A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 134 - Chapter 20 - John's Farewell Address
What does the apostle John's final message teach us about faith, love, and sharing the gospel? This lesson follows John's story in Ephesus and asks how the church can pass the truth of Jesus on to the next generation.
As we continue our study of Acts 20 and Paul's ministry in Ephesus, Alan Smith looks at the later years of the apostle John. Church tradition says that, as John grew too weak to preach at length, believers carried him into the assembly, where he repeated one message: "Little children, love one another." We consider the meaning of that message and its connection to John's letters, the command of Jesus, and the witness John passed on to Polycarp.
The teaching also introduces John Eliot, the Puritan missionary known as the "Apostle to the Indians." Eliot learned the Massachusetts language, created a written form of it, translated the Bible, and established schools and praying towns. His work offers a historical example of carrying the gospel across language and cultural barriers.
Alan connects these accounts to the church's calling today: guard the truth, remember what God has done in our lives, and share those testimonies with others. Christian growth includes planting the word of God beyond the walls of the church and equipping others to serve.
Watch this lesson for a closer look at John, early Christian tradition, the final message attributed to the apostle, and the responsibility believers share to pass on the faith.
#BookOfActs #ApostleJohn #ChristianTeaching #ChurchHistory #GospelMessage
7 Oct 2026
A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 133 - Chapter 20 - John's Final Days
What did the last living apostle teach the church in his final years? This lesson follows John from Ephesus to Patmos and back, tracing the testimony, church tradition, and scriptural message that shaped his final days.
Alan Smith examines the Apostle John's long life as an eyewitness to Jesus, the deaths of the other apostles, and the responsibility John carried to pass on what he had seen and heard. The teaching also discusses early church traditions about John's attempted execution in Rome, his exile on Patmos, and his return to Ephesus. Scripture and tradition are distinguished throughout, with Revelation 1:9 and passages from 1 John at the center of the study.
A key theme is John's call to love one another. In 1 John, he connects love for fellow believers with a life of faith, obedience, and assurance in Christ. The lesson also considers oral testimony: how Christians share what Jesus has done in their lives and pass the faith to the next generation.
The teaching opens with a pledge of allegiance to the Bible and recalls missionary Lottie Moon's years of service in China and her lasting influence on missions. Watch for a Bible-focused study of John's final days, the setting behind his letters, and a practical challenge to live out the love of Christ.
This video is part of "A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings," Lesson 133, Chapter 20, on The Smith and Rowland Show.
#ApostleJohn #BookOfRevelation #FirstJohn #BibleStudy #ChristianTeaching
30 Sept 2026
A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 132 - Chapter 20 - Apostle John
What can the Apostle John teach us about sharing our faith when we may be the last person someone hears testify about Jesus?
In Lesson 132 of this study of Acts 20 and Paul's writings, Alan Smith traces John's later years in Ephesus and considers the lasting influence of his witness. The lesson connects John's relationship with the Ephesian church to the importance of both Scripture and the testimony believers share about what God has done in their lives.
Along the way, Alan discusses early church oral tradition, John's connection to Polycarp, and the account of John's exile to Patmos. He also examines Jesus' words to Peter about John in John 21, and the early church tradition that John survived an attempt to kill him in boiling oil. The biblical account of John's exile appears in Revelation 1:9.
The central challenge is personal: your testimony may be the first, or last, witness to Jesus that someone encounters. Hear why Alan urges believers to remain grounded in God's written Word while speaking honestly about the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
This teaching is part of the Apostle John and Ephesus series from The Smith and Rowland Show. Continue with next week's lesson on John's time on Patmos.
#BookOfActs #ApostleJohn #BibleStudy #ChristianTestimony #Revelation
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