252 – Acts 20: How Does God Speak Directly To You?
On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord’s Supper. Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight. The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps. As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below. Paul went down, bent over him, and took him into his arms. “Don’t worry,” he said, “he’s alive!” Then they all went back upstairs, shared in the Lord’s Supper, and ate together. Paul continued talking to them until dawn, and then he left. Meanwhile, the young man was taken home unhurt, and everyone was greatly relieved. ACTS 20:7-12 NLT
God calls on preachers to speak his words
And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News. 2 TIMOTHY 1:11 NLT
God uses sermons to speak to me
Encourage me
When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia. While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. ACTS 20:1-2 NLT
Challenge me
Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. 2 TIMOTHY 4:2 NLT
Remind me
And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ACTS 20:35
Comfort me
But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them. 1 CORINTHIANS 14:3 NLT
Direct me
“And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again. I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know. ACTS 20:25-27 NLT
God calls us to choose a preacher carefully
So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders. I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. ACTS 20:28-30 NLT
God calls us to honor those who preach
Praying for them
I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should. EPHESIANS 6:20 NLT
Paying them well
Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. 1 TIMOTHY 5:17 NLT