Acts 20:13-16 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. 14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. 15 The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. 16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost. MAP
After speaking through the night at TROAS, Paul left for ASSOS. While Luke and the rest of the team set sail to ASSOS, Paul decided to walk there on foot.
Sailing takes a little longer because it has to skirt around the jut-out coastline. No reason was given why Paul chose to walk. He joined the team onboard the ship at ASSOS and they set sail to MITYLENE, passed through CHIOS and SAMOS, skipping EPHESUS and arrived at MILETUS.
Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending more time because he wanted to reach Jerusalem by the day of Pentecost, which is about a month away.
Acts 20:17-24 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 and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 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. “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; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
The apostle Paul is on his way to Jerusalem. And Paul is unsure about what his future holds once he arrives there. But he is sure it holds prison and hardships, because The Holy Spirit has warned Paul in every city that things were going to get difficult.
But Paul is “compelled by the Spirit”. Paul is committed to God, motivated by the will of God. His focus is on the purpose of God and to testifying to the good news of God’s Grace. And clearly self-preservation wasn’t his goal.
It can be so easy at times for us to rationalize away God’s will. “God doesn’t want me to suffer, or face hardships or to be imprisoned. But if we give in to the temptation to ignore the will of God on the basis of comfort and convenience, we will miss God’s purpose and work for our lives.
We would expect Paul to be very nervous, anxious and worried about returning, but Paul has a quiet calmness about him. What’s evident to me is that although Paul is unsure what his future holds, he is confident in the one who holds his future.
As I read this passage, I discovered a man who possessed unshakable confidence in the face of undeniable uncertainty. He refused to allow the difficulties of life to dictate his existence. Paul remained committed to the work he had been called to perform.
What allowed Paul to possess such confidence? How did he face these struggles with absolute peace? Through his own admission we know that Paul’s life had been shaped by the truth of the Gospel. He was able to endure because he was focused on Jesus and the Gospel.
Clearly, we all face adversity in our lives, but sadly few will ever realize that our commitment to the Gospel is our source of strength and victory. Those who live their lives committed to the Gospel will enjoy a peace that passes all understanding and will live in victory regardless of the circumstances.
Vs24 “I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me.”
Mark 8:34-35 “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”
Matthew 16:25; Luke 9:24; John 12:25
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. The only way Paul could make this statement is because he kept his focus on Jesus and the task he had been given. And by the way, Paul made this statement as a prisoner in a roman prison.
Acts 20:25-31 “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 any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
Paul lets his hearers know that this is the last time this side of heaven he will see them. In this final farewell he says that he is “innocent of the blood these men,” because he has always done his best to give them the truth. Paul has taught them everything they need to know, the whole counsel/will of God.
Now-If someone were to ask you what the meeting was about, what was it that Paul wanted to meet with you about that was so important you went all the way to Miletus, 30 miles away, a day’s journey, what would your answer be? The answer would be that he wanted to say good bye and to warn us about wolves.
Paul doesn’t say if, He says: Vs29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you. The wolves are coming! (3 years waned night & day w/tears)
And Paul tells them that some of those wolves would show up from amongst their own leadership. “Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.”
This is a big deal to Paul and a topic he regularly writes about in his epistles to the churches. Colossae Thessalonica Romans Timothy Peter, John, and Jude all warned us that wolves were coming.
Listen, because Jesus himself tells us these wolves were coming and they aren’t so easy to spot.
Matthew 7:15-16 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.”
Wolves look righteous. Wolves look and sound religious. They look like the flock. They have wool just like the other sheep. Jesus is telling us, we’ll not always know someone’s evil or a wolf by how they look.
But Jesus tells us how to recognize them: “by their fruit”. False teachers/prophets, wolves will come against the church, and their fruit is to distort the truth and divide the flock. (Methodist) John Wesley.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Wolves, false teachers, are identified by the fact that they seek to justify their own perversions/desires and they try to use the Bible to do it. Rather than denying the Bible completely, they craftily seek to redefine the Bible’s teaching about SIN, MORALITY, MARRIAGE AND SEXUALITY.
Listen–I don’t care if they’re in robes or skinny jeans, if they’re promoting immoral, sinful living, that’s a wolf in drag. Run. Don’t even look back just run.
Wolves, understandably and characteristically downplay sin. Jesus referred to them as being ravenous, meaning they have an insatiable appetite…for sheep. That’s me and that’s you.
What can we do? Wolf Repellent. One of the best things you can do to protect yourself, family, and friends is to stay in the Bible and actively be involved in a Bible believing bible teaching the whole counsel/will of God church.
As you read and become familiar with God’s Word, you’ll be keeping your soul, possibly your family and friends as well, free from the wolf virus.
When I was ordained, I made a vow that I would teach all of God’s Word in season and out. There’s a lot that’s out of season in the 21st century, but by God’s grace and help I’m going to carry on and I want to exhort you to do so as well.
Did Paul’s warning about the false teachers come true? Yes. The Lord revealed that when He spoke to the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2, some 30 years later.
Revelation 2:2-3 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
Acts 20:32-38 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.” 36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
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