Bible ReadingActs 20:1-38 After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia. When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days. On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted. But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land. And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we went to Miletus. For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. And when they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every 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. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.
[18:29]1 Timothy 3:1-7 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
[39:55]Titus 1:5-9 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
[39:55]Observation questions- In Acts 20, what details show the church in Troas gathering as a real family rather than as a formal event only? What were they doing together that night? [29:11]
- What stands out about the list of Paul’s traveling companions in Acts 20:4, especially the pairing of Aristarchus and Secundus? [21:58]
- When Paul speaks to the Ephesian elders, what parts of his own life does he point to as evidence of faithful leadership? [42:26]
- In Acts 20:28-31, what are the elders told to watch over, and what dangers are they warned about? [01:12:27]
Interpretation questions- Acts places people from very different backgrounds side by side in the same mission. What does that say about what actually holds the church together, and what kinds of things are not strong enough to hold it together? [21:58]
- Paul says he is innocent of the blood of all because he did not shrink from declaring the whole counsel of God. Why is withholding hard truth such a serious matter in the life of a church? [01:04:07]
- Paul tells the elders to pay careful attention to themselves before he tells them to care for the flock. Why does guarding a leader’s own heart matter so much for the safety of the church? [01:12:27]
- Paul says he does not count his life as precious to himself if only he may finish his course with joy. How can surrender and joy belong together in the Christian life? [58:21]
Application questions- Christ makes strangers into family. Is there anyone in the church this person tends to overlook because of age, background, class, personality, or history? What might it look like to move toward that person as real family this week? [23:56]
- The church in Troas made room for Scripture, fellowship, meals, and shared life even when they were tired. What tends to crowd out that kind of life now? What is one simple way this person could make more room for the word of God and for believers this week? [31:24]
- Faithful leadership is meant to be visible, not polished from a distance. When this person listens to spiritual voices, what fruit is being looked for in their actual life? Are there voices being trusted simply because they are gifted, confident, or well known? [41:17]
- Declaring the whole counsel of God means not holding back what is true and profitable. Where is this person tempted to stay silent because truth might be awkward, costly, or misunderstood? What would loving honesty look like in that situation? [50:54]
- The flock belongs to God because Christ purchased it with His own blood. How would this change the way this person treats other believers, especially the weak, the inconvenient, or the ones who require patience? [01:06:15]
- Wolves do not only come from outside; sometimes danger rises from within. What would it look like for this person to take heed to self right now? Is there any unchecked pride, bitterness, desire for attention, or craving for control that needs to be brought before the Lord? [01:13:49]
- Paul’s settled joy came from counting his life as God’s, not his own. In what area does this person still hold the reins tightly—time, money, plans, comfort, safety, reputation? What might surrender look like there, and what makes that hard? [58:21]
