We are the People of the Resurrection
There is a funny little story in Acts 20. A young man is sitting by a window on the third floor while Paul preaches into the night. He is overcome by sleep and falls dead. His name is Eutychus. Paul will revive him back to life and restore him to his parents.
What's interesting is when this all happened.
Acts 20:7 (ESV) On the first day of the week...
Second, it was a fall from the third story.
Third, they had just broken bread to celebrate the Lord's Supper.
In this little story we have a reminder of what Christians are called to gather around. We gather around resurrected life. Our's is a faith that anyone can be raised to life from the dead no matter what. Death will not have the last word.
The Early Church did not solemnly gather in mournful rows trying to stay awake during a boring presentation of religious jargon. They did not do their "Christian duty" by showing up once a week. No! They gathered together and enjoyed the Word preached until midnight. They enjoyed each others company. They enjoyed food and worship.
What a scene this must have been, as Paul preached Eutychus falls asleep and plummets to his death. Paul simply pauses his sermon, goes and raises him from the dead and gets back to preaching until day break. Now that is one powerful sermon illustration. I'm sure Paul took the time to explain what resurrection was all about for the rest of the night.
The Early Church had a sense of life in their meetings. They had tons of enemies, laws against them, legal problems, mobs, jealous Jewish leaders in every town, false charge drummed up against them, and mob riots. YET they had joy, they loved to be together, they saw God move, and they celebrated and experience new life!
This is who we are. The people of the resurrection and our faith is a faith of LIFE not death, celebration not mourning, and joy not despair.
Help us Lord recapture a sense of resurrection power.
Amen!
What's interesting is when this all happened.
Acts 20:7 (ESV) On the first day of the week...
Second, it was a fall from the third story.
Third, they had just broken bread to celebrate the Lord's Supper.
In this little story we have a reminder of what Christians are called to gather around. We gather around resurrected life. Our's is a faith that anyone can be raised to life from the dead no matter what. Death will not have the last word.
The Early Church did not solemnly gather in mournful rows trying to stay awake during a boring presentation of religious jargon. They did not do their "Christian duty" by showing up once a week. No! They gathered together and enjoyed the Word preached until midnight. They enjoyed each others company. They enjoyed food and worship.
What a scene this must have been, as Paul preached Eutychus falls asleep and plummets to his death. Paul simply pauses his sermon, goes and raises him from the dead and gets back to preaching until day break. Now that is one powerful sermon illustration. I'm sure Paul took the time to explain what resurrection was all about for the rest of the night.
The Early Church had a sense of life in their meetings. They had tons of enemies, laws against them, legal problems, mobs, jealous Jewish leaders in every town, false charge drummed up against them, and mob riots. YET they had joy, they loved to be together, they saw God move, and they celebrated and experience new life!
This is who we are. The people of the resurrection and our faith is a faith of LIFE not death, celebration not mourning, and joy not despair.
Help us Lord recapture a sense of resurrection power.
Amen!
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