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let me take this opportunity to most sincerely thank uh you um dear Church uh to thank uh uh my pastor and the the rest of the leadership uh allowing me to uh be at the pulpit here and indeed be among you but really to be here and to bring God's word in the morning and uh again now um I'm very grateful for the uh friendship that uh really has uh Gone on for uh number of years particularly between uh thear Pastor Jame and uh my dear brother Steve uh lson we have um exchanged correspondence once again I am very grateful for the help that you uh dear uh church have been to us to me particularly uh and indeed to my church back in Elder Kenya and so for now let's uh turn to God's word the passage that was earlier read uh Acts chapter 20 uh and uh I just want us to draw some lessons from there uh from um Paul's life and Ministry and I'm doing this to um help us those already in the ministry uh to be encouraged to be helped to refocus ourselves uh in the work that the Lord has given us uh yeah of course particularly I'm thinking of uh those who preach uh directly uh but also wherever we are uh any teaching uh opportunities that we have it may not be public enough standing uh before the rest on Sunday but uh is it um teaching other us uh in other setups bringing God's word to them surely we need to draw some lessons from this man the Apostle Paul something in my mind here as by way of illustration as we enter into this passage is what a good mother would do uh in her family uh as a mother is setting off to the market um to to to go find you know buy food for the family uh the mother a good mother you know in our own setup but I trust it will relate here if you've got children uh in the family some are very young but uh others than who you can say well you make sure you care for your brothers or for your situ your sisters a good mother would give instructions to the children um as she departs uh from home and says now no going to the kitchen for example no opening the fridge while mom is away don't touch the stove things like that because you know um when you were a mother as an adult you're not there if children put their hand all over the place uh they can be uh you know they can fall in danger so a mother would give such instructions and In this passage Paul like a good mother uh would do uh Paul brings out a number of things then that uh he wants to leave with these people the the mother illustration is one who is going to the market and soon will be back but Paul actually tells these people um as far as he knows he'll not see them again and as we read at the end of this story that caught them uh very seriously and it just made them shed tears as they are beaing uh each other by well um but this is a um I think a very profitable uh passage for us to reflect uh briefly then this afternoon what I want us then to see are um four things uh and the way I'm dividing it for our help and if you taking notes that would be very helpful I want us to one to think of experience two think of motivation three think of warning and four think of encouragement so experience motivation warning and enouragement and so in the first place then um and we we'll be looking really uh between verses 18 and 32 but this is what we see uh Paul wants his readers and therefore by extension this is God's word ever living word Paul is addressing us also but as he was uh there um seeking to reach Jerusalem uh possibly uh to be there by the day of Pentecost he felt if he went all the way to Ephesus then he would be delayed and so we are told because of that he called the leaders verse 17 now from melitus he sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the church to come to him and and so uh Verse 18 is what we want to see something about his experience as we look at his experience think of how Paul handled his life and Ministry how did he handle his life and Ministry among God's people uh these Ephesians and he's talking to the leaders now if only he could be there and and speak to the all Congregation of these are the leaders who have come to him we learn from vers 18 how he did it uh let's just read from Verse 18 to 21 and when they came to him he said to them you yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia and this is how he lived serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable and teaching you in public and from house to house testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ so Paul really is telling these people I lived an open life before you uh you you knew me it's like an open book um and so you so um what I am both in terms of my teachings uh and the extent of my teachings uh in terms of his teaching he did not hold back anything um but but taught but how far did he go well he actually did this from house to house um and and and uh he he faced challenges um even plots um of those who would wish to to kill him so he he lived a very practical life before these people um and and uh he therefore now testifies that uh please you you had it I didn't hold anything back and the content of my teaching my preaching you know and he summarized it by saying I called upon all repentance toward God and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ that is uh the summary of The Life I Lived so he tells them that's my experience among you and and this is uh helpful for us those who are leaders those who would be leaders must be those who can be read like a book um should be uh should be known our congregants should know us I say this because back in in my country in Kenya um well actually without blowing my own trumpet uh people say well Pastor you are approachable but some of us have been in churches where for for one to ever meet a pastor um you you've got through so you have have to go through so much uh you know screening uh you've got to persuade uh the leaders to allow you to see the pastor um one of the men uh he he was our former Deacon and then he uh resigned from that work he's still with us in the church um the way we got him really and witnessed him was because he had been deceived by um you know false teachers the health and wealth um group of of um churches a pastor who told him just s your seed and he brought all his money to the church and at the end he became very poor very disturbed and he gave up on the church altto together later on when we met uh his children and we were playing Saturday by Saturday by the way his child is one of them is Dennis and Dennis is our it Guru Dennis is the one who put the the slides together but we we met Dennis and Dennis's brother uh and sister the three children are now members in the church and their father because we witnessed to their father and their father told us his story uh and and we we had to say with my wife we went to visit them and say look we are not like the people you're describing but come and hear the gospel and slowly he began to come to follow his children who are now beginning to come to our Sunday school the Lord saved him I baptized him and then in time with time the Lord saved his three children and they are members now with us but Paul is telling these people you must leave really by implication you must live the way I have set before you my example my experience it is there you saw it in terms of the content in terms of the struggles I went through yes that must be you it was me and indeed by implication that must be for every um preacher well but that's the experience Paul went through the next thing is motivation Paul what in the world motivated you to live like that what would keep you going when you even met trials and plots and Paul you have even told us that there are times when you you even Shar tears Paul what was driving you along so in that second place we see uh something about Paul what what actually drove him look at verses 22- 24 and now behold I am going to Jerusalem constrained by the spirit not knowing what will happen to me there except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every s City that imprisonment and affliction await me but I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself if only I may finish my cause and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God and friends there surely as to what was motivating Paul it is um in a a short sentence it is God God is the one who handled Paul's life Paul would tell you I am in the very hand of God that motivates me as I go on and what we have read a few things come out Paul basically says listen I do not know everything certainly I don't know my future verse 22 and and now behold I'm going to Jerusalem constrained by the spirit not knowing what will happen to me there Paul did not know his future what will happen the following day no he didn't know but he declares that God and specifically here he talks of God the Holy Spirit God the Holy Spirit knows and has planned his life he the spirit God the spirit knows he has planned his life um plus sufferings that's the bit people don't like um but plus sufferings people have a very very narrow view of U of Christian Life or Christian Ministry or even as they would say successful Christian Ministry for many um successful Christian Ministry is nothing you know incorporating suffering but but that actually is not uh biblical experience uh and definitely that is not what should motivate uh a minister or for that matter a Believer a follower of Christ please just listen to Acts chapter 14 if you able to turn there not many uh Pages back towards the left uh Acts chapter 14 and there in verse 22 we read this well pick it from verse 21 for the context sake 21 when they had preached the gospel to that City and had made many disciples they returned to uh lisia and ecorium and Antioch and verse 22 is amazing strengthening The Souls of the disciples encouraging them to continue in the faith and many would just wish that there was a full stop there and we move to verse 23 but no there is uh this that encouraging them to continue in the faith and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God and so um the Christian encouragement and strengthening of of God God's people must not exclude being open to God's people uh that part of it is uh suffering suffering is a part of that package um Paul actually says you will suffer uh but it's all in the hand and the plan uh of God and God You' have called me to the ministry Paul would say I am willing to go forward uh and uh as much as I suffer I know I am in your hand for a mission that you are accomplishing and that should be the prayer of God's people that should be the prayer of God's people and the end near the near verse 20 the end of verse 22 verse 24 Paul brings in that element of and and we'll be meeting it later look at verse 24 the middle of it well I'll read verse 24 but I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself why if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God so friends we are seeing here what motivates Paul to go forward he's been called by God there's a mission in his hand uh to carry forward and uh that Mission um includes an experience of of suffering but Paul says now joyfully I'll go through it because um it contains the gospel of the grace of God and so the Sovereign God has called Paul and calls every True Believer and pleasing that God pleasing that God must be our single motivation however hard it is and God is not calling us on something that um uh has never been heard before or calling Paul to something that is uh out of place you know think of Hebrews chap 12 12 Hebrews chapter 12 and and verse two but let's begin from verse one because verse two gives us a motivation that that kept the Lord Jesus going and therefore every follower uh need to think about it verse um one um as we move to two therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses let us also lay us every weight and sin which clings so closely and let us run with endurance the race that he set before us and listen to verse two looking to Jesus the founder and perfector of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the Throne of God and so this was the experience of our Lord and in this our passage Acts chapter 20 this is the experience of Paul and this must be the experience of every a true servant of God actually every child of God every follower of the Lord Jesus need to have this motivation in other words it's not only the the leaders the preachers the pastors that will go through uh a call for obedience um and particularly when suffering is there but is everyone who would follow the lord Jesus well so Paul shares with us his experience and his motivation but Paul then also gives us a warning Paul gives us a warning in this passage and as we think about the warning let's look at verses 25- 31 25-31 and this is what he says or what we are told there and now behold I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proc claiming the kingdom will see my face again therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all for I did not shrink from declaring to you the all Council of God pay close or careful attention to yourself and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to care for the Church of God which he obtained with his own blood I know that after my departure Fierce wols will come in among you not sparing the flock and from among your own selves will arise men speaking Twisted things to draw away the disciples after them well then verse 31 it's all together verse 31 therefore be alert remembering that for 3 years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears and so surely I'm calling this warning how Paul handled his soul own life but now how we should handle Our Lives um here set before us and Paul is telling these people that I have preached to you uh but now you won't see me again um that that phrase sounds very strong I'm innocent of your blood wow that that's strong you know um actually that's what without maybe using those words but when we declare God's word from the pulpit or from wherever as teachers and preachers and and we show our people now this is what the Bible says this is what it means for you friends we are basically saying from now I'm innocent of your blood that's a strong strong warning um and uh I'm innocent of your blood because I have declared to you the whole counsel of God what God requires uh what He commands you to know uh what he therefore expects you uh to do in obedience and therefore when one fails to do that then the preacher in that sense is uh is exempt is free uh but that person who fails to to obey um then is uh is responsible and and that's uh the picture we get um from The Book of Ezekiel uh there in Ezekiel chapter 3 that passage that talks about a Watchman for Israel uh if we just take verse 19 for example Ezekiel chter 3 verse 19 uh let me read 18 and 19 if I say to the wicked you shall surely die and you give him no warning nor speak to warn the Wicked from his Wicked way in order to save his life that Wicked person shall die for his iniquity but his blood I will require at your hand but if you want the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his Wicked way he shall die for his iniquity but you will have have delivered your soul now surely no no honest no faithful preacher would just come to the pulpit or would would use the scriptures to speak so that we exonerate ourselves and say okay that's now upon you no the picture is for one who is pouring out his heart pleading with the hear us that they will listen and take seriously what is being taught just like Paul no no Peter in the morning as we saw in chapter um chapter 2 of the book of Acts Peter spoke his heart out and of course the result was such that his hearers were cut to the heart and ask what must we do that really should be the response of the hearers and the preacher must not say well I've done it so it's upon you now no anyway Peter in Paul In this passage now I get mixed up with the pce uh but Paul now in this passage is is giving this warning and telling them that I held nothing back I declared it all to you um why is this warning serious why must it be taken seriously really it it comes up in two ways um look at verse we back now to Acts chapter 20 Acts chapter 20 and he says in verse 29 and 30 two things that uh we need to take very seriously verse 29 I know that after my departure Fierce woles will come in among you not sparing the flock so that is uh uh one of the reasons why he's warning I will go but lo and behold soon after I'm gone then you will get wolves coming in and wolf is no good animal it comes to to to attack to M to to to destroy and so there are these who would come described as wolves Fierce wolves they will come among God's people they will not spare the flock no wonder Paul is giving this strong warning and then uh he says not only uh from outside would uh attack come verse 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking Twisted things to draw away the disciples after them wow so here is a situation that uh really is causing or had to cause the Elders of EP Ephesus to be ever so alot Paul has taught them uh Paul is going away but Paul is saying danger is lacking there will be the danger from outside and there'll be the danger from within so just be alert watch and the the target are the people of God the flock the sheep in many churches who occupies the pulpit is no big deal simple illustration my fellow Elder one of them called uh told us story when he was young in the faith and just was wandering in this in the town of Elder before he got to meet us as he was from the college uh where he was uh learning but as he wed in some into some uh Charismatic Church the person who met him at the door where he was one I suppose one of the leaders but what position he doesn't know but the person knew here is a visitor he had not been in that church before at least that far the the that church leader knew many of the charismatic churches there are many people they don't know who has been there how many times but anyway as he introduced himself and said who he is and that is his first time then the man actually prevailed on him that oh God has brought you Among Us now you're the one going to feed us God's word now that is dangerous I mean that's really not right but that's what poor Moses was uh confronted with you are the one to give us God's word oh no no I'm just visiting no God's God has sent you to us please I've given an extreme example but actually it is happening at least in my country um so what am I really saying honestly I'm trying to show that it is through the teachings and preachings that people are either LED astray or constantly preserved and and made safe um in the house of God and the example of Moses those many years back just showed that there are places where they they don't care who stands at the pulpit if I suppose if you can bring any word uh to them they'll just be happy but no Paul is saying be careful from within and also from without all manner of uh um people will come well uh friends so far if that's the case you know Christian Ministry can look very very fearful very unpromising uh something that not many would would wish I want to end with a word of encouragement uh in the fourth place we have seen Paul's on experience and what motivated him the example that he brought out to these leaders but then there's a word of encouragement a word encouragement because his warning I think would send some fear and even discouragement um among some among many um let's note the word of encouragement there in verse 32 where we are shown this and now I commend you to God now to me that's a great encouragement Paul did not end I suppose in some places a word of word of warning one may say I I I want to leave word of warning just to scare them and and make sure they remain alot not so Paul Paul Ends by bringing this word of encouragement and now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to Build You Up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are Sanctified oh those are words of Grace honestly [Music] um and and this really is talking of of God's goodness to his people God is able to keep his people remember he's talking to the leaders uh but this is the word that that even the flock will desperately need God is able to keep his people by his power and the gospel is that which he uses the gospel is able to build the gospel is able to protect the gospel is then able also to lead God's people to the desired end and and I say that uh here that that desired end is no other place than Heaven itself if we read it again the word Heaven is not there but let's read that again and now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are Sanctified an inheritance is that which is kept uh biblically is kept for God's people we don't get our inheritance here and now we will get it then and so it's referring to um what will happen there um here is a promise God will keep his people to Heaven itself uh people here described as Sanctified God is working friends in his people in these Elders God is working through them God will be working um on on the flock uh and God will bring them all um to that inheritance kept for them in heaven well that's the passage I just want therefore to encourage you and myself from this passage as we close so that uh we remember a few things friends uh particularly those in uh Christian leadership in in the church here and and those uh who may be here but lead us somewhere let um Paul's example uh be our great encouragement let think of um the thorough openness that Paul displayed among these people uh trusting God to order uh his life by his power um taking the ministerial you know threats very seriously and and revealing that in the way we teach and the content that we give God's people and uh hoping indeed uh that God's Eternal purpose will come to pass uh in our lives you know that should encourage Us in this ministry if we didn't enter into the Christian Ministry um by ourselves but the Lord called us then the Lord holds these areas for our encouragement um and and I say this for quite a number of you dear young people please consider the ministry let what we have seen this afternoon not scare you and say ah if that's what it is then I I'm I'm better off in the secular world now if you're a Believer please may the Lord lay his hand upon you and call you and if he's calling you please uh do not hold back by saying well uh the challenges that you have talked about the the fears the plots the tears the uncertainities of Tomorrow the seriousness of of of what goes on in a church I don't want to be a part of that no it's the Lord who calls to the ministry and dear dear young people even you dear ladies young ladies um if um your dear husband is is thinking about the Christian Ministry don't discourage him just because you have heard of the challenges that ministers go through oh oh please be an encouragement to him is the Lord who calls and yes those things are there like beacons uh to to help us walk along the way God's word must be spread this um gospel of grace of God is worthy to be spread and would you not be a part of those who take the word as Paul was speaking to to the leaders of you know efficient leaders would you not be motivated to be a part of such ah please consider and not be scared by the various things we have seen here but also let me mention this that for all of us really as professing Christians I I pray that we take heed I pray that we watch and that we are constantly alert against false teachers um how then you as a Christian you may say but that warning is given to leaders I'm not a leader no please follow it this way yes it's given to leaders but but if you're a Believer how will you be preserved how will you be so protected so that these um strange teachers woles from outside or people who come with with funny teachings from within how will you be protected simply this please find and now I can talk about this church make sure you're a part of this church make sure you are a member of this church make sure that then when the word of God is sounded forth you're a part of it this is the way you will be protected from uh the the the dangers that are just lacking and people may not knock through that door or the other you know doors to come in and and bring strange teachings but now with the social media oh it's all over the place actually even in Kenya and we do um import quite a lot of things from your great country and from your neighboring country America it all comes to our country so potential danger maybe on your smartphone or on this um TV screen but you will be kept safe when you are in the church when you are taking in what is taught constantly please cling to the gospel as it is taught and preached in this place and what does that mean mean as you go on Avail yourself at the means of Grace oh please don't pick and choose don't say but I I don't need to go to church twice no once is okay I've got other cares the time you miss to be here the food that is served or the Weaponry that is provided would have greatly helped you against the strange teachings from outside there so Avail yourself Avail yourself and cling to what you receive and then finally let me just say this to those who are here and you you know you may love this place you are coming here regularly young or old but you know you're not saved you know it's not it right between you and God you know what there is no other way to reach heaven no other way to reach heaven but by the grace the the gospel of the grace gra of God it is what ultimately takes any and all to heaven and that's what we read in verse 32 and now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and give you the inheritance among all those who are Sanctified and this is the gospel that I want to urge you to know to hold firm to stick to to believe and let it just change your life it's the gospel there isn't something hidden that will when you somehow come to accept if there was anything and then Tang then Pastor brings something that you were not prepared about no it is here laid before you it's the gospel of the grace of God received by faith and when you receive that you're in you're in the number and you will be cared and protected by the same gospel and therefore if you are one of those you've not believed young or old then please you have heard the preaching of God's word not only now I know in this place a few times when I've had opportunity I've let me own up and and tell you occasionally I've uh tuned in to the Twitter uh to to receive the preachings of uh of Pastor um Jim um and I know the gospel has been pounded off from this place uh please so this that has gone on throughout the world into Kenya um it is the gospel and if you're not saved this is the gospel I'm calling upon you to consider while it is called today believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved and kept safe to Heaven itself together with all who are waiting for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ let's pray our father thank you thank you uh for the ministry of the Apostle Paul he labored hard and indeed like a good mother uh setting off for the good of the children would give various uh instructions uh what things should be done certainly what things should not be done but oh Lord we are grateful just learning uh from uh Paul his his experience and and what motivated him and and and even the warnings that he gives but also the encouragement that he holds and we need these things as your preachers Lord teachers of your word but as members of your church Lord and indeed as we must indeed emphasize even for those who up to this moment they are not Believers this is what they need the gospel of the grace of God so please hear our prayer oh Lord and and build build this church uh from this pull pit build this church let your uh name be glorified Lord let your people be fortified um so that the enemy does not uh uh grab any of them uh but that uh many more how I pray many more uh young people will come from this church desirous to take the same gospel uh to other places also Lord hear our prayer be with us these things we pray in Jesus name amen