Religion & Spirituality:Christianity
Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. It’s good to have you with us today as we continue our study of the book of Acts together. But before we get into our passage today I’d like to first ask you if maybe at some time in your life you have fallen asleep at time or in a place you shouldn’t have; and then maybe things got a little awkward?
Nudged to Pray— At the Christian college I attended, in chapel on time, one of the students fell asleep during the preacher’s message. And his buddy, noting that he was fast asleep, nudged him and said, “Hey, wake up. The preacher just called on you to pray.” And, startled awake and not yet coming to his full senses, the young man quickly stood up and began praying right there in front of several hundred other college students. Now imagine his embarrassment when he realized what had happened; and what his friend had done to him. I’m not sure they were friends after that. Now something very similar happens in our story today; only this time there are deadly consequences. And yet it gives God an extraordinary means of showing His power through the apostle Paul. Go ahead and look with me at chapter 20 of the book of Acts. You may remember from our episode last week how Paul and a group of pastors from various churches that he had helped plant are making their way towards Jerusalem with an offering for the church there. And they stop at the city of Troas, of which Luke writes in verse 6: and there we stayed seven days. And on Sunday they gather for a local evening worship service in a house likely belonging to one of the believers. They eat, have communion together, and then Paul begins teaching them. It says in…
Acts 20:7 (LSB)— 7 And on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began speaking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.
A Final Message— Now Paul knew that this would likely be his last meeting with these Christians here in Troas. And so, understandably, he preaches a longer sermon because he wants to make sure that he leaves them with as much as possible that can help them in the days ahead when they will no longer have him. And it is in the context of that prolonged message that something very unexpected happens. It says…
Acts 20:8-9a (LSB)— 8 Now there were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. 9 And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the windowsill, sinking into a deep sleep.
Young Man— Now the word used to describe Eutychus’ age here in verse 9 (manias) [means a man from twenty-four to forty years of age.] However, the word in verse 12 (pais) means [a young child or youth. Dr. Howard Marshall, an eminent Greek scholar, says he was a “young lad of eight to fourteen years.] My son falls within that age range, and so this could have been him! Now [Since the word pais can mean “a servant,” Eutychus may have been a young man who was also a servant.] So he might very well have been weary from working hard that day. That coupled with the fact that it was late in the evening (and the possible stuffiness of the room) caused him to be very tired. Plus all those oil lamps (which is what they were) combined with a lot of people served to make the room nice and warm. It was most likely not because Paul’s sermon was boring, as everyone else (including those who probably should have been watching Eutychus) seemed to be so engrossed, they don’t even notice Eutychus falling asleep next to a window he could potentially fall out of. And poor Eutychus; he’s trying his best to stay awake. [The tense of the Greek verb indicates that he was gradually overcome, not suddenly.] But he just can’t stay awake. Now his name adds to the humor of the story because his name actually means [“lucky, fortunate.” {And so} The "many lamps" (v. 8) and long sermon likely led "Lucky" to seek air in the window {(where there was better ventilation and the cool air might help to keep him awake)}, but he fell asleep anyway]. It says in…
Acts 20:9b (LSB)— And as Paul kept on talking, he sunk into that sleep and fell down from the third floor
Falling Out— And so, no doubt leaning and then tipping out the window, Eutychus fell three stories to the ground below. Now I don’t know if you’ve ever had a dream before where you are falling and you suddenly wake up. But it’s terrifying!!! Well here Eutychus is, awakened by that sensation, and (to his horror) it’s not a dream. He hits the ground and is killed. It says of him that he…
Acts 20:9c (LSB)— fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead.
All Dead, Or Just Mostly Dead— Now some of your translations may say “as dead”. And so the question obviously arises, was he completely dead or just mostly dead? Just recently I watched one of my favorite scenes in one of my family’s favorite movies The Princess Bride. This scene came to my mind when I was reading this passage because in this scene a man who has died recently is being carried by his friends to somebody who they think might be able to restore him to life; a miracle-worker by the name of Miracle Max. And when Miracle Max looks at him he says, “The good news is that he’s not all-dead, just mostly dead. There’s a big difference between mostly dead and all-dead.” What’s the difference, one of the friends asks. “Well, if mostly dead, he’s slightly alive. But with all-dead, there’s really only one thing you can do.” What’s that, asks the friend. “Go through his pockets and start looking for loose change.”
All Dead— So was he “mostly dead” or “all dead”? Well, there is actually less room for misinterpretation in the Greek; as the Greek word is νεκρός, which in its adjectival form here means “dead/lifeless”. As a noun it would mean “a dead body/corpse”. And so he is picked up νεκρός/dead (not "as dead”). He has actually died.
His life is in him— Now this story has a touch of humor because of the circumstances involved (and plus we know how it ends). But keep in mind what a horror this must have been to the boys mother and father, who were no doubt there; and even to Paul. I mean we don’t know if it was the scream of somebody who say Eutychus fall or if it was the scream of Eutychus himself that alerted everyone. But when Paul realizes what has happened (maybe even seen it himself) he obviously stops teaching and (in horror) quickly runs down the stairs, which keep in mind ran outside the house. And it says…
Acts 20:10 (LSB)— 10 But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.”
Fell Upon— Now as I was reading Paul’s response here “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.”, I was really hearing him say, “Don’t worry, he’s not all-dead; he’s only MOSTLY dead.” And so which is it? Is Paul lying or bending the truth a little? No, because before he says that, it says first that he went down and fell upon him. And that phraseology is key because remember God had also performed resurrections through Elijah and Elisha after they had fallen upon and embraced two young boys who had died. So Paul’s falling upon Eutychus was the means through which God brought him back to life, after which Paul (seeing the boy alive) then cries out “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.”
Acts 20:11-12 (LSB)— 11 And when he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. 12 And they took away the boy alive, and were not a little comforted.
He kept preaching!— By the way, I love how Paul went right back to preaching. And I guarantee you Eutychus was now awake the whole time; partially because of what had happened, but also because when God brings you back to life, you come back refreshed, walking and leaping and praising Him. He had a lot to be thankful for.
Sacred Spots— You know, sometimes you don’t know what you are thankful for until you don’t have it. Now this story has a happy ending because Eutychus lived to die another day (perhaps as an aged man after having live a rich and full life). We don’t know. But can you imagine being his mom or his dad that day? You know, I often worry about my kids. I’m not a put-your-kid-in-a-bubble parent, but I am very protective of my kids. And almost every day I worry about them having a Eutychus moment; losing attention for that split second; that little blip of time that can end or forever change the course of their lives. And that’s compounded by the fact that I know there’s no Apostle Paul to bring them back if anything like that happens to them.
Our kids and I were in a car accident now about two years ago, right near their school. Another car (not watching) veered into us and hit us very hard; every airbag in the car deployed. Airbags came out of places I didn’t even know airbags could be. The one that deployed just left of my head knocked my hearing out for a little while. And after impact I (ears ringing) turned to see my kids; and I saw the fear written all over their faces. And for months afterwards, often when I would drive through that spot (now extra-cautiously), I had this kind of gut-clenching, physical reaction. Now I know we are not to live in fear; and on the other side of that I have seen so many times how God has protected them, as He did then. But I am also aware of how quickly life can change. And whenever I go through that spot I feel this overwhelming gratitude for my kids’ lives; and for my life too.
There is another spot that holds similar significance to me; and I know it does to you as well. It is the site of the cross. What a horrible place to be; at the foot of a cross. And yet was there that Jesus (in such a brief window of time) gave us back everything we might have lost; eternal life in fellowship with God. I don’t know what your plans are this week, but I would like to encourage you to make time to give thanks to God for saving you in that sacred place. Like these early Christians did, orient yourself around a remembrance of what God has done for you in and through Jesus. Let’s do so. Amen.
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