Acts 20:1-12 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Acts 20:1-12. As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
Acts 20:1 (NIV)
1 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said good-by and set out for Macedonia.
On verse 1: When all the chaos and upheaval in Ephesus (see Acts 19) had died down, Paul meets with the Christians in Ephesus (possibly in a secure hiding place) and encourages them before leaving for Macedonia. This might have been the last time that Paul saw most of the Christians in Ephesus.
What can we learn from this? Whether it’s your family, your church, or a team that you lead, when the people you are leading have just experienced a traumatic or distressing event, it helps for them to gather together and to hear encouraging words from their leader.
Acts 20:2-3 (NIV)
2 He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece,
3 where he stayed three months. Because the Jews made a plot against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.
On verses 2-3: Despite the plots that were on his life, Paul continues to go around encouraging people (v1-2). Likewise, no matter what trouble you may be going through, God gives us the ability to be an encouragement to others through our words, our actions and our example when we fix our eyes on Jesus.
Acts 20:4-6 (NIV)
4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.
5 These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas.
6 But we sailed from Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days.
On verses 4-6: Notice that Paul was accompanied by such a diverse, multiethnic team: guys from different places like Berea, Thessalonica, Derbe, Timothy from Lystra, and guys from province of Asia. It’s a reminder that the kingdom of God is a diverse family, in fact the largest and most ethnically, culturally, socially, economically, racially diverse family that has ever existed or ever will exist.
When I was getting married, it was a slightly surreal experience to see different people I had befriended in the different cities I had lived in all coming together in one place to be with me and Sharleen. I wonder if that’s how Paul felt as different friends he had made and disciples he had led all come together to accompany him to Troas. The purpose of this coming together was not for a wedding. Rather, according to scholars, they came together for the purpose of delivering a special offering for the church in Jerusalem, as churches from the different regions (like Achaia (Corinth), Asia (Ephesus), Macedonia (Philippi)) were sending representatives with offering money to pool together as a thank you gift to the church in Jerusalem (see Romans 15:25-27). If that is the case, from this we can learn that when we receive spiritual blessings from others, it is appropriate to return the favour in some way, even materially. As Romans 15:27 says, “They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.” In other words, don’t just be a spiritual consumer who takes from others; give thankfully from what you have to bless in return those who have blessed you.
(By the way, who is “we” and “us” in verses 5-6? That would include Luke, the writer of the book of Acts, and other teammates of Paul who had been waiting in Philippi for further word from Paul on where they would meet (v6).)
Acts 20:7-12 (NIV)
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.
8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting.
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 story and was picked up dead.
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!”
11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left.
12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.
On verses 7-12: What’s the lesson here? Don’t fall asleep when your pastor is preaching! I’m kidding. Well, not really. But what impresses me about Paul is that Paul’s first instinct wasn’t to come down hard on Eutychus for falling asleep in his sermon, saying, “Serves him right for falling asleep.” Who knows? Maybe Eutychus had worked a long day and was dog tired. Maybe Eutychus became drowsy in such a hot room full of lamps, people and no A/C. Maybe Eutychus had given his seat to someone else and the window was the only place where there was room to sit. In any event, instead of judging Eutychus as his first instinct, Paul compassionately (and literally!) came down (three floors) to Eutychus’ level, fell on him, and embraced him back to life. Instead of being quick to judge the Eutychus’s in our lives, like Paul may we be quick to show compassion and life-giving love as our first instinct.
Holy Spirit, thank You that as followers of Jesus we get to belong to the most diverse family that has ever existed or ever will exist. May I not be quick to judge others but quick to show mercy and compassion, because that’s what You did for me. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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