rd 3 Pauls Preaching Journey Declaring the whole

rd 3 Paul’s Preaching Journey Declaring the whole counsel of God Acts 18: 23 – 21: 17

The Trip • Start: Antioch; End: Jerusalem • Distance: 2, 800 – 3, 000 miles • Length: Approx. 4 ½ years (AD 53 -58) • Companions included: – Timothy, Erastus, Gaius, Aristarchus, Sopater, Secundus, Tychicus, Trophimus, Titus and Luke – Acts 19: 22, 29; 20: 4 -5; 2 Cor. 7: 5 -7 2

Acts 18: 23 – 21: 17 3

Lessons for Us • There is room in the kingdom for workers (value of fellow-laborers) – Cor. 3: 5 -9 (Matt. 10: 42) 1 – Timothy, Aquila, Priscilla, Acts 18: 24 -26 – Apollos, Acts 18: 27 -28 – Luke, Acts 16: 40; 20: 5 -6 – Messengers for the churches, Acts 20: 4 (1 Cor. 16: 3 -4; 2 Cor. 8: 23) 6

Lessons for Us • Opposition has always accompanied the gospel – Acts 19: 8 -9 (1 Cor. 15: 32); cf. 1 Ths. 2: 1 -2 – Will we hold up under it, or compromise? 1 Tim. 6: 12; 2 Tim. 2: 2 -3 • Worship with disciples when you travel – 20: 6 -7 (Heb. 10: 24 -25) 7

Lessons for Us • Lessons concerning the Lord’s Supper – Acts 20: 7 – Every first day of the week (cf. Exo. 20: 8) – Necessary inference – Disciples “came together” – L. S. is an assembly activity, 1 Cor. 11: 20 – “Breaking bread” – L. S. & eating a meal are different, 20: 7, 11 (Acts 2: 42, 46) 8

Lessons for Us • Tips on teaching the gospel: – Ask the right questions, 19: 1 -2, 3 (Acts 8: 30) – Go to where the lost are, 19: 8 -9 – Keep helpful attitudes, 20: 18 -20 (Humility, zeal, courage) – Keep right motives, 20: 19, 33 -35 (Service, spiritual, giving) 9

Lessons for Us • Tips on teaching the gospel: – Keep right priorities, 20: 22 -24 – Declare the whole counsel of God, 20: 27 • What is needed – 20: 20 • Warnings – 20: 28 -31 • All truth, 20: 21 -32 (The gospel Paul taught at Ephesus included: True God, Christ, sin, grace, kingdom of God, the church, elders, faithful endurance, spiritual alertness, heaven) 10

Lessons for Us • Trust the will of God – Return to Ephesus, 18: 21; 19: 1 – “I must see Rome, ” 19: 21 (Rom. 1: 13; 15: 22 -29) – Trip to Jerusalem, 20: 16, 22 -23 (21: 4, 10 -14) – Alms for the needy saints • Paul strenuously prays & trusts God will answer – Rom. 15: 30 -32 11

Lessons for Us • It is more blessed to give than receive – Acts 20: 35 – Paul was delivering alms for his Jewish brethren as he says this (24: 17), Prov. 11: 24 -26; 2 Cor. 9: 6 -11 – Giving reflects our faith that God will give us more opportunities & ability to give! 12

rd 3 Paul’s Preaching Journey Ends Acts 21: 17 -20 • Brethren gladly receive Paul • The alms were accepted • The Lord was praised 13