An Unforgettable Sermon
Acts 20:1-12
1 And
after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced
them, and departed for to go into Macedonia. 2 And when he had gone
over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, 3
And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he
was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia. 4 And
there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians,
Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia,
Tychicus and Trophimus. 5 These going before tarried for us at
Troas. 6 And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of
unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode
seven days. 7 And
upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break
bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his
speech until midnight. 8 And there were many lights in the upper
chamber, where they were gathered together. 9 And there sat in a
window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and
as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the
third loft, and was taken up dead. 10 And Paul went down, and fell
on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.
11 When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and
eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. 12
And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
Introduction:
There are many things that we learn from the epistles of
Paul that are not mentioned by Luke in this historical narrative including the
writing and sending of the epistles themselves. We do know that the Corinthian
and Roman correspondences were composed during this period. 2 Corinthians,
especially the first seven chapters, are helpful background reading for this
period.
Outline:
I. The Final
Departure from Ephesus (20:1-3)
II. The Traveling
Companions in Asia (20:4-6)
III. The
Prolonged Preaching of Paul (20:7-8)
IV. The Lasting
Last Impression at Troas (20:9-12)
Transition:
Trail of Geography: We are nearing the end of the third
missionary journey of Paul which encompasses Acts 18:23-21:16. Be advised that
in the extensive literature on the events of this period there is a great deal
of idle and unprofitable speculation by those who should know better concerning
why certain individuals are not mentioned by name in this account, some
supposedly “lost letter” to the Corinthians, and even how Paul accomplished the
resuscitation recorded here. We will abstain from any forays away from what is
explicitly mentioned in the inspired text.
I. The Final Departure from Ephesus (20:1-3)
1 And
after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced
them, and departed for to go into Macedonia. 2 And when he had gone
over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, 3
And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he
was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.
Verse 1
“The tumult and the shouting dies;
The Captains and the Kings
depart:
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!”
Rudyard
Kipling, “Recessional” (1897)
This passage begins with embracing, and ends with an
embrace. [1]
Verse 2
“Much exhortation” is what he left them with, since it is
precisely what they need, and what we need.
Verse 3
Plans change!
Plots foiled!
Man proposes. God disposes!
A Divine detour!
II. The Traveling Companions in Asia (20:4-6)
4 And there accompanied him into
Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and
Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus. 5 These
going before tarried for us at Troas. 6 And we sailed away from
Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in
five days; where we abode seven days.
What is the significance of this cataloging of the
ministry team, and the geographical areas they represented?
Seven names are mentioned. At least two are not,
including Luke (by name), and Paul, who is understood to be included from the
context.
Trail of
Luke: "We" passages -
16:10-17; 20:5-21:18; 27:1-28:16; cp. Rom. 15:25ff.; II Tim. 4:11.
At least two major provinces or regions are involved
including the specific mention of three cities.
What can we learn from this as a historical precedent?
III. The Prolonged Preaching of Paul (20:7-8)
7 And
upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break
bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued
his speech until midnight. 8 And there were many lights in the upper
chamber, where they were gathered together.
The first day of the week - This is
one of the earliest references to the early Church gathering on the first day
of the week rather than the seventh day as was mandated under the Old Covenant.
See also 1 Cor. 16:2; and Rev. 1:10 (“the Lord’s Day”).
Compare also Mt. 18; Mk. 16; Lk. 24; and Jn. 20 (the day
of Christ’s resurrection).
Preaching until midnight
Nehemiah 8:1-8 - 1 And
all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they
spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the
LORD had commanded to Israel. 2 And
Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women,
and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh
month. 3 And he read therein before the street
that was before the water gate from
the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could
understand; and the ears of all the people were
attentive unto the book of the law. 4 And
Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the
purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah,
and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah,
and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight
of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it,
all the people stood up:
6 And
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen,
with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the
LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah,
Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan,
Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the
people stood in their place. 8 So they read in the book in the law of
God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
Nehemiah 9:1-3 - 1 Now in
the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled
with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them. 2 And
the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and
confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 And
they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their
God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and
worshipped the LORD their God.
This is an evidence of revival.
IV. The Lasting Last Impression at Troas (20:9-12)
9 And there sat in a window a
certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul
was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft,
and was taken up dead. 10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and
embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. 11 When
he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a
long while, even till break of day, so he departed. 12 And they
brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
First impressions mean a lot!
What about last impresssions?
Did you ever hear of a show stopper during a sermon
otherwise known as a sermon stopper?
E.g., Pastor Nate Osborn stomping his foot on the
platform, and then jumping a foot with the rest of the congregation when it
somehow resonated very loudly through all of the speakers!
E.g., Pastor Nate Osborn hanging his head in speechless
stupefaction as the entire congregation convulsed with hilarious laughter when
Serafina Rosella told him during a sermon, “The last time I told Bertha I loved
her was when we got married, so I don’t need to tell here again since nothing
has changed!”
This one “takes the cake”!
This was both a powerful - though completely unplanned - sermon
illustration, and an unforgettable sermon conclusion!
Connections throughout Scriptural history:
Elijah and Elisha:
The widow of Zarephath’s son by Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-24)
The Shunammite woman’s son by Elisha (2 Kings 4:8-37)
Christ and the Apostles:
The widow of Nain’s son by Christ (Luke 7:11-15)
Jairus’s daughter by Christ (Luke 8:49-56)
Lazarus by Christ (John 11:38-41)
Dorcas by Peter (Acts 9:36-41)
“The story belongs to the category of resurrection miracles,
such as Jesus’ raising of the widow’s son at Nain (Luke 7:11–15), of Jairus’s
daughter (Luke 8:49–56), and of Lazarus (John 11:38–44), and of the restoration
of Dorcas through Peter (Acts 9:36–41). There is even a striking correspondence
to the raising of lads by Elijah and Elisha (1 Kgs 17:21; 2 Kgs 4:34f.) when
Paul threw himself over the boy’s body (v. 10), just as the prophets had done.
In the New Testament, miracles of raising from the dead present an implicit
symbolism of the resurrection. In the case of Lazarus it is quite explicit. Indeed,
in the present case there are some
rather strong linkages with the resurrection. It was Easter time. The Passover
had just ended, the season of Jesus’ death and resurrection (v. 6). It was the
first day of the week, the day of Jesus’ resurrection (v. 7); and, given the
season, Paul may well have been expounding on that event. The restoration of
Eutychus’s life was a vivid reminder to the Christians of Troas that the Jesus
whom Paul had been preaching was indeed the resurrection and the life." [2]
Conclusion:
John 11:25-26 - 25 Jesus
said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me,
though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and
believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
How could those present for this all night worship service
at Troas have ever again doubted this truth?
What about you?
Complete outline:
I. The Final
Departure from Ephesus (20:1-3)
II. The Traveling
Companions in Asia (20:4-6)
III. The
Prolonged Preaching of Paul (20:7-8)
IV. The Lasting
Last Impression at Troas (20:9-12)
[Sermon preached 7
DEC 2014 by Pastor John T. “Jack” Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown,
PA.]
Resources on Acts:
G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson, eds., Commentary on the New Testament Use of
the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), pp. 513-606.
Paul Barnett, The
Birth of Christianity: The First Twenty Years, After Jesus, Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing
Co., 2005).
Darrell L. Bock, Acts,
Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New
Testament, eds. Robert W. Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Grand Rapids:
Baker Academic, 2007).
F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text
with Introduction and Commentary, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans
Publishing Co., 1951, 1952).
Dennis E. Johnson, The Message of Acts in the History of
Redemption (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1997).
I. Howard Marshall, Acts:
An Introduction And Commentary, Vol. 5 in Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. Leon Morris (Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980; 2008 reprint).
David G. Peterson, The
Acts of the Apostles, in The Pillar
New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009).
John B. Polhill, Acts,
Vol. 26 in The New American Commentary,
gen. ed. David S. Dockery (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, Publishers,
1992).
Eckhard J. Schnabel, Acts,
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Commentary on the New Testament, gen. ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2012).
W. C. van Unnik, “The ‘Book of Acts’ the Confirmation of
the Gospel,” in Novum Testamentum 4:1
(OCT 1960), pp. 26-59; reprinted in The
Composition of Luke’s Gospel: Selected Studies from Novum Testamentum,
compiled by David E. Orton, Vol. 1 of Brill’s
Readers in Biblical Studies (Leiden: Brill, 1999), pp. 184-218.
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Teaching and Preaching, series ed. James Luther Mays, New Testament ed.
Paul J. Achtemeier (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010).
Resources on Paul:
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Studies in 1 Corinthians (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2011).
F. F. Bruce, Paul:
Apostle of the Heart Set Free (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing
Co., 1977).
D. A. Carson, The
Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
1996), pp. 496-501.
W. J. Conybeare and J. S. Howson, The Life, Times and Travels of St. Paul, 2 vols. in 1, unabridged
American ed. (New York: E. B. Treat U Co., 1869); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=Bn1CAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
[accessed 12 FEB 2013].
Adolf Deissmann, Paul:
A Study in Social and Religious History, 2nd ed., trans. William E. Wilson
(New York: Harper Torchbooks, n.d.).
F. W. Farrar, The Life
and Work of St. Paul (New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1889); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=RB2KeCSM6KsC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed
12 FEB 2013].
Bruce N. Fisk, “Paul: Life and
Letters”, in The Face of New Testament
Studies: A Survey of Recent Research, ed. Scot McKnight and Grant R.
Osborne (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004), pp. 283-325.
Richard B.Gaffin, Jr.,
"Acts and Paul", 46 lectures (MP3 format), WTS Resources Media Center
on Westminster Theological Seminary
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Frank J. Goodwin, A
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the Pauline Epistles (New York: American Tract Society, 1895); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=YgpEAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
[accessed 12 FEB 2013].
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Ministry And Message Of Paul (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971).
Richard N. Longenecker, Paul,
Apostle Of Liberty (New York: Harper & Row, 1964).
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Thought, And Ministry (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997).
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2004).
J. Gresham Machen, The
Origin of Paul's Religion: The James Sprunt Lectures Delivered at Union
Theological Seminary in Virginia (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Co., 1925).
Leon Morris, The
Apostolic Preaching of the Cross (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Co., 1955).
John Pollock, The
Apostle: A Life of Paul, 3rd ed. (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 1969,
2012); also published as The Man Who
Shook the World (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1972; originally The Apostle: A Life of Paul, New York:
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Stanley E. Porter, Paul
in Acts, in Library of Pauline
Studies, gen. ed. Stanley E. Porter (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers,
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Cities of St. Paul: Their Influence on his Life and Thought (New York: A.
C. Armstrong and Son; London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1908); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=JryEbmKool0C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
[accessed 13 FEB 2013].
W. M. Ramsay, Pauline
and Other Studies in Early Christian History (New York: A. C. Armstrong and
Son, 1906); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=-1ZJAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
[accessed 13 FEB 2013].
W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul
the Traveler and the Roman Citizen, 10th ed. (London: Hodder and Stoughton,
1907); on Christian Classics Ethereal
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[accessed 13 FEB 2013].
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Teaching of Paul in terms of The Present Day: The Deems Lectures in New York
University (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1914); on Internet Archive at http://ia600404.us.archive.org/2/items/teachingofpaulin00rams/teachingofpaulin00rams.pdf
[accessed 13 FEB 2013].
A. T. Robertson, Epochs
in the Life of Paul: A Study of Development in Paul's Character (Grand
Rapids: Baker Book House, 1974).
Eckhard J. Schnabel, Paul The Missionary: Realities, Strategies
And Methods (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic,
2008).
Udo Schnelle, Apostle
Paul: His Life and Theology, trans. M. Eugene Boring (Grand Rapids: Baker
Academic, 2003; trans. from Paulus: Leben
und Denken, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co., n.d.).
Thomas R. Schreiner, Paul,
Apostle of God's Glory in Christ: A Pauline Theology (Downers Grove, IL:
IVP Academic, 2001).
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End Notes:
[1] A textual difference at
this point between the Byzantine/Majority Text and the Nestle-Aland/United
Bible Society texts is the reason for the difference in modern translations. In
other words, the difference here between the KJV and the modern translations is
not a translation issue, but a textual issue.
[2] Emphasis mine. Polhill, J. B. (1992). Vol. 26: Acts. The New American Commentary (418). Nashville: Broadman &
Holman Publishers.
