"Final Words to a Faithful Church"

Acts 20: 17-38

I. Celebration of a Fruitful Ministry

A. Fruit due to the tenure of the ministry

B. Fruit due to the transparence of ministry – vs. 18, 31, 33, 35

C. Fruit due to the trials of the ministry – vs. 19

D. Fruit due to the truth of the ministry - vs. 20-21, 26-27

 

II. Commitment to a Future Ministry

A. Obligations to fulfill – vs. 22

B. Apprehensions to face – vs. 22

C. Declaration to faith – vs. 24

III. Challenge to a Faithful Ministry

A. Be continually examining yourselves – vs. 28, 31

B. Be cautious about examining new ones – vs. 29

C. Be courageous about existing members – vs. 30

D. Be confident about equipping grace – vs. 32

 

Philippians 2: 1-5  (The Message)  "Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God’s Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.

It’s not at all fanciful for me to think this way about you. My prayers and hopes have deep roots in reality. You have, after all, stuck with me all the way from the time I was thrown in jail, put on trial, and came out of it in one piece. All along you have experienced with me the most generous help from God. He knows how much I love and miss you these days. Sometimes I think I feel as strongly about you as Christ does!"