This graphic name occurs only once in the entire Bible! And without Luke’s occasional penchant for detail, we’d still have never heard of this particular believer in Jesus! (Penchant = French background, meaning “an inclination, a leaning.”)
Here’s the Story … “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. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. 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. And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.” Acts 20:9-12
I think I’ve never heard a sermon from this Text, but the preacher criticized this “young man.” Something like this: “He would have never fallen out of that window, had he not been half-in and half-out!” Then comes an admonishment to live “whole heartedly” for the Lord! (I am not being hyper-critical, but occasionally it might be good to look for the positive instead of just the negative … especially when viewing a Christian boy who had listened to hours of preaching and had “not forsaken” a long-lasting Sunday night gathering!)
No doubt “Eutychus” (generally a slave’s name I have been told, roughly meaning “lucky purchase”) had worked hard all that day … and would have to rise early the next morning and go back to the fields! Manual labor, hard labor!
He was exhausted (now in a “deep sleep”) but still chose to go to the Meeting! He wanted to hear Paul preach! Give him some credit!
Consequently, he inadvertently fell from his window perch (maybe the room was so full there was no other place to sit) … plunging down to the floor (or ground) “from the third loft!” Another preaching point here … gathering in Jesus’ name in an “exalted place!” Three floors up! We as Christians, Paul elsewhere avers, are made to “sit together in heavenly places” in Christ Jesus! (Ephesians 2:6)
Was Eutychus dead? Luke certainly believes so, he being a doctor (physician) at that! “He fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.”
That kind of happening just might interrupt a Service! So Paul stopped preaching … and “went to help!” (Do we help our fallen brothers and sisters like that?) “And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.” Get ready … another miracle is on the way!
God indeed (still) does great things for those who try to “help” their fellow companions in the Christian walk, life. Those who obey the spirit of Galatians 6:1 … “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, RESTORE such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”
Be an encourager, an exhorter … not a pessimistic critic!
As far as I am concerned God just raised a young man from the dead! Let me say that a little differently …“another” young man from the dead! (Some real Christians drift that far … that they appear dead! Go to them! Love them, embrace them! Pray for them! See what God can do!) James 5:19-20 … “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner (an erring saint) from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” The greatest verse on restoring drifting, slipping Christians in all the Word of God, in my opinion.
Then, what does Paul do? Right back to maturing/edifying the believers in Troas … “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.” Acts 20:11, Paul the consummate “people person.” (Consummate = of Latin origin meaning “of the very best.”)
The rest of the night … talking about the things of God!
Malachi 3:16 enfleshed! “Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.”
Wow!
Now think what a testimony Eutychus will have. Not a story of shame but an account of the power of God to an eager adherent of the faith!
The Lesson here? And this should be pretty clean, too. Spend/invest some time today … talking about the Lord!
Can you think of a “fallen” brother or sister (whatever the reason of their declension)? Well then, go help them!
Jesus said it best: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE (active, selfless, go-get-them) one to another.” John 13:35
Amen!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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