https://youtu.be/XBZGc-T8PFY

That sermon was a Snoozer!

Acts 20:1-12

Matt’s snoozer story

Luke narrates how Paul left Ephesus, having spent the best part of three years there during his 3rd missionary expedition, and then traveled place to place until his final destination, Jerusalem.

Paul now traveled through that area. He spent several months revisiting the Macedonian churches he founded on his second missionary journey, speaking many words of encouragement to them.

Paul arrives in Greece, were he stayed three months- where he pays the Corinthian church a painful visit recorded in 2 Corinthians 2:1.

It was during this visit to the Corinthian church that Paul wrote his letter to the Romans. (Isn’t the history of the Bible beautiful? How it’s all woven together)

Paul continues his travels and is accompanied by several men from different regions, Luke joins them perhaps in Phillipi- these men being the fruit of his missionary efforts to various regions.

They spend a week in Troas where only one incident is recorded- the dramatic sleep, fall, death and resuscitation of a young man named Eutychus.

“On the first day of the week” v.7

Luke is following the Roman calendar- this day is Sunday and is the earliest evidence we have for the Christian practice of gathering together for worship

The purpose of their assembly was to  “break bread”, which was understood as the Lord’s supper in the context of a fellowship meal, as in the upper room in Jerusalem

Paul spoke to the people, and because he intended to leave the following day, kept talking (prolonged his address) until midnight. The meeting began at sunset, at the conclusion of their day’s work.

The meeting was held in a private house, upstairs, so that the atmosphere became stuffy and oily from the many lamps.

Eutychus was seated on the window ledge- he is called a young man, but in verse 12 the word is rendered “lad” or “boy” making him between the age of 8-14, and he was gradually sinking into a deep sleep- Greek renders it, “he was completely overcome by sleep” and so he falls from the 3rd story and dies.

Paul suspends his sermon and rushes downstairs and like Elijah with the son of the widow at Zarephath and Elisha with the son of the Shunammite woman, Paul throws himself on the boy and brings him to life as if this is no small thing…..

the crowd goes back upstairs, partakes of the Lord’s supper and Paul continues his sermon until daylight.

What can we take away from this story?

Luke is describing to us what was going on- what the Bible describes is not always what it prescribes

We do not have liberty to copy what took place- assembling in a house on the 3rd story, meeting in the evening, using oil lamps for light or listening to a lengthy sermon nor do we omit what this story omits- speaking in tongues, prophecy, singing songs of praise or Scripture reading.

People want a NT church- “they met in houses”, well then sell all that you have and give to the church and we will divide it as we see necessary.

But it does seem to appear that they met on the Lord’s day for the Lord’s Supper and that this was a regularly schedule meeting and practice in Troas.

In addition to the communion meal, there was a sermon that lasted from sunset to midnight and then from midnight to sunrise.

Eutychus sat on the window ledge, perhaps because it was extremely crowded and there were no other seating, or he was relegated to the farthest seat because he was only a boy. Luke uses medical language when describing Eutychus falling into sleep, it’s clear that he is not condemning the young lad. Because he was young, and perhaps the oil from the lamps aided him in his sleepiness.

I read some sermons about falling asleep in church- my grandma used to do that

But that’s not what struck me in this story.

Paul stops his sermon. Goes down and heals the boy. And continues to minister.