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Southside Church of Christ, Lexington, KY
Episodes
Sunday Jun 09, 2024
Sunday Jun 09, 2024
Acts 20:17-27
17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. 22 And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. 25 Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. (NIV 84)
17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. 22 And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. 25 Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. (NIV 84)
FROM THE LESSON
The farewell speech - this speech given by Paul to the elders at Ephesus it is a kind of speech that is very familiar in Scripture. We have farewell speeches given by Moses, Joshua, and Jesus. The purpose of a speech like this one is for the leader who is giving the speech to review his life as an example for the others to follow.
Servant - literally it is the Greek word "doulos" that can be translated as "slave." For Paul, embracing the life of a servant is what Christianity is all about.
Compelled by the Spirit - literally this phrase means "bound by the Spirit" (NLT) or "constrained by the Spirit" (ESV)
Three characteristics of a Servant:
1 The servant is compelled to speak without hesitation (verse 20, 27)
2 The servant is compelled to go without consideration (verse 24)
3 The servant is compelled to live without resignation (verse 24)
The farewell speech - this speech given by Paul to the elders at Ephesus it is a kind of speech that is very familiar in Scripture. We have farewell speeches given by Moses, Joshua, and Jesus. The purpose of a speech like this one is for the leader who is giving the speech to review his life as an example for the others to follow.
Servant - literally it is the Greek word "doulos" that can be translated as "slave." For Paul, embracing the life of a servant is what Christianity is all about.
Compelled by the Spirit - literally this phrase means "bound by the Spirit" (NLT) or "constrained by the Spirit" (ESV)
Three characteristics of a Servant:
1 The servant is compelled to speak without hesitation (verse 20, 27)
2 The servant is compelled to go without consideration (verse 24)
3 The servant is compelled to live without resignation (verse 24)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1 Icebreaker - can you recall a time that you participated in a gathering like the one between Paul and the Ephesians elders? A time when you got together with a group one last time prior to someone being gone for a significant amount of time? What was the occasion? Share the details with your group.
2 If you were asked to summarize your Christian life into one sentence so that someone else could follow your example, what would that one sentence be? Spend some time with this individually and try to summarize it in a sentence. Then share these sentences with your group.
3 Paul summarized his life in this way in verse 19: I served the Lord with great humility. For Paul, embracing the life of a servant is what His life was all about. Discuss this summary with your group. How does this summary of Paul's life influence your life? How is it an example for you to follow?
4 In verse 22, Paul writes that he was "compelled" by the Spirit. Have you ever felt compelled by the Spirit to serve the Lord in some way? The word literally means "bound" and "constrained." Talk about this understanding of the word with your group.
5 Three characteristics of a servant that the Holy Spirit compels us to embrace are listed above. Which one of these characteristics encouraged you this morning?
1 Icebreaker - can you recall a time that you participated in a gathering like the one between Paul and the Ephesians elders? A time when you got together with a group one last time prior to someone being gone for a significant amount of time? What was the occasion? Share the details with your group.
2 If you were asked to summarize your Christian life into one sentence so that someone else could follow your example, what would that one sentence be? Spend some time with this individually and try to summarize it in a sentence. Then share these sentences with your group.
3 Paul summarized his life in this way in verse 19: I served the Lord with great humility. For Paul, embracing the life of a servant is what His life was all about. Discuss this summary with your group. How does this summary of Paul's life influence your life? How is it an example for you to follow?
4 In verse 22, Paul writes that he was "compelled" by the Spirit. Have you ever felt compelled by the Spirit to serve the Lord in some way? The word literally means "bound" and "constrained." Talk about this understanding of the word with your group.
5 Three characteristics of a servant that the Holy Spirit compels us to embrace are listed above. Which one of these characteristics encouraged you this morning?
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