Written by: David Morgan – The Evangelization Society

Acts 20 v 1-3
When the trouble stopped, Paul sent for the followers to come to him. After he encouraged them and said goodbye, he left and went to the country of Macedonia. He said many things to strengthen the followers in the different places on his way through Macedonia. Then he went to Greece, where he stayed for three months. He was ready to sail for Syria, but some Jews were planning something against him. So Paul decided to go back through Macedonia to Syria. 

Notes
Read on paper or watch any news bulletin and you will not take long to discover how discouraged some people get. This is true not only on a global scale but also in individual lives. When life gets difficult, we often want to give up. Ever feel like that?

Our reading starts with the words: “When the trouble stopped”. The previous chapter in Acts reports on the riot in Ephesus. This had come about because Paul had shared the Christian message. Those who made a living from people who worshipped Artemis, the goddess of the Ephesians, were losing business.

Paul not only had the ability to share the Christian message, he also wanted to encourage the early Christians. Perhaps they felt insecure by what had taken place. They wondered how difficult it would be to stand up for that they believed in the future. A lot of big questions that may have caused them to be discouraged.

The apostle spends time with them – yes, they were people of history, but they were just like us - and it made all the difference! Often in the course of our lives, when we feel low and everything seems uphill, God allows another Christian to help us. It might be through a sermon we listen to, a testimony in a paper or even a Christian friend who drops in for a cup of coffee! Encouragement comes in many different forms.

Perhaps you are feeling on top and life is going great at the present time. Follow Paul’s example and when you come across someone who has been through a lot of trouble and is discouraged, speak a word of encouragement! Yes, God can use you to make a difference - try it and see. Ask God to lead you to someone today.

Acts 20 v 4-5
The men who went with him were Sopater son of Pyrrhus, from the city of Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus, from the city of Thessalonica; Gaius, from Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus, two men from the country of Asia. These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 

Notes
Some people just love to travel, not only in this country but also abroad. Today you can book a ticket online rather than wait in an endless queue. You can travel to the other side of the world in a matter of hours rather than months. How times have changed!

For Paul, it was his life. Having been converted on the road to Damascus, he knew that God had called him to travel and share his faith. This was done in many different ways, and people came to trust Christ and churches were established. He even found time to write a large section of the New Testament, and that was before laptops were invented!

Many Christians have discovered what Paul found, that it can be very lonely by yourself. Therefore, it’s not surprising that we are introduced to some of his team: people who had come to a personal faith from various geographical locations, showing how effective the Gospel had been. On top of this, the team represented many different communities and underlines for us today that the Gospel is not for one culture – racism is not part of Christianity!

Paul not only found friendship in his team, but they were able to use their different abilities as they represented Christ. They were able to encourage and have a laugh together – it made all the difference.

Don’t be a solo Christian. Join a local church or belong to a Christian Union. It will make your witness far more effective. In addition, you will be able to use your various abilities and make a far greater impact on those you come into contact with. When you think about it, it makes sense. Yes, the Bible does have some great lessons to teach us!

Acts 20 v 7-8
On the first day of the week, we all met together to break bread, and Paul spoke to the group. Because he was planning to leave the next day, he kept on talking until midnight. We were all together in a room upstairs, and there were many lamps in the room.

Notes
Next time you go to church, have a good look round at the different people that have come to the service. Not only do they represent different age groups, but they come from a wide variety of backgrounds and employment. In fact, some of the congregation may be students, which is always a promising sign for the church of the future!

Putting all these differences aside, the early church came together because they had one thing in common: they loved the Lord. They could look back to a time in their lives when they had accepted Christ as Saviour. I hope you can. If not, why not ask Christ to forgive your sins and be your Saviour today?

Two things took place as they came together. First of all, they expressed their thanks for the death of Christ as they celebrated communion - the bread and wine being graphic reminders of all that He suffered during the first Easter to make a way possible for us to come back to God. But they also spent time listening to Paul as he both encouraged them and taught them more about how to live as Christians in what must have seemed a Godless environment.

One of the great verses in the book of Hebrews encourages us to meet together on a regular basis. In a very demanding world we need to take time out to join with others who love Christ. It will strengthen our faith, our understanding of God’s word for us today and also allow us to help others who may be finding life hard-going.

Next time you go to church, have a good look round and thank God for the diversity of people who are worshipping with you!

Acts 20 v 9-10
A young man named Eutychus was sitting in the window. As Paul continued talking, Eutychus was falling into a deep sleep. Finally, he went sound asleep and fell to the ground from the third floor. When they picked him up, he was dead. Paul went down to Eutychus, knelt down, and put his arms around him. He said, “Don’t worry. He is alive now.” 

Notes
If a local newspaper reported the events of the meeting, the headline may well have read: “Never a dull moment!” In the previous Bible reading, we see how the early church had come together for two reasons: to celebrate communion, and to learn from Paul’s wealth of experience.

With the meeting still in progress in today’s verses, the spotlight is focused on Eutychus who fell asleep and dropped out of a third floor window! We might well ask, what were the circumstances that led to this accident?

Our reading talks about a “young man”. Most Bible commentators believe that he would have been between 8-14 years old. He was up late, for we can read in the previous verses that Paul kept talking until midnight! In addition, he may well have done a hard day’s work before coming. Paul’s preaching was not short, and the very fact that he sat in the window may have been because the room was hot and stuffy due to the number of people present and the smell of the oil lights. Add all that up and we can have every sympathy with Eutychus.

Today many people go wild at a football match cheering for their team, dance the night away at a disco or watch a late-night movie. Yet as soon as they enter a church they cannot stay alert for one hour! It is important to make sure that we are in good shape for church or we will not get much from the worship or teaching!

Eutychus may have had his reasons for being less than attentive during a service, but do you?

Acts 20 v 11-12
Then Paul went upstairs again, broke bread and ate. He spoke to them a long time, until it was early morning, and then he left. They took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.

Notes
Sit in the comfort of your home and listen to a classical piece of music and you cannot help but notice the contrasts. Loud and soft, fast and slow, all add to the enjoyment. Yet at the end I wonder what has impressed you the most!

The meeting had lasted some time and a great deal had taken place: a communion service, Eutychus falling out of the window, and last but not least, Paul talking to the local Christians. I wonder when they left and made for home what they remembered the most?

For some it would have been Eutychus having been brought back to life, and in the coming weeks his presence among them would have been a constant reminder. Others would have appreciated the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, a visual reminder of Christ’s love for us. But we cannot overlook the importance that both the apostle and the church gave to understanding the Bible and its application for everyday living.

We might be under the impression that Paul talked and the people listened. I suspect that following his teaching there was plenty of time for interaction so that all could share what they had learnt, and as a result many important lessons could be applied.

How thankful we should be that no one can claim to have all the answers, for learning is a process that will go on all our lives. Both those who have been Christians for many years and those who have only just started the Christian life can learn together. Let’s make sure that our focus is not firstly on other people’s experience, but rather centred on what the Bible has to teach us.

The early Christians made time to learn. How can we make space to develop our Christian lives?

Acts 20 v 13-14
We went on ahead of Paul and sailed for the city of Assos, where he wanted to join us on the ship. Paul planned it this way because he wanted to go to Assos by land. When he met us there, we took him aboard and went to Mitylene. 

Notes
I shall never forget the family holidays we enjoyed on the Norfolk Broads. Living on a boat and travelling at three miles an hour made for a relaxing and well-earned break, a real chance to get away from the normal pace of life, have time to think and create a little space in what often seemed a frantic world.

Paul was often interacting with people, always at the sharp end, with the early Christians expecting great things of him. Before leaving for the city of Assos, he had been busy preaching, taking a communion service and helping Eutychus who had gone to sleep during one of his sermons and fallen out of a third floor window!

Paul, instead of sailing, walked a distance of around fifteen miles before joining the others for the sea trip from Assos to Mitylene. Many Bible commentators have asked the question: “Why did he do this?” The Bible passage remains silent on this matter and therefore we are left to reflect on this ourselves.

In the Gospels we read of Jesus on one occasion leaving His disciples and going up into the mountain to pray - the need for space and being able to talk with His Heavenly Father.

Paul no doubt felt the pressure of Christian ministry and wanted to be alone, to be silent and have time to pray. The walk gave him that opportunity.

There are times when each one of us needs space to meet with God. It is a time when we can not only talk to God, but He can speak with us. For me, the holiday on the Norfolk Broads created the much-needed space. How do you make space so that God may come close to you? We all need it!

Acts 20 v 15-16
We sailed from Mitylene and the next day came to a place near Chios. The following day we sailed to Samos, and the next day we reached Miletus. Paul had already decided not to stop at Ephesus, because he did not want to stay too long in the country of Asia. He was hurrying to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, if that were possible.

Notes
For many people, life seems to follow a rather boring and often predictable pattern. With the alarm clock going off they are up – perhaps you take a little longer! Out of the house, commute to work, sit in an office, back home in the evening, watch a favourite programme and then to bed.

What a contrast when you consider the way in which Paul lived. In our reading today we see him travelling from place to place with the desire of getting to Jerusalem for the day of Pentecost. Here was a missionary making the most of not only his time but of the various opportunities.

Paul’s desire was to see the Gospel spreading in its effectiveness and this would not happen if he remained in one place. It needed action, commitment and a God-given desire to reach as many people as he could during the course of his ministry.

Many of those in the early Church had benefited from his visits and had been strengthened in their faith. Now they were doubtless remembering this man of God in their daily prayers.

Many Christians can look back over the years and remember those who have had a spiritual impact on their lives; for instance, people who have led a mission at their church or written a book that has helped them. How we need to give thanks for these people and pray that God may continue to use them.

May I ask you in closing not only to pray for those who are missionaries today but also for the role that God has for you. You may be in education, at work, a home-maker or even retired. God has a blueprint for your life – ask God to show it to you!


word-on-the-web uses the Scripture text taken from the Youth Bible, New Century Version (Anglicised Edition) copyright 1993 by Word Publishing Milton Keynes