Acts 20:9-12

Beloved, let’s gather around a story that is both peculiar and profound-one that speaks to the very heart of the gospel’s power to bring life where there is death. In Acts 20:9-12, we meet Eutychus, a young man who, while listening to the Apostle Paul’s late-night preaching, falls from a third-story window and is taken up dead-only to be restored to life by God through Paul. This passage is not merely a warning about dozing off in church; it’s a vivid display of the gospel’s life-giving power and the church’s role as a community of comfort and encouragement.

The Miracle: Life from Death

Eutychus’ fall and miraculous restoration is more than an anecdote about a long sermon. It is a living parable of the gospel itself. Eutychus, overcome by sleep, tumbles from the window and dies. Yet, through Paul, God intervenes, and Eutychus is brought back to life. This event validated Paul’s apostolic message and comforted the church in Troas, affirming the truth that the gospel brings life where there is death-physically for Eutychus, and spiritually for all who believe.

As John Calvin wisely noted, Eutychus was not condemned for his sleep; rather, his fall and restoration served to awaken and stir up the faith of the believers, rooting Paul’s message deeper in their hearts. The miracle was not a spectacle for its own sake, but a sign that the risen Christ was present and active among His people.

“God continues to use our weakness to point others to His power... The purpose of this narrative... is a reminder of the Gospel’s purpose to give life. There is a striking coincidence of life in the midst of death. This moment must have been a powerful reminder for the disciples that Jesus is the resurrection and the life.”

The Spiritual Parallel: From Death to Life

The story of Eutychus is not isolated. Throughout Scripture, God demonstrates His power to raise the dead-physically and spiritually. From Elijah and Elisha in the Old Testament to Jesus raising Lazarus, Jairus’ daughter, and the widow’s son at Nain, to Peter raising Tabitha, and now Paul raising Eutychus, the message rings clear: God alone has the power to make dead things live again.

For every believer, this is not just history-it is our testimony. As Paul writes in Ephesians 2:1, “You were dead in your trespasses and sins,” but God “made us alive together with Christ” (Ephesians 2:5)4. The physical resurrection of Eutychus is a signpost pointing to the greater spiritual resurrection that every Christian experiences in Christ.

The Church’s Response: A Community of Comfort and Encouragement

After Eutychus is restored, Luke records, “they were not a little comforted” (Acts 20:12). The church’s response is one of profound encouragement and relief. In a world filled with danger, uncertainty, and sorrow, the fellowship of believers becomes a haven of hope and support.

Paul’s ministry, as summarized in Acts 20, is marked by encouragement-giving courage and hope to the church in the face of adversity. The miraculous restoration of Eutychus was not just a comfort to his family, but to the whole congregation, reminding them that God is present in their midst, working powerfully through His people.

“Church, there is something special about the power of God’s people... God did something miraculous.”6

Application: The Church as a Place of Life and Comfort

The gospel is not just a doctrine to be believed, but a power to be experienced. Just as Eutychus was raised from physical death, so too are we raised from spiritual death by faith in Christ.

The church must be a place where the life-giving power of the gospel is proclaimed, and where comfort and encouragement abound, especially in times of crisis or loss.

God uses both miraculous intervention and the ordinary fellowship of believers to bring comfort and hope. Sometimes, the miracle is not the raising of the dead, but the courage and encouragement we give one another in Christ.

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, the story of Eutychus is a reminder that the gospel brings life where there is death-physically, spiritually, and communally. It validates the message of Christ and comforts the people of God. Let us, as a church, be a place where the dead are made alive-where the discouraged find courage, the weary find rest, and all find hope in the risen Lord. May we, like the early church, be “not a little comforted,” knowing that Jesus is still in the business of bringing life out of death.