From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to
him the elders of the church. And when they had
come to him, he said to them, You yourselves
know from the first day that I set foot in Asia
how I was with you the whole time serving the
Lord with all humility and with fears and with
trials which came upon me through the plots of
the Jews. How I did not shrink from declaring
to you anything that was profitable, and teaching
you publicly and from house to house, solemnly
testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance
toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Periodically through the book of Acts, we find
various little summary statements. of the work
and the progress of the gospel and the church
as it moves forward throughout the book. These
short summaries attribute the success of the
work and the ministry to the word of the Lord,
and ultimately and consequently to the Lord himself.
So one of those is Acts chapter 6, verse 7. We
read this in Acts chapter 6, verse 7. Listen
to what it says. The word of God kept on spreading,
and the number of disciples continued to increase
greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the
priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
Notice that the... Success of the gospel, the
victory of the gospel, is attributed to the word
of the Lord. We read another similar statement
in Acts chapter 12, verse 24. But the word of
the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.
Notice it doesn't specifically say the church,
though there are those statements, but the word
of the Lord, the word, the message, the gospel,
the truth, is what multiplied and increased and
spread throughout the world. Now, we also find
one of these statements in Acts chapter 19, while
Paul is in Ephesus. In Acts chapter 19, We read
this in verse 20. So the word of the Lord was
growing mightily and prevailing. So while Paul
is in Ephesus, while he is conducting ministry
and he is administering the ministry of the word
in that place, the Lord... blesses that ministry.
The Lord works through the ministry of his word.
Now, our text today, we're going to focus on
chapter 20, verses 20 through 21, which read
as follows. How I did not shrink from declaring
to you anything that was profitable and teaching
you publicly. and from house to house, solemnly
testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance
toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now Paul is reviewing his preaching, teaching
ministry while in Ephesus. That's what he's doing
in these two verses. He's saying this is what
the ministry of the word looked like in Ephesus.
Now what do we know previously? from Acts chapter
19, that God blessed the ministry of His Word
in Ephesus. We know that God made His Word prevail
and successful in Ephesus. And so here in Acts
chapter 20, we get this glorious glimpse into
Paul's ministry, his preaching and teaching ministry,
and we get this glorious glimpse. Of what a ministry
looks like that God owns himself. We get this
glorious glimpse of what it looks like for God
to bless a ministry. And what a ministry looks
like that God does bless. And we know this because
he did according to Acts chapter 19. So when
we think about the text today in verses 20 through
21, we can think about it along this question,
along this line of thinking. What kind of ministry
does the Lord personally own? And say, that's
mine. I will be involved in that. I will have
my hand upon that. I will bless that. I will
work through that. What kind of ministry does
God place His hand upon and give His Spirit to
in greater measure and greater degree? What kind
of ministry does God bless? That's what we'll
consider today. We first see, according to verses
20 -21, that if we were to have this kind of
ministry, that if anybody is to have this kind
of ministry, then the word ought to be proclaimed
with boldness and solemnity. Notice Paul says
in verse 20, how I did not shrink from declaring
to you anything that was profitable. Then we
also read a little bit later in verse 27, for
I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole.
whole purpose of God. But we also read in verse
21, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks.
This word solemnly is used several more times
throughout this discourse of the apostles. So
what does it mean that Paul proclaimed the word
with boldness? It means he did not withhold.
He did not restrain or edit or revise the truth
of God to soften it or to make it more palatable
for the sinner. He gave all of God's truth all
the time, brothers and sisters. He never carved
off the edges. He never softened the rough areas
that people get cut by. He did not shrink back
from the truth, brothers and sisters. He stood
firm and there was a willingness to proclaim
the truth at any cost. Now, Paul struggled with
this. We know that the apostle struggled with
this throughout his ministry. What man would
not? Other than the Lord Jesus Christ. And I'm
sure. That the pressure even got to him. Though
in his perfection. He always dealt with it. And
he always proclaimed the truth. As he ought to.
The apostle had to ask. The church at Ephesus.
At the end of Ephesians. To pray for him. That
he would be bold. In the proclamation of the
truth. Why did he have to do that? Because he
struggled. With boldness in his ministry and
declaring the whole purpose of God. Because when
the truth is proclaimed, not everybody receives
it equally well. Paul knows this, brothers and
sisters, from first -hand experience. Why did
the Jews so severely hate? And persecute the
Apostle Paul. Because he proclaimed. The truth
of the gospel. Clearly. And forthrightly. He
didn't. Trim it up. And edit it. Or revise it.
Or change it. To make it more receptive. With
the people. No he was willing. To proclaim it.
But also we see that the word. And Paul's ministry
was proclaimed with solemnity. Now, this word
is attached to the word testifying in verse 21.
And that's because this part of it is embedded
in that word. The word testify or bear witness.
In a sense, the translators are adding in this
idea of solemnity because of That word. Bear
witness or testify. And that word. Bear witness
or testify. That is used in verse 21. Carries
the idea. Of accountability. Weightiness. And
burden. Because of the subject matter. That is
being communicated. So it's seriousness. It's
reverence. Brothers and sisters. He provides
us in this text, in a sense, with the manner
that a person is to deal with the eternal things
of God. There ought to be boldness and a willingness
to communicate all the truth. And there must
also be a seriousness when dealing with... the
truth of God's holy word. How else is appropriate,
brothers and sisters, to deal with the eternal
gospel? How else is appropriate to handle the
very word of the living God who is so holy and
sovereign and perfect and righteous? If God says,
here's my word, I give it to you, I entrust it
to you, use it. Speak it, proclaim it, and it.
But don't change anything. Leave it the way that
it is. Announce this message. There's great warning
in the prophets, brothers and sisters, for the
consequences of adding to or removing things
from the word of the Lord. And so we find that
Paul dealt with the word with grace. boldness
and solemnity. And why? Because the temptation
is always going to be present to please men over
God and the proclamation of the truth. That will
always be present because there's sin in us and
because there's sin in those hearing the gospel.
We have to remember that when that temptation
arises, that we're actually removing the profit
that is intended for the hearers and replacing
it with some form of temporary ease and pleasure.
Eternal good and edification, as opposed to temporary
pleasure and satisfaction. Or ease of sorts.
Now we also see that it's not just that the word
should be proclaimed with boldness and solemnity.
But we find that the word ought to be taught
and preached in a comprehensive ministry. Now
we see this in this text very, very clearly.
Notice. What Paul says in verse 20, teaching
you publicly and from house to house. This word
teaching carries with it the idea and the nuance
of instruction and the communication of information
and knowledge in an orderly capacity, in a structured
manner, in a way that's understood. It has to
do with clarity, brothers and sisters. Preciseness
in proclamation of the truth. God is a God of
order. Not confusion. Therefore, God's word is
orderly. It is not chaotic. It is not random.
The Word of God and the revealed will of God
is orderly and structured and systematic, brothers
and sisters. Therefore, the proclamation of the
Word of God must be taught in an understandable
manner and fashion so that people can understand
it with their minds. Because God is orderly and
His Word is orderly, teaching, must be present.
The Word, in a sense we could say, indicates
that the truth is meant to be understood with
the mind. So because God has ordained that the
truth of the Scriptures be taught, it teaches
us that God intends for His truth To be understood
and comprehended with the mind, brothers and
sisters. Christianity requires the use of the
mind. When you come to church, you don't leave
your mind outside. When you sit under the preaching
of the word, you don't leave your mind at home.
Brothers and sisters, bring your minds to church.
What if I told you, you cannot worship God without
engaging your mind? You can't, brothers and sisters.
If your mind is not engaged in the truth, then
you cannot worship the living God. He requires
that he be worshipped in spirit and truth, brothers
and sisters. an encouragement for all of us.
And one of the great struggles of being a minister,
as my fellow pastors can bear witness to, is
focusing our minds prior to preaching. Focusing
our minds on the task at hand. Brothers and sisters,
it's trying to discipline and focus our minds
on the task at hand. Is it not? Is there not
all kinds of places that your mind can run off
to? Is there not all kinds of places that your
mind can go and leisurely stroll about and in
ten minutes you return home? Brothers and sisters,
I'm not the only one that deals with this, am
I? If we are to worship God, we must engage our
minds. So as we sing songs on the Lord's Day,
what do you need to do? Engage your mind in the
truth that is being proclaimed. When you sit
under the preaching of the gospel, what do you
need to do? You need to shut everything else
and engage your mind in the truth that is being
proclaimed. What do you need to do when we're
praying? Shut out everything else. And engage
your mind on the fact and reality that you are
by faith coming to the throne of the living God.
We must engage our minds. Teaching shows us this.
One of the greatest things that we learn from
Paul's ministry is that it is God's good design.
that God's people grow largely through understanding
the truth, brothers and sisters. If you want
to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord
Jesus Christ, then that means understanding the
truth about who Jesus Christ is and what He has
done for you and for sinners. And as we continue
to understand and comprehend the truth, we are
continually changed and transformed more and
more into the likeness and image of the Lord
Jesus. We are sanctified by the truth. So Paul
preached the word. Paul taught the word while
he was in Ephesus. There was clarity. There was
order. and there was precision in his declaration.
But we also have to recognize that the mere communication
of the truth is not sufficient for a well -rounded
and comprehensive ministry. There must be more
than the mere communication of the truth in an
orderly, clear, and precise way. There must be
preaching as well. Paul uses two other words
to describe his ministry while in Ephesus. He
says this in verse 20. How I did not shrink from
declaring or announcing or proclaiming. to you
anything that was profitable. And he says in
verse 21, solemnly testifying or bearing witness
to the truth. Now these two words are more associated
with preaching than they are with teaching. Whereas
we could say that teaching is the explanation
of the truth. and it's God -given, it's good,
it's right, it is required, it is necessary.
Preaching conveys the weight, the significance,
and the importance of the truth that you are
teaching and explaining. It shows the gravity
of the realities that you are proclaiming. Preaching,
brothers and sisters, is the persuasion of the
truth that you are teaching and instructing in.
We could say that teaching aims at the mind.
And that leaves the heart and the will still.
Teaching aims at the mind and understanding.
Preaching aims to move the heart of man. Preaching
aims to move the will and to address the conscience
of the hearer through holy persuasion, theological
persuasion of the truth. So Paul bore witness
and he declared the truth. This word for... Testifying
is used periodically throughout Scripture, and
it's a fascinating word. It carries connotations
with regards to covenant agreements and we could
say almost legal code. So there's something that's
legally binding. There's something that is covenantally
obligated about the proclamation of the truth.
Think about an ambassador that has been sent
by a king. They've been saved. They've been entrusted
with the truth. The king says, here's my truth.
Announce it. Don't change it as we've already
alluded to. Announce it and proclaim it. Teach
everything on it. Teach it all. Explain all of
it clearly. But I want you to know, That you
must also seek to persuade and convince those
people who hear this that this is true. That
these realities are true as you yourself know
they are true. Because you have experienced them.
Proclaim that truth. In a nutshell, brothers
and sisters, this is preaching as we see it.
In Paul's ministry. He declared and he testified.
About the truth. And the authenticity. And the
veracity. Of the message of the gospel. The word
must be taught. And it must be preached. For
a well -rounded and comprehensive. Ministry.
To exist. We think about. What we are expounding
right now. God's Word. Eternal realities. What
is the appropriate way of communicating such
grand realities? What is the appropriate way
of listening to such grand, glorious, eternal
realities? How do we handle God's word, not our
own, brothers and sisters? That's really what
is in question here. How do we relate to the
truth of God? And what is the proper way of handling
it and dealing with it? And proclaiming it and
teaching it and communicating it? It ought to
be taught and preached among the people of God.
And we see this clearly in Paul's ministry throughout
Ephesus. Now we also see that the word ought
to be proclaimed publicly and privately. And
we see this in verse 20. How I did not shrink
from declaring to you anything that was profitable
and teaching you publicly. And from house to
house. Now we think about Paul's ministry. What
is Paul referring to when he speaks publicly?
In Acts chapter 19, we know what he's talking
about. The synagogue and the school of Tyrannus.
He was publicly disseminating the truth of the
gospel. He was... openly proclaiming the reality
concerning the kingdom of God to all that would
hear, to all that would come, to all that would
come and learn about the cross of Calvary and
the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was openly
proclaiming it and his name was associated with
it, brothers and sisters. We know this because
the demons knew about it and the people in Ephesus
knew who Paul and his gospel were. That's how
openly Paul proclaimed the ministry of the word
in Ephesus. I think we get a great picture of
this in chapter 19, verse 10. We read in verses
8 through 10 of chapter 19. There were in all
about 12 men. Then we read in verse 8. And he
entered the synagogue and continued speaking
out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading
them about the kingdom of God. So there's Paul
proclaiming the word openly to Jews, but also
to the believers and God -fearers that may have
been present in the synagogue. Then we read,
In verse 9, but when some were becoming hardened
and disobedient, speaking evil of the way before
the people, he withdrew from them and took away
the disciples, reasoning daily in the school
of Tyrannus. There he continues in this civic
center, in a sense, to proclaim the truth openly
and publicly to that community and to the believers.
This took place for two years. So that all who
lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both
Jews and Greeks. That is a remarkable statement,
brothers and sisters. So that all who lived in
Asia heard the word of the Lord. Why? Because
it was openly proclaimed. of Danasia heard the
word of the Lord because it was publicly announced.
The Lord used the open proclamation to spread
the kingdom and to spread the gospel and to build
the church. Now what does he mean when he speaks
about house to house? Now this would be more
of the private or the personal side of Paul ministering.
the word to that community and that church. There's
varying thoughts on exactly what he is referring
to in this, but I think we can narrow it down
to two things in particular. Paul went about
preaching in homes that had churches planted
in them, or there were house churches. So in
a sense, It was an extension of his public preaching.
We know at the end of 1 Corinthians chapter 16
that there were house churches in Ephesus. This
would have been probably because there was too
many believers to have them all present in one
single locale in that pagan city. Therefore,
they planted various churches in the city or
the region in people's homes, and the apostle
would go about preaching in those. somewhat similar
to what he would do in the school of Tyrannus
and in the synagogue. However, it was a more
intimate and personal setting. However, I don't
think that fully explains it. We read in Acts
chapter 2 a very similar statement regarding
the church. We read in Acts chapter 2, Starting
in verse 43. Everyone kept feeling a sense of
awe. And many wonders and signs were taking place
to the apostles. And all those who had believed
were together and had all things in common. And
they began selling their property and possessions
and were sharing them with all as anyone might
have need. Day by day. continuing with one mind
in the temple, that's the public, and breaking
bread from house to house. They were taking their
meals together with gladness and sincerity of
heart. So what do we find in Acts chapter 2?
That the church... was meeting and fellowshipping
regularly because of this sense of awe regarding
what God was doing in their midst, regarding
how God was working in their life. And so what
did they do? They got together and they had meals
and they talked about it. And what did they want
to do there? They wanted to hear the Word. They
wanted to be taught the Word. They were hungry
for the Word. They longed for the Word. They
desired the Word. So what took place? The apostles
would go from house to house and they would exhort
and they would admonish and they would teach
those disciples which so longed for the ministry
of the word in their life. So we find that as
the church lived and existed in its normal routine
in a sense, and as the apostle lived and dwelt
among them, he went about personally teaching,
exhorting, and admonishing, and applying God's
word among them. So we find this public aspect,
but we also find this personal, more intimate
aspect, where the ministry of the word is applied
to smaller, more intimate groups. Not just publicly
and corporately, or formally. but on a smaller
scale as well. We think about this, and we have
to conclude, brothers and sisters, that the Word
of God is fit to be proclaimed, to be taught,
to be preached in every situation, in every venue.
Why? Because God's revelation is open to all.
God's revelation is public. It is meant to be
proclaimed. It is meant to be taught. It is meant
to be discussed. It is meant to be talked about.
So we are doing the corporate right now, brothers
and sisters. What about the personal and intimate
application? Will we seek the Word? privately
and personally? Will we talk about the Word amongst
ourselves today in Fellowship Mill? Will we exhort
and encourage and strengthen and build up each
other in the Word as we leave this place and
go forth into our lives? When we speak with someone
on the phone, will we encourage them in the Word?
When you interact with somebody you see at the
grocery store, do you interact with them and
encourage them and edify them and strengthen
them in the Word? Brothers and sisters, the Word
is fit to be the center, not just of our lives,
but of our speech as well, of our minds, of our
discussions, of all that we are. So we find in
the early church, There was a prominent public
aspect in the ministry of the Word. But there
was also a personal and more intimate aspect
to the ministry of the Word as well. The Word
also is to be proclaimed in all of its breadth
and in its gospel simplicity. If a ministry is
to have this comprehensive, well -rounded, view
or perspective that the apostles did. We see
this in chapter 20, verses 20 through 21. First
we get the broad aspect or the broad scope of
what he taught, what he instructed, what he preached
on. He says, I did not shrink from declaring
to you anything that was profitable. Then we
see in verse 27, For I did not shrink from declaring
to you the whole purpose of God. This is the
broad aspect of the ministry of the Word that
Paul teaches on. The whole purpose of God. In
the Greek, it's called boule. The whole boule
of God. We can think about Ephesians chapter
1, verses 1 through 13. where Paul gives the
progressive plan or the mystery of the gospel,
the plan for the world, brothers and sisters.
It's the whole redemptive scheme and purpose
of God in its entirety. So we could say that
Paul, while he was among the Ephesians, brothers
and sisters, he worked through the entire revealed
will of God. From creation to the end of the
world. And the redemption of all things. To how
a person comes to know Christ. To sanctification.
To glorification. To the whole plan. He walked
through every single aspect of it. He's talking
about the purpose of all things. The end of all
things. And how the world comes to that place.
And what Christ has done to redeem all things.
So it's this broad, broad aspect of the whole
purpose or revelation of God. But we also see
that Paul, the essence and the heartbeat of his
message, was the tip of the spear when it comes
to the gospel. Faith. and repentance. What do
we read in verse 21? Solemnly testifying to both
Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and
faith in Jesus Christ. So Paul proclaimed the
whole will of God, but he also, brothers and
sisters, preached conversion by the gospel to
Jews and Greeks. He preached the elaborate nature
of God's revealed will and purpose for the entire
world. But what was the heartbeat and the essence
of the message? It was what Christ has done to
accomplish all of these things. Faith and repentance.
So now we can see why Paul's ministry was the
way it was. Why did Paul... deal with the word
with boldness and solemnity, brothers and sisters,
because he's dealing with the message that God
has given him about Christ. Because he's dealing
with never -dying souls. Literally, the gospel
has to do with eternal life and eternal death.
What is more or greater significance than that?
What should bring more gravity? then those realities,
money, jobs, career, anything in this life, our
physical well -being, our health, our wellness,
what, brothers and sisters, please, what is more
significant than eternal life and eternal damnation?
Nothing. Every single person in this room is
a never -dying, eternal soul, and you have a
fate somewhere. Heaven or hell. You will be with
Christ and in Christ for all eternity. Or you
will be in hell and you will suffer under the
wrath of God justly for all eternity. How could
Paul not deal with these truths and these realities
with a degree of solemnity? With boldness. He
knows they're true. Now we know why the truth
must be taught and preached. Because we're not
talking about coffee. Because we're not talking
about clothing. We're not talking about temporal
things or things that perish right here. We're
talking about eternal spiritual realities. God's
truth is orderly. The message He has given to
us is structured. And systematic. And it ought
to be taught. But it's not possible. Brothers
and sisters. For a person to know and taste of
the grace of God. And to enjoy these realities
in a vital growing capacity. And to speak of
the gospel lightly. Why? Does he do so publicly?
And privately. Because he wants Jew and Gentile
to hear the gospel. He wants men to come to Christ.
He wants men to believe the message that he has
been entrusted by the risen Lord. Why, brothers
and sisters, does he apply it in a more personal
and intimate setting? Because it is the message
that men's sanctification depends upon. He knows
that if you are to grow in grace, He knows that
if saints are to be matured, if they are to grow
up in Christ, if they are to grow in holiness
and godliness in their life, it's dependent on
their understanding and their reception of the
message of the gospel that He has been given.
And He has a responsibility to proclaim all of
it, and the specifics of it with regards to the
Lord Jesus Christ. This is the kind of ministry,
brothers and sisters, that God owns. This is
the kind of ministry, brothers and sisters, that
God blesses and works through those who see the
sufficiency of His infallible, inerrant Word
and trust in it and it alone. We know how to
honor His Word, don't we, brothers and sisters?
Paul has told us. He's walked us through how
to honor it. And God, I believe, is pleased to
bless the church and the ministry that honors
His Word.