WEBVTT 00:00:09.929 --> 00:00:13.810 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered 00:00:13.810 --> 00:00:17.550 together to break bread, Paul began talking to 00:00:17.550 --> 00:00:21.429 them, intending to leave the next day, and he 00:00:21.429 --> 00:00:25.170 prolonged his message until midnight. There were 00:00:25.170 --> 00:00:27.929 many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered 00:00:27.929 --> 00:00:31.789 together, and there was a young man named Eutychus 00:00:31.789 --> 00:00:35.710 sitting on the windowsill, sinking into a deep 00:00:35.710 --> 00:00:41.030 sleep. And as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome 00:00:41.030 --> 00:00:45.770 by sleep and fell down the third floor and was 00:00:45.770 --> 00:00:51.350 picked up dead. But Paul went down and fell upon 00:00:51.350 --> 00:00:55.909 him. And after embracing him, he said, Do not 00:00:55.909 --> 00:00:59.170 be troubled, for his life is in him. When he 00:00:59.170 --> 00:01:01.549 had gone back up and had broken the bread and 00:01:01.549 --> 00:01:05.480 eaten, he talked with him a long while. until 00:01:05.480 --> 00:01:09.040 daybreak and then left. They took away the boy 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:15.099 alive and were greatly comforted. As we continue 00:01:15.099 --> 00:01:20.200 our journey in the book of Acts, it's always 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:24.439 a good reminder to remember what the book of 00:01:24.439 --> 00:01:27.579 Acts is about and what's happening and what's 00:01:27.579 --> 00:01:32.439 taking place and why it's written. So the book 00:01:32.439 --> 00:01:38.599 of Acts is really A record of the Lord's work 00:01:38.599 --> 00:01:43.599 in establishing and building and growing the 00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:49.239 church in the world. It's a record, we could 00:01:49.239 --> 00:01:55.019 say, of the result of the gospel in the life 00:01:55.019 --> 00:02:00.640 of God's people. How Christians live faithfully 00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:04.870 in a fallen world. As part of God's kingdom. 00:02:05.390 --> 00:02:10.669 As part of the heavenly kingdom. How Christians 00:02:10.669 --> 00:02:15.650 live faithfully in a hostile society and culture. 00:02:16.330 --> 00:02:21.330 As they progressively near their heavenly home 00:02:21.330 --> 00:02:26.030 and their heavenly destination. Today we get 00:02:26.030 --> 00:02:30.930 a beautiful glimpse into the life of the early 00:02:30.930 --> 00:02:36.389 church. we get a beautiful glimpse into the gathering 00:02:36.389 --> 00:02:42.729 of the early church. We see in this text that, 00:02:42.870 --> 00:02:46.469 and we'll consider in this text, the day on which 00:02:46.469 --> 00:02:52.430 they met, a distinctly Christian day of worship, 00:02:52.490 --> 00:02:56.930 the first day of the week. We'll consider the 00:02:56.930 --> 00:03:00.550 substance, or what they were doing as they gathered 00:03:00.550 --> 00:03:06.900 together. To worship God. And we'll see. What 00:03:06.900 --> 00:03:10.939 the preeminent thing was. As they gathered together. 00:03:11.639 --> 00:03:14.879 In this. In the midst of this gathering. We find 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:20.340 Eutychus. This young boy. Who falls out the window. 00:03:20.860 --> 00:03:24.919 And dies. But we also find. That the apostle 00:03:24.919 --> 00:03:30.620 Paul. Who was present. Revives him. or brings 00:03:30.620 --> 00:03:33.659 him back to life, so we can say he died and he 00:03:33.659 --> 00:03:37.139 was raised, brothers and sisters. And then Paul 00:03:37.139 --> 00:03:40.439 returns to the gathering after comforting the 00:03:40.439 --> 00:03:47.939 people and continues to preach and teach to them 00:03:47.939 --> 00:03:52.639 after breaking bread. So first, let's consider 00:03:52.639 --> 00:03:57.500 today, the day on which the early church gathered 00:03:57.500 --> 00:04:02.659 for worship. Notice in verse 7, the text begins, 00:04:02.879 --> 00:04:08.900 on the first day of the week. Now, this phrase, 00:04:09.300 --> 00:04:13.159 I'm guessing for many of you, will stand out. 00:04:13.879 --> 00:04:17.279 You'll think to yourselves, now I know I've seen 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:21.240 that text elsewhere. That phrase, that terminology, 00:04:21.500 --> 00:04:24.540 I know that I've witnessed that. And you have, 00:04:24.699 --> 00:04:28.449 brothers and sisters. The exact phrase, the first 00:04:28.449 --> 00:04:33.889 day of the week, is used in every single one 00:04:33.889 --> 00:04:40.529 of the Gospels. It's used in Matthew, Mark, Luke, 00:04:40.930 --> 00:04:47.129 and John. Specifically, it's Matthew 28 .1, Mark 00:04:47.129 --> 00:04:54.689 16 .21, Luke 24 .1, and John 20 .1. Now, those 00:04:54.689 --> 00:04:57.750 sections of Scripture probably sound familiar 00:04:57.750 --> 00:05:00.370 as well because it's at the end of the Gospel 00:05:00.370 --> 00:05:04.110 account and it's at the beginning of the resurrection 00:05:04.110 --> 00:05:10.970 account. So here we find the exact phrase that 00:05:10.970 --> 00:05:17.069 is used by the author of the Gospels to describe 00:05:17.069 --> 00:05:22.209 the day on which the Lord Jesus Christ rose from 00:05:22.209 --> 00:05:28.939 the dead. This phrase is a distinct contrast 00:05:28.939 --> 00:05:35.240 with the Jewish Sabbath, which was the last day 00:05:35.240 --> 00:05:39.860 of the week, or Saturday. The reason we find 00:05:39.860 --> 00:05:44.259 this significant is because the first day of 00:05:44.259 --> 00:05:56.300 the week is the consecrated day It's because 00:05:56.300 --> 00:06:01.220 on that day, the Lord Jesus Christ rose from 00:06:01.220 --> 00:06:04.360 the dead in all His glory, in all His grandeur, 00:06:04.360 --> 00:06:08.339 in all His greatness. And this is the day that 00:06:08.339 --> 00:06:12.399 the Christian church gathers together to worship 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:18.160 that glorious Savior in all His power. So the 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:21.420 first day of the week is uniquely and distinctly 00:06:21.420 --> 00:06:25.220 associated and identified with the resurrection 00:06:25.220 --> 00:06:31.319 of Jesus Christ. We could think about this quote 00:06:31.319 --> 00:06:34.939 from Matthew Henry, the great Bible commentator. 00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:37.279 Listen to what he says. It's simple and straightforward. 00:06:37.660 --> 00:06:40.579 He says, The Lord's day, or the first day of 00:06:40.579 --> 00:06:45.120 the week, is the Christian Sabbath. In remembrance 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:50.420 of the resurrection of Christ. So, the Lord's 00:06:50.420 --> 00:06:52.439 Day, the first day of the week, the Christian 00:06:52.439 --> 00:06:55.220 Sabbath, is in remembrance of what, brothers 00:06:55.220 --> 00:07:00.560 and sisters? The resurrection of our Lord. Or 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:02.699 we could think about Justin Martyr, one of the 00:07:02.699 --> 00:07:06.800 earliest church fathers. Listen to what he says. 00:07:07.480 --> 00:07:13.839 The day called Sunday. The day called Sunday. 00:07:14.220 --> 00:07:21.680 On all who live in the cities or in the country 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:27.759 come together because it is the day on which 00:07:27.759 --> 00:07:34.579 Jesus our Savior rose from the dead. So here's 00:07:34.579 --> 00:07:38.600 one of the earliest church fathers stating that 00:07:38.600 --> 00:07:42.319 Sunday, the Lord's Day, The first day of the 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:45.480 week is the day that everybody from the cities 00:07:45.480 --> 00:07:49.019 and everybody from the countries come together 00:07:49.019 --> 00:07:54.500 to worship and praise God. And why is that, brothers 00:07:54.500 --> 00:07:59.160 and sisters? Because on that day, the Lord Jesus 00:07:59.160 --> 00:08:03.800 Christ rose from the dead. This is significant, 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:08.139 brothers and sisters. Because we are not the 00:08:08.139 --> 00:08:12.939 first to worship on this day of the week. We 00:08:12.939 --> 00:08:15.300 are not the only ones that worship on this day 00:08:15.300 --> 00:08:18.740 of the week. Why do we as believing Christians, 00:08:19.019 --> 00:08:23.379 as evangelical Christians who believe in the 00:08:23.379 --> 00:08:26.720 gospel of Jesus Christ, worship on this day, 00:08:26.839 --> 00:08:32.100 not Saturday, not Monday, not Wednesday? Because 00:08:32.100 --> 00:08:35.200 we believe and we confess. that Jesus Christ 00:08:35.200 --> 00:08:38.279 rose from the dead and ascended to the Father's 00:08:38.279 --> 00:08:43.919 right hand on this day. So the day in which we 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:47.980 worship is built wholly and completely on the 00:08:47.980 --> 00:08:52.620 gospel of Jesus Christ. And the day on which 00:08:52.620 --> 00:08:57.240 we worship bears witness to the truth and the 00:08:57.240 --> 00:09:02.320 reality that we serve and worship a risen Lord. 00:09:03.070 --> 00:09:07.389 A risen Savior who is no longer in the grave. 00:09:07.950 --> 00:09:11.450 Now, isn't it interesting that in this church, 00:09:11.470 --> 00:09:14.570 in the book of Acts, which is so long ago from 00:09:14.570 --> 00:09:18.929 us, but was so close, but was fairly close to 00:09:18.929 --> 00:09:24.490 the inception of the church, already has an established 00:09:24.490 --> 00:09:30.450 principle and practice of what day they gather 00:09:30.450 --> 00:09:35.669 and worship on. The early church in this day, 00:09:35.850 --> 00:09:40.230 in Acts chapter 20, in the church that Paul planted, 00:09:40.389 --> 00:09:45.970 already maintains the principle that they worship 00:09:45.970 --> 00:09:51.590 on the first day of the week. We stand in the 00:09:51.590 --> 00:09:55.590 long line of faithful men and women and believers 00:09:55.590 --> 00:09:58.309 throughout the ages, brothers and sisters, and 00:09:58.309 --> 00:10:01.830 we confess a distinctly and uniquely Christian 00:10:02.379 --> 00:10:09.379 By worshiping on Sunday. Now, what did they do 00:10:09.379 --> 00:10:14.220 when they came together to worship? What was 00:10:14.220 --> 00:10:18.720 the substance of their worship when they gathered 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:22.100 together? Now, it's important that we understand 00:10:22.100 --> 00:10:26.539 and we recognize that just as they worshiped 00:10:26.539 --> 00:10:29.100 on the first day of the week, because that was 00:10:29.100 --> 00:10:32.519 established for them by the apostles, And the 00:10:32.519 --> 00:10:38.320 risen Lord and his resurrection. The nature. 00:10:38.899 --> 00:10:42.779 And the content. And the substance. And the life 00:10:42.779 --> 00:10:46.299 and the practice of their church. Was built on 00:10:46.299 --> 00:10:51.100 apostolic patterns. That they had been taught 00:10:51.100 --> 00:10:55.399 by the apostle Paul. And the other apostles. 00:10:55.840 --> 00:11:01.139 Now if we go back to Acts chapter 2. We find. 00:11:01.769 --> 00:11:04.190 This pattern. We referenced this several weeks 00:11:04.190 --> 00:11:09.330 ago. In Acts chapter 2. In verse 42. We read 00:11:09.330 --> 00:11:12.830 these words. They were continually devoting themselves. 00:11:14.289 --> 00:11:18.110 To the apostles teaching. And to fellowship. 00:11:18.970 --> 00:11:23.990 To the breaking of bread. And to prayer. There's 00:11:23.990 --> 00:11:29.350 the pattern. Of the life. Of the early church. 00:11:31.129 --> 00:11:34.769 Doctrine, fellowship, the breaking of bread, 00:11:35.110 --> 00:11:40.789 and prayer. So it's no coincidence that as we 00:11:40.789 --> 00:11:46.110 come to Acts chapter 20, we find the same pattern 00:11:46.110 --> 00:11:52.889 being practiced and emphasized in its gathering 00:11:52.889 --> 00:11:56.490 on the first day of the week. We see in this 00:11:56.490 --> 00:12:03.090 text the fact... That they were corporately and 00:12:03.090 --> 00:12:08.950 intentionally coming together, gathering physically, 00:12:09.289 --> 00:12:17.529 geographically, to sit under the Word, to take 00:12:17.529 --> 00:12:23.850 part in the ordinances, to pray, and to fellowship 00:12:23.850 --> 00:12:31.519 as the body of Christ. In the text, We see the 00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:35.519 breaking of bread. Now, in the early church, 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:40.899 this included the Lord's Supper, but also what 00:12:40.899 --> 00:12:45.580 was called traditionally as an agape feast. We 00:12:45.580 --> 00:12:48.779 see this reference in the book of Jude, or they 00:12:48.779 --> 00:12:53.139 might be called love feasts. And so in these 00:12:53.139 --> 00:12:56.480 feasts, there was fellowship, and there was fellowship 00:12:56.480 --> 00:13:01.129 at a meal over the... Table, we could say. And 00:13:01.129 --> 00:13:03.809 at the end of this, most likely, they concluded 00:13:03.809 --> 00:13:08.970 with the taking of the Lord's Supper. As the 00:13:08.970 --> 00:13:12.429 Lord Jesus Christ had instituted it in the upper 00:13:12.429 --> 00:13:16.169 room. So not only did they worship on the Lord's 00:13:16.169 --> 00:13:18.990 Day, but brothers and sisters, they gathered 00:13:18.990 --> 00:13:22.990 together to remember the Lord and His work. And 00:13:22.990 --> 00:13:27.889 then we find that they sat under the ministry 00:13:27.889 --> 00:13:31.970 of the Word. What does the text say? Paul began 00:13:31.970 --> 00:13:35.309 talking to them, intending to leave the next 00:13:35.309 --> 00:13:39.409 day. And he prolonged his message until midnight. 00:13:40.169 --> 00:13:44.269 Then we read again. And there was a young man 00:13:44.269 --> 00:13:47.090 named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking 00:13:47.090 --> 00:13:50.110 into a deep sleep. And as Paul kept on talking, 00:13:50.190 --> 00:13:52.549 and then we see a little bit later, he talked 00:13:52.549 --> 00:13:57.549 with them a long time. But notice it's not just 00:13:57.549 --> 00:14:02.149 random discussion. It's referred to as a message 00:14:02.149 --> 00:14:07.529 in verse 7. It's a discourse that Paul is giving. 00:14:08.049 --> 00:14:11.129 So we have the Christians coming together corporately 00:14:11.129 --> 00:14:14.169 and gathering together, taking part in the Lord's 00:14:14.169 --> 00:14:17.250 Supper and fellowshipping, and we have the ministry 00:14:17.250 --> 00:14:20.450 of the Word present. Now, just because prayer 00:14:20.450 --> 00:14:24.700 is not mentioned in this text, That does not 00:14:24.700 --> 00:14:28.059 mean that they did not partake in that. That 00:14:28.059 --> 00:14:30.740 they did not exercise prayer and they did not 00:14:30.740 --> 00:14:35.000 pray for one another. We read throughout the 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:38.340 remainder of this narrative, especially in the 00:14:38.340 --> 00:14:43.659 latter part of chapter 20, that Paul prayed with 00:14:43.659 --> 00:14:47.639 the Ephesian elders. We read in chapter 20, verse 00:14:47.639 --> 00:14:51.139 36, when he had said these things, he knelt down 00:14:51.139 --> 00:14:54.809 and prayed with them all. And then we read a 00:14:54.809 --> 00:15:03.090 little bit later in chapter 21, verse 5. When 00:15:03.090 --> 00:15:06.289 our days there were ended, we left and started 00:15:06.289 --> 00:15:09.789 on our journey. Well, they all, with wives and 00:15:09.789 --> 00:15:12.350 children, escorted us until we were out of the 00:15:12.350 --> 00:15:17.049 city. After kneeling down on the beach and praying, 00:15:17.350 --> 00:15:22.899 we said farewell to one another. We have every 00:15:22.899 --> 00:15:28.419 reason to believe that this gathering at Troas 00:15:28.419 --> 00:15:34.139 with Paul teaching included every aspect and 00:15:34.139 --> 00:15:37.200 every element that is referenced in Acts chapter 00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:44.000 2 verse 42. The life of the church is built on 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:48.639 the pattern that the apostles had given to them. 00:15:48.700 --> 00:15:53.379 That the apostles themselves had instituted and 00:15:53.379 --> 00:15:59.220 established in the churches which they themselves 00:15:59.220 --> 00:16:03.519 planted, brothers and sisters. In a sense, we 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:05.279 could say this about the life of the church, 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:10.840 especially with regards to chapter 20. There's 00:16:10.840 --> 00:16:17.279 nothing novel taking place in chapter 20 that 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:22.899 has changed or... Or been adjusted. They're doing 00:16:22.899 --> 00:16:26.899 the same thing. That the church did. In Acts 00:16:26.899 --> 00:16:31.600 chapter 2 verse 42. They weren't creating and 00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:35.340 developing. Novelties. For the early church. 00:16:35.480 --> 00:16:37.820 And for the members of the early church. What 00:16:37.820 --> 00:16:39.559 were they doing when they gathered together. 00:16:39.620 --> 00:16:43.100 Brothers and sisters. They came together on the 00:16:43.100 --> 00:16:45.480 first day of the week. They sat under the preaching 00:16:45.480 --> 00:16:48.639 of the word. They sang hymns. They came together 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:51.299 and they took the ordinances. They came together 00:16:51.299 --> 00:16:53.799 and they prayed and they fellowshiped with one 00:16:53.799 --> 00:16:59.179 another. That was the life of their church. They 00:16:59.179 --> 00:17:02.740 were committed to this corporate gathering in 00:17:02.740 --> 00:17:08.799 this manner, in this function. We don't do something 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:11.079 terribly different than that, do we, brothers 00:17:11.079 --> 00:17:15.640 and sisters? The life of our church is built 00:17:15.640 --> 00:17:21.289 and established. Very similarly to the life of 00:17:21.289 --> 00:17:26.869 the early church. Why is that? Why are there 00:17:26.869 --> 00:17:32.009 not all these novelties that had no place in 00:17:32.009 --> 00:17:36.410 the primitive church or the early church? Why 00:17:36.410 --> 00:17:41.309 are there not all these new things? Brothers 00:17:41.309 --> 00:17:45.049 and sisters, why are there not all these creative 00:17:45.049 --> 00:17:52.059 realities? To draw men. To appease men. To meet 00:17:52.059 --> 00:17:56.319 men's needs. Why, brothers and sisters, the apostles 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:59.960 did not establish that and their pattern for 00:17:59.960 --> 00:18:05.359 the life and practice of the church. They ordained 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:10.019 the Word. They ordained prayer. They ordained 00:18:10.019 --> 00:18:15.089 the Lord's Supper and Baptism. That's what we 00:18:15.089 --> 00:18:21.650 do because it is very, very similar to what the 00:18:21.650 --> 00:18:28.250 early church did in reality. These were Christians 00:18:28.250 --> 00:18:34.349 who prioritized corporate worship and the realities 00:18:34.349 --> 00:18:43.019 of corporate worship because of the gospel. Why 00:18:43.019 --> 00:18:48.579 did the early Christians gather together? Because 00:18:48.579 --> 00:18:52.740 Christ had saved them. Why did they come together? 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:57.099 Why did they want to put voice to their praise? 00:18:58.039 --> 00:19:00.359 Why did they want to love their brothers and 00:19:00.359 --> 00:19:03.480 sisters in Christ? Why did they want to hear 00:19:03.480 --> 00:19:07.039 in the Word? Because Jesus Christ had saved their 00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:10.000 souls from hell. He had made them new creatures 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:12.839 in Christ. He had given them the Holy Spirit 00:19:12.839 --> 00:19:15.039 and He had changed them, brothers and sisters. 00:19:15.240 --> 00:19:17.779 He had brought them out of the dominion and rule 00:19:17.779 --> 00:19:20.460 of Satan and He had given them all the glorious 00:19:20.460 --> 00:19:22.980 and eternal blessings that God has given to His 00:19:22.980 --> 00:19:27.579 Son to them. So what do they do? They come together 00:19:27.579 --> 00:19:30.019 and they worship Him because they're compelled 00:19:30.019 --> 00:19:34.039 to. They have a longing in their heart to praise 00:19:34.039 --> 00:19:38.519 the risen Christ because He has rescued them. 00:19:40.490 --> 00:19:43.769 The Holy Spirit creates a longing and a desire 00:19:43.769 --> 00:19:47.809 to praise the Lord. The Holy Spirit creates a 00:19:47.809 --> 00:19:50.930 longing and a desire to love our fellow men, 00:19:51.069 --> 00:19:53.470 and especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. 00:19:53.690 --> 00:19:56.609 The Holy Spirit creates a longing within us to 00:19:56.609 --> 00:20:01.829 hear Christ in His Word. That's why they came 00:20:01.829 --> 00:20:04.670 together, brothers and sisters. And that is why 00:20:04.670 --> 00:20:10.740 we must come together. Why do you come here on 00:20:10.740 --> 00:20:18.539 the Lord's Day? What is your purpose? What is 00:20:18.539 --> 00:20:21.500 your intention and your motivation for gathering 00:20:21.500 --> 00:20:24.279 together? Can you come and sit in this sanctuary 00:20:24.279 --> 00:20:29.279 and worship God without ever thinking about God 00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:34.799 Himself? Without ever actually interacting with 00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:40.109 the living, risen Christ? Brothers and sisters, 00:20:40.170 --> 00:20:45.769 we gather together to meet with God. We gather 00:20:45.769 --> 00:20:49.490 together to come to Him and to hear from Him. 00:20:50.470 --> 00:20:53.990 Do you come together because you are eager to 00:20:53.990 --> 00:20:57.730 praise the Son of God who gave Himself on your 00:20:57.730 --> 00:21:02.609 behalf? Do you come together to lift your voice 00:21:02.609 --> 00:21:06.089 in praise and adoration to the God who has redeemed 00:21:06.089 --> 00:21:11.529 you because of grace and mercy alone? Or do you 00:21:11.529 --> 00:21:14.849 come together for some other reason? With some 00:21:14.849 --> 00:21:18.970 other end in mind? If there is any other reason, 00:21:19.069 --> 00:21:25.730 then it's wrong. Our worship is a result of Christ 00:21:25.730 --> 00:21:32.880 and His salvation in our lives. We come together 00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:38.200 because Christ has indeed saved us, brothers 00:21:38.200 --> 00:21:43.200 and sisters. Do you have gratitude welling up 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:46.799 inside of you where anticipation is building 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:49.180 because you want to proclaim it to the risen 00:21:49.180 --> 00:21:52.799 Christ? Do you want to hear what Christ has to 00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:58.819 say for you in His Word? Or do you come? And 00:21:58.819 --> 00:22:02.259 gather because you've always come together and 00:22:02.259 --> 00:22:06.220 gathered. Or do you come and gather because your 00:22:06.220 --> 00:22:14.119 wife or your husband comes and gathers? Do you 00:22:14.119 --> 00:22:16.220 come to appease something in your heart and your 00:22:16.220 --> 00:22:22.480 mind or in somebody else's life? We come because 00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:28.380 Christ has saved us. Why do you? Gather together 00:22:28.380 --> 00:22:32.380 on the Lord's Day to worship the risen Lord, 00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:37.359 brothers and sisters. The risen Christ knows 00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:43.440 our heart and He knows our minds. Bring a smile 00:22:43.440 --> 00:22:49.880 to His face, brothers and sisters. And come to 00:22:49.880 --> 00:22:55.799 Him because of Him. Worship Him because of Him. 00:22:56.940 --> 00:23:00.200 Sing because of Him. Listen to the Word because 00:23:00.200 --> 00:23:03.940 of Him. Not because of yourself or men, but because 00:23:03.940 --> 00:23:07.400 of the risen Lord and the work that He has done 00:23:07.400 --> 00:23:14.059 in your life personally. So, this is what their 00:23:14.059 --> 00:23:18.400 meeting, their gathering was made up of. And 00:23:18.400 --> 00:23:21.559 this is why they came together on the first day 00:23:21.559 --> 00:23:25.509 of the week. And they gave themselves to the 00:23:25.509 --> 00:23:28.950 worship of God. Now there's something else that 00:23:28.950 --> 00:23:32.269 we have to consider in this text. There's this 00:23:32.269 --> 00:23:38.829 whole situation or episode with Eutychus falling 00:23:38.829 --> 00:23:41.690 asleep and falling out the window and dying. 00:23:42.910 --> 00:23:47.190 Now we come to this and we're tempted to think 00:23:47.190 --> 00:23:51.009 that's very, very random. What's the purpose 00:23:51.009 --> 00:23:54.319 of this? Why is this even... recorded in our 00:23:54.319 --> 00:23:59.779 Bibles. But before we get to that, it's important 00:23:59.779 --> 00:24:03.680 for us to understand that in the life of the 00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:07.599 church and its corporate gathering, we see in 00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:15.460 this text that the ministry of the Word, or Paul's 00:24:15.460 --> 00:24:18.579 preaching, teaching, his speaking, his message, 00:24:20.589 --> 00:24:26.630 has the prominent position in the assembly. It 00:24:26.630 --> 00:24:31.289 has the preeminent place among those who are 00:24:31.289 --> 00:24:34.329 gathered together. Now, I'm not just going to 00:24:34.329 --> 00:24:37.509 say that and leave it there. I'll show you why 00:24:37.509 --> 00:24:40.990 that is the case. Because I'm sure some of you 00:24:40.990 --> 00:24:46.410 are saying, well, preacher, that's easy for you 00:24:46.410 --> 00:24:50.220 to say. You're the one preaching. You want it 00:24:50.220 --> 00:24:55.019 to be about the preaching and the teaching. But 00:24:55.019 --> 00:24:56.960 brothers and sisters, that's not the case at 00:24:56.960 --> 00:25:01.759 all. I want you to see this in the text because 00:25:01.759 --> 00:25:07.980 it is for the good of your soul. It's for your 00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:14.140 good to esteem the Word of God as Christ Himself 00:25:14.140 --> 00:25:19.319 esteems the Word of God. It is for the good of 00:25:19.319 --> 00:25:26.380 your soul to have a high view of the holy, infallible, 00:25:26.480 --> 00:25:31.140 inerrant Scriptures and the Gospel. So I want 00:25:31.140 --> 00:25:33.920 to show this to you in the text and demonstrate 00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:38.619 why the Word has preeminence and how the Word 00:25:38.619 --> 00:25:42.740 has preeminence in this text. If you remember, 00:25:44.619 --> 00:25:49.039 Two weeks ago we spoke about the fact that it 00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:52.680 was Paul's exhortation and encouragement which 00:25:52.680 --> 00:25:57.440 definitively marked his ministry as an apostle 00:25:57.440 --> 00:26:02.720 to the churches. In this portion, in this meeting, 00:26:02.839 --> 00:26:09.480 we find a concrete example of that exhortation. 00:26:10.519 --> 00:26:14.859 We find the prominence of this. The word is seen. 00:26:15.420 --> 00:26:18.420 And the fact that the whole narrative. In a sense. 00:26:18.519 --> 00:26:23.200 Is built around Paul's message. His preaching. 00:26:23.200 --> 00:26:26.920 His teaching. His talking. And his message. As 00:26:26.920 --> 00:26:31.420 it is described in verse 7. Verse 7. Says this. 00:26:31.539 --> 00:26:34.599 Paul began talking to them. Intending to leave 00:26:34.599 --> 00:26:38.160 the next day. And he prolonged his message. Then 00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:41.630 in the middle of the text. We read this. And 00:26:41.630 --> 00:26:46.029 as Paul kept on talking. And then we read in 00:26:46.029 --> 00:26:50.029 verse 11. When he had gone back up and had broken 00:26:50.029 --> 00:26:53.910 the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long 00:26:53.910 --> 00:27:00.029 while until daybreak. Beginning, middle, and 00:27:00.029 --> 00:27:04.910 end. But also notice that the primary thing that 00:27:04.910 --> 00:27:07.569 draws our attention, the death and resurrection 00:27:07.569 --> 00:27:15.019 of Eutychus. When does it occur? While Paul is 00:27:15.019 --> 00:27:20.640 preaching and teaching. Right in the middle of 00:27:20.640 --> 00:27:24.400 his message. And what does Eutychus' episode 00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:30.220 make us automatically think about? Paul's message. 00:27:30.819 --> 00:27:35.460 It's pointing us right back to Paul's message. 00:27:35.500 --> 00:27:41.069 The ministry. Of God's word. We see that he prolonged 00:27:41.069 --> 00:27:45.509 his message. So if we think about this. This 00:27:45.509 --> 00:27:49.809 meeting. At Troas. Between Paul and the believers. 00:27:50.049 --> 00:27:56.190 The substantial. Thing that composed this meeting. 00:27:57.329 --> 00:28:02.250 Meaning hours and hours. Was the preaching and 00:28:02.250 --> 00:28:06.559 teaching. The exhortation of the apostle. Now, 00:28:06.599 --> 00:28:11.240 this was a unique situation because Paul most 00:28:11.240 --> 00:28:14.279 likely would never see these believers again, 00:28:14.380 --> 00:28:19.960 so he extends his message. It takes up an expansive 00:28:19.960 --> 00:28:28.519 amount of time, and it takes up an expansive 00:28:28.519 --> 00:28:33.440 amount of the service itself in Acts chapter 00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:38.579 20. So we find that it is prominent in this text. 00:28:39.299 --> 00:28:43.799 We could look on at other sections in this narrative 00:28:43.799 --> 00:28:47.660 and Paul bears witness to the importance of his 00:28:47.660 --> 00:28:51.160 proclamation and the word of grace or solemn 00:28:51.160 --> 00:28:55.000 testifying to the grace of God and the gospel. 00:28:56.400 --> 00:29:01.480 We find in this text the importance of the word 00:29:01.480 --> 00:29:07.119 of God is confirmed. very, very clearly. We read 00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:10.759 about Eutychus. He's sitting on the windowsill. 00:29:11.960 --> 00:29:17.079 He's getting very, very tired. And he falls out 00:29:17.079 --> 00:29:23.099 because, clearly, he loses bodily control. And 00:29:23.099 --> 00:29:27.299 he falls from the window, lands on the ground, 00:29:27.420 --> 00:29:36.299 and he is dead. The temptation... Is to look 00:29:36.299 --> 00:29:40.480 poorly and think poorly at Eutychus. Because 00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:43.740 he wasn't paying attention. Because he wasn't 00:29:43.740 --> 00:29:47.059 focused enough on the word. I don't think that's 00:29:47.059 --> 00:29:50.680 right. The reality is it was late at night. They 00:29:50.680 --> 00:29:54.119 were meeting in the evening. There was many lamps 00:29:54.119 --> 00:29:57.980 as it says. It was dark brothers and sisters. 00:29:58.329 --> 00:30:00.829 Paul was preaching a long time. He was never 00:30:00.829 --> 00:30:03.190 going to see these believers again. And this 00:30:03.190 --> 00:30:07.130 was a young man. Probably someone who had not 00:30:07.130 --> 00:30:12.930 met puberty yet. And he's getting tired. He's 00:30:12.930 --> 00:30:16.829 getting worn out. And what's he do? He passes 00:30:16.829 --> 00:30:19.109 out and he falls out the window and he dies. 00:30:21.369 --> 00:30:25.789 So I don't think there's blame to be had on Eutychus. 00:30:26.380 --> 00:30:30.180 But the other temptation is to put the blame 00:30:30.180 --> 00:30:35.059 on Paul because he's preaching a long time. But 00:30:35.059 --> 00:30:37.359 that's clearly not what takes place because the 00:30:37.359 --> 00:30:43.420 apostle returns to the message. He doesn't stop 00:30:43.420 --> 00:30:46.099 preaching. Oh, this is more significant. No, 00:30:46.220 --> 00:30:49.539 he brings the boy back to life and resumes his 00:30:49.539 --> 00:30:54.259 proclamation. So obviously, that's not the case. 00:30:55.150 --> 00:31:00.349 So what is the purpose of this miracle in the 00:31:00.349 --> 00:31:04.789 midst of the assembly as they are gathering together? 00:31:05.869 --> 00:31:09.569 Well, if we think about miracles in the Bible, 00:31:09.670 --> 00:31:14.049 and in the Old Testament in particular, and in 00:31:14.049 --> 00:31:16.369 the ministry of the Lord and Peter and Paul, 00:31:16.609 --> 00:31:20.349 what is the purpose of miracles, brothers and 00:31:20.349 --> 00:31:25.880 sisters? Is it to... Just simply show how powerful 00:31:25.880 --> 00:31:29.039 and mighty God is or show how powerful and mighty 00:31:29.039 --> 00:31:32.319 a person is like this power originates with them? 00:31:33.619 --> 00:31:39.279 No. The purpose of signs and wonders in the Bible 00:31:39.279 --> 00:31:45.279 is to bear witness to the message and the truth 00:31:45.279 --> 00:31:49.160 or the ministry and the messenger like the apostles. 00:31:49.660 --> 00:31:52.789 So let's go ahead and turn. to a couple examples 00:31:52.789 --> 00:32:01.509 and consider these. We read in 1 Kings 17, 21 00:32:01.509 --> 00:32:08.130 -22. We find a very similar story. This is not 00:32:08.130 --> 00:32:11.210 the first time that someone has died and been 00:32:11.210 --> 00:32:16.049 brought back to life. In the pages of Scripture. 00:32:26.029 --> 00:32:30.930 The prophet Elijah had sought to do a kindness 00:32:30.930 --> 00:32:35.950 to the Shunammite woman who had been so kind 00:32:35.950 --> 00:32:39.470 and caring to him. So he proclaims that she will 00:32:39.470 --> 00:32:43.910 have a child, that she will bear a son. Well, 00:32:43.950 --> 00:32:47.430 she has a child, and here's what we read. When 00:32:47.430 --> 00:32:50.490 the child was grown, the day came that he went 00:32:50.490 --> 00:32:53.849 out to his father to the reapers. He said to 00:32:53.849 --> 00:32:59.279 his father, My head, my head. And he said to 00:32:59.279 --> 00:33:03.279 a servant, Carry him to his mother. When he had 00:33:03.279 --> 00:33:06.559 taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat 00:33:06.559 --> 00:33:11.519 on her lap until noon and then died. She went 00:33:11.519 --> 00:33:15.640 up and laid him on the bed of the man of God 00:33:15.640 --> 00:33:19.859 and shut the door behind him and went on. Then 00:33:19.859 --> 00:33:22.180 she called to her husband and said, Please send 00:33:22.180 --> 00:33:24.220 me one of the servants and one of the donkeys. 00:33:24.619 --> 00:33:27.819 that I may run to the man of God in return. He 00:33:27.819 --> 00:33:30.920 said, Why will you go to him today? It is neither 00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:34.359 a new moon nor Sabbath. And she said, It will 00:33:34.359 --> 00:33:39.759 be well. Then she saddled a donkey and said to 00:33:39.759 --> 00:33:42.619 her servant, Drive and go forward. Do not slow 00:33:42.619 --> 00:33:46.819 down the pace for me unless I tell you. So she 00:33:46.819 --> 00:33:49.640 went and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. 00:33:50.299 --> 00:33:53.039 When the man of God saw her at a distance, he 00:33:53.039 --> 00:33:56.410 said, To Gehazi his servant. Behold there is 00:33:56.410 --> 00:34:00.029 the Shunammite. Please run now to meet her. And 00:34:00.029 --> 00:34:03.690 say to her. Is it well with you? Is it well with 00:34:03.690 --> 00:34:07.609 your husband? Is it well with your child? And 00:34:07.609 --> 00:34:11.590 she answered. It is well. When she came to the 00:34:11.590 --> 00:34:14.909 man of God. To the hill. She caught hold of his 00:34:14.909 --> 00:34:17.650 feet. And Gehazi came near to push her away. 00:34:17.989 --> 00:34:20.960 But the man of God said. Let her alone, for her 00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:23.440 soul is troubled within her, and the Lord has 00:34:23.440 --> 00:34:28.519 hidden it from me and has not told me. Then she 00:34:28.519 --> 00:34:33.440 did. Then she said, Did I ask for a son from 00:34:33.440 --> 00:34:39.320 my Lord? Did I not say, Do not deceive me? So 00:34:39.320 --> 00:34:45.559 hear the woman questioning the word of the prophet. 00:34:47.599 --> 00:34:52.920 And so what takes place? Elijah goes and heals 00:34:52.920 --> 00:34:59.599 the son in a very similar fashion. We read this 00:34:59.599 --> 00:35:04.760 of Elisha. I apologize. So he entered and shut 00:35:04.760 --> 00:35:08.840 the door behind them both and prayed to the Lord. 00:35:09.219 --> 00:35:12.460 And he went up and lay on the child and put his 00:35:12.460 --> 00:35:15.099 mouth on his mouth and his eyes on his eyes and 00:35:15.099 --> 00:35:17.400 his hands on his hands. and he stretched himself 00:35:17.400 --> 00:35:21.280 on him, and the flesh of the child became warm. 00:35:22.519 --> 00:35:26.500 The child came back to life. And what does the 00:35:26.500 --> 00:35:31.780 woman do? Then she went in and fell at the feet 00:35:31.780 --> 00:35:35.840 and bowed herself to the ground, and she took 00:35:35.840 --> 00:35:41.440 up her son and went out. This man is a prophet. 00:35:42.719 --> 00:35:46.440 His word and his message. is confirmed in the 00:35:46.440 --> 00:35:50.239 reality that the son was brought back to life. 00:35:51.460 --> 00:35:55.820 She could trust the word of the prophet. If he 00:35:55.820 --> 00:35:59.659 gave her a son, the son would live, even if that 00:35:59.659 --> 00:36:02.840 meant resurrecting the child. She could trust 00:36:02.840 --> 00:36:06.699 the word of the prophet, or we could say she 00:36:06.699 --> 00:36:11.639 could trust the prophetic word. Now we read in 00:36:11.639 --> 00:36:21.760 1 Kings. with Elijah, 1 Kings 17, verses 21 -22. 00:36:26.579 --> 00:36:29.079 Now it came about after these things that the 00:36:29.079 --> 00:36:31.980 son of the woman, the mistress of the house, 00:36:32.079 --> 00:36:37.500 became sick, and his sickness was so severe that 00:36:37.500 --> 00:36:41.139 there was no breath left in him. So she said 00:36:41.139 --> 00:36:44.610 to Elijah, What do I have to do with you, O man 00:36:44.610 --> 00:36:48.269 of God? You have come to me to bring my iniquity, 00:36:48.309 --> 00:36:52.349 to remembrance, and to put my son to death. He 00:36:52.349 --> 00:36:55.969 said to her, Give me your son. Then he took him 00:36:55.969 --> 00:36:58.909 from her bosom and carried him up to the upper 00:36:58.909 --> 00:37:02.610 room where he was living and laid him on his 00:37:02.610 --> 00:37:06.309 own bed. He called to the Lord and said, O Lord 00:37:06.309 --> 00:37:09.630 my God, have you also brought calamity to the 00:37:09.630 --> 00:37:12.730 widow? with whom I am staying by causing her 00:37:12.730 --> 00:37:16.630 son to die. Then he stretched himself upon the 00:37:16.630 --> 00:37:20.849 child three times and called to the Lord and 00:37:20.849 --> 00:37:25.269 said, O Lord my God, I pray you, let this child's 00:37:25.269 --> 00:37:28.050 life return to him. The Lord heard the voice 00:37:28.050 --> 00:37:31.190 of Elijah, and the life of the child returned 00:37:31.190 --> 00:37:35.469 to him, and he revived. And Elijah took the child 00:37:35.469 --> 00:37:37.769 and brought him down from the upper room into 00:37:37.769 --> 00:37:40.929 the house and gave him to his mother. And Elijah 00:37:40.929 --> 00:37:45.670 said, See, your son is alive. Now listen to what 00:37:45.670 --> 00:37:49.869 the woman says. Then the woman said to Elijah, 00:37:50.090 --> 00:37:53.510 Now I know that you are a man of God and that 00:37:53.510 --> 00:38:03.489 the word of the Lord in your mouth is true. What 00:38:03.489 --> 00:38:06.449 was the purpose of these children, these young 00:38:06.449 --> 00:38:12.099 people, being raised up from the dead? With regards 00:38:12.099 --> 00:38:15.860 to the prophets. To bear witness to the truth. 00:38:15.960 --> 00:38:19.719 That these men were prophets. And that their 00:38:19.719 --> 00:38:23.260 message was of God. Why did Christ work signs 00:38:23.260 --> 00:38:25.300 and wonders throughout his ministry brothers 00:38:25.300 --> 00:38:28.820 and sisters? To bear witness to the truth. That 00:38:28.820 --> 00:38:32.300 the gospel which he came to accomplish and proclaim. 00:38:32.440 --> 00:38:39.429 Was true and real. Why did the apostles. work 00:38:39.429 --> 00:38:41.829 wonders and miracles throughout their ministry, 00:38:41.929 --> 00:38:46.809 to bear witness to the validity and the veracity 00:38:46.809 --> 00:38:50.869 of their message and their ministry, brothers 00:38:50.869 --> 00:38:55.650 and sisters. So here we have Paul preaching and 00:38:55.650 --> 00:38:59.989 teaching to this early assembly. And out falls 00:38:59.989 --> 00:39:03.309 Eutychus and he dies. And down goes Paul and 00:39:03.309 --> 00:39:07.349 he lays himself upon this young person. Very 00:39:07.349 --> 00:39:10.150 similar to what the prophets had done. Very similar 00:39:10.150 --> 00:39:12.969 to what we see Christ having done and Peter. 00:39:13.289 --> 00:39:20.610 And then he says, don't worry. He's alive. Then 00:39:20.610 --> 00:39:26.090 Paul goes back up and preaches. Now, think about 00:39:26.090 --> 00:39:32.030 what that would do to the congregation that just 00:39:32.030 --> 00:39:35.940 witnessed this miraculous event. If there was 00:39:35.940 --> 00:39:39.800 somebody beforehand who maybe was questioning 00:39:39.800 --> 00:39:44.960 Paul's words and his message, then what do you 00:39:44.960 --> 00:39:48.280 think they would think after Paul just brought 00:39:48.280 --> 00:39:55.380 this young boy back from the dead? Who? God is 00:39:55.380 --> 00:40:02.920 with him. God's hand is upon this man. The power 00:40:02.920 --> 00:40:09.820 of God is with him. His message is true. I ought 00:40:09.820 --> 00:40:13.820 to listen to what this man says because he raises 00:40:13.820 --> 00:40:19.280 people from the dead. So we find, brothers and 00:40:19.280 --> 00:40:24.019 sisters, that this miraculous event with Eutychus 00:40:24.019 --> 00:40:29.980 actually confirms the importance of Paul's message. 00:40:30.880 --> 00:40:36.400 Paul's preaching. Paul's word. The Scripture 00:40:36.400 --> 00:40:44.059 teaches in this text the all -importance of the 00:40:44.059 --> 00:40:50.420 Scripture. We don't have apostles going around 00:40:50.420 --> 00:40:52.639 preaching anymore, do we, brothers and sisters? 00:40:54.360 --> 00:40:58.820 Paul's not living and breathing, going around 00:40:58.820 --> 00:41:06.579 proclaiming divine revelation. We do have a Bible, 00:41:06.639 --> 00:41:11.860 don't we? We do have a closed canon of Scripture 00:41:11.860 --> 00:41:18.280 that has the same authority that Paul, in his 00:41:18.280 --> 00:41:23.940 apostolic doctrine, possessed himself. So, if 00:41:23.940 --> 00:41:29.099 we think about the fact that Christ from heaven 00:41:29.099 --> 00:41:32.420 was bearing witness to his message that his apostle 00:41:32.420 --> 00:41:37.460 was preaching, How important ought the word of 00:41:37.460 --> 00:41:43.579 God be to us as we have a closed canon that has 00:41:43.579 --> 00:41:51.300 been handed down to us. We have the word of the 00:41:51.300 --> 00:41:55.679 living God, brothers and sisters. Is it precious 00:41:55.679 --> 00:42:02.380 in your sight? Is it precious to you? The word 00:42:02.380 --> 00:42:06.829 is the chief. means of grace in the life of the 00:42:06.829 --> 00:42:12.150 believer and in the life of the church. What 00:42:12.150 --> 00:42:16.050 do I mean by that? It is the chief means of grace 00:42:16.050 --> 00:42:19.829 because, one, it is effectual unto salvation. 00:42:19.949 --> 00:42:24.690 It gives new life. God applies power to the Word 00:42:24.690 --> 00:42:27.730 and saves men. That is not true of the ordinances. 00:42:30.280 --> 00:42:33.380 How do we know what baptism is, brothers and 00:42:33.380 --> 00:42:37.300 sisters? How do we know how to rightly administer 00:42:37.300 --> 00:42:41.519 baptism? How do we know how to rightly worship 00:42:41.519 --> 00:42:44.739 the living God? Where do we find that out at, 00:42:44.860 --> 00:42:48.559 brothers and sisters? The Word of God. The Word 00:42:48.559 --> 00:42:51.500 of God is the chief means because it interprets 00:42:51.500 --> 00:42:54.639 and informs all the rest of the life of the church. 00:42:55.849 --> 00:42:57.889 And brothers and sisters, it is a chief means 00:42:57.889 --> 00:43:00.730 of grace because it is a chief means by which 00:43:00.730 --> 00:43:06.090 the living Christ sanctifies and nourishes His 00:43:06.090 --> 00:43:10.289 people in their souls and builds His church. 00:43:11.670 --> 00:43:17.789 So it's good for us to have a high view of the 00:43:17.789 --> 00:43:22.250 Word of God. It is good for us to have and to 00:43:22.250 --> 00:43:26.250 seek to have an esteem of the Scriptures. That 00:43:26.250 --> 00:43:32.190 is similar to Christ's esteem and love and view 00:43:32.190 --> 00:43:40.250 of the Scriptures themselves. Naturally, there 00:43:40.250 --> 00:43:43.210 are all kinds of applications for this, are there 00:43:43.210 --> 00:43:46.929 not? In the life of the church and in the life 00:43:46.929 --> 00:43:54.170 of the believer. Typically, this story is the 00:43:54.170 --> 00:43:59.949 occasion. Of men to make jokes. About long sermons. 00:44:00.889 --> 00:44:05.650 About long winded preachers. But knowing the 00:44:05.650 --> 00:44:10.570 purpose of this event. And this episode. What 00:44:10.570 --> 00:44:13.409 is it actually meant to do brothers and sisters? 00:44:14.010 --> 00:44:22.190 To induce reverence. And a high view of God's 00:44:22.190 --> 00:44:28.230 word. It's meant to elevate the Word of God in 00:44:28.230 --> 00:44:36.010 our sight, in our hearts. It's meant to remind 00:44:36.010 --> 00:44:40.090 us of the importance and the significance of 00:44:40.090 --> 00:44:43.309 God's Word in the life of His people and in the 00:44:43.309 --> 00:44:49.409 life of the church. I long, as I read the book 00:44:49.409 --> 00:44:52.449 of Acts and I read the New Testament, I long. 00:44:53.119 --> 00:44:59.059 for our church and for other churches to be like 00:44:59.059 --> 00:45:04.860 the New Testament church. Full of life and vitality. 00:45:04.960 --> 00:45:06.960 And me saying this, brothers and sisters, is 00:45:06.960 --> 00:45:10.340 not saying I don't think we have any of it. That's 00:45:10.340 --> 00:45:16.340 not what I'm saying. But we can still excel all 00:45:16.340 --> 00:45:22.190 the more, as Paul tells the Thessalonians. I 00:45:22.190 --> 00:45:25.909 long for our church and other churches to have 00:45:25.909 --> 00:45:34.230 the power of God upon us. That we would be filled 00:45:34.230 --> 00:45:37.510 with the Spirit of God and bold with regards 00:45:37.510 --> 00:45:41.690 to our praying and with regards to our evangelism 00:45:41.690 --> 00:45:45.230 and our calling men to repentance and faith. 00:45:45.329 --> 00:45:48.570 Bold with regards to our loving our brothers 00:45:48.570 --> 00:45:51.239 and sisters in Christ. Bold with regards to our 00:45:51.239 --> 00:45:56.039 sacrifice for the name of Christ. Our willingness 00:45:56.039 --> 00:46:00.480 to be identified and associated with the people 00:46:00.480 --> 00:46:03.659 of God. I long for Christ's blessing to be upon 00:46:03.659 --> 00:46:06.219 our body and other bodies like it was in the 00:46:06.219 --> 00:46:09.940 first century. But if we want that, do you know 00:46:09.940 --> 00:46:12.039 what that means and what that requires of us? 00:46:13.800 --> 00:46:18.420 That means we have to view the Word as they viewed. 00:46:19.070 --> 00:46:25.829 the Word. If we want a revived church, if we 00:46:25.829 --> 00:46:29.329 want revived souls, revived hearts, do you know 00:46:29.329 --> 00:46:31.230 what that means, brothers and sisters? We must 00:46:31.230 --> 00:46:34.989 have a revival with regards to our view and our 00:46:34.989 --> 00:46:38.110 esteem of the Word of God in our lives personally 00:46:38.110 --> 00:46:41.730 and corporately, where we hold it higher than 00:46:41.730 --> 00:46:47.639 everything else. It informs everything else in 00:46:47.639 --> 00:46:51.300 the life of the church and in our lives personally. 00:46:54.260 --> 00:47:01.820 This is a view like that of Christ. If Christ 00:47:01.820 --> 00:47:06.699 did not have a high view of His Word, He would 00:47:06.699 --> 00:47:13.239 not have raised Eutychus from the dead. That 00:47:13.239 --> 00:47:16.500 power did not originate with Paul, brothers and 00:47:16.500 --> 00:47:21.280 sisters. That was the risen Christ exerting his 00:47:21.280 --> 00:47:26.539 divine power to bear witness to what? The gospel 00:47:26.539 --> 00:47:30.239 message that he had entrusted to his apostles. 00:47:32.059 --> 00:47:36.900 Christ has a high view of the word. We ought 00:47:36.900 --> 00:47:42.179 to seek out to enjoy a high view of God's word. 00:47:42.619 --> 00:47:54.800 In our lives as well. How do you. Value and see. 00:47:56.320 --> 00:48:02.940 And treat the word of God. What is your view. 00:48:03.380 --> 00:48:11.690 Of God's holy word. Is there reverence in your 00:48:11.690 --> 00:48:15.449 heart? Is there a bit of trepidation or caution 00:48:15.449 --> 00:48:20.130 with regards to the word of God? It's not my 00:48:20.130 --> 00:48:26.110 word. It's not your word. It's God's word. There 00:48:26.110 --> 00:48:29.190 should be great joy. But brothers and sisters, 00:48:29.269 --> 00:48:33.030 there ought to be a bit of sobriety as well when 00:48:33.030 --> 00:48:41.559 we handle the holy word of the living God. How 00:48:41.559 --> 00:48:47.960 do you think about the Word? Do you treat it 00:48:47.960 --> 00:48:55.980 like every other book? Do you read it like every 00:48:55.980 --> 00:49:02.639 other book? Do you come to it like every other 00:49:02.639 --> 00:49:10.750 book? Or do you think about it, read it, memorize 00:49:10.750 --> 00:49:14.469 it, think about it, with regards to the fact 00:49:14.469 --> 00:49:18.989 that it is divine. And it is the word of the 00:49:18.989 --> 00:49:23.150 living God who made the world and all that is 00:49:23.150 --> 00:49:27.889 in it. One of the greatest privileges of my life, 00:49:27.889 --> 00:49:31.090 brothers and sisters, is to proclaim the word 00:49:31.090 --> 00:49:37.070 of God. I will forever be grateful to Christ. 00:49:37.550 --> 00:49:40.289 that I have the opportunity to preach the Word 00:49:40.289 --> 00:49:44.929 of God regularly. But we have to understand this 00:49:44.929 --> 00:49:48.489 about that as well. One of the most terrifying 00:49:48.489 --> 00:49:56.170 things that I do as an individual is preach the 00:49:56.170 --> 00:50:02.949 Word of God. Do you know why that is? Because 00:50:02.949 --> 00:50:07.070 I'm handling His Word and His truth. Not my own. 00:50:08.730 --> 00:50:13.829 I have no right to change it. I have no right 00:50:13.829 --> 00:50:19.349 to twist it or adjust it. Or to wiggle around 00:50:19.349 --> 00:50:24.510 certain things. There's caution and sobriety 00:50:24.510 --> 00:50:28.710 and reverence as we come to God's Word. But brothers 00:50:28.710 --> 00:50:31.989 and sisters, there's joy. And there's comfort 00:50:31.989 --> 00:50:34.599 and there's peace knowing... that God has in 00:50:34.599 --> 00:50:44.219 fact given us his holy word. All of this, brothers 00:50:44.219 --> 00:50:49.400 and sisters, informs not just our treatment of 00:50:49.400 --> 00:50:53.719 the word, but our hearing of the word. When we 00:50:53.719 --> 00:50:58.900 think about Eutychus, we typically, I would assume, 00:50:58.980 --> 00:51:03.730 associate more with Eutychus and his growing 00:51:03.730 --> 00:51:06.949 exhaustion to the point where he passes out, 00:51:07.110 --> 00:51:12.329 as opposed to the multitude that was present, 00:51:12.389 --> 00:51:21.269 that focused on Paul's instruction, and that 00:51:21.269 --> 00:51:25.949 faithfully sat under it and heard the apostolic 00:51:25.949 --> 00:51:32.679 doctrine being proclaimed. how we think about 00:51:32.679 --> 00:51:38.579 God's Word will inform how we hear God's Word 00:51:38.579 --> 00:51:41.920 and listen to God's Word, brothers and sisters. 00:51:46.199 --> 00:51:51.219 And our hearing of God's Word will either lead 00:51:51.219 --> 00:51:58.860 to or dismiss our experience of God's Word. At 00:51:58.860 --> 00:52:03.670 the end of this text, We read this. They took 00:52:03.670 --> 00:52:08.449 away the boy alive and were greatly comforted. 00:52:09.829 --> 00:52:14.730 Now, they weren't simply comforted because Eutychus 00:52:14.730 --> 00:52:20.349 was living and breathing in fine. They just gathered 00:52:20.349 --> 00:52:24.530 corporately and sat under the preached word and 00:52:24.530 --> 00:52:27.769 sang hymns to God and fellowshiped with the saints 00:52:27.769 --> 00:52:31.679 and taken part in the Lord's Supper. Why are 00:52:31.679 --> 00:52:35.280 they comforted? Because they know what Paul has 00:52:35.280 --> 00:52:40.519 said is true, brothers and sisters. If we will 00:52:40.519 --> 00:52:45.119 open our ears and our hearts to hear the word 00:52:45.119 --> 00:52:47.760 of the living God, brothers and sisters, we can 00:52:47.760 --> 00:52:50.679 experience the word of God in our hearts and 00:52:50.679 --> 00:52:54.340 enjoy comfort and peace and hope and have our 00:52:54.340 --> 00:52:58.460 hearts stirred up and have our faith strengthened. 00:53:00.199 --> 00:53:04.519 But it all begins with how we think about His 00:53:04.519 --> 00:53:06.380 Holy Word.