Acts Day 236 - He Sees
You
20:7 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.
8 There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. 9
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. 10 But Paul went down, fell on
him, and embracing him said, “Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in
him.” 11 Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long
while, even till daybreak, he departed. 12 And they brought the young man in
alive, and they were not a little comforted.
As we learned from the beginning in Acts it was the custom of
the early believers to meet daily to break bread. However this gathering was
different. Different because it was Paul's last night with them. He was leaving
first thing in the morning. The reality that they had not seen him for some
time and did not know of or when they would ever see him again drew a large
crowd. The room was so full that some, notably Eutychus, we're sitting on the wide
sills of the window openings at the back of the room. Many candles were burning
which made keeping the windows open necessary both for temperature moderation
and air quality. Even with them open the air was heavy, especially in the
window as the smoke escaped through the opening.
The combination of the circumstances of bad air and a long
farewell message eventually put Eutychus to sleep and he fell from the third
storey to the ground and died on impact.
Perhaps you are like Eutychus. You started following Jesus
and were really excited. You wanted to be wherever His people were gathered.
Even when there wasn't enough room you found a place. Jesus was coming soon and
you didn't want to miss anything! Then soon became not quite right away and as
time seemed to plod on ever more slowly it seemed things began to change.
Eagerness turned to monotony which turned to boredom and before you knew it you
were fighting to stay awake.
Back at the beginning you always arrived early and got a
front seat. Then you were content to arrive on time and sit wherever. Finally
you were lucky to squeeze in at the last minute and grab a seat at the back of
there was one.
You aren't really sure what happened but at some point you
awoke to the realization you were falling. The group was nowhere in sight. The
preacher's voice could no longer be heard. Very suddenly it was all over.
Paul came. He stopped everything for the sake of that young
person who slept through his farewell speech in the back window. He prayed over
his lifeless body and by God's grace and power His life returned.
God sees you. Whether you are bored or just plain tired.
Whether you are wearing out or just momentarily weary He sees you. He knows
where you are. You may even be in free fall. Your friends and fellow believers
may have already pronounced you dead but He sees you. He knows where you are
and has no intentions of leaving you there.
We were all dead in sin. When Jesus first found Peter he was
fishing. Peter dropped his nets and sold everything to join with Jesus. At
first it was exciting but then it got weird and confusing. Finally in the end
Peter had to turn his back on Jesus. He couldn't understand what He was trying
to accomplish. None of it made sense anymore and he walked away into the
darkness.
God saw him. God knew him before Jesus called him from
fishing and God sent Jesus to call him from fishing again. No amount of
sleepiness or even death in us can prevent the love of God from breathing new
life into us. The church may be stuffy. The air quality may be bad. We may not
find a place where we fit. The preacher may be talking over our heads or just
plain too long. None of that can prevent the life restoring power of God.
He sees you. He knows you by name. He has no plans to leave
you where you are.
Acts Day 237 -
Comforted In No Ordinary Way
20:12 And they brought
the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted.
Life can really deliver a mixed bag of emotions. Yesterday
was a day like that. We had a baptism at our church and a baby dedication. It
should have been a completely beautiful day. It would have been except that the
day before our head elder's sister had a brain aneurysm and the night before
the friend of a couple of our young people took his own life.
Paul was leaving. It was a happy occasion that he had come
but a sad occasion that he was leaving. Now add to that emotionally charged
occasion the sudden and tragic death of Eutychus followed by his miraculous
return to life. Talk about an emotional roller coaster.
The Bible says when the night was over "they were not a
little comforted." Young's Literal Translation of the Bible says
"they were comforted in no ordinary measure."
Jesus said "In this world you will have trouble but be
of good cheer for I have overcome the world." John 16:33
The death and resurrection of Eutychus was a stark reminder
of the truth of both. This life is full of trouble. Some is minor and some is
absolutely heart wrenching pain that makes your chest feel like it will
explode. God does not wrap us in bubble wrap. He does not send His angels to
prevent every accident. I cannot tell you why He does prevent some but I can
tell you He could prevent them all. The problem is if He did we would get even
more comfortable in this place that is not our home. Tragedy is the reminder
that an enemy walks among us. There is evidence of his handiwork everywhere.
However, and this is the point - his destructive work can only go so far and
last so long. He has no dominion over life. God can give life back to whomever
He chooses and His Word promises that eternal life will be given to all who
choose Him.
On that Day there will be no more sickness, no more crying,
no more pain, and no more death. (Rev. 21:4)
The roller coaster of mixed emotions will be over. Never
again will moments of triumph be marred by tragedy.
Paul sailed away. It was a sad day. But standing with them
waving him farewell was a young man freshly back from a tragic death. He stood
there as a reminder there is much more to the Story than often meets the eye. I
have experienced miracles and the absence of them. I am learning to be thankful
for both because God is using all of it to bring the sad history of this world
to a glorious end in which all tragedy will be forever wiped away. May this
reality comfort all of us in no ordinary way.
Acts Day 238 - Planned
Avoidance
20:13 Then we went
ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos, there intending to take Paul on board;
for so he had given orders, intending himself to go on foot. 14 And when he met
us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. 15 We sailed from
there, and the next day came opposite Chios. The following day we arrived at
Samos and stayed at Trogyllium. The next day we came to Miletus. 16 For Paul
had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in
Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of
Pentecost.
Here is another weird passage that seems to have no
relevance. Why do we need to know such details? There may be other reasons but
here is one:
It gives us a glimpse into the very real human side of the
behind the scenes logistics of their lives. It wasn't just preaching and
miracles and riots. It was walking and sailing and even planned avoidance.
Planned avoidance? Yes planned avoidance. Did you miss that?
Obviously they are sailing in a small vessel and closely
following the coastline. We know this because Luke and the rest of the team
leave without Paul and he meets them on foot. They had to sail out and around
land that jutted out into the water. Paul just walked across that narrow strip
of land and met them on the other side. We also know from the description that
they cane to shore every night to sleep. Village after village dotted the
coastline and they stopped at one of them each evening.
Think about it. Their travels made them visible. Anyone who
was paying attention and knew them could watch them sail by.
Paul has a goal. He is trying to get to Jerusalem for the Day
of Pentecost. To do that he told them to sail past Ephesus and not stop. It was
planned avoidance. Did they see him pass and not stop? Quite likely. Were they
hurt by that? Quite possibly.
Just last week I had to run an errand north of where I live.
It required driving past someone I haven't seen in a while. Time constraints
demanded I drive past and not stop. I wanted to stop. I wanted to see them but
time and circumstances made it impossible.
This week I am "home" in Nova Scotia. There are
lots of people I would like to see but time and circumstances will prevent me
from seeing all of them.
Paul had a goal. He had a destination in mind and a time
limit. These factors required bypassing Ephesus and the people there that he
loved. I'm sure some were offended when they found out, not realizing it
probably hurt Paul more than it hurt them.
All of this brings me back to something Jesus said. He was
about to be crucified and ultimately return to heaven. The disciples of course
wanted nothing to do with Him dying or leaving. Then He said this to them:
"It is to your advantage that I go away. Then I will send the
Comforter..."
Jesus had become like us, like Paul. He could only be in one
place at a time. If He was in Bethany He couldn't be in Jerusalem. If He was in
Jerusalem He couldn't be in Galilee etc... So He sent Someone else, Someone
different. Someone who can be wherever we are at all times. Someone who never
has to pick and choose where He must be while avoiding others to get there.
"I will send you the Comforter." - Jesus
He is always with me and always with you. Don't miss Him and
spend a life of planned avoidance. Make Him your closest companion.
Acts Day 239 - Bound
20:17 From Miletus he
sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. 18 And when they had
come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to
Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, 19 serving the Lord with all
humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of
the Jews; 20 how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you,
and taught you publicly and from house to house, 21 testifying to Jews, and
also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things
that will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every
city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. 24 But none of these things
move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race
with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to
the gospel of the grace of God.
This is one of the most powerful passages in all of the Bible
for me. Paul sails past Ephesus to the next village. There he comes to shore
and sends for the elders of the church in Ephesus. He doesn't have time to meet
everyone but feels he must encourage the leaders.
When they arrive in Miletus he opens his heart to them. He
tells them he believes he is going to his death by going to Jerusalem but that
he must go because he is bound in the Spirit, meaning he believes this is what
God wants him to do.
Talk about boldness and courage! When Jesus went to the cross
He knew it was to die yet He went anyway. He could have avoided it. He could
have called angels to His rescue. He could have struck his captors with
blindness. So many possible escape routes yet He submitted to the shame and
agony of the cross knowing it was the singular act that would break the power
of Satan and open the way for us to come Home.
Paul is not Jesus. He is not on a mission to save the planet.
Jesus has already done that. The mission Paul is on is to follow Jesus wherever
His Spirit leads him. For the moment that means returning to Jerusalem. This
brief encounter with the elders from Ephesus reveals to us that Paul believes
he is going to die there, but He is going anyway.
I think it's important to recognize that when Paul says he is
bound in the Spirit that it isn't with chains. It was not chains or nails that
held Jesus to the cross. He committed to it in Gethsemane before anyone ever
laid a hand on Him. Jesus was bound by love for us. Paul was bound by love for
God.
The man who a few years earlier was rounding up Christians to
kill them is now willingly sailing to his own death if necessary.
"Greater love has no man than this, to lay down his life
for his friends."
Paul is bound by love, the greatest force in the universe!
Acts Day 240 - House to
House
20:18 “You know, from
the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, 19
serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened
to me by the plotting of the Jews; 20 how I kept back nothing that was helpful,
but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, 21
testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward
our Lord Jesus Christ."
A friend sent me a quote that sums up the Christian struggle.
The essence of the quote was that Martin Luther found it easier to convince men
that the pope was the antichrist than it was to convince them that the just
will live by faith.
Paul had a singular mission. It was a simple message. The
challenge was not in explaining the message but in getting people to believe
it. I want you to notice that he preached it publicly and from house to house.
The message was that we are sinners incapable of earning, buying, or working
our way back into God's favour. The truth is we don't have to. Jesus is God's
message to us. Jesus is our "Way" back Home. If we believe Him and
trust Him we have nothing to fear. Such a simple message and yet the chasm
between the message and our hearts seems impossible to bridge at times. That is
why Paul didn't just preach publicly. He preached from house to house.
I preach publicly. I preach in my churches too. This week I'm
preaching in a school. However experience has taught me that teaching one on
one in homes is the most effective way to bridge the chasm.
Many years ago I was doing just that. The person I was
teaching was a young mother. She believed everything and it seemed she would be
eager to be baptized and publicly declare her love for and faith in Jesus.
However when I invited her to do so she said she couldn't. I was taken aback.
How could this be? So I asked her flat out why she would stop short of baptism
when she believed everything?
She started to tear up and then the floodgates opened. When
she was a teen she got into a relationship. She got pregnant. She was young and
scared and her boyfriend did not want the baby. She didn't want her parents or
anyone to know so she got an abortion. Fear turned to consuming guilt that had
haunted her ever since. She believed there was a God. She believed He created
the world. She believed everything the Bible said about Him except the best
part - forgiveness. She couldn't repent of the deeply ingrained idea that we
have to somehow be 'good enough'. She struggled to have faith enough in Jesus
that His sacrifice was big enough to include her.
Thankfully that story ended well. I showed her some of the
horrific sins in the Bible that God washed away. I explained to her privately
in her home that the only wall between her and God was her belief that her sin
was greater than His grace. Do you think that wall would have or could have
been torn down in public?!
I truly believe one of, if not the greatest reason why
Christianity is struggling is because we aren't taking the message from home to
home and from heart to heart. That intimate space free from the stares of
others is where the deep encounters happen. Nicodemus met Jesus one on one.
Jesus sat privately with the woman at the well and got down to the truth of
where she was and where God wanted to take her. Jesus took Peter aside
privately to work through his guilt issues.
The public preaching of the Good News is important but it's
just the beginning. If Paul knew that house to house and heart to heart was
necessary and Jesus took time to meet people one on one shouldn't we be
following?
Many believe there is a God, they just can't see past their
own sins. The reality that the just will live by faith seems too good to be
true and their guilt remains.
If you know someone who seems to believe in God yet is always
on the fringes maybe it's time to go visit them...
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