Crossing the Line

November 17, 2019                   NOTES NOT EDITED

Crossing the Line

Acts 20:17-31

SIS:  Winning in life is determined by character, not skill.

An old cliché describes life as a "marathon and not a sprint." The metaphor of life as a "race" is also used by the Apostle Paul (Acts 20:24, NIV, 2Tim. 4:7).

This commonly accepted metaphor for life provides a deep well from which many refreshing truths can be drawn up. I’m sure a clever soul could also glean meaningful insights from a metaphor of life as a sprint, also.  In fact, a marathon and a sprint have at least two things in common, and probably more.  Both a sprint and a marathon have a starting line and a finish line. But, these similarities are perhaps where the greatest divergence between the two occurs.

I'm told that in a sprint, the key to winning is a great start. For many sprints, the winner is determined the split second after the starting gun breaks the silent moment of anticipation as the runners wait with straining muscles for the "right to run."

Not so with a marathon. This start is more like a casual gathering--perhaps even a mob of sorts. When the gun sounds, the start looks more like thick syrup running out of a jar than projectiles fired from a rocket launcher.  The focus of a marathon is what happens hours later--who crosses the finish line, particularly who crosses first. By the time a marathon is finished, the runners appear as if they are nearing death, many with cramps, and more than a few missing toenails that fell off from the constant slamming of the feet against the ground jamming their toes into the inner lining of their shoes.  The very fact one finishes a grueling marathon is considered a “win” in my book, whether they cross first or dead last (pun intended).

"Crossing the Line" is the theme of my sermon this morning. Paul, the great Apostle, is nearing the finish line of his ministry on earth. While Paul is now an older man, the lessons of his life and the example of his character offer a great foundation for those younger persons just getting started in life.  There is another lesson that should be highlighted in regard to the metaphor of “life as a marathon.”  The preparation for participation in a marathon takes place months, perhaps years before the race, if one hopes to even cross the finish line at all.  So, this message is for new “marathoners,” as well as seasoned runners—old and young alike, all of which, moving toward the “Finish Line of Life.”

The "Line" we cross in this metaphor of “life as a marathon,” is death. Sooner or later we will all cross that line. Unlike a marathon where many runners drop out long before reaching the finish line, no such comparison exists in the marathon of life. As the Bible says, "It is appointed once that all will die, and after that face judgement" (Heb. 9:27).

Paul’s life models at least four characteristics that all "winners" in life must possess: piety, passion, persistence, and pragmatism. Any person exhibiting these virtues will "cross the line" as a winner in the race of life. Lets read Acts 20:17-31.

BACKGROUND:  Paul makes three significant speeches in the Book of Acts.  This is his last, and the only major address to believers.  The first was delivered in the synagogue of Pisidian Antioch (13:16–41), during the course of his first missionary journey.  It was given to a Jewish audience. The second Paul delivered before the Athenian Areopagus at Mars Hill (17:22–31).  Paul gave this during his second mission and was to a Gentile audience (NAC Commentary).

While all Scripture is “profitable,” the fact that this sermon in Miletus is both Paul’s last major sermon, and given to believers, makes it stand out.  As I said above, everybody, young and old, are approaching the finish line of life and the sooner one prepares, the better chance one will hear the Lord say, “well done my good and faithful servant” (Mt. 25:21).  What virtues allowed Paul to be such a powerful spokesman for the Kingdom of God on earth?  I identify four such virtues in the passage:  Piety, Passion, Persistence, and Pragmatism.

1.  PIETY (v19)

“Piety” is not a word one hears much about today, much less is it considered an important component to “winning the race of life.”  Especially when “winning the race of life” has been almost totally defined as gaining “fame, fortune, and power in abundance.”  In fact, even the dictionary definition of “piety” is somewhat pejorative.  One dictionary defined piety as, “a belief or point of view that is accepted with unthinking conventional reverence.”  That sounds more like naivete than piety.  It is common, even in modern dictionaries, to view pious people as “intellectual lightweights.”  But, let’s look at what Paul says describes his approach to the “race of life,” and should be exemplified in all believers.  Verse 19a says Paul was, serving the Lord with all humility. 

Humility and piety are synonymous.  Whether the virtue go by the name of piety or humility, neither of them are fancied much as a key component of a “winning strategy in the race of life,” from a worldly perspective.

But, piety is foundational to “winning the race of life,” especially when winning takes into account eternity.  A better definition of piety would be, “a humble attitude toward oneself informed by a deep devotion to Almighty God.”  Piety means one is driven by something “infinitely” bigger and grander than oneself.  Piety is far from being an “intellectual lightweight or a societal snowflake that melts at even the slightest scow of the world.”  I define piety as “having a high esteem with a low profile.”  A pious person does not need the praise of the public because they have experienced a personal touch from the Creator.  Piety, or humility if you prefer, allows one to empty himself, of his “self,” in order to make more room for God.

Piety is not thinking less of oneself, but having a proper assessment of oneself.  Paul said, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment (Rom. 12:3). Pride is the opposite of piety.  Pride is a “false assessment of one’s own importance.” 

I’m told that in the Land of Palestine there is a church with an unusual entrance.  The entry is so low a person must stoop to gain entrance.  This was designed to prevent pagan raiders in the Middle Ages from riding their horses into church disrupting the services.  This was common problem in the Middle Ages.  This entry gate had an appropriate name.  It was called, “Humility Gate.”

Piety, or humility, allows us to stoop low enough to enter the very Presence of God and connect with His great power.  Another virtue that all real “winners in the race of life” possess is

2.  PASSION (vv 19b, 31)

Look at verse 19 again. Paul’s service to God is described as, “serving the Lord with all humility, with tears.”  Note especially those words, “with tears.”  Now, I guess someone could argue that these tears arose because of the tremendous “emotional and physical” pain Paul endured in the course of his ministry.  Indeed verse 19 goes on to say, and with the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews.

But note what Paul does NOT say.  Paul does not say that the tears are “because of” the trials, but are something separate and in addition to (Greek, kai, “and”) the trials.  We will talk more about Paul’s trials in a moment.

One great reference book, the Thompson Chain Reference Bible, categorizes these “tears” as “tears of solicitude over sinners.”  Solicitude.  When was the last time you heard that word used in a sermon?  It is a good word.  The dictionary defines solicitude as, “care or concern for someone or something.” Solicitude over sinners is a common theme throughout the Bible.  Psalm 126:6 paints a beautiful word picture of “solicitude over sinners”

He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed,

Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him (NASB).

The bag of seed is the gospel.  The sheaves are the harvest of souls.  The seeds are water by the tears of the sower.  Paul was “passionate” about sharing the gospel of salvation with the lost—so passionate that it brought him to tears.  The Lord, Himself, wept over lost souls. 

⁴¹ As He approached and saw the city, He wept over it, ⁴² saying, “If you knew  this day what would bring peace—but now it is hidden  from your eyes (Lk. 19:41-42).

The other day, it was about 3:00 in the moring.  I could not sleep.  There had been a shooting at Saugas High School in the Santa Clarita Valley.  Two middle school students were dead.  The shooter, who has since died, was in grave condition at that time.  I felt compelled to pray for this young boy and for those touched by the thoughtlessness of his deeds.  As I prayed, God expanded my prayer to pray in regard to the great “lostness” in our world. With all passion I could muster, I prayed tears flowing from my eyes.  I know what it means to have “solicitude over sinners!”  Nobody ever succeeds in any “race or endeavor” that does not possess “passion” for what they are doing.  This is true in everyday life, but even more so when the “race or endeavor” is extended to include eternal life.  Until our “solicitude, or passion, over sinners brings us to tears,” we will never chase back the darkness of this world.  Passion is related to the word, “enthusiasm.”  The word, “enthusiasm,” derives from two Greek words, “en” meaning “in,” and “theos” meaning “God.”  Enthusiasm, or passion, means being “immersed into the heart of God” and the heart of God is passionate about the condition of lost souls. 

Paul “wept” over lost souls.  Jesus “wept” over a lost city.  God sent His only Son, Jesus, to die for a lost world!  God is passionate about saving lost people.  We must be “passionate” about seeking and saving the lost also.  Nobody becomes a “winner in the race of life” without a deep passion for what they are doing. 

A great motivation speaker, Charles “Tremendous Jones, who mentored thousands of successful sales people said this about passion or enthusiasm. “A lot of people think enthusiasm is something that falls on you.  The most challenging thing you’ll ever face in your life is to learn every day to be excited about what you are doing!” 

In the pursuit to “win this life’s race,” passion is important, essential.  In the “race to win lost souls,” passion is infinitely more important.  Paul served, “with tears” (v19b).   Paul’s eyes were full of tears because his heart was full of passion.  Paul was “enthusiastic” to the point of tears about his call in life to “seek and to save the lost.” 

Great men and women who live lives of weighty consequence possess the virtues of piety and passion.  They also exhibit great

3.  PERSISTENCE  (22-27)

²² “And now I am on my way to Jerusalem, bound in my spirit, not knowing what I will encounter there, ²³ except that in town after town the Holy Spirit testifies to me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me.  ²⁴ But I count my life of no value to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.  ²⁵ “And now I know that none of you will ever see my face again—everyone I went about preaching the kingdom to. ²⁶ Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of everyone’s blood, ²⁷ for I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole plan of God.

Paul says that he is “bound by the Spirit” to follow God’s plan for his life.  The NIV translates it, “compelled by the Spirit.”  The ESV translates it, “constrained by the Spirit.”  This is an interesting word choice by Paul.  The original (from GK, deo) had several meanings such as to “fasten two objects together; bind someone physically in chains; or put someone in prison.”  It came to have a more metaphorical use as to be “under the spell of a sorcerer, or spirit.”  That is Paul’s use here, but the Spirit is not an evil spirit, rather the Holy Spirit, or God.  The word meant to be completely possessed in mind, body and spirit.  The situation was one of absolute control by another.  Paul surrendered himself absolutely to God and His will—body, mind, and spirit.  This is what it means to be “saved.”  Jesus is our Absolute Lord and in absolute control of our lives—or, at least He should be.  To make the word even stronger Paul uses a participle form which has the sense of something on-going.  To make the word even stronger still, Paul puts the verb in the perfect tense which means it is impossible for this condition to change.  This verse could be paraphrased by saying, “I am absolutely and totally under the control of the Holy Spirit and absolutely nothing can ever change this relationship nor hinder my pursuit of preaching the gospel anywhere at any time to anybody.”  This is what God expects from each of us.

Paul realized that he was going to face “chains and afflictions.” (v23)  He did not know whether he would become a martyr at that time for the faith.  His words, “but I count my life of no value to myself” (v24) certainly indicate that martyrdom was an immediate possibility (and one eventually Paul WOULD face).  Paul was steadfast and undeterrable in regard to his mission to “finish my course and the ministry” (v24).

No circumstances, no suffering, no hardship, and not even the prospect of death itself could discourage Paul or drive him off course.  He was “bound in the Spirit” to pursue God’s purpose for His life.  This is the “heart of a winner—the heart of a soul-winner—persistence.”  When one is consumed by the Spirit of Almighty God, one can endure any and every challenge that presents itself.  Someone possessed mind, body and spirit, by God is unstoppable in his or her mission.  They have a PERSISTENCE that presses on.

I remember the story of a TALL TEXAN who worked unloading blacksmith’s anvils from ships in the Port of Houston.  The anvils weighed over 75 pounds.  He would strain to pick up an anvil and carry it across the gangplank from the ship to the shore.  One by one he struggled with the heavy anvils.  On one trip across the gangplank with an anvil in his arms, the gangplank broke.  The Texan fell into the water.  He came up for the first time and hollered, “Somebody help me!”  Nobody moved to help him.  He came up a second time and hollered, “Help, help me!”  The crowd just watched.  Totally exhausted, for a third time, the Texan bobbed to the surface and cried out, “Please, please, somebody help me . . . I am about to drop this anvil!”  That’s PERSISTENCE! 

A person possessed by the Spirit of God is PERSISTENT and nothing in life can discourage, dissuade, or deter him or her from God’s purpose for their life.   Winners, especially soul-winners, possess the virtues of piety, passion, persistence, and

4.  PRAGMATISM (28-31)

CAVEAT!  Let me say at this point about this point of “pragmatism” I am not endorsing the philosophical school of thought that goes by this name.  William James is generally given credit for developing this school of philosophy. According to James (Dewey, Santayana, et. al.), what is good, right, or true is determined by what produces the desired result.  Right or wrong, according to this school is determined by what works, or what is effective. According to Scripture, this philosophy is devilish and defective because sometimes, at least, Satanic lies are quite effective at getting the results people desire, such as fame and fortune.  (See Mt. 23:23-24; 1Cor. 2:14).  Simply because an idea produces a “desirable effect” does not make it right or true.  Truth is always determined by what corresponds to the Word of God.

That said, there is a pragmatism that is helpful and beneficial, and in fact, godly.  We might call this form of pragmatism by its more colloquial name, “Common Sense.”  Paul concludes his sermon to the believers at Miletus with some “common sense, practical” bits of advice.

In a “foot race, or race of any kind,” the winning edge goes to those who do what is practical, like eating right and getting enough rest before a race, or like buying the right kind of foot wear sufficient for many hours of running.  Or, if you are a wide receiver in the NFL, buying special gloves that cause the ball to stick like glue.  There are all kinds of “practical” things a person can do enhance one’s performance in the race of life.  In the case of gaining a winning edge in business, as a practical matter, research can be very helpful.  Knowing the ever-changing mindset of those in your marketplace is critical to maintaining a “winning edge.” 

Pragmatism as Paul presents it here is simply to “watch out for pitfalls.”  Paul says it like this in verse 28:  “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.”

“Keeping watch” is a very practical matter.  It might be informed by spiritual principles, but is deals with situations as we find them, not as we would hope to find them.  For example, Paul describes a “practical” matter of how to keep the church organization running efficiently and effectively—appoint “overseers.”  A church that does not have strong leadership, or that has a congregation that does not submit to the leadership God has ordained, is little more than a “mob.”  Instead of ruling according to the Providence of God, such a church will be ruled by the Power of men.  Those with the loudest voices and most intimidating ways will generally rule the day.  Paul ends his sermon with the practical advice of seeking God-called leadership for the church, and following that leader as he, or they, follow God.

Pragmatism simply reminds us to use our minds, as well as our heart and spirit. [REPEAT] As we said about gaining a winning edge in business through research, this can also apply—with caution—to gaining a winning edge in growing a church.  For example, it is wise to take note of some trends that have become evident in our present day in regard to the new environment the church finds Herself in.

For example:  ❶Christianity is becoming less popular in society, not more; ❷Morality is getting worse, not better;  ❸ Society is becoming less familiar with Biblical truth, not more; ❹Operating a church organization requires more funds, not less;  ❺Kids going off to the university are encountering more hostility to faith, not less; 
❻And this is a big one—churches are becoming more tolerant of sin, not less tolerant.  Paul realizes that the church constantly faces practical issues that can become very big spiritual problems if not put in check very quickly.  If we use the language of Paul to describe all the various practical challenges impacting the spiritual well-being of the church today we would say, as in verse 29:  savage wolves . . . with deviant doctrine enter and lure away disciples after them.

These are days when, as a practical matter, churches need to be on “high alert” (keep watch) for dangerous trends that will bring great harm to the flock.  The “Overseers” must be ever mindful of what is taking place in the world in which we minister, making practical adjustments to enhance the presentation of the gospel to the community.

Also, as a practical matter, the “Overseers” must keep watch for new opportunities for, and new approaches to, presenting the gospel to the lost.  Overseers must find “practical” ways to get the “spiritual” gospel into the ears and hearts of lost people, while at the same time, guarding against “deviant doctrine” creeping into the Church’s message.  It does absolutely no good to become more effective at delivering a defective gospel—in fact, that is much worse.

Paul exemplifies four virtues, when displayed in abundance, will make believers more effective in “running the race of life and crossing the line as a winner.”  As we said in the beginning, “Winning in life is determined by character, not skill.”

A winning life includes piety, passion, persistence, and pragmatism.  When your life exhibits these virtues, you will most certainly be a winner when that day comes that you “Cross the Line.”  You will be able to declare as Paul:

I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing (2Tim. 4:7).