ALL NIGHT IN TROAS
Opening Prayer
Think about our God who never sleeps. He is always thinking of you. Turn your thoughts toward him today.
Read Acts 20:1–12
When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. 2 He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, 3 where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. 4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5 These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6 But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days.
Eutychus Raised From the Dead at Troas
7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” 11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
May we be available to the Spirit to speak through us whenever he wishes—even all night!After the riot in Ephesus, Paul departed for Macedonia, Greece and then Troas. Paul was a “bond slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God” (Rom. 1:1), and in Acts 20:1–12, we see him living out his identity. In Troas, knowing his time there was short, he used every hour to teach the people the Gospel of God. On the last night as Paul taught into the small hours, poor Eutychus couldn’t keep pace, drifted off and fell through the window to his death. But Eutychus—which means “good fortune”—not only had the good fortune to be raised from the dead that night, he had the privilege of becoming a living illustra-tion of the resurrection power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the rest of his life!Do you live as if you believe the Gospel brings life to the dead? Does it mean life or death to you and your hearer? For Paul, nothing was more important than sharing the Good News of Jesus with all who would listen—not even sleep!
Apply
How serious are you about sharing the Good News? May we all believe and share the Gospel as if lives depend on it
Closing prayer
Lord, may my identity be so firmly rooted in You that I will joyfully sacrifice my comfort that others might know You.
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