Let's take our Bibles and turn
to the book of Acts chapter 20. Acts chapter 20. I'd like for us to just pick
up where we left off in our study. I've said this before, I love
a verse by verse study of the scriptures. You just take it
word by word. That's the way the Spirit of
God wrote it. And you just you take it as he
writes it and you pray, as Brother Neal said, that the Lord would
speak and give us some understanding. The Lord, through the Apostle
Paul, had given a solemn exhortation to the elders, to the preachers
that were from Ephesus, and he said this, that's what we looked
at last time, verse 28, take heed therefore unto yourselves
and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made
you overseers. I read that passage again today
and that part that I just read is what truly struck me as being
the complete seriousness of the preaching and the hearing. I may stand here and preach, but
we're all hearing. Believe me when I say it's needful
for all of us. That part where the Apostle Paul
says, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers. the seriousness of the realization
that Almighty God by His Spirit has appointed a man to stand
and proclaim the gospel of free grace. How we all need to hear
what's being said. Take heed, he said, take heed
lest you be found to be void of the grace that you preach. That's what Paul the Apostle
said, I keep my body in subjection, lest that after I'd preach to
others that I myself would be a castaway. What a serious, serious
thought. Take heed, lest a man be found
empty when it comes to the seriousness of the position in which he stands
being a novice, Paul said, don't lay hands early. Don't lay hands
on a novice. Be careful. Be careful how a
man is placed in this position by the church whenever someone
desires the office of a bishop. Scripture says he desires a good
office. That's a good, you know. Let
him be heard and let him be considered and let him be viewed, but be
careful. Give it some time. Examine yourself. Take heed. That's what he says.
Take heed to yourselves, lest your very life be a contradiction
of the grace that you preach. Take heed. I said before, I mean
this, preachers, and I speak of true preachers, they're in
a fishbowl. I said before, I know that we
might say, well, they're just men. I understand that. But all
believers, but especially preachers, take heed. Take heed. It's serious. You ought to be,
the Scripture says, examples to those that you teach. The
flock of God looks to those that the Spirit of God has raised
up. And it's serious. Things that are expected of all
believers in their conversation, in their walk, especially are
they expected in preachers. Take heed, Paul says, to yourselves. Pay attention is what that means.
All right, here is where we left off. Verse 29, For I know that
after my departing shall grievous wolves Enter in among you, not
sparing the flock." Paul said, I know this. Now obviously, he
knew this by divine inspiration. I notice that he didn't say there's
a possibility. I hope they don't. That's not,
I know. I am convinced. The Lord taught him this. He
knew this by divine inspiration. I know. He had said in 1 Corinthians
11.23, I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto
you. The Apostle Paul was taught by God or he would have never
said that. I know. Take heed. Take heed to yourself. Matthew
7.15 says this, of false prophets which come
to you in sheep's clothing inwardly, they are ravening wolves. They're not kind. They're not
sweet. I've said this for years and
years and years. People that hold to religious
beliefs that are void of the grace of God. There's enough
meanness in all of us for this to be said. But people of just
religious persuasions that are void of the grace of God are
the most ungracious people that you'll ever deal with. They are
not gracious at all. They're mean. They're mean people. Paul the Apostle says they're
ravening wolves. They just tear at you. Unkind. Verse 30, he says, also
of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things
to draw away disciples after them. This is tough. This is tough
thought. You know, it's like we can hear
the truth where the Apostle Paul says, after verse 29, my departing
shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. You can take in a battle. You can perceive the enemy that
you're fighting, another country, someone, you know, the Germans. Bob, World War II. You can perceive
fighting them, but a traitor from among your own ranks. That's what Paul is saying here.
He said, of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse
things. I want you to turn to Matthew
26. Matthew 26. I thought of this scripture when
I read that. Matthew 26, beginning in verse
20, it says, Now when the even was come, he sat down with the
twelve, and as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you,
that one of you shall betray me. Can you imagine? Now there's the apostles, twelve
apostles. And you know he's talking about
Judas Iscariot. And here's the Lord of Glory
and he is just, he's telling them this is what's getting ready
to happen. Now he's talking about his twelve apostles. One of you
shall betray me. But now listen to the attitude
of those apostles. And they were exceeding sorrowful
and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? Am I the one? You know, the heart of a believer
is such that they are not looking at the other one, but they're
saying to themselves, but for the grace of God, I'd be the
one. except for God's grace. I can't look at somebody else
and say, I'd never do that. I'll never do it. Peter said
that. The Apostle Peter said that. From among you, how are they
going to be known? He said, well, speaking perverse
things to draw away disciples. after them. What are these perverse
things? Do you know what it is? They
mix works with grace. That's the only thing they can
do. That's the only alternative. There's only two messages. There's
only two messages. It's either grace or works. Grace
or works. So to speak perverse things concerning
the grace of God, is to set forth that something that I do merits
or God is going to honor somehow something that I do. Now listen,
a believer is always evidenced by good works, labor of love,
work of faith. They respond. Believers respond
in a positive way. But a believer never looks to
what he does as the merit of his salvation. He never does.
He never looks to himself and says, I am what I am because
I... No, he says as the Apostle Paul
says, I am what I am by the grace of God. These men, he says, that
will be in from among you, you know, they'll rise. And he says
these things that they're doing is they're speaking perverse
or distorted or corrupted things concerning the glorious gospel
of free grace. That's what they're doing. They're
adding works to grace. But two things are always evidenced. Two things are always evidenced
by the trouble. of men arising, speaking perverse,
to draw away, you know, two things are always seen. Let me tell
you what the first one is. First thing is that the people
of God are always revealed. 1 Corinthians 11, 19 says, For
there must be also heresies, that is, factions or divisions
over the gospel of free grace among you, that they which are
approved may be made manifest among you. You know how you know
a believer? They just can't stay away from
the Gospel. They just can't. They have to
have it. They must have Christ. They must have His Word. They
cannot. They cannot. How thankful I am
that Almighty God would keep me that I could not. As I said before, how many times
have we quoted this Scripture? Will you go away also? Lord,
where am I going to go? You have the words of life. That
prodigal son left. Give me mine. I'll take it. I'm
done here. Scripture says, though he came
to himself. When God Almighty has one of
His own, they come. They come. He came back, rehearsed
his story. Father said, you put the best
robe on him. Put the ring on him. Put some
shoes on him. That's my son. Dead alive. God Almighty is going
to reveal His own through these problems. I tell you, Satan is
going to be seen through those that are the tares, through their
rebellion against God Almighty and His gospel of free grace.
But believers are going to rise. They're going to rise to the
top like the crane. They're going to be there. God's
going to reveal them. Secondly, the thing that's revealed
is the arrogance of men to exalt themselves and want to be seen. This is what they did. He says,
these out of your own selves, men shall arise, speaking perverse
things, to draw away disciples after them." Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ
desire the glory of Christ, the glory of God only. I'm not trying to get you to
join up with me. What I've been called to do is
to set forth the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to tell
you that He is the way. He's the truth. He's the life.
And no man comes to the Father but by Him. And it's not by works
of righteousness that we've done, but according to His mercy, He
saved us. We don't war against these Scriptures. We don't war against the God
of these scriptures. We're not trying to draw men
away. Men may accuse us of being divisive. They may accuse us,
you know, of trying to exclude people. That's the attitude that
men have toward the gospel of free grace. What they're saying,
Gary, is you're trying to exclude people. You're trying to exclude
them. You're trying to say, now, if
you're not one of the elect, You know, they're saying, no,
we want everybody to be saved. The only problem with that is
that they're contradicting Scripture. They're not hearing what God
Almighty has to say. They're speaking perverse or
distorted things. That's what it means. Verse 31,
Therefore, watch and remember, Paul says, by the space of three
years, I cease not to warn every one night and day. with tears. Watch, he said. Be vigilant.
Be spiritually awake. We're watching. This is what
I mean when I say that a believer talks like a believer. When you
hear a believer talk, there's going to be a savor. There's
a sweet savor of life about their speech. There's not a speech
of death or spiritual death about it. You that believe know what
I'm talking about here. When you hear a believer talk,
and they speak of Christ, they speak of free grace, sovereign,
saving grace, it's as if they're very speechless. Though they
themselves will tell you, you know, I know that in me there's
Nothing. That is in my flesh. But when
they speak, it just flows of grace. It has a savor of life
to it. And they watch. They watch and
they listen for that. That's what they're doing. Watch,
Paul says. Take heed. Be careful. Listen,
whenever someone is speaking and they're wanting to say something,
concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, and it just it comes out just
as a. It just. Has a sound of. Something that's corrupt, just
you and you pick up on it. You just hear it, you hear it.
And you want to give them the benefit of the doubt and you
think, well, that may be a little bit of immaturity there or something
like that, but but you watch. You listen. Somebody says, well,
you're judging. Well, yeah, maybe you are. Maybe
you are. You're listening carefully to
what they're saying. And you just wait and you encourage
them, but you're watchful. Now, you know what I'm saying
is right. You do the same thing. You're just like me. You know,
you're listening. You're listening for the honor
of God. Paul says, watch and remember. Remember, be mindful of the truth
that you've received. You know what you hear is so,
right here. You know it is. You know why
you know? Because God has taught you by His Spirit, and it bears
witness to your heart that it's right, that the gospel of free
grace honors God. It honors Him. It exalts the
Lord Jesus Christ, and it gives no credit whatsoever to me. It just doesn't give me any.
And believers love it that way. They don't want any credit. They
don't want any, you know. Somebody says, don't you want
some credit for what you've done? What have I done? What have I
done? Paul says, when we've done all
that we can do, unprofitable servants. That's all we are.
And they love to have it that way. Remember. Remember that
the Scriptures are the foundation of your actions. Paul said, I
cease not to warn you every one night and day with tears. Oh, the tenderness of God's people. And you know, I think that that
is something that we learn. You grow in grace and in the
knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And I think the
older that we get, the more you realize the Lord's kept me until
this point right here. I'm so glad. I'm so thankful. But you know, there's a tenderness
to what the Apostle is saying. He says, when I cease not to
warn you every one night and day with tears. Paul wrote something
to the church at Philippi. He was in Philippians 3.18 that
I jotted down here. He said, for many walk of whom
I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they're
the enemies of the cross of Christ. I. I've said many times. This this is what makes it so
hard. So tough. And I'll bet you any
amount of money that there's not a person in here that's exempt
from this right here. We all have either family or
friends or acquaintances people that you walk with or And they can be sweet, they can
be kind, they can be religious, but you know in your heart by
the way they exhibit their attitude toward Christ. And a believer
is going to exhibit an attitude toward the Lord Jesus Christ
and His gospel in a way of consistency. They're going to be consistent
in their love and their support of the gospel of free grace.
And I know I have people in my circle of family and friends,
and you do too. And there's no way in the world
that you can say any other thing concerning another's attitude
or lack of attitude toward the gospel than this. I tell you,
weeping. They're the enemies of the cross
of Christ. I mean, that's not a joyful thought. That's not
something that we say boasting and just say, ah, you know, looking
down on them. You realize, I said a while ago,
but for the grace of God, where would we be? Somebody will hear
that statement and they said, well, you're the most proud and
arrogant people I've ever met in my life. And it breaks your
heart to hear them say it. Because you can't change their
mind. It's going to take God Almighty to do something for
them. Paul said, I warned you night and day, weeping. And now, verse 32, brethren,
I commend you to God. and to the word of His grace,
which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance
among all them which are sanctified." Oh, how thoughtful, how tender
for this apostle to turn and to remind the people of the only
one who can do anything. That's what the Lord Jesus Christ
said. He said, without me, you can do nothing. What can you
do? You can't believe. What can you
do without Him? Can you trust? No. No man can
come. You can't come. You can't do
anything. Paul says, I commend you to God,
brethren, brethren by nature, brethren by grace. In my mind
and in my heart and in my attitude, And in my thankfulness, I trust Him for you. I trust Him. I commend you to
God. He created you. He regenerated
you by grace. Called you out of darkness. He
kept you. He'll receive you unto Himself.
Who else can I commend you to? I can't keep you. I can tell
you that right now. You wouldn't want to be kept
by me. I'm the most inconsistent, just wavering, just not me. Who would you want to be commended
to? Paul says, I commend you to God
and to the Word of His grace, the Gospel of His grace. The
Lord Jesus Christ Himself who is the Word of God. That's His
name. That's what Revelation 19.13
says. I commend you to Him who calls
you by His message. Sanctifies you. Sets you apart. That's what the Lord Jesus Christ
prayed in John 17.17. Sanctify them through thy truth. Thy word is truth. Sanctify. The base word, you look up the
word sanctify, and the word, the base word to the word sanctify
is holy. That's what it is. Holy. Holy. Lord, you made them what they
are. You proclaimed them to be what
they are. chosen in Christ to be holy and
without blame. Sanctify them. Set them apart
for your use. That's what it is. Set apart,
sanctified, called holy for God's use. That which is for God's
use. That's what that means. Sanctify
them. Now, sanctification. Never has any reference whatsoever
to any internal cleansing or eradication of the old nature. That's not what it means. Let
me tell you what you're looking at tonight. Sinners. Sinners. Set apart. Sanctified. Declared holy based
on one thing. the imputed righteousness of
Christ. Sinners robed in His righteousness,
and at the moment they leave this earth, that body of death
will be no more, and they will not be tied to it. Who shall
separate me? That is what Paul says, from
the body of this death. But that new nature, that righteousness,
is what God says it is, holy and without blame before Him
in love. God sets apart those that He
has eternally loved. Paul said, verse 33, I have coveted
no man's silver or gold or a parable. Men whose heart is for the glory
of God and the good of the flock, they are not making merchandise
of you. Do you think that a preacher
that God has called sanctified, set apart for his purpose of
preaching his message, do you think they're in for it for what
they can get out of you? Do you think that being set in
this pulpit that I would have or any other man, do you think
that my thoughts are I just want to see if I can get a living
out of this group of people. Paul says, I have not coveted
your money. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12,
14, I will not be burdensome to you, for I seek not yours,
but you. You. It's not what you have. It's you. God's going to provide. The Lord's going to provide. God will meet all the needs and
the need, Christ, of His people. These things are perishing. The
souls of men are eternal. Can you imagine? I read when
the apostle would say, as he would look forward with joy in
that day when God receives unto Himself all that He ever set
apart but the joy of knowing that God had brought them to
Himself through the means of the proclamation of His gospel. Paul said, you are my joy. You are my joy. His desire and His pleasure and
His strife was to be kept from any distraction that would caused
the gospel to be ill-spoken of. Verse 34, Yea, ye yourselves
know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities and to them
that were with me. Paul said, I wasn't going to
be chargeable. Now, there was times, and you
remember this, when Paul worked with Priscilla and Aquila, and
he made tents. And the reason, if you remember,
the reason that he did that is there was no Church raised up
at that time in Corinth. There was no church. Now, I want
you to understand, too, turn to 1 Corinthians 9, the responsibility of a church, of a body. 1 Corinthians
9, 7. This is what the Apostle says. 1 Corinthians 9, 7. Who goeth
to warfare any time at his own charges? Who planted the vineyard
and eateth not of the fruit thereof, or who feedeth the flock and
eateth not of the milk of the flock? Look at verse 11. If we've
sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap,
we shall reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of this
power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used
this power, but suffer all things lest we should hinder the gospel
of Christ. Do you not know that they which
minister about holy things live of the things of the temple and
They which wait at the altar or partakers with the altar,
even so has the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel
should live of the gospel. Two things that are there. Number
one, the responsibility that a preacher has. To live by the
gospel and the support of the church. But secondly, the responsibility
that the church has to support the pastor. I'll tell you. I've told some of you this before.
I've been there. I know what it's like to have
to work, to have to work outside. And let me tell you who suffers.
Everybody. That's who suffers, everybody,
the pastor, the people having to having to work. I cannot tell
you how many times I've bragged on this church, on this. I'll
just I'll just brag on you to you right now. It's got to be
one of the most generous, if not the most generous church
I've ever met in my life. I don't know of another church
that supports two pastors. I know some, Carl, that don't
even support one. But this church supports two
pastors. Never deviated from what we owe Brother Scott. Why? Because he is our pastor.
He's my pastor and your pastor. He's our pastor. Faithfully preached
here over 50 years and continues to do so. Supports two pastors. This church supports missionaries
in Mexico. This church supports the work
down in Kingsport of Brother Tom Harding. Where is he? Pikeville. Helping out with that ministry
here. I can't. There's so many areas that this
church is so generous And the Lord's blessed it. It's a the
Lord blesses it. And in the blessing of the Lord,
this church wants to support. And in the support of it, the
Lord blesses it. It's just a you know, it's absolutely
an amazing. And I thank you. And I thank
God for you. I thank God for the support that I have that
I can be here. I'd hate to know. I'd hate to
know. That I'd had to give up time
that I could be here studying. And you've made it, you've made
it possible by the grace of God. I brag on you in the Lord and
you're deserving of it. Somebody says, oh, no, I'm not.
Yes, you are. Let me brag on you. You're deserving of it.
And I thank God for you. Paul says, these hands ministered
to my necessities when there was no church that could or would
help, Paul wasn't going to be a burden. But where there's a
church raised up, they need to support that pastor. Verse 35,
I've showed you all things, how that soul laboring, you ought
to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus,
how He said, it's more blessed to give than to receive. Now,
how many times do you think that when Paul says that you remember
the words of the Lord Jesus, How he said it's more blessed
to give than to receive. How many times do you think that
that that quote right there, Paul said the Lord said it. How
many times do you think it's recorded in Scripture? It's more
blessed to give than receive. How many times have all of us
actually quoted that? It's more blessed to give than
to receive. How many times do you think that's recorded in
Scripture? None. None. This is the only place
right here. These apostles, obviously, or
Paul the apostle, heard the Lord say that. The Lord, as he was
there, because Paul says, remember the words of the Lord Jesus.
You remember the scripture that says, if all the things that
he did or said were written down, that this world would not contain
the volumes of the books. This is one of those things that
the Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, wrote down
that the Lord said that was never written down any other place.
But he said it. Why? Because all Scripture is
given by inspiration of God. And Paul the Apostle said, under
the inspiration of God, the Lord Jesus Christ said it. He said,
now, he said, how so laboring you ought to support the weak
and remember Paul wrote to the church at Philippi
in Philippians 2, 5 to 7, Let this mind be in you, which was
also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it
not robbery to be equal with God. Have you ever wondered what
that verse of scripture meant right there? You've heard that. I have too. And I've heard that,
thought it not robbery to be equal with God. but made himself
of no reputation, took upon himself the form of a servant, was made
in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he
humbled himself, being obedient unto death, even the death of
the cross. But that part of there, thought it not robbery to be
equal with God? I looked it up. It means this. Being God, he robbed the Father
and Spirit of no honor. That's what he says. Being in
the form of God, the God-man, that the Lord Jesus Christ robbed
the Father and the Spirit of no honor whatsoever. He walked
as God. He walked a man God. He walked and did not dishonor
them, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." Paul the
Apostle says, he says, laboring you ought to support the weak. What a glorious picture of the
work of the Lord Jesus Christ, the servant of God, whose labor
to the law and to the obedience of the law supports the weak. Here it is, so laboring you ought
to support the weak. But he says, and that's a glorious
picture of him, he's the laborer, earned a righteousness that we
never could. That righteousness imputed to
us, laboring, supporting us. And remembering his words, more
blessed to give than to receive. Here's what he said. Happier
is the giver than the one getting it. You know, it's a sad thing, but
the one that receives something, and this is just the way it is,
does not know how to be thankful for what the giver did for him. And I've been the recipient of
people that's in this congregation right here. They've shown me
kindness. I don't know how to be thankful enough. I don't know. I want to be thankful, but I
don't know how to be. And not only that, there's no
way in the world that I can get around this truth. It's more
blessed, more blessed, happier. Happier is the giver than the
receiver. For God so loved the world that
He gave His only begotten Son. Here is the truth of that Scripture. It is more blessed to God to
save than for those that are saved to have the thoughts of
thankfulness. That He saved me from an eternal
hell. You would think I would be the
one that was more blessed and more thankful for that than God
was for doing it. No. It's more blessed. It's happier. It's a happier
state to be the one giving. What would you not do for your
children? What would you not do for? What would you not do
for someone you love? What would you do? I read of
these and read, saw one the other day about this soldier, quite
a few of them lately, soldiers in combat that gave themselves,
fell on a grenade to save a few buddies. You say, how could you,
how could they do that, that quick? That quick. and didn't give it a second thought. More blessed. Look at the honor. I understand it's men, human
honor, but you think of the honor and the thankfulness that's given
by the families of the soldiers that didn't die for that one
that gave his life. The Scripture said it was a greater
joy You think, how can that be? It's the way it is. But especially
in eternal things, more blessed to give than to receive. And the Scripture says, let's
just read these last three verses. And when he had thus spoken,
he kneeled down and prayed with them all. And they all wept sore
and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him, soaring most of all. for the words which he spake,
that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied
him unto the ship." They thought about what he had said. They were thankful. Thankful,
the Scripture says, for what they heard. They were sorrowing
because he was leaving, but most of all were they sorry I think
I'm right on this, not only for what he had said, but they were
sorry that they wouldn't get to hear him anymore. Sorrowing
for the words that they heard. You know, we bow in thanksgiving
prayer to the Lord of all glory. Paul loved him. He was honest
with him, told him, said, be careful, take heed, watch, remember. He said, remember, I've been
with you now. Three years I've been with you.
He said, I've not failed to warn you. Be careful. He says, now
I've got to go. But I commend you to the Lord.
I commend you to God. And they were thankful for that.
But I tell you, Paul had been a friend to them. He had been
a friend. He loved them. And they loved
him. And they were thankful for him. He said, I didn't, verse
33, I didn't stay with you to get what I could out of you.
I had work when I had to. And he said, I've shown you all
things. He said, laboring, support the
weak. Remember the words of the Lord
Jesus Christ. More blessing to give than to
receive is a blessing. Give, give. You're not taking
anything out of this world. If God causes a need to cross
your path or something like that, meet it. If you don't, someone
will. And if you don't, you'll be the
loser for it, believe me. You'll be the loser for it. Someone
else that God raises up and does it, they'll be the great gainer
by it. And they heard those things.
Paul prayed with them, and it just broke their heart. They
knew it, you know. You're right, Paul. You're right.
And they loved him. They kissed him, kissed him on
the neck and thought about what they'd heard. And they walked
him to the ship. You know, believers in this life,
they love each other. They're thankful for each other.
And the reason that they are, they see something of the grace
of God and they realize that for other believers, you know
what? You're sincere with me. You're
a friend to me. I don't think you're trying to
get to me or backstab me or anything like that. You've been my friend.
We go through this life. It's a vapor. A short, short vapor. And you're thankful for what
the Lord's done for you. But you look forward to the next
life. When we left Mississippi the
other day, I preached Friday night, Saturday night, Sunday
morning. There was an old man that was there. He was 90, maybe 90, probably your 90. OK. This man was 90. And he came
up after the last service. And he was so tender, so sincere. I believe he was. And he came
up and he said, I cannot tell you. He said, what a blessing
this has been for me. He said, I thank the Lord that
you came and you preached to us. And he said, I might not
see you again. He said, this may be the last
time I ever see you. But he said, if I don't see you
in this life, I look forward. I don't see you. And it made
me think the seriousness of the frailty of this life. And I told
him, I said, I look forward to it. Let's stand together.