Pure from the Blood

TEXTActs 20:26-27

INTRODUCTION:

A.      PAUL DISCLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY IN OTHERS’ LOSS.

B.      THIS WAS BECAUSE HE “SHRANK NOT ….”

C.      PAUL HAS MUCH TO SAY ABOUT PURITY IN THIS MATTER.

          1.       About attitude.

          2.       About actions.

I.      SAID HE WAS SERVING THE LORD ( vs. 18-19 ).

        EVIDENCED BY:

A.      TEARS AND PERSISTENCE( vs. 19, 31 ).

          1.       Many admonitions weren’t readily received.

                   a.       Perhaps hard to understand at first ( 2 Pet. 3:15-16 ).

                   b.       Perhaps they seemed harsh and unreasonable ( Gal. 4:16 ).

          2.       To Timothy ( 2 Tim. 4:2 ).  “Longsuffering” – persistent.

          3.       Tears manifested urgency and sincerity ( Rom. 9:1-2;  10:1 ).

                   a.       Not motivated by gain ( vs. 33-34 ).

                   b.       Practiced what he preached ( vs. 35;  Phil. 4:9 ).

B.      HIS CARE NOT TO LEAVE ANYTHING OUT.

          1.       All that was profitable.

                   a.       Generally ( vs. 20-21, 25 ).

                   b.       Definitively – the Whole counsel of God.

                             - if they needed a lesson on faith, godliness, works.

                             - if they needed a lesson on issues he did not soft-soap.

          2.       What determined his subject matter was not what they would or would not

                   receive – it was what they needed!!

          3.       2 Tim. 4:2In season and out.  “Reprove, rebuke, exhort.”

          4.       Gal. 4:16.  Will this cause hard feelings? ( 2 Cor. 6:11-13 ).

II.     HE MADE PROVISION FOR THEIR FUTURE ( vs. 28-32 ).

        INSTRUCTIONS FOR ELDERS!

A.      TAKE HEED – WATCH – PAY ATTENTION ( Heb. 13:17;  1 Pet. 5:2 ).

B.      FEED – TEACH – ADMONISH ( 1 Thess. 5:12;  Titus 1:9 ).

C.      OUR DUTY ( Heb. 13:17;  1 Tim. 5:1, 17;  1 Thess. 5:12-13 ).

D.      THEIR MOTIVATION:

          1.       Apparent danger ( vs. 29-30 ).

          2.       Paul’s labor ( vs. 31 ).

          3.       The inheritance ( vs. 32 ).

CONCLUSION:

A.      THE RESULT AS FAR AS PAUL WAS CONCERNED? ( vs. 26 ).

B.      THEIR REACTION, HOPEFULLY ( 1 Thess. 2:13 ).

C.      THE OBJECTIVE IN ALL TEACHING ( Acts 20:32 ).

D.      WHAT ABOUT YOU?