BE ENCOURAGED!
Opening Prayer
Lord, we thank You for the availability of Your power for any generation of believers.
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.
Meditate
What is your greatest need at the moment? Spend some time in prayer about this.
Think Further
Paul here puts into action his decision to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia, and then on to Rome (Acts 19:21). Luke gives us the itinerary that takes Paul as far as Troas (1–6).
On the “first day of the week” (7), the believers meet together. We need to remember that this was a normal working day for them but, despite their weariness, they gather together for the opportunity to hear from Paul. Eutychus, unable to remain awake (7,8), falls asleep and rolls out of the window plunging to the ground three stories below. Can you imagine the horror of the congregation in Troas? Paul, however, in an amazing miracle, raises Eutychus from the dead. Then, in an instant return to what feels almost mundane, Luke brings this part of the story to a close with the statement that the believers were comforted (12).
Through this action, Paul takes his place on the short list of those used by God to raise people from the dead that goes through Elijahand Elisha (1 Kings 17:17–24; 2 Kings 4:18–37), Jesus (Luke 7:11–15) and Peter (Acts 9:36–41). In Acts, Luke demonstrates that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the church continues to do what Jesus did. That same power is available for us today, although I suspect that few, if any, readers of these notes have experienced someone we love being raised from the dead—even despite our earnest prayers. Why such is the case is a question for which there is no easy answer. However, there is someone who was raised by the power of God from the dead (Acts 2:24) as the first fruits of those who will one day be raised again to live with him eternally (1 Cor. 15:20–23), where death disappears (Rev. 21:4). Whatever we face, we, like the believers in Troas, may be encouraged by that wonderful truth.
Apply
Meditate on the resurrection of Jesus, so that the truth that you will one day be raised from the dead encourages you today.
Closing prayer
Lord, we rest in the assurance that, like Jesus, we will be raised from the dead on the last day.
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