Exhortation in Miletus

 Acts 20:13-38; 3/31/2024; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang

 Introduction

The border between Greece and Turkey is very interesting. Almost the entire belly of the Aegean Sea belongs to Greece, and only a small area on the side belongs to Turkey.  The place we are focusing on today is Miletus, a peninsula close to Turkey.  Being on this peninsula was not only a turning point in Paul’s life, but also a staged change in the history of the church.  From this day on, the church entered the days of universal persecution.  Let’s look at the first point:

 Wonderful testimony

Today is the last day of our church’s mission month, and we will learn from Paul’s wonderful testimony through Paul’s exhortation in Miletus.  First, Troas to Miletus.  Miletus is just south of Ephesus.  We are all familiar with Troas, where Paul just performed miracles.  From Troas to Mitylene, the Bible says that Assos was passed in the middle, and Assos is mentioned again in verse 14. Why?  Paul was a man full of two cultures, that is, Hebrew and Greek culture.   Then he would not be indifferent to the fact that Aristotle lived in Assos for many years.  The Stoic poet Cleanthes was born here, which may have had a certain influence on Paul.  Because Luke quoted the verses of Cleanthes in Acts 17:28:  “In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’”

 Secondly, invite the Ephesian elders.  When Paul came on his third missionary journey,   his first stop from Antioch was to Ephesus.  Including arriving on the return trip from his second missionary trip, Paul had already been there twice. This time the Bible says:   “Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus.” Why?  Because of the commotion caused by the silversmith Demetrius,“  Paul decided to meet with the elders of the Ephesus church in Miletus “to avoid being delayed in Asia.”  It was also for this reason that Paul arranged to walk thirty kilometers from Troas to Assos.  In order to reach Miletus to meet the elders of Ephesus, Paul set out from Mitylene, passed through Chios and Samos, and came to Miletus.  If Samos is a little-known place, then Chios is the hometown of Homer, the most famous epic author in Greece.

 ​​​​​​Finally, Conduct in Asia.  Paul invited the elders to Miletus for the purpose of seeing how they “have always behaved.”  Before you do anything, you must first learn to behave.  The same goes for serving God.  Paul’s teaching was accompanied by example, for he himself “served the Lord with all humility and with tears.”  The first is humility, and the second is love in the spirit.  These are the basic requirements for spiritual people to behave.  Humility is not easy and requires emptying oneself.  If you still think that you are always better than others or more important than others, your life of humility will not be able to enter and will be blocked by pride.  It is not difficult to love.  It is relatively easy to love the person you like, your children, and your family.  It’s more difficult to love those who don’t love themselves, or whom you don’t love,  do you agree?  Even more difficult is to love those whom the Lord loves, which is to love sinners in the context of the gospel mission.  Let’s look at the second point:

 To entrust watchfulness

Clearly, the Holy Spirit had given Paul a warning sign.  ​​He also informed Paul in advance of the uncertainty of the future.  First, the burden of Jerusalem.  Paul’s trip to Jerusalem was not a whim or impulse, but was led by the Holy Spirit.  On the one hand, Paul’s heart was very urgent, but on the other hand, Paul “not knowing what will happen to me there,”  Of course, Paul was not omniscient, but he seemed to know that this trip would bring disaster.  As Paul walked along the way, the Bible says:  “except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.”  Pastor Wang Yi of Chengdu Qiu Yu Church also knows that if he preaches in China,  “Believe in Jesus and get eternal life, don’t believe in Jesus and get eternal death”, jail time is waiting for him. What to do?   Will he still preach?  As Paul asked himself here: Should I go to Jerusalem? And you? What decision would you make?

 Second, be careful and watchful for the church.  Paul’s heart was closely connected with the church, whether it was the church in Jerusalem or the church in Ephesus.  For the church in Jerusalem, Paul was concerned about the dilemmas and difficulties in their lives.  For the church at Ephesus,  Paul said:  “I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable,”  What to say, of course everyone should believe in the Lord Jesus, and you and your family will be saved!  Luke records that Paul was   “testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” At the same time, Paul shared with the church in Ephesus the process of his “experiencing trials due to the conspiracy of the Jews” and warned the church that great persecution was coming.  As in today’s world, the church will suffer persecution.

 Finally, entrust the Word of God’s grace.  What Paul entrusted is the heart of Jesus Christ. That is,  “the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”  It sounds like Paul is saying parting words:  “And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again.” We know that after the farewell, Paul began the process of being accused, thrown into prison, went to Rome to protest, and sentenced to death.  In the spirit, Paul should have known what was going to happen, so he entrusted the most important message to the church.  His message to the elders is this:  “Pay careful attention to yourselves 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.”  Let’s look at the third point: 

 Core value

The driving force that determines the direction of our lives is our core values ​​in Christ,    which is our solemnity, single-mindedness and first priority for Christ.  How to live it out concretely?  Paul lists some life testimonies and encouragements.  First, the example of working hard to help others.  What does it mean to work hard to help others?  Jesus Christ is our example,   and Paul’s imitation is   “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, 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. ”   The core of the relationship between spiritual people is to lay down their lives for each other    and imitate the life of the Lord on the cross, including Paul’s ability to speak everything he knew, to serve humbly, with tears in his eyes, to experience danger, and to do so even though he knew his life was in danger, etc.

 Secondly, it is more blessed to give than to receive.  Paul said:  “I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel.” Perhaps some people were greedy for gold, silver, and clothes at that time.  As a reborn person, if money is still the driving force of life in his heart, then he has given up the blessing of eternal life given to him by God.  To whom was it given?  It is given to those who despise worldly possessions, give willingly, and are not bound by money.  We might as well open up the financial situation of Christians today, especially the wealth owned by pastors and ministers.  Let’s take a look at what the life situation of us spiritual people will be like after our finances are made public.  Does it satisfy the biblical principle of being content with food and clothing?  It is clear at a glance which one is blessed, giving or receiving.  Let each of you be prepared to give an account to the Lord! 

 Finally, parted sadly after praying.   After Paul said these words, he prayed with brothers and sisters.  During the prayer, everyone felt the same spirit and cried bitterly.  Of course, this is human nature, right?  Especially, Paul said that “they would not see his face again.”  The essence of life experience is life, separation and death.   The same is true between us.  One day we will say goodbye in this world.  Our church is planning to purchase some cemeteries this year, not for any other reason than to help everyone have the opportunity to bear beautiful witness to the Lord before and after death.  It’s a beautiful thing to think about: somewhere in the world, there is a group of Christians resting in a cemetery.  People who pass by in the future will ask: Who are they?  Whom do they believe in?

 Conclusion

Well, dear brothers and sisters, Exhortation in Miletus was the turning point in Paul’s life.  If you think about it, the time that Paul served God was not very long, it seemed to have gone by in a flash.  May God help us cherish today’s opportunity for evangelism and not regret it!

Let us pray……

 

Acts 20:13-38

13 But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land. 

14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. 

15 And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and[a] the day after that we went to Miletus. 

16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

17 Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. 

18 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, 

19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; 

20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, 

21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by[c] the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 

23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 

24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, 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. 

25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 

26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 

27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 

28 Pay careful attention to yourselves 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.

29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 

30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 

31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. 

32 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. 

33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 

34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 

35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 

37 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, 

38 being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.

 

1、「亚朔」

 

亚朔 Assos(地名)

字义：    接近 Approaching

汇编：    ‧徒20:13每西亚之一古城，在亚西亚罗马当中，该城高踞于圆锥石上。地势险要，其城最古，主前348至345年曾改名为亚波罗尼亚。现属土耳其，渐形衰微，遗迹甚庄，俨然断垣败岩，仅供石矿之用，如君士坦丁堡。

―― 陈瑞庭

 

亚朔(Assos)罗马小亚细亚省的港埠，在濒临黑海的每西亚地区。使徒保罗从特罗亚起程，走旱路到亚朔与路加相会（徒二十13、14）。古罗马作家老皮里纽（主后23-79）指出，该埠为别迦摩王建立，原名亚波罗尼亚。亚朔地处死火山巅及台坡，海拔770呎。希腊大哲学家亚里士多德曾居此多年。斯多亚派诗人克瑞安提生于此，保罗曾引述他的诗句（徒十七28）。亚朔即今之比兰凯威。―― 证主圣经百科全书

 

2、https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/米蒂利尼