Acts | Acts 20:17-38 | John Baker

Elders set an example for, know, lead, feed, and protect the church over which the Holy Spirit has given them authority.  Paul Set An Example for the Ephesian Elders He lived among them and they knew him. (V. 18) He displayed immense humility (v. 19a) He labored alongside them through tears and trials (v. 19b) He was bold in his proclamation of the truth (v. 20) He modeled a life compelled by & in obedience to the Holy Spirit (v. 22) He modeled prayer & agape love for the brothers & sisters (vv. 36-38) Paul Exhorted the Elders to Know, Lead, Feed, & Protect the Church Paul was intimately involved in the life of the church at Ephesus. He knew the elders and the flock and they knew him. He had spent three years with them. Elders are to lead in making decisions concerning the church as a whole or that are pertinent to its life together. For instance, modern examples of oversight include decisions related to clarifying the church’s doctrinal stances, who preaches and what is preached, small group strategies, whether to plant a new church, and what missionaries or missions initiatives to support. Paul fed the Ephesians a steady diet of the gospel; proclaiming the whole counsel of God’s word to them. Elders today should do the same. This is why we believe in Christ-centered expository preaching. We believe all Scripture is a testimony to Christ. Therefore, we who preach the Word should desire to proclaim the glories of Christ throughout Scripture. The goal of Christ-centered expository preaching is not to “look for Jesus under every rock,” but rather to find out how a particular text fits into the whole redemptive story that culminates in Christ. Therefore, we preach the whole counsel of God’s Word; book-by-book and verse-by-verse. Paul warns the elders to watch out for wolves who would seek to harm the sheep of the flock by twisting the truth. Elders must always lead you to the Word and protect you from false teachings and teachers.