What MattersActs 20, 21

What’s the Difference?1st CenturyActs 19:9-10 [Paul] was reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

21st Century

1 s t , 2 n d , 3 r d

J ou rneys

“Overwhelmingly, they think that religious

organizations are too concerned with money

and power, too focused on rules and too

involved in politics”

SBC

1 in 3 under 30

What’s the Difference?1st Century 21st Century

Joy Joyless

What’s the Difference?1st Century 21st Century

Joy Joyless

Last Week…Acts 19:29ff The city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater…the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another—everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there…they started shouting again and kept it up for two hours: "Great is Diana of the Ephesians! Great is Diana of the Ephesians!"

A Dangerous Faith

“A Christian is someone who iscompletely fearless, continually cheerful,

and constantly in trouble”

Lame Christianity:“Overwhelmingly, they think that religious organizations are too concerned with money and power, too focused on rules and too

involved in politics”

A Dangerous Faith

Matthew 10:34-36 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's enemies will be the members of his household.”

A Dangerous Faith

I use God’s mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil’s strongholds.2 Corinthians 10:4

A Dangerous Faith

The Outcome:

• But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says, "when he ascended on high, he led captive a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." Ephesians 4:7-8

A Dangerous Faith

 When he had gone through those districts and had given them much exhortation, he came to Greece.  And there he spent three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. Acts 20:2-3

A Dangerous Faith And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas.  We sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days.

Acts 20:4-6

A Dangerous Faith And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas.  We sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days.

Acts 20:4-6

A Dangerous Faith

 And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. Acts 20:4-6

People are what matters

I use God’s mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil’s

strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10:4

A Dangerous Faith

On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. Acts 20:7

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16

A Dangerous Faith

There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead.

Acts 20:8-9

A Dangerous Faith

But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, "Do not be troubled, for his life is in him."  When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left.  They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted.

Acts 20:10-12

What Really Matters

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. Acts 20:17

What Matters And when they had come to him, he said to them, "You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews…” Acts 20:18-19

1.Faithfulness

 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. John 15:4

What Matters how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 20:20-21

1.Faithfulness2.Bold

Changes

Repentance• “I need change”

Faith• “I need help”

What Matters "And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. "But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.

Acts 20:22-24

1.Faithfulness2.Bold

Changes3.Gift of Life For even if there are so-called gods

whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. 1 Corinthians 8:5-6

 However not all men have this knowledge…1 Corinthians 8:7

What Matters  "And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face. Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. Acts 20:25-27

1.Faithfulness2.Bold

Changes3.Gift of Life4.God’s

Purpose Don’t you realize how patient he is being with you? Or don’t you care? Can’t you see that he has been waiting all this time without punishing you, to give you time to turn from your sin? His kindness is meant to lead you to repentance. Romans 2:4 (TLB)

What Matters "I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.  "Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.  "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. Acts 20:29-32

1.Faithfulness2.Bold

Changes3.Gift of Life4.God’s

Purpose5.Preach it!

What Matters "I have coveted no one's silver or gold or clothes. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" Acts 20:33-35

1.Faithfulness2.Bold Changes3.Gift of Life4.God’s

Purpose5.Preach it!6.Live it!