As we continue reading through the book of Acts let’s do a chapter study of chapter 20. This will involve establishing the following: a title, a key verse, significant truth, cross references, any difficulties you’ll want to study further or that others might have, and finally, a brief summary statement or outline.
Here is what I came up with: For the title: Paul, an Example of Faithful Ministry. The Key verse I chose was verse 20. Significant truth: when we’ve done all we can, there is always more work to be done. We must learn to delegate to others, and depend upon God and His Word to finish the task. Cross references: Ezekiel 3:18-21, I Thessalonians 2:7-12. A question I had: should Paul have gone to Jerusalem when the Spirit had been warning him of the difficulties he’d encounter.
Applications: There are two factors related to finishing the task—we must reach as many as possible with the good news of salvation and then teach as much truth as would be helpful to mature those who respond. Until we’ve done both, our task isn’t finished in a given area. If, as we’re doing this God calls us to go elsewhere, we must delegate the rest of the task to others and depend on God and His Word to finish the task.
Another application would be the words of Jesus which are quoted in verse 35: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” In our next visit we’ll develop an outline for Acts 20.
