While at Corinth, Paul
learned of a plot on his life.
00:01:37.67\00:01:41.47
He changed plans, instead
of taking the ship, he walked
00:01:41.51\00:01:45.28
in land up through Macedonia.
00:01:45.32\00:01:47.74
He visited the churches he
had planted one final time.
00:01:47.78\00:01:51.92
He came to see the believers
in Berea and Salonika and
00:01:51.96\00:01:56.07
Philippi, encouraging
them and sharing with them.
00:01:56.10\00:01:59.81
Encouraging them to walk
faithfully in the footsteps
00:01:59.85\00:02:03.65
of Jesus, then he went
down to Neopolis, caught a ship
00:02:03.68\00:02:07.45
and sailed across the Aegean.
00:02:07.49\00:02:09.74
Luke notes that at this
time it took him five days
00:02:09.78\00:02:12.56
to make the passage.
00:02:12.60\00:02:14.26
He came here to the great port
city of Alexandria and Troas.
00:02:14.30\00:02:18.97
They came here to the
great city and met the other
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disciples who had
come ahead of them.
00:02:21.87\00:02:23.44
And here Paul stayed
teaching for seven days.
00:02:23.48\00:02:26.74
Luke records a fascinating
meeting, it was the last
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meeting of Paul's time here,
the last time he would visit
00:02:31.00\00:02:33.99
this great city of
Alexandria and Troas.
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Luke notes a very interesting
story that took place.
00:02:37.89\00:02:42.33
Luke describes how Paul
intended to leave the next day.
00:02:52.86\00:02:55.81
Later in the passage Paul leaves
the great city of Alexandria
00:02:55.84\00:03:01.23
and Troas and walks 30
miles down the coast to
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Assos, he sends the disciples
by ship to that great harbor
00:03:04.51\00:03:09.59
30 miles south
of this great city.
00:03:09.62\00:03:12.92
Paul was intending to walk
that 30 miles, but he meets
00:03:12.96\00:03:17.32
with the disciples and
has a farewell meeting.
00:03:17.36\00:03:19.62
It is noted that it is on
the first day of the week.
00:03:19.65\00:03:22.02
So I read again.
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Paul knew that this would be
the last time he would see the
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believers here at Troas.
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He would leave here and go
to Assos, catch the ship, go
00:03:38.40\00:03:42.74
past Ephesus
and land at Miletus.
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There he would call for the
Ephesian elders to come down
00:03:46.92\00:03:49.81
to meet him, he would share
his heart concern with them
00:03:49.84\00:03:52.33
and tell them that I will
never again see your face.
00:03:52.36\00:03:55.87
They wept, they cried,
they kissed and he sailed
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on to Jerusalem
where he was arrested and
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ultimately taken to Rome.
00:04:01.87\00:04:03.72
Paul shares his heart
burden's with the leaders
00:04:03.76\00:04:08.67
of the church here at Troas.
00:04:08.71\00:04:10.99
Luke said they were meeting
on the first day of the week,
00:04:11.03\00:04:13.94
they had come together
to break bread because Paul
00:04:13.97\00:04:16.87
intended to leave early
the next morning at daybreak.
00:04:16.91\00:04:19.77
Paul went on
talking and sharing and
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teaching until midnight.
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Now I have to tell you
that right now I'm perched quite
00:04:37.22\00:04:40.71
high on what seems to be
about a three-story window.
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Eutychus us was sitting in
a three-story window listening
00:04:44.19\00:04:47.64
in an upstairs meeting room,
there were many lamps there
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and Paul had went on and on.
00:04:51.13\00:04:52.97
He was sharing his heart
concern because he knew he would
00:04:53.00\00:04:56.57
not see these people again.
00:04:56.60\00:04:58.49
Luke tells us
Eutychus went to sleep.
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What an incredible story,
Eutychus goes to sleep, he's in
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the third story and falls back.
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The people catch their
breath as they hear him hit the
00:05:13.95\00:05:17.65
ground, they run
outside and see that he is dead.
00:05:17.69\00:05:21.02
Verse 10.
00:05:21.05\00:05:22.47
What an intriguing story!
00:05:40.64\00:05:42.69
Luke tells us that it
happened on the first day of the
00:05:42.72\00:05:47.08
week, now many have taken
this passage to mean that Paul
00:05:47.11\00:05:51.47
was having a meeting on Sunday
because he had transferred
00:05:51.50\00:05:55.44
the solemnity of the Sabbath
from Saturday, the seventh
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day, to Sunday the first day.
00:05:59.42\00:06:01.33
Now that would be
very curious wouldn't it?
00:06:01.36\00:06:04.04
Paul has tarried for the
feast of unleavened bread.
00:06:04.07\00:06:08.40
He still, apparently, is
celebrating the feast, he is
00:06:08.44\00:06:12.66
hoping to make Pentecost
in Jerusalem at the temple.
00:06:12.69\00:06:16.88
It would be very
curious if Paul had adopted
00:06:16.91\00:06:20.65
another day of worship.
00:06:20.69\00:06:22.34
As we have traveled
through this great land in the
00:06:22.38\00:06:25.08
footsteps of Paul, we noted
how in Pisidian Antioch that
00:06:25.12\00:06:28.61
nearly the whole city,
both Jew and Gentile, came
00:06:28.65\00:06:31.93
together on the Sabbath
and then were invited to come
00:06:31.97\00:06:35.22
together on the next Sabbath.
00:06:35.26\00:06:37.26
We seen that when Paul
was in Philippi that he was
00:06:37.30\00:06:41.75
accused of being a Jew
and proselytizing Romans.
00:06:41.79\00:06:46.18
Wouldn't that be curious if
while in the city of Philippi
00:06:46.21\00:06:50.62
he adopted the first day
of the week, and he was being
00:06:50.65\00:06:53.60
accused of being a Jew?
00:06:53.63\00:06:55.71
It makes no sense at all,
as a matter of fact Paul could
00:06:55.74\00:06:59.81
say with a straight face
and a sincere heart, that he had
00:06:59.84\00:07:03.87
done nothing
against the fathers.
00:07:03.91\00:07:05.73
No he had not given up
worshipping on the Sabbath.
00:07:05.77\00:07:10.07
This was a farewell meeting,
Paul had spent a week here,
00:07:10.11\00:07:14.47
he knew he would never
see these disciples again.
00:07:14.51\00:07:17.99
He was sharing his heart
concern because he planned to
00:07:18.02\00:07:21.88
leave the next
morning at daybreak.
00:07:21.92\00:07:24.52
He intended to walk the
30 miles down to the port of
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Assos, the question is why
does Luke include the story?
00:07:30.41\00:07:34.50
Does he include the story
to tell us that the church
00:07:34.54\00:07:37.69
here in Troas adopted
the first day of the week?
00:07:37.73\00:07:40.81
Of course not, he includes
the story to tell us about
00:07:40.85\00:07:44.26
Eutychus, and how Eutychus
had fallen out of a window
00:07:44.30\00:07:47.85
and how that he had been
taken up for dead and yet
00:07:47.89\00:07:51.41
was raised to life.
00:07:51.45\00:07:53.37
It was a miracle that brought
great encouragement to the
00:07:53.40\00:07:57.38
believers of God's power.
00:07:57.42\00:07:59.57
But the question is this,
00:07:59.60\00:08:01.68
just when did
this meeting happened?
00:08:01.72\00:08:04.09
They had gathered together
on the first day of the week,
00:08:04.12\00:08:08.19
but what time were
they breaking bread?
00:08:08.23\00:08:11.84
Did they break bread before
midnight, or after midnight?
00:08:11.88\00:08:16.45
A careful reading of the
text tells us that Paul kept on
00:08:16.48\00:08:21.00
talking until midnight,
and that Eutychus fell out the
00:08:21.04\00:08:26.78
window after midnight and
then Paul went upstairs and
00:08:26.82\00:08:32.53
broke bread with the disciples.
00:08:32.56\00:08:34.55
Then at daylight
he left for Assos.
00:08:34.58\00:08:38.09
So the question is this,
at what time of the day would
00:08:38.13\00:08:43.10
Luke consider this
meeting to be taking place?
00:08:43.14\00:08:46.38
The breaking of bread
clearly happens after midnight.
00:08:46.42\00:08:51.54
The question would be,
was Luke reckoning time as a
00:08:51.57\00:08:56.66
Gentile, or as a Jew?
00:08:56.69\00:08:59.65
You see Jewish people
celebrate the day from sunset
00:08:59.68\00:09:03.97
to sunset, after the sun
would set on a Sabbath, that is
00:09:04.00\00:09:08.43
what we would call Saturday
night, that would be the
00:09:08.47\00:09:12.86
beginning of the
first day of the week.
00:09:12.90\00:09:15.26
Not at midnight, but at sunset.
00:09:15.29\00:09:17.67
Paul met with the disciples
on the Sabbath, and after
00:09:17.71\00:09:21.19
the Sabbath closed they
had a farewell meeting where
00:09:21.22\00:09:24.22
he was sharing his heart
concern, much like he would do
00:09:24.26\00:09:27.23
with the Ephesian elders
when he calls them down to
00:09:27.27\00:09:30.17
Miletus, because this is
the last time he will see them.
00:09:30.21\00:09:33.83
He meets with them sharing
and goes on and on and goes
00:09:33.87\00:09:37.85
past midnight, and then Eutychus
falls out of the window.
00:09:37.88\00:09:41.83
The miracle happens.
00:09:41.86\00:09:43.43
Paul comes upstairs,
they share a meal together.
00:09:43.46\00:09:48.06
They share the Lord's supper
together and then at daylight
00:09:48.10\00:09:50.97
Paul walks 30
miles, a day's journey,
00:09:51.01\00:09:54.03
up to Assos and so
again we ask the question.
00:09:54.06\00:09:59.35
Was the meeting happening
on Saturday night, was this
00:09:59.38\00:10:02.58
simply a farewell
meeting after Sabbath services?
00:10:02.62\00:10:05.75
Certainly this is the position
of the new English Bible
00:10:05.78\00:10:09.44
takes, because it says on
Saturday night we came into
00:10:09.47\00:10:12.74
the upper room and they
had many lamps in the house.
00:10:12.78\00:10:16.01
Then he relates
the story of Eutychus.
00:10:16.05\00:10:18.20
Some would say however
that it could not be on Saturday
00:10:18.23\00:10:22.24
night, then Luke was a Gentile.
00:10:22.27\00:10:24.48
Well if you take that position
it would be a curious one
00:10:24.51\00:10:28.22
to take, then Paul has come
together on the first day of
00:10:28.25\00:10:31.66
the week, but they break
bread, that is they celebrate
00:10:31.69\00:10:35.96
the Lord's supper after
midnight on Monday morning.
00:10:35.99\00:10:40.22
Then Paul walks
for 30 miles to Assos.
00:10:40.25\00:10:43.88
Either way we see that
Paul was not having a special
00:10:43.92\00:10:47.66
religious meeting on
the first day of the week.
00:10:47.69\00:10:51.18
It was a farewell meeting,
most likely happening on
00:10:51.22\00:10:55.20
Saturday night with Paul
on Sunday morning walking the
00:10:55.23\00:10:59.58
30 miles up to Assos to
meet the disciples who had gone
00:10:59.62\00:11:03.94
by ship ahead of him.
00:11:03.97\00:11:06.06
So we see that this text is
in complete harmony with all
00:11:06.10\00:11:09.42
that we have seen of Paul
through our journeys in his
00:11:09.46\00:11:13.46
footsteps, whether it was
in Pisidian Antioch or Philippi
00:11:13.49\00:11:17.80
or in Corinth, indeed he
was thought of as a Jew because
00:11:17.83\00:11:22.11
he was celebration Shabbat.
00:11:22.14\00:11:24.96
We have noted that Paul indeed
was taking Christianity to
00:11:24.99\00:11:30.65
a new level, recognizing
that Judaism had its limits.
00:11:30.68\00:11:35.34
Recognizing that you did
not have to be circumcised,
00:11:35.38\00:11:39.48
that is you did not have
to become a Jew to be saved.
00:11:39.52\00:11:44.00
No Christianity was far
beyond Judaism and yet the
00:11:44.03\00:11:48.60
Sabbath was an integral
part of Paul's experience and
00:11:48.63\00:11:53.17
also the experience
of the early church.
00:11:53.20\00:11:55.61
In Ephesus we saw the
great temple of Hadrian.
00:11:55.65\00:11:59.16
Hadrian played a very
important part in the change of
00:11:59.20\00:12:03.18
the day of worship from
the seventh day Sabbath to the
00:12:03.22\00:12:07.17
first day of the week.
00:12:07.21\00:12:08.65
In the beginning part of
the second century, a Jewish
00:12:08.69\00:12:12.09
leader named Simon bar
Kosiba led a rebellion.
00:12:12.12\00:12:16.66
His real name was Simon
bar Kosiba, or Sun of a star.
00:12:16.70\00:12:22.37
Simon bar Kokhba led a
rebellion against Rome.
00:12:22.41\00:12:25.96
It was a tremendous
rebellion and it went on for
00:12:26.00\00:12:28.85
three years, they
struck new coins saying the
00:12:28.89\00:12:31.70
freedom of Israel.
00:12:31.74\00:12:33.46
He was called the sun of a
star, he was considered by many
00:12:33.50\00:12:39.64
to be the Messiah.
00:12:39.68\00:12:41.31
He led this uprising and
Rome came down with a terrible
00:12:41.35\00:12:45.89
vengeance, Hadrian came
in and destroyed the city.
00:12:45.93\00:12:50.12
Today as we walk on the
streets of Jerusalem there
00:12:50.15\00:12:53.50
are very few places that
we can actually walk that
00:12:53.53\00:12:56.84
Jesus walked
because the city was rebuilt
00:12:56.88\00:13:00.44
in the second century.
00:13:00.48\00:13:02.78
It was rebuilt in Roman
splendor, and it was named the
00:13:02.81\00:13:06.94
Aelia Capitolina, the
new capital of Palestine.
00:13:06.97\00:13:11.20
Jews were forbidden to come
within 50 miles of Jerusalem.
00:13:11.23\00:13:15.44
It is very interesting
that this edict also applied to
00:13:15.47\00:13:19.64
Christians, because
from the Roman mind, Jews and
00:13:19.68\00:13:23.27
Christians were
celebrating the same day so they
00:13:23.30\00:13:26.86
must be the same people.
00:13:26.89\00:13:28.42
As a matter of fact there
was a great controversy that
00:13:28.46\00:13:30.84
was taking place
in the early church.
00:13:30.88\00:13:33.89
It was called? Quattro Decemens?
00:13:33.93\00:13:36.26
Most of the early churches
celebrated the crucifixion
00:13:36.30\00:13:40.09
of Jesus on the 14th day
of the first Jewish month.
00:13:40.12\00:13:43.88
That is on Passover.
00:13:43.91\00:13:45.70
Jesus died on Passover
which was tied to a day of the
00:13:45.73\00:13:49.51
month, not a day of the week.
00:13:49.55\00:13:51.59
He rested in the tomb on
the ceremonial Sabbath, and on
00:13:51.62\00:13:55.89
the first day of the
week He came back to life.
00:13:55.92\00:13:59.16
That was the 16th day
of the first Jewish month.
00:13:59.20\00:14:02.37
The fascinating thing is,
that the 14th day was Passover.
00:14:02.40\00:14:06.43
The Lamb would be killed
at three in the afternoon.
00:14:06.46\00:14:08.99
Then there was a ceremonial
Sabbath, there were seven
00:14:09.02\00:14:11.91
annual ceremonial Sabbath's
that were not tied to a day
00:14:11.94\00:14:14.80
of the week, but
tied to days of the month.
00:14:14.83\00:14:17.91
The year that Jesus died,
the ceremonial Sabbath happened
00:14:17.95\00:14:22.40
to coincide with
the weekly Sabbath.
00:14:22.44\00:14:24.86
Thus John said it
was a high Sabbath.
00:14:24.90\00:14:27.26
But on the 16th day, in
which that year happened to be
00:14:27.29\00:14:30.91
the first day of the week,
was the offering of the first
00:14:30.94\00:14:34.52
fruits, the first fruit
offering was incredible.
00:14:34.56\00:14:37.98
The first ripening
grains of barley were coming to
00:14:38.01\00:14:41.40
fruition in Palestine.
00:14:41.44\00:14:43.85
The priest would go and take
some of those first ripening
00:14:43.88\00:14:46.81
grains and bring them in
the temple and dedicate the
00:14:46.84\00:14:50.27
barley harvest to God.
00:14:50.31\00:14:52.70
This was taking place on
the 16th day of the first Jewish
00:14:52.74\00:14:56.64
month, think of
what happened that day.
00:14:56.67\00:14:59.39
Jesus came back to life.
00:14:59.42\00:15:03.16
Paul said that Jesus was
the first fruits of them that
00:15:03.20\00:15:06.49
should be raised from the dead.
00:15:06.52\00:15:08.73
Jesus was indeed the
first fruit of the resurrection.
00:15:08.77\00:15:13.45
While the Jews were down
waving their sheaves of barley
00:15:13.49\00:15:18.14
in the temple,
Jesus was ascending before
00:15:18.17\00:15:20.23
the Father in highest heaven.
00:15:20.27\00:15:22.19
You recall that when Jesus
died on the cross, the veil
00:15:22.23\00:15:25.35
was torn from the
top to the bottom.
00:15:25.39\00:15:27.37
The Angels said there
was no longer any need
00:15:27.40\00:15:30.02
for earthly sacrifices
because the Lamb of God
00:15:30.05\00:15:32.64
has been offered for us.
00:15:32.67\00:15:34.60
Paul says in 1 Corinthians
that Jesus was our Passover
00:15:34.64\00:15:38.52
Lamb, and now He fulfills
the other part of the feast.
00:15:38.56\00:15:43.60
The wave sheath offering
ascending as the first fruits
00:15:43.64\00:15:47.50
to be raised from the
dead, well as I mentioned, this
00:15:47.54\00:15:51.37
took place on the
14th, 15th, and 16th day of
00:15:51.40\00:15:55.41
the first Jewish month.
00:15:55.44\00:15:56.62
The early Christians
did not celebrate on Friday,
00:15:56.66\00:16:00.35
Saturday, Sunday, that is
good Friday, Easter Sunday.
00:16:00.38\00:16:04.04
They celebrated
it with Passover.
00:16:04.07\00:16:06.43
But when the bar Kokhba
rebellion brought down the wrath
00:16:06.47\00:16:10.92
of Roman on Jews, Christians
in Rome and Alexandria,
00:16:10.96\00:16:14.56
the two greatest cities
of the Roman Empire tried to
00:16:14.59\00:16:18.16
distance themselves from Jews.
00:16:18.19\00:16:20.49
It was really anti-cynicism,
they try to distinguish
00:16:20.52\00:16:24.41
themselves by saying we
are not Jews and so in Rome
00:16:24.45\00:16:28.29
they chose to honor the
resurrection of Jesus on the
00:16:28.32\00:16:32.13
festival of
Ishtar, can you hear it?
00:16:32.16\00:16:35.10
Ishtar - Easter.
00:16:35.13\00:16:37.36
The festival of
Ishtar was celebrated through
00:16:37.40\00:16:40.33
the ancient near East.
00:16:40.36\00:16:42.09
It took place on the first
Sunday after the full moon,
00:16:42.12\00:16:45.35
after the spring equinox.
00:16:45.38\00:16:47.44
It was a time of
celebrating harvest.
00:16:47.47\00:16:50.24
It was a time of
celebrating life.
00:16:50.28\00:16:52.98
Have you ever wondered
why there are Easter eggs?
00:16:53.01\00:16:57.08
Really they are Ishtar
eggs and we see them all through
00:16:57.11\00:17:00.30
the temples we visited.
00:17:00.34\00:17:01.86
All through the ruins
where Paul preached we see those
00:17:01.90\00:17:04.51
eggs decorating the temples.
00:17:04.54\00:17:06.86
Symbols of
fertility, symbols of life.
00:17:06.90\00:17:09.82
Jesus indeed was resurrected
from the dead on the first
00:17:09.86\00:17:15.34
day of the week, but it
was in fulfillment of the
00:17:15.37\00:17:18.43
offering of the wave
sheath, the first fruits of them
00:17:18.46\00:17:21.49
that would be
raised from the dead.
00:17:21.52\00:17:23.75
No, Paul was not teaching
that we should worship on the
00:17:23.79\00:17:28.59
first day of the week
instead of the Sabbath.
00:17:28.63\00:17:30.62
He was the Sabbath
keeper through and through.
00:17:30.65\00:17:32.58
We seen that he even did
a vow of cutting his hair.
00:17:32.61\00:17:36.60
Sailing from Cenchraea to
Caesarea, and going up and
00:17:36.63\00:17:40.59
burning his hair in the temple.
00:17:40.62\00:17:42.48
He wanted to be in
Jerusalem for Pentecost.
00:17:42.51\00:17:45.51
Paul was Jewish through
and through, but he recognized
00:17:45.54\00:17:49.41
the limitations of Judaism.
00:17:49.45\00:17:51.33
He recognize that Christianity
must not be shackled to
00:17:51.36\00:17:54.93
circumcision, that you
did not have to be a Jew to be
00:17:54.97\00:17:59.33
saved, and so as we visited
in Colossae, we saw that Paul
00:17:59.36\00:18:03.69
wrote to that city.
00:18:03.72\00:18:05.00
He wrote on this very point,
Paul said you have been so
00:18:05.04\00:18:08.75
completely forgiven by
Jesus Christ at Calvary's cross,
00:18:08.78\00:18:12.98
the very list of the sins
you had committed has been
00:18:13.02\00:18:17.19
blotted out, it has
been nailed to the cross,
00:18:17.22\00:18:20.31
the devil has been exposed
and made a public spectacle
00:18:20.34\00:18:23.89
because he is a defeated foe.
00:18:23.93\00:18:27.03
Therefore in light of
your complete forgiveness,
00:18:27.07\00:18:29.78
Paul says, don't let
anybody judge you, whether you
00:18:29.81\00:18:32.35
keep the festivals, or
you don't keep the festivals.
00:18:32.38\00:18:34.92
Don't let anybody judge
you when you offer the drink
00:18:34.96\00:18:37.96
offerings or the grain
offerings because you have
00:18:37.99\00:18:40.96
been forgiven through Jesus.
00:18:40.99\00:18:43.16
You have been made
whole and complete.
00:18:43.19\00:18:45.22
As a Jew, Paul
continued to keep the festivals.
00:18:45.25\00:18:49.80
As a Jew, Paul continued
by even offering a vow.
00:18:49.83\00:18:54.10
He was arrested in the
temple while performing a vow
00:18:54.14\00:18:58.38
with several other men.
00:18:58.41\00:19:00.66
But Paul says that
if you are a Gentile,
00:19:00.70\00:19:03.73
you don't have to
keep the festivals,
00:19:03.77\00:19:06.73
you don't have to keep
Passover because Jesus is our
00:19:06.77\00:19:10.50
Passover and He has been
offered for us, He is the first
00:19:10.54\00:19:14.24
fruit of the
resurrection from the dead.
00:19:14.27\00:19:16.90
So Paul says don't let anyone
judge you in these matters,
00:19:16.93\00:19:21.47
because your forgiveness
was achieved by the death of
00:19:21.50\00:19:26.00
Jesus on Calvary's cross.
00:19:26.03\00:19:28.21
And to that we say praise
and honor and glory to our God.
00:19:28.25\00:19:33.01
For Jesus has made
us complete, one in Him.
00:19:33.05\00:19:37.31
Paul recognized that if
this division continued between
00:19:37.34\00:19:43.73
Jew and Gentile, it
would destroy the church.
00:19:43.77\00:19:46.68
So he bridges it with
this wonderful teaching from
00:19:46.72\00:19:49.91
Colossians chapter 2, showing
the unity we have in Jesus.
00:19:49.94\00:19:53.98
It's an option
to keep the feasts.
00:19:54.01\00:19:56.16
The question would be
is that an option about the
00:19:56.20\00:19:59.86
Sabbath? Well let
me answer it this way.
00:19:59.89\00:20:02.25
Our salvation does not
rest upon observing the Sabbath,
00:20:02.29\00:20:08.44
or not observing the Sabbath.
00:20:08.47\00:20:10.27
Just as our salvation does
not rest upon keeping any of
00:20:10.30\00:20:14.33
God's commandments, our
salvation rests upon what
00:20:14.36\00:20:18.49
Jesus did at Calvary's cross.
00:20:18.53\00:20:21.36
We are saved by grace
through faith, that is what he
00:20:21.39\00:20:24.82
wrote to the church of Ephesus.
00:20:24.85\00:20:27.16
That was his message over
and over again, but he also
00:20:27.20\00:20:30.60
wrote to the church of Ephesus,
that because we are saved
00:20:30.64\00:20:34.01
by grace through faith,
that we were also created in
00:20:34.04\00:20:38.35
God to do good works to
the glory and honor of God.
00:20:38.38\00:20:42.63
So as he said to the church
of Ephesus, we always want
00:20:42.66\00:20:46.87
to do those things that
are pleasing to the Lord.
00:20:46.91\00:20:50.09
I know that that is my desire,
and I hope it's yours too.
00:20:50.12\00:20:53.89
Paul leaves the great city
of Alexandria and Troas and
00:20:56.71\00:21:00.24
walks 30 miles
down the coast to Assos.
00:21:00.27\00:21:03.99
He sends the disciples by
ship to the great harbor 30
00:21:04.03\00:21:08.57
miles south of this great city.
00:21:08.61\00:21:11.45
I am walking among the
ruins of the ancient Temple of
00:21:15.95\00:21:18.94
Athena, built in
the sixth century BC.
00:21:18.97\00:21:22.33
This Temple dominated
the Acropolis of Assos.
00:21:22.37\00:21:26.97
You can see the
sparkling blue waters
00:21:27.01\00:21:30.93
of the Aegean behind me.
00:21:30.96\00:21:32.83
The Acropolis and Temple
can be seen for miles away,
00:21:32.87\00:21:38.16
a must of been a
tremendous beacon to Mariners
00:21:38.20\00:21:41.63
sailing down the coast.
00:21:41.66\00:21:43.57
Paul would have walked
down this road to the harbor
00:21:43.60\00:21:47.14
to meet his friends before
catching the boat and sailing
00:21:47.18\00:21:50.46
to Miletus south of Ephesus.
00:21:50.50\00:21:54.21
We are here at the Port of
Assos, a picturesque harbor
00:21:54.25\00:21:59.68
Village, a fishing
village as you can see.
00:21:59.72\00:22:03.31
A working fishing
village just under the leeward
00:22:03.35\00:22:06.74
side of the Lesbos island.
00:22:06.78\00:22:08.58
This is the port to which
Paul walked from Alexandria
00:22:08.61\00:22:13.37
and Troas and here he
rendezvoused with Silas and Luke
00:22:13.40\00:22:18.12
and the others who
have taken a ship down from
00:22:18.16\00:22:20.51
Alexandria and
Troas to this port.
00:22:20.55\00:22:22.76
Together they sailed down the
coast past Ephesus, to Melitus,
00:22:22.79\00:22:27.69
where Paul called for the
elders of the church to come
00:22:27.72\00:22:30.83
and meet with them and
gave him that farewell parting,
00:22:30.87\00:22:33.94
farewell instructions.
00:22:33.97\00:22:36.57
We are going down to Miletus,
this spot where Paul called
00:22:36.60\00:22:41.70
for the elders of the
church and shared his heart
00:22:41.74\00:22:44.91
concern, telling
them that he would never
00:22:44.94\00:22:47.62
see their face again.
00:22:47.66\00:22:49.09
He gave a moving appeal,
reminding them how he had not
00:22:52.10\00:22:55.82
laid a charge to them,
but worked with his own hands
00:22:55.86\00:22:59.54
while he had been at
Ephesus for three years.
00:22:59.58\00:23:02.56
He reminded them how he
had taught them publicly at the
00:23:02.59\00:23:06.46
Hall of Tyrannus
and house to house.
00:23:06.50\00:23:09.43
Paul continues his
heartfelt appeal to
00:23:09.47\00:23:12.37
the elders of Ephesus.
00:23:12.40\00:23:14.15
And then he gives
a stirring appeal,
00:23:29.98\00:23:32.62
a deep heartfelt appeal.
00:23:32.65\00:23:35.12
Paul shares one of his
deepest warnings ever with the
00:24:07.22\00:24:11.08
overseers, the elders
of the church of Ephesus.
00:24:11.11\00:24:14.34
He reminds them of how
for three years he had taught
00:24:14.38\00:24:17.33
them publicly about this.
00:24:17.36\00:24:19.39
He says I know after I
leave that grievous wolves will
00:24:19.42\00:24:23.27
come in and not spare the flock.
00:24:23.31\00:24:25.57
I know that after I leave
that some of you listening to
00:24:25.60\00:24:30.03
me right now, will rise
up and distort the true and
00:24:30.07\00:24:34.47
draw away
disciples after yourselves.
00:24:34.50\00:24:36.95
Paul had given a similar
teaching when he wrote back to
00:24:36.99\00:24:41.04
the church at Thessaloniki.
00:24:41.07\00:24:44.06
He told them that before
Jesus would, come there would be
00:24:44.09\00:24:47.44
a falling away first, a
perversion of the truth.
00:24:47.48\00:24:51.17
An apostasia, a
walking away from the gospel.
00:24:51.21\00:24:54.84
Paul had warned the
church at Thessaloniki that this
00:24:54.87\00:24:58.97
would take place
before Jesus would come.
00:24:59.01\00:25:02.09
Now he warns the elders at
Ephesus, that the same would
00:25:02.13\00:25:05.81
happen, men of your own
selves will arise and distort
00:25:05.85\00:25:09.38
the truth, drawing away
disciples after themselves.
00:25:09.41\00:25:13.51
To the Thessalonians he
had written that the mystery of
00:25:13.55\00:25:17.62
iniquity is already at work.
00:25:17.65\00:25:21.33
The mystery of Anomia,
a spirit of lawlessness.
00:25:21.36\00:25:26.29
Paul senses this is going
to happen in Ephesus as well.
00:25:26.33\00:25:30.53
When Jesus writes His
letter to the church of Ephesus,
00:25:30.57\00:25:35.18
penned by John on Patmos
Island he said, watch out for
00:25:35.22\00:25:39.80
those who have the
doctrine of the Nicolaitians.
00:25:39.83\00:25:43.63
The Nicolaitians taught
a doctrine of anti-nomism.
00:25:43.67\00:25:46.73
They were teaching that
in the freedom they have
00:25:46.76\00:25:49.29
in Jesus, that they did
not have to be obedient.
00:25:49.32\00:25:52.37
Paul warns that this
will come and affect the
00:25:52.41\00:25:55.42
church of Ephesus as well.
00:25:55.46\00:25:57.45
Paul reminds them that
he was not a charge to them,
00:26:27.85\00:26:30.59
that he worked at his
trade of tent making with
00:26:30.62\00:26:33.28
his own hands, he
supported his companions.
00:26:33.32\00:26:35.91
He reminded them of the
words of Jesus, it is more
00:26:35.94\00:26:39.54
blessed to give than to receive.
00:26:39.57\00:26:42.14
Then there was
this final appeal.
00:26:42.17\00:26:44.70
Paul shares with the
elders of Ephesus that he will
00:27:07.73\00:27:11.34
never see their face
again, they're heartbroken,
00:27:11.38\00:27:14.92
they kneeled together there
by the beach, they embrace,
00:27:14.96\00:27:19.92
they cry, they
hugged, they kiss,
00:27:19.96\00:27:24.52
and Paul boards the ship.
00:27:24.55\00:27:27.43
But he first prays with
them that they will be faithful
00:27:27.47\00:27:31.83
to the charge that
they have received.
00:27:31.86\00:27:33.79
That they will run the
race faithfully as he has run
00:27:33.82\00:27:37.62
the race, that they will
complete the course that God
00:27:37.66\00:27:41.42
has set for them, just
as he must complete the
00:27:41.46\00:27:44.37
course God has set for him.
00:27:44.41\00:27:46.38
They kneel here at
Melitus, and they pray
00:27:46.41\00:27:51.07
a prayer commitment,
join me as we pray together.
00:27:51.11\00:27:54.81
Father as we think of
that time when Paul came
00:27:54.84\00:27:58.47
to this port, this great harbor
city and called for the elders
00:27:58.51\00:28:02.10
of the church to come
down and meet him here.
00:28:02.13\00:28:04.60
How they shared, they hugged,
they kissed, because Paul
00:28:04.64\00:28:08.18
had said he would
never see their face again.
00:28:08.22\00:28:10.84
Father help us to
run the race as Paul did.
00:28:10.87\00:28:13.45
Help us to follow
wherever You lead.
00:28:13.49\00:28:16.05
May our footsteps follow
Your footsteps just as Paul's
00:28:16.08\00:28:20.03
has before us I
pray, in Jesus name Amen!
00:28:20.06\00:28:24.60
Please join us for our
next chapter in this exciting
00:28:24.63\00:28:29.06
series, Paul goes to
Jerusalem for Passover.
00:28:29.09\00:28:33.52
There, there is a tremendous
turn in of events when
00:28:33.56\00:28:36.94
Paul must appeal
to go before Caesar.
00:28:36.97\00:28:40.78