Reflections on "ON and On" Acts 20: 6-12

I had a lot of fun with this text.  It has some humorous aspects and the power of resurrection all in one story, which made it fun to preach.  

I am also preparing a sermon to preach at Mario's (former seminary intern) ordination and installation service later this month, and I have hos

"On and On” September 7, 2014; FPC, Troy; Significant Moments in Acts; 2014 Acts 20 7-12

Introduction: As many of you know, we have been reflecting on significant moments in Acts over the summer. I saved this story from Acts for today because it is such a fascinating, bizarre story.

I offer it to you to both intrigue you about the stories in the Bible and to invite you to make reading the Bible part of your daily pattern as you begin the fall schedule.

I also hope you will make being in worship with us part of that fall pattern as we explore God's Word together.

Move 1: Story begins as if it's going to be a funny story.

a. Starts out as sort of a comedy --

1. Paul is preaching late into the night.
2. In fairness, Paul probably did not start preaching until sunset, the beginning of the Sabbath, as would have been the custom.

3. But it's getting late, and Paul is still preaching.

b. A young man names Eutychus is one of the ones listening.

1. Eutyches literally means lucky! How lucky he must have felt to be there as Paul preaches on and on. Wouldn't you like to be so lucky!

2. There is mention of the lamps burning and the people being gathered upstairs, which is like there to help excuse what is about to happen by suggesting that it is stuffy and hot in the room as they listen to Paul.

3. Eutychus falls asleep.

4. If you have ever dozed off during a sermon, or caught yourself stifling a yawn and wondering when the sermon might end, you have been there with Eutychus.

5. When I was growing up in St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Denton, TX, they had a sound system located on the back pew of the balcony.
6. They trained youth to work the system. Rather simple – hit the record button and then adjust volume on two different microphones.

I was one of the youth trained to operate the sound system. It was located on the back pew of the balcony.

One Sunday morning I was working the sound system, so I was sitting by myself on the back row of the balcony. I'd like to think I was in Jr. High, but I might have been in high school already.

I'm sure it was no reflection on the sermon, but I was a bit tired so I stretched out on the back pew to rest while I listened to the sermon.

I rolled right off the pew and with a loud thump hit the floor.

No injuries; just a startled preacher, irritated mother, and embarrassed son!

5. Eutychus, despite his name, was not as lucky.

6. When he fell asleep, he fell out the window where he was sitting, down three stories, and is dead.

100. Now the story really gets bizarre.
     1. Paul stops preaching long enough to go out and see the dead young man.
     2. gives him a hug.
     3. Then has a bite to eat.
     4. The he goes back to preaching and does not stop until dawn.

If you ever hear someone talk about how boring the Bible is, direct them to this story.

Two thoughts.

Move 2: Paul persistently proclaims the gospel.

a. Paul goes on and on and cannot be stopped.

1. One of the people listening falls to his death.

2. I suspect that would end most sermons.

3. but not Paul – take a moment to heal the man, grab bite to eat, and back to the preaching.

4.  He understands his task to to preach the good news of Jesus Christ and nothing is going to stop him.

b. In part, because Paul really believes what he is preaching.

1. Paul preaches resurrection.

2.  Paul preaches about the God who can turn death into life.

3.  Offers a pretty good sermon illustration – Eutychus is brought back to life.

4. Paul not only preaches gospel, but he believes it and lives it.

c. Our calling as the church is to be focused like Paul on proclaiming the good news.

1. Lots of distractions in our world.

3. easy to get caught up in what worship style works best, or how can we appeal to this demographic or that demographic, or the latest fad in mission work or youth ministry

3.  But there were lots of distractions in Paul's world as well. We read in the first scripture lesson about the collision of the business world that is making money on engraving silver idols and the new Christians who turn away from idols. It is described as “no small disturbance.”

4.  There will always be distractions in our world.

WE cannot comment the world to stop being distracted, but we can live out our calling by persistently proclaiming and living out God's life-changing, life-saving claim on our lives.

1. Move 3: Church exists in the midst of life and death.
2. a. That night when Paul is preaching offers a microcosm of what it means to be the church in the world.

1. A gathering of the faithful; everything seems right with the world; then surprise – tragedy strikes.

We can imagine how that community of faith felt because we know what it means to be caught by surprise by the unexpected and unimaginable.

1. 
   
2. b. In response to the tragedy, Paul acts.
3. 1. He reaches out to the young man and offers God's healing powers.
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5. 2.  From the story, it does not appear that everyone gathered there immediately knows that Paul brings Eutychus back to life.
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7. 3.  they will discover that later and have another “aha” moment then.
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9. 4.  But immediately in that moment, Paul returns to his message of hope and resurrection.
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11. 5. that is the solid ground on which he stand when all around him appears to be sinking.
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That is the church's role in our world today [Willimon (Acts from the series Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, 154) notes how tragedy can strike in a moment's notice. And in the face of that, we speak the God news of God's sovereignty].
when we see those in need, we go to them like Paul went to Eutychus.

In the face of death and tragedy, we proclaim the good news and offer hope.

1. We may not understand the how and the why of what is happening in our world, but we know the God in whom we hope an we proclaim that God to the world in word and deed.
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3. Conclusion: Turns out Eutyches was very lucky. Lucky that he had Paul around to proclaim the gospel and live out the gospel.
4. 
   
5. Our calling is to show the world how lucky it is as we proclaim the life-saving, life-changing love of God.
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