I Entrust You to God and the Word of His Grace

In one paragraph

Acts 20 brought Pastor Ray and the congregation through a detailed travel log of the apostle Paul's final journey toward Jerusalem, a journey marked by long goodbyes, a stunning miracle, and a farewell speech to the elders of Ephesus that cut close to home for several people in the room. The passage moved between the comedy of a young man falling asleep during a very long sermon and the weight of...

Read together

1. Acts 20 primary passage being preached through, the travel log and Paul's farewell to the Ephesian elders
2. Luke 9:51 Jesus set his face like flint toward Jerusalem, used to parallel Paul walking toward chains and afflictions
3. Ezekiel 33 God setting a watchman on the wall, used to illuminate Paul declaring he is innocent of the blood of all people
4. Ezekiel 34 woe to the bad shepherds, used to underscore Paul's warning to the elders about caring for the flock
5. 1 Peter 5 Peter's command to shepherd the flock of God, cited alongside Paul's charge to the Ephesian elders
6. Philippians 1 Paul's confidence that God will keep on doing the good work he started, referenced in connection with Paul entrusting the elders to God
7. Ephesians 2:8-10 saved by grace through faith, not of works, we are his workmanship created for good works, used to explain Paul's gospel of God's grace

Talk about it

1. Ray talked about Paul spending longer and longer stretches of time in each place as his ministry went on, rather than moving quickly from town to town. What do you think changes in a person or a community when someone stays and teaches deeply rather than passing through?
2. When Ray shared Peter Stalker's response about his son Luke, Peter said 'It is about the resurrection, not about him being dead.' How does the hope of resurrection actually change the way you grieve, or does it feel harder to hold onto than it sounds?
3. Paul told the Ephesian elders he was 'bound by the Spirit' to go to Jerusalem even though the Holy Spirit was also telling him chains and afflictions were waiting there. Ray connected that to Jesus setting his face toward Jerusalem. Have you ever felt called toward something you knew would be hard? What did you do with that?
4. Paul said he was innocent of the blood of all people because he had not shrunk from declaring the whole purpose of God. Ray asked the congregation how they were doing when Paul said he coveted no one's silver or gold. What does it look like practically for ordinary people, not just pastors, to hold that same kind of accountability?
5. Paul's final word to the elders was 'I entrust you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up.' Ray said that line needs to be stitched on a pillow. What would it mean for you personally to rest in that entrusting rather than carrying the weight of your own spiritual progress yourself?