Much Needed Sleep
Acts Chapter 20
Scripture= Acts chapter 20:9–12
Seated 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. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's alive!" Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.
Observations and Applications=
Have you ever fallen asleep in church? I am sure at some time all of us have. I love what it says in verse 9, “Paul talked on and on.” How many people in church have said that about their pastor; “He just kept preaching and going on and on?” I don’t think that Paul was preaching this way out of an ego problem. The chapter is pretty clear that Paul felt a sense of urgency to give as much of an impartation to this congregation as was possible. Most likely he would never see them again this side of heaven.
As I chose these verses for today’s post it just struck me as sort of humorous what happens in this story. Here Paul is basically preaching all night and people are falling asleep. We all have heard that person snoring in church. We have been both amused and probably at times annoyed with this behavior. What makes it more interesting to me however, is not the perspective of the congregation but the view and thoughts of the speaker.
You should see what it looks like from the other side. Here you are preaching your heart out and during a pause you hear the droning of a person sawing logs right in the middle of your sermon. What goes through your head? First of all you might take a quick glance to see if you can find the perpetrator but what if you don’t see the snoring offender? Do you continue to scan the crowd until their identity is uncovered? What do you do when you discover them? Do you alert an usher? That would mean stopping the sermon. Do you try to stare the person down? They are asleep and won’t see you anyway. Do you make a funny remark? That is really uncovering your brother and sister and exposing them in a time of weakness. What would you do?
Paul just kept on preaching and when Eutychus fell out of the window and died, Paul went outside, raised him from the dead, went back upstairs, ate some food and continued preaching. No big deal right? I think we get so uptight sometimes and have no clue what is really happening? I don’t know about you but if I see some guy fall out of a third story window and die that is something pretty exciting in church! And when the preacher raises this person from the dead I am going to stay awake and remain there all night to see what else is going to happen. I don’t care how late it is and how tired I might be I am not going to miss anything, no way! I bet the people at Troas didn’t quickly forget the words of Paul from that night. And I bet they talked about the events of that service for years to come!
I have been in church with people who had trouble keeping awake and I couldn’t get annoyed with them. Why? Because I knew that they had been up all night or at least, out very late working at their job and yet they still came Sunday morning to honor their responsibilities to serve the congregation. Others I know had been up working all night but instead of going home and going to bed they chose to go to church and be a part of their community of believers. They wanted to be with their brothers and sisters in Christ more than they wanted to sleep. Now what could you possibly say to people like that besides, Wow or Thanks?
When we think about this story we also laugh because all of us have fallen asleep during a devotional or prayer time. My Father used to say to me, “Dan, if you are having trouble falling asleep just begin to read your Bible or pray and the devil will put you to sleep.” Now, I know that he was kidding and not necessarily stating theological facts but we have all been there. In fact, if there really is an anointing present during the sermon perhaps the peace of God might be too hard to ignore and sound sleep becomes irresistible.
Well, I guess it is time to wrap up this post today before some of you fall asleep. You know how damaging it can be to drool on your keyboard. Just remember if you are having trouble sleeping tonight just re-read this blog or any of the previous postings. I would print it out however, because you really don’t want your laptop to fall off the bed! And please, don’t worry about sending me a comment and telling me how much your sleep patterns have improved, I am simply glad to help.
Prayer= Oh help us be real Lord Jesus, people need to know who we really are so they can see what you are doing in our lives!
Good stuff!
I guess I'm more worried about the people who look like they're awake, but they're asleep inside. They come to church week after week, but as soon as the fresh, Sunday outside-air hits their faces, it's all but gone - until next week.
Reminds me of Keith Green's song "Asleep In The Light."
Asleep In The Light
by Keith Green
Do you see, do you see
All the people sinking down
Dont you care, dont you care
Are you gonna let them drown
How can you be do numb
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes
And pretend the jobs done
Oh bless me Lord, bless me Lord
You know its all I ever hear
No one aches, no one hurts
No one even sheds one tear
But he cries, he weeps, he bleeds
And he cares for you needs
And you just lay back
And keep soaking it in
Oh cant you see its such a sin
'cause he brings people to you door
And you turn them away
As you smile and say,
"God bless you, be at peace."
And all heaven just weeps
cause jesus came to you door
You've left him out on the streets
Open up open up
And give yourself away
You see the need, you hear the cries
So how can you delay
Gods calling and you're the one
But like Jonah you run
Hes told you to speak
But you keep holding it in
Of can't you see its such a sin
The world is sleeping in the dark
That the church just cant fight
'cause its asleep in the light
How can you be so dead
When you've been so well fed
Jesus rose from the grave
And you, you can't even get out of bed
Oh, Jesus rose from the dead
Come on get out of your bed
How can you be so numb
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes
And pretend the jobs done
You close your eyes
And pretend the jobs done
Don't close your eyes
Don't pretend the jobs done
Come away, come away, come away with me my love
Come away, come away, come away with me my love
Posted by
Anonymous |
4:53 PM