An Ideal Portrait of the Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ

"An Ideal Portrait of the Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ" - Acts 20:17-38 When the gospel was lifted by love, surrender and conviction (firm and established belief, conviction that one is and will be well) in those wonderful human beings with such surrender. When Paul was already in Miletus, sent word to the elders of Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him. A long journey that the elderly had to make, for a farewell of love, passion, dedication, pain and death for Christ.

I. A beautiful and magnificent message that they heard from the lips of the great apostle.

A. In it we have a valuable "portrait of the ideal servant of the Lord Jesus Christ."

1. A man ardently consecrated to the Lord.

2. We must serve the Savior ardently (passion, fervor, and dedication).

3. He was indefatigable, (tireless) indomitable (you can't tame, surrender), constant.

4. He was marked by a true humility.

5. There was no price too high to pay.

6. His ministry was the result of a profound exercise of the soul.

7. He had a holy fearlessness (bravery, courage, risk-taking) and audacity (daring).

8. Whether he lived or died was of least importance.

9. The importance was that "the will of God" be carried out and that men come to the gospel.

10. He was detached in all his actions (act of doing something, acting).

11. He preferred to give rather than receive.

12. He was not deterred (fear, to set aside, to separate, to turn back, to frighten) by difficulties.

13. He practiced what he preached.

14. (18-19) The apostle reminded the elders of Ephesus of his "behavior" when he lived "among" them.

15. From the first day he had "entered" Asia and all the time he was there, he served "the Lord with all humility" and self-denial.

16. In connection with his ministry, there was a constant strain on his emotional makeup, there were "tears of pain" and trials.

17. He had constantly suffered persecution for the snares (ambush, lock-up, trapping, deception (of someone) to harm) of the Jews.

18. But in spite of all adverse (hostile, enemy, fatal) circumstances, his ministry had been fearless (brave, valiant, daring) and courageous.

19. (20-21) Paul had not shunned from announcing anything "that would be profitable" for the spiritual good of the Ephesians.

20. He had taught them publicly and "by the houses," constrained (forced, forced) by their love for Christ.

21. For him, it was not a matter of holding meetings at regular intervals (space, distance), but of taking every opportunity to encourage growth among believers.

22. Without discrimination on nationality or religious background, he preached the need for repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

23. These are two fundamental aspects of the gospel.

24. "In every genuine case of conversion 'there is repentance and faith.'

25. They are the two sides of the gospel coins.

26. If a person is not repentant, saving "faith" will be impossible.

27. On the other hand, "repentance" will be of no avail except that it be followed by "faith" in the Son of God.

28. Repentance is a radical change (primordial, fundamental, principal, important, drastic, sharp) of attitude in which the sinner recognizes his condition of loss and bows before God's judgment regarding his guilt.

29. "Faith" is one's surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

30. Faith takes repentance for granted or certain.

31. How could "anyone" truly accept Jesus Christ as Savior if they didn't realize they need a Savior?

32. This awareness that is reached by the conversion ministry of the Holy Spirit is repentance.

33. (22-23) Having reviewed his past conduct among the Ephesians, the apostle now "looks" "forward" to the "sufferings" that awaited him.

34. He was urged (hastened, sped up) "in" his spirit to Jerusalem.

35. It was an "internal" urgency (hurry), which "apparently he could not get rid of".

36. Although he did not know exactly what would happen in Jerusalem, he did know that "chains" and "tribulations" awaited him as a regular part of his life.

37. The Holy Spirit had been making this fact known to him in all the cities, perhaps through the ministry of prophets, or perhaps through the mysterious inner communication of divine intelligence.

38. (24) As the apostle pondered (carefully examines) the perspective (viewpoint from which a matter is considered or analyzed) that was in his mind, he did not think that he should hold his "life" in high regard.

39. His ambition was to "obey" God and "please Him."

40. If he was called to "offer his life," he was willing to do so.

41. No sacrifice he could make for Him who died for him would ever be too great.

42. All that mattered was to finish his course and "the" ministry he had received from the Lord Jesus, to bear solemn witness to the gospel of God's grace."

43. No title could better express the good news he preached.

44. Paul preached the "gospel of God's grace."

45. It is an enthusiastic and loving message of God's unmerited favor toward guilty and ungodly sinners who deserve nothing but eternal hell.

46. It tells how the Beloved "Son of God came from the highest glory of heaven to suffer, shed His blood, and die on Calvary, that all who believe in Him may receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life." Amen