In Acts 20:17-38 we have Paul’s final address to the Ephesian elders. They are his parting words, so we know that they were of the utmost importance, for the church in Ephesus, but also the church today. He commends the elders directly to God and his word, and uses his own life as an example of how our lives are changed when the Gospel is at the centre.

Acts 20:17-38

A farewell address is a big deal, typically filled with words that describe the emotion, values and hopes for those who are left behind. In today’s passage the Apostle Paul instructs the Ephesian Elders to not shrink back by keeping the gospel as your first priority, to continue in faithfulness regardless of the circumstances around you and to live intentional lives so that they can share the hope of Jesus to a lost and broken world.

Acts 20:17-38

I’ve always been fascinated by the stories of the revolutionaries; those men and women who fought for a noble ideal and inspired others to join the fight despite of doing it at the cost of comfort, safety, and in most cases their lives… People who had a clear idea of what was worth fighting for and the goal of leaving behind a legacy for their children, their grandchildren, and the generations to come, even if they didn’t get to see the result in their lifetime. They were committed to fighting or die trying.

 When we came to Christ and gave Him our lives, we were in fact enlisting in His army. We changed our allegiance from the world and self to Jesus and His Kingdom. We understood that we didn’t want to continue our paths as enemies of God, and we accepted the reconciliation offered through Christ alone. As we grow in the knowledge of what this reconciliation and adoption into the family of God means, we also need to learn what is required of us as Christians.

 As we continue our series on the book of Acts, my prayers is that in the text we’ll study today we’ll be able to clearly understand the true commitments of a Christian.

Acts 20:17-38

This text is the only extended speech to Christians in all of Acts and it is Paul’s farewell address to the Ephesian elders. A farewell address is a big deal, typically filled with only the most important things the person wants communicated. Paul’s farewell speech instructs us on what a life well lived in light of the gospel looks like. 

Acts 1:4-5

Central’s mission, vision and first two values offer us our greater goal and foundation for ministry at Central. They answer the “What?” and the “Why?” questions. Based on the first 8 chapters of Acts, our last four values answer the question “How do we practically set out to accomplish Jesus’ great commission at Central?”

Ephesians 2:1-7

The good news of Jesus isn’t just that he took pretty good people and made them better.  It is that he took people who were dead in sin and gave them new life, and brings us into heaven where we will dwell forever experiencing the unending favour of God. 

Four things need to happen for the church to succeed in its mission: The Spirit of God needs to move in, the pastor needs to move over, the congregation needs to move up, and the church needs to move out. As each person does their part, we will experience a healthy, dynamic, and growing church. This week we will explore the last two moves that need to happen.

In this second part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, Andy focuses on Matthew 6:1-24. There are three aspects of our identity Jesus discusses: personal, communal, and spiritual. Jesus challenges the core of who we are and how it changes how we live.   

Matthew 5-7 is often referred to as Jesus' Sermon on the Mount but it is much more than that. It is a sermon given on a mount but it addresses our identity in God. This is part 1 of a two part series called: Identity Crisis. Jesus begins his sermon by challenging the identity offered by the world that leads to crisis. Alternatively, Jesus points to a foundation for our identity established in Him that results in our present and future blessing.

1 Corinthians 2:13 - 3:3 & Ephesians 4:11-16

Four things need to happen for the church to succeed in its mission: The Spirit of God needs to move in, the pastor needs to move over, the congregation needs to move up, and the church needs to move out. As each person does their part, we will experience a healthy, dynamic, and growing church. This week we will explore the first two moves that need to happen.