August 13th, 2012
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Night Shift

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

Opening Prayer

Almighty God, You’ve promised, “Call to me and I will answer You and show you great and mighty things” (Jer. 33:3).

Read Acts 20:1-16

[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. [13] We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. [14] When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. [15] The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. [16] Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“Jesus’ approach to discipling the Twelve was to make them self-initiating, reproducing, fully devoted followers. They internalized his message and mission” (Greg Ogden).

Think Further

I’ve fallen asleep in church services and I’ve certainly caused people to fall asleep; but I’ve never preached throughout the night and I’m not aware of anyone having died during my preaching! But Paul’s sermon at Troas was no ordinary church service. The newly found faith of those in Troas had them bursting with eagerness to hear more about what it meant to follow the Lord Jesus. Staying up all night was worth it, even with the prospect of a hard day’s work the following day. We need to jettison our blasé attitudes and recapture something of that hunger.

As for Paul, he is desperate to lay a foundation against all kinds of false teaching that these new believers might encounter. On his farewell tour, bringing words of encouragement to the believers in Macedonia, Greece, Mysia and beyond, he will nurture their nascent faith. Making disciples is an energy-sapping and time-demanding activity. It is what we are called to (Matt. 28:19), and it should be the focus of our lives. It will involve disruption to our routine, early mornings, late nights; its focus will be faithful and repeated teaching, formal and informal.

As a discipler of people, Paul models himself on Jesus. Like Jesus, he values team work and he demonstrates his teaching in his actions. The death of Eutychus becomes an occasion to exhibit the power of the risen Christ. Paul’s mission is not just to stuff heads full of knowledge. It is a continuation of all that Jesus “began to do and to teach” (1:1). We see pointers to Jesus in this miracle (Luke 8:50-55) as well as echoes of the ministry of Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-24). We, too, live out the reality of the risen Christ in word and deed.

Apply

Someone might say “I practice daily what I believe: everything else is religious talk.” What do you believe?

Closing prayer

Lord, I thank You for those who mentored me in Christ. Bring alongside of me someone I can invest in for the Kingdom’s sake.

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