““I Ceased Not To I Ceased Not To Warn Every One Warn Every One Night And Day Night And Day With Tears” With Tears” (KJV)(KJV)

Acts 20:31Acts 20:31

The Church In Ephesus – Second The Church In Ephesus – Second JourneyJourney

EphesusActs

18:18-20

Province Achaia

Troas to Province of Macedonia Provinces

Phrygia & Galatia

Provinces

Syria & Cilicia

Derbe &

Lystra

“I will return”

Acts 18:21Aquila &

Priscilla left in Ephesus

Acts 18:24-28

Paul’s Return – Third Journey

Preached 3 years. (Acts

20:31) 54 A.D

Timothy left at Ephesus (1 Timothy

1:3)

Begins

Paul returns

from Corinth…

Meets with the

Ephesian elders in Miletus.

(Acts 20:17ff)

WarningsWarnings

Matthew 24:4 “Take heed that no man Matthew 24:4 “Take heed that no man lead you astray.”lead you astray.”

Mark 13:33 “Take ye heed, watch and Mark 13:33 “Take ye heed, watch and pray.”pray.”

Matthew 16:6 “Take heed and beware Matthew 16:6 “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”Sadducees.”

1 Corinthians 3:10 “But let each man 1 Corinthians 3:10 “But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon.”take heed how he buildeth thereon.”

WarningsWarnings

1 Timothy 4:16 “Take heed to thyself, 1 Timothy 4:16 “Take heed to thyself, and to thy teaching.”and to thy teaching.”

Luke 8:18 “Take heed therefore how Luke 8:18 “Take heed therefore how ye hear.” ye hear.”

Mark 4:24 “Take heed what ye hear.”Mark 4:24 “Take heed what ye hear.”

Matthew 6:1 “Take heed that ye do Matthew 6:1 “Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men.” not your righteousness before men.”

Luke 12:15 “Take heed, and keep Luke 12:15 “Take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness.”yourselves from all covetousness.”

WarningsWarnings

Acts 20:28 “Take heed unto Acts 20:28 “Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he of the Lord which he purchased with his own purchased with his own blood.”blood.”

1. Paul’s travels.1. Paul’s travels.

2. Paul’s courage. Acts 20:20, 2. Paul’s courage. Acts 20:20, 27; 27; cf. Ezekiel 3:18cf. Ezekiel 3:18

3. Anticipated afflictions that 3. Anticipated afflictions that awaited him. Acts 20:22-25awaited him. Acts 20:22-25

PersistencePersistence

““Ceased notCeased not to admonish to admonish

everyone everyone night and daynight and day … …” ” Acts 20:31 Acts 20:31

Admonish – Admonish – “nouthetoon; to “nouthetoon; to place before the mind; setting place before the mind; setting the danger and duty of each the danger and duty of each individual before him.” individual before him.” (Barnes)(Barnes)

PersistencePersistence

Three months in the synagogue facing Three months in the synagogue facing opposition of the Jews. Acts 19:8opposition of the Jews. Acts 19:8

Two years, daily in the school of Two years, daily in the school of Tyrannus. Tyrannus. Acts 19:9-10Acts 19:9-10

Total of three years Total of three years “so that all they “so that all they that dwelt in Asia heard the word that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.” Acts 19:10Greeks.” Acts 19:10

PersistencePersistence

Taught publicly and from Taught publicly and from house to house. Acts 20:20house to house. Acts 20:20Success: Acts 19:18-20Success: Acts 19:18-20

Failure: Acts 19:23-31Failure: Acts 19:23-31

IntensityIntensity

““Ceased not to admonish everyone Ceased not to admonish everyone

night and day night and day with tearswith tears.”.”Acts 20:31; cf. 19; 2 Corinthians Acts 20:31; cf. 19; 2 Corinthians 11:23-2811:23-28

At Ephesus, tears caused byAt Ephesus, tears caused by::

1.1. Ignorance. Acts 19:2Ignorance. Acts 19:2

2.2. Blasphemy. Acts 19:9Blasphemy. Acts 19:9

3.3. Idolatry. Acts 19:28Idolatry. Acts 19:28

IntensityIntensity

““Ceased not to admonish Ceased not to admonish

everyone night and day everyone night and day with with tearstears.” Acts 20:31; cf. 19.” Acts 20:31; cf. 19

ExamplesExamples::

1.1. Jesus. Luke 19:41 Jesus. Luke 19:41

2.2. Samuel. 1 Samuel 15Samuel. 1 Samuel 15

3.3. Ezra. 10:1 Ezra. 10:1

4.4. Paul. Romans 9:1ff; 10:1 Paul. Romans 9:1ff; 10:1

SubstanceSubstance

““Grievous wolves shall Grievous wolves shall enter in enter in among youamong you, not sparing the , not sparing the flock.” Acts 20:29 cf. Matthew flock.” Acts 20:29 cf. Matthew 10:16; Matthew 7:1510:16; Matthew 7:15

““And And from among your own selvesfrom among your own selves shall men arise, speaking shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.” Acts 20:30disciples after them.” Acts 20:30

SubstanceSubstanceHistorically trueHistorically true. .

a.a. Israel. Israel.

Danger from without. Judges; 1 Danger from without. Judges; 1 Samuel 8Samuel 8

Danger from within. Jeremiah 2:32; Danger from within. Jeremiah 2:32; 6:10-16; Zephaniah 36:10-16; Zephaniah 3

b.b. Lord’s church. Lord’s church.

Danger from without. Acts 14Danger from without. Acts 14

Danger from within. Acts 15; Danger from within. Acts 15; Galatians 2Galatians 2

ObjectsObjects

EldersElders

““Called to him the elders of the Called to him the elders of the church …” Acts 20:17church …” Acts 20:17

““Take heed to yourselves and to Take heed to yourselves and to the flock …” Acts 20:28the flock …” Acts 20:28

““Wherefore, watch YE …” Acts Wherefore, watch YE …” Acts 20:3120:31

ObjectsObjectsEldersElders. . Watch: error, false doctrine, and Watch: error, false doctrine, and

corruptions of the corruptions of the “faith once “faith once delivered” (Jude 3).delivered” (Jude 3).

1.1. Titus 1:9 “holding to the Titus 1:9 “holding to the faithful word which is according to faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in theto exhort in the sound doctrine, sound doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers.”and to convict the gainsayers.”

2.2. 1 Timothy 3:2 “apt to teach...”1 Timothy 3:2 “apt to teach...”

ObjectsObjectsElders care for something that they Elders care for something that they

do not owndo not own. cf. John 10:11. cf. John 10:1111.. ““The church of the Lord, The church of the Lord, whichwhich he he

purchased with his own bloodpurchased with his own blood...” ...” Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 1:18-19Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 1:18-19

2.2. They are to They are to “feed” or “tend” or “feed” or “tend” or “pastor.” “pastor.” 1 Peter 5:21 Peter 5:2

3.3. They They “watch” for souls. Hebrews “watch” for souls. Hebrews 13:1713:17

4.4. Thus, they are stewards. Thus, they are stewards. Titus 1:7 Titus 1:7 “For the bishop must be blameless, as “For the bishop must be blameless, as God's God's stewardsteward.”.”

5.5. As such As such “they shall give account.” “they shall give account.” Hebrews 13:17Hebrews 13:17

To Heed The WarningTo Heed The Warning

Acts 20:32 “And now I Acts 20:32 “And now I commend you to God, and to commend you to God, and to the the word of his graceword of his grace, which , which is able to build (you) up, and is able to build (you) up, and to give (you) the inheritance to give (you) the inheritance among all them that are among all them that are sanctified.”sanctified.”

The Value Of WarningsThe Value Of Warnings1 Corinthians 10:12 “Wherefore let him that 1 Corinthians 10:12 “Wherefore let him that

thinketh he standeth take heed lest he thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”fall.”

Romans 8:13 “for if ye live after the flesh, ye Romans 8:13 “for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die”must die”

1 Corinthians 16:13 “Watch ye, stand fast in 1 Corinthians 16:13 “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”

Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”shall he also reap.”

Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armor of Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”the wiles of the devil.”

Plan Of SalvationPlan Of Salvation

Hear the word. cf. Acts 18:8; Hear the word. cf. Acts 18:8; Matthew 7:24ffMatthew 7:24ff

Believe. John 8:24Believe. John 8:24 Repent. Luke 13:3Repent. Luke 13:3 Confess. Matthew 10:32Confess. Matthew 10:32 Baptism. Acts 2:38Baptism. Acts 2:38 Faithfulness. Revelation 2:10Faithfulness. Revelation 2:10