DOWNLOAD PDF THE MAN WHO SLEPT THROUGH A SERMON: ACTS 20:7-12 FOR CHILDREN

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1 Chapter 1 : Acts 20 NIV - Through Macedonia and Greece - When the - Bible Gateway The man who slept through a sermon: Acts for children (Arch books) by Marxhausen, Evelyn and a great selection of similar Used, New and Collectible Books available now at theinnatdunvilla.com Tuck Explain precisely what happened. The window was a lattice opening, and, for the sake of air to the crowded room, the lattices were put aside. How crowded the house was is intimated by the presence of some people in this third story. There they would be sure to feel oppressed by the heat of the house. Eutychus may have fallen into the street, but it is more likely that he fell into the hard paved courtyard. For a similar fall, see the account of the death of Ahaziah, King of Israel 2 Kings 1: The word that is translated "young man" implies that Eutychus was quite a youth, and not likely to be very directly interested in St. He very probably was a child of the house where the meeting was held. While the narrative does not positively say that Eutychus was killed by the fall, and indeed leaves it possible for us to assume that he was only badly stunned, the simplest reading of it - without prejudice in relation to the miraculous - certainly leaves the impression of a real death and restoration. We bend attention to the conduct of St. Paul in relation to the matter, and inquire why he took the trouble thus to recover the fallen and dead youth. Dismissing, with a brief mention, the interest he would feel in such a calamity affecting the people of the house, and seeking for explanations having a more general application, we notice - I. If any one was to blame, it was the apostle himself, who had been led on to talk so long and keep the meeting to unreasonable hours for young folk. Long services make too great a demand on the physical strength of young people. They are trying even to the elder Christians, but their awakened spiritual interest will enable them to bear such fatigue of body. It was not wrong for Eutychus to sleep. He was simply overborne by the heat of the place and the lateness of the hour. And still we need to distinguish between failings, which come out of human frailties, and sins that come out of human willfulness. Too often the young are punished for what is merely due to the influence of surrounding circumstances and the undeveloped bodily conditions. The relation of public services to the young needs careful and judicious treatment. Services for them are advisable and necessary. Their share in the general service of the Church is important. Such services may exert a gracious influence apart from the actual mental comprehension of what is said and done. Such services need not be unduly limited or too easily altered in character for the sake of the young. Such services should take into due account, and deal considerately with, the physical infirmities of the young. It is possible, by securing variety in forms of worship, changing attitudes, and efficient illustration in preaching, to successfully resist the infirmities of the children. If we find our public services uninteresting, we may question whether we are not, like the apostle, ourselves to blame. Too easily the company would take up the notion that this was a judgment on inattention, and such an idea must be at once and fully corrected. In such a case as that of Ananias and Sapphira, no apostle would feel impelled to put forth miraculous power; the judgment of God on sin must stand. But the case of Eutychus belonged to what may fairly be called "accidents. A conjunction of circumstances brought it about - heat, sleepiness, the position in which Eutychus sat, the open window, etc. Paul may deal with in a way of miracle, just as Elijah and Elisha had done in cases of sudden death from disease see 1 Kings It is quite true that Christianity makes great demands on self-control and self-denial. It expects the spirit to master the body; but it makes its demands of the full-grown man in Christ;" and, only in appropriate measures and degrees, on those who are young in years and young in the faith. The restoration of Eutychus may be regarded as a prominent and interesting illustration of the "sweet reasonableness" of Christianity. Page 1

2 Chapter 2 : Acts Sermons: They brought the boy in alive, and were greatly comforted. Get this from a library! The man who slept through a sermon: Acts for children. [Evelyn Marxhausen] -- Retells in verse the story of Eutychus' experience during one of Paul's sermons. The lesson was prepared for older elementary students but can be easily modified. This is only a suggested guide to help you teach your students. Click here to see all the lessons in this curriculum series. Acts 20 Target Age Group: Sunday School Target Time Frame: Click here to respond Supply List: Students will learn that followers of Christ must live trustworthy lives. Students will brainstorm ways followers of Christ build trust before others. Have students act out the scene where Eutychus falls from the window. Have a relay race using two sets of cards I used square pieces of construction paper with letters that spell the word trustworthy. The back of these cards will have the phrases for the memory verse. Divide class into two teams. Have them race to the stack of cards taking one card and returning to tag the next student in line. When all the cards are retrieved the students figure out what the letters spell. Once they spell trustworthy have them turn each card over to discover the memory verse and have them recite it. Besides God can you name anything or anyone you trust? We trust that when we turn the faucet on water will come out. There are people we trust because we have built a relationship with them and know that they are trustworthy. We are going to use an acronym of the word trust and think of ways a follower of Jesus models a trustworthy person. Let students share their responses. The following is an example to help if they get stuck and need some guidance. We met Paul when he persecuted believers. We travelled with him on the road to Damascus where he met the Lord Jesus Christ and became a follower of Christ. As we have read about his life from the pages of Scripture we have an excellent example of a trustworthy follower of Christ. Briefly review what took place the last time you studied from Acts Riot in Ephesus. Choose a volunteer to read verse 1. Paul is still in Ephesus and is preparing to leave. Before he leaves he sends for the disciples. A trustworthy believer encourages other followers of Christ. Since Paul was leaving Ephesus what are some things he may have told the disciples to encourage them? Show map and have students trace the direction Paul would be going As we look at the map of Macedonia which places do you think Paul stopped in as he passed through? Philippi, Berea, and Thessalonica As we have followed Paul we have seen his great love and care for the believers he met in each place he taught. What did Paul do as he travelled through Macedonia? Spoke many words of encouragement. Do you know any believers who need encouragement? How can you be an encouragement to them? Paul travels from Macedonia to Greece show on map. He stays for 3 months. What do you think Paul did during those three months? Paul wanted to go to Jerusalem and after visiting the believers in Greece he was going to get on a ship that sailed toward Jerusalem Syria. Five days later they joined the others in Troas. Paul taught the people for hours. That night a young man he was possible between the ages of named Eutychus was sitting in a window sill. He sat there listening to Paul teach. There were many lanterns burning and it was possible very warm in the room where they met. Eutychus got very drowsy and began to fall asleep while sitting in a window sill. Paul ran down the stairs and put his arms around Eutychus. The power of the Holy Spirit healed the young man and he was raised back to life. Paul continued to teach until daylight and then he left Troas. Paul and his traveling companions arrive in a place called Miletus. He knew if he went into Ephesus he would want to visit the families and that would keep him from being able to make it to Jerusalem in time. He sent a message to the elders leaders over the church body of believers in Ephesus to meet him in Miletus. Paul shared a message with them. The things he shares with them are reminders to them of his trustworthy life that he lived before them. Paul served the Lord with great humility and tears. Verse 19 Paul was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. Verse 19 Paul faithfully taught everything he could to help other believers. He only knew that in every city the Holy Spirit warned him that he would face prison and hardships. Paul told them that they would never see his face again. Since Paul knew that he would not see these believers again he gave them instructions to take care of the followers of Christ that these elders would be responsible for. They all knelt down to pray. Page 2

3 After praying the Ephesian elders hugged Paul and wept as they said good bye. Their hearts were saddened because Paul said they would never see his face again. They loved this man who faithfully served them and earned their trust by the way he lived. Although it was a very sad day for these Ephesian elders they could go home and know that if they lived a life as Paul modeled they could live a life that is trustworthy and one that pleases Jesus. If others lived the way we do in speech, attitudes and actions would they be living a life that is trustworthy and one that pleases Jesus? Paul spoke many words of discouragement to the believers as he traveled. False-Encouragement True or False: Paul stayed in Greece for 18 months. False-3 months True or False: Paul avoided a plot by the Jews by not sailing to Syria. True True or False: Paul and Luke celebrated the Feast of Booths in Philippi. Eutychus fell out a window and died. Paul taught for a few hours that night in Troas. False-he taught all night until daylight True or False: Paul met with the Ephesian elders in Miletus. True Why was Paul going to Jerusalem? The Holy Spirit was telling him to go there What did Paul know was going to happen when he got to Jerusalem? Prison and hardships What can we do to be more trustworthy in our example to others? Page 3

4 Chapter 3 : ACTS NIV - Eutychus Raised From the Dead at Troas - Bible Gateway Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products. It is to be religiously observed by all disciples of Christ. In this assembly Paul preached. The preaching of the gospel ought to go with the sacraments. They were willing to hear, he saw they were so, and continued his speech till midnight. Sleeping when hearing the word, is an evil thing, a sign of low esteem of the word of God. We must do what we can to prevent being sleepy; not put ourselves to sleep, but get our hearts affected with the word we hear, so as to drive sleep far away. Infirmity requires tenderness; but contempt requires severity. Eutychus was brought to life again. How seldom are hours of repose broken for the purposes of devotion! So hard is it for spiritual life to thrive in the heart of man! Those who would in any office serve the Lord acceptably, and profitably to others, must do it with humility. He was a plain preacher, one that spoke his message so as to be understood. He was a powerful preacher; he preached the gospel as a testimony to them if they received it; but as a testimony against them if they rejected it. He was a profitable preacher; one that aimed to inform their judgments, and reform their hearts and lives. He was a painful preacher, very industrious in his work. He was a faithful preacher; he did not keep back reproofs when necessary, nor keep back the preaching of the cross. He was a truly Christian, evangelical preacher; he did not preach notions or doubtful matters; nor affairs of state or the civil government; but he preached faith and repentance. A better summary of these things, without which there is no salvation, cannot be given: Without these no sinner can escape, and with these none will come short of eternal life. Let them not think that Paul left Asia for fear of persecution; he was in full expectation of trouble, yet resolved to go on, well assured that it was by Divine direction. Thanks be to God that we know not the things which shall befall us during the year, the week, the day which has begun. It is enough for the child of God to know that his strength shall be equal to his day. He knows not, he would not know, what the day before him shall bring forth. The powerful influences of the Holy Spirit bind the true Christian to his duty. Even when he expects persecution and affliction, the love of Christ constrains him to proceed. None of these things moved Paul from his work; they did not deprive him of his comfort. It is the business of our life to provide for a joyful death. Believing that this was the last time they should see him, he appeals concerning his integrity. He had preached to them the whole counsel of God. As he had preached to them the gospel purely, so he had preached it to them entire; he faithfully did his work, whether men would bear or forbear. It is the church He has purchased with his own blood. The blood was his as Man; yet so close is the union between the Divine and human nature, that it is there called the blood of God, for it was the blood of Him who is God. This put such dignity and worth into it, as to ransom believers from all evil, and purchase all good. Paul spake about their souls with affection and concern. They were full of care what would become of them. The most advanced Christians are capable of growing, and will find the word of grace help their growth. As those cannot be welcome guests to the holy God who are unsanctified; so heaven would be no heaven to them; but to all who are born again, and on whom the image of God is renewed, it is sure, as almighty power and eternal truth make it so. He recommends himself to them as an example of not caring as to things of the present world; this they would find help forward their comfortable passage through it. The opinion of the children of this world, is contrary to this; they are afraid of giving, unless in hope of getting. Clear gain, is with them the most blessed thing that can be; but Christ tell us what is more blessed, more excellent. It makes us more like to God, who gives to all, and receives from none; and to the Lord Jesus, who went about doing good. This mind was in Christ Jesus, may it be in us also. It is good for friends, when they part, to part with prayer. Those who exhort and pray for one another, may have many weeping seasons and painful separations, but they will meet before the throne of God, to part no more. It was a comfort to all, that the presence of Christ both went with him and stayed with them. Commentary by Matthew Henry, They respond to the spirit filled message which is supported by the law of God and the testimony of his prophets Page 4

5 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man and the ends there of are death He had to work towards the quality of being impartial if he was to fulfill his commission. Page 5

6 Chapter 4 : Eutychus Falls from a Window â Mission Bible Class about a young man who falls asleep during the preaching of the Apostle Paul. Like Paul, I took have put a few people to sleep despite my best efforts at teaching. And, even, also, namely. To raise, lift up, take away, remove. From an apparently primary nekus; dead. In one instance, in an inscription in the Collegio Romano, the two names of Eutychus and Felicia appear as belonging to husband and wife. And was taken up dead. He was to all appearance dead--would have died but for the prayer of the Apostle; but there had been no fracture of limb or skull, and the cause of death, or of the state that looked like death, was the shock given to the brain and nerves by the violence of the fall. Pulpit Commentary Verse 9. In the window; or, on the window-seat. The window was merely the opening in the wall, without any glass or shutter. Yet longer; rather, as in the A. Matthew Henry Commentary It is to be religiously observed by all disciples of Christ. In this assembly Paul preached. The preaching of the gospel ought to go with the sacraments. They were willing to hear, he saw they were so, and continued his speech till midnight. Sleeping when hearing the word, is an evil thing, a sign of low esteem of the word of God. We must do what we can to prevent being sleepy; not put ourselves to sleep, but get our hearts affected with the word we hear, so as to drive sleep far away. Infirmity requires tenderness; but contempt requires severity. Eutychus was brought to life again. How seldom are hours of repose broken for the purposes of devotion! So hard is it for spiritual life to thrive in the heart of man! Page 6

7 Chapter 5 : Lesson How One Man Changed the World (Acts ) theinnatdunvilla.com Sleeping in Church Acts sermon digest August 1, larry dipboye balance of the sermon slept like a baby. have ever served has had to live through. But my heartfelt prayer is that God would so use me that this part of the world would be changed for His glory because I lived here. The apostle Paul changed the world as few other men have ever done. He lived in a day before jet airplanes or cars and paved highways. He had to go everywhere by foot, on donkeys, or by sailing vessel, none of which were very speedy. He did not have a telephone to call and talk with the leaders of churches that he had founded around the Roman Empire. If he wanted to see the person, he had to walk across town and hope to find him at home. He spent many years of his ministry in prison, unable to move about freely. He contended with fierce opposition both from outside and inside the church. And yet, after years of ministry, he left a lasting impact on the world, not only in his time, but also for all times. How did he do it? As Paul taught, God has allotted to each of us various gifts and measures of faith Rom. But we can learn from the apostle the biblical principles that governed his ministry and seek to apply them to our own lives, whatever gifts and calling God may have given us. Paul changed the world through his commitment to establish and strengthen local churches. Paul traveled about preaching the gospel and helping the new converts begin to meet as local churches. Those churches in turn could evangelize their own areas, as well as train and send out new missionaries to evangelize and plant new churches in other areas, so that the process is multiplied many times over. He did this in Ephesus, so that after two years, all of Asia western Turkey heard the word of the Lord Paul was unrelenting in his commitment to the church. He was willing to pour out his life to see healthy churches established. He called the Philippian church his joy and his crown Phil. He told the Colossians of his great struggle on their behalf and for those in Laodicea, that they would be knit together in love and attain to all that wealth that comes from a full knowledge of Jesus Christ Col. He also told the Thessalonians that they were his joy and crown, and that he really lived if only they stood firm in the Lord 1 Thess. In 2 Corinthians Other things, such as his meeting with the church in Troas, are described in more detail. It was that commitment that was at the heart of how God used Paul to change the world for Jesus Christ. No matter what our individual gifts or calling, we need to be committed to the church of Jesus Christ if we want to see God use us to change our world for Him. Luke again silently joins the narrative when Paul passes through Philippi We can conclude that Luke had been left there to pastor that new church. Now he again gives us eyewitness testimony as he travels with Paul to Troas and beyond to Jerusalem. Note three features of this church meeting: This is the earliest clear reference to the custom of the church to gather on the first day of the week, rather than on the Jewish Sabbath Saturday. Some scholars say that the meeting took place on what we would call Saturday night, since the Jews reckoned time from sundown to sundown. But others argue that Luke was using the Roman method, which started the day at midnight, as we do, in which case this church meeting took place on our Sunday night. Under the Jewish reckoning, daybreak would be the same day as the previous night. Paul, the Traveller and the Roman Citizen [Baker], pp. Thus this all-night church meeting took place on Sunday night. Why else would Jews, who largely made up the early Christian congregations and who had a God-given command and a centuries-long tradition of seventh-day worship, change to worshiping on the first day of the week? The only reasonable explanation is that the Lord Jesus, whom they worshiped, arose from the dead on that day. Thus the Sunday worship of the church is an evidence of and a testimony to the resurrection of Jesus. Does this mean that Sunday is now the Christian Sabbath, and that Christians must follow the Jewish law regarding Sabbath observance? While there are differing views on this question I disagree with some of my heroes, such as Charles Spurgeon, Hudson Taylor, and J. Ryle, I think that the Sabbath was the shadow that has now been fulfilled in Christ, the substance Col. The Sabbath command is the only one of the Ten Commandments not specifically repeated in the New Testament. Although Paul warned the Gentile churches about many things, he never mentioned breaking the Sabbath. Since Sunday was not a Page 7

8 day off in the Roman Empire, and the slaves and others would have had to work, the church met on Sunday evening. We need to make it a priority to set apart time for gathering with the church on Sunday, and by doing so, we bear witness to the fact that our Savior is risen from the dead. Weekly observance is not commanded, but it did seem to be the custom of the early church. If we could throw away our clocks and not have to be concerned about getting one service over so that the next service can get started on time, I would like to have communion every Sunday. It makes us examine ourselves to make sure that we have confessed all of our sins against the Lord and against one another. It reminds us of the need to feed spiritually on Christ and to rely on His grace. It should cause our hearts to be drawn to Him in love and adoration. Paul apparently preached in Troas for at least four hours, if not longer until midnight! Then, after the incident with Eutychus, he went back upstairs and talked with them a different Greek word is used here, which indicates conversation about the things of God until daybreak. Also, before Paul left Ephesus after the riot, he first exhorted the believers As we saw in Acts 2: This was obviously a special occasion, the only time that this church could hear the apostle Paul; but they were willing to stay up all night to do it! It illustrates what Paul later strongly commanded Timothy, to preach the Word 2 Tim. If used in a social sense, it referred to a slave or servant. Luke mentions the many lamps in the room perhaps to let us know that it was stuffy, since the lamps would have burned up some oxygen. But the boy fell asleep, fell out of the window, and was picked up dead Paul went down and fell upon him, embracing him much as the prophets Elijah and Elisha had done when raising dead young men to life 1 Kings The almost casual way that Luke describes such a stupendous miracle makes some wonder if the boy had actually died, or whether Paul just resuscitated him. I think that we should take Dr. The main task of a shepherd is to feed the flock Ezek. Paul was committed to train godly men for leadership in the local churches. Paul had first planned to travel by ship from Greece to Israel, but he somehow learned of a plot by the Jews to kill him. It would have been easy for them to hit him over the head and throw him overboard en route. So he thwarted their plot by traveling north by land to Macedonia, where he then took a ship that put in at various ports along the coast of Asia. Luke lists the names of the men who traveled with Paul They were representatives of the various churches, entrusted with carrying their collection which Paul had raised to Jerusalem to help the poor believers there. We encounter some of these men in other Scriptures. Many of these men were Gentiles whom Paul had seen come to Christ through his preaching. He spent time with them, teaching them and grounding them in the Scriptures. His strategy, as he explains to Timothy, was to entrust the things of God to faithful men who will be able to teach others also 2 Tim. If you have known the Lord for any length of time, you should be asking God to bring into your life some men or, women to women who are younger in the Lord, to whom you can entrust the things God has taught you. Faithful, Available, and Teachable. They must be faithful in their walk with God. They must have the time to get together. They must have teachable hearts. If you are younger in the Lord, pray that God would link you with an older brother who could do with you as Paul did with these men, to equip you for service. Paul was committed to strengthen churches for mission. We learn, for example, from Romans He probably did that during his stay in Macedonia But we probably have that exhortation distilled in the letters that Paul wrote to these churches. It was during his three months in Corinth In all of his letters, it is clear that Paul was not strengthening the church so that it could be warm and cozy in its holy huddle, isolated from the lost world. He was strengthening the churches so that they could fulfill their mission of preaching the gospel to their own regions, and sending out workers to take the gospel where Christ had not yet been preached Rom. The church that turns in on itself and loses its outward focus on mission is a dying church. Thus Paul changed the world through his commitment to establish and strengthen local churches that met on Sunday for worship and instruction. He was committed to train godly leaders for those churches who could, in turn, train others also. He was committed to strengthen these churches for mission. Paul was committed to seeing local churches live in practical unity with other local churches, especially when there was cultural diversity. And the driving force behind his urging the Gentile churches to take up this collection was his desire to see the natural wall of separation between the Jews and the Gentiles broken down in the church Eph. Beyond that, Paul was burdened for his fellow-jews who did not yet Page 8

9 know Christ, so much so that he said that he would be willing to be cut off from Christ if it meant their salvation Rom. He saw this practical demonstration of Christian love as a means of unifying the Jewish and Gentile believers, and as a witness to Israel of the power of the gospel to transform the Gentiles. It is essential that we affirm our fellow believers in Christ, whether they belong to our denomination or not. If they truly know Christ as Savior and Lord, we are one, and we must demonstrate our unity by our love. We sin if we wrongly divide from fellow Christians over minor doctrinal issues or personal preferences. Our unity is based on the truth John That is another gospel, which is not a gospel at all, and on such false teachers, Paul pronounces anathema, not love Gal. Page 9

10 Chapter 6 : Sermons about Sleeping - theinnatdunvilla.com - Gangel, Holman New Testament Commentary, Acts 6. With the young man brought in alive, "they were not a little comforted" - Ac a. What an understatement! High School, we had a fellow fall asleep in our class. As I remember, the teacher decided to teach the student a lesson by having the class silently slip out at the end of the period. The next class was also instructed to slip into their seats quietly. The student slept peacefully onâ until about half way through the next period. Everyone was waiting and watching for him to wake up, which he did, of course. He opened his eyes, looked around the class, and came to the realization that it was another class, and not his own. He quietly gathered up his books and left class, as inconspicuously as possible. Sleeping in class has happened for centuries. As you know, this young man was raised to life, and so the story is a happy one in the end. I only wish that there was time. Over the years I have seen a few of you fall asleep. I am frankly tempted to use this account as a proof text for lengthy sermons. Preachers usually have some excuse for the long sermon which is not always clear to the exhausted audience. Structure of the Passage The structure of the text is quite simple. There are four main sections. The third paragraph verses takes us from Troas down to Miletus, where Paul calls the Ephesian elders and gives them his parting words of exhortation and admonition, described in the last and major section verses The structure of this chapter can thus be summarized this way: From Ephesus to Troas vv. Many important events occur during the time period encompassed in this chapter, and yet Luke is very brief in his description. From these letters we learn of the importance which Paul attached to the collection of money which he was taking from the Gentile churches under his superintendence to help the church in Jerusalem with caring for its poorer members. The unity of II Corinthians is here assumed. Paul probably met Luke again in Macedonia, but all this is passed by except by the general phrase: We must also determine what it is that Luke has chosen to emphasize, and how this points to the message which he intends for the reader to understand. We shall thus approach this chapter in the light of what Luke has written, as well as that which he has not written. Herein is the key to the message of this chapter. From Ephesus to Troas Paul had plans as to what he intended to do. We know from Acts Paul was in Ephesus when he wrote this epistle to the Corinthians. He spoke of the great opportunities there, as well as great opposition. It was his intention to stay in Ephesus until after Pentecost, and then to travel to Macedonia and finally on to Corinth, where he intended to spend the winter. If Paul was in Ephesus and he wanted to go to Jerusalem, he would have headed in a southerly direction. Instead, Paul went north and west, in the opposite direction of Jerusalem. We see it mentioned in 1 Corinthians chapter 16, above, as well in these passages from the pen of the apostle, texts of which I am confident Luke must have been aware: For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. But thanks be to God, who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus. The only thing they urged upon Paul was that he remember the poor, which Paul was eager to do Galatians 2: Paul had previously been involved in taking gifts to the poor saints in Judea Acts Thus Paul gave specific instructions in 1 and 2 Corinthians about the collection. Paul doubled back, going north instead of south, so that he could collect the offerings from these churches in Macedonia, Achaia, and Greece, and then go down to Jerusalem. There were several hitches in the plans Paul made. First, the riot at Ephesus caused Paul to leave Ephesus earlier than he expected. Second, when Paul was about ready to leave from Corinth, he learned of a plot on the part of the Jews, to kill him Acts Why, especially when he does give us the names of those men who accompanied Paul to Jerusalem, who were representatives of the churches which had given the money? I believe that there are two reasons, which are somewhat related to each other. Thus, this collection, while an important matter to Paul and to the giving and receiving churches, was not important to the advance of the gospel, other than its being the strong incentive for Paul to go to Jerusalem, even though he knew bonds and afflictions awaited him there Acts Second, as strange as it may sound, money was not essential to the spread of the gospel in the Book of Acts. Think about it for a moment. The Book of Page 10

11 Acts is a description of the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome, and from an almost entirely Jewish church to one that is predominantly Gentile. What did it cost the church to get the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome? To narrow the field, what did it cost to have the gospel saturate all of Asia, as Luke tells us it did, and in only three years time? How can this possibly be? We would certainly wonder how the gospel could be proclaimed so widely and so many come to faith in such a short time, given our culture and mindset. You see we have come to believe that ministry is not possible without money, and that the degree to which ministry can be achieved is directly proportional to how much money is spent to do so. Is this not why so many of the televangelists spend as much as half of their broadcast time asking for money? Is this not how we excuse ourselves for not doing more? What I am saying even surprises me, but let us pursue this matter of ministry and money a bit farther. When Jesus called His disciple to follow Him, He did not tell them to put their money on deposit with Him. Neither did He instruct His disciples to save up their money, so that they would have the means to minister in the future. Instead, Jesus instructed His disciples to sell their possessions and to give the proceeds to the poorâ not to the television budget or the public relations fund. And when the beggar asked Peter and John for alms, they did not say that they would have to write a check. They said that they had no silver and gold, but they did have a healing to give him, along with the gospel. Much ministry can be achieved without money, and much money can be spent which produces little ministry. Ministry is not proportionate to the amount of money that is spent. This is not to say that all ministry can be done without money, or that all ministry should be carried on without money. It is only saying that much ministry can be done without much money. All of Asia was reached with the gospel, in a period of three years, without radio, television, and the printed media. It was done by Spirit-filled Christians who shared their faith, who proclaimed the gospel in the power of God. If ministry is not proportionate with money, it is proportionate with the sovereign working of the Holy Spirit in and through men. That is what the Book of Acts continually informs us. I am not saying that all ministry is free, and that ministry does not require money. Jesus taught that while money is merely temporal and passing, it can be used in such a way as to produce eternal results and eternal blessings see Luke Jesus had a great deal to say about money, but He did not teach about money only to pass the plate at the conclusion of His message. Money, therefore can be used in such a way as to perform a ministry in the lives of others, and to the glory of God, just as Paul taught: Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. Allow me a very brief digression, which is but another piece of the whole. It is a secular, humanistic, mindset which equates ministry with money. It is also a humanistic mindset which equates effectiveness with status position, influence, education, and intelligence. This is a denial of the Word of God, which teaches that God has chosen the weak and foolish things of this world to confound the wisdom and the strength of the wise see 1 Corinthians What a strange feeling it must have been to see this city of Troas across the Aegean Sea, coming into view on the horizon. This was they city where Paul and Silas had arrived, having been denied the opportunity to minister in Bithynia and in Asia Acts How it was started and by whom is not said. Let us look at what is said about these two elements, and what is not, for herein we find a key to the message of this incident. To begin with, let us consider the miracle of the raising of Eutychus. There are many who would cast doubt on whether a miracle really happened here. The liberal mind would like to deal with the raising of Eutychus from the dead in the same way they explain the raising of Jesus from the deadâ by insisting that neither died, but that they only swooned, later on to revive. They would have us understand that Eutychus was taken up as though dead, but not really dead. They would suggest that Eutychus was drug off, later to revive and be carried back alive, so that all could be comforted. Luke, was there, and he has, as it were, written us a death certificate. This boy did die, and he was raised from the dead. The reason why a liberal would reject this resurrection is because they do not believe in miracles. The reason why a miracle-accepting Christian might wonder if Eutychus was raised is because so little is made of this event as a miracle. The raising of Eutychus is stated matter-of-factly. There is no hype, no trumpet blowing, only a very brief description of the event. We Page 11

12 are not told, for example, that Paul prayed for Eutychus to be raised from the dead, as, for example, Peter seems to have done in Acts 9: Paul fell over the young man, and he announced that he was alive, but the process of his raising is not spelled out. And after the event, there is no praise gathering for the miracle, even though all were greatly comforted by his raising verse Why is so little emphasis put on this miracle? Why is it passed over so quickly? Page 12

13 Chapter 7 : Acts 20 Sunday School Lesson: Paul's Farewell Journey â theinnatdunvilla.com The children could write "Remember Eutychus" or the Scripture reference "Acts " on the pillowcase. Make a relief map of Paul's Journies featuring the place in today's story. If you are studying about Paul's journies over a few lessons then you could add more details to the map each time you learn about another stop on the. The city of Troas was an important seaport Founded before B. Located about 10 miles south of the city of Troy c. Made a Roman colony by the emperor Augustus 31 B. On his second journey, where he was joined by Luke - Ac On his third journey, having left Ephesus - Ac Again on his third journey, having left Philippi - Ac Literally, "the first of the Sabbath sabbaton " a. Metaphorically, sabbaton denotes a period of seven days week ; b. And so here, to refer to Sunday, the first day of the week a. The day of the week in which Jesus rose from the dead - ibid. The day of the week in which the church began - Ac 2: The day of the week disciples were to lay by in store - 1Co The reason they came together on the first day of the week 2. A weekly practice continued by the early church - cf. A special guest, along with eight other special guests - Ac A guest speaker, an apostle of Jesus Christ! Who had established and strengthened churches throughout the Mediterranean world B. We are not told the subject matter, but from what we know of Paul It could have been the gospel of Christ - cf. It could have been exhortations to holy living - cf. It could have been encouragement to endure persecution - cf. Whatever the subject, it was a long sermon a. He continued his message until midnight - Ac He later resumed and talked until daybreak - Ac Because he was departing the next day - Ac To listen and learn from the apostle Paul! For those willing to stay all night, they also witnessed a special treat. What first may have appeared to be a tragedy, led to In an upper room with many lamps - Ac Sitting in a window, sinking into a deep sleep - Ac Perhaps having worked all day, the crowded room, the heat from the lamps - all contributing to his drowsiness B. The name "Eutychus" means "fortunate, good luck" 2. Overcome by sleep, he fell from the third story, and taken up dead - Ac Paul went down, fell on him, and embraced him - Ac Paul then said "Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him. Paul then broke bread and ate, talked until daybreak, and departed - Ac Or a common meal to refresh Paul before his journey? If Luke used Roman time as many presume, it would have now been Monday c. John and Acts d. With the young man brought in alive, "they were not a little comforted" - Ac Truly an eventful Sunday for the disciples in Troas! To hear "our beloved brother Paul" share "the wisdom given him" - cf. To witness the raising of young Eutychus from the dead! What can we glean from this eventful Sunday in Troas? What day the church assembled for worship, and for what reason - Ac A confirmation of Paul as a true apostle of Jesus Christ - Ac Page 13

14 Chapter 8 : Sermons about Slept - theinnatdunvilla.com 7 And on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to depart the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. 8 And there were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. 9 And there was a certain young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill. The Jewish leaders had tried arresting the Apostles and forbidding them to preach the Gospel, Acts 4: That did not work, so they arrested Stephen, tried him and stoned him to death in an effort to stem the growth of the church, Acts 6: This failed to achieve the desired results as well. The Jews continued their efforts to try and stop the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They used hired guns like Saul of Tarsus; but he wound up getting saved. They persecuted the saints and many members of the church were scattered to the four winds of the earth. Still, the church continued to grow and prosper. That brings us to our passage of Scripture today. Herod, seeking to curry favor with the Jews, arrested James, the brother of John and had him executed. When he saw this pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter, and planned to kill him too. So, this passage opens with the Apostle James dead and the Apostle Peter in prison, about to be put to death. In this prison experience, God flexes His muscles in some amazing ways and gives His servants a great victory. By way of introduction, let me point out that Peter arrived in this prison through no fault of his own. He was living right; walking with God; doing the best he could do; preaching Jesus; honoring the Lord and trouble still came his way. There is a lesson here for us as well. We must never get the idea that a good, godly life is a hedge against troubles. Sometimes, the closer one lives to Jesus the more that person suffers for Jesus. He was doing his best to serve the Lord and to live for God and still trouble came his way, Job If Jesus suffered trials and set backs in life; we should expect no better treatment ourselves. I think the Bible is pretty clear on this matter. Every person who comes into this world is going to experience troubles and trials, Job 5: Those people who live for the Lord are going to have their trials too, John But, it was in that prison experience that Peter experienced the power of God in some wonderful ways. We need this teaching because we will find ourselves shut up in this prison at some point in our lives. When we do, we need to know that our God is God in the prisons of life also. Peter is scheduled to be tried and executed the very next morning and what is he doing? The night before he is to die, Peter is sleeping in his prison cell like a little baby! He slept through the angel coming in and the light shining around him. The angel has to hit him to wake his up, v. He may be chained between two soldiers, but he is sound asleep, without a care in the world. He had already been delivered in Acts 5: Maybe Peter believed the Lord would come through again. If you are saved, God has already delivered you from the worst prison of all; He has delivered you from sin, judgment and Hell. If He can deliver a sinner from that prison, any other prison will be a pushover! That is an amazing thing to see! Sometime it seems that the least little thing can come along and it sends us reeling into fear, panic and worry. God has a better plan! He desires to give His children peace, John Do you have that kind of peace in your heart today? That brand of peace is on display in the Word of God. The Three Hebrews had it, Dan. Daniel had it, Dan. Job had it, Job You and I can have it too! Thank God for His peace! As Peter lay there sleeping, the angel of the Lord came into that very cell. The bars, the locks, the guards and the walls proved to be no barrier to the Lord! He came right in and did as He pleased. He meant to come to Peter and nothing was able to stop Him. When we find ourselves in these prisons of despair and trials, we need never fear being there alone. He has never forsaken His people and He never will, Psa. When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the furnace, they found the Lord already there, Dan. When Daniel went into the lions den, he found the Lord was already there, Dan. When Paul was on the ship in the stormy sea, he found the Lord was there with him, Act No matter where the path of your life leads you, you will never go there alone. The Lord will be with you in every trial and along every mile. He will never let you down! Ill the Context â God moved in might, supernatural power to deliver His servant from that prison. Chains fell off, doors opened by themselves and Peter was delivered from his prison. Page 14

15 God will use whatever means is necessary to care for you in all the prison times of his life. When you find yourself in a prison situation, you need to know that God will move Heaven and earth if necessary in order to meet your needs. This is seen throughout the pages of the Bible - Elijah and the ravens, 1 Kings Page 15

16 Chapter 9 : Paulâ s Parting Words (Acts ) theinnatdunvilla.com eutychus and the view from the pulpit. acts may 15, "sermonettes make christianettes," the saying goes, so st. paul kept preaching till midnight to make sure they all got the word. Disclaimer No claims of absolute originality are made for this material. As one man said, "I milk a lot of cows, but I churn my own butter. Whether we realize it or not, our churches are under attack this evening. You see, the devil and the world hate what is happening here and they will stop at nothing to destroy this place of worship. How many times have we heard of some church or the other that was going through some time of great crisis? I heard of one church in the mountains that literally split over the color of the song books. The side who lost the vote took chainsaws and sawed the little one room church in two and carried their side away. What a testimony to the glory of God! Some of you my have felt like nothing that terrible can happen in our church, but do not deceive yourselves. This church, Gilead church and any other church that has human members is a time bomb that can blow up in your face at any moment. After all, we are nothing more than just a collection of old sinners who have been saved by grace. We are indwelt by the Spirit of God and He brings peace, but we each possess a sinful nature and he will always bring fighting and division. All I am saying is that at any moment, a word can be said out of turn and taken the wrong way, a deed committed and misunderstood by some, some action may be taken the wrong way and trouble can and will rear its ugly head. I guess you could say that I am attempting to do a little preventative maintenance this evening. You see, our churches can be one of two places. They can be places where the Spirit of God manifests Himself in power and where there is unity and love among the brethren, or they can be places of strife, conflict and division. God can bless he first church, He can do nothing for the second variety, unless they are willing to change. While I want you to know that trouble is always a possibility, it does not have to happen, ever! While it is always possible that problems will come, there is nothing written in stone that says they have to. He wants them to know that trouble can be avoided and that the church can dwell in unity and blessing if they are willing to listen to what he has to say to them. In the great Apostles words, we can find some truths that will help our churches as we strive to serve the Lord. First I would like to speak about: Its Inception - According to this verse, the church was purchased by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, Rev. The awful price Jesus paid for the church. He was crucified and He shed His blood so that the church could be bought from he slavery of sin and redeemed to Almighty God. He paid the price of laying down His life so that the church could be born. He is still saving all who will come to Him by faith and who will receive Him into their hearts and lives. Its Impact - Since the day of Pentecost, when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit in the upper room, the church has been used of the Lord to change individuals, families and whole societies. The true church has always stood for righteousness, holy living and godliness. The church has always been an instrument for change in the world. Its Importance - What makes the church so important this evening? The church of Jesus Christ is THE only organism in existence that God has designed, called and blessed to be the vehicle through which He will work in this world. The church is important because it is the only boat afloat! I say the church is important because our families need it, our communities need it, the lost around us need it, and the world as a whole needs it. The church is her righteousness is absolutely essential to our world - Ill. Many Christians live as though the church were unimportant! Haphazard attendance by those who claim to love Jesus is a blight on the name of the church! If those who are saved do not demonstrate the importance of being faithful to the House of the Lord, then why should we expect sinners to darken the doors? If I were lost, I would be more impressed by an empty parking lot on Wednesday night that I would be by a full one on Sunday morning! He replied that every time he went they threw something at him. When he was a baby, they threw water. When he got married, they threw rice. Lackluster performance on behalf of Christians says that we place less value on the church than we do on worldly pursuits. Many see no need to arrive on time. Others see no need to arrive prepared to perform their duties before the Lord. Yet the church and the work that goes Page 16