Bible Devotion - 7/28/2021

We read that they came together on the first day of the week.  This was Sunday, the Lord's Day, the day of the week that Jesus rose from the dead.  We see that on this day, the disciples came together.  The name "disciples" was a name that was often given to the early believers.  It is a name that speaks of a learner.  The early believers were learners.

We see these disciples or learners coming together.  The words "came together" simply mean, "to convene" or "to assemble."  To put it another way, it was Sunday and we see them going to Church on the Lord’s day.

In verse nine we have a reference to the "third loft."  Apparently these believers were meeting on the third floor of a certain building.  The early believers did not have nice Church buildings such as we have today.  They often met in homes.  In this case, it would appear they gathered in a room on the third floor of this building attending Church.

When Sunday comes around, saved people, God's people are to be in Church.  I have heard people say, "Sunday is the only day I have to rest."  I would like to say that Sunday is not YOUR DAY to begin with, It is the LORD'S DAY.  On His day we are to do as He commanded and assemble together as believers.

We read in Hebrews 10:25: "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching"

Hebrews 10:25 indicates that some were becoming slothful in their Church attendance.  The word to them was that they should not forsake the assembly.  In other words, they were not to miss Church.  When we miss Church we are being disobedient to God.

When we look at their gathering we see two reasons why they gathered.  First, we see they gathered to honor the Lord.  We read in verse seven they came together "to break bread." The breaking of the bread refers to what we call the Lord's Supper.  In the early Church it was their custom to eat their Sunday Meal together, usually at night and couple that with The Lord's Supper to commemorate and celebrate the death of the Lord Jesus.

We often look at Church in terms of what we get out of it.  I am sure you have heard someone say, "I didn't get anything out of the service today."  It is true that we come to Church to get something, but there is a far greater purpose in coming to Church and that is to give something.  Coming to Church is more than our getting from the Lord.  It is our giving to the Lord.

We ought to come to Church with the purpose of giving the Lord the worship, praise and thanksgiving He so rightly deserves

I draw your attention specifically to Eutychus.  We read in verse nine:

We read in verse nine that Eutychus was "sunk down with sleep."  The words "sunk down," mean that he was overcome with sleep.  Now, why did Eutychus go to sleep in Church?  In his defense, his name indicates that he was a slave, so no doubt he had worked in the field all day and was tired when he came to Church.  Then the environment did not help the situation.  We read in verse eight:

The type of lights referred to were oil lamps.  After a long hard day of work and sitting in a hot, stuffy room during a six-hour sermon, you can sympathize with Eutychus.  But then, it is also possible that although his presence is commendable, it may have been a case of not being all that interested in what was going on in the service.  I don't think it was a case of Paul being a boring preacher, but it may have been a case where Eutychus was bored.

Dear Christian, ask yourself this…. Are there other things in your life that are more important than the things of God?  Do you find more pleasure in other things than you do worshipping and serving God?  When it comes to eternal things, are you spiritually sleeping? If so, I remind you of what the Bible says in Romans 13:11: 

We read in verse nine that Eutychus was sitting in a window.  Now, if you are going to sleep in Church you certainly don't need to be sitting in a window, especially when that window is on the third floor.  Eutychus went to sleep sitting in the window and we read in verse nine that he "fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead."

Notice carefully that he did not fall to the inside of the Church.  He fell to the outside of the Church.  To put it in very simple words, Eutychus fell out of Church.  I have known many that fell out of Church.  Sleeping eventually leads to falling out the window, if you understand my words.  When there is a lack of interest on one's part in spiritual things (spiritual sleeping), there is a great danger of falling out of Church.

Now why did Eutychus fall outside rather than inside?  It is very simple.  He was leaning more to the outside than he was the inside.  When a Christian is leaning more to the world than eternal things, there is always the danger of falling out of Church.

Dear friend are you in danger of falling out the window?  Have you let a job, vocation, or some activity capture your heart to the point that you have no time for God?  Have you let something woo your heart away from God and the things of God?  It's a dangerous condition to be in.  Like Eutychus you can find yourself falling out of the Church.

I have had many strange things happen in Church, but have yet to have someone fall out of the balcony or a window.  You can be sure that the tone of service suddenly changed when someone shouted, "Eutychus has fallen out the window."  Yet, a tragedy became a scene of triumph!

When someone falls out of Church, what is to be our response?  We read in verse ten that "Paul went down."  I am sure that every member was right behind him.  Dr. Luke was there and says that he "was taken up dead."

We read that Paul "fell on him" and embraced him.  He then said to those gathered around him, "Trouble not your-selves; for his life is in him."  Here was one that fell out of the Church, and someone reached out to him, and he was restored back to life.

First, I am reminded that when people fall out of Church we are to reach out to them and seek to restore them.  The Bible says in Galatians 6:1:

It seems that all too often Churches leave the fallen ones lying in the street.  No, we are to go to them and seek to restore them.  There is to be a work of restoration.

We read in verse 11 that he was "come up again."  In other words, he was brought back into the Church.  As Church members we are to work to get those out of Church back in Church. For those out of Church, you need to get back in. Notice verse 12:

There was not only restored members, but also revived members.  You can be sure that when Eutychus got back in the service, he didn't go asleep again.  You can be sure he was wide-awake.  Furthermore, you can be sure the service was electrified when he walked back in.  The Bible says they "were not a little comforted."

The word "comforted" speaks of being "invited" or "drawing near."  Not only was Eutychus restored, but everyone else was wide-awake as well.  Everyone was affected by what happened.  You could say that everyone was revived and they were not a little revived.

In fact they were so revived, we read in verse 11 that Paul continue preaching for "along while, even till the break of day."  Many are worried about getting out at 12:00 on Sunday. Hey, when you get revived it will not matter to you when you get out.

In this day when people are so time conscience and living lives that are so full of everything but God, we need such a reviving.  In fact, when we come to Church it should be a time of restoration and revival.