Acts 20:1-5- "After the uproar had ceased, Paul called the disciples to himself, embraced them, and departed to go to Macedonia. {2} Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece {3} and stayed three months. And when the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. {4} And Sopater of Berea accompanied him to Asia; also Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. {5} These men, going ahead, waited for us at Troas."

A. "After the uproar had ceased, Paul called the disciples to himself, embraced them, and departed to go to Macedonia"

1. Paul never stayed so long in a community that he hindered the spread of the gospel by his presence.

2. Paul had also been desiring a report from Titus, who was in Corinth, concerning his work with the stubborn Corinthians. Having not seen or heard from Titus, Paul decided to travel to Macedonia, hoping to see or hear from Titus while there. See 2 Corinthians 2:12-13 to read of how troubled Paul was at not hearing from Titus. 2 Corinthians 7:5 suggests that Titus met Paul in Philippi. This was possibly the location from which 2 Corinthians was written.

B. " Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece {3} and stayed three months..."

1. Paul stopped at all the congregations in Macedonia which he and his brethren had planted (Philippi, Thesalonica, etc.) and sought to give them a word of encouragement.

2. During this three month period many things likely took place. Among them-

a. His labors with the Corinthian church (of which we have no details).

b. He wrote the epistle of Romans. This is borne out in the epistle itself. (Cf. Romans 15:23, 24; 16:23)

c. So we would conclude that the letter to the Galatians was written from here also.

d. Learning of the plot for his life he changed his plans.

e. A collection was taken from here by Paul according to previous instructions (Cf. I Cor. 16: l-2.

3. His visit to Greece was short lived. The Jews were plotting to kill him. It was likely planned for when he would leave by ship. Thus Paul decided to foil their plans by going by land back through Macedonia.

C. "And Sopater of Berea accompanied him to Asia; also Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia"

1. One of the reasons why Paul had wanted to return to Corinth was to collect the contribution for the saints in Jerusalem. See 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.

2. The men mentioned were likely representatives of the different congregations which had send a contribution. With such a large sum of money it would be necessary to have several to protect it. There would be strength in numbers.

3. Paul was concerned that the Jews in Jerusalem accept this money in a right spirit. See Romans 15:30-32.

D. "These men, going ahead, waited for us at Troas."

1. It seems from the passage that the men went by boat to Troas and waited from his arrival.

2. Paul and Luke, with perhaps some others, traveled by land.

A. "But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days joined them at Troas, where we stayed seven days."

1. The "Days of Unleavened Bread" was the days surrounding the Passover.

2. Did Paul observe the Passover here? Two thoughts.

a. Some say he did, and put it in the realm of expediency. This seems unlikely, though not impossible. Paul did keep certain parts of the old law, but never bound them on others. However the significance of the Passover lamb was the looking forward to the great Passover. A Christian keeping it would seem to be nullifying what Christ had done. See 1 Corinthians 5:7.

b. More likely that they waited for a ship to take them to Troas. Perhaps much of the shipping was tied up due to the Jewish feast.

3. The trip took five days from Philippi to Troas, on the western coast of Asia Minor. Once there they waited a week, in order to meet with the church at Troas.

B. "Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread"

1. Here was the purpose of the coming together of the disciples. The breaking of bread is universally understood as the Lord's Supper here. See Acts 2:42. Also 1 Corinthians chapter 11 shows us that the Christians were regularly meeting on the Lord's Day to keep the Lord's Supper.

a. When there might be some question as to what meal was being referred to, the Scriptures clear it up. In Acts chapter 2 we are told about two different meals. One is a meal that is part of the doctrine of the church (verse 42). The other is one that is an expression of fellowship between brethren (verse 46). Here too, there are two different meals envisioned. The first would be the Lord's Supper. The second would be a meal together after to restoring of Eutychus to life.

2. Paul's waiting for this meeting, and the keeping of the Lord's Supper during it, show that the early church was partaking the Lord's Supper on the Lord's day. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 is important in that it shows that the Christians were commanded to give an offering each Lord's day. But when they came together each Lord's day it is evident that they were coming together to take the Lord's supper.

3. There is some question as to whether the meeting took place on Saturday evening and thus time was kept by the Jewish way of Sunset being the beginning of a day, or during the day and using the Roman calendar. It really doesn't matter. It was the first day of the week, the day universally understood as Sunday.

C. "Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight."

1. It is clear that preaching/teaching played a role in the Lord's day services of the church. Preaching was a centerpiece of the Synagogue services and continued to be important during the apostolic period.

a. Although other forms of communications, such as drama, was used in the first century by the public, God chose preaching to get the message of salvation to a lost world. See 1 Cor. 1:21; Col. 1:28; 2 Tim. 4:1-2.

2. Paul's preaching was not strange to them. He had earlier been in Troas establishing and strengthening the church there. See 2 Corinthians 2:12.

3. We do not know if Paul began preaching during the day and continued until into the night, or if they had met after dark and continued to meet until the midnight hour. Likely the later, though not certain.

D. "There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together."

1. While we believe that the meeting together to take the Lord's Supper is binding as an "approved example" we do not believe that the meeting in the upper room is such.

2. To be an approved example something much be necessary to the carrying out of a command. And not incidental to the event. While the keeping of the Supper on the Lord's day has a reason (i.e. the day when the Lord was resurrected, thus wonderfully giving the imagery of the Lord's Supper, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ), there is not inherent in the upper room to the keeping of the Supper. The same is true with multiple, as opposed to single cups. The emphasis is on the contents, rather than the cup.

E. "There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together..."

1. It was dark. Oil lamps were used for light at night, and with the large assembly and the use of the oil, it must have become extremely stuffy in the upper chamber.

F. "And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep...."

1. The windows did not have glass in the first century, but did have shutters, which much have been open due to the heat and lack of air in the assembly.

2. Eutychus, like so many others through the centuries, fell asleep. The text seems to suggest that he fought sleep, but succumbed to a deep sleep.

3. He feel out the window from the third story to the ground below.

4. It is likely that Luke, who was a physician, made an initial examination of the young man (anywhere from 18 to 42 years of age) and declared him dead.

5. Paul came down, laid himself on him, likely in prayer, and restored life to the young man. This is much like the miracles of Elijah and Elisha (1 Kings 17:21 and 2 Kings 4:34).

G. "Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed."

1. The Christians finished their service, had a meal together and continued their fellowship with one another until daybreak. The was a special time for them, Paul had stopped to be with them.

2. At daybreak they took to their boat and continued the long journey to Jerusalem.

3. At the end we see the brethren strengthened by the miraculous saving of Eutychus.

A. "Then we went ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos, there intending to take Paul on board; for so he had given orders, intending himself to go on foot."

1. The trip between Troas and Assos was about 40 miles by ships skirting the coastline. It was about 20 miles overland by means of the Roman Road.

2. Why Paul, after being awake all night with the brethren, chose to walk alone on this 20 mile trip is a mystery. Perhaps, as some have speculated, Paul wanted time to be alone to pray and unwind after the night's events. The Scriptures do not tell us with certainty.

B. "And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene...."

1. The rest of Paul party had gone by ship and met him at Assos, where they picked him up.

2. This was the chief town on the island of Lesbos. It was on the east side of the island about ten miles from Asia Minor. "Mitylene was originally built on a small island, and perhaps joined to Lesbos by a causeway which offered two excellent harbors, one on the North and the other on the South." (Ibid.) Here they anchored overnight as was customary.

C. "We sailed from there, and the next day came opposite Chios."

1. This is a large island and is separated from the mainland by a channel of varying width --at the narrowest place it is only five miles wide and is blocked by a series of small islands. Through this channel Paul's ship sailed and anchored here in this protected channel "over against Chios."

D. "The following day we arrived at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium. The next day we came to Miletus...."

1. These stops were daily ones in Paul journey toward Jerusalem. It was not the direct route. It would be faster to go through Ephesus, but as verse 16 tells us, Paul had determined to not stop at Ephesus.

2. He knew that he would be held up in Ephesus by brethren anxious to visit with him. He desperately wanted to arrive in Jerusalem before the upcoming Passover.

A. "From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church."

1. It is likely that the ship would have to stop for a few days at Miletus to take on supplies and prepared for the next leg of its' journey.

2. It was about a day's journey by messenger to Ephesus. If he sent a message and allowed for the return, it would probably be about three days for the Ephesian elders to join him there. It seems from the text that they arrived to confer with Paul shortly before his departure.

3. Notice that Paul called for the elders, not the minister. This does not downplay the importance of the preacher in the first century. It does point out, however, that the leaders of the church are the elders. They are the one's who are given the oversight of the congregation. See 1 Peter 5:2.

I. Paul's Example - verses 18-21

{18} And when they had come to him, he said to them: "You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, {19} "serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; {20} "how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, {21} "testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. {22} "And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, {23} "except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. {24} "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. {25} "And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. {27} "For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.

A. Paul had lived with them with humility.

1. He had sought no personal gain, but had sought only their benefit.

2. He had been laboring with them now for about four years.

3. He did not labor as a false teacher, seeking his gain, but worked amidst trials and heartbreaking circumstances.

B. Paul did not hold back any teaching that was needful.

1. He lived the advice that he gave to other preachers.

2. See also verse 27, 1 Timothy 4:1-5 and Titus 2:11-15

C. Paul's method of evangelism.

1. He taught both publicly and privately. Any congregation that will grow must do the same. See also Acts 5:42.

2. Paul went to all people, bot Jew and Gentile.

3. He taught repentance, or the need to give up a sinful life.

4. He taught faith, a believing obedience to the will of God. An example of that faith is found in Acts 18:8.

D. Paul's coming persecution and arrest.

1. Paul was not fleeing Ephesus. He had never labored out of fear for his life. In fact, he knew that arrest and imprisonment awaited him at the end of his journey.

2. It was a bittersweet meeting for both Paul and the Ephesian elders. Paul had worked with these men, perhaps appointing them as elders over the flock at Ephesus. He was convinced that he would never see them again, which he did not.

3. In any event, he could leave with a clear conscience. He had held back nothing that would prepare them for the coming days. In fact, it seems that he was meeting with the Ephesian elders to give them a final warning of what would happen after he was gone.

4. Paul was being guided by the Spirit, i.e. being "bound by the Spirit", in that the Spirit had already told him that he would suffer afflictions when he came to Jerusalem. Perhaps the Spirit witnessing in every town is referring to something similar to what happened in Acts 21:10-11.

a. Paul did not grow bitter because of the prospect of suffering persecution. On the contrary, he was fulfilling what Jesus said about it. See Matthew 5:12, Romans 5:3, James 1:2-4.

{28} "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. {29} "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. {30} "Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. {31} "Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. {32} "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. {33} "I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. {34} "Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. {35} "I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'""

A. Paul wanted the Ephesian elders to accept the responsibilities of oversight. Verse 28.

1. Notice that all three Greek terms are used in this passage to describe the same office.

a. Paul called for the Ephesian elders (verse 17) - presbuteros.

b. The Holy Spirit had made them overseers - episkopos.

c. They were to shepherd the church - poimaino

2. Notice that the church was purchased with the blood of Jesus. One enters the church through the forgiveness that comes when we contact the blood of Jesus.

B. Paul wanted them to be aware of coming dangers. Verses 29-31

1. The enemy would come from two sources: within and without.

2. There would be false teachers who would come in to draw disciples away from the truth. See also Matthew 7:15-20.

3. There would also be those who would arise out of the eldership who would teach false doctrine and draw disciples away after them.

a. There were a number of damnable doctrines mentioned in the course of the writing of the New Testament: judaizing teachers, Gnosticism, the nicolaitan heresy.

4. Paul had spent his time with them warning them of the dangers ahead. These elders would need to remain alert for the dangers that would come.

5. One very important point we need to learn from this passage.

a. Faithfulness on the part of a congregation can never be assured past one generation. Grounding in the faith must be a continual process.

C. He wanted them to depend on God and His word. Verse 32

1. Commend means to recommend to trust. He was recommending that they trust God.

2. The word of His grace was the gospel. There was some of the New Testament already gathered, the rest would be written and come together over the next 20 to 30 years. These would be authoritative. This is the authority Paul was referring to in Galatians 1:6-9. See also John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

D. He wanted them to support the weak by their labor. Verses 33-35

1. Paul was not saying that it was wrong to accept any support for the preaching of the gospel. On the contrary, he taught on several occasions that brethren had a responsibility to support those who preach the word (See Philippians 4:15-17; 1 Corinthians 9:11-14).

2. But in the case of the Ephesians church it was expedient that Paul support himself. Perhaps it is possible that the Ephesian church was not able to afford support. Perhaps because of the reputation of the "professional priest" of Diana it would have placed the church in a bad light. We do not know.

3. Paul is saying that these elders should labor unselfishly among the brethren. They should not be overly concerned with physical things.

Acts 20:36-38 "And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. {37} Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him, {38} sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship."

A. Paul concludes in prayer.

1. He had so much he wanted to pray about, but he was most of all concerned for the future of these brethren he loved so dearly.

B. The reaction of the Ephesian elders.

1. The wept unashamedly and showed their love for him.

2. They were most of all sorrowful that they would never see him again.

3. It is a natural reaction when we lose someone we love to weep for them. But the Bible tells us that we should temper that sorrow with the comfort of the Scriptures. See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. 

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