Transforming Apathy To Revival

TRANSFORMING APATHY TO REVIVAL

Acts 20:7-12

A young lady is uncomfortable about her spiritual life. She believes in God, belong to Christian church, attends church’s weekly service, gives offering and yet she still feels emptiness and confusion.

• She sat on the church’s pew until the preacher pronounce the benediction and yet she can almost sleep on the preacher’s message

• She prays and asks God for many things but wasn’t sure if her prayers are just stocked on the outbox

• She smiles and shakes hand with other believers but she doesn’t really cares

• She sings the church hymns, clap her hands during praise and worship time and yet all things are just mechanical. She can’t feel the real touch of the Holy Spirit of God in her heart

In the corner of her mind, she might be asking the questions:

• What’s wrong with me?

• Am I a real Christian?

• Am I really saved?

• What must I do to experience the real touch of God in my life?

She may not be alone. There may be thousands or even million of so called Christians in the world who suffer the same situation. If you feel the same feelings! If you suffer the same apathy and spiritual problem today, then this message if for you my friend.

• You might be a Christian from birth but it doesn’t ensure that you are saved

• You might be a seminary graduate, a pastor, or a Christian leaders but it does not guarantee the real fire and passion that ignites from the touch of God

• You might be giving the biggest offering, give tithes and yet if you did not feel the real love for God and men everything are but useless.

Let us be awakened by the experience of Eutychus, the man who sleep and fell from the window sill while Paul was preaching

Act 20:7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.

Act 20:8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting.

Act 20:9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third storey and was picked up dead.

Act 20:10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. Don’t be alarmed, he said. He’s alive!

Act 20:11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left.

Act 20:12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.

There are several reasons that Luke, the writer of the book of Acts mentioned about Eutychus drowsiness and subsequent fall. Here are the lists.

1. The lateness of the hour

2. The many lamps

3. The window seat

4. The long discourse

Though each of those contributing factors to his drowsiness is but natural, this incident was recorded in the bible to illustrate a typical significance. This is to demonstrate something which is more important about the condition of our spiritual life. The drowsiness and fall of Eutychus is a mirror of our fading affection for God which cause our fall into deep troubles.

In the following verses from the book of Revelation, Apostle John describes the church with a very commendable outward qualification. But on the later part, God also declared an unexpected but tough rebuke.

Rev 2:2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.

Rev 2:3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

Now, here is the stern rebuke:

Rev 2:4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.

The church of Ephesus is a picture of many Christians today. Godly in the outside but empty in the inside. The fervor and passion has dried away, the excitement and zeal of first love for God has been forsaken.

This same spiritual condition make Eutychus sleep while one of the most gifted and anointed teacher of the word of God is speaking.

This also reveals Eutychus’ heart: He doesn’t love the word of God truly enough to enjoy it and he doesn’t care for his brother that much to stay awake with Paul on his farewell meeting. His love for God and men is rather flaccid and dying.

I. THE CAUSES OF EUTYCHUS DROWSINESS AND FALL (VS 7-9)

1. THE EXHAUSTING LATENESS OF THE MIDNIGHT HOUR