May 17 - "Falling" for Jesus

Read Acts 20:7-12

Context: Paul has been traveling on his third missionary journey. He's been through Thessaloniki, Athens, Corinth, Ephesia, Macedonia, and Greece. He is now in Troas, where he has stayed for seven days.

Text:
7On 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. 8There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 9Seated 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. 10Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's alive!" 11Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.(NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

Wow -- sometimes we think our church runs long! I am amazed at the level of commitment these folks had for learning about Christ. They weren't at this church meeting for a weekly 'filling' from the word, they wanted to be hit by a fire hose. They didn't realize it at the time, but this was the last time Paul would be visiting. When he was done here in Ephesia he returned to Jerusalem where he was arrested.

Can you imagine how tired you must be if you can fall asleep on a window opening? This one was probably much more comfortable than what we know as window openings. It may have been 12 -18 inches wide. Eutychus probably had many chances to go home during the day, but he wanted to hear all that Paul had to say. I want that kind of hunger!