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Description

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Introductory

• The miracle will take place at Troas (Acts 20:6), near ancient Troy (of Trojan War fame).
• Luke the doctor was present; the account is part of the "We" material in Acts. That's significant for his medical testimony in v.10. Some dispute his death, but the language will not allow that. Luke says "he was taken up dead" (Acts 20:9).
• Eutychus = “fortunate.”

Scripture: Acts 20:7-12

• Meeting on the first day of the week (v.7) is the pattern from the very beginning. (Seventh Day Adventists do not make a strong case.)
• Folks don’t seem to be too scheduled to make time to learn from the apostle!
• Upper rooms have positive connotations in Luke's writing (Luke 22, Acts 1, Acts 9). This is going to be an exciting time. (How revved up would you be if the apostle Paul were going to devote a generous amount of his time to teaching you?)
• The church had prepared for a long night of preaching by bringing their lamps (v.8).
• The young man was seated (perhaps) at a place where some cool air might be entering the room. But he was also seated in the place where one needed most to be alert.
• He ceases to follow the message. Did he have a limited attention span, like so many of our generation?
• Eutychus falls asleep, and then falls out the window (v.9).
• Paul reanimates him (vs.10, 12).
• The interruption does not lead to the closing prayer, or disruption. And the reanimation of Eutychus is almost related in a matter-of-fact way, although the congregation were greatly encouraged not to have lost him. The church is intent on continuing their all-night session with Paul.
• Note that the Lord’s Supper was taken on Monday.
• So who messed up, Paul (for going long) or Eutychus (for falling asleep when the apostle was speaking)?

Assessment

• Moderns more likely to blame Paul for a long message than the youth for failing to pay attention. But in the NT, including Luke’s writings (Luke-Acts), sleepiness is often an indication of spiritual laxity.
• Sleep as indication of spiritual laxity. His disciples fell asleep on the Mount of Transfiguration or in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 9; 22.)
• Jesus taught us to stay awake, lest the world close in on us like a trap (Luke 21:34-36; see also Matt 25:1-13).
• At this late-night meeting in Troas, everyone else managed to stay awake. They were mentally devoted to the apostle's (Paul's) teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread and (presumably) prayer. But not Eutychus.
• Imagine the modern-day scenario: Eutychus would have gone on some talk show, written a book, and told all about his experience. Or brought litigation against the church for the lack of a window guard. It doesn't seem any such thing was done that night in Troas. Eutychus wasn’t some celebrity. In fact, his falling asleep was more likely felt with shame than anything else.

Application

• While we can't always control certain external conditions – like the temperature of the room or the length of the meeting, we can do something about internal conditions like focus and fatigue. We have far more control than we may be likely to admit.
• To keep clean, alert, pure, and holy requires a degree of mental and spiritual discipline.
• We expect far too little of our youth. A short attention span isn’t simply a sociological or psychological phenomenon; it’s a character thing. It shows a lack of discipline, intensity, and even faithfulness. (Faithfulness means finishing what you started.)
• Maybe we're so easily distracted, or become restless when church runs past the 90-minute mark, because we are stingy and worldly. If we’ve already spent 10 or 20 hours in the past week in Bible study, meditation, and prayer, and extra half hour is no big deal. But if we can’t be bothered to offer the Lord even 5 minutes a day, of course 30 minutes past the usual closing song boundary will feel big.
• Stay focused when you're with other Christians, especially during church services. Do your best to shut out bodily distractions (hunger, pain, itches, etc). Do your best to minimize electronic distractions (clock watching, texting, etc).