A. “Pilgrims of the Dispersion” and the “elect” (1 Peter 1:1-2)
B. Christians who have “purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit” (1 Peter 1:22; Acts 2:40; 2:38)
II. The result of obedience: sincere love of the brethren
A. Philadelphia (brotherly love)
B. Sincere – unfeigned (KJV), without hypocrisy (Romans 12:9; James 3:17), genuine (2 Timothy 1:5)
C. Love (philadelphia) leads to love (agape)
D. Fervently – earnestly (Luke 22:44)
E. Having been born again (1 Peter 1:23; 1:3)
III. How do we show love to the brethren?
A. Selflessly elevate one another (Romans 12:10, 15)
B. Defer to another’s wishes or prejudices (Romans 14:1-3)
C. Help spiritually and physically (Galatians 6:10; 6:1-2)
D. Forgive (Matthew 6:14-15; Ephesians 4:32)
A. “Our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11; cf. Exodus 16:4-5)
B. What’s the catch? (Matthew 6:25-34)
C. This does not mean we do not have to work! (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12)
II. God provides an abundant life
A. The promise of Jesus (John 10:10b; Ephesians 3:20-21)
B. You cannot outgive God (Malachi 3:8-10; Luke 6:38)
C. In addition to physical blessings, the “abundant life” includes spiritual blessings “in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3; Mark 10:29-30)
III. God provides eternal life
A. God’s blessings do not end when this life ends (Mark 10:29-30; 2 Timothy 4:7-8)
B. We can have confidence of this only if we are “in Christ” and “walk…according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1; Galatians 3:27; 5:19-25)
A. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35
B. 1 Timothy 2:11-14; cf. 1 Timothy 2:8
II. The wrong questions
A. “Look at my talents and gifts – surely God doesn’t want me to waste those, does He?” (1 Timothy 2:12; Titus 2:3-5)
B. “Why can’t I do this?” (Proverbs 31; 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15)
III. The culture has affected too many in the church
A. Digressions from the truth with no Scriptural grounds (Colossians 3:17)
B. Misunderstanding of “spiritual gifts” (1 Corinthians 12:1ff; 14:1, 12)
C. What does it mean to be led by the Spirit? (Ephesians 5:18-21; Colossians 3:16)
A. As a humble servant of the Lord (Acts 20:18-19, 33-34)
B. His manner of teaching (Acts 20:20-21)
1. He kept back nothing that was helpful (Ephesians 4:15; 2 Timothy 4:2)
2. He adapted his teaching methods (public and private)
3. He did not shut anyone out (Ephesians 2:2:12; Romans 1:16)
4. He taught repentance and belief
C. The foundation laid for the church (Acts 20:22-24) – the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:25-27; Ezekiel 3:16-19)
II. His charge to the elders
A. The value of the church (Acts 20:28)
B. The warning of apostasy (Acts 20:29-31; Revelation 2:2-5)
C. Their love for each other and for the church (Acts 20:32-38)
A. “All who labor and are heavy laden” – physical or mental burdens (2 Corinthians 11:23-28; Matthew 13:4-8)
B. Jesus’ promise of rest (1 Peter 5:5-7; Matthew 6:25-34)
II. An invitation to learn from Christ (Matthew 11:29a)
A. Learn how to defeat temptation (Matthew 4:1-11; 2 Timothy 2:15)
B. Learn the secret to true happiness (Matthew 5:3-10)
C. Learn the importance of submission (Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 5:8-9; Matthew 28:18-20)
III. “I am gentle and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29b)
A. Gentle/meek – an attribute of Christ which must also be a characteristic of our lives (Galatians 5:22-23; James 1:21; 2 Timothy 2:24-25; Galatians 6:1)
B. Lowly in heart/humble (Philippians 2:8)
IV. His easy yoke and light burden (Matthew 11:30)
A. Compared to Old Law (Matthew 23:4; Galatians 5:1)
B. There remains a rest for the people of God (Hebrews 4:9-11)
A. Everyone participates (even if not leading)
B. Reasons (and excuses) for sleepiness
II. Lessons for preachers (and teachers)
A. Are long sermons appropriate? (Acts 20:7)
B. The important task of preachers and teachers (2 Timothy 4:2)
III. Lessons about the worship environment (Acts 20:8)
IV. Eutychus was pronounced dead, but came back to life (Acts 20:9-12)
A. The joy of the people when he was revived
B. There should be even more joy when one who was spiritually dead is made alive once again in the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:30; Romans 13:11-14; Ephesians 5:8-14)
A. Context matters (Acts 20:7, 11; 2:42, 46)
B. The purpose: to remember the Lord’s death, not to satisfy physical hunger (1 Corinthians 11:20-29)
II. The day and frequency
A. Why Sunday? (Mark 16:9; 1 Corinthians 15:1-20; John 20:19)
B. Why not the Sabbath? (Exodus 16:23-30; 20:8; 31:17; Colossians 2:17)
C. Why every Sunday? (Acts 20:7)
A. Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:15-16; 3:16-19, 22-24; 3:15)
B. Abraham (2 Chronicles 20:7: James 2:23; Genesis 12:10-20; 20:1-2)
C. Moses (Exodus 3:7-10; 4:14)
II. God was longsuffering in the New Testament
A. Thomas (John 11:8, 16; 14:1-6; 20:24-29)
B. Paul (1 Timothy 1:13; Acts 8:1, 3)
C. John Mark (Acts 13:5, 13; 15:38; 2 Timothy 4:11b)
III. God is longsuffering with us today
A. The fact that Jesus has not yet returned is evidence of God’s longsuffering with us (2 Peter 3:1-9)
B. We have work to do (Matthew 28:19-20)
But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. (Acts 8:12)
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