Not a little comforted

Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, “Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.” Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted. – Acts 20.7-12

Okay, I have to admit, I don’t think I have a great application here. I’m not even sure I have a practical application today. I just love the reality and the normalcy of this Bible story. So, bear with me.

Paul was preaching in Troas on a Sunday. The believers were gathered together in a third storey room of a building. Paul was leaving the next day. The room was well lit. Paul was preaching. We think we have long winded preachers today, but Paul preached till midnight. Sitting in the window was a young man named Eutychus.

I can imagine this myself. It’s late. The room is cozy. The lights are flickering. Paul is preaching…and preaching…and preaching. The old King James put it this way ‘Paul was long preaching.’ Try as he might poor Eutychus just couldn’t keep his eyes open. And so he dozed off.  But he didn’t just doze off. He fell into a deep sleep.

I have sympathy with Eutychus. I know how that feels. No matter how good the preacher is or how interesting his message sometimes it is incredibly hard to stay awake. I don’t think I have ever fallen into a deep sleep, but I certainly have dozed.

But, back to the story. Eutychus was sitting in a third floor window. When he fell asleep he fell out of the window. When he hit the ground the people rushed out and found out that he was dead.

Paul went down, revived Eutychus, and brought him back to the meeting. They observed the Lord’s Table, had a meal, and Paul went right back to preaching. In fact, he preached till dawn!

Paul left the next morning, and the people were ‘not a little comforted’ that Eutychus was alive.

I could try to be funny and joke about the dangers of falling asleep in church, or about how if he a preacher puts someone to sleep it is his job to wake him up. But instead I just want to mention how blessed I am to see just a little bit of our ancestral church history. These were just people like us. I am glad to get a glimpse of a very unusual event during a normal day in their lives. It kind of draws me closer to my brothers and sisters of so long ago.

I hope I get to talk to Eutychus or some of the others in Troas in heaven one day.