Acts 20

1. When the trouble stopped, Paul sent for the followers to come to him. He encouraged them and then told them good-bye. Paul left and went to the country of Macedonia.

The Corinthians had accused Paul of lying when he said he was going to come and visit them. As we can see Paul was having trouble in Ephesus and went to Corinth as soon as he could. 2 Corinthians 1:15–23

2. He said many things to strengthen the followers in the different places on his way through Macedonia. Then he went to Southern Greece.

This could have been the time when Paul visited Yugoslavia. Romans 15:19

3 – 4

He stayed there three months. He was ready to sail for Syria, but some Jews were planning something against him. So Paul decided to go back through Macedonia to Syria. Some men went with him.

They were Sopater son of Pyrrhus, from the city of Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus, from the city of Thessalonica; Gaius, from Derbe; and Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus, two men from Asia.

Paul changed his travel plans to confuse the man who were trying to kill him. The men with him would stop people from accusing Paul of stealing the money that they were bringing to Jerusalem. Evil men would also think it was harder to attack a group.

5 – 6

These men went first, ahead of Paul, and waited for us at Troas. We sailed from Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread and we met them in Troas five days later. We stayed there seven days.

Luke joined the group as Paul passed through Philippi, so he starts including himself in the story again.

7. On the first day of the week, we all met together to break bread. Paul spoke to the group. Because he was planning to leave the next day, he kept on talking till midnight.

People who are hungry for God’s Word do not care what time it is. The world’s culture expects church to last for a short time, spiritually hungry people want all of God’s teaching that they can get.

8 – 12

We were all together in a room upstairs, and there were many lamps in the room. A young man named Eutychus was sitting in the window. As Paul continued talking, Eutychus was falling into a deep sleep. Finally, he went sound asleep and fell to the ground from the third floor. When they picked him up, he was dead. Paul went down to Eutychus.

He knelt down and put his arms around him. He said, “Do not worry. He is alive now.” Then Paul went upstairs again, broke bread, and ate. He spoke to them a long time, until it was early morning. Then he left. They took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.

When the devil tries to disturb the church, and God does a miracle to stop him, we turn our attention back to the Word. We do not chase after miracles but we see them as part of the Christian life.

13. We sailed for the city of Assos. We went first, ahead of Paul. He wanted to join us on the ship there. Paul planned it this way because he wanted to walk to Assos by land.

In Verse 3 we see that some men were planning to kill Paul. They were expecting to catch Paul as he went by boat so he walked instead. He was also thinking about what he would say to the church of Ephesus and what would happen when he got to Jerusalem.

14 – 16

When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went to Mitylene. The next day, we sailed from Mitylene and came to a place near Chios. The next day, we sailed to Samos.

A day later, we reached Miletus. Paul had already decided not to stop at Ephesus. He did not want to stay too long in Asia. He was hurrying to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, if that was possible.

Remember that Paul wanted to live as a Jew in everything except being saved by the Law. He also knew that the Lord was planning something for him in Jerusalem and he was the type of man who wanted to face it and get on with it.

17 – 23

Now from Miletus Paul sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. When they came to him, he said, “You know about my life from the first day I came to Asia. You know the way I lived all the time I was with you. The Jews plotted against me. This troubled me very much. But you know that I always served the Lord. I never thought of myself first, and I often cried.

You know I preached to you, and I did not hold back anything that would help you. You know that I taught you in public and in your homes. I warned both Jews and Greeks to change their lives and turn to God. And I told them all to believe in our Lord Jesus. But now I must obey the Holy Spirit and go to Jerusalem. I do not know what will happen to me there. I know only that in every city the Holy Spirit tells me that troubles and even jail wait for me.

Bible teachers do not agree that Paul should have gone to Jerusalem. Here Paul says that he had no choice. Yes, God was warning him about what would happen but the Lord had also told him that he was being sent to share the Gospel with kings.

We need to give each other the freedom to do what God is showing us to do. Sometimes all we know is to do one thing at a time that God has shown us.

24. I do not care about my own life. The most important thing is that I complete my mission. I want to finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me, to tell people the Gospel about God’s grace.

Paul said the same thing just before he was killed. 2 Timothy 4:7

25 – 27

“And now, I know that none of you will ever see me again. All the time I was with you, I was preaching the kingdom of God. So today I can tell you one thing that I am sure of: If any of you should be lost, I am not responsible. This is because I have told you everything God wants you to know.

When God gives you something to say, just say it and then be quiet. Anything more than this is trying to push people. We deliver God’s message God takes it from there.

28. Be careful for yourselves and for all the people God has given you. The Holy Spirit gave you the work of caring for this flock. You must be like shepherds to the church of God. This is the church that God bought with His own death.

The original language says, “Guard your mind!”

29 – 31

I know that after I leave, some men will come like wild wolves and try to destroy the flock. Also, men from your own group will rise up and twist the truth. They will lead away followers after them. So be careful! Always remember this: For three years I never stopped warning each of you. I taught you night and day. I often cried over you.

Paul is telling the leaders that if they fall, the church will fall, and then they will have nothing.

32 – 35

“Now I am putting you in the care of God and the message about His grace. That message is able to give you strength, and it will give you the blessings that God has for all His holy people. When I was with you, I never wanted anyone’s money or fine clothes.

You know that I always worked to take care of my own needs and the needs of those who were with me. I showed you in all things that you should work as I did and help the weak. I taught you to remember the words of Jesus. He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Be careful of anyone who tells you how much you have to give to God. Check and see if they are willing to work with their own hands to provide for the ministry.

The ministry should be giving to the cause of the Gospel and not just storing up money to buy more things for the church. Luke gives us the closest idea of the words of Jesus that Paul is talking about.

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. Luke 6:38

36 – 38

When Paul had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. And they all cried because Paul had said that they would never see him again. They put their arms around him and kissed him. Then they went with him to the ship.

We get a picture of these men crying and praying together. There are times when we know that someone is going to do what they want to do. All we can do is be clear with them and make sure that they know we are leaving them in God’s hands.