1. Stone
Creek
www.rossvillechurch.com
781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 30741
October 3, 2012 1

2. Acts 20
Paul is headed
home.
Ephesian church elders
Counsel for the future
of the church.
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3. Acts 20:32 And
now, brethren, I commend you to
God, and to the Word of His Grace, which is able
to build you up, and to give you an inheritance
among all them which are sanctified.
Though trust in God is essential, it must be accom-
panied by obedience to His Word. This will lead to
edification (it will build you up) and to an inheri-
tance among all those who are sanctified.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.
Sanctified = to make holy; consecrate
Consecrate = to set apart for a purpose.
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4. To trust God is to obey His Word.
Proverbs 30 5 Every Word of God is pure: He is a
shield unto them that put their trust in Him.
See how closely God links obeying His Word
with putting our trust in Him.
Those who trust God will
live life His Way.
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5. Lack of submission and obedience to the Bible
reveals the lack of trust in God.
For a willfully and rebelliously disobedient
child of God to claim great faith
is to deceive himself.
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6. All of God's blessings come through
obedience to His Word.
He warns us against those things harmful.
He commands us to do those things helpful.
If the Bible says "don't do it"
Then just don't do it.
If the Bible says "do it"
Then just do it.
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7. 33 I
have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or
apparel.
In verses 29 and 30 Paul warned the elders against
false teachers who would come in, and even from
those who would rise up within the church.
Most of the false teachers wanted something.
Paul said, "I wanted nothing from you."
I only wanted to give you the free gift of salvation
through Jesus Christ.
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8. 34 Yea,ye yourselves know, that these hands have
ministered unto my necessities, and to them that
were with me.
Paul had worked and earned
his own living, and the
living of his companions.
Be assured, they worked too.
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9. 35 Ihave shewed you all things, how that so
laboring ye ought to support the weak (diseased or
feeble), and to remember the Words of the Lord
Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than
to receive.
Ephesians 4 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but
rather let him labor, working with his hands the
thing which is good, (for a purpose) that he may
have to give to him that needeth.
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10. Not many people in this world work for the
purpose of having something to give away.
Many will work for their own gain;
some won't even do that.
But productive work is essential for a man or a
woman to have a satisfying and fulfilled life.
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11. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NIV) Make it your
ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own
business and to work with your (own) hands, just
as we told you, so that your daily life may win the
respect of outsiders and so that you will not be
dependent on anybody.
God doesn't want His children to be dependent
on anyone or anything -- but Him.
We depend on God by living our lives His Way.
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12. Acts 20 35b and to remember the Words of the Lord
Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than
to receive.
Generosity always leads to blessing and increase.
God is generous with us, and we are more like God
when we are generous also.
Galatians 6:10 (NIV) Therefore, as we have
opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially
to those who belong to the family of believers.
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13. 36 Andwhen he had thus spoken, he kneeled
down, and prayed with them all.
It is not the position of the body
that matters, but the humility of the
heart that enables us to pray.
To pray with friends when we are parting is a
good thing, and a blessing from God.
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14. 37-38 And they all wept sore, and
fell on Paul's neck, and kissed
him, sorrowing most of all for
the words which he spake, that
they should see his face no
more. And they accompanied
him unto the ship.
Although Paul had many enemies among
unbelieving Jews and Gentiles,
those who accepted the
Gospel, loved him dearly.
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