The Danger Of Falling Asleep In Church

I give credit to Rev. Dr. F. Bruce Williams for many of the thoughts of this message, not sure of the year.

TITLE: THE DANGER OF FALLING ASLEEP IN CHURCH

SCRIPTURE: ACTS 20:7-12

This is a very interesting text that presents many Preachers a challenge to apply real practical application. Preaching does not help if it does not connect with relevant practical application, that is to say, what is the text speaking to us today. I must admit this particular text is challenging to digest and place into proper context. Nevertheless, I want to lift from the pages of the Holy Writ, the following thought this morning – The Danger of Falling Asleep in Church.

Of all the things that Brother Luke could have selected to write about in this dynamic, fast paced book of Acts, he pauses to tell us about a young man by the name of Eutychus. Luke stops and choses to insert this narrative. Of all the things he could have told us in reference to the Apostle Paul – Luke tells about:

• The dramatic conversion experience on the Road to Damascus

• How he fell off his beast and encountered Jesus

• All the Churches Paul would start and Preach throughout Asia Minor

• Cast out of Cities

• Healed the Sick

• Island of Melita where he was bitten by poisonous serpent on the hand, waited for him to die

• Can I footnote and tell you wounded hands make the best hands

• Paul would be Stoned and left for dead

• Beaten with Rods

• Shipwrecked

• Night and Day spent in the deep

All the things that Paul had done - all the sacrifices he had made for the Kingdom - all that Luke could have told us about the Life and Ministry of Paul, he spends time to write about this boy named Eutychus who fell asleep and fell out of a 3rd Floor window. If you listen carefully this morning, there are some lessons in this text that will help us become better after the Benediction.

The text tells us Paul stops in TROAS and over time, begins to develop relationships. I don’t understand Pastors in this day and age that don’t take time to develop relationships with those in the community and Church. Talk about we have to be careful and can’t be around community, can’t be around everybody, we have to protect the anointing. Here is a newsflash, we can’t protect the Anointing, the anointing protects us. Paul spends time strengthening the Church and community by building relationships. After some time passed, they began to realize that Paul was planning on leaving them soon. Text makes it clear he would depart the next day. So they decide, if he is going to leave, let him deliver a final word, a final sermon.

• You don’t let a man like Paul in your midst and let him leave without delivering some Final Words

• So they set a meeting for Paul and the community and it would take place on the 3rd Floor in a house

Can I also call to your attention that they meet in the Evening on a Sunday. We can see the shift where they no longer worship on the Sabbath, but had now moved to the first day of the week. I respect SEVENTH (7TH) DAY ADVENTIST but they are all caught up and concerned over the wrong issue of Redemption and Remembering the Sabbath and Keeping it Holy without view and understanding of dispensations. Why the transition from Sabbath the last day of the Week to Sunday, the First Day of the Week?:

• Day Jesus rose early in the morning

• Rose with all Power in His Hand

• Day that Death Died

• It was early on a Sunday morning that a Shift took place

• Worship First Day of the Week to ensure we start the Week out right

• First Day of the Week that is so full of possibilities and expectations for what will follow during the week

• A Shift took place the day Jesus defeated Death

• Early on Sunday Morning

Did I tell you this was an evening service the leaders put together for Paul? It is important to understand this, so we can see the heart of those that were building this First Century Church. They had an evening service for Paul in an effort to ensure everyone could make this Final Word and Preaching event from Paul. There were some, perhaps many, in the community who did not have the flexibility in schedule to attend during the day. The leaders thought enough about the congregation to select a time where everyone could attend and hear the words of this Apostle. This was Evening Worship Service not 11:00 a.m. Sunday Morning.