March 2nd, 2015
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

A Band of Brothers

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Dear Father, I thank You for the guiding light of this day, and for the assuring light of eternity. Lead me safely home.

Read Acts 20:1-12

[1] 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. [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.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Meditate

“…let us consider how we may spur one another on…. Let us not give up meeting together,…but let us encourage one another” (Heb. 10:24,25). We should help to spur one another on!

Think Further

A few years ago I spent ten days traveling throughout South Korea speaking in churches about “Bible reading revival.” It was physically challenging and spiritually exhilarating, but for me the most rewarding part was working with three colleagues from Scripture Union South Korea. We prayed together, ate together, stayed overnight in homes together and shared a lot of windshield time traveling together. I discovered that the day-to-day experience of living with those committed to the same ministry made us more effective as a mission team.

Our passage today gives us a glimpse into the mission-team experience of the apostle Paul. Luke introduces seven men who travelled with Paul and whose job was to prepare the way for his ministry efforts (5). From today’s vantage point it may look as if Paul was the main player in the first-century church, but he couldn’t have been as effective without a “band of brothers” like this. Today, it’s easy to focus on the work of a few Christian leaders. We should be thankful for those who attempt great things for God, but we should not overlook the importance of anonymous mission teams. God does great things through them too. Plus, he uses the mission-team experience to refine our faith in ways few other Christian activities can. Paul seems to value his team highly, since he made a special point of encouraging them (1,2).

Our passage ends with a realistic detail from this missionary journey (7-12). Poor Eutychus fell from the window and in so doing became the patron saint of sleepy churchgoers ever since. But Paul’s belief that God would intervene, and his ability to stay on message after the interruption, show just how focused on ministry he was. That’s what makes both individuals and teams effective for God.

Apply

What Christian groups are you part of now? What would it take to move them from being a “Christian group” to a “mission team”?

Closing prayer

Lord, I thank You for those who have come alongside me as I journey with You. Show me someone I can encourage as they follow You.

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