Eutychus Falls Out of Church
Acts • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 9 viewsWhile this text in no way is blaming Eutychus for this accident that occurred, it does serve as a proper warning to those young people in the church that may be in danger of spiritual slumber, and of falling to their harm. Further, it shows the amazing grace and power of God to lift up, embrace and restore.
Notes
Transcript
Setting (vv.6-8)
First day of the week - Lord’s Day (one of the first attestations of the church meeting on Sunday)
Gathered together
It is important to gather together, and to be part of God’s gathered.
“His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
“He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters.
Many of you young people in here today are at a place where you will soon be out of your home, on your own time and schedule. You will be busier and have more responsibility that you have had to this point in your lives and it will be hard to continue to gather with the church.
You move and are away from people you know.
Church will be different. Different is always uncomfortable at first.
The natural rhythm of life that brings you here every Sunday or Wednesday will likely change, and even work against you. It will feel like work to gather with the church.
Believer, you must determine in your heart and in your life that you will make gathering together a priority. You must plan for it, and work against all that would pull you away.
It is how we persevere! It is the primary means of glorifying God. You need the church and she needs you!
It isn’t an after-thought. (Ex. move for work, then find a church). Make it a primary consideration for the health of your soul!
bread - likely communion meal
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ?
Prolonged his speech until midnight - (not uncommon)
Many lamps in the upper room - the fumes may have gathered, likely contributing to what happens next
Eutychus Falls
Eutychus Falls
Young man - youth, likely 8-14, but sometimes used for men under 40.
Name means “Good Fortune” - yet in spite of his name, the unthinkable happens.
Note: Neither youth nor family status is enough to keep you from falling.
It is easy to think “that won’t happen to me”
Maybe you’re too smart for drugs, alcohol. Maybe you overestimate you’re own will power. Could it be that when the flow of your life changes, when the pressures and moral compromises of this world begin to wear on you and you begin to drift, not fully aware of where you will end up? That’s what happened to Eutychus!
Falling asleep - notice two stages - v.9
Sinking/entering into
Starting to drift.
Maybe you know it already - Heard it 1000x. Familiar. Boring.
BTW - as a preacher I should work so that I am not presenting the glorious truth in a way that is boring or hard to hear. (Pray for my preaching!)
We all get bored at times, but when the gospel of grace get’s boring, it may be that we’re drifting into spiritual drowsiness!
Ex. Paul Washer trying to catch himself falling asleep
That’s what happened to the Jews! They thought they knew it. They were proud and would not listen. They drifted into spiritual sleep and were unable and unwilling to see the truth.
But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.
Don’t get lulled to sleep, forgetting or neglecting what is true! Young person, if you are drifting I implore you to beware! This is a warning! Wake up before you are overcome!
Overcome by
You may not see it coming. Eutychus was asleep when he fell. Not even conscious of what was happening before it was too late.
Young people, Sin is enticing. This world and it’s claims of pleasure, security and independence apart from God are certainly tempting. Yet they will not deliver on their promise.
The fall itself may be exhilarating. The landing never is. The end of sin is death. The fall brings destruction.
There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
James 1:14–15 (NASB95)
But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
Slippery, dangerous slope of sin! Don’t chase the wind! Don’t drink from broken cisterns that cannot satisfy!
Stay alert! Recognize that the warnings about sin are for you! That judgement and the reality of hell apart from Christ apply to you! That you - whether 8 yrs old or 80 - are in need of God’s mercy in Jesus Christ! Today! Now. Wake up, lest you find that one minute you’re sitting in the church, only to fall and be crushed.
Eutychus, overcome by sleep, fell three stories out of the window and was picked up dead. (Luke, the physician was very technical, and knew what dead meant.)
The reality is, that if you are not born again by faith in Christ, you are already as spiritually dead as Eutychus was physically.
“dead in your trespasses and sins”
Unable to revive yourself. Nothing you can do yourself. Helpless. Hopeless, except...
Life Restored
Life Restored
THERE IS HOPE! (There was hope for Eutychus. There is hope for you. There is hope for ________.)
Paul went down.
Notice Paul didn’t stay seated in his place and tell the people to bring the kid to him. No, he went to where the young man was.
That’s exactly what God did for you. He came to us. He finds you where you are and meets you there.
Where are you, my friend? God can meet you right where you are! When you cannot move, he comes to you.
Emmanuel - God with us!
Read Philippians 2:5-7
God came down to save you. He loves you that much.
Bent over him and took him up in his arms
He bent over the dead body of this young man, reached out and picked him up.
Believer, we must be aware and we must stay alert, but the reality is that when we’ve fallen, it is God who lovingly picks us up.
No matter what it is you’ve done. No matter how far the fall. God can lift you up.
That’s love. That is grace. That is the tender, compassion and mercy of our God.
Comes at a cost - The cross of Jesus Christ. He died so that God could pick you up and restore spiritual life you your dead soul.
Maybe you’ve drifted, maybe you’ve fallen. God hasn’t given up on you. Right now, He is with you, ready to pick you up. Ready to restore.
Read Romans 5:6-11
Fear not! There is salvation! There is comfort! There is hope!
Young person, please take God serious. He is serious about you.
Where are you right now? In the midst of the fall? Horrified bystander? Hope in Him - it is not yet over, even if it feels like it is!
Church, what opportunity we have to run towards each other, and run towards the Savior. It will not always be like this (pain, sorrow, struggle), but while it is, there is still hope for more lost souls to be saved, to find forgiveness and everlasting life in Christ!