Thursday, December 26, 2013

Acts 20 Study - Day Six "How Are You Living"

Happy Day After Christmas Everyone!

It is time for day six of our Acts 20 Study!

"HOW ARE YOU LIVING"

SCRIPTURE
Acts 20:17-21
New International Version (NIV)
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 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.

OBSERVATION

In this passage of scripture we see that Paul sends for the elders of the church in Ephesus. Paul said, "You know how I lived the whole time I was with you..." (Acts 20:18)  Paul talks about how he served the Lord with great humility and tears even when he was being severely tested by the Jews who were plotting against him.  He also talks about how he did not hesitate to preach anything that would be helpful to them.  Paul declared to everyone that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

Let's breakdown this observation so we can get more out of it.

1.  Paul mentions that everyone knows how he lived. How are you living?  I once heard this said, I just can't remember who said it, "Who you are at home is who you really are." WOW!  Are you living one way at home and another way in public?  Are you messy at home and neat in public?  Are you mean at home and kind in public?  If you are living one way at home and another way in public, ask God to help you to be a person of good character and to posses the fruit of the spirit wherever you are. (Galatians 5:22)  Ask Him to create in you a clean heart and to renew in you a right spirit (Psalm 51:10) in order for you to live right whether in private or in public.

2.  Paul served the Lord with great humility and tears even while he was being tested and plotted against.  Like Paul we have to continue to serve the Lord even with tears in our eyes, when our faith is being tested and when people try to set traps for us. (Notice I said try.  That's all they can do is try because no weapon formed against you shall prosper. (Isaiah 54:17)  

3.  Paul said that he did not hesitate to preach anything that would be helpful to them. When you have something helpful (not gossip) to share with someone please don't keep that to yourself.  Share the information.  If the person receives the information, praise God.  If the person does not receive the information shake the dust off your feet, meaning let it go, you did what you could.  

4.  Paul declared to everyone that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.  We have to do the same thing.  We must declare that people repent of their sins and proclaim faith in Jesus Christ. This is the Great Commission.  We are commissioned to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. 

APPLICATION
Okay I know this is a lot to apply but the application starts out very simply. We are going to get an extreme makeover.  Yes A Makeover!!! We are going to pray to God our Father asking Him for one.


PRAYER
Dear God our Father.  We thank you for all that you are teaching from your Holy Word. We thank you for bringing to our attention all of the areas were we need to be made over.  Father, make us over from the inside out. Help us to possess the fruit of the Spirit at home and in public.  Help us to serve you faithfully regardless of our circumstances and what others try to do to us.  Help us to not hesitate to share helpful information.  Help us to obey the Great Commission, spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.  All this we pray in Jesus name, Amen.

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