God’s Comfort in a Spirit-Directed Life Acts 20:(7-)12

What are we talking about today?

Eutychus and his kin

The Story Acts 20 7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.  First day of week Break bread Talked from dinner to midnight “We” section

Acts 20 8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 1. Lamps to keep place bright 2. Seated on window ledge 3. Three floor building (was it Luke’s own house?) 4. Eutychus died.

Acts 20 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” 11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left.

Acts 20 12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.

The Holy Spirit has a comfort for the imperfect worshipper Eutychus and his kin. Falling asleep during long sermons

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Living with the kin of Eutychus

Even though falling asleep is not odd behavior, sitting at the window ledge is odd behavior

In church, you will always find people who want to be noticed for the wrong reasons.

Falling out of community for the wrong reasons

We accept you as you are. Please don’t expect us to become what you are.

How do I know if I am behaving oddly? Imagine a church full of people behaving like you. That is how you know if you are wacky.

Bring all your imperfections – including odd behavior Bring all your imperfections – including odd behavior. We are a community of imperfect people looking to become complete in Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit has a comfort for those present Despite his imperfection, Eutychus was present

There is a Eutychus in us – good intention but failed execution.

The imperfect present is always better than the perfectionist absent.

The Kingdom of God is never purist – parable of the dragnet.

Two manifestations of the purist / perfectionist Striving for perfection Not even trying because we can’t be perfect.

Your imperfect presence is more valuable than some perfect aspiration from afar.

The Holy Spirit comforts us with a new life Eutychus really died and was raised to a new life

“When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead.” (20:9) "They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.” (14:19)

Acts 20 5 These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas Acts 20  5 These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6 But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days.

Acts 20 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” 

Eutychus a fall to grace Fall into God’s loving hands Find your second chance @theWell

Today: Baptism – into the family of God

John 1 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Comfort in our Imperfection God accepts us with all our imperfections My imperfections make me lovely and keep me humble.

Love comes through imperfection Love comes through imperfection. It is never our perfection that brings out another person’s love for us, instead, the one who loves us embraces our imperfections and finds us beautiful through our imperfections.

If you are focused on your own imperfections, you will be like a spinning top furious with self-centered action but moving only randomly and always with self as the point in everything you do

You may not be perfect, but your presence is infinitely more important than your perfection

The more perfected I become in the image of God, the less I mind the imperfection of others.

God’s work in my life is not impeded by my imperfections God’s work in my life is not impeded by my imperfections. He works through my imperfection to give me a new life in Jesus.