Wake-Up Call
Today’s Verse:
And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. ~Acts 20:9-10
Most hotels have a wake-up call service where you can request a telephone call at a specific time to be sure that you wake up in the morning. For many people, this serves as an alarm clock. For others, it is a secondary measure to be sure that you do not miss your alarm. A wake-up call awakens us out of a deep sleep. A wake-up call makes sure that we are up in time for an appointment. A wake-up call makes sure that we are not sleeping when we are supposed to be awake. This morning, we want to see the importance of a personal wake-up call.
We see a spiritual assembly.
Paul is at the church which was at Troas. A local church was started there that was thriving with disciples. On the Lord’s Day, the members assembled for a church service. With all Baptist churches, the highlight of coming to church is the preaching time. Preaching is the engine that drives the church. It sets in motion a people that are inspired to do something for God. With Paul being at Troas, the people were excited to hear him preach. These people typified a spiritual assembly. They came with hungry hearts and determined to stay as long as the preaching continued. We are told that Paul was long in preaching and preached until midnight. When a church is like this, it’s not hard for a spirit of revival to be present.
We see a slumbering attendee.
Our attention is drawn to a young man named Eutychus. This young man sat in a window opening. It was hot and stuffy inside the upper room where the service was being held. We are told that this young man sunk down with sleep. That is an interesting description. When we are asleep, we are unaware of what is happening around us. When we are spiritually asleep, we are unaware of God working in our midst. We are like Eutychus: we are sunken down. Being asleep spiritually indicates we are going down spiritually. Then, something terrible happened: he fell down from the third loft! He fell out of his place! He fell out of the service! He fell out of church! He fell down dead! The tragedy in this is that he had been sleeping in church for a long time previous to this. It did not appear to be a safety issue to anyone until he fell down from the third loft and was taken up dead. Are you someone falling asleep during preaching? Are you someone who is so close to the edge of an opening that you are about to fall out and down?
We see a sensational awakening.
The entire church service was jolted by this accident. There was anxiety and concern by the congregation. Paul did something that no one else thought about doing. Others would have shaken their heads and placed a sheet over Eutychus’ body. Paul went down to where he was and embraced him! Paul stopped his preaching to attend to a young man who was thought to be dead. Paul’s involvement brought this young man back to life. Not only that, but Paul also took him back up, fed him, and immersed him back into the church life. How do we deal with someone who has fallen asleep to the things of God? The same way Paul did! He needed contact, compassion, and connection. People who fall asleep need someone who will take a personal interest in their life and bring them back up again.
Don’t place yourself in a precarious situation with your spiritual life. Ask the Lord to revive your heart, and don’t allow yourself to fall down from a deep sleep. Get an older and more spiritual Christian to help you stay alert and fervent in your life. Have a wake-up call before you fall out!
Have an awakened God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Jeremiah 46-48