Lesson’s from Paul’s Life
Pastor Kim Wenzel
Paul's Third Missionary Trip
Third tour of preaching AD55 to AD60
(Galatia, Asia, Macedonia, and Achaia)
Lessons learned from third tour
Acts 18:23 – 21:17
1. Baptism into Christ for the remission of sins is the only baptism that saves
(cf. Acts 19:1-5).
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when[a] you believed?”
They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”
“John’s baptism,” they replied.
4 Paul said, “John’s
baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in
the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
2. Paul travels through Macedonia collecting funds for needy saints in Jerusalem (cf. Rom. 15:22-28).
But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, 24 I
plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing
through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have
enjoyed your company for a while. 25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. 27 They
were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the
Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to
the Jews to share with them their material blessings. 28 So
after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have
received this contribution, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way.
3. Paul preached for three years in Ephesus warning the brethren night and day about the work of false teachers (Acts 20:18-35).
When they arrived, he
said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from
the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20 You
know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful
to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However,
I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the
race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of
testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God,[a] which he bought with his own blood.[b] 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
32 “Now I commit you to
God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you
an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In
everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must
help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Today's Verse
Proverbs 12:22
The Lord
detests lying lips, but he
delights in
people who are
trustworthy.
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