The Miracle of Eutychus
Acts 20:7-12; 3/17/2024; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang
Introduction
This was the third time Paul and his party passed through Troas, and this time a miracle happened in Troas. It was a young man named Eutychus who fell from the third floor and died while listening to the sermon. But God used Paul to raise him from the dead. Let’s look at the first point:
Until midnight
We need to look at the Holy Spirit’s intentions when leading Paul and his party to Troas from a biblical perspective. Why did he preach until midnight? First, plant the church. Beginning in John 20:1, the Lord established the church based on His resurrection. The first day of the week is a symbol of the establishment of the New Testament church and its separation from Judaism. This day, at that time, was both God’s choice and the church’s footsteps. Paul attended synagogue meetings almost every time, preached, debated, and shared the Word of the Lord. However, the Jews did not treasure God’s grace. Instead, they repeatedly slandered, framed the apostles, and persecuted Paul and his party. Gradually, the gatherings of the early church changed from synagogues that originally met on the Sabbath to New Testament churches that meet on Sundays today. Thank God! The first day of the week is the initial establishment of the New Testament church in time.
Secondly, a tight schedule. From the previous verses we can see that Paul and his party “sailed from Philippi and arrived at Troas in five days, and met them and stayed there seven days.” After five days of boating, they arrived at Troas and served for seven consecutive days. This day should be the last day, it is still Sunday, and it is Holy Communion Sunday. The next day, Paul and his party were leaving for Assos, Mitylene and other places. The brothers and sisters in the church at Troas were thirsty for the word of the Lord, so they kept Paul behind and wanted him to speak the word of the Lord with them until midnight. At that time, our Lord traveled to various cities and villages with a tight schedule, and became an example for Paul and his party’s life. The church’s tight agenda and longing for the truth are the path and testimony that the church should follow.
Finally, the glimmer of witness. At this point in the text, a parenthesis appears, which is verse 8: “There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. ” In fact, this is a saying that the Holy Spirit gives us the inner light. People who belong to the world always like to show off their glory and grandeur. However, our Lord chose to be born in a manger, walk on the side of the narrow Jordan River, and did not even travel far away from home. It is not difficult for us today to see large-scale evangelistic meetings, famous conferences, great pastors, and great doctors under the banner of their own name, right? There is little glimmer of light among wise men, but humility is common among wise men. What about you, are your hearts willing to be lonely, happy to be ordinary, and live in the glimmer of witness? Let’s look at the second point:
Falling to death
One thing happened so strangely that it caught people off guard and left them at a loss. This kind of thing happens often in our daily life, right? First, a young man. This young man’s name was Eutychus. Whose family was he a child of? How did he come to the church? What about the other young people in the church? Why doesn’t anyone care about him? Why would a young man be allowed to sit alone in such a dangerous place? Young people in the church are not only the concern of adults, but also easily ignored by the church. Young people are often considered different from others, and their behavior seems to be a bit weird. Very few people will care about young people based on their inner growth needs. Instead, there will be many criticisms. In fact, when young people come to church, it is a proof that the Lord’s grace is with us. A church without young people, who will take over in the future?
Second, sleep on the windowsill. Have you ever wondered why this young man sleeps on the windowsill? Paul might be preaching downstairs, but could there be sisters praying on the second floor? The third floor may be a utility room to store some items that are not used or used rarely. This type of church corner is the favorite place for young people to go. The young man ran to the third floor without attracting the church’s attention. It shows that the church needs to be alert, lest anyone be deceived, and young people are more likely to be deceived. Or it doesn’t have to be a teenager, the same is true for adults. Anyone can fall into the “young man” state of spiritual life, do you agree? Once people are not alert, they may fall into confusion and even fall asleep on the windowsill.
Finally, falling from the third floor. A church has three floors. Usually, new friends and other congregants sit downstairs, members who are relatively familiar with each other sit on the second floor, and the core leaders of the church sit on the third floor. Therefore, this young man is most likely the child of the core leader of the church. Both his parents came to church, so he had to come. Here he is, but he can’t find any friends to play with. He’s young and slender, so he sits on the window sill, so there seems to be no problem. But Paul preached from morning till night. It was not surprising that the young man fell asleep on the windowsill. It’s so high that it wouldn’t be strange if he fell to his death. Do you agree? But it must be shocking for something like this to happen in a church. Let’s look at the third point:
Resurrection from the dead
When we stop being curious, criticizing, and complaining, we may see a bad thing from the Bible and from the perspective of faith. First, Paul went down. When emergencies occur in the church, church leaders should give priority to dealing with them, especially matters related to life. The details of Paul’s description in the Bible are worthy of our attention. After Paul went down, he fell on the young man and hugged him. I guess Paul was praying for him with all his heart, saying, Lord, please save this young man! It shouldn’t take long before he said to the brothers and sisters in the church: “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” This is the uniqueness of spiritual people, taking the human soul as the criterion of life and death. Maybe a doctor was present at the time and found that there was no breathing or heartbeat, so he immediately declared the young man dead.
Next, Paul went up. After Paul finished speaking, he went up again. Maybe it was on the second floor or the third floor? The Bible records: And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. Obviously, the meeting just now was a bread-breaking meeting, and people were still receiving Holy Communion. It should be Paul who was leading the communion meeting, and the people were still waiting for him. Therefore, Paul came back to continue the communion meeting. The interesting thing is that after the communion service was over, they were still talking about the truth about the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. They talked until dawn and then left. Who’s gone? all gone. The congregation left, and Paul also left Troas and went to Assos.
Finally, the youth lived. When the young man was resurrected and when he awoke is not a biblical concern. Did he wake up before Paul left? Or did he wake up after Paul left? The Bible doesn’t say it, and it doesn’t seem to be important! What matters is that the young man rose from the dead, and the church was comforted by it! If the resurrection happened before Paul left, it was God expressing comfort and thanksgiving. If he woke up after Paul left, the Bible would be expressing the faith that the church should have.
Conclusion
Well, thank the Lord! The miracle of Eutychus is a three-dimensional observation point of church life, rich and profound. Resurrection is the power of God, which enables Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to be glorified, the church to be established, and believers to gain faith. What are you receiving?
Let us pray……
Acts 20:7-12
7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.
8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered.
9 And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead.
10 But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.”
11 And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed.
12 And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted.
