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The Blue Letter Bible

Chuck Smith :: Sermon Notes for Acts 20:5

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I. Act 20:5: THESE GOING BEFORE TARRIED FOR US AT TROAS.
A. In our last lesson we saw the men that accompanied Paul in his travel through Greece and Macedonia.
1. Luke again joined with Paul, for again he uses the personal pronoun "us."
2. Back in Acts 16:16, Paul had left Luke in Philippi, no doubt to minister to the church that was begun there.
3. Now as Paul passes back through Philippi, Luke rejoins him for the trip to Jerusalem, probably bringing the monetary gift from the church in Philippi to the church in Jerusalem.
4. Paul had remained in Philippi to observe the feast of unleavened bread there.
B. He then caught a ship sailing for Troas, the winds were probably contrary to them, for the trip that took them two days in Acts 16, took them five days.
C. They remained in Troas for seven days.
1. This means that they were there over a Sabbath day, however, it was on the first day of the week that the church gathered to break bread.
II. Act 20:7: AND UPON THE FIRST [DAY] OF THE WEEK, WHEN THE DISCIPLES CAME TOGETHER TO BREAK BREAD.
A. It would appear that the Gentile church observed the first day of the week as their day to worship.
1. There is not a single reference of the Gentile church worshipping on the Sabbath, or keeping Sabbath law.
2. Gathering on Sunday was mentioned twice. In the present text, and in Paul's letter to the Corinthians.
1CO 16:2 Upon the first [day] of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no collections when I come.
3. The Sabbath day belonged to the old creation, but the first day of the week belonged to the new Creation in Christ Jesus.
4. The seventh day worshippers often try to place the blame for the worship on Sunday to the Roman Emperor Constantine, but 100 years before Constantine, Tertulian, one of the early church fathers, stated that the church considered the first day of the week as the day of worship because of the resurrection of Jesus took place on the first day of the week.
5. One of the arguments against Sunday worship often offered is that the word Sunday, refers to the worship of the sun god.
a. This is a rather lame and mute argument in that Saturday was named after the god Saturn.
6. Any controversy over what is the proper day to worship should be settled by Paul's writing to the Romans and the Colossians.
a. In Romans, Paul deals with disputes that arose over eating meat and the proper day of worship. The same two issues that the Seventh Day Adventists quibble over today.
ROM 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, [but] not to doubtful disputations.
ROM 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, (in faith) eats vegetables.
ROM 14:3 He that eats meat should not despise him that doesn't eat meat. and in the same token he that does not eat meat should not judge him that eats: for God hath received him.
ROM 14:4 Who are you that judges another man's servant? to his own master he stands or falls. He shall be held up: for God is able to make him stand.
ROM 14:5 One man esteems one day above another: another esteems every day [alike]. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
ROM 14:6 He that regards the day, regards [it] to the Lord; and he that regards not the day, to the Lord he dos not regard [it]. He that eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he that eats not, to the Lord he eats not, and gives God thanks.
b. Either way a person is following their own convictions and are doing what he feels the Lord would have him to do.
COL 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath:
COL 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but Christ is the substance.
c. The whole issue comes back to the Judaizers in the early church. Those who came to Antioch and said that you had to keep the law of Moses and be circumcised to the saved.
d. Here in Colossians Paul had just said concerning Jesus:
COL 2:8 Beware that no man captivates you through empty and deceitful philosophy that is based on the traditions of men, the basic principles of the world, and not after Christ.
COL 2:9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
COL 2:10 And you are complete in Him, who is over all principalities and powers
COL 2:11 In whom also you have been circumcised not with the circumcision done with mans hands, but that spiritual circumcision that was done by Christ whereby you have put off the body ruled by the flesh.
COL 2:12 As you were buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with Him through faith of the operation of God, who has raised Him from the dead.
COL 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive in Him, having forgiven all your trespasses;
COL 2:14 As He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that were against us, and were contrary to us, and took them out of the way, nailing them to his cross;
COL 2:15 He spoiled principalities and powers and made an open show of His triumph over them on the cross. (Because of this, let no man judge you in respect to eating meat, or Sabbath days, etc.)
B. It would appear that the breaking of bread together was a common practice among the early believers. It was one of the most common rituals practiced in the early church.
Act 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Act 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
1. Paul wrote to the Corinthians:
1CO 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
2. Again he wrote:
1CO 11:23 For I have received from the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the [same] night in which He was betrayed took bread:
1CO 11:24 And when He had given thanks, He broke [it], and said, Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me.
1CO 11:25 After the same manner also [he took] the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the new covenant in My blood: do this, for as you drink the cup, you do it in remembrance of Me.
1CO 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you show the Lord's death till He come.
a. He did not say how often they were to do it.
b. It was a ritual that was to be observed until He came again.
c. Thus we do it at least once a month, and usually on the first Wednesday night of the month.
III. PAUL PREACHED TO THEM AFTER THEY HAD BROKEN THE BREAD, AND BECAUSE HE WAS GOING TO BE LEAVING THE NEXT DAY AND REALIZED THAT THIS COULD BE THE VERY LAST TIME THAT HE WOULD BE SEEING THEM, HE CONTINUED PREACHING UNTIL MIDNIGHT.
A. We are told that there were many lights in the upper chamber where they were meeting.
1. These were lights from burning candles, which means that there must have been a good deal of smoke in the room.
2. The room was probably pretty crowded which meant it was warm.
3. A young man by the name of Eutychus was sitting next to an open window there on the third floor. Long sermon, warm, smoky room makes for good sleeping conditions and he fell into a deep sleep and he also fell out of the window onto the courtyard below.
4. And they took him up dead.
B. Paul went down and fell on him, and embraced him.
1. There is no reason to not believe that he was killed in the fall.
2. It would appear that a miracle took place here, for Paul said to the astonished crowd, "Don't trouble yourselves, his life is in him."
C. The Bible speaks of others who were raised from the dead.
1. Elijah:
1KI 17:17 And it came to pass after these things, [that] the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.
1KI 17:18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
1KI 17:19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
1KI 17:20 And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?
1KI 17:21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.
1KI 17:22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
1KI 17:23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.
2. Elisha:
2KI 4:32 And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, [and] laid upon his bed.
2KI 4:33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them and prayed unto the LORD.
2KI 4:34 And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
2KI 4:35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
2KI 4:36 And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son.
2KI 4:37 Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
3. On another occasion we read that:
2KI 13:20 Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the beginning of the year.
2KI 13:21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, they spied a band [of men]; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.
4. Jesus and the daughter of Jarius:
MAR 5:22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
MAR 5:23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: [I pray thee], come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
MAR 5:24 And [Jesus] went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged Him.
MAR 5:35 Then there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house those who said, Thy daughter is dead: no need to trouble the Master any further?
MAR 5:36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he said unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
MAR 5:37 And he allowed no man to follow him, except Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
MAR 5:38 And he came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeing the tumult, and those that were weeping and wailing.
MAR 5:39 When he came in, he said unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but is sleeping.
MAR 5:40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he tool the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with Him, and entered in where the damsel was lying.
MAR 5:41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto you, arise.
MAR 5:42 And immediately the damsel arose, and walked; for she was twelve years old. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
JOH 11:1 Now a certain [man] was sick, [named] Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
JOH 11:2 (It was [that] Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
JOH 11:3 Therefore his sisters sent unto Jesus, saying, Lord, behold, the one You love is sick.
JOH 11:4 When Jesus heard [that], he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
JOH 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
JOH 11:6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
JOH 11:7 Then after that said to His disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.
JOH 11:8 [His] disciples said unto him, Master, the last time we were there, the Jews sought to stone You; and You want to go back there again?
JOH 11:11 He said to them, Our friend Lazarus is sleeping; I am going that I may wake him up.
JOH 11:12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he is sleeping, he is doing well.
JOH 11:13 However Jesus spoke of his death: but they thought that he was speaking of his resting in sleep.
JOH 11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
JOH 11:15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
JOH 11:16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
JOH 11:17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had been lying in the grave for four days.
JOH 11:18 Now Bethany was near to Jerusalem, about 2\3rds of a mile away:
JOH 11:19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
JOH 11:20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat [still] in the house.
JOH 11:21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
JOH 11:22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever You will ask of God, God will give it to You.
JOH 11:23 Jesus said unto her, Your brother shall rise again.
JOH 11:24 Martha said unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
JOH 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
JOH 11:26 And whosoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?
JOH 11:27 She said unto Him, Yes, Lord: I believe that You are the Messiah, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
JOH 11:28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and is calling for you.
JOH 11:29 As soon as she heard [that], she arose quickly, and came unto him.
JOH 11:30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.
JOH 11:31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She is going to the grave to weep there.
JOH 11:32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if You had only been here, my brother would not have died.
JOH 11:33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
JOH 11:34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
JOH 11:35 Jesus wept.
JOH 11:36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
JOH 11:37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?
JOH 11:38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself came to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
JOH 11:39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, said unto him, Lord, by this time he stinks: for he has been [dead] four days.
JOH 11:40 Jesus said unto her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?
JOH 11:41 Then they took away the stone [from the place] where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up [his] eyes, and said, Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
JOH 11:42 And I know that You always hear Me: but because of the people which stand by I say it that they may believe that You have sent Me.
JOH 11:43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
JOH 11:44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound with a napkin. Jesus said unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
D. Jesus had said to His apostles, "The works that I do, you shall do also and greater works than these shall you do because I go unto My Father."
E. Twice in the book of Acts do we see the Lord raising the dead through the apostles.
1. The widow Dorcas in Joppa through the prayer of Peter.
2. And the story before us tonight.
F. It is interesting to me that Paul went on with his message after this interruption and continued till daybreak.
Act 20:12 And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
Sermon Notes for Acts 20:1 ← Prior Section
Sermon Notes for Acts 20:13 Next Section →
Sermon Notes for John 1:1 ← Prior Book
Sermon Notes for Romans 1:16 Next Book →
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