Grace Bible Church Gillette, Wyoming

1. It is not stated why Paul decided to walk the twenty miles between Troas and Assos while the rest sailed the forty-mile water route. For some reason, Paul took advantage of the ship’s itinerary to port every evening and set sail every morning.

2. Perhaps Paul was accompanied by some of the disciples from Troas and was teaching and answering their questions. Paul’s tireless love for the church, the body of Christ, was evident (Ac 15:41; 16:4; 2Co 11:28; Ro 16:16; 1Co 16:19; 1Th 2:14; 2Th 1:4).

3. Paul’s selfless love for the church is notably clear. He was available to minister for an entire night and through a twenty-mile walk the next morning. No sacrifice was too great for the apostle to make for the building up of the saints. He was tirelessly available to his beloved people. (MacArthur in loc.)

B. Boarded for Mitylene (14)

1. Paul joined up with his companions in Assos and sailed for Mitylene.

2. Mitylene was the capital and port of island of Lesbos. It was the largest of the islands of western Asia Minor.

3. Aristotle resided in Mitylene for two years after tutoring Alexander the Great.

C. Chios, Samos, then Miletus (15)

1. The next island they sailed to was Chios, whose capital hailed the same name. The word “opposite” (antikrus - over against) possibly meant that they spent the night anchored just off the coast. Chios was the birthplace of Homer (Iliad and Odyssey).

2. The next day, they “crossed over” (paraballō - throw alongside), meaning they passed through the channel until they arrived at Samos. Samos was the birthplace of the mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras.

3. The following day they came to Miletus, an ancient seaport some thirty miles south of Ephesus.

4. According to Aristotle, Greek philosophy began in Miletus by the first philosopher named Thales. He was followed by Anaximander and Anaximenes. Hence, their time period is distinguished as the Milesian School of Philosophers.

D. Sailed Past Ephesus (16)

1. Paul decided not to port by Ephesus because he did not want to spend any more time in Asia.

2. In fact Paul was in a “hurry” (speudō - make haste) to make it to Jerusalem. Not only was he desirous to give the Jerusalem church the donations from the Gentiles churches, but he wanted to observe the feast of Pentecost at Jerusalem (cf. Ac 19:21).

II. CALL FOR EPHESIAN ELDERS (17)

A. Admonition to the Elders

1. Even though Paul did not want to take time to anchor in Ephesus for the sake of his schedule, he did want to encourage the Ephesian and give them one last admonition.

2. Therefore, Paul called for the leadership of Ephesian church to meet him in Miletus.

B. Office of Elder in Acts

1. We have observed the establishment of the office of deacon in Ac 6:3. The office of elder has also been mentioned in Acts.

a) Appointment of Leadership (Ac 14:23; Ac 21:18)

(1) Elders were appointed in every church on Paul’s 1^st missionary journey.

(2) According to the book of Acts, a church is established when elders are appointed for the church’s leadership. In fact, Paul wrote to Titus that appointing spiritual leadership is the first priority in setting the church in order (Tit 1:5).

(3) Plurality of elders - All usages of the term elder in Acts are in the plural. This fact, along with other passages, argues for the plurality of elders in every church (Ac 14:23; 15:22; 20:17).

(4) Pastor - The office of pastor is viewed as an elder (1Pe 5:1), who exercises the majority of teaching and preaching (1Ti 5:17).

(5) Congregation - Though elders are responsible for the final decisions in all matters, the congregation is called upon for its affirmation (Ac 6:5; Ac 15:22).

b) Financial Responsibilities (Ac 11:30)

(1) Barnabas and Saul delivered a donation to the elders at the Jerusalem church.

(2) It was given to the spiritual leadership to make the decision and take the action in distributing it among the saints.

c) Doctrinal Discernment (Ac 15:2, 4, 6, 22-23; 16:4)

(1) The apostles and elders made a joint decision at the Jerusalem Council. The decision was in regard to clarifying the gospel particularly in reference to the Gentiles. Though the apostles’ direction and teaching was without error, the elders were included in in this major doctrinal decision.

(2) In addition, Paul wrote in his epistles that knowing and standing on doctrine with the ability to teach it was a necessary qualification of the elders (1Ti 3:2; Tit 1:9).

d) Spiritual Edification (Ac 20:17-38)

(1) Paul admonished the elders at Ephesus of their spiritual responsibilities.

(2) They were to take Paul’s example and be involved in discipleship (18-19), doctrinal and practical teaching (20-21, 25-27), withstand persecution (22-24), and protect the flock from false teachers (28-31).

C. Qualifications of Elders

1. Though no qualifications for elders are mentioned in Acts, the fact that there were qualifications for deacons, mandates qualifications for elders. More importantly, Paul’s emphatic qualifications for elders in his epistles reveal their highest priority.

2. These qualifications ought to be characteristic of every believer (especially men) whether they become elders or not.

3. Qualifications in 1Ti 3:1-7

4. Qualifications in Tit 1:5-9

III. CHALLENGE TO EPHESIAN ELDERS (18-21)

A. Embrace of the Church

1. 1. To not put goals above believers; believers are the goal. 2. To be an example to other believers. 3. To seek to build up the church. 4. To develop Christian character in believers. 5. To be willing to lovingly correct believers. 6. To serve the church tirelessly. 7. To serve the church humbly. 8. To be a part of the church and seek for others to be part of the church.

B. Establishment of the Church

1. Paul did not meet with all Christians from Ephesus, but only the spiritual leaders. It is true all Christians have ministries and that some of those ministries are independent ministries. So in essence all those independent ministries are to be directed in some sense through the church.

C. Exhortation to the Church - “above reproach as God's steward” (Tit 1:7)

1. Above reproach -

a) Tit 1:7 - anegklêtos - nothing to call into account

b) 1Ti 3:2 - anepilêmtos - nothing to lay hold of

2. God’s steward - oikonomos - house manager, one put in charge of an estate, treasury, and/or administration.

a) We are stewards not owners.

b) We are to be above reproach

c) We are to emulate these Christian qualifications.

d) We are to encourage others to do the same.

Grace Bible Church · 4000 E. Collins Rd · PO Box #3762 · Gillette, WY · (307) 686-1516