Marks of a Godly Minister (pt. 3)(20:13-38)

Acts 20:25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again.

Acts 20:29-31 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!

Marks of a Genuine, Godly Minister 1.Leads By Example 2.Models Humility 3.Models Love 4.Refuses to Water-Down /Edit/ Minimize God’s Word 5.Not Deterred By Suffering 6.Gospel-Focused 7.Lives By Faith

Acts 20:18 And when they came to him, he said to them: "You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia

Acts 20:29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

2 Timothy 4:2-4 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

2 Timothy 4:2-4 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Acts 20:28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood

Marks of a Genuine, Godly Minister 1.Leads By Example 2.Models Humility 3.Models Love 4.Refuses to Water-Down /Edit/ Minimize God’s Word

Acts 20:20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house

Acts 20:26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

John Newton “The Bible is the grand repository … It is the complete system of divine truth, to which nothing can be added, and from which nothing can be taken, with impunity. Every attempt to disguise or soften any branch of this truth, in order to accommodate it to the prevailing taste around us, either to avoid the displeasure, or to court the favour, of our fellow mortals, must be an affront to the majesty of God, and an act of treachery to men.”

Hugh Latimer

“I would ask a strange question: who is the most [diligent] bishop and prelate in all England, that passeth all the rest in doing his office? I can tell, for I … know him well. But now I think I see you listening and hearkening that I should name him... I will tell you: it is the devil. “He is the most diligent preacher of all other; he is never out of his [diocese]; he is never from his [curate]; ye shall never find him unoccupied... The diligentest preacher in all the realm; he is ever at his plough: no lording nor loitering can hinder him; he is ever applying his business, ye shall never find him idle, I warrant you....”…

Hugh Latimer Where the devil is resident, and hath his plough going, there away with books, and up with candles; away with bibles, and up with beads; away with the light of the gospel, and up with the light of candles, yea, at noon days.... Up with man’s traditions and his laws, down with God’s traditions and his most holy word.... “Oh that our prelates would be as diligent to sow the corn of good doctrine, as Satan is to sow cockle and darnel”

Hugh Latimer

'I thank God most heartily that He hath prolonged my life to this end, that I may in this case glorify God by that kind of death' Play the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out Burned at the stake in Oxford, England October 16, 1555.

Marks of a Genuine, Godly Minister 1.Leads By Example 2.Models Humility 3.Models Love 4.Refuses to Water-Down /Edit/ Minimize God’s Word 5.Not Deterred By Suffering

Godly Ministers Are Not Deterred By Suffering (v. 19) – serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews (v ) – And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.

Acts 20:24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God

Acts 9:15-16 But the Lord said to him (Ananias), "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."

Philippians 1:12-18 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will…

Philippians 1:12-18 …The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Timothy 4:6-7 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Matthew 20:17-19 And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day."

Godly Ministers Are Gospel-Focused (v. 21) – testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 6:26 "Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

Repentance… The conscious act of a sinner, whereby he turns from his sin toward God.

Ezekiel 18:30-32 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live."

Repentance… (Acts 2:38) – And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins… (Acts 3:19) – Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out. (Acts 14:15) – "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God

Repentance… (Acts 17:30-31) – The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead." (Luke 13:3) – No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish

Acts 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."

Repentance Involves… Intellect (Acts 2:3) – Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. Emotions (Acts 2:37) – Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Will (Acts 2:38) – And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ…

Faith… The positive conviction that the Gospel is TRUE & you are going to Bank Your Life On It!

Maverick pastor gets crowds streaming into church after erecting a stripper pole behind pulpit

Ed Young – Fellowship Church (Grapevine, TX)

Granger Community Church Granger, IN

Granger Community Church Granger, IN

Faithful Pastor Gets Crowds Streaming Into Church After Preaching the Simple Gospel

Acts 20:28-30 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them

1 Timothy 4:6 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

1 Corinthians 9:24-26 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self- control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Acts 20:36-38 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship

Acts 20:28-30 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them