Acts 20
Through Macedonia and Greece
20 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. 2 He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, 3 where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. 4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.5 These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas.6 But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days.
Eutychus Raised From the Dead at Troas
7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” 11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.
Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders
13 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.
17 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 anythingthat 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.
22 “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.
25 “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,[a] which he bought with his own blood.[b] 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.
32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritanceamong 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.
I have a record player sitting in my room. I absolutely love it. You place on a record and it fills the room with music, transforming the atmosphere and everyone’s experience within it. I often think that we are like that record player, there is a record at the centre of your life and everyone can hear it. It defines the atmosphere of the rooms you enter and it shouts about what matters the most in your life. I don’t think that there is anything more important than that record.
In Acts 20 we discover what the record was at the centre of Paul’s life. This is what was driving him and leading him from city to city.
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.
Acts 20:22-24
Paul saw the sole purpose of his life to travel from city to city, facing intense persecution and to share the Gospel. He says that nothing else in his life has any worth to him. This doesnt mean that he didn’t enjoy friendship or food or anything else. As you read his letters you discover a man who loved his brothers and sisters in the church deeply and sacrificially. What this means is that he knew his purpose, he knew his calling and nothing else was more important than that. Rescuing people from the clutches of hell was worth every rejection, stone thrown and whip lash forever scarring his back.
my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me
What is God calling you to? How could you pursue your calling with the same dedication and devotion as Paul? The first step is to have clarity about your purpose. A good beginning point is to explore your S.H.A.P.E.:
Spiritual Gifts
Heart
Personality
Abilities
Experiences
I enjoyed doing the free test here. It is also wise to look back over prophetic words and pictures that God has given you over the years. When you feel that you know what God is calling you to write it down big and bold somewhere you will see it. Engrave it into your heart and remind yourself everyday that this is what you are contending for. If you don’t know your purpose, drop everything else until you do. It is that important.
Finding your purpose is not so much discovering the thing that I most want to do. I used to ask kids what they would do if they could do anything. Most often the answer was to play football and be rich. Purpose is not following your heart, it is following Gods heart. It is most likely to be the thing that you will fight for. What are you willing to get punched in the face over and still keep going Again and again and again?
God’s will is also not likely to just change your experience of the world but will echo into eternity. In some way or another, it will be to help people to find and follow Jesus. It will lead you into a life that is bigger than yours and that has deep meaning.
What are you fighting for?
