And it is directed into ministry and service 00:15:28.059 --> 00:15:34.080 of Christ and his church. And that work of grace 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:41.340 in Paul's life never ever ceases. It never stops. 00:15:42.250 --> 00:15:45.629 The reason he perseveres in his ministry, the 00:15:45.629 --> 00:15:48.409 reason he perseveres in his calling as an apostle, 00:15:48.710 --> 00:15:51.250 the reason he perseveres in his travels, in his 00:15:51.250 --> 00:15:55.629 labors, the reason he is diligent, is because 00:15:55.629 --> 00:15:59.309 of this work of grace in his soul that sustains 00:15:59.309 --> 00:16:02.549 him and drives him forward. It's the grace of 00:16:02.549 --> 00:16:06.549 God working in him to compel him and preserve 00:16:06.549 --> 00:16:10.590 him and sustain him in his salvation and in his 00:16:10.590 --> 00:16:14.389 calling in his life. We read the same thing in 00:16:14.389 --> 00:16:18.230 1 Corinthians chapter 15, where Paul says this, 00:16:18.629 --> 00:16:22.450 After that he appeared to more than 500 brethren 00:16:22.450 --> 00:16:25.450 at one time. Most of him remained until now, 00:16:25.649 --> 00:16:28.549 but some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared 00:16:28.549 --> 00:16:32.490 to James. Then to all the apostles. And last 00:16:32.490 --> 00:16:36.169 of all. As to one untimely born. He appeared 00:16:36.169 --> 00:16:39.730 to me also. This is the apostle speaking. For 00:16:39.730 --> 00:16:42.129 I am the least of all the apostles. I am the 00:16:42.129 --> 00:16:46.750 least of the apostles. And not fit to be called 00:16:46.750 --> 00:16:50.049 an apostle. Because I persecuted the church of 00:16:50.049 --> 00:16:55.490 God. But by the grace of God. I am what I am. 00:16:55.610 --> 00:16:59.940 And his grace toward me did not. prove vain. 00:17:00.519 --> 00:17:04.480 But I labored even more than all of them. Yet 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:11.839 not I, but the grace of God with me. What is 00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:15.140 it that's compelling the apostle forward in his 00:17:15.140 --> 00:17:19.759 missionary endeavors, brothers and sisters? It 00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:23.480 is the powerful and the effective grace of God 00:17:23.480 --> 00:17:32.069 working in him. God's work in his saints is always 00:17:32.069 --> 00:17:39.009 powerful and is always effective. His zeal is 00:17:39.009 --> 00:17:43.410 manifest and evident, brothers and sisters, in 00:17:43.410 --> 00:17:48.349 this text. Every single person who is genuinely 00:17:48.349 --> 00:17:55.230 and truly converted will have a desire and longing 00:17:55.230 --> 00:17:59.299 to serve Christ and to bring glory to His name 00:17:59.299 --> 00:18:05.420 in some way, shape, or form. Every single one. 00:18:06.299 --> 00:18:09.180 That does not mean that every believer will get 00:18:09.180 --> 00:18:12.240 in a pulpit and preach. That does not mean that 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:15.279 every believer will be a deacon. That does not 00:18:15.279 --> 00:18:17.960 mean that every believer will serve in the same 00:18:17.960 --> 00:18:21.079 capacity, in the same way. But listen, brothers 00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:24.640 and sisters. When you have experienced the grace 00:18:24.640 --> 00:18:29.109 of God in your heart, When you've experienced 00:18:29.109 --> 00:18:32.150 the power of God in your very own soul, and He 00:18:32.150 --> 00:18:34.609 has changed you and transformed you, and He has 00:18:34.609 --> 00:18:38.309 forgiven your sins, there will be a longing and 00:18:38.309 --> 00:18:41.329 a desire in you to bear fruit for His kingdom 00:18:41.329 --> 00:18:44.609 and for His glory, to do good for His namesake. 00:18:46.029 --> 00:18:50.990 That is what it means to serve Christ as a believer, 00:18:51.230 --> 00:18:54.849 to work and labor and minister with an eye to 00:18:54.849 --> 00:19:00.720 His glory and His name. Every believer will have 00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:07.200 that. His grace will not prevail in any believer. 00:19:08.599 --> 00:19:13.940 His grace is always effective in the life of 00:19:13.940 --> 00:19:19.900 his people. So we see this in the apostles' travels. 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:26.140 But what of his ministry? on his travels and 00:19:26.140 --> 00:19:30.980 in and through his travels. Paul wasn't simply 00:19:30.980 --> 00:19:34.579 traveling, he wasn't just gallivanting around 00:19:34.579 --> 00:19:38.779 nonchalantly trying to figure out what he would 00:19:38.779 --> 00:19:46.220 do. There was purpose in his travels. There is 00:19:46.220 --> 00:19:49.759 a reason he went to the places that he went. 00:19:49.839 --> 00:19:53.769 And what was that reason? It was the church. 00:19:55.289 --> 00:19:59.250 It was the church local and the church abroad 00:19:59.250 --> 00:20:07.109 in that area in that day. Paul's ministry was 00:20:07.109 --> 00:20:13.470 for the church. It was toward the saints. This 00:20:13.470 --> 00:20:20.849 is why we read in Acts 20, after the uproar had 00:20:20.849 --> 00:20:26.450 ceased, Paul sent for the disciples. Then we 00:20:26.450 --> 00:20:29.809 see, when he had gone through those districts 00:20:29.809 --> 00:20:33.690 and had given them much exhortation, he came 00:20:33.690 --> 00:20:38.690 to Greece. Why did he go to Greece? Because there 00:20:38.690 --> 00:20:42.890 was churches there. Why did he write Romans while 00:20:42.890 --> 00:20:45.349 he was on that three -month stay? Because he 00:20:45.349 --> 00:20:48.910 cared about the church at Rome. Why did he want 00:20:48.910 --> 00:20:51.109 to go back to Syria and Antioch, brothers and 00:20:51.109 --> 00:20:54.309 sisters? Because the church at Antioch was there. 00:20:55.410 --> 00:20:58.029 He wanted to encourage them and report back the 00:20:58.029 --> 00:20:59.890 works and the wonders that God had been doing 00:20:59.890 --> 00:21:02.490 and through the ministry that he had been entrusted 00:21:02.490 --> 00:21:06.190 with. Why did he call the disciples to himself? 00:21:07.349 --> 00:21:10.789 Because he wanted to minister to the disciples 00:21:10.789 --> 00:21:16.759 before he left. and before he went to Macedonia. 00:21:16.819 --> 00:21:20.220 Why did he go through Macedonia? Because there 00:21:20.220 --> 00:21:24.920 was Philippi. He traveled the way that he did 00:21:24.920 --> 00:21:27.440 and he went to the places that he did because 00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:37.359 there were churches in those places. His ministry 00:21:37.359 --> 00:21:43.589 as an apostle was two and four. The church of 00:21:43.589 --> 00:21:49.930 Jesus Christ. But he also longed. To reach those 00:21:49.930 --> 00:21:54.490 who had not heard the gospel. So when he writes 00:21:54.490 --> 00:21:57.910 Romans. On that three month stay. During this 00:21:57.910 --> 00:22:01.269 time. He mentions his desire. And his plans. 00:22:01.750 --> 00:22:07.230 And his intention. To go to Spain. Where people 00:22:07.230 --> 00:22:13.859 had not been evangelized. So Paul. His ministry 00:22:13.859 --> 00:22:17.680 is directed toward the church for the saints, 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:21.579 but he's always got an eye on unbelievers as 00:22:21.579 --> 00:22:27.279 well. Ultimately, Paul's aim and the object of 00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:30.920 his ministry is the glory of God and Christ Jesus. 00:22:31.619 --> 00:22:36.799 But in this world, do you know where that object 00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:43.210 rests? Do you know where that zeal, Finds its 00:22:43.210 --> 00:22:50.250 sweet spot. The church of Jesus Christ. We love 00:22:50.250 --> 00:22:55.269 Christ. And we honor Christ. By loving the church 00:22:55.269 --> 00:23:00.329 in this world. If we want the aim and object 00:23:00.329 --> 00:23:04.549 of our lives. And our work and our service. To 00:23:04.549 --> 00:23:07.529 ultimately be for the glory of God in Christ. 00:23:08.190 --> 00:23:12.160 Then brothers and sisters. We must. have as our 00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:16.480 object in this life, in this world, the church 00:23:16.480 --> 00:23:21.140 of Jesus Christ, those whom Christ died for. 00:23:21.839 --> 00:23:27.099 Now there's a unique aspect of this because Paul 00:23:27.099 --> 00:23:33.640 is an apostle. His heart is bound not just to 00:23:33.640 --> 00:23:37.619 a single local church, but it's bound to the 00:23:37.619 --> 00:23:43.089 church universal. Because he had authority over 00:23:43.089 --> 00:23:47.809 every known and established church in the world 00:23:47.809 --> 00:23:52.609 at that time as an apostle of Jesus Christ. So 00:23:52.609 --> 00:23:56.470 there's a unique aspect of this with the apostle. 00:23:57.490 --> 00:24:01.369 But nonetheless, the principle still applies, 00:24:01.490 --> 00:24:05.869 and we see that clearly in Scripture. Christians' 00:24:05.869 --> 00:24:10.869 hearts ought to be bound. and intertwined with 00:24:10.869 --> 00:24:17.890 the people of God in this world. His ministry 00:24:17.890 --> 00:24:24.250 was for the church, but his heart was also bound 00:24:24.250 --> 00:24:29.589 to the church. This is clear and obvious from 00:24:29.589 --> 00:24:33.269 the text, isn't it, brothers and sisters? Paul 00:24:33.269 --> 00:24:37.200 has a heartfelt longing and desire. He has an 00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:41.640 affection for the people of God. He has a burden 00:24:41.640 --> 00:24:44.460 for them. He cares for them. And he has a concern 00:24:44.460 --> 00:24:49.420 for them. We see this in places like 2 Corinthians 00:24:49.420 --> 00:24:56.359 chapter 11. Paul literally says this same thing. 00:24:56.960 --> 00:25:02.119 In verses 28 and 29 we read these words. And 00:25:02.119 --> 00:25:04.119 he's been listing all the physical trials and 00:25:04.119 --> 00:25:08.190 hardships. Of his ministry. And here's what he 00:25:08.190 --> 00:25:12.029 says. Apart from such external things. There 00:25:12.029 --> 00:25:16.329 is the daily pressure on me of concern for all 00:25:16.329 --> 00:25:21.509 the churches. He was weak without my being weak. 00:25:21.569 --> 00:25:24.529 He was led into sin without my intense concern. 00:25:25.769 --> 00:25:28.670 If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains 00:25:28.670 --> 00:25:32.910 to my weakness. If we turn to the book of Philippians. 00:25:33.900 --> 00:25:40.160 We read this. I thank my God in my remembrances 00:25:40.160 --> 00:25:45.099 of you, always offering prayer with joy in my 00:25:45.099 --> 00:25:49.259 every prayer for you all, in view of your participation 00:25:49.259 --> 00:25:52.819 in the gospel from the first day until now. For 00:25:52.819 --> 00:25:55.619 I am confident of this very thing, that he who 00:25:55.619 --> 00:25:59.019 began a good work in you will perfect it until 00:25:59.019 --> 00:26:02.480 the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right 00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:05.559 for me to feel this way about you all. And listen 00:26:05.559 --> 00:26:09.640 to what he says. Because I have you in my heart. 00:26:12.180 --> 00:26:15.960 Paul is saying that he has the Philippian church 00:26:15.960 --> 00:26:21.799 in his heart. Since both in my imprisonment and 00:26:21.799 --> 00:26:24.539 in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, 00:26:24.700 --> 00:26:29.730 you all are partakers of grace with me. For God 00:26:29.730 --> 00:26:33.269 is my witness how I long for you all with the 00:26:33.269 --> 00:26:39.210 affection of Christ Jesus. Paul had a heartfelt 00:26:39.210 --> 00:26:47.309 desire and longing for the people of God. His 00:26:47.309 --> 00:26:51.470 heart's affections were intertwined with the 00:26:51.470 --> 00:26:54.609 names and faces of the people that made up the 00:26:54.609 --> 00:27:01.329 churches that he ministered. This motivated and 00:27:01.329 --> 00:27:04.650 drove him in ministry and this pulled him and 00:27:04.650 --> 00:27:09.970 compelled him and pushed him in his service. 00:27:10.549 --> 00:27:12.950 It's out of this affection, it's out of this 00:27:12.950 --> 00:27:15.490 love, it's out of this concern and this burden 00:27:15.490 --> 00:27:19.990 that he has for the people of God that he definitively 00:27:19.990 --> 00:27:27.180 marks his ministry by exhortation. We notice 00:27:27.180 --> 00:27:31.660 this in Acts 20, clearly. He says in chapter 00:27:31.660 --> 00:27:37.660 20, verse 1, when he had exhorted them, and then 00:27:37.660 --> 00:27:40.700 we read in verse 2, when he had gone through 00:27:40.700 --> 00:27:44.380 those districts and had given them much exhortation. 00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:53.460 Now, Luke is summarizing the entirety of his 00:27:53.460 --> 00:28:00.119 ministry work in that trip. As exhortation. So 00:28:00.119 --> 00:28:02.740 what is this exhortation that Paul thinks is 00:28:02.740 --> 00:28:07.039 so valuable, so significant, so important that 00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:11.779 he has to facilitate it and administer it and 00:28:11.779 --> 00:28:16.920 provide it to the people of God? This word exhortation 00:28:16.920 --> 00:28:25.819 means to urge or appeal or comfort. Strengthen 00:28:25.819 --> 00:28:31.779 or persuade. There's many examples of this throughout 00:28:31.779 --> 00:28:37.640 scripture. Peter exhorts his hearers to be saved 00:28:37.640 --> 00:28:45.299 in Acts chapter 2, verse 40. The Ethiopian exhorts 00:28:45.299 --> 00:28:51.440 Philip to sit down and teach him what the scriptures 00:28:51.440 --> 00:28:58.250 say. There's a heartfelt imploring. Almost a 00:28:58.250 --> 00:29:05.690 pleading. Listen. Have your ears open. There's 00:29:05.690 --> 00:29:10.750 a heartfelt desire that is almost sensed in the 00:29:10.750 --> 00:29:16.150 words that are conveyed and communicated. Barnabas 00:29:16.150 --> 00:29:19.650 was an exhorter. He was an encourager. He was 00:29:19.650 --> 00:29:25.440 a strengthener. We read in Acts 14 .22. That 00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:27.779 exhortation is what was strengthening disciples 00:29:27.779 --> 00:29:32.099 to remain strong in the faith. Do you remember 00:29:32.099 --> 00:29:35.799 in Acts 16, the Macedonian vision of the man 00:29:35.799 --> 00:29:40.720 from Macedonia pleading with Paul to come? He 00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:43.400 was exhorting Paul. He was imploring, urging 00:29:43.400 --> 00:29:50.259 Paul to come to Macedonia. And what is it that 00:29:50.259 --> 00:29:55.299 exhortation is in? It's in the Word of God, the 00:29:55.299 --> 00:30:00.279 Scriptures. So Paul, out of his affection and 00:30:00.279 --> 00:30:08.299 his love, defines his ministry by exhortation 00:30:08.299 --> 00:30:15.400 in the Word of the living God. And this is coupled 00:30:15.400 --> 00:30:21.640 with prayer. When he wrote Romans 1, He talks 00:30:21.640 --> 00:30:25.400 about how he longs to come and impart a spiritual 00:30:25.400 --> 00:30:28.099 gift to them through the preaching of the gospel. 00:30:29.279 --> 00:30:32.480 But we also find in Romans 1 that he says, God 00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:38.119 is my witness how I pray for you all. So Paul's 00:30:38.119 --> 00:30:41.500 exhortation in the word is coupled with Paul's 00:30:41.500 --> 00:30:45.579 prayer and intercession for the people of God. 00:30:46.759 --> 00:30:49.660 It's because he was so concerned for them and 00:30:49.660 --> 00:30:52.480 because he cared for them that he gave himself 00:30:52.480 --> 00:30:58.539 to exhortation in their lives. He knew this was 00:30:58.539 --> 00:31:04.640 their greatest need in their lives. If you had 00:31:04.640 --> 00:31:08.779 one thing that you could say to a group of disciples 00:31:08.779 --> 00:31:12.559 prior to leaving, whether you would see them 00:31:12.559 --> 00:31:18.119 ever again, what is it that you would say? Would 00:31:18.119 --> 00:31:23.759 you give them worldly wisdom? Sentimental stories 00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:28.539 from your childhood or your life or your situation 00:31:28.539 --> 00:31:32.240 or your relationship? Or would you choose to 00:31:32.240 --> 00:31:35.200 exhort them, encourage them, and strengthen them 00:31:35.200 --> 00:31:39.180 in the Word of God? What does Paul do whenever 00:31:39.180 --> 00:31:42.140 he calls the disciples to himself as he's leaving 00:31:42.140 --> 00:31:46.710 Ephesus to go to Macedonia? He exhorts them in 00:31:46.710 --> 00:31:50.829 the truth of the scriptures. Why? Because he 00:31:50.829 --> 00:31:54.990 knows the greatest need of their soul is not 00:31:54.990 --> 00:32:00.250 food. The greatest need of their life is not 00:32:00.250 --> 00:32:07.009 worldly wisdom or fairy tales or fun ideas. But 00:32:07.009 --> 00:32:09.569 they need the word of God and they need to be 00:32:09.569 --> 00:32:13.769 encouraged and strengthened in the word of God. 00:32:14.480 --> 00:32:17.619 It's the need of the soul, brothers and sisters. 00:32:18.420 --> 00:32:23.279 God has ordained that exhortation in the Word 00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:27.420 coupled with prayer be a means of grace by which 00:32:27.420 --> 00:32:33.180 Christians and churches are established and strengthened 00:32:33.180 --> 00:32:40.799 in their faith, in their sanctification, in their 00:32:40.799 --> 00:32:44.779 holiness. In their pursuit of Christ and who 00:32:44.779 --> 00:32:51.279 He is. He knew this was what they needed more 00:32:51.279 --> 00:32:57.480 than anything else. The greatest need of the 00:32:57.480 --> 00:33:02.160 church today is not what many churches think 00:33:02.160 --> 00:33:07.440 the greatest need of the church today is. The 00:33:07.440 --> 00:33:12.539 greatest need of the church today Is exhortation 00:33:12.539 --> 00:33:16.400 in the word of God coupled with prayer that it 00:33:16.400 --> 00:33:24.500 might be effective and powerful? It is in person 00:33:24.500 --> 00:33:31.200 exhortation in the truth of the Holy Scriptures 00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:37.019 in the form of teaching and preaching. This is 00:33:37.019 --> 00:33:40.380 one of the reasons. That Grace Fellowship Church 00:33:40.380 --> 00:33:45.720 is fairly simple in its structure, its format, 00:33:46.059 --> 00:33:52.259 and its programs and ministries. While there's 00:33:52.259 --> 00:33:55.079 all kinds of things that the church can do to 00:33:55.079 --> 00:33:58.559 pretty itself up, to try and reach the carnal 00:33:58.559 --> 00:34:01.579 man, there's only a few things that the church 00:34:01.579 --> 00:34:05.799 needs to do, that it must do, in order to be 00:34:05.799 --> 00:34:08.550 honored by God. And what is that? preaching the 00:34:08.550 --> 00:34:10.809 Word, teaching the Word, and have it blessed 00:34:10.809 --> 00:34:12.889 by the Spirit of God because men have sought 00:34:12.889 --> 00:34:18.510 to pray for the Word. That's the reality of it, 00:34:18.570 --> 00:34:22.429 brothers and sisters. If churches will give themselves 00:34:22.429 --> 00:34:26.469 to this, I genuinely and truly believe that the 00:34:26.469 --> 00:34:33.130 living God will bless that place. We don't need 00:34:33.130 --> 00:34:38.480 all the fluff. We don't need all the distinct, 00:34:38.780 --> 00:34:44.619 targeted programming. We need the Word of God, 00:34:44.679 --> 00:34:48.579 brothers and sisters. That is what your soul 00:34:48.579 --> 00:34:53.579 needs as a disciple in Christ. That is what this 00:34:53.579 --> 00:34:58.820 church needs as a body in Christ. The Word of 00:34:58.820 --> 00:35:01.679 God, whether it be preaching from the pulpit 00:35:01.679 --> 00:35:09.570 or teaching in Sunday school. What God has to 00:35:09.570 --> 00:35:14.349 say. And that is the most significant, the most 00:35:14.349 --> 00:35:17.090 important thing that we can give ourselves to 00:35:17.090 --> 00:35:22.429 as believers. Do you want to be established in 00:35:22.429 --> 00:35:28.809 your faith? As an individual believer? Do you 00:35:28.809 --> 00:35:32.139 want to be strengthened? and your holiness and 00:35:32.139 --> 00:35:34.639 your godliness in your life? I want you to be 00:35:34.639 --> 00:35:36.380 strengthened in your holiness and godliness. 00:35:36.559 --> 00:35:39.920 Do you want your joy to be increased and bolstered 00:35:39.920 --> 00:35:43.340 in life? Do you want to know further depths of 00:35:43.340 --> 00:35:46.119 sanctification and holiness in your life? Do 00:35:46.119 --> 00:35:48.099 you want to know the depths of grace in your 00:35:48.099 --> 00:35:50.900 soul? Then hear me well, brothers and sisters. 00:35:51.019 --> 00:35:53.719 Open up your ears and open up your hearts to 00:35:53.719 --> 00:35:56.619 receive the Word of God and you will be strengthened. 00:35:58.800 --> 00:36:01.840 You will be built up. You will be edified. Because 00:36:01.840 --> 00:36:05.960 that is what God has ordained exhortation and 00:36:05.960 --> 00:36:11.059 prayer to do in the life of his people. Reject 00:36:11.059 --> 00:36:15.760 it. Close your ears. Shut off your heart. And 00:36:15.760 --> 00:36:22.300 you will stagnate. Your joy, it will be turned 00:36:22.300 --> 00:36:28.289 off like a water faucet. You will be dry and 00:36:28.289 --> 00:36:34.610 you will be cold. But give yourselves to the 00:36:34.610 --> 00:36:38.510 means that the sovereign God of the world has 00:36:38.510 --> 00:36:43.750 ordained and you will be built up and you will 00:36:43.750 --> 00:36:45.630 be grown and you will be shaped and you will 00:36:45.630 --> 00:36:49.309 be further molded into the image and the likeness 00:36:49.309 --> 00:36:52.269 of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and all His 00:36:52.269 --> 00:36:54.989 glory and all His righteousness and all His holiness. 00:36:58.320 --> 00:37:02.159 We need the Word of God. You need the Word of 00:37:02.159 --> 00:37:09.360 God. I need the Word of God in my life. We must 00:37:09.360 --> 00:37:17.340 keep the primary things primary. The Word and 00:37:17.340 --> 00:37:23.000 prayer. And we must be blessed by the Spirit 00:37:23.000 --> 00:37:28.300 of the living God. When we think about this text 00:37:28.300 --> 00:37:31.039 overall and we think about what the heartbeat 00:37:31.039 --> 00:37:38.119 of this text is, what is it? It's the local church 00:37:38.119 --> 00:37:42.500 brothers and sisters. That's what's motivating, 00:37:42.699 --> 00:37:48.719 driving. That's what the cause. It's the underlying 00:37:48.719 --> 00:37:53.340 current of all that is going on in this section 00:37:53.340 --> 00:37:58.920 of Acts. And the local church is what is driving 00:37:58.920 --> 00:38:05.039 Paul in his ministry. And listen, Paul has prioritized 00:38:05.039 --> 00:38:08.980 the church. And it's because he has prioritized 00:38:08.980 --> 00:38:12.079 the church that he, and it's out of an affection 00:38:12.079 --> 00:38:17.920 for the church, that he prioritizes the ministry 00:38:17.920 --> 00:38:24.670 of the Word and prayer for the church. Think 00:38:24.670 --> 00:38:30.369 about how much the Lord Jesus himself values 00:38:30.369 --> 00:38:38.130 his people. Every single person that knows Jesus 00:38:38.130 --> 00:38:44.630 Christ, wherever they're at on the scale of sanctification, 00:38:45.050 --> 00:38:49.329 wherever they're at on the growth in holiness 00:38:49.329 --> 00:38:54.679 and godliness, However much of God's grace they 00:38:54.679 --> 00:38:57.840 know, whether they're a newborn baby or they're 00:38:57.840 --> 00:39:00.599 a mature saint that's grown up into godliness. 00:39:01.480 --> 00:39:06.139 Do you know how much Jesus Christ values that 00:39:06.139 --> 00:39:13.340 individual? Do you know where the church is at 00:39:13.340 --> 00:39:22.619 on the priority scale of Christ's heart? Will 00:39:22.619 --> 00:39:27.460 we ever prioritize the church as much as Christ 00:39:27.460 --> 00:39:32.360 prioritizes the church? Will we ever have such 00:39:32.360 --> 00:39:36.480 a concern and a burden and a love for the people 00:39:36.480 --> 00:39:40.800 of God like Christ has for his people? Brothers 00:39:40.800 --> 00:39:46.380 and sisters, why did Christ die? For the church. 00:39:48.400 --> 00:39:52.630 Why did Christ raise from the dead? For the church. 00:39:53.670 --> 00:39:58.130 What is Christ doing mediating now? He is working. 00:39:59.070 --> 00:40:03.389 And he is mediating for the church. Why will 00:40:03.389 --> 00:40:07.170 Christ return brothers and sisters? To save his 00:40:07.170 --> 00:40:15.349 people. The church. If we want. To prioritize. 00:40:16.090 --> 00:40:21.340 And love the church. as Christ does, as much 00:40:21.340 --> 00:40:26.340 as we are able to do so, then that means prioritizing 00:40:26.340 --> 00:40:40.320 the Word of God and the people of God. The apostles' 00:40:40.559 --> 00:40:45.940 travels clearly demonstrate and show that Paul's 00:40:45.940 --> 00:40:49.659 life and orientation is built Around the church. 00:40:49.960 --> 00:40:54.179 And the glory of God in Christ. The apostles 00:40:54.179 --> 00:40:58.619 ministry. And the defining characteristic. Of 00:40:58.619 --> 00:41:03.199 his ministry. Exhortation out of concern. And 00:41:03.199 --> 00:41:08.360 burden. Demonstrates and shows. The priority 00:41:08.360 --> 00:41:13.780 and the importance. Of the church. May God grant 00:41:13.780 --> 00:41:18.440 us. The ability to know. A little bit. of that 00:41:18.440 --> 00:41:23.960 concern, of that desire, of that love, of that 00:41:23.960 --> 00:41:28.059 prioritization that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself 00:41:28.059 --> 00:41:32.920 has for the people of God.