Acts 20:7-12
7On the first day of the week, when we met to break bread, Paul was holding a discussion with them; since he intended to leave the next day, he continued speaking until midnight. 8There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we were meeting. 9A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, began to sink off into a deep sleep while Paul talked still longer. Overcome by sleep, he fell to the ground three floors below and was picked up dead. 10But Paul went down, and bending over him took him in his arms, and said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” 11Then Paul went upstairs, and after he had broken bread and eaten, he continued to converse with them until dawn; then he left. 12Meanwhile they had taken the boy away alive and were not a little comforted.
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This story shows a youth’s yearning to learn about Christ’s kingdom in the early days of the disciples’ work. Paul is in Greece teaching about Christ and talks into the night. In the heat of the night and in a smokey room, Eutychus nods off and falls out of the window. He’s pronounced dead. But Paul goes to him, takes him into his arms, and brings life into him.
This is more than a story about the dangers of falling asleep spiritually, I think. I think this story is included in Acts to show us two things: God’s love and power, and an example of the Gospel in action.
We may stray from life in God, but God has the power to bring us back to him. God wasn’t done with Eutychus. We don’t know how this young man lived the rest of his life, but we do know he was a youth when he hungered for the word of God and listened to Paul’s teaching. And God used Paul to teach about God’s love and power.
When I look around Peace on Sunday morning, I see so many young people there to learn about Christ. What does God have in mind for them, I wonder?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, keep the hunger for your word burning in us so that we can learn more about you. Thank you for the second chance we have, like Eutychus did, to follow you every day. Amen.
—Gayle Haugen