November 8/9, 2014
Acts 19-20
Paul’s Third Missionary Journey begins in Antioch like the others, but it does not end there. Once again, Paul journeys through Asia (Turkey) “through the inland.” We assume he checked again on the churches, but hear nothing until he arrives in Ephesus on the other (western) side. He helps 12 disciples of John the Baptist find the power of the Holy Spirit, does “extraordinary miracles,” and frees many people from occult addictions. So effective was Paul’s two years of preaching there that it caused a severe drop in idol sales, and the local idol-makers union rioted. After all that, Paul left to cross over into Europe and check on the churches he had planted there.
When finished, he set out on his return trip. All along, Paul senses that he may not pass this way again. First stop: Troas. He preaches late into the night, until a young man named Eutychus falls out of a window and, apparently, dies. Paul goes outside, prays, raises him, brings him back inside, and then continues to preach on through the night! Let’s not have any more complaints about long sermons!
He continues on to Miletus and sends for the elders of the Ephesian Church in order to say goodbye. His words are poignant and powerful, and are recorded for us in Acts 20:18-35. After a tearful farewell, he sets off…not to Antioch, but to Jerusalem.
Monday, we’ll see why.
Your fellow traveler through the New Testament,
Pastor Gary
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