In The Word
Read: Acts 20:1-16
Paul in Macedonia and Greece
20 After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and when he had encouraged them and taken his leave of them, he left to go to Macedonia. 2 When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. 3 And there he spent three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.4 And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. 5 Now these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas. 6 We sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and reached them at Troas within five days; and we stayed there for seven days.
7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were gathered together. 9 And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, Eutychus was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor, and was picked up dead. 10 But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, “Do not be troubled, for he is still alive.” 11 When Paul had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. 12 They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted.
Troas to Miletus
13 But we went ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos, intending from there to take Paul on board; for that was what he had arranged, intending himself to go by land. 14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. 15 Sailing from there, we arrived the following day opposite Chios; and the next day we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day we came to Miletus. 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to lose time in Asia; for he was hurrying, if it might be possible for him to be in Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
As Paul and others came together to break bread in Troas, probably around 6pm, Paul began to preach; he preached until midnight. One young man, Eutychus, became so tired that he fell out of a third-story window to the ground and was presumed dead. For many, this would have been a terrible conclusion to a great sermon, but not Paul. Paul used this occasion to show the power of God residing in him. He laid upon the lad, declared to everyone that he was alive, and returned to the room to finish his point. What a great man of God Paul was!
It sure is a disappointment when I hear church-goers complain that the pastor goes over ten minutes in his presentation. Most sermons today last about an average of thirty minutes. Thirty minutes! In most cases, it will be the only time those believers will hear the Word of God that week. Most pastors spend hours in study and a lot of time with God preparing a message for a flock that aren’t listening or have their minds on something far, far away. If Paul were preaching today, he would probably not have that many followers. He’d be known as the long-winded pastor of six-hour sermons. The gathering of Christians for fellowship and hearing the Word of God is so important today. If you’re not connected to a local church, I highly recommend you find one. The gathering in church or anywhere else is so important for our walk. May we never get tired of His holy word or the gathering together with each other, even if it happens to go a little long.