Paul's compassionate love for the church

Paul is nearing the close of his third missionary journey. He has a tight itinerary to maintain. He had already made up his mind to leave Ephesus after spending a considerable amount of time there until Pentecost (1 Cor 16:8), and then visit the churches in Macedonia and Achaia, and then travel to Jerusalem before Passover.

Paul’s affection for believers

Acts 20:1“After the uproar had ceased, Paul called the disciples to himself, embraced them, and departed to go to Macedonia.”

The Ephesus uproar that had ceased was the riot that erupted in the theater that was started by Demetrius the silversmith, who was fearful that he and the craftsmen were in jeopardy of losing profits from making idols of Artemis because Paul had persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands.

Now, since things had calmed down, Paul decided to leave Ephesus, but before he left, he called the disciples, these were fellow believers and the students who Paul had taught in the lecture hall of Tyrannus (Acts 19:9), Paul knowing that he wasn’t going to see them ever again, he affectionally called these disciples to himself, embraced them. The affection that Paul showed towards these believers is something that isn’t often seen by some pastors or other believers towards one another. Some pastors have an elitist complex; they can be cold and domineering, while some churchgoers can be cliquish and unfriendly towards others. This is not how the body of Christ is supposed to act towards one another, we as believers must have a Christlike affection for one another, Paul writes in (Rom 12:10).

Luke informs us that after Paul had embraced them, he departed to go to Macedonia.

Paul’s encouragement to believers

Acts 20:2–3a “Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece and stayed three months.”

When Paul was previously in Macedonia during his 2nd missionary journey, many believers had come to faith in Philippi, Berea, and Thessalonica, and Paul made sure, as he returned to Macedonia, that he would revisit those believers in Philippi, Berea, and Thessalonica to encourage them with many words for three months.  He knew that he wouldn’t return, and it was imperative that he encourage them with the Word of God because he was concerned for their continued spiritual growth. Paul wasn’t concerned about how many people he converted to Christ, unlike many pastors today who are only concerned with numbers. The heart of a true pastor is to have concern for the spiritual growth of believers.

Paul’s life was in danger

Acts 20:3b “And when the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.”

These Jews who plotted against Paul were from Corinth, which is the southern province of ancient Greece. The Jews never forgot that Paul had converted two men who were in their synagogue (Crispus and Sosthenes) and had started a home church right next to their synagogue (Acts 18:7-8, 17; 1 Cor 1:1, 14). They also hadn’t forgotten how embarrassed they were when the case against Paul before Gallio didn’t turn out in their favor. These hate-filled Jews, knowing that Paul was about to sail to Syria, plotted an assassination against Paul. But God had plans for Paul. By God’s grace, Paul was made aware of their plot on his life, he didn’t get on the boat to Syria, and he decided to return through Macedonia. It was during Paul’s time in Macedonia that Paul would write 2Corinthians (2 Cor 2:12-13; 7:5-6), and the letter to Romans while in the city of Corinth in Greece which may have taken as long as a year and a half to two years. Not only did God preserve Paul’s life from danger, but He also provided him time to write these letters to the churches at Corinth and Rome.  God is in control at all times, and His grace is always right on time.

Paul’s travelers

Acts 20:4–6“And Sopater of Berea accompanied him to Asia—also Aristarchus (who suffered imprisonment with Paul (Col 4:10), and Secundus of the Thessalonians, these three men where from Macedonia, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy from Lystra, and Tychicus (who Paul called a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord), and Trophimus (who the Jews accused being with Paul in the Temple which led to Paul’s arrest and beating by the Jews (Acts 21:29), Paul also had left Trophimus at Miletus sick (2 Tim 4:20), he was from Asia, was most likely from Ephesus (Acts 21:29). These men, going ahead, waited for us (the “us” lets us know that Luke also traveled with Paul), at Troas. All of these men had gone ahead, waited for them at Troas. But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread (“baked without yeast” this Passover feast was commanded by the Lord to be kept according to Ex 12:14 throughout their generation, by an everlasting ordinance), and in five days the travelers joined them at Troas, where we stayed seven days.”

Paul’s message and miracle at Troas

Acts 20:7–12“Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.

This would be Paul’s second time visiting Troas. The first time occurred on his 2nd missionary journey when he had a vision of a Macedonian man who begged him to come over to Macedonia and help us. This vision caused Paul to immediately leave without spending time preaching the gospel at Troas. This time on his 3rd missionary journey, he returns to Troas, and he comes to a home church “on the first day of the week.” This is the first time that the phrase “first day of the week” is used in the NT. The first day of the week, for Christians the first day of the week was a Sunday celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. Christians are not commanded to keep the Sabbath, this command was given to Israel, not Gentiles, as a sign of the Mosaic Covenant according to (Ex 31:16-17). Christians are not under the old covenant; we are under the New Covenant (2 Cor. 3:6-18; Heb 8), and the Sabbath, according to Col 2:16-17 is a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Many believers today only think of Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday. When in fact, every Sunday is the Lord’s Day and it should be a reminder for every believer to come together and worship Jesus’ resurrection.

Next in v.8, Luke describes the location of their worship. There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together.

In those days, believers didn’t have a building to gather; they gathered in homes that had large rooms that were on the top floor or on the roof. We are told in v.9 that the believers had gathered together on the third story of the house. This third story room was fairly large because we are told that it had many lamps in the upper room where the believers were gathered, breaking bread, another term that means common meal.

Paul’s compassion for Eutychus vv. 9-10

And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead.

Eutychus didn’t fall asleep out of boredom or because he was tired because Paul kept speaking. Eutychus is in a stuffy room filled with numerous believers, and with the many lamps the room was warm, and the smoke and fumes from the burning oil caused him to want to get some cool air, so he decided to sit on the edge of an open window so that he could continue listening to Paul teach! I give him some credit for wanting to stay and hear the word of God; most people today would have left the room. And as Paul kept speaking, Eutychus fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. Luke records

But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, “Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.” When Paul lay on this young man, God worked through Paul and restored his life, and Paul tells this crowd of people Do not trouble yourselves, trouble “thorubeo” means to wail, make noise, Paul wants them to stop wailing and making noise, and to look at Eutychus, and he says to them “his life is in him.”

Paul’s quick reaction to save the life of Eutychus shows the compassionate love he had for him.

Paul’s compassionate love towards believers vv. 11-12

Now, when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted.”

Paul returned to third story room, ate some food, and began to finish sharing his message. His message lasted from evening until early morning, then he departed.

Paul’s love and compassion show through by his willingness to finish his message until early morning, knowing that he had a long travel ahead of him, but the sharing of the word of God was more important. But what is equally important to note is the willingness of the believers who wanted to stay to hear the word of God from evening until early morning. Many believers today are ready to leave after the preacher has preached for 15 minutes.

Those believers who were there brought the young man alive, Luke the physician wants his readers to know that he was alive and no longer dead, and that all those who were once troubled were now greatly comforted by what they witnessed.

I would like to tell you that when we see someone who is spiritually dead, and they hear the message of the gospel, and God makes them alive to repent of their sins, and by His grace gives them faith to believe in Jesus Christ, we should be greatly comforted by what we have witnessed. 

It is my hope that you will show compassion and love to help those who are in need and also to have compassion and love to share the message of Jesus Christ with others, just as Paul did with the church at Troas and Eutychus.