Russ Swam (M.Div. student at Regent College) spoke on themes featured in Acts 20. Christians in Ephesus had grown and developed in the new faith under the direct supervision of Paul. However, while on his fourth (and ultimately final) missionary journey, he became determined to return to Jerusalem to settle some issues, in spite of sensing that this might prove personally disastrous. The final 18 verses of Acts 20 give us Paul's farewell message to his friends in Ephesus. Some suggest that these are among the most important verses in the New Testament. Paul asks that his friends honour him by remembering how he lived among them and by remembering how he lived his faith. He urged them to feel that they too are "called", and that is was now their responsibility to look after their little fellowship's spiritual health, following their instincts rather than the teachings of outsiders whose ideas conflicted with those taught by Paul. Like the Ephesians, we too can respond to our calling to live our faith, possibly through such things as hospitality and acts of charity. Russ also indicated that we can guard our little fellowship against modern heresies, such as the health-and-wealth gospel some advocate. [JEK]

Passage: Acts 20
Communion: No
Ecumenical or Event:
Potluck Lunch: No
Congregational Meeting: No

Speaker: Russ Swam
Worship Leader: Kris Schmidt
Song Leader: J Evan Kreider
Pianist: Cynthia Friesen
Usher: Henry Neufeld
Zoom Coordinator:
Children's Feature Leader:

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